The Road to Doting Wife

Chapter 21 Gifts
The day before yesterday, Mrs. Liu took Ru Niang to the town, and Ru Niang picked out a few pieces to put on the ruler, the colors were bright, and they were all suitable for girls to wear.Liu thought she picked it for herself, so she didn't think much about it until Ru Niang picked another piece of gray satin, she curiously asked Ru Niang why she bought it.Ru Niang said that she wanted to wear men's clothing to save for going out in the future, Liu Shi nodded knowingly, and didn't ask any more questions.When finally paying the bill, Liu wanted to go out together, but Ru Niang firmly refused and paid the money herself.

Back at Lin's house, Ru Niang started to sew clothes.

She is good at embroidery and skilled in movements. She made a blue skirt that day, and when she gave it to Lin Zhu, Aju and the sisters realized that Ru Niang wanted to thank them, so they quickly declined, but the skirt was already ready, and Lin Zhu didn't care. Chuan Ru Niang's clothes were also inappropriate, so Lin Zhu had no choice but to accept them.

"Sister He, you have really good eyesight, and you made it fit me so well without measuring." Lin Zhu said in surprise when trying on the clothes.

Ru Niang smiled softly, and explained playfully: "I'm not that powerful. I secretly made a gesture when your clothes were hanging outside the other day."

Although these days, Ru Niang showed no concern for Meng Zhongjing, Lin Zhu still tentatively said: "Then Sister He's embroidery is also good, you are so skillful, your future husband-in-law is really lucky."

Ru Niang shook her head and sighed softly: "I just want to find my relatives now, I don't know where I will end up in the future, so I don't have the heart to think about marriage."

Frankly, it is obvious that he really doesn't have that kind of thought anymore.

Lin Zhu looked at the elder sister, Ah Ju gave her a sneaky look, Ru Niang didn't notice, she knew her sister's ghost thoughts.

In the early morning of the next day, Ru Niang started to sew clothes again, and Ah Ju was worried that she would give her away too, so she dissuaded her in advance: "Don't make it for me, I have enough clothes, you should sew two for yourself." As time went by, the relationship became closer, and the words became more casual.

Ru Niang smiled at her: "I sewed it for myself."

Lin Zhu laughed unkindly, and Ah Ju blushed.

At dusk, Ru Niang still handed the white shirt embroidered with orchid leaves to Ah Ju.Ah Ju refused to ask for anything, Ru Niang sighed: "Big girl, if it weren't for you, I might be dead or alive now, so you can accept it, otherwise I will live and live here for nothing, and I really feel sorry."

She was sincere, and Ah Ju could no longer refuse.

Ru Niang breathed a sigh of relief, and said to Sister Aju after dinner: "I have been bored in the house for the past two days, and my eyes are a little sore. Let's go for a walk. The scenery here is very different from my home. I used to be busy. I was on my way, I didn’t take a closer look, but I actually wanted to take a closer look.”

The rules of the farm are not strict, they don't pay attention to going out of the gate and not going out of the second door. Tell Liu Shi, Lin Zhu and brother will go out with Ru Niang, and Ah Ju will stay at home as usual.

In summer, there are many people who go out to cool off, and Meng Zhongjing and his brothers are also staying outside.Meng Zhongda saw Sister Lin Zhu and the three heading towards the north of the village from a distance, and hurriedly urged Meng Zhongjing: "Brother, look, my sister-in-law and the others went for a walk there, shall we go and have a look?"

When Meng Zhongjing heard this, he raised his head and looked over there.At this time, the sky was getting dark, and the three of them turned their backs to this side. The girl on the left was the tallest, and he was familiar with both her clothes and her stature.Thinking of the fiancée who often appeared in his dreams these few nights, and her jealous pretty appearance, Meng Zhongjing didn't hesitate for too long, and walked over there first.Everyone was walking, and they happened to bump into each other to say hello, which was nothing in the village, and besides, they were in the northwest corner of the village, so there were not many people in the first place.

That was the road leading to Beihe, but Lin Zhu and the others didn't intend to go too far, so they stopped at the downhill intersection.There was a jujube tree on the side of the road. Ru Niang looked up and asked Lin Zhu curiously, "Who planted this on purpose?"

Lin Chongjiu rushed to answer: "No, it grows here by itself, and anyone can come here to pick dates when it is red in autumn. It is sour and sweet, and it is very delicious, but the pit inside is too big, and it can be eaten within two bites."

Ru Niang smiled and patted his head.

There were footsteps in the distance, the three of them looked together, Ru Niang took a glance and turned her head hastily, as if shy.

Lin Zhu's expression changed, he ignored Meng Zhongda's greeting, and only stared at Meng Zhongjing.

Meng Zhongjing also thought that the girl who shyly refused to show him over there was his fiancée, nervous and happy, and looked at her with good eyes.The evening wind blows, her dress flutters lightly, her willow waist is slender and graceful, she is indescribably beautiful.

Lin Zhu saw his appearance in his eyes, and his face was beyond ugly. He raised his foot to block Ru Niang, and asked displeasedly, "Brother Meng, why are you staring at Sister He all this time?" Dare to love Ru Niang rested her mind, but he was thinking about it?

Meng Zhongjing was stunned.

Ru Niang turned around with a blushing face, glanced at him and immediately closed her eyes, tilted her head slightly and called him: "Brother Meng." The voice was soft, shy and uneasy.

Shocked and ashamed, Meng Zhongjing looked at her and then at Lin Zhu, eager to defend himself: "Azhu, Miss He, I, I didn't do it on purpose, I thought it was..." At this point, I couldn't continue, He can look at Ah Ju, but he can't say that, especially when there are outsiders present.Unable to explain clearly, Meng Zhongjing gave his second brother a hard look, turned around and walked back.

Meng Zhongda looked at Lin Zhu with some reluctance.

Lin Zhu snorted, grabbed Ru Niang and walked directly to the back door of her house.

Lin Xian and his wife were talking in the room, Ru Niang went straight to the wing with her head down, and Lin Zhu followed behind with a sullen face.

Ah Ju was looking at the tweeds under the eaves, and seeing that the expressions of the two were not right, she grabbed Lin Zhu and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Lin Zhu was still angry, and said without thinking, "We bumped into Big Brother Meng, and Big Brother Meng mistook Sister He for you and was staring at you."

She knew that Meng Zhongjing must have admitted the wrong person, otherwise he would not dare to offend Ru Niang in front of her no matter how bold he was, but she was still annoyed that Meng Zhongjing could even admit his elder sister was wrong.Eldest sister and Ru Niang are about the same height, both have large breasts and thin waist, but elder sister is slender and good-looking, while Ru Niang is too thin, at least those who are familiar with them can tell the difference.

Ah Ju was caught off guard, seeing her younger sister regretting and looking at her immediately after she finished speaking, she forced herself to smile, annoyed: "Did he do other motherly things?"

Lin Zhu shook his head: "No, Brother Meng left immediately when he found out that he had admitted the wrong person. Ru Niang didn't pay much attention to him. Don't worry, elder sister." She thought she was fair. It was clearly Meng Zhongjing's fault tonight, but Ru Niang didn't do anything. Don't do it.

"A misunderstanding, I have nothing to worry about." Ah Ju didn't want to bring it up again, and urged her in a low voice: "Go in and explain clearly to Ru Niang."

Lin Zhu looked at her carefully, Ah Ju pretended to be angry and nodded her forehead, Lin Zhu smiled and went into the room.

Ah Ju stood outside in a daze, feeling a little uncomfortable, she grew up with Meng Zhongjing, how could he even admit she was wrong?

Before going to bed that night, the three of them did not chat as usual.

The next day Ah Ju was the first to wake up, and Ru Niang also got up when Ah Ju sat up, looked at Lin Zhu who was still asleep over there, and whispered to Ah Ju: "Miss, what happened last night, are you okay?" Are you happy? Don't think too much, Brother Meng must recognize people by looking at their clothes. I will sew a new one on quickly today, and this kind of thing will never happen again in the future."

"No, Ru Niang, don't annoy him for being rude." She was so careful, even if Ah Ju felt uncomfortable, she wouldn't show it. Besides, it was Meng Zhongjing who admitted the wrong person. If she really wanted to blame it, she would blame Meng Zhongjing.

Ru Niang laughed and shook her head, the two continued to talk, and Ah Ju went down to put on her shoes.

Looking at her back, Ru Niang felt guilty, but she suppressed it in an instant.

After breakfast, Ah Ju sat in the study, embroidering handkerchiefs while watching her younger siblings study.When the two of them started to practice calligraphy, she ran out of red thread in the sewing basket, so she went back to the wing room to get some. As soon as she entered the room, she saw Ru Niang was sewing again.Ah Ju looked curiously at the gray silk in her hand, and after taking a look at Ru Niang, she quickly hid the material behind her back.

Ah Ju was very embarrassed to persuade her: "Xiao Jiu has a lot of clothes, you should take care of yourself first, don't bother him."

Ru Niang bowed her head and remained silent.

Ah Ju looked at her, knowing that she would not listen to persuasion, went to the cabinet to find the thread, shook her head and went out.

As soon as he walked to the door of the study, there was a sudden sound of a carriage rumbling outside, and it stopped at his door.

Among the guests of the Lin family, only the Zhou family could afford a carriage. Ah Ju was overjoyed, and trotted to open the door.It's just that after opening the wooden door, I didn't see my aunt who greeted me with a smile, but I saw the figures of two men.The man in the lead was wearing a bamboo-green round-neck robe, with a cold face. When his eyes met, the astonishment in his eyes turned into amusement, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, as if he had seen through her mind.

Facing this man again, and still being so unprepared, Ah Ju's heart stopped beating, especially his implicitly smug gaze, which was very similar to the self-righteous proposal he had made that day, like a nightmare recurring.

He thought she came to pick him up specially?
Ah Ju immediately wanted to close the door.

Zhao Chen said in time: "Madam Lin, please help me to inform the order hall. Zhao is just passing by today, so he won't go in."

Ah Ju didn't want him to deal with her family, but unfortunately before she closed the door, Liu's voice of surprise came from behind her.Ah Ju had no choice but to quickly head towards the wing room, like avoiding snakes and scorpions.

Zhao Chen glanced at her back lightly, moved away politely, and looked at the woman who was rushing towards her.

In the study, Lin Chongjiu also ran out when he heard the movement. Regardless of Ah Ju's obstruction, he excitedly called "Brother Zhao" and ran towards the gate.He wanted to pounce on Zhao Chen, but his eyes flicked to the back of the carriage, he paused, and asked in disbelief: "Brother Zhao, this, is this a deer?" He had never seen a real deer, but he had seen a deer at his uncle's house. painting and calligraphy.

Zhao Chen nodded with a smile, raised his head and explained to the somewhat reserved Liu Shi: "Auntie, that day the younger generation left without saying goodbye, and let down the aunt's wishes, it is really impolite. I just came back from the county seat today, and it happened that someone gave me a deer. The younger generation thought that Xiao Jiu should be curious about this, so he brought it along along the way, as an apology for his rudeness that day, and please be sure to accept it."

Liu Shi was overwhelmed by flattery, and quickly declined: "How can this be, Mr. Zhao is too polite..."

"Auntie, if you don't accept me, you are still complaining about the younger generation. I'm afraid the younger generation will have trouble sleeping and eating these few days." Zhao Chen joked with a smile.

He was handsome, courteous and funny, Mrs. Liu couldn't say anything more, so she stretched out her hand to invite him: "Mr. I’m teaching in the town, so I missed a distinguished guest today.”

Zhao Chen smiled modestly, and politely declined: "Auntie appreciates the kindness of this junior, but this junior has been away from home for a few days, and my mother is probably looking forward to it impatiently, so this junior must go back to accompany her as soon as possible. If Auntie doesn't dislike it, on the day Uncle Sixteen is on vacation, junior Come visit again, okay?"

The young man is filial and sensible, so of course the Liu family would not want to stay any longer, so he nodded repeatedly and asked him to come early on the sixteenth day.

Zhao Chen responded, and told Chen Ping to lead the deer inside and tie it up. Suddenly, he thought of something, and said to Liu Shi: "Auntie, this junior often goes to Pinlanju, but he comes and goes in such a hurry that he has never had a chance to make friends with Zhou Shaodong's family. How about My aunt invited the young master's family here as an introduction for the younger generation, and it might be cheaper for the younger generation to pick orchids in the future."

Mrs. Liu was amused by him, nodded and said: "It must be, if Uncle Xiaojiu knew that Mr. Zhao took the initiative to make an appointment, he must have come and waited for it!"

Zhao Chen then mentioned some friendship with Zhou Pei, and when Chen Ping came back after tying the deer, he bowed his hands to Liu's mother and son, and got into the carriage neatly.

The carriage swaggered past the village, and many villagers gathered at the door to watch. Meng Zhongjing heard the movement and walked out.

Chen Ping saw him and said something in a low voice.

The next moment, the gauze curtain was pulled away by a slender white hand, Zhao Chen turned his head, his eyes scanned the crowd, and finally fell on Meng Zhongjing.

He smiled slightly at the livid-faced man, before he could see the meaning of his smile, he let go of the gauze curtain and sat upright again.

(End of this chapter)