Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 119 - 167: It’s Hard to Go from Extravagance to Frugality

Chapter 119: Chapter 167: It’s Hard to Go from Extravagance to Frugality

Xiao’er vented her pent-up frustrations, and she finally felt a sense of relief in her heart.

Old Master Shen got the answers he wanted, so he waved his hand to dismiss them, letting them go home. Whenever the third family was around, they always caused a ruckus, which was annoying, "You all go back, get some sleep early, and third son, as soon as the city gate opens tomorrow, bring something for your older brothers to eat. Also take two cotton quilts over there, it’s cold these days, don’t let them freeze in jail!."

"I will go early tomorrow." Shen Chengyao agreed.

"Then we’ll go back first. Aunt first and second, remember to prepare food and quilts early tomorrow morning. My dad will come to pick them up before heading out." It’s so audacious of him to say that he’s going to deliver food as soon as the city gate opens! How early does he have to get up! When her family goes to the market in the county, the city gate has been open for a long time!

"It’s just a little thing, Third Brother and Sister, you can prepare it." Mrs. Li yawned and said casually.

"If it’s just a little thing, then Second Aunt can also casually help First Aunt prepare it!"

"How can that be? Why should I do what’s supposed to be done by First Aunt!" Mrs. Li blurted out what was truly in her heart without thinking.

Xiao’er smiled, "Then, why should my mom do what First and Second Aunt should be doing."

After saying this, she turned to Shen Chengyao and said, "Dad, I’m sleepy."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chengyao bid Master Shen and Mrs. Shen farewell, and then took his wife and daughter home.

When they returned to the main house, Mrs. Liu took out a pill that Xiao’er had given her and handed it to Shen Chengyao, "This favouritism is too much! Going to deliver food and quilts as soon as the city gate opens! How early do we have to leave! Did they ever think about when we were locked up, they avoided us like snakes! It’s bad enough that they asked for your help, but why did you end up with a bleeding head!"

"They think I’m the one who got my older brothers jailed!"

"What! Do they really think everyone in the world is like them? You can leave only when the day breaks, otherwise, don’t come back to this house!" Mrs. Liu was extremely upset.

"Alright, I get it. Don’t be angry anymore!" Shen Chengyao quickly agreed.

"I mean it!"

"I will definitely leave only after the sun comes out." Shen Chengyao quickly assured, "This wound really hurts!" Shen Chengyao intentionally touched the wound on his head.

"Does it still hurt after taking medicine? Let me see..." Mrs. Liu couldn’t be bothered with her anger anymore, and Shen Chengyao secretly sighed in relief.

The next day, when Shen Chengyao came to the old house, Mrs. Lan and Mrs. Li hadn’t prepared the stuff to be taken to the two men yet, which infuriated Mrs. Shen greatly!

For the next few days, Master Shen hustled Shen Chengyao and Shen Chengzu to send food and clothes to the two men every day, making it seem as if they were doing something very honorable!

Ultimately, it was Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Lu who held back the two men and stopped them from going. Both home and the shop were piled up with work waiting for the two men. Ignoring their proper duties and being used at others’ wills, anyone who saw this would be angry!

After being detained for more than ten days and fined 100 taels of silver, the two were released. This punishment was enough to make them feel the pinch!

These two were really unlucky. It was their first time dabbling in the business, testing the waters of the salt and tea trade with only 50 pounds, and they were caught before they could sell anything!

However, they were lucky to have only seized 50 pounds. This private salt trading case implicated a wide range of people, causing a prominent family from the Imperial Capital to collapse. The entire family was beheaded, exiled, or sold off, and several households in various prefectures and counties also faced large fines. The case shook the entire Minze Dynasty!

In comparison, the two Shens were lucky that a fine was all they got and no harm came to their family or descendants!

But of course, that was in retrospect.

Once the three brothers started school, they all decided to stay in the dormitories. As children, the chance to live away from parents was something to look forward to, like finally being able to stand up and be in charge of oneself!

The school doesn’t have strict requirements on whether students should stay in dormitories or not. They can freely choose the dormitories. There are single rooms, double rooms, and quadruple rooms. It’s all up to the students. However, they must pay the fees.

Because the school is quite far from home and the school requires students to self-study early in the morning. Classes start at the third quarter of Chen hour, and the teacher arrives at class at the third quarter of Chen hour.

Shen Chengyao thought this could save them a lot of time and agreed.

They chose a four-person dormitory, but one of their roommates doesn’t stay in the dormitory at night, just resting there at noon.

On their first day, the three brothers ate in the school dining hall. The food was mediocre, but they were still excited and ate everything. The second day, they struggled to finish all the food. The third day, they voluntarily took half the food but still finished reluctantly. The fourth day, they went to their uncle’s wood shop to eat food cooked by their aunt. They then ate there for two more days. The brothers felt the food there was really bad. How could the food at home be so delicious that they can’t stop eating it every time!

"Big brother, Ri, I’m so hungry!" Jinghao said at night as he lay in his dormitory bed, missing the boiled beef, braised pork ribs, and pickled fish cooked by his sister.

"I’m also very hungry." Jingrui felt somewhat ashamed. Before the family split, eating in the school cafeteria was his biggest dream. Now, he can’t even stomach the food.

"I’m also very hungry." Fang Wenri felt he had been too comfortable recently, even becoming picky with food. He used to be content with just having something to eat, now he’s actually complaining about the taste!

"Brother, Ri, when Mu Xiu goes home, lets tell dad and mom about not staying in school anymore and eating at home instead. How about that?"

Both of them nodded in agreement, they were so hungry they could barely write anything.

When Mu Xiu returned home two days ago, their eating manners were like those of ravenous wolves, shocking Mrs. Liu and others.

"Why are you eating in such a hurry, you’ll choke!" Mrs. Liu patted Jinghao’s back who was sitting beside her.

"I miss mom’s and sister’s cooking too much, the food outside is too horrible. I was almost starving to death!"

"No, no, don’t say such a thing!" Hearing this, Mrs. Liu retorted in a hurry.

"Look at you, becoming a food snob! Who said that a single bun per meal was enough to be full back then?" Shen Chengyao worried his son would become extravagant.

"Dad, I was wrong! No matter how bad the food will be in the future, I will still eat it!" Jinghao also thought he was wrong. He used to hope for nothing but a full stomach, regardless of what he ate. Now that he can eat as much as he wants, he should cherish it. It is easy to go from thrift to extravagance, but hard to go from extravagance to thrift.

However, Xiao’er disagreed. While it’s important not to waste food, choosing more delicious food just like choosing better things to do, it is a better attitude towards life!

"Why don’t you just come home for dinner instead of staying at the school? Eat lunch at the shop and come back home at night."

"It’s time for growth and how can you not eat well? Let’s just come home at night. Only on days with heavy snow or rain you don’t need to come back. It’s too quiet having few of you at home, and I’m not used to it."

Although Shen Chengyao thought it was not right to indulge the children like this, the three of them had indeed lost a lot of weight. Well, how can they have the energy to study and write if they don’t eat enough!

Xiao’er decided to send a regular supply of food, vegetables, and flour from her space to the wood shop, so the three of them could eat well rated food! How could they eat other things after getting used to the spirit objects from the space!