Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 135 - 133: Provincial Examination

Chapter 135: Chapter 133: Provincial Examination

Shen Chengguang had closed down the grocery store early. After all, whether it was open or not, it was all the same. Not an extra fly had entered the whole day!

Returning to his father’s new house in the village, Shen Chengguang found Mrs. Lan’s eyes turning red as soon as she saw her husband had returned. She was truly wronged and upset!

She had recently been summoned back by Mrs. Shen to serve her in-laws, and she was exhausted from the hardship and fatigue!

She washed clothes, made meals, fetched water, watered the vegetables in the garden, weeded, caught pests, fed chickens and pigs, cleaned pig and chicken droppings each day! She was utterly disgusted!

After a day’s labor, she was so exhausted that she couldn’t stand straight!

She had never worked so hard or suffered this much!

Indeed, Mrs. Lan didn’t realize that she had it much easier now. She used to have to empty the chamber pots of Mrs. Shen and Mr. Shen. That was truly revolting.

Now that they were living in this new house, there was a toilet in each room, she no longer had to do that.

As a member of the main branch, Mrs. Lan, who was most cherished by the elders, had never had to do these tasks!

Now she seemed to be at the mercy of Shen Chengyao’s household!

Shen Chengguang didn’t notice Mrs. Lan’s unusual behavior. After seeing her waiting for him, he quickly pulled her back into their room.

"The shop in the town run by the third branch is making a fortune! Even our grocery store has been edged out, not a single customer has come in these days!" Shen Chengguang said, ruffling his hair in frustration.

"What!" Mrs. Lan forgot about her grievances instantly. If the shop didn’t have any business, how would they support their big family in the future? Would they have to live off the cold north wind?

"The third branch is really too much! He usually plays the role of a kind and honest man! But he’s actually the most cunning of all! First, he stole the position at Juxian Academy that Jingwen was supposed to have! Now he’s opened up a so-called ’supermarket’, which is actually just a bigger grocery store! He’s clearly trying to steal our business, and leave our family with no way to make a living!"

Frustrated, Mrs. Lan twisted the handkerchief in her hand.

"We’ve known all along that he’s not a good man! Let’s not talk about that! With the provincial examinations coming up, I’ve been thinking about how we can get the third branch to give us some silver! If we ask directly, he definitely won’t give it!"

"Your brothers are either bullies or fools, and the only one who stands out is a miser! I have no idea what to do!" Mrs. Lan said in anger.

Of course, these were just words of anger! She started brainstorming for a solution.

"Has Chengguang come home?"

Master Shen had just returned from outside. Upon hearing that his eldest son was home from the villagers, he asked.

"Yes, father. The husband has just returned and is planning to change his clothes and greet you and mother!" Mrs. Lan promptly replied.

Master Shen grunted in acknowledgment and then retired to his room.

Shen Chengguang quickly tidied up his clothes and went to his room.

"Why are you home now, eldest son? Come, come, sit on the kang bed!" Master Shen kindly offered.

"The grocery store hasn’t had a single customer these days! Running it is futile! So, I closed it and came home!" Shen Chengguang grumbled, his tone suggesting that his father was the cause for his lack of business.

Hearing this, Master Shen became worried and quickly interjected: "Why hasn’t there been a single customer?"

No customers, means no revenue, which was quite unacceptable!

"Isn’t it all because of the third branch’s supermarket? It’s so close to our grocery store, and has stolen all of our customers! Now we have no business, and given that the provincial examinations are approaching, where will we find enough silver to manage things!"

"This ..." Master Shen didn’t know what to say for a moment after hearing these words.

Seeing that Master Shen didn’t respond, Shen Chengguang became more anxious: "Father, you can’t ignore this. The third branch has stepped all over me!"

"How is the business of the third branch’s shop?"

"The business is really good! I’ve never seen a store that does such great business! Regarding the supermarket, people line up in long queues before dawn to get in. It’s the same for the tea house on the second floor, where people line up for three meals a day. I heard that many of the county’s wealthy families even order a month’s worth of food at a time to be delivered to the county! The hotel also has the same amount of people! All in all, the silver that the third branch earns in a day is certainly more than what our grocery store earns in a year!"

"That much!" Mrs. Shen finally lost her composure after hearing this!

"That damn third branch! Making so much silver in a day! He only gives ten taels of silver to me and your father per month! It’s absolutely scandalous!" Mrs. Shen said through clenched teeth!

How furious she was! All that silver should have been hers! Now it went to Mrs. Liu!

No wonder she agreed to divide the property without a second thought back then! She had already planned to make a fortune!

Mrs. Shen didn’t think about this: ten taels of silver could support a farmer’s family for a year! Yet, the third branch provided ten taels a month! It was not them who wanted to divide the property! Now that they had silver, even their house had been rebuilt. Clothes for all seasons, good food, nothing was lacking for the old couple, and an additional ten taels were given during festivals as a gift. What more did she want!?

"Go, call the third branch over!" Master Shen thought the matter was a bit exaggerated! Although he too had heard from the villagers in these past few days that the business of their third son’s shop in the town was booming!

But it wasn’t that big, he didn’t consider it possible!

It didn’t take long for Shen Chengyao and Xiao’er to ride their bicycle over.

Mrs. Lan also came to the room at this time.

After the two exchanged greetings, Xiao’er placed a food box on the kang table: "Grandpa, Grandma, there are a few dishes in here. They are still warm, so there’s no need to prepare dinner anymore, it’s enough for the two of you."

Master Shen smiled and agreed.

The third branch was truly faultless in fulfilling their filial duties, and the villagers couldn’t help but give them a thumbs up!

"This is just a little bit of food, is she sending it to a beggar or something!" Mrs. Shen didn’t bother to open it this time to see what was inside like she usually did!

Xiao’er raised an eyebrow. As soon as she came in, she sensed that something was not right. It seemed they were trying to pick a fight again, and make them feel uncomfortable!

"What nonsense are you talking about! There’s food, doesn’t that satisfy you?" Master Shen pretended to be angry.

Then he turned his head to Shen Chengyao and said, "The third branch, I’ve heard that your shop in the town is doing very well?"

Xiao’er glanced at Shen Chengguang and Mrs. Lan, wondering about their intentions.

"The store only opened recently, and the customers are still interested. The business is passable!" Shen Chengyao modestly replied.

"Third branch, you’re too modest. If your store is considered passable, then what can be said about my grocery store! My store has been ruined by your supermarket! It’s simply unbearable!"

That was a bit over the top.

"Big brother, what do you mean by that? When did I ever ruin your grocery store!" Shen Chengyao was also not pleased!

"Look at your attitude! Who are you talking to right now, showing off with a bit of silver! Who are you pretending to be in front of me!" Shen Chengguang was livid upon hearing Shen Chengyao’s reply. It was like adding fuel to the fire!

"Stop fighting, both of you speak properly!"

"Father! He doesn’t show any respect, he stepped all over me! And you just let him!" Shen Chengguang complained indignantly.

Xiao’er felt contemptuous! Is he a child? Complaining to a parent!