Have You Written Your Will Today?
Chapter 50 I like it very much

Chapter 50: Chapter 50 I like it very much

Pear garden.

Nanny Cheng and Yicui were wrapping zongzi together.

There were honey date zongzi, osmanthus red bean zongzi, all sweet flavors; Nanny Cheng then went to make the savory taro zongzi.

Cheng Gui was hammering mochi at the stone mortar. This was a physical task, he wasn’t talkative, yet his work was extremely efficient.

Shen Hua agreed to bring Cheng Gui and his mother to Shengjing precisely for two reasons: Nanny Cheng was steady in her work, and her son Cheng Gui was nothing short of an honest person.

Nanny Cheng and Yicui worked together to cook the zongzi. During this time, Yicui stepped out.

"Aunt Wang brought plain dumplings, and Sister-in-law Zhang brought candied fruits; each household also brought over their own homemade snacks. Fengzhou has this custom too. Miss Shen, would you like to send some zongzi over?"

"Yes, send them to every household."

Yicui complied.

After hesitating for a moment, she whispered in Shen Hua’s ear, "This morning, I saw Nanny Cheng crying."

Shen Hua abruptly looked up, her eyebrows knitted: "Who bullied her?"

"There was no such thing. It was just that when Aunt Wang came over, she casually asked about Cheng Gui’s father. At first, Nanny Cheng was fine, but later on, she had tears in her eyes behind everyone’s back, yet she insisted it was the wind that made her eyes water."

Shen Hua frowned, a trace of disgust flashed across her eyes.

"Don’t mention this in front of Nanny Cheng again."

Yicui didn’t know, but Shen Hua clearly understood the background of these people bought from the baby broker, who, eager to complete the task well, would reveal everything she knew.

How could ordinary folk willingly become servants if not driven to a corner?

When Nanny Cheng was young, she was quite decent, strong, and good at doing chores. The women in the countryside all wanted her as a daughter-in-law, but in the end it was the sweet-talking Father Cheng who got lucky.

At first, life was supposedly blissful.

But when Cheng Gui was four years old, Father Cheng, who was fooled by a woman in the illicit skin trade, blindly decided to welcome that pregnant harlot into his home.

He did not hesitate to divorce his legitimate wife and even abandoned his son, selling them both to the baby broker.

The baby broker who bought them, seeing a mother and child left alone and having a particular disdain for faithless men, still had some conscience and did not sell them separately, preventing a heart-wrenching separation.

A few years later, Father Cheng wanted to take the mother and son back.

Only because the harlot continued her affairs with her previous clients behind his back, and as her son grew, he looked less and less like him.

Nanny Cheng cursed him out thoroughly; although she was a servant, she was fortunate that Shen Hua’s previous mistress was a kind person.

If she had not offended a high official and the whole family had not been imprisoned, Nanny Cheng, who was not a free person, might not have been sold again...

How could she not feel resentment when mentioning the morally bankrupt Father Cheng?

Shen Hua was scraping the charcoal ashes at her feet that had just burned out and were still emitting heat. She had buried chestnuts and sweet potatoes inside.

Smelling the sweet aroma, they must be roasted by now.

She first used a long thin stick to roll a few charred chestnuts in the snow, waited until they were not too hot, then covered them with her hands, and finally picked them up with a handkerchief.

Between the hot and cold, the chestnuts soon turned the handkerchief into a piece of black cloth.

The zongzi were also ready. Nanny Cheng was skilled with her hands, making bundles of six zongzi with reed leaves. She carried them out the door.

Shen Hua watched her knock on each door.

"Sister-in-law Zhang, would you like to try our homemade zongzi?"

Sister-in-law Zhang smiled: "Oh, these zongzi look so appealing and seem delicious. I’ll not stand on ceremony then."

Sister-in-law Liu: "My boy has been sniffing around for the scent since earlier. We’ve been too busy this year to make these. I was just thinking of shamelessly asking for some."

The last one was Sister-in-law Wang.

She accepted the zongzi and then glanced at Shen Hua, who was leaning against the doorway.

"Why is Miss Shen out in the cold again?"

Shen Hua smiled: "I’m not made of sugar that would melt as soon as the wind blows."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than a sharp scream was heard not far away.

Sister-in-law Wang’s face turned pale instantly, and before long, Sister-in-law Liu and Sister-in-law Zhang from the house nearest to the pear garden opened their doors again.

Sister-in-law Wang, being warm-hearted, quickly strode towards the Yan Family: "This... has the Yan Family started a commotion again? Getting drunk and hitting women, last time Sister-in-law Yan was covered in blood, I hope she doesn’t end up dead this time."

But Sister-in-law Liu didn’t want to meddle, spitting out: "She deserves it, messing around with men right under her master’s nose. Yan Xiong has long wanted to drown her, but it’s just that Mr. Yan is too fond of her to let her go. It’s no wonder that when Yan Xiong gets drunk, Sister-in-law Yan can’t escape a thrashing."

These days could just be muddled through.

Neither wife nor mother.

Shen Hua slowly made her way over.

"Who says otherwise? Last time after Yan Xiong got tired and rested, Mr. Yan only then went back. I even stumbled upon him hugging Sister-in-law Yan, really coaxing her tenderly. Surely he’s disappeared without a trace now. In this same alley, no matter how filthy or nasty, you can’t avoid seeing the same faces; it’s really bad luck."

The two of them kept deprecating in turns.

Shen Hua moved past them.

"Miss Shen, where are you going?"

Shen Hua smiled faintly: "Just taking a walk."

"Miss."

Nanny Cheng hurried to stop her. She didn’t persuade, she just said.

"The chestnuts and sweet potatoes won’t taste good once they’re cold."

Disappointed, Shen Hua craned her neck toward the direction of the Yan Family, watching Sister-in-law Wang knocking on the door.

"Brother Yan, Brother Yan."

The next instant she felt cold again, quickly retracted herself, and could only pretend to walk back with cold and lofty elegance.

She sat back down on the bench again.

Not much later.

"Miss, someone from the Marquis has come."

Ningzhu led a stranger over.

It was Ji Xin.

She was more adept at dealing with people than Ji Qing. Immediately she curtsied: "Miss Shen, I’m here to deliver a New Year’s gift from the master."

"The master has been unable to get away recently, but he’s been very concerned about Miss. Now, he’s specially found three sets of Mr. Fan Cheng’s calligraphy and paintings that are hard to come by in the market."

Ji Xin smiled: "I also wish Miss an early happy New Year."

Shen Hua was struggling to peel a chestnut. One slipped from her grip. The plump chestnut fell and rolled several times on the ground.

Upon hearing this, she didn’t bother to pick it up, but just looked up at Ji Xin.

Her hands were blackened, and even her face was smeared with soot at some point. Like a stubborn little cat.

Shen Hua asked eagerly: "Who is Mr. Fan Cheng?"

Ji Xin was taken aback.

Shen Hua maintained her smile: "Although I don’t recognize him, I really like it."

Ji Xin was almost convinced.

After exchanging a few glances with her, Shen Hua stood up.

"Wait a moment."

With that, she laboriously wrapped herself up and headed inside the house. After few steps, she turned her head, and very naturally embraced the box in Ji Xin’s arms. She asked Ningzhu casually,

"How’s it outside?"

"Miss, it’s quiet now."

The box wasn’t heavy, she held it without much effort. Shen Hua thoughtfully responded and returned to the room.

When she came out again, the box was gone, and she was carrying a red wedding gift bag. The long strap dangled on her curved index finger, swinging as she walked.

Shen Hua stopped in front of Ji Xin.

"I wasn’t prepared in advance either."

"This is a return gift. Please deliver it to the benefactor."

Ji Xin’s expression was odd.

If Shen Hua hadn’t mentioned it was a return gift, she might have thought it was a red envelope a senior prepared for the master.

"...Yes, I will surely deliver it."