The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 891 - 196: Such Indecency_2

Chapter 891: Chapter 196: Such Indecency_2

Having him scheme against Pei Qian, Fang Li still felt some hesitation in his heart. Pei Qian knew martial arts, and even if that were not the case, every time she went out, she was accompanied by maids and guards. She wasn’t someone you could get close to if you weren’t trained in the martial arts.

After all, it wasn’t his own home, so when Fang Liuming saw Fang Hui making eye contact with his father, he guessed that there was something going on. He quickly washed up and changed his clothes to come out.

When Fang Hui saw him come out, she immediately stopped talking and changed the subject, asking Fang Li if he would also take a bath, "Taking a bath before sleep will make you feel more comfortable."

Fang Li glanced at his tall and sturdy eldest son, his gaze darkening as he rose to take a bath. It had been hard to raise a promising son, and yet this son didn’t care at all for his father!

Fang Hui noticed that Fang Liuming hadn’t washed his hair and had come out so quickly; she feared that Pei Qian had already turned him against her, so she wiped the corner of her eye and said, "I just had a heart-to-heart with your father. Our noodle shop isn’t doing any business now, and Pei Qian still isn’t willing to let us off the hook. She’s forbidden us from making the spicy pickled cabbage, and the noodle shop is about to close down."

"I’ve already heard about the spicy pickled cabbage. My cousin published the recipe for everyone, which must have some underlying reasons, right?" Fang Liuming was in a hurry on his trip, and when he heard the news, he asked someone to inquire about it but didn’t learn anything, only that Madam Yuanyang had made the spicy pickled cabbage recipe public.

Fang Hui’s eyes turned cold, "You’ve always been on good terms with them, always taking their side, no matter what they do. I can’t say anything that you would believe. With the two families about to be joined by marriage, I better keep quiet, lest I say something that might tarnish Pei Qian’s reputation... Your room has been tidied up. It’s a bit cramped but please bear with it for the night, and squeeze in with your father in the south room!"

She deliberately left her sentence hanging, letting Fang Liuming guess the rest. That wretched girl had intended to marry into a wealthy family to become a young lady; failing that, she now had her sights set on Fang Liuming to become an officer’s wife. Fang Liuming was bewitched by that seductress and believed everything they said. If that wretched girl married into the Fang family, it was only a matter of time before the family would disown her, their daughter!

Fang Liuming had no suspicions about Pei Qian, and after giving his mother a deep look, he went back to his room to rest, feeling quite exhausted from the hurried travel of the past few days.

His guard and servants also made their beds in the room, sleeping together on the floor.

When Fang Li came back, seeing that he was already asleep, he felt both infuriated and resentful, but after a while, he also went to bed.

The next day, father and son got up; Fang Liuming didn’t eat breakfast but, as soon as it was light, headed straight home.

"I’m not even fully awake yet!" Fang Li complained with a stern face.

"We were supposed to return yesterday, and if we went home, it would be night by the time we arrived. We could have slept in till noon today. Father insisted on making a detour to stay overnight. Now if we return any later today, Grandma and Grandpa will be worried!" Fang Liuming spoke a few words and had a servant buy some buns for them to eat on the road.

Fang Li huffed, ate the buns, and when he saw they were headed towards Taiping Town, he ordered to take a different route, casting a sidelong glance at Fang Liuming, "It’s taboo to see each other before the wedding, and there are only a few days left. You just can’t wait to run over there as soon as you’re back, are you not afraid of being laughed at!?"

Fang Liuming indeed wanted to go. After years of agonizing wait, he was finally about to bring home the woman of his heart. The closer he got to home, the more restless and eager he felt, wanting to see her, to hear her speak, even if it was just a single word.

Fang Li assertively instructed the coachman to take another route, and the carriage went straight back to Fang Family Village.

Old Scholar Fang, having received word of their return the day before, was waiting at the village entrance from early morning. Seeing the carriage arrive, a smile spread across his face.

Fang Liuming got out of the carriage and greeted him, "Grandfather!"

"Good! Let’s head home first!" Old Scholar Fang smiled as he took a look at his eldest grandson. The young man had grown thinner but also more steady and restrained, with a subtle aura of maturity about him, showing that the past year had been full of valuable experiences. He led Fang Liuming back home.

The villagers, seeing them, greeted them with surprise and joy, "The wedding day is coming up soon; we thought you would be back by now!"

Fang Liuming responded with smiles all the way home.

Fang Liuyang ran out excitedly, "Big brother! Big brother!"

Grabbing his brother and patting his head, Fang Liuming smiled, "You’ve grown taller!"

"Of course! With you not at home, and sister getting married, I was the one to carry things. I grew up last year!" Fang Liuyang said with a chuckle.

Fang Xin also called out joyfully, greeting her big brother, "Grandma and Aunt have just finished cooking! There are so many dishes!"

As she spoke, Grandma Fang, Lady Yu, Fang Fu and Lady Ruan also came out to welcome them.

Fang Liuming greeted each one of them, and once inside the house, he paid his respects to Old Scholar Fang, Grandma Fang, and Lady Yu.

Lady Yu quickly helped him up.