The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 985 - 223: Enduring the Bitterest of the Bitter_3

Chapter 985: Chapter 223: Enduring the Bitterest of the Bitter_3

Just hearing that Pei Qin was still asleep and hadn’t gotten up, everyone wondered if Pei Wendong had done something to let Pei Qin down, which was why she wouldn’t get up.?

Pei Qin didn’t make an appearance, but Mo Heng did. Everyone followed Pei Wendong to the small courtyard he rented in the west of the city.

Xie Ze hadn’t come yesterday and upon arriving today, seeing that the surroundings were inhabited by the poor, his face already looked displeased. This place was also a lot farther from where he studied, and apart from a servant of Pei Wendong’s, there were no other servants at home. Who would do the household chores in the future?

Pei Wendong had already rolled up his sleeves and started to clean, "It was pretty clean before, but since I will be living here, I’d like to clean it up a bit more to live in it with a peace of mind."

The courtyard wasn’t small, but the house was scarce of home decor, and the furniture was quite old and decrepit, emitting a sense of impoverishment.

Xie Yi looked on and hurried to help as well.

Pei Yuan sighed and ordered the people she brought to help clean up.

The kitchen was also stocked with some rice, oil, flour, and vegetables.

After tidying up a few rooms, it was almost noon.

Huang Qiu, accompanied by two servants, came over with several food boxes, "The lady has woken up and insisted on coming over, but seeing that the teacher’s complexion wasn’t good, I stopped her. These food boxes are sent by the lady’s orders."

Inside were assorted dishes, which were laid out on a table.

"Just boil a pot of hot soup, and we’ll have that to eat!" Old Scholar Fang sighed.

Mo Heng nodded but did not stay, "I will go home to check on things."

"I’m also going back to have a meal with Sister Qin," Xiao Yong called out and left.

Pei Qian came over just to take a look. After delivering a sarcastic remark, she left.

Pei Yuan stayed behind, eating quietly with Old Scholar Fang, Granny Fang, and Lady Yu.

Not having many rooms, Pei Yuan brought servants, and Zhang Gengshan also brought people to work, all settled properly. Before leaving, Zhang Gengshan left a guard with Pei Wendong, "The lady is worried about Young Master Pei’s safety, so she asked Lv Hua to follow Young Master Pei from now on for protection."

Pei Wendong’s eyes welled up with tears, and he nodded his head, thanking Zhang Gengshan and accepting Lv Hua.

When Old Scholar Fang and the others had all left, leaving just a few of them, the courtyard suddenly became empty and quiet.

All the major stuff was tidied up, but there were still details in their personal rooms that hadn’t been sorted. Pei Wendong let the siblings Xie Yi and Xie Ze choose their rooms.

Xie Yi did not pick the main room but chose a room in the west wing.

"The house still needs to hire some servants, so you can stay in the west room next to the main room," said Pei Wendong, who stayed in the east room.

Xie Yi opened her mouth to respond meekly, and the west wing was given to Xie Ze.

Once the three of them had settled their rooms, it was already getting late.

Pei Wendong said they would buy a maidservant to do the heavy chores tomorrow and make do for now.

Xie Yi offered to cook but didn’t know how to start a fire.

It was Pei Wendong who came over to help, seeing that she was not quite up to par with cooking. He had the servant Sanshun tend to the fire while he washed his hands and stir-fried the vegetables.

"A gentleman stays far from the kitchen! Brother Wendong, you...," Xie Yi’s eyes widened as she watched him.

"A full granary breeds propriety, sufficient food and clothing engender a sense of honor and disgrace." Suddenly, Pei Wendong remembered this phrase his elder sister had said. Back then, he hadn’t understood much, but he had clearly remembered these words. Just like those refugees and begging beggars, even having enough to eat and wear was a problem, so what was there to speak of etiquette, dignity, and shame?

Xie Yi couldn’t help but feel her face turning red, filled with shame.

Xie Ze, however, felt that Pei Wendong could afford to buy servants, yet he made his sister cook and wash clothes. Was he planning to treat his sister like an old maidservant in the future!? Pei Qin said it wasn’t intentional, but clearly, it was oppression and bullying!

After making dinner for a few people and lighting the lamps in the evening, they sat down to eat dishes that obviously paled in comparison to those at the General Mansion, each lost in their own thoughts.

In a strange place, tossing and turning all night long, Pei Wendong, who had hardly slept at all, finally fell asleep and dreamt. Ever since he was young and after his mother had died, he had never dreamt of her, not even once. His third sister often muttered that his mother only had his eldest sister in her heart and not the three of them. He could feel it too, that his mother treated his eldest sister a bit differently, since she was the biological child of their mother and father, whereas the three of them were born to Jian Xiao. So after his mother died, she had never entered his dreams.

That night, for the first time, he dreamt of his mother, who didn’t say a word but just looked at him with such sorrow in her eyes. He opened his mouth, wanting to pour out to her how he had upset his elder sister and been split from the family, but he could not utter a word.

When he awoke, his surroundings were cold. Pei Wendong lay there quietly, not wanting to get up. He didn’t want to practice martial arts, calligraphy, or study.