Chapter 259 - 260: Celebrating a Birthday

Chapter 259: Chapter 260: Celebrating a Birthday

Seeing that Zeng Nuwan still hadn’t realized her mistake, Tian Xiuwen felt a wave of powerlessness. "Pack your things. Your parents are old now; go back and be a dutiful daughter to them for me."

Tian Xiuwen knew that in the early years, his parents-in-law had supported him greatly, allowing him to get to where he was today.

He knew divorcing her was impossible. After following him for so many years in his official posts, Zeng Nuwan had been so flattered by the other officials’ wives that she’d grown arrogant and completely out of touch. It seemed the only option this time was to send her away. This would give her a chance to reflect on her actions, and it would also let the Yue Family know how their daughter had been behaving all these years.

Zeng Nuwan knew what awaited her when she returned. She cried, threw tantrums, and begged, but Tian Xiuwen, who always indulged her, was resolute this time and refused. He even arranged for his subordinates to escort her away before his own term in office was over.

&

「Xinkeng Village」

Gu Yuanfeng stood in the courtyard in a daze, holding a child. From inside the house came Shi Dayong’s hurried voice.

"Niuniu, you and your brother, don’t just stand there in a daze. Go on, get changed into your new clothes."

Shi Niuniu pouted. "Dad, do my brother and I have to go?"

Shi Dayong said, "Absolutely not! It’s your Grandma Gu’s birthday. You can’t get out of this."

Shi Niuniu pouted and said, "But she’s not our real grandma. They probably won’t even care if we go."

Shi Dayong frowned. "Who’s been telling you this? Besides, hasn’t your grandma been good enough to you?

Every time she brought gifts for Laiyun, she always brought something for you two as well. You didn’t complain when you were taking them, did you?"

"That’s because she wanted to give them..." Before Shi Niuniu could finish, Shi Laicai clapped a hand over her mouth.

Seeing the furious look in his father’s eyes, Shi Laicai said quickly, "Dad, my sister’s just throwing a fit. I’ll take her to get changed right now.

If you and Mom are ready, just wait a moment. My sister and I will be right there."

Seeing Shi Dayong give them one last look before turning and leaving, Shi Laicai finally breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Shi Niuniu with a serious expression. "Niuniu, who told you those things?"

Shi Niuniu pointed at the hand still covering her mouth and mumbled incoherently.

Shi Laicai quickly released her. "Now, tell your big brother. Who taught you to say all that?"

"It was Aunt Wen Shan," Shi Niuniu said. "She said that no stepmother is ever good, and that no matter how nice we are to our step-grandma, they’ll still want to kick us out someday and give this whole house to Shi Laiyun."

Shi Laicai flicked her on the forehead. Seeing her grab her head and cry out, he felt no pity at all. "Serves you right," he said.

"I’ve told you before. When you have free time, you should spend less of it gossiping with those aunties.

Have you forgotten what life was like for us before Mom came?

The reason our family lives so well now is all thanks to our stepmother’s family.

The only reason Dad has been able to go out and sell tofu skins these past two years is because he married her."

Shi Niuniu pouted. "But she’s not our real mother. She’ll never be on our side."

Shi Laicai glanced quickly out into the courtyard before fixing his eyes on his sister. "Even if she isn’t our real mother, you can’t say these things where others can hear.

You’re still young. If you ruin your reputation and offend our stepmother on top of that, your future will be bleak, no matter how much I try to protect you."

"But what about our dad?"

"Our dad?" Shi Laicai took a deep breath. "Our dad depends on the Gu Family to make a living right now. Do you think he’d dare to offend them?"

"Brother, I’m scared."

Shi Laicai stroked her head. "That’s why you need to be a good girl now and listen.

Besides, Grandma Gu has been good to us. Look, she’s the one who made us these new clothes. Even if it’s just to repay that kindness, we should go and wish her a happy birthday with a smile."

Shi Niuniu nodded. "I’ll go change my clothes right now."

Relieved that he had talked his sister around, Shi Laicai quietly let out a breath. After he saw her to her room, he turned to find his father leaning against the corner of the wall, watching him.

Shi Dayong walked over and squeezed his cheeks with both hands. "You little rascal. You’re not very old, but you’re already so clever.

You and your sister can set your minds at ease. In my heart, you are both just as important as Laiyun.

As for your mother, as long as I’m around, she won’t—and won’t dare—mistreat you."

Once the children were all ready, Shi Dayong took Shi Laiyun from Gu Yuanfeng’s arms. "Yuan Feng, take a look. Besides these gifts, is there anything else we need to bring?"

Gu Yuanfeng glanced at the things on the ox-cart. "Isn’t this a bit much? It’s not like my parents are lacking for any of this."

A flicker of mockery crossed Shi Dayong’s eyes. ’What a waste of her mother’s doting affection.’ "Whether they’re lacking or not is beside the point. It’s the thought that counts.

The reason our family has been able to live so well these last two years is all thanks to your mother and your brothers helping us out.

Otherwise, how would we be living in such a large brick-and-tile house now? When we get to their home, you’d better remember to keep your mouth shut and not offend anyone again."

Gu Yuanfeng huffed and climbed onto the ox-cart from the side, but still she replied, "I know, I know. You’ve been lecturing me since yesterday. Now hurry up and give me our son."

Shi Dayong waited until she was settled before placing the child in her arms. Then he lifted Niuniu and Lai Cai onto the ox-cart. "Quick, cover yourselves with the blanket. Don’t catch a chill."

Looking at the drafty floorboards of the cart, Gu Yuanfeng couldn’t help but complain, "You could at least build a frame for this cart. It’s the dead of winter; we’ll freeze to death going out like this."

Shi Dayong turned back and grinned. "But we use this for hauling things. This is our family’s bread and butter. If I really built a canopy, it wouldn’t be as easy to load.

Just bear with it for a little while longer. Once I earn some more Silver, I’ll get a proper donkey cart for the family. Then you can travel wherever you want with ease."

"I’ll hold you to that," Gu Yuanfeng said. As the ox-cart began to move, she quickly pulled up the blanket to shield the child in her arms from the wind.

As for the two children sitting behind her, Gu Yuanfeng never once turned to look at them.

Shi Dayong saw that they were all tucked in, and only then did he raise his whip and skillfully get the cart moving.

&

"I keep telling them, it’s not even a milestone birthday. We can’t celebrate like this every year." Li Cuicui was surrounded by a group of old women. Though her words were modest protests, the wide smile on her face gave her away.

"Da Shi’s wife, if you weren’t smiling so widely when you said that, we might have actually believed you," Dai Ling said, leading the laughter.

Nowadays, the Gu family no longer needed relatives and kinsmen to help with the miscellaneous tasks. The servants in the households of the various brothers had long since taken care of everything in an orderly fashion.

"What about Seventh and his wife? Why haven’t they returned yet?" Dai Ling asked as she came in and scanned the room. Her father-in-law had told her to go and let him know as soon as she saw them.

Li Cuicui replied, "Housekeeper Fu came by earlier and said they would be coming back. The roads are probably bad with the weather, so it’s taking them longer."