Speaking of which, the Wen and Shen families also have some connections.
The two families were family friends, and Wen Yiqing and Shen Yungui were childhood sweethearts who grew up together. Everyone in Yuncheng thought that the two families would get married naturally. Unexpectedly, one day, Miss Wen suddenly became pregnant.
Later, many changes occurred, and both Wen and his wife passed away. Wen Yiqing took a child of unknown origin to support the family business alone. And Shen Yungui took over the family business, and the business became more and more prosperous, and the matchmaker who came to propose marriage was almost over the threshold. Although neither of them was married, no one mentioned this matter again.
But Shanshan had overheard the little maids at home whispering, and they all said that the reason Uncle Shen didn't marry was just to wait for her mother to nod.
To be honest, although Uncle Shen is good, he is definitely not good at being a father.
She already has a father. Although she doesn’t know where he is, what he looks like, or what his temperament is, he is her biological father. My mother never mentioned anything about her father, good or bad. Every time she asked, she only said that he was dead.
But Shanshan knows that after death, a cold memorial tablet will be left behind, just like grandparents, and Shanshan will visit them every once in a while. The Wen family's ancestral hall is dedicated to ancestors, and she recognizes every one of them, but none of them is her father.
If her mother won't let her mention it, she won't. It's her own little secret.
Shanshan happily walked around the Zhenbaozhai. After Wen Yiqing came back, Shen Yungui came out of the room again, as if nothing had happened just now, smiling with crooked eyebrows, looking at the building where birds were chirping. Western clocks were sold to them.
It was in the evening that she saw the guests at home.
When she heard that she was from the capital, she chased after Manager Qian like a puppy begging for food, asking repeatedly: "Does every child in the capital have a kaleidoscope to play with? Is it better than in Yuncheng? Can they?" Do you go out to play every day?"
In just half a day, Manager Qian had already figured out the relationship between the entire Wen family. He had already forgotten the unpleasantness he felt when he first arrived. Now he was even more kind to Shanshan: "There are many young masters and ladies in the house, who are about the same age as Sister Shan." There are a few similar ones. When Sister Shan arrives in the capital, there will be people playing with her every day. As for delicious and fun things, there are a lot of them. Whatever Sister Shan wants, she can get them."
"Not only brothers and sisters, but also grandparents, uncles and uncles. The old lady loves her children the most, and she will love you the most. It's not like in Yuncheng, where there are many people in Qi Mansion, and the whole family lives together lively. You don’t have to play even if you don’t want to.”
Shanshan said "Wow" and was extremely envious.
Wen's family is small, so when her mother is not at home, only her wet nurse and her maids and sisters play with her.
Manager Qian spoke vividly, talking about how kind the family in Qi Mansion was, how many rare things there were in the capital, and the snacks that were only available in the capital. He even talked and gestured, making Qi Mansion in the capital feel like a fairyland on earth, which made her I was fascinated by it and wanted to fly there immediately.
At night, Shanshan lay on the bed, holding his chin with his hands, watching his mother remove the jewelry one by one in front of the dressing table.
The room was quiet, with only the faint crackling sound of the candle burning. She looked at it for a long time before asking: "Mom, are we moving to the capital?"
Wen Yiqing paused and didn't look back: "Who told you?"
"Uncle Qian said it."
"Do you want to go to the capital?"
"He said that Beijing is great. I have a lot of sisters who can play with me every day." Thinking of that scene, Shanshan pursed his lips and smiled sweetly: "In this way, you will be able to play with me every day." If I go out and be busy, I won’t be thinking about you all the time.”
Wen Yiqing's heart felt soft, like ripples in the water. She walked over and took her daughter into her arms, her black hair hanging down like a waterfall.
Shanshan stretched out her hand to grab a strand and played with it for a while. Then she asked, "Then can I take Brother Shitou to the capital?"
"Um?"
"If I leave, he will be hungry again." Shanshan said worriedly: "Mom, can you let Brother Shitou be our child? Let him be my brother. If Brother Shitou is at home with me, To play, it’s okay if I don’t go to the capital.”
Wen Yiqing smiled: "It's not my mother who has the final say on this matter."
Yes, Shitou himself disagrees.
Shanshan sighed, feeling worried in his sleep.
…
He said that he wanted to think about it carefully, but after Wen Yiqing agreed, there was no movement. Even the child in the house was not easy to coax, and he sighed whenever he mentioned the capital. Seeing it snowing heavily again, Manager Qian was so anxious that he had blisters on his mouth.
Before going out, the master and his wife specially asked him to bring the person back before the New Year so that the family could reunite for the New Year. It turns out that if we set out immediately and rush slowly, we can catch up before the New Year. But Wen Yiqing didn't nod for a long time, so there was no certainty on this matter.
Fortunately, he quickly found an opportunity.
When the Wen family came to visit that day, Matchmaker Wang could only leave angrily. A few days later, she found a free time to come over to arrange a marriage.
Wen Yiqing and Nanny Chen were not here that day, so she was rejected. Matchmaker Wang didn't leave either, so she waited at the door. Liu Yuanwai personally promised her that if the marriage was settled, he would give her a reward of thirty taels of silver. Darling, that’s a lot of money!
She waited for a while, but Wen Yiqing didn't come home. Instead, she saw Manager Qian.
When Manager Qian came back from his trip, he saw an old pious woman wearing a red flower on her head blocking the door. He had been depressed recently and didn't show any good looks: "Get out of here!"
Matchmaker Wang recognized him.
That day she saw this man getting off the carriage with her own eyes. The carriage was so luxurious and the horses so majestic. She later found out that he was a nobleman from the capital. I don’t know what the relationship is with the Wen family.
Matchmaker Wang's thoughts turned around, and she put on a smile to greet her: "I'm here to propose marriage to Madam Wen. Do you think it's convenient for me to go in and wait?"
"Say marriage?"
"That's right, we're talking about marriage! It's so hard for Mrs. Wen to take care of her children alone. It would be great if there is someone around to take care of her." Knowing that he was a foreigner, Matchmaker Wang immediately praised her: " The person I want to talk to today is Yuanwai Liu. Yuanwai Liu is a talented person, his family is wealthy, and his character is first-class. He said..."
Manager Qian sneered, pointed to the plaque on the door, and said arrogantly: "Do you know the identity of the young lady of the Wen family?"
"Isn't it just the Wen family..."
"The young lady who is now in charge of the Wen family is the daughter of Uncle Zhongyong in the capital!"
"What?!" Matchmaker Wang's eyes widened.
Manager Qian cupped his hands in the direction of the capital, "I am here to take our young lady back to the capital on the orders of Uncle Zhongyong." He snorted coldly from his nose: "You dare to do anything that smells bad? Speaking of coming in front of Uncle Zhongyong’s mansion?”
After that, Manager Qian shook his collar, raised his chin, and walked through the gate of Wen Mansion.
Matchmaker Wang was left stunned in the same place. It took her a long time to come back to her senses. She took a deep breath and forgot the purpose of coming. She turned around and ran back.
Be good!
Awesome!
Something big happened in Yuncheng!
…
Wen Yiqing was doing the accounting in the shop when someone suddenly lifted the curtain and strode in.
She just regarded him as a clerk in the shop and said without raising her head, "Fushun, get me a glass of water."
There was a pause of footsteps, then the sound of running water, and a cup of tea was handed to him. Those hands were slender and fair, and they were pampered hands. Unlike the shop assistants who had done too many chores, their palms had become rough and covered with thick calluses.
Wen Yiqing raised her head and met a pair of passionate and romantic peach blossom eyes.
Shen Yungui was holding the tea with a smile in his eyes: "Madam Wen, do you want Shen to treat you to a drink?"
"Why are you here?" She hurriedly closed the account book: "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to give you the dividends from Zhenbaozhai."
"Just leave it there." Wen Yiqing couldn't help but frown and said softly: "You can just ask someone to deliver it, why bother to go there yourself."
Shen Yungui didn't answer, put the banknote on the table, poured himself a cup of tea, and found a seat to sit down.
"Do you know what's going on in Yuncheng today?"
Seeing that she didn't answer, but instead counted the banknotes, Shen Yungui snorted softly, and then continued: "I heard that you are the daughter of an uncle in the capital?"
Wen Yiqing paused and raised his head in surprise: "What did you say?!"
"I'm not talking about it. It's spread all over Yuncheng. I sent someone to inquire, and it came from that guest of yours." He paused and couldn't help but frown: "So it's real?"
"..."
"You don't even tell me about this kind of thing about our relationship?" He frowned, and his eyes lost their relief, "Are you going to the capital?"
Wen Yiqing's movements gradually stopped.
It was quiet inside the shop. Through the curtain, you could hear the voices of the customers and waiters in front of you. The sounds from the street came in through the carved wooden windows, making it noisy. The room was so quiet that you could hear their shallow breathing.
Shen Yungui couldn't help but take a sip of tea. A lot of words were rolling in his throat, but when he was about to speak out, they stopped at the tip of his tongue, hesitating.
But he heard her say softly: "It has nothing to do with you."
…
Shanshan also went out to play today.
The theater in the south of the city sang "A Havoc in Heaven" today, with gongs and drums roaring in the sky, and silk and bamboo filling her ears. She was so mesmerized that her little hands turned red. After one scene was finished, he dragged the wet nurse away again and watched two scenes in a row before giving up.
When being carried out of the theater by the wet nurse, she was still not satisfied, and kept saying: "I will come to see it tomorrow."
The wet nurse smiled happily: "Sister Shan, the theater will not be open tomorrow."
"What about the day after tomorrow?"
"The day after tomorrow we won't be singing "Havoc in Heaven", we will be singing "The Peony Pavilion".
Then Shanshan has no interest.
She couldn't understand Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei. The last time her mother took her to see them, others had tears in their eyes while she fell asleep in her mother's arms.
She sighed in frustration: "Oh."
She was full of disappointment, but it didn't last long. After leaving the theater, her eyes were attracted to the sugar-painted people on the roadside.
Shanshan squeezed into the pile of children with the copper coins in hand and asked for Sun Wukong. The golden malt syrup flowed down, and the vendor's hand shook, and a majestic and piercing Sun Dasheng soon appeared on the board, lifelike.
She watched Sun Dasheng take shape bit by bit. She suddenly heard a child next to her ask: "Wen Shan, is it true that your mother's family is a high official?"
Shanshan didn't react for a moment: "What?"
Yuncheng is not a big place, and the Wen family is quite famous. All the children in Yuncheng recognized her, and they all started talking about her: "It's spread all over Yuncheng!"
"Your mother is the rich daughter of a high-ranking official in the capital, and the guests coming to your home are the ones who take your mother home!"
"Wen Shan, are you going to the capital too?"
Shanshan was at a loss, "I haven't thought about it yet."
"What does the capital look like? Is it as big as Yuncheng?"
"After you went to the capital, did you never come back?"
"My mother said you are going to live the life of a god!"
The children next to her said something to each other, and Shanshan had no time to respond. She didn't have time to think too much, so she quickly cheered up and told these children what the money manager had told her. It was like a fairyland on earth, it was as good as a place where gods lived, and there were so many strange things that were not found in Yun City, which made other children scream with envy.
After saying that, Shanshan took the candy man from Sun Wukong and walked out with his head held high, feeling that he was even more impressive than Sun Dasheng.
