Late spring in March.
The old frost and snow melted away, new buds sprouted from the branches, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom. Shanshan poked her head out of the carriage, and a piece of pink peach fell in front of her. She subconsciously reached out to catch it, and heard the flapping of wings again. There was a sound, and a plump bird flapped its wings and flew away.
She looked into the distance and could already see the towering city gate.
There were guards in armor guarding the city gate. Manager Qian handed over the documents. The soldiers looked at them and waved them in. As they passed by, Shanshan was lying on the small window, pursed his lips and showed a sweet smile to the determined soldier.
The soldier on duty remained calm but glanced at her one more time.
Manager Qian said cheerfully: "We're almost there."
Zhongyongbo Mansion.
Today, the hall was full of people. Whether they were big or small, even married girls came back with their children, waiting anxiously.
"Didn't you say you would arrive today?" Mrs. Qi said anxiously, "Why hasn't he come yet?"
A young woman sitting next to her advised her: "Mom, wait a moment, it's still early."
Others agreed and looked at each other in private with different thoughts.
No one else, just because the person sitting next to Mrs. Qi is the one she has cherished in her heart for more than 20 years, and now she has been married to the Xuanping Hou Mansion and became Mrs. Hou's fake daughter!
Just as he was talking, a servant hurried in from outside.
"Here we go, Qian Da is back!"
Everyone cheered up and looked towards the door.
Compared with the capital city, Yuncheng is really a rural place. Even the real daughter of the uncle's family, who was born in a noble family, has been rolled in the dust, and she is expected to have turned into mud beads. They had already thought that the person coming today was an illiterate village woman.
But I saw a mother and daughter coming in from a distance through the door.
The woman's cloud-like long hair was rolled up. Although she was simply wearing a set of jade ornaments, the quality was good and the moisture was sufficient. It was obvious at a glance that it was worth a lot of money. She walked over in a curling way, seeming to have noticed the appraising eyes. , raised his eyes slightly, revealing a beautiful and gentle face, with slender eyebrows, apricot face and peach cheeks, and a graceful appearance. The children around her are also white, tender, and cute.
It has nothing to do with the miserable situation of a widowed and orphaned child in your imagination.
Everyone was slightly startled.
Shanshan was also watching them secretly.
The room was full of people, including children of similar age to her. Manager Qian introduced her to her on the way here, and she thought about it. With just a glance, Shanshan knew that these were all her home. people!
Shanshan has never seen so many people!
There were only her and her mother at home in Yuncheng, and there was no lively atmosphere even during the New Year. There were so many people that they couldn't even sit at a table, and even Shanshan Fang couldn't recognize them. She glanced over and saw that they were all very friendly and not afraid of strangers at all.
Shanshan happily held her mother's hand and walked in, calling out to the two people in the first seat: "Grandpa, grandma!"
This sound finally brought everyone back to their senses.
Mrs. Qi looked intently.
The little girl standing in front of her was fair and cute, with round black eyes, a soft and sweet little girl, without any edges and corners, and even her smile was as sweet as honey. She had always liked children, and she loved them from the bottom of her heart at first sight.
But before she could reveal her feelings, Mrs. Xuanpinghou next to her said affectionately: "Is this the girl from the Wen family?"
When he didn't get a response, Shanshan blinked, a little confused. She subconsciously went to find Qian GuanShi. Along the way, Qian GuanShi always talked about how her grandparents would like her, but when she actually met her, it was nothing like what Shanshan had imagined. She turned around and saw that the steward Qian who had been following her had disappeared.
She looked up at her mother in confusion.
Wen Yiqing is also looking at his biological family.
Qi Mansion has three sons and one daughter, all of whom are married. The faces of the people sitting in the hall are somewhat similar to hers. She recognized them one by one before looking at the three people in the first seat. Two of them are her biological parents, and the other one bears a striking resemblance to her deceased mother Wen.
She lowered her eyes and reminded softly: "Be kind and be polite."
What kind of ceremony?
On the way here, her mother had specially taught her how to salute when she saw a high official in the capital, but she had a bad memory, so she suddenly forgot all about these etiquettes and stared at her mother.
Mrs. Xuanpinghou smiled again and said: "Sister Wen, we are all one family, so there is no need to be so polite. You come from a small place, so it is normal for you not to understand these things."
She stood up, walked over quickly, took Wen Yiqing's hand, and looked at her face carefully. Being closer, I could see more clearly the face that was carved out of the same mold as everyone else in the Qi family.
She didn't show any thoughts on her face, and said with concern: "Have you had a hard time coming all the way from Yuncheng? I have heard that it is really hard for you to take care of your child alone. From now on, you will stay at home. I will take good care of you."
She turned around and asked her servants: "Has Mrs. Wen's yard been tidied up? Move her things there, be careful not to bump into them. She will be a member of the Qi family from now on, so you must remember it." "
The servants all agreed.
Shanshan asked innocently from the side: "Auntie, who are you?"
The servant next to him quickly introduced: "This is Grandma Fourth Gu, the wife of Xuanping Houfu!"
As Shanshan knew, Manager Qian talked to her all the way, and she asked curiously: "Are you the one who fell in love with my mother by mistake?"
Suddenly, the whole hall was silent.
Even though Mrs. Xuanpinghou seemed friendly and kind, she couldn't help but freeze at this moment.
Mrs. Qi said: "It's Qing Niang, come to me."
Wen Yiqing then led her daughter over.
On the day she learned that the child had been exchanged, Mrs. Qi cried for half the night. She waited and waited, and finally saw her biological daughter. At this time, she couldn't help but have tears in her eyes. She hugged Wen Yiqing and said with choked sobs: "My child, you have suffered."
The biological mother and daughter, who are connected by blood, have not seen each other for more than 20 years, but as soon as they met, they subconsciously felt close to each other from the bottom of their hearts. Wen Yiqing's eyes were also wet, and she called softly: "Mother."
"Hey, hey!"
Mrs. Qi responded repeatedly.
He hugged his biological daughter again and introduced other family members to her.
Shanshan followed her mother to recognize her.
She called her uncle and aunt. The eldest uncle had a short beard, was upright, and looked like an old-fashioned teacher in Yuncheng. The eldest aunt was kind and touched Shanshan's head. The second uncle had died of illness long ago, leaving behind a second aunt who spoke softly. The third uncle was careless and couldn't sit properly, so the third uncle smiled and kicked her husband.
Then he recognized his cousins. Everyone in the family was older than Shanshan. The only ones of the same age were a pair of twins, the children of Mrs. Xuanpinghou. Shanshan gave the little girl a friendly smile.
Finally, Uncle Zhongyong spoke.
"Okay, you have worked hard all the way, Qing Niang." He said kindly: "Are you exhausted? Take the children to have a good rest. We will talk about the rest tomorrow."
Wen Yiqing responded with a warm voice.
The uncle's house had already ordered people to tidy up their yard. It was spring, and an apricot blossom in the yard was in full bloom, and the snow-white petals fell one after another. Shanshan walked in holding his mother's hand, and fell in love with her at first sight. Got it.
"Mom, I want to swing here!"
Wen Yiqing responded with a smile: "Okay."
After entering the house, it was well-stocked with furniture and everything. Shanshan watched nanny take the new servants to pack things and put away the things they brought from Yuncheng one by one. Soon, the unfamiliar house also had familiar ones. appearance.
She ran in and out of the courtyard with the stone, curiously looking at every room, and walked around the apricot tree twice. When she came to her senses, she had already walked out of the courtyard.
When I arrived at an unfamiliar courtyard, I was stopped by a servant at the door just as I was about to enter.
The servant had already recognized her and said in a good voice: "Sister Shan, this is my uncle's yard, you can't go in."
"Why?"
"You can only go in after the young man goes to inform the elder and the elder agrees."
"Why?" Shanshan was puzzled: "Isn't this my home? Why can't I enter my home?"
The servant smiled and said, "Sister Shan, this is etiquette."
Shanshan blinked. She was a talkative child. When the servant asked her to wait, she waited outside.
Fortunately, the servant came back soon.
Shanshan followed her in and saw the aunt she had just met.
"Why is Shanshan here?"
Shanshan said, "I'll just look around."
The eldest lady asked the maid to bring tea, with a gentle smile on her face.
She has only one son, who is fifteen this year. He is as polite and polite as his husband, not as close as when he was a child, and not as coquettish as a little girl. She has long been looking forward to having a caring little daughter.
The eldest lady asked warmly: "Have you seen your yard? Do you still like it?"
"like."
"As long as you like it. If there is anything missing, just come and tell me." Mrs. Qi did not hold on to the housekeeping power. She usually asked several daughters-in-law to assist. The eldest lady personally supervised the cleaning up of the yard.
Shanshan nodded.
She looked at the room curiously. There wasn't much in her uncle's courtyard, but there were books all over the walls, more than in the teacher's home.
Noticing her gaze, the eldest lady asked again: "Is Shanshan literate?"
"Literate."
"Write it for me to see."
Usually at home, her mother watched her write big characters every day. She was kind and not shy. When the servants brought paper and pen, she took the pen and wrote her own "dog crawling" character.
The eldest lady knew that she was from a low background, so her expectations were not high. Seeing that she could read and write, she fell in love even more. She was even more happy, touched Shanshan's little head, and ordered someone to bring a brocade box.
"This is my aunt's first time meeting you, and I don't know what to give you. This is a toy from the West. All the children at home have it. I wonder if you like it."
She took out a long cylindrical thing with a brass shell from the brocade box. Shanshan felt that it looked very familiar. When she took it and put it in front of her eyes, she saw that the patterns inside were colorful and changing. It was not the same thing that Shen Yungui used to tease her in the past. kaleidoscope!
I like Shanshan very much!
I also like my aunt!
At night, she was lying on the bed, and the nanny wiped her feet with a wet cloth. When the itchy flesh on the soles of her feet was touched, she giggled while holding the kaleidoscope, rolling around to avoid the nanny's hand.
Wen Yiqing came over and saw it, wondering: "Where did this come from?"
Shitou said: "The eldest lady gave it to me."
Shanshan got up in a hurry, showed her the new toy like a treasure, and said happily: "Mom, my aunt is so nice, I like it here."
"Yeah?"
"My eldest aunt also told me that my eldest cousin is good at studying, and asked me to ask him if I don't understand something. I have thought about it, and I will go and play with him tomorrow."
Wen Yiqing shook his head: "No."
"Why?"
She poked her daughter's little head and said softly: "Do you think everyone is like you and only wants to play all day? Your eldest cousin is busy studying and studying for fame. He has to go to school during the day. I have to come back to review at night, but I don’t have time to play with you.”
"Then...then I'll find other cousins."
"They all have to go to school, and they don't have time to accompany you." Wen Yiqing said with a smile: "In a few days, mother will also send you and Shitou to school. By then, you can still go to school together."
Let’s go to class together!
Thinking of that scene, Shanshan started to look forward to it again.
At night, she hid in her mother's arms and muttered happy words, which made Wen Yiqing's head hurt.
But she closed her eyes and her eyelids were still moving, thinking only of what she had seen and heard today.
How grand the uncle's house is, how majestic his maternal grandparents are, how kind the family members are, everything makes Shanshan like it very much.
She thought about it, not knowing when she fell asleep.
The second day.
Shan Shan was still sleeping when he was suddenly woken up by a strong force.
She was sleeping soundly, with her little face wrinkled, when she heard a voice in her ear that kept shouting: "Sister Shan, Sister Shan, it's time to get up and say hello to Madam."
Shanshan turned over and avoided these urgings. Without giving her time to react, the maids had already picked her up from the bed and helped her change her clothes. The cold cloth was placed on her face, jolting her to wake up.
She was at a loss: "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
Maid: "Sister Shan, it's time to have breakfast."
Shanshan closed his eyes again: "I'll eat later."
How can that work!
The maids told her the rules.
In Uncle Zhongyong's house, breakfast is shared by the whole family. If anyone arrives late, everyone will wait for him.
That would be extremely rude!
Kindness is unheard of!
When she was in Yuncheng, she slept until three o'clock every day and didn't get up until she was full. The Wen family didn't have so many rules. The stove in the kitchen was always warm. Whenever she got up, they would cook for her. meal. She is still such a tiny child, and Wen Yiqing has always spoiled her.
Shanshan couldn't believe it, but what the maids said was so clear, and she didn't know how to refute it, so she discussed with them: "Can't you go after you've had enough sleep? If you don't sleep well, how can I taste the delicious ones? ?”
Maid: "This is against the rules."
"Just say no to your grandparents?"
The maids laughed together, no one took it to heart, Shanshan had to get up reluctantly.
She wanted someone to hold her, but the maids didn't agree. They talked about etiquette, and Shanshan didn't understand it. When she walked out, Shitou had already risen. Shanshan wanted to call him in, but the maids stopped her and said it was against the rules. She had no choice but to wave and say hello to Brother Shitou.
She asked on the way: "Where is my mother? Where is the nanny?"
"My aunt went to pay her respects to Madam early in the morning."
Why is it a rule again?
Shanshan let out a long sigh.
When we arrived at the dining room, she was not the latest to arrive, but she also took most of the seats.
Shanshan shouted happily: "Uncle, aunt, second aunt..."
After calling, he found an empty seat and sat down without waiting for anyone to answer.
The table was full, the uncle's house was so big, and Shanshan got up early in the morning and walked so much, he felt hungry already. As soon as she picked up the chopsticks, the maid next to her said anxiously: "Miss, it's wrong, it's wrong!"
Shanshan was so frightened that he stopped moving.
Everyone looked at each other.
The eldest lady reminded in a low voice: "Shanshan, we have to wait until the master and his wife arrive before we can eat."
Shanshan: "..."
She pursed her lips and put down her chopsticks.
In the past, when she was at home, her mother never cared about this. Sometimes she would come back late from busy work in the shop, and she would be asked to eat first.
She touched her empty belly and sighed sadly.
The girl sitting next to her suddenly smiled. Shanshan remembered her as her third uncle's cousin. She asked curiously: "Are you from the country and don't understand any rules?"
The third lady smiled and said: "Sister Shan was originally in a small place, which is not as sophisticated as the capital."
Qi Qing asked again: "Where are you from?"
Shanshan said quickly: "Yuncheng."
"Where is that place? I've never even heard of it."
Shanshan didn't mind either, and wanted to tell her about the good things about her hometown, but her cousin didn't want to listen, so she turned her head away and talked to the third lady beside her. Shanshan opened his mouth and then closed it.
She was feeling lost.
Why is it that the cousin in Beijing is different from what Uncle Qian said? She doesn't seem to like her at all.
