The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhenwen stepped forward again, with a more upright attitude, his eyes gleaming with a moral high ground, as if he were a judge standing in a moral court: "Chen Xi, how can you speak to grandma like this? Respecting elders is basic etiquette, not to mention, after your parents passed away, we are your closest family."

However, Chen Xi had already seen through their insincere nature and lost patience with these roundabout words: "Just say what you want to say, don't beat around the bush. If there is nothing else, I will close the door and take a rest."

After she finished speaking, she pretended to open the door. Although it was just a bluff, it was enough to express her determination.

Seeing this, Old Lady Chen hurried forward and held Chen Xi's wrist tightly, her old hand showing a bit of urgency.

Chen Xi subconsciously took a step back. This step was both a natural reaction of the body and an instinctive defense of the mind against past injuries.

"Xixi, I heard that you can identify herbs. This is such a rare skill. We would like to ask you to teach us a thing or two so that we can all benefit and share the wealth. Besides, Dabao is still growing up, but our Chen family is in a tight spot, and he hasn't tasted meat for a long time. You are now living a wealthy life in the Xie family. Can you help him out of the kinship?"

There was a hint of pleading in Mrs. Chen's words, trying to use family affection as a bond.

When Chen Dabao was mentioned, a nameless fire rose in Chen Xi's heart.

When they were children, Chen Dabao always liked to play tricks on her and Chen Rong. When they made mistakes, he would be the first to complain, making the siblings suffer punishment innocently while he would laugh on the side.

Even the precious eggs at home, he enjoyed them alone, saying that he was tired of eating them, but he never considered the longing looks in her and her brother's eyes.

During the time at the Chen family, the cold treatment and grievances he suffered were like the cold winter wind, biting his bones.

Now that he has finally gotten rid of his restraints, how can Chen Xi easily let the past repeat itself?

"Teach you? The past grudges have been resolved. There are people who know the herbs in the back mountain. If you are really interested, you can go and look for them by yourself. I will never stop you."

When Zhou Xuemei heard Chen Xi's direct and frank rejection, anger instantly appeared on her face. If her mother had not repeatedly told her to be patient before she left, she would have exploded by now.

The anger in my heart was like weeds, spreading wildly in my chest.

"You ungrateful thing, you grew up eating the food of the Chen family, but now you refuse to teach us a little knowledge. Where is your conscience? We came to you humbly, but if we had known you would have such an attitude, we should have kicked you out of Xianghe Village, so that you would not bite the people who raised you!"

Zhou Xuemei still couldn't change her sarcastic nature. If you get along peacefully with her, everything will be fine. But once you touch her reverse scale, even the ancestors of the family will be scolded by her.

"Oh? It's true that I ate at the Chen family's house, but those were just leftovers. All the hard work I've done for this family over the years is worth more than those meals. All the money my parents sent home went into your pockets. Now you come to the Xie family to accuse me. What right do you have?"

In the past, Chen Xi might have chosen to endure silently, but now, after undergoing a transformation, she has already built a solid defense in her heart, so how could she allow others to bully her?

Seeing that the family meeting was gradually turning into a disorderly quarrel, Old Mrs. Chen quickly put on a kind expression and signaled with the corner of her eye to the people around her who were eager to try to quiet down.

In an instant, her eyes gently focused on Chen Xi, as if she was sincerely concerned about this granddaughter who was usually marginalized by the family.

But this sudden "care" was just another false show of goodwill to Chen Xi. She had already built a high wall in her heart, shutting out this kind of superficial warmth. She felt that everything seemed so empty and artificial.

"Chen Xi, my good child, why don't you help your uncle and second uncle? They live a tight life in the town. They work hard for a month, but only earn 500 copper coins. I heard that you live a comfortable life by digging herbs, and often patronize the shops in the town. Mutual help is the hard truth among relatives. Blood ties are worth more than gold. Even if the bones are broken, the blood is still connected. Don't you think so?"

Mrs. Chen's words revealed a well-thought-out calculation, trying to use family affection as a breakthrough to soften Chen Xi's heart.

However, she did not realize that Chen Xi's heart had already been as solid as a rock, and any words that tried to shake her decision were in vain.

Chen Xi looked at the old lady in front of him who was full of affection, and the determination in his heart was not shaken at all.

She was tired of this endless entanglement and decided to end it quickly.

"There are herbs everywhere in the back mountain. Whoever wants them can go and dig them. As for teaching you? Forget it."

After he finished speaking, Chen Xi pulled the door handle abruptly. With a loud bang, the door closed tightly, completely isolating the determination inside the room from the astonishment outside.

Outside the door, the relatives' faces were filled with surprise and confusion. They exchanged glances with each other, as if silently questioning why they ended up like this.

"This girl is so stubborn that it makes us look humble. Once she has some money, she forgets her roots and doesn't care about her relatives." Someone complained in a low voice.

"In the final analysis, isn't it all your own fault? Just because Chen Xi went back to her parents' home, you drove her out. At that time, the house was so clean, someone washed the clothes, and someone did the housework. And now? It's still a mess."

Zheng Cuihua's tone was mixed with dissatisfaction and nostalgia for the convenience of the past.

On the side, Chen Zhenwen remained silent until this moment. He finally glanced at his wife and gently dissuaded her, "Forget it. The more you talk, the more trouble you're causing. It's already troublesome enough at home."

However, his consolation only added fuel to the fire.

"Chen Zhenwen, are you still my man? The family is in a mess, and not only do you not help me, but you blame me instead? Do you still want to live a good life?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Cuihua became furious and was about to step forward to argue with Chen Zhenwen, but was interrupted by a timely dissuasion.

"Alright, alright, if you have anything to say, let's talk when we get home. Don't embarrass yourself here."

Old Mrs. Chen's face looked extremely ugly. What a pity that her son not only failed to help ease the situation, but also seemed cowardly and henpecked.

Finally, Old Lady Chen turned around and left helplessly, while Chen Zhenwu shook his head and sighed at Chen Zhenwen from behind: "What drama are you guys playing at? Look how angry my mother is!"

After saying this, he quickly followed the old lady and disappeared from everyone's sight.

After returning home, Mrs. Chen slowly glanced at the pile of gifts on the table, her eyes filled with deep disappointment and helplessness: "This morning I patted my chest and promised that it would be okay, but now it hasn't been done. How can I explain it to others later?"