The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

Xie Tianyi took it gratefully and drank it in big gulps. The gurgling sound in his throat revealed his extreme thirst.

Chen Xi then moved the chopped firewood into the kitchen. At this moment, the aroma from the pot could not wait to seep out, so rich that it seemed to whet the appetite of the entire village. Even the neighbor Xiong Sa's wife's watchdog was tempted by the aroma and barked non-stop.

The moment you open the lid of the pot, the rising steam carries the tempting aroma of meat. The meat becomes firm and juicy under the perfect heat, making you salivate.

"Come and wash your hands and eat!" Following Chen Xi's call, Chen Rong, Xiaoyang and Xiaochen rushed out of the room in an instant.

Although Chen Rong was buried in a pile of books, the aroma of food in the air had already stirred his heart. Hearing the call, he was the first to respond actively and walked quickly to the dining table.

The family was sitting around the dining table, enjoying themselves.

Chen Xi carefully picked up a large piece of pork ribs for Xiaoyang and Xiaochen respectively. The two little guys enjoyed it happily with happy faces.

Chen Rong was not to be outdone. She picked up a piece of soft and tasty pig's trotter, savored it carefully, and praised it highly: "Sister, this is so fragrant, even more delicious than the last time!"

Between the words, there is a deep recognition of Chen Xi's cooking skills.

"Eat more if you like. When you go to school, I will change the dishes every day so that you can eat to your satisfaction."

"Okay!" the children said in unison, and the table was filled with happiness.

Xie Tianyi tried a bite of the perfectly stewed pig intestines. It was soft but not mushy, very chewy, and tasted just right. He couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

The dinner was spent in laughter and conversation, and the full pot of delicious food was completely eaten up.

After the meal, everyone stroked their round bellies, smiled at each other, and felt a sense of satisfaction.

Night fell quietly. Under the light, Xie Tianyi's concentration on reading was interrupted by the occasional sneeze. Chen Xi mended Xiao Yang's trouser legs that were torn due to his mischief, and gently reminded him: "You should rest early and don't catch a cold. I'll be done soon."

Xie Tianyi was silent for a while, and finally decided to tell Chen Xi about what happened at the village entrance during the day.

"Today, I met the village chief's daughter, Xu Jing, at the entrance of the village." There was a hint of hesitation in his tone.

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed across Chen Xi's face, waiting for Xie Tianyi to continue.

"She expressed her passionate feelings for me before, but I didn't accept them. After I injured my leg, she got married and my life returned to normal. Now that my leg is fine, she seems to have returned to her old ways and is showing excessive enthusiasm. I'm worried that this will cause unnecessary trouble and may even cause you to misunderstand, so I wanted to tell you in advance."

There was a hint of worry in Xie Tianyi's words.

After Chen Xi heard Xie Tianyi's words, a barely perceptible wave of emotion passed through his brows, and then he returned to his usual tranquility.

She gently put down the needle and thread that was embroidering delicate patterns in her hands, and her movement revealed a kind of leisurely and calmness.

"She poses no threat to me," Chen Xi's voice was gentle, as if he was talking about something very ordinary. "If you are interested in her, I won't say much. After all, love is what the heart desires, and no one can stop it."

After she finished speaking, her gaze seemed to pass through Xie Tianyi in front of her and head towards a distant and unknown place.

When Xie Tianyi heard this, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes, and an unnatural sound came out of his throat, "Uh..."

It was as if he wanted to say something, but was speechless.

He slowly put down the yellowed book in his hand, turned around and walked to the bedside.

As his figure blended into the night, the warmth and tranquility of the day seemed to slowly draw to a close under the caress of the moonlight.

At Chen's house, the excitement of dinner had long since faded away, leaving only the flickering lights in the room.

Zhou Xuemei was cleaning up the mess. Chen Zhenwen was out for something and had not returned, so only she and Old Mrs. Chen were left at home.

She walked into the bedroom and habitually reached out for the pair of meaningful earrings on the bedside.

However, when she gently opened the lid of the beautifully decorated little box, what greeted her was an empty silence.

Zhou Xuemei widened her eyes, as if she couldn't believe what she saw. She rubbed her eyes and confirmed again, but the familiar weight and shining luster did not reappear.

The anxiety in her heart grew like weeds. She began to wonder if she had accidentally left the earrings somewhere else. She hurriedly got up and plunged into the busy search, almost turning over every box and cabinet, even the most inconspicuous corner.

But every time the ray of hope dimmed when she opened the empty drawer, uneasiness gradually enveloped her heart like the night.

How can it be?

I clearly remember placing it safely here, how could it disappear for no reason?

Could it be... there is a thief?

"Mom, mom, something bad has happened. It seems our house has been robbed. My earrings... my earrings are gone."

Her cry seemed particularly abrupt in the quiet night.

Old Mrs. Chen was already preparing to go to bed, but was interrupted by the sudden exclamation, which made her feel a little unhappy.

She put on her coat, staggered to the door, and while unbolting it, she complained, "It's already so late, and you're still making so much noise. Can't we talk about it tomorrow?"

But when she saw Zhou Xuemei's anxious face and trembling hands, her unhappiness instantly turned into worry.

"The earrings are missing? I searched every corner of the house but couldn't find them." Zhou Xuemei's voice was full of urgency, an urgency that could not be easily disguised.

When Mrs. Chen heard this, her brows slightly frowned, but she said, "You kept the earrings yourself. I didn't touch them."

"I know I kept it myself and kept it in the box, but now the box is empty. I even turned the closet upside down, but still couldn't find it. Mother, do you think a thief really got in? Can you check your things too?"

Zhou Xuemei's tone was filled with uncontrollable fear.

Old Mrs. Chen's heart skipped a beat. Although she tried her best to remain calm on the surface, her heart was in turmoil.

She thought of the fifty taels of silver she had hidden in her room. It was the result of her years of frugality and careful saving in order to have a secure future in her later years.

A secret that even his son Chen Zhenwen and daughter-in-law Chen Zhenwu didn't know.

She tried to comfort Zhou Xuemei, then returned to her room on the pretext of being sleepy, secretly praying that it was all just a false alarm.

The moment the door closed, Old Mrs. Chen almost rushed towards the floor tile that looked ordinary but actually contained a secret.

She opened it carefully, hoping that the familiar and heavy silver would be safe and sound.

However, what awaited her was empty disappointment.

At that moment, her hands and feet suddenly became cold.

She began to doubt her memory, wondering if she had really remembered the wrong location, so she checked the surrounding floor tiles one by one. Every time she lifted them up, she felt an alternation of hope and despair.