Yixiu's Rebirth: Sending Bai Lianhua's Sister to Become a Concubine

"Mr. Wang."

Chang Hai stopped, "Madam Shen."

Madam Shen smiled and said, "It's just right that Mr. Wang is here. I heard that Mr. Wang was having a New Year's Eve dinner at home last night. I was afraid that he wouldn't be able to get up for breakfast in the morning, so I came here specially to buy breakfast for Mr. Wang."

"Mr. Wang, would you like to eat steamed dumplings or glutinous rice cakes?"

Madam Shen had an ordinary appearance, with a face like a full moon, slightly pale and with some traces of time on it. She was smiling and looked full of vitality.

Her eyes curved into crescents and were slightly squinted.

Chang Hai stammered, "Just... glutinous rice cake."

Madam Shen smiled, "Mr. Wang likes sweet breakfast."

Chang Hai nodded.

While Madam Shen was talking, He Mianmian had already skillfully wrapped the glutinous rice cake in dry lotus leaves and handed it out.

Madam Shen took it naturally and then handed it to Hai.

When Chang Hai was young, he was surrounded by beautiful ladies from various families. His original wife was an even more beautiful lady from a petite family.

It’s not like I haven’t seen flowers of all colors.

But when Madam Shen stretched out her hand in front of him, he didn't know where to put his hands.

"Mr. Wang, do you think it's too hot?"

"No, no, no, I don't mind." Chang Hai quickly took the hot glutinous rice cake.

Madam Shen's hands were very rough, her palms were slightly cracked, there were some frostbite on the back of her hands, and her joints were a little thick and deformed.

That was because she washed clothes day and night for her son Li Tao's studies.

But in Chang Hai's eyes, she was so beautiful.

He felt a little distressed.

"I accepted your glutinous rice cake. It's just a gift in return. Come home with me later and I'll get you some frostbite cream."

Madam Shen said hurriedly, "How can I be so delicate? My hands are used to washing clothes. Mr. Wang, please don't waste that precious thing."

"It doesn't matter whether something is valuable or not. Only when things are given to those who need them can they be put to good use. It would be a waste if I kept a lot of them."

As Chang Hai was speaking, he saw He Mianmian behind Madam Shen winking at him.

There was some teasing in that wink.

Chang Hai and He Mianmian have known each other for many years, so how could he not know what she meant.

Oh no, my inner fluttering was actually seen by a young girl.

Chang Hai was a little flustered. He said to Madam Shen, "Come on, I'll get it for you. Don't be polite."

A smile appeared on Madam Shen's face.

Mr. Wang, you are such a good man.

After the two left the store, a little girl came out from the kitchen carrying a bowl of pork bone noodles.

"Hey, Mom, where's Uncle Wang?"

He Mianmian said, "Your Uncle Wang is busy, so you can eat this bowl of noodles. Next time Uncle Wang comes, I'll treat him to another bowl."

He Huanbi put the noodles on the table with a smile on her face, got a pair of chopsticks, and jumped onto a chair.

He Mianmian took out a boiled egg, peeled it and put it in Huanbi's bowl.

"Eat, eat a lot, and you will grow tall."

Huanbi is super happy.

Huanbi finished the bowl of noodles quickly.

"Mom, Sister Yuhuan and Sister Mei said they would come to eat noodles with me today. Let's go play with Brother Shichu together."

He Mianmian said, "It's almost the New Year, they are very busy, please don't make things more complicated."

"No, Sister Yuhuan said that it was the adults in his family who were busy."

He Mianmian was helpless.

"Then you can prepare what Yuhuan likes to eat. Mother is only responsible for providing the ingredients."

Huanbi nodded vigorously.

-----------------

Chang Hai brought Madam Shen back home, and Wang Jia was just getting up to pick eggs and feed the chickens.

When he looked up and saw his son bringing a kind-looking woman home, his face was full of smiles.

This boy, he was so unwilling yesterday, but today he took Madam Shen home?

Chang Hai asked Madam Shen to sit down and wait, and he went into the house to get the frostbite cream.

Madam Shen felt a little embarrassed, but she soon relaxed and sat down.

What is she afraid of?

She has gone through such difficult years, and in the future she should work harder to do laundry and earn money to give Mr. Wang more subsidies.

Chang Hai came out with the frostbite ointment and found that Wang Jia had already poured tea for Madam Shen and the two of them were already chatting.

Wang Jia's eyes were filled with love when she looked at Madam Shen.

Chang Hai was afraid that Wang Jia would randomly match people up and scare Madam Shen, so he quickly took a few steps away.

"Madam Shen, I've got the frostbite cream."

After that, he turned to Wang Jia and said, "Mom, don't you have something else to do?"

Wang Jia went to feed the chickens with a smile on her face.

Chang Hai looked at Madam Shen and said, "My mother seems to like you very much."

Madam Shen smiled and said, "The old lady is really a kind-hearted old immortal. No wonder she has a son like Mr. Wang."

Chang Hai's face turned red.

"You're praising me."

Madam Shen said: "I am telling the truth."

After sitting for a while, Madam Shen remembered, "Mr. Wang, you haven't eaten your glutinous rice cake yet."

"Oh, oh, okay." Chang Hai opened the glutinous rice cake. It was a little cold at this time, not as soft as when it was just out of the pot.

Chang Hai took a big bite and found a layer of candied red beans inside, which tasted extremely sweet.

Madam Shen noticed it, and thought that Mr. Wang was quite pitiful. His wife passed away early, and he must not have taken good care of his life. The cold glutinous rice cake tasted terrible, but he actually ate it with great relish.

Chang Hai ate up the glutinous rice cake in just a few bites.

Wang Jia was outside and saw clearly the interaction between the two people inside.

Chang Hai is really a hot commodity!

I've been acting stupid for a long time.

Performance!

Compared to Jinghua who took down General Fucha cleanly and efficiently, this father is much worse.

Wang Jia couldn't help it, so she picked up a chicken and squeezed it.

The chicken clucked and flew away.

"Chang Hai! Madam Shen! Help me catch the chicken!"

The slightly silent atmosphere between the two people was broken.

The courtyard was in chaos.

Soon, Chang Hai helped Wang Jia catch the chicken.

There were a few chicken feathers stuck on his head.

Wang Jia smiled and said to Madam Shen: "Look how capable he is."

Madam Shen wanted to laugh but couldn't, so she had to hold it back.

After a while, Madam Shen stood up and said she wanted to go back.

Wang Jia said, "The roads are slippery on a snowy day, so let Chang Hai take you there. If you want to buy something on the way, you can also ask Chang Hai to help you carry it. Yesterday, you and your son cleaned the dust, but you didn't clean the places that were difficult for you and your son to clean. Let Chang Hai help you today."

Madam Shen said hurriedly: "I won't bother Mr. Wang. I am used to doing rough work. I can do these by myself."

Wang Jia waved her hand. "It's okay, it's okay. He is used to doing these jobs."

Madam Shen subconsciously glanced at Chang Hai, who had an upright and thin figure, a tall and graceful figure, and a very scholarly air.

He seemed so anxious and hurried when catching the chicken just now. I'm afraid he is not yet adept at doing the rough work.

Chang Hai said, "Yeah, it's easy work. I'll go with you."

However, seeing Wang Jia's increasingly enthusiastic eyes, she still accepted the kindness.

"Okay, then let Mr. Wang give me a ride."

The two of them had just left the yard. The sky was sunny, but in the blink of an eye it became cloudy and light snow began to fall.

When passing by the market, Madam Shen didn't stop. Chang Hai said, "Madam Shen, aren't you going to buy some vegetables? The New Year is coming soon."

Madam Shen wiped her hands on her dress a little awkwardly, "It's okay, there's more at home."

However, when she passed by a firewood seller, Mrs. Shen still bought some.

Chopping wood requires some strength, so Mrs. Shen always buys firewood.

She didn't want to buy it in front of Mr. Wang, but when she thought of her son, she had to buy it.

When Chang Hai saw Mrs. Shen bought firewood, he hurried to carry it.

"Madam Shen, let me help you."

"No, no, no, I'll do it myself. You're a sir, you can't carry me."

When Chang Hai heard Madam Shen say that he was not capable of it, he became more excited.

He carried the firewood on his back and walked briskly.

Mrs. Shen opened her mouth wide. She didn't expect that Mr. Wang still had so much strength.

But, he can't be forcing himself.

Chang Hai was feeling very proud at this moment.

What a joke! How could he not be able to carry it? He used to carry big bags!

Madam Shen didn't expect that Chang Hai was really not a tough guy and he walked very fast.

Soon we arrived at their door.

Madam Shen shared a courtyard house in the alley with several other people. When she arrived at the door, she began to feel conflicted.

She rented the west wing and the west ear room. The lighting was not very good and the room was cold.

Mr. Wang sent him here, and she asked someone to come in, fearing that Mr. Wang would feel uncomfortable. But if she didn't invite anyone in, she would feel it would be impolite.

Madam Shen was still struggling, and Chang Hai had already entered and asked her, "Madam Shen, where is the firewood?"

"Put it under the eaves of the west wing."

Chang Hai wiped the non-existent sweat.

Madam Shen was no longer entangled. "You are sweating, and it's cold outside. You can't be blown by the wind. What if you catch a cold?"

Madam Shen originally wanted to take him to the west wing where she lived, but ended up taking him to the west wing where Li Tao lived.

"Mr. Wang, please go in and sit down first. I'll make you a bowl of ginger soup."

Chang Hai walked into the house as expected, but was stunned for a moment.

The room was so cold that it was barely cold enough to stretch out one's hands to read or write.

He was all too familiar with this temperature.

During the years they hid from place to place with Wang Jia, they had no way to earn money.

In order to save money, firewood is burned every day to keep the house at this temperature.

I don't ask for warmth, just not being cold.

He thought of the frostbite on Madam Shen's hands, and his eyes darkened.

At this time, Li Tao was reading a book on the kang. Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw that it was Chang Hai.

"Mr. Wang."

Li Tao quickly got off the kang and came over to pay his respects.

"The student has met Mr. Wang."

Li Tao is now in his twenties, a tall young man. He speaks a non-authentic Beijing dialect with a slight Shandong accent.

Li Tao is well-educated, polite and smart, so Chang Hai likes him very much.

He is even smarter than Ning Sanyuan.

"I have nothing to do today, so I came to take a look." Chang Hai explained.

Li Tao was about to ask Chang Hai to sit down when Chang Hai saw what he had just seen.

It is a policy essay question.

"Ban Gu criticized Jia Yi's theory of five baits and three memorials as being too simplistic. However, Qin Mu once used it to dominate the Western Rong, and Zhonghang Shuo was also used to warn the Chanyu. His theory has been effective."

"Tell me about it."

Li Tao spoke without hesitation, "Jia Yi proposed that the emperor of the Han Dynasty set an example and show the friendliness of the Han Dynasty to the Xiongnu through benevolence, righteousness, and trustworthiness..."

After Li Tao finished speaking, Chang Hai commented, "You did a good job on the policy paper, but you will be taking the test next year, so you can't slack off on the classics, poetry, history, etc."

"The students will follow the teacher's instructions."

After giving a few instructions, Chang Hai asked about the mother and son's daily life at home, whether they had any difficulties in life, etc.

Li Tao didn't understand and answered them one by one.

For those who were not convenient to answer, Chang Hai also estimated about 70% of them.

Li Tao's family was originally an ordinary farming family in Shandong. They had a little land, which was enough to support their son's education.

When Shandong was hit by a flood, Li Tao's father died while saving others, so Madam Shen took Li Tao with her to escape the famine and settle down in the capital.

However, there was no man in their family and they were often bullied. Madam Shen's wages for washing clothes were not very high, and the other women bullied her because she was from another place and withheld her money. It was only after Li Tao passed the imperial examination that Madam Shen's temper became more and more aggressive, and they learned to respect her a little.

With the addition of Li Tao's ability to write letters, lawsuits and the like for other people, life became a little better.

However, it is not easy to live in the capital city. The mother and son have no land, so they still have a tight budget.

Before Li Tao could say anything, Chang Hai had already walked out the door quickly.

Madam Shen was in the freezing cold kitchen at this time. The fire had just been lit, but the chill in the room had not yet been dispelled.

Chang Hai walked over and said, "Let me do it."

He didn't want to say that he was bothering her. Madam Shen had a strong temper, so it would not be nice to say that.

Moreover, Madam Shen is weak and the room is cold, so she needs the ginger soup even more.

Madam Shen couldn't snatch it from him, so she had to give it up. However, after what happened just now with him carrying the firewood, she knew that he was not the lazy scholar, so she was not so worried.

Soon, Chang Hai cooked a pot of ginger soup.

Madam Shen asked him to go back to the house, and Chang Hai went back obediently.

After a while, three bowls of ginger soup were served.

Chang Hai took a sip of his bowl; it was sweet.

He didn't add sugar when he was cooking it just now.

He glanced at Li Tao and saw that he was frowning.

Sugar is a rare commodity for ordinary people who are not well off. I guess Mrs. Shen only added sugar to his bowl.

Chang Hai felt a burning sensation in his heart.

He thought of Wang Jia's words, his dream last night, the soft and sweet glutinous rice cake, and her rough palms...

When he was about to leave, Chang Hai's sleeve got hooked on the nail at the door.

With a "swish", his sleeves were all torn.

"Oh." Madam Shen called out softly.

"Come here, I'll give you some stitches."

Chang Hai could hardly suppress the smile.

He came back obediently and sat down.

Madam Shen sat beside him, carefully sewing the needle.

Li Tao looked at his master and mother, feeling a little bewildered.

Master is usually very serious in class, why does he listen to his mother so much now?

After a while, Madam Shen mended the clothes.

The stitches are so fine and smooth that you can't see them unless you look carefully.

Chang Hai said: "I said I was going to help you today, but now I have caused you a lot of trouble and even drank a bowl of ginger soup from you."

Madam Shen said hurriedly: "It's okay, sir, please take good care of Li Tao. This is what we should do."

The two pushed and pulled for a while before leaving.

Chang Hai went home and quickly picked out the chicken that was chirping the loudest and locked it up separately. "Mom, I will send this chicken to Madam Shen tomorrow. She just mended my clothes for me."

Wang Jia looked at her son with understanding eyes, "I think that Miss Shen is a very good person. Since you like her, you should do what you should do, stop making excuses, and be sincere to her. Do you understand?"

Chang Hai said: "Mom, I——"

He didn't want to argue.

What is his defense?

He just fell in love with Madam Shen.