CHAPTER 75

Su Wan took Shen Lin to the new house near the academy. They arrived in a few steps. Su Wan opened the door and said to Shen Lin, “Brother Shen Lin, you can come back home for lunch every day. You can also take a nap at home after lunch so that you can be more energetic when studying in the afternoon.”

As Shen Lin walked forward, he said to Su Wan, “I don’t know what good fortune I had in my previous life to be able to meet a girl as good as you.”

Su Wan smiled and said, “You, not only did you do good things in your previous life, you did good things in this life as well.”

Shen Lin and Su Wan walked into the yard chatting and laughing. Many of the items that had been moved were still in the yard and had not yet been put back into the house.

Su Wan told Shen Lin not to rush to put things in order but to go back to the house and rest for a while. Shen Lin followed Su Wan into Shen’s new  house.

As soon as the door curtain was opened, a wave of hot air blew towards them. Mrs. Shen and Shen Yaya were sitting at the table inside the room, drinking tea and eating snacks. There was a stove lit in the room, and the fire was burning very brightly, so they didn’t feel cold at all.

Su Wan told Shen Lin that if everyone had such a stove in their room, they would not have to suffer from the cold in the future.

Shen Lin told Su Wan that it would be better to burn more charcoal fire in the rooms of the three of them, but there was no need to burn so many in his room. Firstly, he was not that afraid of cold, and secondly, the braziers in the academy were not that strong. If the temperature was different, he would be more likely to be unable to adapt.

Su Wan felt that this was indeed the case, so she agreed.

Though Shen’s house was simply decorated, it was also very elegant. The bed was covered with thick new bedding. The house was fully equipped with utensils, and the furniture was all made of the finest wood.

Mrs. Shen asked Shen Lin and Su Wan to sit down. There was no sign of illness on Mrs. Shen’s face. Except for a slightly shaky leg, she looked no different from a normal person.

After Shen Lin sat down, Mrs. Shen said to Shen Lin and Su Wan, “Lin’er, Wanwan, my body is much better now, and I feel I have quite some strength. You two have things to do now, so from now on, Yaya and I will take care of the housework, laundry, and cooking.”

Su Wan said to Mrs. Shen, “Aunt, you are not well yet; how can you do these things? Brother Shen and I are busy every day, and we are a little overwhelmed by the family affairs. But I plan to find two maids to serve you and take care of the housework. How can I let you do these things?”

Shen Lin was also a little worried: “Mom, I will do some housework when I come back from school every day, so you don’t have to be so busy.”

Mrs. Shen sighed and said, “Since I got sick, all the things in and out of the house have been put on Lin’er. And since Wanwan came into the house, she has been busy all the time. As an elder, I have never shared half of the burden with you but always cause trouble for you. If you don’t let me do it, I will feel really bad.”

Mrs. Shen’s attitude was very firm, so Su Wan said, “Aunt, how about this? We can hire a maid to do the laundry and tidy up the house and yard. As for the meals at home, you can cook. Brother Shen studies every day, so he can’t be careless about his food. I don’t have much time to cook. In this way, you can prepare meals at home every day, which will solve a big problem for us.”

Shen Lin also said, “That’s true, mother. You are a big help by making meals for us every day.”

Shen Yaya said at the side, “Mother, that’s right. Sister Su Wan and brother are so busy every day. If you get sick again, you won’t be able to help them.”

Mrs. Shen finally compromised: “Okay, okay, I’ll do as you say. I’ll only cook meals every day, and you must all come back to eat.”

When Mrs. Shen was not sick, she was a good cook. Now that she is in better shape, she feels that she can help Su Wan and her son.

Mrs. Shen said that she would cook tonight’s meal herself for the time being and let a suitable maid do it when she found one. Shen Lin and Su Wan agreed. Mrs. Shen went to the kitchen to cook, and Shen Yaya followed to help.

The house had not been completely tidied up yet, so Su Wan and Shen Lin went to tidy up the study together.

The study room in this house is ready-made, with all the necessary facilities, including bookshelves and desks, a bed for a nap, and a stove.

Shen Lin wiped all the furnishings on the table with a wet rag, while Su Wan put away all of Shen Lin’s books, pens, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Shen Lin had too many books. Since he was missing three years of courses, Shen Lin bought all the books for the three years. Su Wan put the books away one by one according to the different years.

Shen Lin wiped the furnishings in the room and the floor, but Su Wan had not yet put the books away.

Su Wan has always been efficient at her work. The reason why she was slow today was that when she was sorting the books, she not only had to classify them according to different years but also had to stick a small label on the side of the book to indicate what the book was. She needed to grind ink, write the label, dry the label, and then stick it on the book, so she was slow.

After Shen Lin finished the work at hand, he went to help Su Wan.

Their hands reached for the same book. Inadvertently, Shen Lin’s fingers touched Su Wan’s fingers. Shen Lin was stunned, and Su Wan was also stunned.

Su Wan has lived in the Shen family for many days. Su Wan often works with Shen Lin, and they are even engaged. However, Su Wan and Shen Lin have never said anything intimate, never looked into each other’s eyes in tacit understanding, and never touched each other’s skin.

Shen Lin raised his eyes and looked at Su Wan.

It was a most beautiful face, with skin as white as cream, eyes as bright as stars, and black hair. The girl’s face was like a dream, beautiful but a little distant.

But she was right in front of him; her hand was next to his; he and she were engaged, and she would be his wife in the future.

Su Wan also raised her eyes and saw Shen Lin looking at her.

As far as she could remember, Shen Lin had never looked at her like this before. He always lowered his eyes slightly, and even when he was talking to her, he never looked up at her.

Su Wan once thought that Shen Lin had no feelings for her. Shen Lin treated her well only because he was kind. He got engaged to her only because he felt that Su Wan was homeless.

Su Wan saw herself in Shen Lin’s eyes.

This was the first time Shen Lin looked at Su Wan’s face so directly, and his expression became serious.

“If I can pass the imperial examination, let’s get married.” Shen Lin said.

Su Wan smiled and said, “Even if you don’t pass the imperial exam, we can still get married.”

Shen Lin shook his head and said, “Even if it’s for marrying you, I have to study hard. These days, you may have to face many things alone. Please wait for me for three months.”

Su Wan nodded. Shen Lin raised his hand and held the back of Su Wan’s hand for a moment before letting go.

Shen Lin turned around and placed the book with Su Wan’s handwriting on it on the bookshelf.

~~~~

Wang Luosheng walked in the cold wind for an incense stick and a half and finally returned home.

Thinking that Shen Lin had already returned home, Wang Luosheng felt as if all the strength in his body had been drained.

Wang Luosheng was lying on the bed, not wanting to move at all, but his father pushed open the door and said, “You unfilial son, why didn’t you come to the mill to help when you come back? Do you want to tire me to death? I bought the brick and tile house of Shen Lin’s family for you to marry a wife, but you don’t even think about repaying me; you think you can just stay lazy here.”

Wang Luosheng was about to cry. In the end, buying Shen Lin’s brick house turned out to be for his own benefit. It was funny.

But Wang Luosheng did not dare to contradict his father, so he had to drag his tired body to go to the mill to work.

Shen Lin and Su Wan worked for two hours and had tidied up all the study rooms and bedrooms in the house. There was a stove in everyone’s room, so everyone could live in warmth.

At this time, far away in the Dingbei Marquis Mansion in Qingzhou Prefecture, a woman in coarse and tattered clothes, led by a maid, entered the room of the precious Princess Yong’an.

As soon as the woman entered the room, she saw the girl in front of her wearing gold and silver and with an exquisite face. Her eyes were instantly wet. The woman walked forward and hugged the girl: “My daughter, the emperor has arranged a marriage for you and the son of the Duke’s family. All my efforts for you have not been in vain.”

The girl pushed the woman away with disdain: “Where is the child I asked you to find out about? She won’t suddenly show up and ruin my business, will she?”

The woman shook her head quickly. “I just came here to tell you about her. She was a child bride of a wealthy family, but they didn’t want her anymore. So she went to another poorer family and got engaged to the son of that family. That family has an orphan and a widow. She can only be a peddler for the rest of her life. You don’t have to worry about her. But Daya, when you become rich in the future, you can’t ignore your mother.”

The girl said impatiently, “Don’t worry, I won’t ignore you, but don’t come to me whenever you have any problems in the future.”