Chapter 408: Another Home

On the way there, Lv Jing drove the cart for the first time, and Gu Xixi sat on the rear plank.

Gu Xixi gripped the edge tightly, saying, "This flatbed cart isn't as steady as a four‑wheel carriage."

"You alright?"

Lv Jing, however, was full of confidence, "No problem! Just sit back and relax."

She kept her eyes on the road while firmly holding the reins.

"Since the landlord hired me, I can't let the landlord have me drive the cart, can I?"

"From now on, whenever we go out, I'll take care of this job."

Lately, Lv Jing has been learning how to drive.

Whenever she had nothing to do, she went to buddy up with Lucky.

Besides personally feeding and watering it, she also gave it the leftovers from her own meals.

For example, with wheat‑grain soup or thin rice porridge, Lv Jing drank the thin part while Lucky ate the thick part.

As a matter of fact, hard work does not betray those who put their heart into it.

Previously, this stubborn donkey only obeyed Gu Xixi.

Even when An Qinghe occasionally drove, Lucky was unwilling and would sometimes mischievously protest.

But today, under Lv Jing's control, it was unusually cooperative.

Nothing went wrong along the way, and we smoothly arrived at the farmstead.

Gu Xixi directed Lv Jing to drive the cart into the manor.

Just inside the front gate, a stretch of road lay silent, with not a soul in sight.

Gu Xixi was not surprised by this.

It was the busy farming season, so the people of the manor were surely out working in the wheat fields.

Sure enough, as we walked farther ahead we heard voices.

"Mom, drink some water!"

"Grandpa Chen, Grandma Tao, have a sip of water and take a break!"

Gu Xixi's lips curled up instinctively; at the sound she recognized the two little maids, Xiu Lan and Xiu He.

Lv Jing asked curiously, "How come there are children on the manor?"

Gu Xixi said, "They are Wu Niangzi's daughters; the elder sister is Xiu Lan and the younger is Xiu He."

These three of them now temporarily reside in the manor.

Lv Jing, too, had experienced the pain of separation and loss.

She understood that a woman alone with children, staying in someone else's home,

must have endured some hardship.

So Lv Jing did not press further.

The donkey cart turned a corner, pulled over to the side, and ahead lay a vast expanse of wheat already turning yellow.

The wheat grew vigorously, the ears were large and plump, packed tightly together.

Only a few vague figures could be seen moving in and out of sight.

At that moment Lucky let out a couple of snorts.

The person nearest to it turned around to look.

Gu Xixi was astonished to discover that it was Wu Niangzi.

Wu Niangzi wore a brown coarse‑shirt, gray‑black loose trousers, and a straw hat.

From behind, you could hardly tell she was a woman.

Wu Niangzi squinted in the sunlight, stared hard for a moment, confirmed the newcomer was Gu Xixi, and immediately waved happily.

"Landlord!"

"Uncle Chen, Aunt Tao! Our landlord has arrived!"

Chen Dafu and his wife Madame Tao's contracted land lay farther in.

One could hear their voices filled with joy.

"The landlord's back from the capital?!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry—we've been thinking of the landlord every day; at last we get to see you!"

Gu Xixi broke into an unstoppable smile, "Come over slowly, watch your step so you don't fall!"

Wu Niangzi also set down her farming tools and walked toward Gu Xixi.

But before her foot even touched the ground,

two bright little shadows—one pale yellow, one tender green—had already lunged at Gu Xixi.

"Aunt Xixi!"

Gu Xixi had been ready; she bent down, spread her arms, and accurately scooped up the two little birds.

Silvery‑bell laughter filled the surroundings.

Gu Xixi squatted, hugging the two little ones, examining them left and right, "It hasn't been long since we last met, and you've both grown taller."

"Indeed, with good seedlings there's no worry about growth."

Xiu Lan said, "I'm still taller than my sister!"

Xiu He pouted her little mouth, tiptoed, and declared, "One day I'll be as tall as my sister!"

Xiu Lan then tried to pull Gu Xixi over to look at the characters they had recently written.

Xiu He whispered softly, "When Aunt Xixi isn't around, we still obediently practice our writing."

The little girl held up one hand and said, "Every day, five big sheets!"

Xiu Lan said, "We can write those characters even with our eyes closed."

Gu Xixi smiled, "Oh, then I'll teach you a few new characters today."

The two children chatted while stealing glances at Lv Jing standing behind them.

They lived on the estate, only occasionally going out with the adults to buy things, and rarely had a chance to see strangers.

Lv Jing also squatted down like Gu Xixi, saying, "What a pretty little girl, are you Xiu Lan and Xiu He?"

"I am Lv Jing, and I also work for the landlord."

"From now on, when we see each other often, you can call me Aunt Lv or Aunt Jingjing, whichever you like."

Seeing that Lv Jing was as amiable as Gu Xixi and hearing that she also worked for Gu Xixi, the children were no longer so shy.

Together they politely called out, "Aunt Jingjing!"

Lv Jing was truly delighted by their cuteness, beaming as she agreed, "Ah! So well-behaved!"

At this moment, Wu Niangzi, Chen Dafu, and Tao Shi also walked up one after another.

Not having seen each other in a long time, they inevitably exchanged warm greetings, each being especially friendly.

Gu Xixi said, "I've got two cuts of pork right here in the cart; let's have a nice meal at noon today."

"Then it's Aunt Tao's trouble."

Tao Shi's cooking skills are superb; her home-cooked meals rival those of small eateries in the city.

She happily replied, "What trouble? I'll take care of it."

The children cheered and jumped for joy, and the adults were also very happy.

Wu Niangzi laughed, "Xiu Lan and Xiu He have been spoiled by Grandma Tao's cooking; they say my food isn't tasty."

"Then I'll help move things, wash vegetables, tend the fire, and give Aunt Tao a hand."

Gu Xixi also brought some capital‑specialty pastries, preserved fruits, and candies.

She had already divided them into two portions—one for Chen Dafu and his wife, another for Wu Niangzi and her daughter.

They all felt embarrassed to accept them.

Chen Dafu said, "The landlord has given us such a good livelihood."

"After using the plow ox and the new farming tools custom‑made by the landlord, we've saved a lot of effort."

"We'd feel bad letting the landlord bring gifts again."

Wu Niangzi also nodded, "The landlord already treated us to meat."

"We can't accept these things anymore."

Gu Xixi laughed, "They're just little snacks."

"Whether you eat them yourselves or take them back to give to relatives and children,"

"Just treat it as trying something new."

Chen Dafu and Wu Niangzi were still hesitating.

Tao Shi spoke bluntly, "This is the good stuff the landlord brought back from the capital."

"It's a gesture of goodwill that can't be refused."

"Besides, I want to show off to the neighbors that our landlord is a big shot who's been to the capital!"

She said this jokingly, and everyone laughed.

Wu Niangzi glanced at her two daughters, "Then thank you, landlord."

As a mother, how could she not see the kids were already drooling, yet they'd been holding back?

Wu Niangzi's resolve hardened; in this lifetime she would rely on her own hands to live a good life.

Once she earns her own grain from this summer's harvest, she will definitely take the kids to the city to buy lots of delicious food!

Gu Xixi then took out two velvet flowers she had bought in the capital.

The orchid flower for Xiu Lan, the lotus flower for Xiu He.

"This is a reward for you two for writing your characters nicely."

The two little ones had never seen such exquisite hair ornaments; they were delighted, even forgetting to eat.

"Thank you, Aunt Xixi!"

"Auntie, you're so nice!"

The two sisters softly wrapped their arms around Gu Xixi's neck, kissing her left and right cheeks.

Gu Xixi felt wrapped in sweet burden while listening to Chen Dafu report on business.

"The landlord's fruit, we've been taking turns watching over it."

"As for the red and green ones, we don't even know how to tell when they're ripe."