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Chapter 174: Lodging (3)
He sighed for a long time and rubbed his brow. Then he smiled: “If only I was still at Fang Zhou’s house! Other than her family, these other people are all the same…”
Cui Yi, who was making up the bed and tidying his things, heard his words. Not pausing his hands as he worked, he said naturally: “Who told you to be a son of noble birth!”
Cui Shao Xi snorted softly and said: “Fang Zhou is not like this!”
“Miss Lian?” Cui Yi paused. He originally wanted to say that she was too courageous and weird. Thinking of how his master treated her differently, however, he turned around and laughed abruptly: “There are few people in the world who talk like Miss Lian!”
Cui Shao Xi liked these words and nodded, smiling in agreement. “What this means is that no one in the world can compare to Fang Zhou! In my opinion, even as a cousin, she is a paragon of females. Compared to her, none are as good as Fang Zhou!”
Cui Yi couldn’t agree with this. In his opinion, Miss Su was already superb, a top-notch lady. How could anyone compare to her?”
But aloud, he said: “As the master says!”
Cui Shao Xi did not hear his meaning and sat at the stool beside the table for a time, staring out in a daze.
He was silently thinking to himself: His cousin-in-law’s house were not of the same class, but his uncle and aunt had still agreed to marry his cousin to his cousin’s wife. It can be seen that the so-called ‘classes’ were not absolute…
Thinking of this, a touch of gentle joy suddenly appeared in his heart and it beat a little faster with excitement. The corners of his lips raised into a small smile and he couldn’t help but be a little agitated.
“Master? Master!” Cui Shao Xi returned to his senses, realizing that Cui Yi had been standing in front of him for some time, looking at him with confusion.
He knew he had been seen and, as if his mind had been spied on, he was suddenly a little embarrassed. Clenching his hand into a fist, he pressed it lightly to his lips and coughed. Unhappily, he said: “If you have something to say, why are you sneaking around!”
Cui Yi felt a little wronged: where had he been sneaking? I called you clearly, you just didn’t hear me!
“Master, do you want to wash your face and rest? This slave will go get hot water.” Cui Yi asked, smiling.
“Go, go! Only bother me for important things!” Cui Shao Xi gave him an angry look and said: “Don’t forget to give them a reward! Be generous! Don’t let them look down on Fang Zhou!”
“Ah, this slave knows!” Cui Yi agreed, going out. He found Zhang Li Zheng and pressed five taels into his hands, smiling.
Zhang Li Zheng thanked him and when he heard that he wanted hot water, he called his daughter-in-law to boil the water and deliver it in person. He asked Cui Yi to go back and wait for a while.
After Cui Yi left, Madam Niu couldn’t wait to have Zhang Li Zheng open his hand so she could see how much silver Cui Yi had given him. Seeing that there was as many as four or five, Madam Niu was very pleased. She said with a smile: “Fang Zhou is very interesting, a very good thing! Giving this opportunity to our family, if there is anything she needs help with in the future, as long as it is not troublesome, you should help her! Alas, such a pitiful group of orphans!”
“Shut up! What are you talking about?!” Zhang Li Zheng heard her nonsense remarks and couldn’t laugh or cry.
Looking at his son, he said: “I told you what kind of family the Cui family is! Even if you don’t listen to me, you should be able to tell from Young Master Cui’s clothing and behavior? Tomorrow, you will get up early and wait, see if there is anything they need help with! If you can win the favor of Young Master Cui, you will have nothing to worry about in this life!”
Zhang Li Zheng’s son, Zhang Qing, quickly agreed.
No one spoke for the rest of the night.
Early the next morning, Zhang Qing went to the door of Cui Shao Xi’s wing and, listening to his father’s words, waited patiently. When Cui Yi opened the door and saw him, he was almost startled.
Hearing his intentions, Cui Yi was naturally very happy to save some trouble, so he politely asked him to help get water for washing.
Seeing that they were willing to use him, Zhang Qing went happily.
Cui Shao Xi frowned slightly, feeling uncomfortable.
After washing, Cui Shao Xi went to say goodbye to Zhang Li Zheng. Originally, he wanted to drop some hints to Zhang Li Zheng about letting him stay a few more days— if Zhang Li Zheng allowed him to stay, Fang Zhou would have nothing to say, right?
But the Zhang family’s behavior made it difficult for him to speak.
Seeing that he was about to leave, Zhang Li Zheng was a little disappointed in his heart but did not dare stop him. He smiled and ordered his son to take them back to Lian Fang Zhou’s house.
Cui Yi had neatly packed the two bags he had brought in yesterday and the thick felt and cashmere blanket was placed with the bedding inside. His master would not use it again. If it was back in the city, he might sell it for a few taels but where would there be a place to see it in a rural village like this?
Zhang Li Zheng’s family must be very poor!
Although Cui Yi was not reconciled, he could only do this. If he thought about it, it was better to be honest and upfront. The things his master used were all first-class things. If they had to use them as a reward, it was to the other person’s advantage!
Cui Yi made a little space and smiled at Zhang Li Zheng: “These things are cumbersome to take on the road. They are all brand-new and have not been used much! If Li Zheng doesn’t dislike them, just keep them to use! They are all good things!”
Zhang Li Zheng would naturally not dislike this and thanked him with a smile.
Madam Niu heard this too. When the Cui young master and servant left, she couldn’t wait to go into the wing and admire the thick, exquisite blanket. She touched it over and over, she couldn’t put it down. She saw Zhang Li Zheng come in and smiled widely, saying: “Young Master Cui is so generous! Tsk tsk, such a good thing! Even if we were a rich man traveling, I would be afraid to use it! Tsk tsk, its so new but they don’t need it, the Cui family really is wealthy!”
Seeing her like this, Zhang Li Zheng sighed and waved his hand: “Come on, pack everything up. Wash it and put it away when the weather is good.”
Madam Niu paushed and agreed but in her heart, she told herself that she would use it after washing and drying it. Why would she put it away, she had never used such a good thing in all her life!
She didn’t get up for a while.
Zhang  Qing sent the Cui master and servants to Lian Fang Zhou’s home. Lian Fang Zhou and Third Aunt were cooking breakfast in the kitchen.
Hearing them, Lian Fang Zhou wiped her hands and came out of the kitchen.
As soon as Cui Shao Xi saw Lian Fang Zhou, his eyes brightened and the corners of his lips rose unconsciously, a smile appearing on his face. He greeted her: “Fang Zhou, good morning!”
Lian Fang Zhou smiled and nodded lightly, then she asked: “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Oh, good, it was good!” Since she had asked him, of course he would not say anything bad.
“Brother Zhang, we’ve troubled you!” Lian Fang Zhou said to Zhang Qing, thanking him again.
When Zhang Qing saw Cui Shao Xi’s attitude towards Lian Fang Zhou, his spirits rose, thinking that Young Master Cui valued Fang Zhou very much! The Lian family was definitely going to be cultivated!
If Lian Fang Zhou had greeted him in the past, he would have responded casually but now things were different. He hurriedly smiled and said: “No trouble, no trouble! Haha, this is our honor, an honor!”