A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Gui'er took a look at the courtyard where Sha Yanxiao's fiancée and concubine lived, and decided to go back. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly saw Miss Zhang sweeping the floor with a broom. She hurried over to her and asked, "Miss Zhang, why are you sweeping the floor yourself?"

Miss Zhang Si smiled bitterly and said, "When you were in Shanghai, those maids were hired temporarily. When you came back, they didn't want to come with you, so now we have no maids to serve us."

Gui'er then remembered that their maids were experienced servants hired by Butler Liu from outside. They all had work experience and specialized in being maids in wealthy families. It was normal that they were unwilling to come to a small place.

So Gui'er said, "So that's how it is. Second brother, he's been busy with work lately and may not have thought of this. I'll go back and tell him right away."

"No need to trouble you, Sister Gui'er," a voice suddenly came from behind. Gui'er turned around and saw it was Ji Yiru. She said with a smile, "My family was worried that I wouldn't be used to the new place, so they specially picked out a few more experienced maids for me to bring over. They're just the right size to share with the three Miss Zhangs."

"No need. Although Miss Ji is enthusiastic, there are so many sisters in our group and I'm afraid one or two maids may not be enough." Miss Zhang Er came over at some point and said loudly.

Gui'er also felt that if each of them had a personal maid, it would take three people at once. Ji Yiru smiled and said, "What's the big deal? I'm afraid the young marshal won't be able to find so many people for the time being. We don't want to cause him any trouble. We just came back from Shanghai and it's busy now. How about this? I have two older maids on hand. They have been working in my family for more than ten years. I'll let you three sisters use them for now. When the young marshal has arranged for you to have more staff, we can let them come back."

Gui'er was surprised that Miss Ji could be so considerate. She figured Sha Yanxiao wouldn't be able to find someone that quickly, so she said to Miss Zhang Er, "Miss Zhang, why don't you accept Miss Ji's kindness? I'll go back and tell my second brother right away, and he'll definitely help you arrange it as soon as possible."

Miss Zhang Er thought for a moment and then said with a smile, "Then there's Miss Lao Ji and Miss Lao Gui'er."

Guier smiled and said, "You're welcome," and said goodbye.

When they left the courtyard and were about to return to Sha Yanxiao's yard, Gui'er suddenly remembered that this courtyard must have been cleaned before they moved in, and they were not required to clean it themselves. The fourth Miss Zhang was cleaning with a broom, and she must have been doing it for herself to see.

Gui'er smiled bitterly and shook her head. The Miss Zhangs were indeed from wealthy families. They knew all the little tricks and schemes in this house fight. However, they did this probably because they were too proud to speak out loud. It was not a big deal.

When I returned to my yard, Sha Yanxiao was not there. I asked Dingxiang, and she said that he and Dali had gone to the military camp. She also said that she was going to Fengcheng, the former territory of Marshal Zhang, for inspection and would not be back for a few days, so she asked Guier and Sha Lili to go to and from school together.

Gui'er thought about it and told the Marshal about this matter during dinner that night. The Marshal slapped his head and said, "Oh, there is such a thing. I forgot about it." He turned to the manager and said, "You go and arrange it." Then he turned and left.

The steward agreed and went about his business. Gui'er always felt that since the three Miss Zhangs decided to become Sha Yanxiao's concubines, the Marshal seemed to have become much colder towards them. Whether it was to avoid suspicion or because he was really unhappy in his heart, Gui'er had no idea.

The next day was the first day of school, and the fourth concubine sent someone to pick up Guier and Sha Lili to take the bus to school together.

According to Dingxiang, ever since the Marshal came back from Shanghai, he has been going to the fourth concubine's room most often, followed by the eighth concubine, and occasionally he would go to the third concubine's room to see the three beauties, mainly to check on her pregnancy situation.

What is certain is that the fourth concubine is now the most favored, and Sha Yanxiao is the most capable son of the Marshal. Everyone wants to curry favor with him, and the fourth concubine is no exception, so she is especially nice to Guier and even prepares milk for them to drink on the way.

When they arrived at school, all the classmates were in high spirits and told each other where they went and what interesting things happened during the New Year. Gui'er was officially skipped to Tong Yujun's class, but she didn't feel unfamiliar because she had been close to Tong Yujun before and she knew some of the people in their class.

As one of the few students in the school who could go to Shanghai for the Spring Festival, she and Tong Yujun were surrounded by a crowd of students. Their classmates curiously asked them about Shanghai.

They all tacitly agreed not to mention the kidnapping in Shanghai, but instead talked about the fun things they did while going to the movies, shopping in department stores, parks, and zoos.

The students listened attentively, were all amazed and full of longing for Shanghai.

After satisfying the curiosity of the classmates, the crowd finally dispersed. Tong Yujun pulled Gui'er aside and said to her mysteriously, "I met him."

Gui'er was confused: "Who have you met?"

Tong Yujun said a little embarrassedly: "It's the Song family's second young master, Song Xilun."

Gui Er then remembered that Tong Yujun had told her about going on a blind date with Song Xilun, and quickly asked, "How was it? How was it? Did you have a good impression of it?"

Tong Yujun said shyly, "He's quite handsome, well-mannered, and well-spoken. Both parents are very satisfied. We'll get engaged when I turn 16, and get married when I turn 18."

"Wait, what did you say? Engaged, married? You've only met once."

"Yeah, what else can we do? Since you're satisfied, just make it a deal first. We can get to know each other better later."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, then thought that it was reasonable for this era, and Tong Yujun was only twelve or thirteen years old now, so she still had a few years to understand it.

Tong Yujun continued, "His family said they would give him two farms and two factories to take over, and my family would give him a farm and a house with shops on the street in Shanghai as a dowry. Although it's not much, because we are the second son and daughter, these are the only things we can get. The rest depends on our own efforts. Song Xilun said he wanted to move the two factories to Hong Kong for development. My parents said that if he really established himself in Hong Kong, they would buy me a house there as well."

Gui'er was very envious after hearing this. It turned out that no matter what era, parents would always support their children. Just owning a house with a shop on the street in Shanghai was a height that thousands of people could never achieve no matter how hard they tried. Not to mention, they could also inherit the connections of both sets of parents. It was foreseeable that, if nothing unexpected happened, Tong Yujun would have a happy and fulfilling life.