A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

After Gui'er finished chatting with Miss Shen that day and returned to Sha Yanxiao's courtyard, she felt very strange. Didn't she say she was going on a blind date with Sha Yanyao? Why did he invite her and Sha Lili?

I told Sha Yanxiao about this, and he laughed heartily, gloatingly saying, "No one likes him."

Gui'er suddenly realized it, but she didn't dare tell Sha Yanxiao about what Miss Shen said about Marx and other things.

The next day, as expected, Miss Shen came over and asked her and Sha Lili to go to the park. Sha Lili originally wanted to go to Wing On Department Store with Miss Shen, but Miss Shen said, "There are always the same things going on there. It's not interesting. I still want to see the cultural landscape."

Gui'er and Sha Lili must have done what Miss Shen asked. The fourth concubine said attentively, "Then I will arrange a car for you right away."

When their car arrived at the gate of the Marshal's Mansion, they found Madam Shen and Sha Yanyao standing at the door. Seeing their car approaching, Madam Shen walked to the middle of the road, and the driver quickly stepped on the brakes. Madam Shen glanced at the people in the car and said with a smile, "Miss Shen, are you going out to play this time?"

Miss Shen nodded politely and said, "Yes, ma'am."

The lady smiled kindly and suddenly said to the driver, "You are Old Zhang from the Third Concubine's Courtyard, right? I heard that you were not feeling well and needed to go to the hospital. Why are you driving? What if something happens on the way?"

The driver rarely saw his wife, but this time she suddenly spoke to him. He was so scared that he stammered, "Madam, I, I..."

The lady smiled and said, "Alright, if you feel unwell, go see a doctor." Then she turned to Sha Yanyao and said, "Yanyao, send them out to play. Remember to take good care of Miss Shen and your two younger sisters."

It was so obvious that even a fool would know what the lady's intention was. Sha Yanyao was a little embarrassed. After hesitating for a few times, he finally sat in the driver's seat.

Seeing how Sha Yanyao had taken good care of her before, Gui'er said to him coquettishly, "Brother Yanyao, wait a minute, when we come back from the park, can you treat us to some cream cake?"

Sha Yanyao looked at her lovingly and said with a smile, "You like cake so much? Great." Then he started the car, and the atmosphere was finally less awkward.

When they arrived at the park, Miss Shen took them to walk along the tree-lined path. It was at this time that Sha Yanyao's disadvantages were revealed. Usually, Gui'er saw that he rarely went out at the Marshal's Mansion. If he wanted to move around, he would sit in a wheelchair or use a cane. Today, perhaps for the sake of performance, or perhaps he was in a hurry to go out, he actually did not bring a cane. When he walked at first, it was fine. It looked a bit like an ordinary person who sprained his ankle, a little bit unnatural. But after walking for half an hour, Sha Yanyao's swaying when walking became more and more. Gui'er hurried to his side, wanting to support him, but Sha Yanyao shook off Gui'er's outstretched hand, and sweat began to appear on his forehead.

Miss Shen didn't notice it at first and was chatting and laughing with Sha Lili in front, but gradually, passers-by in the park looked over at them. Miss Shen noticed it, turned around, and saw Sha Yanyao limping with his body swaying greatly. She looked back at the curious onlookers, who might have felt a little embarrassed. She took two quick steps forward, then stopped, as if feeling a little guilty, and looked back at Sha Yanyao.

Sha Yanyao's face turned red and he was very embarrassed.

Gui'er was also very anxious. She felt that Sha Yanyao was a good man, knowledgeable and talented, and must be very proud. He must feel very uncomfortable being watched like a monkey by others, and with Miss Shen deliberately keeping her distance.

Suddenly, Guier saw the lake in front of her and remembered that she and Tong Yujun had rowed a boat here during the school's last outing. She quickly suggested, "Let's go boating."

Sally also echoed: "Okay, okay, it's been a long time since I last went boating."

The four of them came to the lake in the park and rented two boats, one for Gui'er and Sally, and one for Miss Shen and Sha Yanyao. This way they didn't have to walk, and it also created an opportunity for Sha Yanyao and Miss Shen to chat.

When the two boats were some distance apart, Sha Lili lowered her voice and said to Gui'er, "You were so kind to create opportunities for Big Brother, but it was all in vain. Didn't you see that Miss Shen doesn't think highly of Big Brother at all?"

Gui'er sighed and said, "I can see that, but I don't want to embarrass or upset Big Brother, so I'll just deal with this first."

Sha Lili sneered and said, "You really have a kind heart. If someone sells you out one day, you might even help them count the money."

Gui'er was completely confused. She turned to look at Miss Shen and Sha Yanyao. They were both sitting down. Sha Yanyao was knowledgeable and had no shortage of topics to talk about. The two of them were chatting and laughing. Gui'er sighed, "It would be great if Big Brother's leg was okay. Look how well-matched they are."

Sha Lili rolled her eyes and said nothing.

After rowing the boat, it was time to go back. Gui'er thought that if she continued walking back like this, she would be surrounded by onlookers all the way. She tried to think hard in her mind and finally remembered a shortcut. She said to Miss Shen and Sha Yanyao, "I feel a little tired and don't want to walk such a long way. Let's take a shortcut."

Sha Yanyao certainly agreed. Miss Shen glanced at Sha Yanyao and did not object. This time, taking a shortcut, the time was much shorter and there were fewer people on the small road. Finally, there was no embarrassing situation of being watched by people like when they came here.

Afterwards, Sha Yanyao fulfilled his promise and drove them to the second floor of Yong'an Department Store for dessert. In addition to the cream cake, there were also white-skinned date paste cakes, Dingsheng cakes, and rose ice cream. Sha Yanyao smiled and told Miss Shen that these were all Shanghai specialty desserts. He then recounted the story behind each dessert, including its history and the ingredients used. After that, he added a piece of rose ice cream to Miss Shen and said, "Try this, you should probably like it."

Miss Shen politely picked it up with chopsticks and took a bite. Her eyes lit up and she said with a smile, "It's delicious." It seemed that she really liked it. She enjoyed this dessert quite pleasantly.

Back at the Marshal's residence, Gui'er finally breathed a sigh of relief and plopped down on the sofa, not wanting to move. Sha Yanxiao saw her like this and said, "You went to the park, why are you so tired?"

Guier sighed and told the story of being stared at by others when she went to the park. She pouted and said, "Lily even said I was stupid. I would help count the money if I was sold."

Sha Yanxiao pretended to be serious and said, "Well, it's possible."

Gui'er was surprised that Sha Yanxiao said that, and asked in confusion, "Why?"

Sha Yanxiao touched Gui'er's head and said, "When I was still in the mountains, I didn't see my father once a year, and he didn't reply to my letters. Later, when my eldest brother had an accident, my father suddenly asked me to come back and recognize my ancestors. If my eldest brother hadn't been in trouble, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to enter the Marshal's Mansion in this life."

After hearing this, Gui'er felt a little sad for Sha Yanxiao, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "That's my father's problem, it has nothing to do with my eldest brother."

Sha Yanxiao smiled mysteriously and said, "When I first came back, the condition of my brother's leg was still unclear. I encountered several accidents. Later, the doctor determined that his leg could not be recovered. I haven't encountered any accidents since then."

Gui'er's eyes widened in surprise, and she murmured softly, "But Big Brother treats me very well. Could it be him?"

Sha Yanxiao sighed and said, "Not only does your eldest brother treat you well, but your father treats you well, and your mother is also quite polite to you. Look at your other brothers and sisters. Besides your eldest brother, who else would she even look at? But that's because you are smart and outstanding. When you were young, I was reluctant to tell you these things. Now that you are growing up, I will teach you slowly in the future."