A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Sha Yanyao sighed and said, "I don't mean anything. Isn't that your own biological father? You keep making a fuss like this and make others laugh at you."

Miss Shen said excitedly: "Do you think I really want to be laughed at? Do you think I really want to expose our family's dirty laundry in front of the gods in heaven? If I don't help my mother, she will have no place to stand."

Sha Yanyao had no choice but to comfort her, saying, "Okay, okay, don't be sad, don't think too much. I'll find a time to talk to my father-in-law about this. Once this matter is settled, we'll go back to Jiangcheng. Are you satisfied now?"

Miss Shen then stopped talking.

A few days later, Gui'er was sitting in the pavilion in the yard reading a newspaper when she suddenly saw two nannies taking the young master, accompanied by the housekeeper, getting into a car and going out.

After a while, the housekeeper came back alone. Gui'er was very curious and quickly asked Dingxiang to find out.

Ding Xiang said, "Xiao Wu said it was because our eldest young master went to talk to Master Yue. He works for the government, and taking a concubine would have a bad influence and would make it difficult for him to get promoted. Although he hasn't openly taken a concubine yet, the existence of this child will eventually cause discussion. So they asked the housekeeper to move back to the Peace Hotel with the child and two nannies."

Gui'er didn't expect that Sha Yanyao had persuaded Director Shen so quickly. She thought that she could finally return to Jiangcheng. It would be best if she could meet Sha Yanxiao when passing by Fengcheng.

But for some reason they didn't set off yet. By then, most of the summer vacation had passed. Guier called Sha Lili's uncle's house and found out that the three of them had already set off back to Jiangcheng.

She asked Miss Shen, "Sister-in-law, Lily and the others have already left. Now that most of the summer vacation is over, shouldn't we go back?"

Miss Shen said worriedly, "Oh, wait a minute, have they already gone back? If I had known earlier, I would have asked you to go back with them. We have something to deal with here."

Gui'er felt something was amiss, so she asked her, "What's wrong?"

Miss Shen sighed and said, "Haven't you noticed that my father hasn't been home all night lately? He's resentful that my mother asked Yan Yao to persuade him to send those two away. Now he spends every day either at the Peace Hotel or at the Paramount, entertaining himself with dancers. If I leave now, what will my mother do? Gui'er, I'm sorry to have to stay for a while longer."

Gui'er was also very moved after hearing this and said, "So that's how it is. It's okay. If it really doesn't work out, I can take Dingxiang and find someone else to accompany us back."

She was thinking of taking Dingxiang with her, and asking Xiaowu, who was familiar with her from the Shen Mansion, to send her back, and then secretly call Wu Mingqiang and ask him to be on the same train as well, so that nothing would go wrong. As long as they arrived in Fengcheng, Sha Yanxiao would definitely ensure her safety.

Miss Shen shook her head and said, "No, how can one or two people guarantee your safety? I heard there are a lot of robbers on the road, and there are also many murderers and robbers. Don't worry, I will try my best to arrange everything before you start school."

Gui'er had no choice but to nod and say, "Okay."

In addition to Director Shen not returning home at night, Sha Yanyao seems to be getting busier and busier. Except for eating and sleeping, he is not seen at the Shen residence at other times.

He seemed very nervous. One day, when he was out, he saw Gui'er reading a newspaper in the pavilion. He walked over and said with a smile, "She's reading a newspaper."

Guier nodded obediently and said, "Brother is going out again. You have been very busy these days."

Sha Yanyao smiled, then suddenly looked around and whispered in Gui'er's ear, "You should be careful these days. Don't hang out with anyone from the Shen residence, especially Director Shen. If you want to go out and play, go ahead. Ask your sister-in-law to arrange for a servant to follow you."

Gui'er thought his words were odd. Didn't he say before that the security outside was bad and that we should try to reduce going out? Just as she was about to ask for clarification, Sha Yanyao touched her head and turned away quickly.

Two days later, Director Shen actually started bringing dancers home.

When the incident happened, Gui'er happened to be out buying a newspaper. She had just returned to the Shen residence. Not long after, Dingxiang came over to her with a gossipy look on her face and said, "Oh, I missed it, I missed it."

Guier asked her, "What did you miss?"

Ding Xiang said mysteriously, "I heard from the servants at the Shen residence that Master Yue came back with a dancer, causing a scene between Mrs. Shen and Miss Shen. Master Yue even slapped Mrs. Shen in the face, and Mrs. Shen ran away from home in anger, and Miss Shen followed."

This was indeed a huge piece of gossip. Gui Er quickly asked, "So where are Director Shen and that dancer now?"

Ding Xiang said, "In the bedroom with Master Yue."

Guier frowned. If this got out, wouldn't it be like driving his wife away and fooling around with a prostitute? It would definitely be a scandal.

She said to Dingxiang, "Alright, we are guests. We should not interfere in their affairs. It is not something glorious. Go and get me a cup of tea. I am thirsty."

Dingxiang agreed and walked towards the main house. Guier took the newspaper and went to the pavilion in the yard to sit and read as usual.

When Dingxiang came back with tea, Director Shen actually followed her out, hugging a young woman who was very beautiful, with heavy makeup on and a cheongsam with a slit almost reaching her thighs. The two stood at the door of the living room, apparently preparing to go out. The housekeeper asked the driver to drive the car to the door of the hall.

When Dingxiang saw that there was gossip, she deliberately slowed down her pace and looked back from time to time. Guier thought this was too rude and quickly waved her hand, asking her to come over quickly.

Ding Xiang reluctantly quickened her pace, walked up to Gui Er, and said to her, "Miss, look at this woman. The slit of her cheongsam is so high that you can almost see her underwear."

Gui'er quickly said to her, "Come here quickly and stop nagging. If Director Shen hears you, you'll be in trouble."

Dingxiang stuck out her tongue and ran to Guier in small steps.

Gui'er watched Director Shen and the dancer get into the car. A pot-bellied old man in his 50s holding the hand of a girl in her early 20s was really an eyesore. She frowned and picked up the newspaper to read.

"Rumble"

Before Gui'er could react, she felt a gust of heat knock her to the ground. Her head hit the hard ground and everything went blank.

After an unknown amount of time, she slowly regained consciousness and struggled to get up. She saw that Director Shen's car had become a pile of scrap metal and was still burning. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and there was a crackling sound of burning.

Guier realized that the car Director Shen was riding in should have started at the main hall door and exploded when it was half the distance to the courtyard gate.