High-class maid

"Silly child, what are you saying? The Princess doesn't have time to pay attention to us." Madam Wang patted Shen Xing'er, then glanced at Zhang Yuzhu's face, afraid that Zhang Yuzhu would be angry.

Shen Xing'er realized she had misspoke, so she quickly stuck out her tongue and said to Zhang Yuzhu...

"Yuzhu, don't be angry. That's not what I meant. I'm just a little scared because I've never met people of high status before."

Zhang Yuzhu nodded, walked in front of her, and said softly, "Don't be afraid."

"Alright, alright, don't worry so much. It's a happy occasion that Yuzhu has found her family. Let's make dumplings today!" said Wang.

"Mom, let me help you wrap them!" Shen Xing'er hadn't eaten dumplings in a long time, and her craving was instantly aroused. Zhang Yuzhu was also eager to try, and the scene was quite heartwarming.

On the other side, Shan Tao and her mother were riding in a carriage to their village outside the city.

"Mother, my brother is going too far. We have a carriage at home, but he still made us hire one ourselves. I wonder if he's even visited my father during these months we've been away." Shan Tao pouted, extremely angry.

"Alright, alright, your brother is helping out at your sister-in-law's house, we'll go by ourselves, there's no need to get angry," Chen Shan's wife coaxed Shan Tao.

"You're so generous! You raised a son with great care, only to give him away in the end! You haven't seen your mother and sister for months, doesn't Chen Shangen miss them?" Shan Tao became angrier the more she thought about it, and she was unhappy with her mother as well.

Chen Shan's family knew they were in the wrong, but all they wanted was for their son and his wife to live a good life. They figured it was better to avoid trouble and just let things slide.

When the mother and daughter arrived at the estate, it was already past the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Chen Shan's wife paid for the carriage ride, and then she and Shan Tao carried their large and small bags and walked forward.

"Father! Your daughter has come to see you!" Shan Tao saw her father from afar and called out happily.

Chen Shan thought he had misheard, but when he turned around, it really was his wife and daughter. He happily threw down the shovel and walked towards the two of them.

"I received your letter a few days ago, and I've been looking forward to your visit. You've finally arrived today. Where's Yamane? Did he go to park the carriage?"

Neither Shan Tao nor her daughter spoke. Chen Shan noticed their strange expressions and guessed that Shan Gen was at his wife's house again.

"But you're at his wife's house again? Didn't you tell him you were coming to see me?" Chen Shan asked.

“I…I did tell you, it was just him. He said his wife was busy at her shop, so he didn’t come,” Shan Tao’s mother said softly.

"Ha." Chen Shan sneered, "You only teach him to cherish his wife? What about teaching him to be filial to his parents? Why don't you ask him how long it's been since he last visited his father!"

Shan Tao's mother didn't dare to breathe loudly, only lowering her head to listen to her husband's lecture. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. All she wanted was for the family to be harmonious. What was wrong with an elder suffering a little grievance?

"You still have the nerve to cry? You've spoiled him rotten since he was little. Even his little sister Shan Tao is more sensible than him..." Chen Shan kept nagging. He didn't know what was wrong with his wife. She was fine at home, but why was she so confused at home?

"Alright, Dad, don't be angry anymore. It's not easy for us to meet, let's go back inside," Shan Tao said coquettishly, holding onto her father's arm.

Chen Shan also stopped talking and led the mother and daughter back into the house.

Chen Shanshou's estate was different from those in Jinling, which raised fish, horses, and poultry; it only had farmland. After all, land in the capital was extremely valuable, and having a large piece of fertile land was already quite remarkable.

Shan Tao looked at her father's house, which was located in the southeast of a fertile field. Although the house was not big, it was fully equipped with all the necessities for daily life. Chen Shan took care of the fields all day long, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world, which was a worry-free job.

"Please sit down. I don't like tea either. Let me pour you some hot water." After saying this, Chen Shan got up and went to the stove behind him to get a kettle of hot water.

"Dad, are you cold staying here tonight? My mom brought you a thick quilt. We aired it out for a little while today. If the weather is nice tomorrow, you can hang it outside to air it out again." Seeing that her parents' relationship was tense, Shan Tao quickly spoke up for her mother.

"It's not cold. When I have nothing to do, I like to collect some firewood. I turn on the stove at night, and the house is warm." Chen Shan pointed to the pile of firewood in the corner of the wall, afraid that his daughter would worry.

"Mother, where are the thick socks you made for Father? Why aren't you taking them out?" Shan Tao asked, nudging her mother with her elbow as she saw her still lost in thought.

"Oh, here they are. Take a look and see how thick they are. They should be enough for the winter." Reminded by her daughter, Chen Shan's wife turned around and took out several pairs of thick socks from the bundle behind her.

Seeing that she was busy with her work but still had time to make socks for him, Chen Shan's anger subsided by half. However, he knew his wife's personality; if he smiled at her, she would only take advantage of him even more.

"You've worked hard. If you're tired from your job, you can just go to the street to buy it. You don't have to do it yourself," Chen Shan said.

“How can that be? The ones you buy on the street are either too small, too thin, or too expensive. They won’t be warm after washing. It’s better to make your own. Look at this fabric, it was a gift from the old lady.”

Chen Shan's family talked eloquently, and Shan Tao secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her parents had finally made up. The family didn't see each other often to begin with, and if they got angry every time they met, it would only hurt their relationship.

"My dear husband, since we're all here today, I have something to discuss with you." Seeing that her husband's expression had improved, Chen Shan's wife hesitated for a moment before relaying what her son had asked her to say.

"What is it?" Chen Shan paused in peeling chestnuts for them, and Shan Tao shrank back, thinking to herself that her mother's behavior was not good.

Sure enough, Chen Shan's wife swallowed hard and said, "Shan Gen wants to get married after the New Year. Let me tell you about the betrothal gifts."

"Hmph, so he remembers me now? What do you mean by betrothal gifts? I think his wife should be giving us money!" Chen Shan was furious. He stopped peeling chestnuts and slammed them on the table.

Shan Tao's mother was startled, but still mustered her courage and said, "The children have been engaged for quite some time now, so let them get married. The most important thing is to have a grandson soon."

"What's there to discuss about the betrothal gifts? We'll just accept whatever others ask for, let him come and tell me himself! If it weren't for my wife and children, his father would have frozen to death outside the city and he wouldn't even know!" Chen Shan became increasingly angry as he spoke, his voice rising several octaves.

“This… I’ll talk to Yamane when I have time. Husband, don’t be angry. The children are all grown up, and this idea is a good thing…” She was about to say more when Yamamoto interrupted her.

"Mom! Didn't you say you were going to make some dumplings for Dad? Go and knead the dough, make a lot, so they won't spoil now that it's getting cold."