High-class maid

Just then, Shen Kun returned from outside after finishing his business.

"Dad, come inside quickly. Look, your hair is all wet." Shen Xing'er took a towel and wiped her father's hair, then suddenly realized that her breath was still damp when she spoke.

"The weather has suddenly gotten much colder. Judging from the current situation, it might even snow tonight!" Shen Kun took off his clothes, which were wet with dew, and then shook them out.

"It should be snowing soon! It's already November," Wang said while cooking.

"Father, did today go smoothly? Did you manage to get Zhou Mama's things?" Shen Xing'er asked.

"I went to the pharmacy to buy medicine first, and when I got to the escort agency, they were checking the goods. Luckily, I had a carriage, otherwise I would have missed it!" Shen Kun naturally took over the work from Shen Xing'er, adding firewood to the pot as he replied.

"Alright, alright, stop adding firewood, eat it while it's hot! In this weather, it'll get cold if you leave it out too long!" Wang Shi called to the father and daughter, carrying the freshly cooked dish.

The family of three sat around a small table, the firewood in the stove still crackling. The warmth inside quickly fogged up the windows, and while the north wind howled outside, bursts of warm laughter could be heard from inside.

"So, did the neighbors next door agree?" Shen Kun asked.

"I don't know yet. I told her she has to let me know whether it works out or not. If her husband doesn't want to do it, we'd better find someone else as soon as possible," Wang said worriedly.

"Where is the old man who used to feed our horses?" Shen Xing'er asked.

When his family went to Jinling, Shen Kun found an old man who knew how to feed horses and promised to give him eighty coins a month. But when they returned, they found that it was Dali next door who was helping to feed the horses.

"He received two months' salary, but only fed the horses for one month. If it weren't for Dali helping us feed the horses, we probably wouldn't have been able to afford a carriage this year." Shen Kun said, quite annoyed. He never thought he would be deceived.

"Where did you find this old man? Was there no middleman?" Shen Xing'er asked her parents, puzzled.

“How could there be no middleman? Your father found a laborer at a newly opened slave trader's office. After returning from Nanjing, he went to confront him, only to find that everything in the courtyard was gone!” Wang said.

"It seems we've run into a con artist," Shen Xing'er said.

"Yes! So we have to thank our neighbors next door. I wonder if my sister managed to persuade him." Knowing that worrying was useless, Wang sighed and got up to wash the dishes.

As luck would have it, there was a knock on Shen Xing'er's door at that very moment.

"Sister-in-law, are you home? Are you asleep?" Yuan Dali's voice came from outside the door.

"Speak of the devil and he appears!" Shen Kun said with a smile as he went to open the door.

"Brother Shen, you're home? Where's your wife?" Yuan Dali and his wife stood at the door, Dali's wife carrying a basket. They were both shivering from the cold.

"Your sister-in-law is inside! Come in quickly, it's so cold outside." Shen Kun hurriedly opened the door and welcomed the two into the courtyard.

"Come to the kitchen, we just finished burning firewood, it's warm inside!" Shen Kun said, pointing to the kitchen.

Shen Xing'er had already opened the curtain and was waiting for them.

"You've all eaten already! I've come at a really bad time," Dali's wife said, putting her basket on the table.

Everyone looked at her in confusion, and she hurriedly waved her hand to explain, "I, I didn't mean anything by it. These are freshly steamed hot buns. I rushed here so that you could eat them with your rice, but I didn't expect to be late."

"Oh, I see! Thank you for your kindness, sister. My husband wanted me to make steamed buns! But I've been busy these past few days and haven't had a chance to make any. I didn't expect you to bring them over." After saying that, Wang broke the steamed bun in half and gave them to Shen Xing'er and her father.

Although the family of three had already eaten their fill, they still ate the steamed buns that their neighbor had given them, out of courtesy.

"Well, sister-in-law, after you left, I told my husband Dali about what you mentioned today, and he agreed. I remembered you said you had to let me know whether it worked out or not, so I rushed over here in a hurry." Dali's wife finished speaking and smiled shyly.

"Oh, my dear sister, you've really helped our family a lot! We don't come back often, and Dali is so thoughtful. We feel at ease entrusting the horse to him!" Wang said.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Shen, don't worry, I won't let the horse suffer even if I have to," Yuan Dali hurriedly declared.

"Alright, alright, you've already helped me a lot by feeding it, why are you being so polite? Come on, try this tea." Shen Kun pushed the teacup in front of him and said.

After exchanging a few more words, Yuan Dali and his wife got up to take their leave.

"Brother Shen, sister-in-law, please get some rest. We won't disturb you any longer. I'll come feed the horses the day after tomorrow!"

After seeing the two of them off, Shen Kun breathed a sigh of relief and lay on the bed, saying to Wang Shi, "Finally, a major worry has been resolved. Do you think we should buy a servant?"

Wang gave him a push and said, "If the people in the household find out, they'll laugh their heads off. What are you thinking?"

"Sigh, if we bought a servant, we wouldn't have to be so busy all day long. We're busy at home, and we're never free at home either."

"We'll talk about everything once we leave the manor. Go to sleep now, we need to go to the market to look at shops early tomorrow morning." After saying this, Wang ignored her husband's hesitation and turned to go to bed.

In the other room, Shen Xing'er was already snoring.

Because she went to bed early the previous day, Shen Xing'er woke up just as dawn was breaking the next morning.

"Why is it so cold today? Where is my cloak?" Shen Xing'er went to the closet to look for her cloak after she finished dressing.

"Huh, what's this?" A long object fell out of the cloak. Shen Xing'er bent down to pick it up and saw that it was the painting that Song Wenyang had asked her to bring to He Bo when they were in Jinling.

"Oh no! What's wrong with my memory? Luckily it rolled out on its own today, otherwise I would have forgotten what Brother Song told me!" Shen Xing'er patted her head in annoyance, thinking to herself that she had been so busy lately that she had forgotten things.

She wiped and blew on the painting tube, afraid that it might get even a little dirty.

The painting reads: "Do you know how hard I worked to bring you two together? I fell and it hurt so much!"

Shen Xing'er looked out the window at the weather; it was a bit foggy, and there was the sound of roosters crowing outside. "Fortunately, the old man gets up early. It shouldn't be too much of a disturbance if I go to Uncle He now. If I don't go today, I really won't have time before the New Year."

Without hesitation, Shen Xing'er put on her cloak, fastened the hood, and wrapped herself up like a lucky doll before heading out. Before leaving, she even stole a piece of cured meat that her mother had prepared in the kitchen.