High-class maid

"Then we won't see you off," Shen Xing'er said, following her lead.

Pang choked again, looking at the cooked rice in the pot. This girl, she won't even let me eat? Just as she was about to speak, Shen Zhiyuan said...

"In that case, we'll be going then." With that, he pulled Pang Shi and the woman who hadn't said a word from beginning to end away. He didn't even say goodbye to Shen Kun and Wang Shi.

"Are you stupid? She's already prepared the meal. We can eat before we leave, otherwise we'll have to spend more money." Pang's voice could still be heard from outside the door, and Shen Kun closed his eyes in annoyance.

Shen Zhiyuan glanced at Song Wenyang inside the room with lingering fear, then cleared his throat and said, "Mother, we've already separated from my eldest brother's family. Their family hasn't had it easy either, and besides, you've worked hard for most of your life. Now, your son is taking you to try..."

Their voices faded into the distance. Shen Xing'er rolled her eyes behind her back. You took her to try it, but it was all my father's money that was spent.

However, she dared not say these words aloud. Shen Kun was already upset enough; she wouldn't dare stab him in the back in front of his father. Besides, in this ancient society where filial piety was paramount, how many blindly obedient men allowed their wives and children to suffer for the sake of so-called family harmony? Shen Kun's courage to propose dividing the family property was already quite surprising to her.

"Young Master Song, please forgive my rudeness. Why don't you have lunch before you go back?" Madam Wang was the first to come to her senses and said to Song Wenyang apologetically.

The main reason was that her family had just eaten breakfast not long ago. If Mrs. Pang hadn't said she was hungry, she wouldn't have cooked another meal so quickly.

"Yes, Young Master Song, our home is simple, please don't mind, have some more. Thank you so much for your help earlier." Shen Kun quickly composed himself and said.

"I won't bother you any longer, Uncle and Aunt. I've been out for a long time, and I'm sure Uncle He is worried. I need to hurry back and let him know I'm safe," Song Wenyang politely declined.

With such a big change happening in Xing'er's family, they must have a lot to talk about. As an outsider, it's best not to bother them.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony with Young Master Song." After saying that, Shen Kun got up to see Song Wenyang off.

"Uncle and Aunt, there's no need to get up. You just came back from out of town, and you probably haven't eaten yet. Please eat quickly, or it will get cold," Song Wenyang said considerately.

Shen Kun was indeed hungry. He rushed home early in the morning and hadn't even had a few sips of hot water. How thoughtful of a stranger like himself.

He didn't presume to be presumptuous and said, "Don't laugh at me, Young Master Song, but I am indeed hungry. Xing'er, go and see Young Master Song off."

Shen Xing'er was overjoyed to be called out, but she nodded innocently.

Shen Xing'er saw Song Wenyang to the door. Song Wenyang was reluctant to leave, and Shen Xing'er was reluctant to open the door. The two looked at each other affectionately.

Finally, Song Wenyang broke the silence and said, "I'm sorry, she insulted you."

He was referring to the fact that Pang himself was a servant, unwanted by anyone.

Shen Xing'er felt a warmth in her heart and said with a smile, "It's alright. It's impossible to please everyone. I won't take it to heart. Besides, you've been wronged too."

She was referring to her getting drunk alone.

Song Wenyang felt a warmth in his heart. She didn't press him about why he was drunk, nor did she expose him or embarrass him. He replied, "There's nothing to feel wronged about. Being able to see you is a blessing in disguise."

Shen Xing'er blushed, smiled, and pushed him out, saying, "Go home quickly. Don't get drunk alone again. You ran into me this time, but what about next time?"

"No, I have someone who cares about me now, so naturally I wouldn't do such a foolish thing," Song Wenyang said, looking at her affectionately.

"You're such a chatterbox!" Shen Xing'er muttered, then immediately closed the courtyard gate, afraid that the neighbors in the alley would see her.

"Xing'er, I won't let you be humiliated. If there's a chance, I'll help you get rid of your slave status, okay?" Song Wenyang whispered from outside the door.

A handsome young man, leaning over the gate of the courtyard, whispered a promise, a scene that was both heartwarming and beautiful.

Shen Xing'er ignored him and turned back to the kitchen. If she paid attention to him, Song Wenyang would probably talk to her until dark without leaving.

However, no one heard Shen Xing'er's soft murmur: "I won't be a burden to you."

Inside the house, Shen Kun was having a heart-to-heart talk with Wang Shi.

"My wife, I'm sorry you've suffered all these years. So you knew I was sending money back to our hometown through intermediaries," Shen Kun said apologetically to his gentle wife.

“Our lives are getting better and better. The money you send home is the Shen Lang I know. If you forget them, then you are not the Shen Lang I know.”

Wang was not pretending to be aggrieved; she had chosen Shen Kun because of his sense of responsibility.

“I never imagined my mother… she’s so confused. Sometimes I even doubt whether I’m really her son,” Shen Kun told Wang Shi, expressing his long-standing doubts.

When Madam Pang asked him to go to the city to find a job, he hadn't considered it. He was sixteen or seventeen and still unmarried, and when she wasn't in a hurry, Shen Kun hadn't thought of it either. But now that his own child was going to be implicated, he began to have doubts. He could endure hardship, but his child couldn't.

“Yes, people often say that grandparents love their grandchildren more, but she hasn’t been very good to our Xing’er. Perhaps it’s because Xing’er is a girl?” Wang Shi was also puzzled.

“Alright, people treat women harshly, but our daughter cannot suffer such injustice. We will free her from slavery when the opportunity arises,” Shen Kun said.

Pang's words today once again awakened Shen Kun. He and Wang had been married for many years, but Xing'er was still a young girl who hadn't even reached adulthood. Did people outside think that maids in high-ranking families had to serve their young masters? For the sake of his daughter's reputation, he was no longer willing to stay in the mansion.

“Yes, we now have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of our lives, but how can we ask our masters for it?” Madam Wang was also very worried.

Just as Shen Xing'er was about to push open the door and enter, there was another knocking sound outside the courtyard gate.

"Who is it?" Shen Xing'er walked over slowly. Could it be that Shen Zhiyuan was worried about the money and had come back?

She opened the door and saw a young maid dressed in festive attire, clearly from a high-ranking family.

"Excuse me, is this Miss Shen's house?" the young girl asked respectfully.

"That's right, and who are you?" Shen Xing'er asked in confusion.

“Miss, you probably don’t recognize me. Our mistress is the granddaughter of the Princess, so you must know her,” the maid said.

"I recognize her, but what are your master's orders?" Shen Xing'er hadn't heard from Zhang Yuzhu for many days and was also a little excited.

However, given her lowly status and the large sum of money her mother had given her, she dared not disturb her rashly. She could only silently hope that she would be alright, forget the past, and start anew.