Chapter 50.1

Yaoniang took a total of five days of leave for this trip.

It took two days to travel back and forth, so she could only stay at home for three days.

Yaoniang hesitated whether to go back to her maiden home, the Su Family, but she decided not to go after thinking about it. She spent the entirety of her trip and spare time helping Huiniang with the housework. She took apart the beddings to wash them and cleaned the entire house inside out. She also dug out the clothes of Xiaobao, Hong’er and Ming’er and patched up whatever was necessary.

Xiaobao grew fast and many of his clothes couldn’t be worn anymore. Since the season was changing soon, Yaoniang took out some new fabric that she had brought back to make some new pants for Xiaobao and Hong’er. At their age, their pants are frequently soiled and must be changed throughout the day.

She selected the fabric that Mammy Mu had rewarded her, which was made of fine cotton. Yaoniang didn't know what the name of this cloth was, and she had never seen such good material outside the prince’s mansion anyway. The material didn’t look exquisite or expensive. In fact, it looked like a piece of ordinary cotton fabric, but the texture of the fabric was extremely fine and soft. The clothes worn by the little princess were all made of this type of cloth.

Yaoniang spread the cloth on the table, estimated the amount needed for Xiaobao and Hong’er, then cut it with a pair of scissors. As she was about to sew, she realized that they had no thread of the same colour at home.

The fabric was light blue, but Huiniang’s thread collection did not contain any thread of this colour. If she were to use threads of different colours, it would ruin the final product's appearance.

Yaoniang told Huiniang that she planned to go to the embroidery workshop to buy some embroidery thread. Huiniang agreed and told her to return soon. Yaoniang took her money with her and went out.

The closest embroidery workshop was a little far away from the Yao Family home. Yaoniang walked for a quarter of an hour before she finally arrived. When she arrived at the embroidery workshop, she picked up an embroidery thread in the matching colour and paid for it.

Halfway on her way back, she was stopped by a shout.

“Yaoniang!"

Yaoniang turned around and saw that it was Chen An.

Yaoniang wasn’t very familiar with Chen An, they had only met a couple of times. She didn’t even know that Chen An was interested in her until after the accident.

This was a classic example of a man sitting at home, while disaster struck from heaven. The former Yaoniang felt resentful towards Chen An, he could’ve liked anyone, but it just had to be her out of all people. But this way of thinking was to shift the blame onto others to help vent her anger. After a long time, this type of resentment will eventually fade.

At this moment, as she looked at the man, who had a hint of excitement in his eyes while looking at her, Yaoniang felt a little complicated. She couldn't pretend that she didn't know him, so she could only remain silent.

“How are you?" Chen An looked at Yaoniang almost greedily as if he wished he could carve her into his bones.

Actually, Chen An didn't fall in love with Yaoniang from seeing her at the Yao Family, but from even earlier than that. He would even come up with all sorts of excuses to visit the Yao Family to see Yaoniang.

It was well known that the leader, Yao Cheng, had a beautiful and virtuous younger sister-in-law and that she even lived in his house. It was inevitable that some people would tease him and say that he had better not go to the wrong bed by accident and end up sleeping with his sister-in-law.

But this resulted in Yao Cheng not leaving them any face as he scolded them.

Everyone knew that although the leader was normally an easy-going man with a good temper, this matter wasn’t something they could make fun of. Later, when they heard that the leader wished to find a husband for his sister-in-law, several young men who worked under Yao Cheng were moved.

Chen An was one of them.

Everyone knew that the leader’s sister-in-law was also the daughter of a scholarly family. At that time, daughters from scholarly families were one of the best choices as a wife. Plus, Yao Cheng had said more than once that his sister-in-law was beautiful and virtuous. A beautiful, gentle, virtuous woman and had a good family background would interest any man.

Chen An, who made up a random excuse, had gone to visit the Yao Family house. Afterwards, the man returned, but the soul didn’t.

After he returned home, he would think about her every day, but he didn't dare to tell anyone he worked with. What if they wished to compete with him when they found out? He had asked his mother to go to the Yao Family to propose marriage, but his mother was unwilling. When he asked for the reason, he learned that his mother planned to make him a couple with his cousin.

If there was no Yaoniang, he would be fine with marrying his cousin. It didn’t matter who he married. But with Yaoniang in the picture, his cousin was like a fisheye. While Chen An tried to come up with something to make his mother give up this idea, he also concocted all sorts of excuses in an attempt to see Yaoniang.

Chen An knew that Yan’er liked him.

That girl was an ill-mannered one. She would stop him in the street and stuff money into his clothes. Chen An would never accept it. He was a conservative man, and he couldn't bear to see a woman acting so slutty.

But he never expected that Yan'er would actually attack Yaoniang. At the time, Chen An wasn’t clear about what had happened. He only knew that something had occurred at the Yao Family. The team leader also hadn't appeared at the office for several days. He couldn't rest assured and wanted another chance to see Yaoniang, so he visited the Yao Family house.

He couldn’t go inside but saw Yan'er at the door.

She told him that Yaoniang had been dirtied by an evil man and that she was no longer a virgin.

Chen An was shocked and he couldn’t believe it. He felt that Yan'er was lying to him. To check whether she was right, he approached Yao Cheng. Yao Cheng didn't say a single word. He only dragged him to the corner and beat him harshly. How could Chen An not understand?

He was in a daze for many days. His mother had even gone behind his back and betrothed him to his cousin. What was done couldn’t be undone, Chen An could only let the matter go. But he would always remember Yaoniang, who had become a cinnabar mole in his heart that couldn’t be erased.

Naturally, Yaoniang didn't know about his mental struggles. She only felt that this man was too rash.

“If there’s nothing wrong, I’ll get going." Yaoniang didn't answer his question. She turned her head and was about to leave when she was grabbed from behind.

"How are you? Don’t you know that I’ve always been thinking about you?"

"Let go!"

"I'm not letting go. Actually, Yaoniang, I’ve always wanted to tell you that I don't care whether you are a virgin. The only person I want to marry is you and I want to take care of you for the rest of my life…"