CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 384 MU YUANXIU COMES TO PICK UP LI YUZHU (2)

After having lunch with the County Magistrate’s family, Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an returned to the new store.

This time, Li Yuzhu didn’t bring Li Lixing.

Her reasoning was to let Li Lixing spend more time with the County Magistrate’s Wife, and besides, she might come to the county town again soon.

Li Lixing thought about their siblings’ new store and didn’t follow them to the village. With the store here, they couldn’t just leave it unattended, right?

Leaving the store empty would be such a waste since it could make money.

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Li Xing’an and Li Yuzhu didn’t plan to take Li Lixing’s carriage back to the village, nor did they plan to take the carriage of Brother Chai and Sister-in-law Chai. If they borrowed it, what would the family do for travel?

The siblings then discussed finding a ride back to the village.

Not many families had ox carts, carriages, mule carts, or donkey carts, and many people relied on catching a ride.

Payment was based on the travel distance.

When carrying more goods, additional fees were applied.

For example, traveling from the county town to Taohua River Village, a person with non-bulky luggage would pay fifty coins.

This was the price for carriages, mule carts, and donkey carts; ox carts were much slower and relatively cheaper.

People driving carts between the county town were willing to take passengers to earn some extra income.

Li Xing’an said hello to Li Yuzhu and walked towards the city gate to find a cart.

He hadn’t taken many steps when he saw Mu Yuanxiu driving a mule cart approaching.

Li Xing’an’s expression immediately soured.

Li Yuzhu was about to go next door to Sister-in-law Chai’s store to play when she saw him coming. She smiled and walked over, "Mu Yuanxiu, did you get a new frame for your mule?"

"I had it custom-made in the countryside, and I just got it yesterday," Mu Yuanxiu replied with a smile.

Li Xing’an raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing in the county town?"

How did he even find this place? Did Mu Yuanxiu have a dog’s nose, always sniffing out his sister’s scent to find her!

Mu Yuanxiu parked the mule cart in front of their store, "I specifically came to find Yuzhu. I found Brother Chai’s old store and saw it had been burned, then saw a notice about moving the store nearby, and that’s how I ended up here."

Li Yuzhu laughed, "Didn’t you know? We also got a store, look, this is ours, and that one belongs to Brother Chai and Sister-in-law Chai."

She pointed to the two stores.

Mu Yuanxiu admired them and said, "You guys are impressive, getting a store."

Li Xing’an said unhappily, "Mu Yuanxiu, what’s the matter with finding my sister? You came all this way for what?"

Mu Yuanxiu said, "The old teacher from Qingshui River Village has fallen seriously ill. He’s the only teacher between the two villages, and once he fell ill, the children couldn’t go to school. The village chief asked me to find Yuzhu to check on him."

So, he didn’t specifically come to flirt with Li Yuzhu. Li Xing’an was relieved, "I see, we were just heading back to the village, you go back first. We’ll find a ride back."

Li Xing’an waved his hand at him.

Mu Yuanxiu looked around, "You have no ride? Then ride my mule cart back, it’s empty inside, sit wherever you like."

Li Yuzhu smiled, "Perfect timing, perfect timing."

Li Xing’an disagreed, "Sister, let’s find another ride?"

"How long do we have to wait for that? What if we can’t find a ride back to the village today? We just won’t go back?" Li Yuzhu turned around to go get the luggage, "If you don’t ride, I will, there’s a sick person in the village waiting, delaying could worsen their condition."

Li Xing’an had to agree, "Alright then."

Mu Yuanxiu tied the mule to the dismounting post in front of the store and walked into the neighboring store.

Eldest Young Master Chai and his wife were there, one doing business and the other playing with the child in the backyard.

Eldest Young Master Chai saw Mu Yuanxiu and said in surprise, "So it’s Brother Mu."

"The village chief asked me to come find Yuzhu. I found your old store and saw you’ve moved," Mu Yuanxiu said with a smile.

"Yu Zhu got a store, it’s just next door, have you seen it yet?" Eldest Young Master Chai said while packing up items after receiving money from a customer.

"I just found out, haven’t had a look yet," Mu Yuanxiu said with a smile.

The customer took their purchase and left.

Eldest Young Master Chai warmly invited Mu Yuanxiu to tour his new store.

The two children heard Mu Yuanxiu’s voice and ran from the backyard together, "Uncle Yuanxiu."

Mu Yuanxiu picked them up, one on each side.

"Heading back to the village now, does Jingjing want to go back?" Mu Yuanxiu asked Li Jing.

Li Jing hesitated.

He looked at Chai Tianlang and then at Mu Yuanxiu, unwilling to leave either.

Li Xing’an walked into the store, "Tian Lang should go back too, play with Jingjing."

The two children immediately laughed together, "Okay."

Sister-in-law Chai chuckled, "Are they inseparable now?"

"Neither has siblings, so it’s best to play together," Li Xing’an said with a smile.

The hour was getting late, and they didn’t wait for dinner.

Li Yuzhu and Li Xing’an loaded their luggage onto Mu Yuanxiu’s carriage and, after bidding farewell to Eldest Young Master Chai and his wife, left the county town with the two children to return to the village.

Li Yuzhu wasn’t worried about their empty store, as Sister-in-law Chai had volunteered to help keep watch and clean.

The store only had a small amount of furniture, beds, and cabinets; there weren’t any particularly valuable items.

Mu Yuanxiu drove the mule cart quickly, and they returned to the village by lamp-lighting time.

The Li Family saw them coming home and happily came out to greet.

Because Li Yuzhu was out for quite some time this trip.

Counting from the day she left, today was already the tenth day.

It was the longest time Li Yuzhu had been away from home.

Of course, it was also the longest time Li Jing had been away from home.

Li Xingmao called to his son, "Jingjing?"

Li Jing entered the house, grinning, casually greeted two people, and then went to talk to Chai Tianlang.

Even when Li Xingmao called him, he only responded with a "hmm".

Li Xingmao frowned, "Have you forgotten everyone?"

Li Jing snapped back, "Huh?"

"Call your mother." Li Xingmao patted Li Jing’s little head and pushed him towards Chai Eying.

Li Jing, with an embarrassed face, was unwilling to call her that, still only calling her "Aunt".

Chai Eying laughed, "It’s fine, as long as you call me, it’s alright."

Mu Yuanxiu and Li Xing’an were busy moving luggage.

After greeting the family, Li Yuzhu immediately came to check on Chai Eying’s health.

"There’s nothing uncomfortable, just a bit of nausea, but everything else is fine." Chai Eying laughed, "While you were away, Mother was checking on me, she’s had six children, the most experienced."

Those are old experiences, some aren’t scientific.

Li Yuzhu couldn’t rest assured.

Fortunately, everything was well, Chai Eying was healthy, and it was her first pregnancy, with nothing at home to worry her.

Her health indices were very good.

After checking on Chai Eying, Li Yuzhu went to the main house in the backyard.

The old couple was watching the stars with Guoguo.

The stars in the autumn night were particularly bright, and Guoguo could recognize quite a few star names.

"Father, Mother." Li Yuzhu walked over, smiling.

Guoguo smiled and called "Aunt", running towards Li Yuzhu.

Prince Luling nodded kindly, "You’re back? Coming home so late must be tiring. Rest early."

Li Yuzhu laughed, "I’ll go to sleep in a bit."

Princess Consort Luling called everyone inside to talk.

After sitting down, Li Yuzhu talked about matters in the county town.

Princess Consort Luling was surprised, "That Old Mrs. Zhao is so generous, she gave you a shop?"

"She even gave Sister-in-law Chai a shop," Li Yuzhu said. "At the time, I thought she was confused, but as it turned out, she acted and spoke quite normally."

"It’s hard to guess what that old lady is thinking," Princess Consort Luling sighed.

Prince Luling asked, "Yu Zhu, what do you all plan to do with the shop?"

Li Yuzhu laughed, "I have discussed with Third Brother; we will print some books to sell in the shop, and I will make more medicine pills to sell there too. Big Sister’s sachets and purses can also be sold there."

Prince Luling nodded, "Very good."

Princess Consort Luling frowned, "You keep saying ’very good’, yet all the children are busy with their work, and you’re always idle. Why don’t you help out?"

Prince Luling said, "How am I not helping? I’m always trying to find ways to help with family matters."

Princess Consort Luling sneered, "Enough of your ideas, none of them are useful. In the end, doesn’t it all fall back on the eldest to solve things?"

Prince Luling was chastened into silence.

Chai Eying called for Nanny Jiang to prepare a late-night snack for everyone.

The warm sweet rice wine balls warmed them up thoroughly.

Mu Yuanxiu parked the mule cart at the Li Family and took Li Yuzhu’s lantern back to the mountain.

The old teacher from Qingshui River Village wasn’t suffering from an acute illness but had an ulcer on his foot.

The ulcer just wouldn’t heal, and since the old teacher was nearly seventy and could only move on one foot, he simply took sick leave.

Since it wasn’t urgent, Li Yuzhu didn’t see him overnight and went to rest early.

Riding in the carriage was indeed tiring; when Li Yuzhu lay on the bed, the Second Princess and Great Princess were curious about the new shop in the county town, but she was too tired to talk and fell asleep with a yawn.

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County Magistrate Mansion.

The County Magistrate’s Wife held the medicine Li Yuzhu gave her and kept thinking about what Li Yuzhu had said: "Just coax men a little."

She had met Li Yuzhu’s parents once.

Though they seemed like an unmatched couple, they lived quite harmoniously and warmly. It was said that Mr. Li never took in a concubine.

It wasn’t that Mrs. Li was jealous, nor that Mr. Li was henpecked, but rather that Mr. Li couldn’t live without Mrs. Li.

By this view, Mrs. Li had some skill in managing her husband.

Aunt Tian was making the bed, "Madam, it’s late; time to rest."

Lord County Magistrate was again in the study, and the lady would sleep alone.

"I’ll go to the study to see the Master." The County Magistrate’s Wife pressed her lips and, holding the medicine bottle, walked out of the room.