Chapter 318: Chapter 318

Chai Eying laughed, "That’s easy, you write the story, I’ll do the illustrations."

Now that’s complicated.

Li Yuzhu said, "No, Sister-in-law, you draw first. Whatever you draw, I’ll create a story around it."

Chai Eying blinked, "Can you really make a story from that?" Can her sister-in-law actually write stories?

Li Yuzhu laughed, "It’s doable."

Chai Eying was skeptical, "Alright then, I’ll draw first."

After discussing how to create the book with Chai Eying, Li Yuzhu then mentioned the book printing.

She wanted to take it to the county town to find someone at the Qianwen Book Society to print it.

Chai Eying said, "Third Sister, you don’t have to go to the county. I know someone nearby. His family used to print books."

Li Yuzhu was surprised, "Oh? That’s wonderful, Big Sister. Where does he live? I’ll go and meet him, I need to ask about the price first."

Chai Eying laughed, "You’re not familiar with him, so I’ll go find him. He used to be a servant for the Chai Family."

So that’s how it was. Li Yuzhu nodded, "Then I’ll trouble you, Sister-in-law."

Chai Eying smiled and said, "We’re family, no need to be so formal."

After settling the book publishing arrangements with Chai Eying, Li Yuzhu looked at the two children for a bit before heading back.

Chai Eying went inside to check on the children, finding them sleeping soundly.

She then quietly discussed with Li Xingmao about the old servant of the Chai Family, "He lives at the local market in the countryside. I’ll find some time to meet him tomorrow. His son used to print books for people. It’s said they still have some book printing tools at home. If they’re still usable, Third Sister won’t have to make the long trip to the county."

Li Xingmao said, "Are you going back alone? I’m worried about you."

The local market is just a small place, about the size of a palm, with only one main street.

The market street is flanked by villagers from two different villages.

If Chai Eying goes back, she’ll run into the Chai Family again.

With Chai Eying’s temperament and the Chai Family’s disposition, it would certainly be like a powder keg meeting a flame, and explode intensely.

Chai Eying smiled, "Uncle Gui is going with me, what’s there to worry about?"

When Chai Eying married into the Li Family, she brought along Nanny Jiang and Uncle Gui. Uncle Gui usually helped Li Xingmao with farm tasks and occasionally went back to the Chai Family’s old house to tidy up.

But most of the time, Uncle Gui stayed at the Li Family, helping Chai Eying drive the mule cart.

"You’ll run into the second branch of the Chai Family, they have many people," Li Xingmao frowned, "I’ll go with you."

"I’m not going to provoke the second branch, and they can’t do anything to me. Besides, we still have the written guarantee from the second master. If my second sister dares to bully me, she’ll have to pay back a thousand taels of silver. Have you forgotten about that?" Chai Eying laughed, "Also, aren’t you busy with the farmland these days? And with chores at home, you can’t be away."

Her reminder made Li Xingmao think of that note, "That only restrains your second sister, but what if someone else bullies you?"

Chai Eying laughed and said, "You’re underestimating me; the Chai Family can’t take advantage of me."

No matter what he said, she wouldn’t let Li Xingmao follow her.

It’s not like she’s a useless person who needs a man to accompany her every time she steps out.

Finding no other option, Li Xingmao reluctantly agreed, "Go early and come back early."

"Got it, husband," Chai Eying laughed.

The next day during breakfast, Chai Eying mentioned to Princess Consort Luling that she was going out.

Princess Consort Luling smiled, "I’ll take care of the two children; you just go about your business."

With such an understanding mother-in-law, Chai Eying felt very delighted.

After making sure the two children had breakfast, she went back to her room to get ready to head out.

Li Jing waved his little hand and said to Chai Eying, "Aunt, come back soon."

Now he had Li Lixing’s little dog to play with, so he didn’t follow Chai Eying on her trips anymore. In the past, whenever Chai Eying went out, he would insist on going to play.

Chai Eying used to take him to the old house to pick jasmine flowers for fun.

Chai Eying smiled and patted his head, "Listen to your grandmother, play with Uncle Lixing. Mom will be back soon."

In front of the two children, she always referred to herself as Mom. Guoguo would call her Mom, but Li Jing stubbornly called her "Aunt." Chai Eying didn’t mind.

"Alright, I’ll be good." Li Jing called for the little dog and went to look for Li Lixing.

Chai Eying changed into her outing clothes, took a parasol, and after saying goodbye to Li Xingmao, sat in Uncle Gui’s mule cart heading to the local market.

She didn’t bring Nanny Jiang along for the trip.

Nanny Jiang has to wash the clothes for the family of four and prepare the lunch for everyone. There’s quite a lot to do.

Chai Eying is not a delicate person. Even when she was a girl, she would often go out alone to handle affairs. Nanny Jiang knows she’s bold and trusts her.

But Uncle Gui doesn’t feel at ease about Chai Eying. Turning to Chai Eying in the cart, he says, "Third Miss, let’s take a detour and not pass in front of the second house."

Chai Eying replies, "No, we’ll walk openly and righteously. That road belongs to the officials, not to the second house’s family. Why can’t we walk there? If we avoid it deliberately, it would seem as if I’ve done something shameful."

When Chai Eying becomes stubborn, not even ten oxen can move her. Uncle Gui has to say, "Alright, then we’ll take the usual road."

However, he has made a plan in his mind. When they pass by the second house of the Chai Family, he’ll make sure the mule cart goes faster to avoid letting the Chai Family see Third Miss going to the market.

The people from the second house, from the masters to the servants, aren’t good.

They always smile on the surface but secretly plot against Third Miss, mocking her.

Uncle Gui snorts coldly.

Today’s weather is cloudy; the sun isn’t fierce. Uncle Gui’s mule cart runs faster than usual.

But arriving at the market, he finds he can’t move quickly anymore. It turns out today is market day.

Carefully driving his mule cart, Uncle Gui navigates through the streets.

Still, they collide with a horse cart coming in the opposite direction.

The street is too narrow; the collision quickly blocks the road.

The driver of the opposite horse cart starts cursing Uncle Gui, "Are you blind? How do you drive?"

Uncle Gui retorts, "How do you drive your cart? The street isn’t wide, and many people are around. How can you race horses here? And you blame this old man?"

"Uncle Gui!" Chai Eying lifts the curtain to look outside and sees they’ve collided with a horse cart. She says, "Let’s make way, shall we? To give convenience to others is to give convenience to ourselves." No need to quarrel with a petty person.

After entering the street, her mule cart hasn’t moved quickly, but after the collision, the frame shook significantly.

It’s evident that the opponent’s cart was very fast.

She hurried and wasn’t interested in quarrelling over trivial matters.

The person in the opposite cart hears Chai Eying’s voice, lifts the curtain corner to look, and upon seeing her face, he pauses in surprise.

This is a young man, and his eyes fixate on Chai Eying, unable to regain his composure for some time.

He ponders silently; the voice is Chai Eying’s, but the face...

The face is vaguely the same, yet completely changed.

"Understood, Third Miss." Uncle Gui snorts coldly toward the opposing driver, steers the mule cart to the side, allowing the other cart to pass first.

With the way cleared, the horse cart moves ahead smoothly.

Uncle Gui continues driving the mule cart forward.

After a while, the young man in the carriage tells the driver, "Ah Qing, turn the horse cart around and catch up with that mule cart."

The driver is surprised, "Young Master, weren’t you hurrying home? The old lady wants to discuss something with you. Why bother about that mule cart?"

"I told you to turn around; just turn around! Why so much nonsense?" The young man darkens his face.

The driver, helpless, says, "Alright, Young Master." Today at the market, there are many people; turning around is difficult, isn’t it? His young master is really something!

The driver complains inwardly but dares not utter a word, only looking for a place to turn around.

Stopping the horse cart in a crowded street to turn around quickly brings a lot of complaints.

"What kind of person is this, turning around in the street? Blocking the road!"

"Ugh, such selfishness! Can’t they go to the junction ahead to turn? That’s just ten paces away, yet they’re too lazy to walk!"

"Exactly, selfish thing!"

"Shh, that’s the Luo Family’s horse cart; you really dare to curse Luo Family people?" an old man recognizes the Luo Family cart, scolding the complaining ones.

In the horse cart sits Luo Zikun, the husband of Miss Chai.

After his marriage to Miss Chai, Luo Zikun went to the county to study. Just back from the county, he unexpectedly encounters Chai Eying.

After just three months, Chai Eying has drastically changed, transforming from a thin, unsightly girl to a round-faced, plump woman! Official source ıs novel(ꜰ)ire.net

Didn’t she marry a poor farmer? How could she appear as a wealthy family woman?

This surprised Luo Zikun.

Driven by a mysterious urge, he wants to go forward and inquire.

Chai Eying, unaware that the horse cart belongs to Luo Zikun, hurries to catch up with time after Uncle Gui makes way, and she reaches a small village at the market’s end.