Chapter 44: Plain Happiness

“Haha Duan Wang shizi, you are too polite,” Dan Yuerong was very surprised about Duan Wang shizi’s personal visit. Looking at Duan Wang shizi now, Dan Yuerong could not help but sigh at that person’s ability to have a lasting impression on people after a single glance, and the extraordinary aura he gave off.

“I received Shen furen’s New Year’s gift yesterday, I was so happy that I decided to visit unannounced today,  I hope that Shen furen can forgive me.”

“Duan Wang shizi is polite. These gifts are too precious.” Looking at Duan Wang shizi’s return gifts, compared to the gifts she sent, these were considerably pricier, Dan Yuerong was rather embarrassed.

If she had known that the other party would send return gifts, she would have sent more valuable items.  

“These gifts show my kind intentions, I hope that Shen furen will not refuse them.” Duan Wang shizi’s mood seemed to be pretty good today, it was rare for Shen furen to see him be so humble and courteous. People who did not know would think that Duan Wang shizi was usually like this,  but when Shen Jingshu saw this she was taken aback.

She did not forget the person’s behavior in Qi fu last time. His temper was somewhat cold, why did he seem so joyful now that he was speaking with her mother?  

“Mom!” Smiling, Shen Jingshu couldn’t understand this person’s thoughts and had no choice but to wait and see.

“Haha, Shu-er came. Quickly greet Duan Wang shizi!”

Duan Wang shizi!” Obediently performing the proper etiquette, Shen Jingshu stared at the other person’s expression that looked like a smile but wasn’t quite. She felt that the other person knew something, thus quickly avoided him.  

“Haha, so this is your daughter, she is rather agreeable!” Duan Wang shizi looked at Shen Jingshu as he said these words, but Shen Jingshu did not think that the other person’s meaning matched the words he said.

“Shizi is joking, this child is very naughty!”

“Really? But I actually think that Shen xiaojie is very clever!” Clever, Duan Wang shizi seemed to deliberately slow down when he said this word. Listening, Shen Jingshu felt very strange.

“Shizi is giving too much praise.”

“Shen furen is too humble.”

……

The two people did not speak many words as Dan Yuerong and Duan Wang shizi were unfamiliar with each other so,  they spoke with caution. Fortunately, Shen Wenhua soon returned and the two men talked like close friends, Dan Yuerong also relaxed and was more talkative.

Near mealtime, Shen Wenhua politely offered for Duan Wang to stay behind and eat, but Duan Wang shizi declined. After he left, Shen Wenhua and Dan Yuerong were finally able to relax,  “Wenhua, what did you talk with Duan Wang shizi about?” The Shen family’s relationship with Duan Wangfu was not intimate. They gave gifts previously but it was only to follow etiquette, nothing more. Now that Duan Wang shizi had personally come to deliver return gifts,  it was really difficult to guess the deeper meaning behind this.

“I heard that Duan Wang shizi plans to study here, perhaps it is to make things more convenient in the future.” After all, Shen Wenhua was Jiangnan’s second prefectural magistrate, and even though Duan Wang shizi was of noble status, this was not the capital. If the other person wanted things to be favorable in Jingnan, it was necessary to have a good relationship with Shen Wenhua.

“Really? I felt that Duan Wang shizi was too polite today.” Dan Yuerong had just looked at the return gifts and some of them were in fact overly precious, they completely outshined her gifts.

“Alright, don’t think too much. Even if the other person wants something important, it still depends on whether or not we can give it, right? I know to behave with discretion regarding this matter!”

“En!”

……

Because of Duan Wang shizi’s arrival, Dan Yuerong and Shen Wenhua were somewhat unclear of what was going on.  Fortunately, Duan Wang shizi was very calm and quietly stayed in his own courtyard and did not have excessive contact with others. Shen Wenhua and Dan Yuerong did not think too much about it and happily prepared for the New Year.

New Year’s Eve was a day of reunion; at this time in previous years, the Shen family would return to the capital to celebrate the New Year and the entire family would have a reunion dinner together. But this year because of Dan Yuerong’s pregnancy, Shen Wenhua and the others did not go back. It was rare for the family to be together for the New Year, so regardless of other matters, Shen Wenhua, Dan Yuerong, and Shen Jingshu were very happy.

There was no second uncle and his whole family,  and there was no mother-in-law to criticize Dan Yuerong. Shen Jingshu felt that this year’s New Years was the best. This year, the entire family was happily celebrating the New Year eating the New Year’s meal, Shen Jingshu really hoped that the future would also be this way.  

Really, if they could always stay in Jingnan, just their family, how joyous that would be!

But Shen Jingshu knew that this was impossible, they would return to the capital sooner or later, they would have to face Mother Shen and the others. Therefore, Shen Jingshu now only hoped that this period would last a little longer, at least until she had enough power to protect her mother and brother!

The entire day of the celebration dinner, the three people in the family were particularly happy smiling and chatting. Shen Jingshu looked at the happiness on Dan Yuerong’s face which no longer had the cautious and solemn appearance as it did in the past, Shen Jingshu was very delighted.

This year’s New Year’s was very lively, the household looked completely transformed with the red lanterns hanging around everywhere and new poems posted in celebration. A family of three ate their meal and spoke together in preparation to see the New Year. But, Dan Yuerong was pregnant and Shen Jingshu was a small child so eventually, they could not resist feeling drowsy. Shen Wenhua had no choice but to let the two rest for a while and then wake them up when midnight arrived.

……

The New Year passed and it began to get busy again. The mutual New Year’s gift giving and greetings kept Dan Yuerong very busy, fortunately, Ruan momo was there. Otherwise, with Dan Yuerong’s huge stomach, how would she be able to handle it?

It is worth mentioning that Duan Wang shizi came back several times during this period to deliver New Year’s gifts and offer greetings, he had become very close with the people in the Shen household.

Shen Jingshu had been very happy these past few days and ate very well, her whole person had become fatter. At this moment, she was touching her round face and Shen Jingshu had could not help but sigh.

Ai, it seems that these days are really too comfortable.  Looking at her face,  it had become increasingly more round. If this continued, she was afraid that she would become a small fat person, this was not alright!

“Haha, Xiaojie, you’re so cute like this. Furen said that with your body constantly growing, eating a bit more is alright, do not be anxious. “Chun Xiao had noticed that Shen Jingshu was always touching her face in the past few days; naturally she was clear on Shen Jingshu’s thoughts, but she thought that Shen Jingshu was still very young. This kind of white, tender skin was very good looking, she naturally did not feel anything was wrong with it.

“Ai, but if I eat again, I’ll become a little fat person.” She originally was a little plump, now that she was eating so well her face had become round once again. As a child this was adorable, but if she stayed this way when she grew up it wouldn’t look as good.

“Xiaojie you are thinking too much, as you grow up, you will naturally lose weight!”

“I hope so!” Although she said this, Shen Jingshu would still pay attention to her diet in the future so that she would not continue to become plump.

……

Shen Jingshu celebrated New Year’s day very happily, and she was very happy that she had not seen the people from the Qi family in a long time. She had believed that the people from Qi family did not have the guts to come back to Shen fu. At the very least, the people from the Qi family should have some complaints towards them because of that incident. However, she underestimated the hypocrisy of Qi family. As a matter of fact, on the 5th day of the new year, Qi furen brought Qi Shaodong and Qi Xueyan to come offer a New Year’s greeting.