Chapter 32: Receiving a Fright

“Jingshu, Jingshu!” When Qi furen took people to find Shen Jingshu, she saw a girl sitting alone in the distance. It appeared as if she had been deserted, with her shoulders trembling pitifully, she looked very wretched!

“Jingshu?” At that moment, Qi furen disregarded her own image and quickly picked up her skirts and ran towards the little girl. Looking at Shen Jingshu’s shivering shoulders, deep in her heart, Qi furen knew that this was going to be a big problem.

This Shen Jingshu was Shen family’s precious treasure, with her being so neglectful today, how could Qi furen explain this when they returned?

Although she felt depressed, Qi furen had no choice but to put on a smile as she knelt down and pulled Shen Jingshu into her arms, “Jingshu, are you okay? Do not be afraid, do not be afraid, aunt is here!”

“Wuwu, aunt, you finally came. I, I’m so scared!” After crying for a long time, Shen Jingshu’’s eyes were already red. When Qi furen saw Shen Jingshu’s swollen eyes, her heart felt even more distressed. The smile on her lips became a bit stiff, “Okay, it’s alright, it’s alright, Jingshu do not be afraid… …”

Qi furen tried to make the tone of her voice as soft and gentle as possible, when Shen Jingshu saw Qi furen acting this way, she knew that Qi furen did not immediately rush over. However, she had long known the true nature of this family, so naturally she was not particularly concerned about it. Anyway, her goal today had already been reached.

“Wuwu, Qi furen, why did Shaodong gege and Xueyan abandon me and run? Because I was alone I was so afraid that I couldn’t’ even move, why didn’t they try to find me?”

In the end, she was only a five-year-old child, when people saw Shen Jingshu’s face covered in tears, it really made people feel pity, even Qi furen felt remorseful.

“They are at fault, Jingshu do not cry, be a good girl!” She held out a handkerchief to wipe Shen Jingshu’s tears. Shen Jingshu knew that Qi furen loved to be clean so she unrestrainedly rubbed all of her tears and mucus onto Qi furen’s body. Qi furen looked somewhat embarrassed but when she thought of her children’s actions, she could only endure, “Do not cry, do not cry.”

After coaxing Shen Jingshu for a long time, she was finally able to calm Shen Jingshu down a bit, but her small body was still breathing heavily. Watching her, Qi furen felt very bad, “Jingshu, it is cold, we should go back first, alright?” Qi furen was accustomed to luxury, this place had flowers and mud everywhere, and her clothes were soaked with Shen Jingshu’s tears, how could she stand it?

“Alright …” Nodding a bit, Shen Jingshu’s voice was hoarse. Qi furen was prepared to pull Shen Jingshu to leave but Shen Jingshu did not move, Qi furen had no other option but to carry Shen Jingshu. As she carried her, the mud from Shen Jinghu’s feet transferred onto her body, Qi furen was really unhappy but she could not say anything.

“Qi furen, I, I want to go home!” Seeing that Qi furen wanted to carry her to the side room, naturally she was not willing. It really was not easy to make herself so upset, how could she give Qi furen an opportunity to fix things?

“Jingshu, let’s go back and wash first, alright? Look, your face is covered in tears …” If Shen Jingshu where to go back like this, how could she explain it? Of course Qi furen was not willing!

“No, I want to go home, I want to go home!” Shen Jing Shu’s temper suddenly came out. Anyways, she had had this kind of temper since childhood. With her like this, Qi furen could not do anything, “Jingshu don’t move, otherwise it will not be good if you fall!”

Although Shen Jingshu had not grown up yet, she was a bit heavy. If she tossed from side to side, how could Qi furen carry her?

“Wuwu, I’m scared, I want mom! I want to go home, I want to go home!” In any case, she was now a child, Shen Jingshu’s plan was to make good use of her status, how could she easily compromise?

“Jingshu be good, don’t cause trouble. We will wash and rest before going back. With you this way, your mom will be worried, okay?” Seeing Shen Jingshu disobedient, Qi furen’s headache worsened. Now, she even had to stall for as much time as possible.

“No, no, I’m going home, I’m going home! Wuwu, I’m want to go home …” It had to be said that Shen Jingshu’s temper really made people unable to bear it. When Qi furen wanted to say something about returning later again, having heard what was said, Chun Xiao and Chun Mei came over. When they saw Shen Jingshu, they were terrified.

“Qi furen, please send our Xiaojie home. Xiaojie was frightened, staying like this is not good!”

When both maidservants said this, Qi furen knew that she could not conceal it anymore. Looking at Shen Jingshu at this moment, she knew that Shen Jingshu would not give up unless she took her home, she could only compromise.

“Then alright, let’s go back!”

She had intended to rest at the temple for a while to recite some mantras and eat some vegetarian food before returning, but now that this had happened, Qi furen was not in the mood. Dilly dallying, she allowed people to prepare the carriage, Qi furen’s face did not look very good. On the journey back, Shen Jingshu looked very pitiful crying, Qi furen repeatedly tried to coax her but was not successful. Luckily, she thought of a solution.

…

“Shen meimei, I’m sorry. I, I did not do it on purpose, I was just very afraid.” Qi Shaodong saw Shen Jingshu this way and blamed himself., In the carriage, he was finally able to muster the courage to apologize, but Shen Jingshu simply ignored him.

“Jingshu, you do not be angry, we really did not do it on purpose. It only happened because you said there was a snake, we were afraid!” Although it was an apology, Qi Xueyan’s tone was somewhat criticising. Looking at her new clothes, which had became crumpled and dirty because of the mad rush a moment ago, Qi Xueyan was very unhappy!

It was all her fault! If it weren’t for her, why would gege have brought them behind the mountain? If they had not gone behind the mountain, how would this thing have happened? Her skirt was made of the best chiffon and it was difficult to make, she really liked it. Seeing it ruined like this, she was really heart broken!

“Wuwu, I, I do not blame you, wuwu … …” replying pitifully, Shen Jingshu naturally heard the tone of Qi Xueyan’s words. Although her heart was full of disdain, it was important to keep up her act and not let it show on her face.

It was still in the early days and it would take more than this to break away from this Qi family. Otherwise in the future, how could she witness this household’s decline first hand?

“Good. If you do not blame us, then can you not tell Shen furen?” Qi Xueyan knew that Qi furen was angry with them and was worried about it. Seeing that Shen Jingshu did not appear to be angry, of course, Qi Xueyan wanted to coax her ‘close’ friend, “You must promise me that you will not tell Shen furen. The last time you went to my house, didn’t I treat you well?

“This …” With tears still in her eyes, Shen Jingshu appeared somewhat hesitant, Qi furen saw it and hurriedly said, “That’s right Jingshu, today was Dong-er and Yan-er’s mistake, they should not have abandoned you. However, your mother is pregnant now, if she knew I’m afraid she would be worried, it would not be good if it affected the little brother in her stomach, right?

Qi furen knew that she needed to prevent Shen furen from learning about what had happened today, if she knew, then she would certainly have ill feelings towards her.

“I … …” Shen Jingshu hesitated as she looked at Qi furen, but her scared appearance actually made Qi furen feel assured, “Jingshu think about it, if your mother knew about today’s matter, she would certainly blame Dong-er and Yan-er. At that time, maybe you will not be allowed to play with them, then, will you have anyone to play with?

“No, I do not want that to happen!”

“Exactly! Then Jingshu, you must promise aunt that you will not say anything, okay? Later you can still come to our house to play, aunt will also have very good things to give you!”

“… Alright, I will not say anything.”

Seeming to hesitate for a moment, Shen Jingshu appeared to be convinced by Qi furen. When Qi furen saw that Shen Jingshu had calmed down and promised her, her heart immediately felt relieved. In order to avoid mistakes, Qi furen repeatedly explained to Shen Jingshu the consequences of telling her mother so that Shen Jingshu would be afraid. After assuring that Shen Jingshu would not say anything, Qi furen dropped the matter from her mind and decided to think about how to handle this matter later.

“Come, let aunt wipe your face first, okay?”

“Alright!”