"Young lady, we can help with the work too," Li Chun, being older, spoke in an organized manner. Her mother had taught them that as servants, they should be observant and proactive, and never let their mistress handle chores themselves. What was the point of having servants otherwise?
Moreover, their young lady was their great benefactor, having saved all their lives.
Her mother had explicitly said that within the territory of Great Ming, no one but their young lady could protect them.
They had to know gratitude and serve the young lady well.
However, Fu Xin Ci did not want to trouble them. "You really can't do this." Fu Xin Ci was afraid they might mistake wheat seedlings for weeds and pull them up, which would break her grandfather's heart.
Her father, Fang, felt the same. He quickly told his granddaughter not to pull weeds either. "Ci'er, the weather is getting hotter. You should find a shady spot to rest."
Fu Xin Ci also knew her grandfather was worried about his wheat seedlings, so she stopped bothering him and prepared to leave with her two young maids.
"Cousin."
"Yes?"
Seeing her two younger cousins with their faces flushed from the sun, Fu Xin Ci decided to take them back.
"Qing Mei, do you want to go with your cousin to see Auntie?"
"Yes." Qing Mei knew that her aunt genuinely doted on her and her sister. Not only did she make them beautiful clothes, but she also made them delicious food.
Seeing Qing Mei agree, Fu Xin Ci picked up Qing Guo and then said to Mother Fang and He Shi, "Grandma, Auntie, I'm taking my two cousins home. When you're not busy, you can come to my place to pick them up. Or I can bring them back tonight."
"Xin Ci, how can this be?"
"It's alright. Qing Guo is hungry. My mother will steam some egg custard for her."
After speaking, Fu Xin Ci took the sisters home.
Watching her niece's delicate figure holding her younger daughter, and her elder daughter trailing behind her cousin like a little sparrow, He Shi felt a pang of unease in her heart.
Mother Fang saw He Shi staring blankly at her granddaughter's retreating back and urged her, "Alright, while Xin Ci has taken the two children, let's hurry and finish our work. Otherwise, we won't be done today and will have to go to the paddy field tomorrow."
"Mmm." He Shi wiped her face at her mother-in-law's words and lowered her head to continue weeding.
Upon seeing her daughter bring back her two nieces, Fang reached out to take her younger niece and couldn't help but ask, "You went to your grandmother's field?"
"Yes, Grandma and Grandpa were pulling weeds, but Grandpa didn't want me to help."
"So you brought them both back."
"Yes. The sun is getting hotter, and I was afraid they'd get sunburned."
"Ci'er did the right thing. When your Auntie comes to pick them up tonight, tell her that if there's any work at home, she should send Qing Mei and her sister to our place, and I'll look after the children."
Fang genuinely liked her two nieces, and especially enjoyed the sense of accomplishment from seeing them grow plump under her care.
The next day, Fu Xin Ci went to Longcheng again.
As the delivery date to Yan Yi was approaching, she had to go to Longcheng first to transport the glass back.
On the official road leading to Liaodong, Liu Chen Feng had been entrusted by his parents to bring back the glass that his father desired.
"Sigh." He didn't know how many times he had sighed.
Seeing this, Liu Zi glanced at him and, after holding back for a long time, couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Liu, we'll be in Liaodong soon, why are you still sighing?"
"It's nothing." He was actually worried if Miss Fu Xin Ci would agree to give him more glass if he asked.
"Sigh." He had too many rascally friends, and upon hearing he was coming to Liaodong, they had all come knocking. What troubled him most was that his mother had also promised several of them.
Sigh, it was all so agonizing.
He deeply regretted his loose tongue. If only he hadn't spoken so carelessly, he would still be obediently staying in the capital, going to the yamen every day.
The more Liu Chen Feng thought about it, the more depressed he became, his two sword-like eyebrows furrowing.
Seeing that he was truly troubled, Liu Zi and the others did not bother him further. They were afraid that if they said anything wrong, he would become even more annoyed.
Fu Xin Ci was unaware that the Young Master Liu she disliked had come to Liaodong.