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墨書 Inktalez
So, it's better to endure a short pain than a long one. It all depends on whether Shen Erlengzi will be able to outsmart Ming Yi this time.
Shen Muqing watched as the two of them inexplicably ran out, his mind racing with thoughts. No matter how hard he tried to connect Zhou Zhou and Yan Zhouwan, it only made things more confusing for him.
Ten years can indeed change a person too much—character, appearance, even the heart.
He had been waiting and searching obsessively, but in the end, he found himself stuck at a dead end. No matter how beautiful the scenery was before him, he never wavered in his feelings. Even after having such intimate moments with Yan Zhouwan, he still tried to convince himself that his heart already belonged to someone else. But had he ever truly considered what this meant for a woman like her?
She neither cried nor caused a scene, nor did she hang herself. After spending time together in recent days, she treated him like a stranger.
This change made him extremely uncomfortable—very uncomfortable indeed. So whether she scolded or berated him, he endured it all, as if trying to make amends for his own mistakes. Or perhaps... even he couldn't understand why he tolerated such behavior from her.
Xia Muxin stepped out of the oven, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted. One was her best friend, and the other was Shen Muhan's younger brother. Regardless of whom she leaned towards, there was an inherent discomfort in her heart. After all, they saw each other every day; if there were conflicts between them, it would affect the entire extended family rather than just individuals.
Of course, she hoped both of them could find happiness.
"They're both adults now and have shared intimate moments; they should be able to figure things out for themselves."
Shen Muhan did not leave but stood not far from the oven. The breeze rustled the hem of his light-colored clothes and tousled his hair, creating layers of cascading waves like a waterfall. He appeared serene and carefree like an immortal. Upon seeing Xia Muxin, he let out a barely audible sigh before slowly speaking.
It is said that the hardest thing to see clearly in this world is one's own heart; Shen Muqing was experiencing just that. However, matters of the heart cannot simply be resolved with heated discussions; they must be felt deeply. He could not allow Xia Muxin's few words to clarify everything for him. Even now, he couldn't resolve Yan Zhouwan's emotional turmoil—what right did he have to take on such responsibility?
Xia Muxin was lost in her thoughts, completely unaware of Shen Muhan until his deep, rich voice reached her ears, prompting her to look up at him.
For a moment, she could only shrug helplessly.
However, as she began preparing for the second supermarket, Xia Muxin became too busy to worry about anything else.
The location for the supermarket had already been chosen; it was one that Shen Muhan had picked out and taken her to see. The construction would largely follow the layout of Zhushan County, and the same team would be involved.
Everyone was extremely satisfied with this generous owner. When it came to work, he was worth two people and was very serious and responsible. Every brick and tile was carefully considered before being laid. Moreover, since the bricks and cement were produced by Xia Muxin's family, the locals couldn't help but sigh in admiration while also promoting their own Brick Factory. In less than half a month, dozens of kilns had already been ordered.
This made the villagers who made bricks incredibly happy.
They were more focused on their work than ever.
Thanks to Xia Muxin's prompt payments, life at home gradually improved. They used to only get a taste of meat during festivals, but now they could have meat at least twice a month. The children were growing healthy and plump, and his wife had become more beautiful. With this money, she managed the household well, and even the in-laws were more agreeable. Nowadays, Daimiao Village was truly thriving.
Yet the hardworking benefactor collapsed onto his pillow every night from exhaustion, leaving Uncle Shen feeling frustrated as he could only hold onto her while looking at her with longing. The more he desired her, the more painful it became for him. Of course, Xia Muxin didn't impose any restrictions on him; it was just that he was considerate of her well-being. Thus, they only shared intimacy once each night. But for energetic Uncle Shen, that was hardly enough. He spent his days wearing a long face filled with silent resentment and implied pleas directed at Xia Muxin.
Xia Muxin chose to turn a blind eye to his pitiful gaze whenever possible...
"You sit over there and rest for a bit; I've got this," she said.
Shen Muhan had already set off for Tea County, and Xia Muxin would be going there tomorrow as well. With him absent, even though the day was busy, it felt like something was missing. At that moment, she was busy moving items onto the cart when she noticed Er Dan Ge taking a basket from his aunt's hands. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and spoke in an unnatural tone.
Xia Jihua felt an unnatural flush creep across her face, unsure of how to refuse Er Dan.
When she was still a girl, their families had been close. If it weren't for her being a few years older and fearing gossip, they might have already been engaged. She wouldn't have ended up sold off as someone else's bride. Even now, she understood Er Dan's feelings, but she had long since become a withered flower, discarded and divorced. How could she be worthy of him? Therefore, she would avoid him if possible; if not, she would go along with his wishes but would not say a word more.
Er Dan was well aware of all this. He knew how sharp-tongued the women in the village could be. After all, not everyone in the village supported the Muxin family; people like Liu Mazi had always sided with the Wang family. Tang Sanwan's mouth was like a fountain of gossip—there was nothing she wouldn't say, only things you wouldn't dare to do.
Moreover, as Xia Muxin's family prospered, the Wang family harbored even more resentment towards them, wishing they could tear flesh from Xia Muxin and devour it. Especially the Meng family, who dared not confront them openly but spent their days slandering the Xia family, claiming that once they became prosperous, they forgot about Uncle.
This only fueled the Zhou family's hatred towards Xia Muxin and her kin.
Adding to this was Feng Liulang's recent troubles with the law. Shen Muqing was a national general, and Shen Muhan was his brother; their status was immeasurable. Helping Feng Liulang would be as simple as uttering a few words. Yet Xia Muxin seemed to have a heart of stone, completely ignoring the situation.
After all, they were all from the same village. Over time, some villagers allowed their jealousy to fester into resentment towards the Xia family.
Furthermore, Daimiao Village now belonged to the Ouyang family, while the Xia family was considered an outsider. They often moved about in the village, and some envious individuals believed that the Xia family had taken advantage of the Ouyang family, leading to much gossip.
However, who would have thought that without Xia Muxin, their fields would still be in Wang Shoucai's hands? They would live day by day in hunger and discomfort. Only a few grateful individuals stood by Xia Muxin’s side, and these people were also given work by her, leading to better lives.
Xia Muxin observed the interaction between the two as if they were strangers and rolled her eyes inwardly. Yet in this old-fashioned and conservative era, mutual affection alone could not ensure lasting happiness. To establish themselves in this village, they needed to silence those gossiping tongues.
As time revealed people's true hearts, her aunt and Er Dan had grown up together and shared a deep bond. She had high hopes for this pair; it seemed easier than for Yan Zhouwan and her partner.
“Muxin, do you have everything ready? I told Aunt Jihua that I would go with you. It’s unfamiliar territory over there, and we’re bound to encounter some obstacles. There’s strength in numbers; it will surely help a bit.”
Xia Muxin didn’t want to disturb the two, but Yan Zhouwan’s words piqued her interest. She watched as Yan Zhouwan approached her, carrying a small bundle, as if she had already made up her mind. However, she didn’t see Shen Muqing behind her, which made her wonder if the two had quarreled again.
But after thinking it over, perhaps it was for the best. Yan Zhouwan was diligent and clever; she would be a good helper. What she said made sense too. Most importantly, it would allow Shen Muqing to truly experience the feeling of isolation here. After all, he wasn’t like Shen Muhan, who could easily win over family members. Shen Er Ye was like a block of wood; if you didn’t approach him, he wouldn’t come to you. Xia Muxin had deeply felt this during this time.
Just like that day when she spoke so much to him; he must have had countless questions, yet he never brought them up or sought clarification. Days passed in such a mundane manner that eventually, Xia Muxin forgot about it.
Meanwhile, Yan Zhouwan seemed to be intentionally avoiding him. Since that day, Shen Muqing had been going downstairs alone for meals and even changed his own medicine because there were several occasions when Shen Muhan had gone upstairs to help him.
“Well then, let’s go and see for ourselves.”
After a pause, she smiled in agreement with Yan Zhouwan, who returned her smile. The two then boarded the carriage.
“Xia Family girl, do you have enough people over there? Why don’t you take me along? Everything is running smoothly here now; everyone is familiar with the process. With them watching over the production line, satisfaction is guaranteed.”
At that moment, Zhao Sheng appeared out of nowhere. Seeing Xia Muxin and the others getting into the carriage, he hurried over with a few strides and glanced at Yan Zhouwan before addressing Xia Muxin.
Zhao Sheng had studied in a private school for a few years but was known for his stubborn temperament and straightforwardness. After offending some influential figures, he was sent back from the school and had been working as a helper in Town until his family called him back when their supermarket opened. He was then recruited by Xia Muxin.
- End of Chapter -
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