Chapter 224: Going to the Su house again (2)

After dinner, when Qin Feng and Zhang Xiu’er came to help set up the cart and load the gifts, Third Aunt finally reacted. She stared blankly and asked: “Aren’t Ah Jian and Ah Ze accompanying you? Where are they?”

“Aunt Zhang has asked them for help!” Lian Fang Zhou said casually.

Third Aunt said ‘oh’ and stopped asking.

When the three of them arrived at the county town, Lian Fang Zhou stabled the donkey and the cart and hired a decent carriage. Once she agreed on the price, they started off again.

This time, she sat at the head of the carriage and vaguely pointed out the way. She also asked about a good carriage to hire for the way back.

How could the driver know about this? Wasn’t it just keeping one eye open and one closed?

However, Lian Fang Zhou talking to him about it was saving him face, so he couldn’t ignore her.

Anyways, the little girl was not annoying to listen to and it was not good for him if things went wrong.

The carriage moved at a brisk pace and arrived at Shuangliu county before noon.

When she arrived at the Su residence, the house steward recognized Lian Fang Zhou and knew that she was important to the young madam, so he greeted her with a smile and sent someone to report to the young madam quickly.

Soon Li Ma arrived with two little maids.

“Miss Lian is here! Please come in, the young madam is very happy to hear that Miss Lian has come!” Li Ma smiled.

Lian Fang Zhou greeted Li Ma with a smile and pushed a red envelope into her hand: “I brought some things for my cousin. They are all fresh from the countryside! I have to ask Li Ma to accept them, please don’t laugh!”

Li Ma had already seen the gifts piled up and listening to Lian Fang Zhou talk about them, one by one, she hurriedly smiled: “These are all so rare, Miss Lian has a good heart! She really thinks about the young madam! No wonder the young madam praises Miss Lian for being polite!”

After saying this, she took the wild sheep to the kitchen and asked the two maids to take the other food items. Glancing at Qin Feng and Zhang Xiu’er, she ordered the house stewards to take them inside and entertain them.

Zhang Xiu’er was a little timid, but Qin Feng thanked her neither humbly or extravagantly, following the house steward. It made Li Ma look at him a little more, thinking that Miss was really capable, to have a servant from her house that was so trustworthy.

Lian Fang Zhou went inside and met with Fang Qing for a while. Fang Qing smiled affectionately and called “Fang Zhou!” She invited her to sit down and smiled: “You really have the intention to see me, traveling from such a great distance!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said: “I should have come to see my cousin earlier, I just got busy after I went home.” Her smile was a little embarrassed. “I brought some local produce from the countryside. The mushrooms were picked by my siblings and I dried them and the radish myself. Those two jars of honey are from wild honeybees and the pair of pheasants were bought from the hunter in the village. We caught the wild sheep yesterday! I hope you don’t dislike these worthless, simple things!”

“It’s been hard for you but you still think about me in everything!” Fang Qing didn’t think much of these things at first, as the young madam of the Su family, what did she want for? But when Lian Fang Zhou explained where the things came from, it made her feel the emotion and sincerity, which was different!

“My cousin helped me so much, I should repay the favor!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

Fang Qing saw that she was being genuine and felt flattered and comfortable when she heard Lian Fang Zhou’s words. She looked at her cousin with two more points higher and smiled: “Where did I help you? Wasn’t it just borrowing a bit of money? It’s not worth mentioning! By the way, how is your cotton growing?”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled, and said simply: “We have to wait until the beginning of spring next year before we can start planting. I will be very busy at that time, I’m afraid I won’t have the time to see my cousin for a long while!”

Lian Fang Zhou is playing prevention. She wanted to wait until the cotton harvest to talk, not wanting the matter to spread too widely. But if Fang Qing asked her, she had to say something! However, if things really got detailed, it would be better to let Qin Feng come talk.

“What’s the matter with this? It’s important that you are busy with your business!” Fang Qing smiled and stopped asking. The two gossiped for a while before she groaned and said: “Why didn’t you bring Qing’er and Che’er? You should have brought them to see me, I haven’t met them yet!”

Lian Fang Zhou smiled. “It’s a bit cold today and it wasn’t convenient to take them. When the weather gets better, there will be plenty of opportunities to bring them here! Also, Che’er is fine but Qing’er is naughty, it would be bad if my cousin becomes annoyed!”

“How can this be?” Fang Qing said with a laugh: “It’s normal for children to be naughty! The big one in my family is not the same. Still so small and he only knows how to study!”

Speaking of her son, Fang Qing couldn’t help the touch of gentleness on her face.

Lian Fang Zhou followed up on this topic and asked a few words before standing up with a smile: “There is no one at home, Cousin, so I have to hurry back! I will see my cousin when I have time to visit next!”

“Why are you leaving so quickly!” Fang Qing also stood up, asking in surprise: “This trip took so much effort! Isn’t it better to stay overnight and leave tomorrow morning?”

“I’m really worried, it’s so close to New Years. It’s okay to go back a little quickly. If I leave now, I will be home by the evening!” Lian Fang Zhou smiled and said: “Cousin, don’t keep me anymore, I really have to go!”

Fang Qing say that she repeatedly insisted that she could not stay and sighed: “You came all this way and then leave without a bite of food, how can I not feel sorry about this?”

Lian Fang Zhou laughed: “Isn’t it me in a hurry? How could anyone criticize my cousin? If its convenient, just give me a bowl of noodles!”

If they weren’t real relatives, how could she say such a thing?

Fang Qing felt loose and warm. She nodded, smiling happily: “Never mind, let’s do as you suggest!” She ordered Li Ma to go to the kitchen and order the food.

Li Ma knew Fang Qing’s mind best and when she went out, she asked a maid to go to the kitchen and give the order. For now, she was busy preparing the return gift.

Li Ma couldn’t help but secretly say in her heart: This miss was really a magnanimous person, knowing how to be both courteous and smart! Alas, it was a pity she was not a maiden from a big family, otherwise the young madam would have less trouble…

The young madam was spoiled in front of both the old madam and the young master. The young master even dismissed her from having to house a concubine, guarding her wholeheartedly*. How could anyone not listen to her?

The kitchen soon delivered a bowl of noodles, which had been carefully made.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled politely and ate them in the dining room.

Li Ma finished arranging the return gift and brought them back to young Madam Fang Qing, one by one.

A lot of these things were used every year in the Su residence. She had prepared snacks, purses, and material for making clothes. Lian Fang Zhou and Fang Qing had a good relationship, so they added a good share.

Fang Qing nodded and sighed: “I don’t need to be stingy. Although my cousin has borrowed money from me, she still has a spine. Do you think you are my wife? Put in a basket of dried chicken, duck, and sausages as well as some Jiangnan side dishes from the shops!”

This was more polite than what Lian Fang Zhou gave, and it was a proper exchange.

In other words, this was treating Lian Fang Zhou as an equal relative.

TN: I’m not sure about gift etiquette, but what I think FQ means is that by giving just materials and snacks, it’s looking down on LFZ as a poor relation, like just a basic acceptance. By giving a little bit more than what LFZ gave her, it shows that FQ cares about and respects LFZ.