After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 17 The Passionate Xu Family

After thinking it over, Su Chunlin decided to bring Su Tai and Su Zhan along. Su Ming was still young, so it would be good for him to stay at home and help Han Shi.

It's not even noon yet; if we hurry, we can reach Shenjiazhuang before dark.

The father and his two sons each carried a large wicker basket on their backs.

Han was worried that it would be unsafe for Su Tai, a young woman, to go out alone, so he specially smeared some soot from the stove onto her face and made her wear the most tattered clothes in the house.

After this makeover, he looks exactly like a beggar.

Su Tai initially thought Han was making a fuss over nothing, but after leaving Qingsha Township and witnessing firsthand the malicious stares of some people on the road, she finally understood Han's good intentions.

The three of them walked for a long time, and when they entered Shenjiazhuang, Su Tai felt that her legs were about to give out.

Passing by the Xu family's house, Xu looked around curiously. Seeing Su Tai and the other two walking towards Shen Yi's house, she quickly chased after them, asking, "Where are you coming from?"

Su Chunlin turned around, looked at Xu Shi carefully for a long time, and asked uncertainly, "Are you... Shen Yi's aunt?"

"You are..." Madam Xu's eyes widened, her face full of surprise.

Su Chunlin quickly introduced himself.

When Xu saw Su Tai, her eyes lit up, and she quickly and warmly greeted her, personally leading them into Shen Yi's house.

"Ayi!"

Xu called out, and Shen Yi immediately came out of the house. He was stunned for a moment when he saw the three members of the Su family. He went up to greet them and said, "Uncle Chunlin, Little Tai, Brother Azhan, please come in and sit down."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Su Chunlin put down his wicker basket and was the first to enter the house. He was very curious to find that there was a small door leading to the back of the house.

Su Tai had already walked towards the small door. Seeing the vegetable garden outside, she exclaimed, "Brother Shen, your vegetables are growing so well!"

"Absolutely! It's been so long since I've seen such a nice vegetable garden!" Su Chunlin said with envy.

Shen Yi stepped forward and explained, "These are a few vegetable plots that I cultivated myself. I don't usually take care of them. My second aunt's vegetable plots are really good. Since you're here, I'll cook you some vegetable soup in a bit."

Seeing that Shen Yi and Su Tai were getting along well, Madam Xu's eyes were almost curved with a smile, and she said warmly, "Yes, yes, guests are guests, I'll bring over a couple of vegetables in a bit."

Su Tai quickly declined politely, "We've already eaten on the way, Brother Shen and Auntie, there's no need to trouble yourselves."

"That won't do!" Xu insisted on going back to pick vegetables, running faster than a rabbit, and no one could stop her.

Su Chunlin turned his gaze to the mountains not far away and said to Shen Yi, "The autumn harvest is coming soon, but our village has almost no harvest. How is the situation on your side?"

Shen Yi's cold face became more serious. "Although our village didn't suffer a complete crop failure, the situation is not good either. Just two days ago, the Daxun River completely dried up. Fortunately, we dug wells in advance and dug two wells, so we don't have to worry about drinking water and can barely irrigate the crops. Uncle came here for this matter."

Su Chunlin nodded, somewhat relieved to hear the news. "I originally planned to go into the mountains to find some wild vegetables."

Shen Yi's expression changed drastically. "No! There's no food left in the mountains surrounding Dongmen Village, and the wild vegetables in the deep mountains have been almost all picked clean. There are also wild animals roaming around, so it's extremely dangerous."

Su Chunlin glanced at Su Tai in surprise, "You're saying the same thing as Xiao Tai! Xiao Tai insisted that I look along the Da Xun River or go to the Canglan River, and I couldn't persuade her otherwise, so I had to come find you." Shen Yi breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness! There aren't many wild vegetables in the mountains here, but they haven't all been dug up. Tomorrow morning..."

Shen Yi looked towards the mountains, hesitated for a while, and then said heavily, "I'll take you up the mountain to take a look."

"Then I'll trouble you!"

Su Chunlin was overjoyed and didn't notice Shen Yi's dilemma, but Su Tai did.

While Shen Yi went to the vegetable garden behind the house, she followed him. "Brother Shen, is it inconvenient for you to go into the mountains? Or is it inconvenient for you to bring outsiders into the mountains?"

Shen Yi shook his head without hesitation, "There are several mountains near Shenjiazhuang, but the villagers only go to a few of them most often. It won't be a problem if we go a little further away."

"Oh." Su Tai didn't press the matter further. As she turned around, she whispered, "I haven't forgotten the grain you borrowed from me. I'll return it to you in two months."

The half-acre of wheat she planted in the Earth Time and Space is growing well, and if nothing unexpected happens, it will be a bumper harvest. Even if she can only get half of it, it will still be a lot for her.

When Xu arrived, she saw this scene and laughed so hard her face almost fell apart. She even took out two eggs that she had treasured and ran into the kitchen to cook for everyone.

When the vegetable soup was served, Su Chunlin saw the egg drop soup floating on top and was quite alarmed. "Second Aunt, you've gone to too much trouble!"

They came empty-handed, but were treated with great hospitality; they were too embarrassed to eat.

Xu ignored this and went over to call Shen Yi's second uncle, Shen Zhuang, to sit with him.

Now Su Chunlin had no choice but to eat it.

At the dinner table, Madam Xu shed a few tears as she spoke of Shen Yi's engagement being broken off by the Mo family. "Our Shen Yi has such a hard life! He lost his parents at a young age, and now he's being bullied by that ungrateful wretch. My sister-in-law entrusted Shen Yi to me before she passed away, but I failed to take good care of him. I won't even have the face to see my sister-in-law after I die! Waaah!"

Shen Zhuang was an honest, taciturn man, and seeing Xu Shi like this, he also sighed.

Su Chunlin quickly comforted her, "Shen Yi's second aunt, don't be sad. I've already gone to the Mo family to stand up for Shen Yi, but unfortunately, that girl from the Mo family refuses to marry, and there's nothing I can do. However, I think that girl has been spoiled rotten by Mo Laotian and is not good enough for our Shen Yi. It's fine if she doesn't want her. We'll find Shen Yi a better one later."

"I think your daughter is quite good." Xu said in a hurry, then realized her mistake and quickly corrected herself, "What I mean is that your daughter is well-raised. She is fair-skinned, gentle, and quick-witted. She is obviously a good girl."

"That's right!" Su Chunlin said with particular pride, then changed the subject, saying, "It's just that this girl's marriage has been full of twists and turns. Originally, our family and the Xiong family had arranged a marriage between our children, but the Xiong family said that my daughter was stupid and broke off the engagement. Uncle and Aunt, do you think my daughter looks stupid?"

"Nonsense! This girl is clever, beautiful, and quick-witted. What kind of fool looks like this! The Xiong family is so ungrateful!" Xu cursed loudly, but she was secretly overjoyed. Her eyes swept back and forth between Shen Yi and Su Tai, and she felt more and more hopeful about this marriage.

After meal.

Xu secretly pulled Shen Yi aside and whispered, "What do you think of this girl from the Su family?"

Shen Yi immediately understood Xu's plan. Recalling his interactions with Su Tai, his heart raced involuntarily, and his lips tightened.

The night was dark, and Xu could not see Shen Yi's expression. She urged, "I think the Su family has raised their child very well. Miss Su is also pretty and has a very gentle personality. She is much better than that Mo family girl."

Although Miss Su's engagement was broken off, gold shines wherever it is, and she certainly won't have trouble finding a husband. If you don't hurry, you might miss your chance.

(End of this chapter)