After being forced to leave the marriage, I became the wife of a top scholar.

Chapter 106 Returning
Not only the Lin family, but also Bai Wanqing enjoyed the meal very much.

After the meal, Cui refused to let Bai Wanqing do anything more. "Wanqing, our family is just an ordinary farming family. We don't have as many rules as those in a traditional mansion. Listen to me, you and Datou should go back to your room and rest now."

"Leave this to me!"

Bai Wanqing still couldn't adapt. She remembered when she was in the Meng family, when Madam Fang personally took charge, not only making Bai Wanqing learn to greet her like a member of a wealthy family, but also making her stand properly from time to time.

Now, comparing them, the Chen family and the Cui family are truly worlds apart.

Seeing Bai Wanqing suddenly lost in thought, Lin Yunche immediately stepped forward and took her hand. "Mother told you to rest, so you should rest first. From now on, you can leave these chores to me if you don't want to do them."

Seeing her son's proactive manner, Madam Cui secretly gave Lin Feiyun a meaningful look.

Lin Feiyun muttered to himself, "I knew it. Although our son says he doesn't want to get married, if he does, he'll definitely be a loving husband."

Madam Cui rolled her eyes and laughed, "You think you know so much?" But she was genuinely satisfied. Her son seemed to have some flesh and blood now, unlike before, when he was just a machine that only knew how to take revenge.

Lin Yunche led Bai Wanqing back to the house, and then realized that he had just naturally held her hand, and his handsome face suddenly turned red.

"Um, um, do you remember when I told you we were going to Huaizhou?" Lin Yunche casually started a conversation.

"Hmm!" Bai Wanqing still felt a little reluctant when she thought about it.

Lin Yunche noticed her expression and said, "Don't worry, the capital of Huaizhou and our Huai'an County aren't that far apart. If you miss home, we'll come back to visit."

Bai Wanqing then smiled again, "Have you decided when we'll set off?"

"I want to pack up all the things in this house and send them over two days in advance!"

"I was just about to discuss this with you!" With that, Lin Yunche handed his appointment letter to Bai Wanqing from his pocket.

This was the first time Bai Wanqing had seen an official appointment document. It listed Lin Yunche's name and his official title. "Isn't there only five days left?"

Lin Yunche nodded helplessly, looking apologetic. He knew that rushing things would make his family even more tired.

Bai Wanqing thought for a moment and said, "Since there's not much time left, why don't we start packing today?"

Then Bai Wanqing began to consider what they had left. Fortunately, Lin Yunche had already sent some of it over. "Now all that's left are the things I brought and the things temporarily set up in this courtyard."

"Let's hire two more carriages; maybe we can fit them all."

"By the way, do you have any things to take from Linjia Village? If so, why don't we go to Linjia Village first and move them over here?"

Lin Yunche looked at Bai Wanqing with a smile on his face and replied, "You don't need to move your things from Linjia Village. My parents will still be living here."

Bai Wanqing was taken aback, and Lin Yunche immediately explained, "They're used to living here. It's not too late to let them go when they want to."

Bai Wanqing responded softly, but she knew in her heart that this was not something she should delve into, so she listened to Lin Yunche's arrangements.

However, she had already discussed the moving with Lin Yunche. They would pack up the things in the courtyard today, and after their return visit to their parents' home tomorrow, they would set off from here. This way, they could arrive at the Huaizhou government office two days before Lin Yunche took office.

Lin Yunche also thought it was a good idea, and the two of them decided on this.

So in the afternoon, they packed up all their things with Ruixin, and Lin Yunche also gave the lease for the courtyard to Cui Shi, agreeing on when to return the courtyard.

After everything was arranged, it was already late at night, and Bai Wanqing began packing the things she would bring for her homecoming the next day.

Feeling sorry for her, Lin Yunche brought the food to her room.

Bai Wanqing immediately stopped what she was doing. "Why did you bring it inside? I'll be done soon. We can go to the front hall and eat with everyone."

Bai Wanqing felt genuinely embarrassed that she hadn't cooked in the first place and was now eating indoors.

Lin Yunche didn't care. "It's alright. Mother and the others eat in their own yard. If you go out now, they'll have to move out of the yard."

Bai Wanqing immediately knew that this was a special arrangement made by Madam Cui to ease her burden, and feeling warmed, she no longer declined.

The next day, Bai Wanqing got up early. To her surprise, Lin Yunche got up even earlier than her and had already loaded all the things she had prepared the day before onto the carriage. Not only that, but he also added many more things.

"Husband, what's wrong?"

Lin Yunche smiled and said, "I've already married someone else's daughter, so I should at least show some filial piety."

Bai Wanqing didn't say anything more, and the two of them rode back to the Bai family in a carriage.

While Bai Wanqing had enjoyed a peaceful and comfortable stay at the Lin family's residence these past two days, the Bai family had weathered another storm. First, there were congratulatory messages, especially from the Bai family's branches. These branches had previously become somewhat distant from Bai Chenming's lineage; even on Bai Wanqing's wedding day, only her great-uncle and a few of his uncles attended.

But upon hearing that Bai Wanqing had married the current top scholar, they immediately became interested and sent gifts, saying they would visit her when they had time.

But most of the ridicule came from those close to Madam Huang, who mocked the Bai family for being too powerful and said that even though the Bai family's daughter had become a concubine, she had not given up her ambition to become the mistress of the house. No wonder Madam Huang had embarrassed the Bai family that day.

But today was, after all, the return visit to the bride's parents' home, so the Bai family took it very seriously. When Bai Wanqing arrived, Bai Furong and Du Huan had already come to the Bai family home, and Uncle Liu had been waiting at the door for a long time, looking around and waiting for them to return.

"Uncle Liu!" Bai Wanqing called out as she lifted the curtain.

Uncle Liu immediately jogged over to greet them. He first paid his respects to the new son-in-law before speaking to Bai Wanqing, "Miss, Madam and Master are already waiting in the front hall. Please hurry over."

After saying that, she leaned down and whispered in Bai Wanqing's ear, "Master, I've been worried about you for two whole days."

Bai Wanqing glanced at Uncle Liu and nodded slightly. Uncle Liu's eyes reddened. He could tell that this time, the young lady had truly married the right person.

Last time when the young lady returned to her parents' home, her face was full of fear and sorrow, but this time it was all smiles.

Bai Chenming had been genuinely worried for two days. When he finally saw his daughter, he looked her up and down and only felt relieved after confirming that everything was alright.

Bai Chenming glanced at Lin Yunche, who knew his father-in-law had something to say to Bai Wanqing, so he pulled Du Huan to the side hall.

After the person left, Bai Chenming cautiously asked, "You already knew he was the top scholar?"

Bai Wanqing nodded slightly, "Young Master Lin had told me about it before, but only after the engagement, so I didn't know much earlier than you, Father."

Bai Chenming nodded. "If he's already the top scholar, why is he still living in Linjia Village?"

"Could there be something fishy going on here? Could it be another Meng Zhan? We can't let him fool us. We can always get a divorce."

Bai Wanqing explained to Bai Chenming in detail that Lin Yunche was the top scholar in the imperial examination and had already been appointed to an official position, and Bai Chenming finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"No wonder the Lin family said that you would live in the prefectural capital after you got married. So he's going to become an official in the prefectural capital!"

"We never expected this kid to be so cunning. We really underestimated him back then."

Although Bai Chenming was complaining, he was secretly very proud. Who would have thought that he could become the father-in-law of the top scholar? Now he was not only the top scholar, but also the father-in-law of the prefect. Even the Du and Hu families in Huai'an County could not compare to him now.

Bai Chenming was only smug for a few minutes before he saw Qiu Wen come to the front hall to find him.

"Master, the Third Miss has arrived at the door. Madam said everyone should go and greet her."

Bai Chenming sighed, slowly stood up, and said, "Understood! We'll go now."

Bai Wanqing also wanted to go with her father, but Bai Chenming stopped her, saying, "Qing'er, you shouldn't go. After all, you are now a relative of the official, so you should still consider your reputation."

Bai Wanqing then went to the side hall to find Lin Yunche instead of going there herself.

Of course, Du Huan and Fu Rong went, and soon a group of people came in noisily.

Bai Qinglian's expression was not good, and when she caught sight of Bai Wanqing and her husband drinking tea in the side hall, she became even angrier.

Seeing that Bai Qinglian had returned alone, Madam Chen was even more furious and cursed, "The Huang family is really going too far. They have repeatedly disregarded our Bai family."

"Master, are we just going to let this go?"

Bai Chenming didn't want to discuss this matter, but seeing that Madam Chen was about to cause trouble again, he said helplessly, "Lian'er is just a concubine, so there's no such thing as a homecoming ceremony. Please stop making a fuss."

Upon hearing her father's words, Bai Qinglian's eyes immediately welled up with tears. "Father, although I am a concubine, I was once your precious treasure! Do you now think that I am not as well-off as my elder sisters and second elder sisters, and therefore no longer support me?"

Seeing Bai Qinglian shed tears, Bai Chenming naturally felt extremely distressed.

"I understand, I will go to the Huang family again. Stop crying and go back to the courtyard to tidy up." Bai Chenming didn't want his son-in-law to laugh at him, so he sent him back to the courtyard first. Chen Shi followed him, worried.

Furong wanted to comfort her third sister, but Chen stopped her.

She had no choice but to return to the flower hall, but as soon as she saw her older sister, she immediately put on a smile and ran over to Bai Wanqing's side.

Lin Yunche and Du Huan were summoned to Bai Chenming's study, while the two sisters returned to Bai Furong's courtyard to talk.

"Big sister, you don't know how wronged Third Sister was this time."

(End of this chapter)