A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

However, she clearly wasn't in the mood to dwell on that right now.

The oxcart was piled with many things. The most eye-catching were two large bundles of objects wrapped tightly in coarse cloth. They looked fluffy and heavy, like newly fluffed cotton quilts. There were also some needles, thread, cloth, oil and salt containers, and other odds and ends, which were piled up like a small mountain.

There are several other people here, how could there possibly be enough room for everyone to sit?

Chen Hua tapped his pipe, stood up, looked at the things being pushed on the cart, and then at their large and small bundles, and his brows furrowed.

"It just so happens that you all bought so much stuff today. Our car is small, and I'm afraid we can't possibly fit it all in. If we force it in, the bumpy ride will cause things to fall off, and it will be uncomfortable and unsafe for the passengers."

Everyone fell silent. It was a distance of ten or twenty li from the county town to the village. Taking an oxcart didn't seem too far, but walking...

The atmosphere froze for a moment, and no one spoke. Seeing the awkward silence, Chen Wanxing took the first step back.

"Uncle Chen, ladies, please don't make things difficult for us. Since there's no room, we won't sit down."

All eyes turned to her.

"There are many of us, so we can rent another car in the county town to go back. That way, everyone's things can fit, and there will be plenty of room for everyone. Uncle Chen, you guys go back first."

Rent a car?

Chen Hua, who was circling the car trying to get them to squeeze in and get everyone on board, looked up at Chen Wanxing to see if she was joking. Renting a car was not cheap; it was much more expensive than taking the village's oxcart.

But seeing Chen Wanxing's calm yet resolute expression, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That works too. I'll help you unload these two bags of grain and then head back."

He had difficulty walking, so Chen Yanche quickly went to help him.

Chen Wanxing looked at her younger brother's figure and pondered for a moment. She had walked a lot today and was indeed a little tired. She was really too lazy to move now, and there were still so many goods to watch over.

Besides, there's always a first time for everything, so why not just let him go?

"Che-ge'er, go to the car dealership and rent a sturdy mule cart or horse-drawn carriage. Just tell the driver you want to go to Xiahe Village. Once you've rented it, bring it directly here. Your sisters and I will be waiting for you here."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yanche indeed became a little nervous, rubbing his hands together and saying, "Sis, am I going alone? I'm afraid I won't explain things well and will be fooled."

Just as Chen Wanxing was about to offer him a few more words of encouragement, she saw Chen Yanche's eyes light up as he looked at Tian Chuan standing to the side. "Brother Chuan, you often come to the county to sell your game, so you must know where the cart dealership is, right? Could you come with me and help me check it out?"

He paused, then, as if remembering something, quickly added, "Once the car is rented, you can ride back with us. That way, you won't have to squeeze into Uncle Chen's car anymore, and you'll save on your fare."

When Tagawa was suddenly called out, his body stiffened slightly.

He looked up and glanced at Chen Wanxing quickly and subconsciously. Seeing that she was looking at him and had not objected to Chen Yanche's words, his heart skipped a beat. He swallowed and suppressed his panic.

He gave a muffled "hmm" in agreement, his face expressionless, but he had already moved over.

Seeing that Chen Yanche had found help, Chen Wanxing was relieved and nodded slightly to Tian Chuan: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Tian."

Tian Chuan felt that the voice was clear and cold, but it made his ears burn even hotter. He nodded haphazardly and then said to Chen Yanche in a low voice, "Let's go, I know the place."

After saying that, he took the lead and walked in one direction. His steps were quick, as if he wanted to escape this scene that made him feel lost. Chen Yanche quickly said to his sister, "Sister, wait for me," and then jogged to catch up with Tian Chuan.

Chen Wanxing was left with her three younger sisters, guarding the huge pile of spoils on the ground.

Chen Yanche and Tian Chuan returned faster than expected, less than fifteen minutes later, in a mule cart. The cart had a carriage that was clean, spacious, and lined with straw mats, which Chen Wanxing found quite satisfactory.

"Sister," Chen Yanche jumped off the cart, his face showing excitement at completing his mission, "The cart is rented. This trip will cost eighty coins."

Chen Wanxing nodded and paid the driver. Chen Yanche carried the two heaviest bags of rice and flour to the back of the carriage.

Tagawa walked forward silently, without saying a word, and bent down to pick up the other things. He moved quickly and carefully placed the fragile oil-paper-wrapped snacks on top of the rice bag.

Chen Wanxing wanted to lend a hand, but seeing how quickly they moved, she didn't. After they were settled, she took her sisters into the car.

Leaving the bustling county town, the mule cart was much faster than the oxcart. Inside the cart, my younger sister, who had been traveling all morning and had a hearty meal, gradually became drowsy under the rhythmic swaying and warm sunshine.

Qing Sui leaned on Chen Wanxing's shoulder, her eyes already narrowed. Qiu Ju and Dong Mei also leaned on each other, their heads nodding slightly.

Chen Wanxing, holding her sisters, was also feeling a little tired. The mule cart hadn't stopped for a while, and before she knew it, she saw the familiar intersection of Xiahe Village.

As soon as the mule cart stopped at the gate, several children who were playing there saw Chen Yanche lifting the curtain and swarmed around him like a flock of chattering sparrows.

"Sis!" Chen Yanxin's eyes sparkled. "Did you buy anything nice?"

"Do you have any candy?" Youcong stood on tiptoe, clinging to the car floor, his mouth practically watering.

Chen Wanxing smiled and got out of the car first, then reached out and lifted the youngest child, Youcong, away from the car wheels to prevent him from getting hit.

"Yes, we have them all," Chen Wanxing said with a smile, taking out several sugar figurines she had specially brought back from the county town from the oil paper package beside her. She bent down and first handed a little tiger to the eager Youcong, "Take good care of it, and be careful not to break it."

The children cheered when they saw Chen Wanxing take out the sugar figurines. Chen Wanxing looked at them gently and gave one to each of them.

Just as she was about to hand the last sugar figurine to Chen Yanxin, who was furthest away from her, a small head suddenly peeked out from behind him.

It was a boy of about six or seven years old, about the same age as Chen Yanxin. He was wearing a slightly ill-fitting cotton shirt with sleeves that were a bit too long, and his face was covered in dust. He was staring intently at the sugar figurine that Brother Xin was about to receive.

For a moment, the atmosphere became subtly awkward. The strange boy, seeing that Chen Wanxing had the last one, became even more piercing in his gaze, his chest heaving slightly.

Chen Wanxing reacted quickly, her smile remaining unchanged but softening slightly as she steadily placed the sugar figurine in Chen Yanxin's hand: "Brother Xin, take this."

Then she turned around very naturally and took out a candied hawthorn wrapped in oil paper from another small basket on the mule cart.