Ch. 1341..1350
Chapter 1341: 1340 with a bit more space
As there were many elderly and children around, Tan Rou and her group had to wait a long time before a young couple came for a walk with their twin son and daughter.
The father carried the son, while the mother held the daughter. They were walking just fine when suddenly, the mother received a phone call that seemed to be from a friend, inviting her to go shopping right away.
The young mother glanced at her husband and children, then said, “No, I don’t have time today, let’s go another time.”
Her friend sounded a bit angry, and Tan Rou could hear her friend’s raised voice even through the phone.
“I’m sorry, I’ve been too busy lately, really don’t have the time to go out with you,” the young mother apologized.
Her friend was really angry and hung up the phone before she could finish speaking.
“Is your friend calling you to hang out again?” the young father said, “Let me take care of the kids. You haven’t been out shopping with friends for a long time. Why don’t you take this opportunity to have some fun and buy some stuff?”
The young mother shook her head, “Better not, it will be tiring for you to manage the kids alone.”
The man laughed and said, “Are you not tired when you take care of the kids alone? Sometimes you need to relax. You’re always at home and haven’t had the time to go out. If this continues, it could affect your mood, and you might easily become depressed.”
A smile appeared on the woman’s face, and she nodded, “Okay, then let’s take the kids home.”
The man said, “Alright, then you go ahead and have a good time for the next half of the day. Don’t worry about the kids, I’ll take good care of them at home.”
Then, the young couple took their children and went back home.
Tan Rou asked, “What do you think about their way of interacting with each other?”
Zhuang Liu said, “Their division of labor is quite clear, the wife stays at home taking care of the children, while the husband works outside to earn money.”
Tan Rou smiled and said, “Yes, their division of labor is indeed very clear, each person has their roles, and each person has their own space for activities. While the husband works outside, when he comes home, he still takes care of the children, not leaving them entirely to his wife. The wife is responsible for taking care of the children at home, but she also has friends. Her life is not only about her husband and children.”
Zhuang Liu pondered for a moment, then said, “Both husband and wife should give each other some space, to do their own things, right?”
“Exactly!” Tan Rou turned to look at Zhuang Liu, “Can we do that?”
Tan Rou surely could, as she never interfered too much with other people’s affairs; every time Zhuang Liu went on business trips, she would wait for him in the Capital, not insisting on going with him.
But it might not be so simple for Zhuang Liu. He was used to going out with Tan Rou, and changing this habit could be a bit difficult.
“I promise you, this time you go abroad for a business trip, I won’t follow you,” Zhuang Liu resolved, “I will wait for you to come back home.”
“If you’re worried about my safety, I will report my location at all times,” Tan Rou also conceded, “Have you forgotten about the products our company makes? I will carry the Locator with me, and if any accident happens, someone will immediately come to rescue me. Besides, don’t you have people in J country? Please arrange for someone to search and rescue me when the time comes.”
Zhuang Liu hoped such a thing would never happen, “Tan Rou, you must be careful about safety, never go out alone and in case of danger, protect yourself from getting hurt first, understand?”
Tan Rou naturally understood the importance of protecting herself and nodded, “Okay, I got it.”
Zhuang Liu continued, “Actually, I’ve been thinking a lot on the way here, and from last night until now, I haven’t closed my eyes for a moment. I’m afraid that if I close my eyes, you will never come back.”
Tan Rou took his hand and said, “Zhuang Liu, we are adults now, and sometimes we need to give each other some space.”
“Hmm,” Zhuang Liu said, “Our Tan Rou is a big boss now, can’t be protected like a child anymore.”
Tan Rou happily said, “I’m glad you understand my thoughts. Let’s go to my place tonight and have dinner while we’re there.”
“Sure,” Zhuang Liu nodded.
Chapter 1342: The initial feeling of 1341
Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu had temporarily come to an agreement. Zhuang Liu promised Tan Rou that this time when she went on a business trip, he wouldn’t follow her, nor would he constantly monitor her whereabouts; if Tan Rou didn’t voluntarily tell him where she was, he wouldn’t ask.
After their conversation, they sat together and shared a meal, as if they had returned to their dating days.
Zhuang Liu peeled shrimp for Tan Rou, and she habitually bit off a mouthful of shrimp. Only after swallowing did she realize that she was still at odds with Zhuang Liu, which seemed to dawn on him as well.
He smiled briefly and picked up another cooked shrimp, saying, “It seems we are just like before.”
Tan Rou put down her chopsticks and said very seriously, “That’s how it should be between us.”
“Mm,” Zhuang Liu nodded before continuing to peel shrimp for Tan Rou.
Tan Rou also occasionally picked out dishes for Zhuang Liu, and both of them seemed to enjoy the meal greatly.
After dinner, both had to return to work, but they had agreed to meet again in the evening to have dinner at the Tao family’s old house, with Tan Rou driving to pick up Zhuang Liu.
Zhuang Liu agreed to the proposal.
At 5:30 in the evening, Tan Rou finished her day’s work and drove to Zhuang Liu’s company to pick him up. She waited for him downstairs, not going upstairs to get him.
Zhuang Liu came out with Xiao Mo. Ever since Zhuang Liu and Tan Rou decided to live together, Xiao Mo stopped following Zhuang Liu to the head of the Zhuang family’s house and most of the time, Zhuang Liu would drive himself home. But today was different, Zhuang Liu didn’t have to drive himself back.
Xiao Mo spotted Tan Rou’s car at a glance and looked at Zhuang Liu in surprise, “Head of the family…”
Zhuang Liu signaled him to be silent, “Yes, today Tan Rou came to pick me up.”
Xiao Mo couldn’t help but feel happy for him, “Have you and Miss Rou made up?”
“Sort of,” Zhuang Liu smiled, “See, Tan Rou came to take me home for dinner.”
Xiao Mo replied with a smile, “As long as you two have made up. You go ahead then; I’ll wait here for Assistant Bai.”
Assistant Bai was Bai Yin. Today it was Bai Yin’s turn to drive, as the Capital had a vehicle restriction system, and Xiao Mo and Bai Yin’s cars were on alternate days, allowing them to drive out every day.
Zhuang Liu opened the car door, and Tan Rou suddenly handed him a cup of juice, “The weather is a bit hot, have a drink first.”
Looking at the cup of icy beverage, Zhuang Liu felt a surge of emotion. Before they started dating, Tan Rou often brought him juice made from fresh fruit.
After they got together, their busy work and studies meant they had less time to see each other, resulting in hurried meals when they did meet, or a quick stroll somewhere, almost forgetting the habit of drinking juice.
“I saw someone selling freshly squeezed orange juice by the roadside, so I bought a cup on impulse, see if it suits your taste?” Tan Rou handed over the drink and stopped looking Zhuang Liu’s way, as if she was a bit embarrassed.
Zhuang Liu felt like they had gone back to the beginning of their relationship and unconsciously nodded, “Yes, this drink is very much to my liking.”
Tan Rou looked at him, then said with a smile, “Do you want to consider what you’re saying? You haven’t even opened the drink yet. How can you taste it?”
Zhuang Liu answered with slight embarrassment, “A drink from you is bound to be delicious, I don’t need to taste it to know.”
Tan Rou laughed, her eyes curving, “You used to say that too, but back then, it wasn’t always about drinks. Sometimes it was a pastry, sometimes a bag of candy. We were both so happy then, always finding each other’s gestures delightful.”
Back then, Zhuang Liu also loved to follow Tan Rou wherever she went, always finding a way to be there, even when buying a house, he’d pay a premium to buy the one next to Tan Rou’s house.
“Let’s try to give each other some space right from the start,” Tan Rou suggested, “Once we’ve formed the habit, we won’t have arguments over it.”
Zhuang Liu agreed, “Alright, I’ll follow your plan.”
He took a sip and suddenly found today’s orange juice to be very sweet. It must have been Tan Rou adding an extra bit of sugar. Yet this orange juice was not cloying at all, but rather delicious.
Chapter 1343: 1342 Greenhouse Talk
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When they returned to the old house, the rest of the Tao family was waiting at the entrance, including Tao Zhi and Tian Tian who hadn’t come back for a long time, standing at the door to greet them.
Seeing their car approaching, the Tao family immediately went up to welcome them. Tan Rou, upon seeing such a display, didn’t drive to the parking lot herself; instead, she got out of the car, handed it over to the family driver to park, and together with Zhuang Liu, started unloading the gifts they bought for the family.
“Grandpa Grandma, Mom and Dad, long time no see,” Zhuang Liu greeted them with a smile.
Although the parents of the Tao family knew about the troubles between Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu, you don’t hit a smiling face; since Zhuang Liu had come to the house, they couldn’t snub him.
“Xiao Zhuang is here,” Mother Tao said with a beaming smile, “We haven’t seen you for a long time. After dinner, let’s sit in the greenhouse for a while. Your dad and I have something to talk to you about. Also, you don’t have to go back tonight, just sleep here.”
Father Tao had wanted to stop Mother Tao from continuing, because they weren’t sure if Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu had reconciled. If Zhuang Liu was asked to stay suddenly, it might make their daughter unhappy.
However, the attitude of Tan Rou assuaged his worries, “Mom, Zhuang Liu has been working very hard. When you talk to him tonight, please focus on the main points. After the talk, we will go to sleep. We need to get up early tomorrow for work.”
Mother Tao was taken aback. Since Tan Rou had spoken this way, it meant they had made up.
The rest of the Tao family hadn’t noticed anything unusual between them and thought that Tan Rou and Zhuang Liu had come back just for a meal.
“Let’s go inside and talk, there are too many bugs outside, we can’t let them bite you,” Grandma Tao suddenly said. “Eh? Tan Rou, why didn’t your boyfriend come with you?”
Grandma Tao’s words silenced everyone; Grandpa Tao shed a few silent tears and gently said, “Have you forgotten again? Tan Rou’s boyfriend has already married her. They are not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore, but husband and wife.”
Grandma Tao came back to her senses and nodded, “Yes, that’s right, I forgot again.”
Zhuang Liu could tell from the way Grandma Tao spoke what had happened. No wonder Tan Rou wanted to bring him back to see her grandmother; it was to help the elderly lady remember him more, in case she forgot who he was after an episode.
After dinner, Mother Tao didn’t go with Zhuang Liu; instead, she took Tan Rou and Tian Tian to talk with Grandma Tao. Tan Rou also wanted to take Grandma Tao’s pulse to check her current health condition.
Father Tao, on the other hand, took Zhuang Liu aside into the greenhouse alone, claiming he wanted to have a chat with his son-in-law and for others not to disturb them.
This made Tao Zhi and Tao Zheng quite puzzled; they usually didn’t have such a phenomenon when talking, so why did their father take Zhuang Liu away alone today?
Tao Zheng stroked his chin and said, “Why would father want to take Zhuang Liu away alone? Do they have something to talk about that we can’t hear?”
After a moment of contemplation, Tao Zhi said, “Since you’re so curious, why don’t you go over there and eavesdrop? The windows of the greenhouse are all open; you just need to crouch down below the window, and you can hear their conversation.”
Tao Zheng didn’t want to go alone, so he dragged Tao Zhi with him, “If you’re my brother, we’ll go together. If we get reprimanded by father later, you better stand in front of me.”
“Why?” Tao Zhi asked, puzzled.
Tao Zheng said, “Because you’re the older brother, and the older brother should set an example.”
Tao Zhi walked away speechlessly, “If you don’t go now, you’ll miss what father is saying to Zhuang Liu.”
Tao Zheng hurried after him, “Wait for me a moment, we’ll go together.”
Inside the greenhouse, Father Tao had ordered the servants to prepare the tea set. He planned to discuss the matter of Zhuang Liu and Tan Rou while offering him tea.
“You don’t need to be nervous, I won’t eat you,” seeing Zhuang Liu’s restraint, Father Tao couldn’t help but say, “I know everything about you and Tan Rou. I didn’t call you here today to scold you, just to have a chat.”
Father Tao found it rather amusing. Zhuang Liu was even more nervous today than the first day he came, and it was rare to see Zhuang Liu so flustered. If the situation had allowed, he would have liked to capture Zhuang Liu’s expression and show it to Mother Tao.
“Sit down,” Father Tao said. “There are some things I want to talk to you about.”
Chapter 1344: Respect a bit more at 1343
Zhuang Liu sat in the chair opposite, and Father Tao sat down to make tea. The stove on the table was rumbling and puffing out steam, and Zhuang Liu’s heart was churning just like this kettle, endlessly roiling.
“We already know about the disagreement between you and Tan Rou,” Father Tao didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point, “Tan Rou has told us about the reasons for your conflict, but we can’t just take her word for it, so we wanted to ask you about the real reasons behind the conflict, to see if they match what she said.”
Zhuang Liu could understand Father Tao’s point of view. He said, “Tan Rou wants to take a team to visit J-country, and I am worried about her safety, so I want to go with her. But Tan Rou isn’t too happy about it; she feels that she has grown up and shouldn’t be followed by someone else.”
Father Tao smiled. This young man, Zhuang Liu, was still very honest; what he said matched Tan Rou’s story, and the main problem still lay with Zhuang Liu.
“Your intentions are good,” Father Tao acknowledged Zhuang Liu’s concern, but he didn’t agree with Zhuang Liu’s approach, “but your actions were very improper.”
Zhuang Liu opened his mouth but in the end, could not say anything.
Seeing his expression, Father Tao knew he felt aggrieved—clearly, he meant well for Tan Rou, so why didn’t anyone understand?
Father Tao said, “We only have this one daughter, Tan Rou, and I’m sure you are well aware of that. The Tao family treats Tan Rou as a treasure, absolutely unwilling to see her get even a little hurt.”
Zhuang Liu was also unwilling to see Tan Rou get hurt. He said, “Dad, my thoughts are the same, which is why I wanted to go with Tan Rou to J-country. J-country is quite chaotic, and I worry about her being there alone.”
“Tan Rou married into your Zhuang family alone, and I worry about her too,” Father Tao squinted and said, “Or maybe I should have Tan Rou come back to live with us, or we should live with her. I am not saying that her mother and I should move into the Zhuang family home, but that our whole family should go, including our household staff.”
The Zhuang family’s home could definitely accommodate the Tao family, but it wouldn’t be appropriate for the entire Tao family to live there, as it would bring many inconveniences.
“I… I…” Zhuang Liu stuttered for a long time, unable to complete his sentence.
“If you can’t bear to be away from her, do you think we can?” Father Tao raised his voice, “But we still agreed to your marriage, not because our daughter had to get married when she grew up, but because she is our daughter, and we respect her choices!”
“Yes, I understand I was wrong,” Zhuang Liu conceded and said, “We have already discussed it, and I won’t be following her on her trip abroad to discuss the project.”
“Not just this one time, I hope you won’t follow her around all the time in the future. She is an adult and has her own space for activities; she shouldn’t be restricted by others,” Father Tao said. “She respects your work, and you should also respect hers. Don’t be bound by traditional concepts. Do you understand?”
Zhuang Liu nodded, then asked, “Is that how mom and dad also got along?”
Father Tao smiled and replied, “I have never interfered with your mom’s affairs. She likes to travel, and when she needs me, I will definitely accompany her. But she also goes out with her girlfriends, and then I won’t follow her or bother her with constant messages; I’ll just ask her when she’s free about the places she visited that day, if she can share some of the scenery with me. She is always happy to tell me where she went that day and what she saw.”
Zhuang Liu had a moment of clarity; indeed, the older one gets, the more solutions one finds.
“Dad, is that how you find out about mom’s whereabouts?” Zhuang Liu asked.
Father Tao gave a light cough, murmuring, “Don’t talk nonsense. I just ask her to share some scenic photos and interesting events; I’m not trying to track her movements.”
“Dad, I understand,” Zhuang Liu said. “I won’t be going with Tan Rou.”
Father Tao smiled and nodded, “Good, if there are any unsolvable issues in the future, you can tell us. Your parents are not bad people; we always want what’s best for you both.”
Zhuang Liu expressed his gratitude, “Yes, I understand.”
Outside the window, Tao Zhi and Tao Zheng, having eavesdropped on the conversation inside, slipped away. Today’s eavesdropping was worthwhile because they learned a method from their father.
Chapter 1345: Memory Decline 1344
Mother Tao took her daughter and daughter-in-law to talk with Grandma Tao. After Tian Tian got married, she and Tao Zhi had moved out. Their place was far from here. Tao Zhi was working, and Tian Tian was studying; they usually didn’t come back.
On the weekends when the young couple did have some free time, they would either go out for fun or just stay at home watching television, not visiting here.
The last time Tian Tian came to the old house was after being kidnapped, and she stayed here to recover for a while. Back then, Grandma Tao’s condition wasn’t as severe; she only sometimes had poor memory but could still recognize people.
In just a few months, the old lady’s memory had declined significantly, often reminiscing about the past. Sometimes, she even mistook the young maids in the house for Tao Yue, insistent on firing them. This forced Mother Tao to transfer all the young maids and only keep the older ones to care for her.
“Grandma, we’ve come to see you,” Tan Rou said gently, holding Grandma Tao’s hand, “How has your card playing been lately? Have you won any money?”
Grandma Tao remembered Tan Rou and the rules of playing cards; even if she couldn’t recognize people, she could recognize cards. Hearing Tan Rou mention cards immediately brightened her spirits.
Grandma Tao said with a smile, “Yes, just yesterday afternoon, I was playing cards with your second aunt and them, and I won 500 yuan. Your aunt is really too clumsy, always dealing me the cards I need.”
Mother Tao said with a smile, “Mom, it’s because you’re so skilled.”
Grandma Tao said very proudly, “Of course, my card-playing skills are the best. No one in the family can beat me except for Tan Rou.”
The others didn’t know what to say; they had all seen Grandma Tao’s card-playing skills—neither good nor bad, just terribly unlucky and weak.
“Now that you’re all here, join me for a game,” Grandma Tao suddenly suggested, regaining her clarity, “You’re all so busy, we hardly see each other all year round. Today, if one kid wasn’t out traveling, then another was away working. We agreed to meet up on weekends, but there’s always someone excusing themselves from meals.”
Her words made everyone feel uncomfortable. They indeed had their jobs, and everyone had their own careers; emergencies were unpredictable. Without everyone present, the gathering would always be incomplete.
“Mom, you still have some of us daughters-in-law with you,” Mother Tao said, holding Grandma Tao’s hand, “We won’t miss it.”
“Ah, when you get old, you just want all your children around you, but such good things are hard to come by,” Grandma Tao said, feeling melancholic, “Eldest daughter-in-law, call Xiao Qi for me, it’s been so long since I’ve seen him.”
Tao Qi had enrolled in a short-term study tour program during the summer break and had left even before having a chance to dine with the family.
Mother Tao said, “Mom, it’s midnight over there; Xiao Qi’s already asleep. Let’s call him tomorrow at noon, it will be his afternoon.”
Grandma Tao looked regretful, “Ah, by the time he comes back, I may not even remember him.”
Tan Rou said firmly, “Grandma, you will definitely remember him.”
Grandma Tao looked at her granddaughter and smiled faintly, “Tan Rou, I know you are very skilled in medicine, but you’re not omnipotent, you can heal injuries, but you can’t cure mental illnesses.”
“There must be a way to treat you,” Tears appeared in Tan Rou’s eyes again, “Do you believe me?”
Grandma Tao nodded gently, “Okay, I believe you.”
After a while, Grandma Tao became confused again. When she was confused, she seemed happier than when she was lucid. Seeing everyone in the room, she said joyfully, “You’re all here! Just in time, today I had the kitchen take out my long-stored bird’s nests; let’s have bird’s nest soup.”
Tan Rou had to remind Grandma Tao, “Grandma, we just finished dinner half an hour ago.”
Grandma Tao was taken aback, touching her stomach, seeming not hungry, “Did we already eat? Then let’s have bird’s nest tomorrow morning.”
A maid came over with warm water and medicine, “Old Madam, it’s time for your medicine.”
Chapter 1346: 1345 often come back
Grandma Tao reacted strongly. She looked at herself and then patted her belly, “What medicine am I supposed to take? Am I sick?”
The servant glanced at Mother Tao, who immediately said, “Mom, this isn’t medicine for sickness but to prevent sickness, it’s a health supplement.”
Although the old lady’s memory was not good, she still had common sense, “You can’t just take health supplements randomly. They are all scams targeting the elderly, I can’t take them.”
This made Mother Tao somewhat embarrassed. She wished she hadn’t mentioned they were health supplements.
Tan Rou added, “Grandma, this isn’t just any health supplement. I made this especially for you. After taking it, you’ll be able to run very fast and jump high.”
Grandma Tao laughed at her words, “At my age, how fast can I even run? But since it’s something Tan Rou made for me, I surely will take it.” She grabbed the medicinal pills and swallowed them in one go.
Actually, Grandma Tao’s memory was already very poor at that time. Had she been normal, she definitely could have told that it wasn’t something Tan Rou made. The medicinal pills made by Tan Rou were darker in color, not white at all.
After taking the medicine, Grandma Tao felt sleepy, but with so many children around, she didn’t want to rest, so she pushed herself to keep talking with the children.
“Tan Rou, I heard from your mother that you’re going overseas, is it for studying?” Grandma Tao suddenly remembered this and still thought Tan Rou was in high school, “The educational environment abroad might not be as good as it is here. Consider it carefully before you decide.”
Tan Rou did not argue with Grandma Tao’s words, she obediently said, “Okay, I’ll think it over carefully.”
Then Grandma Tao turned to Tian Tian, “Yue Yue, your parents and grandparents love you very much. You absolutely must not do anything bad and must get along well with your sister Tan Rou, understand?”
“Who’s Yue Yue?” Tian Tian looked confused, “My nickname isn’t Yue Yue.”
Tan Rou whispered, “Tao Yue is a child adopted by my uncle and aunt. She had left the Tao family before you arrived here.”
“Oh.” Seeing everyone’s awkward expressions, Tian Tian realized that Tao Yue must not have left the Tao family under normal circumstances, something must have happened.
“Yue Yue, Grandma is talking to you, did you hear?” When Grandma Tao didn’t get a response from Tian Tian, she became very angry, “Are you secretly cursing your sister Tan Rou again?”
“No, no.” Tian Tian shook her head quickly, “I wasn’t cursing sister Tan Rou, I will get along nicely with sister Tan Rou… Sister Tan Rou soon.”
After talking about Tan Rou and Tian Tian, Grandma Tao shifted her gaze to her own younger daughter, “Daughter, the Jin family hasn’t caused you any trouble, have they? If they come bothering you, tell your mom and dad. Even at the cost of this old life, I will get justice for you.”
The Jin family no longer dared to trouble Tan Rou’s aunt, and her children had also been taken back. They even had protection now, and if anyone from the Jin family dared approach, they would be out of luck.
“Mom, don’t worry, with your protection, I won’t have any trouble,” Mother Tao said with tears in her eyes.
Afterward, Grandma Tao repeatedly advised all the daughters-in-law to be more patient with their husbands, never to argue with them, and to always tell her about any troubles they encountered so that she could decide for them.
As she talked, Grandma Tao began to feel sleepy. The medicine was kicking in, and it was time for her to sleep.
“Mom, Mom…” Mother Tao gently called twice and, making sure Grandma Tao was already asleep, she said, “Let’s clean her up a bit and let her rest for now.”
Normally, after taking her medication, Grandma Tao would take a bath. But today, because she had spent so much time talking with the children, she ended up falling asleep without getting the chance to take her bath.
A few daughters-in-law helped while Tan Rou and Tian Tian watched from the side.
Tian Tian rubbed her eyes, “Tan Rou, I feel like crying. Grandma doesn’t remember us anymore but still cares for us. And Tao Yue, Grandma must have loved her dearly back then.”
Tan Rou said, “Grandma loved Tao Yue very much, and so did my aunt, but their love didn’t touch Tao Yue. Instead, it intensified her resentment.”
Tian Tian said, “I don’t want Grandma to forget me.”
Tan Rou said, “Then visit her more often. That way she’ll remember us.”
Chapter 1347: Dialogues of 1346 maids
After Grandma Tao fell asleep, the others didn’t disturb her anymore, so Tan Rou and the rest returned to their own quarters. Tan Rou still lived at Yuanxi Manor, but Aunt Zhou wasn’t there anymore. Aunt Zhou was getting old, and Tan Rou didn’t want her running around too much.
The responsibility of caring for Tan Rou fell to two new maids who had never seen Tan Rou before and were not familiar with her habits. Unbeknownst to Tan Rou, they had made her bed.
The moment Tan Rou entered her room, she saw the two young maids making the bed, almost finished up to the foot of the bed. Although their bed-making skills were flawless, they had done what Tan Rou liked least.
“Who let you in?” Tan Rou asked coldly, “Didn’t the person in charge tell you? My room does not need to be tidied by others.”
The two maids were startled by Tan Rou’s voice.
One of the pretty maids immediately said, “Miss, I’m really sorry. We didn’t know about your preferences. We will be sure to remember next time.”
It was just a minor matter, and Tan Rou didn’t want to make a big deal of it. She nodded and said, “Hmm, don’t enter my room without my permission from now on, and certainly don’t touch my things, understand?”
The maid lowered her head and replied, “Yes, Miss.”
Tan Rou asked the maids to leave, and just as they were leaving, Zhuang Liu suddenly came in, saw that there were people in the room, and went out again.
Tan Rou was puzzled by his actions and asked, “What are you doing outside?”
From behind the wall, Zhuang Liu answered, “I was just talking with Dad. He said we should give each other some space.”
Tan Rou found it funny, “It’s time to sleep now; please go to sleep soon and don’t worry about space issues.”
Zhuang Liu came back in. The two maids hadn’t left yet. Seeing Zhuang Liu, they smiled and greeted him.
Zhuang Liu nodded at them and said, “Hmm.”
Then the maids left.
As the pretty maid reached the stairs, she looked back at Tan Rou’s room and said softly, “So that’s Miss’s husband, Mr. Zhuang, right? He’s so handsome!”
The other maid laughed, “Yeah, he and the Miss are a perfect match! The Miss is beautiful, and her husband is handsome, and both of them are so accomplished. It’s truly proper for them to be together.”
“But I heard they’ve been having arguments lately!” The pretty maid walked downstairs while continuing, “I heard those wealthy businessmen like arranged marriages. They don’t care whether the married couple likes each other or not; they just set them up together.”
The other maid realized what she meant but didn’t agree with her point, “Where did you hear that from? I had no idea. But Na Na, you shouldn’t worry about their affairs. Even if their marriage is unhappy, it’s not our place to comment.”
“Then don’t ask anymore. Anyway, that’s what I heard. What I want now is to find someone who truly loves me. Ideally, someone who is quite rich and incredibly kind and considerate,” Na Na said, “I don’t want to be a maid for anyone anymore. Every time I see those rich madams’ jewelry, I get so jealous; I wish I had those things too. Do you feel the same, Mei Mei?”
“Ah? You think that way?” Mei Mei, the maid, frowned, “Honestly, I don’t feel envious of them because everyone is different. You and I are orphans without that kind of background, so we can’t live their kind of life.”
“Isn’t this world supposed to be fair?” Na Na asked, “Why can’t I have a good life?”
Mei Mei disagreed with Na Na’s view and said, “Na Na, I think our life is already quite good. The rich madam is very kind to us. She gives us easy jobs, and yet the pay is generous. I believe it won’t be long before I can save up a good amount of money.”
Na Na shook her head and said, “You really are a person with no ambition. I really don’t want to be friends with you.”
Mei Mei hurriedly grabbed Na Na’s arm and said, “Don’t, Na Na. We’ve been friends since we were kids. How can you just ignore me like this?”
Na Na was a bit annoyed; she pulled her arm away from Mei Mei and said, “I’m tired. I’m going downstairs to rest.” After saying that, she took one more look at Tan Rou’s room before slowly heading downstairs.
Chapter 1348: 1347 Good morning, sir
Zhuang Liu had slept together with Tan Rou last night, and he woke up earlier in the morning, planning to run a few laps in the courtyard before coming back to wake Tan Rou.
Tan Rou had stayed up late searching for medical books last night, not going to bed until twelve, so Zhuang Liu wanted to let Tan Rou sleep in a little longer.
“Tan Rou stayed up a little late reading last night, and she’s still asleep now, so don’t go over and disturb her, let her come downstairs on her own,” Zhuang Liu instructed Mei Mei, “She doesn’t like strangers entering her room, so unless it’s something important, don’t go upstairs.”
Mei Mei nodded and said, “Alright, sir.” She then asked, “Do you need anything to eat now?”
Zhuang Liu said, “I am about to go running, so I won’t eat anything right now. But you can help me prepare a clean sports towel and bring it to me later.”
“Alright,” Mei Mei nodded.
While Zhuang Liu went off to run, Mei Mei went to find a sports towel for Zhuang Liu, but as she turned around, she saw Na Na already heading towards Zhuang Liu with a towel in hand.
Mei Mei wanted to call Na Na back, but she was worried she might disturb Tan Rou’s sleep, so she quietly followed behind.
Not only did Na Na bring a towel, but she also brought some food and drinks. She placed the items on a small tray and even arranged a few small flowers beside it, making the tray look very pretty.
After finishing a lap, Zhuang Liu slowed down. He saw someone standing at the crossroads waiting for him, holding a towel, and assumed it was the maid who had just brought the towel over.
So he reached out to take the towel, saying very politely, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Na Na said with a beaming smile.
Zhuang Liu didn’t pay much attention to Na Na, and after taking the towel, he continued his run. When he returned to the same spot, he found the maid who had brought the towel still there, so he stopped.
“Good morning, sir!” Na Na greeted him with a very gentle smile, “Are you tired? Would you like to sit down and rest a bit? Or would you care for something to eat?”
Zhuang Liu found this a bit odd, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint why, “You don’t need to wait here for me, go on with your tasks.”
But Na Na said, “There’s nothing else that needs to be done in the manor right now. The young miss is still resting, and Mei Mei is in the house, so I’ve got no tasks at the moment. I saw you were running just now and thought you might get hungry, so I prepared some drinks and snacks for you. If you’re hungry, have a little to tide you over.”
Breakfast at the Tao family was at a rather fixed time, and there was about an hour left before they could eat. Zhuang Liu had risen quite early and had exercised for a while; if he waited for breakfast, he’d likely be starving by then.
“Thank you,” said Zhuang Liu, who was indeed a bit hungry. He took a biscuit and then said, “Leave the biscuits and water here, and you can go back first.”
Na Na stubbornly insisted, “My job is to take care of the masters of this house, which includes the young miss and, since you are the young miss’s husband, naturally I have to take care of you too.”
Zhuang Liu also didn’t like this feeling of being taken care of, and he refused, “I don’t need anyone to take care of me. You’d better go back quickly.”
Still, Na Na remained there, “Looking after you is my responsibility. I won’t leave.”
Zhuang Liu actually thought Na Na was a very diligent person. He smiled and praised, “You’re a good girl. I’ll talk to my mother later and have her give you a bonus, I’ll cover it.”
Na Na’s objective wasn’t the bonus; she wanted to make a good impression on Zhuang Liu, so she declined Zhuang Liu’s offer, “No, sir, I do all this not for a bonus, but because I believe it’s my job, and I should do my job well.”
Zhuang Liu chuckled, “Okay, then you continue to stay here. I’m going off to run.”
No sooner had he left when Mei Mei came over and saw the tray in Na Na’s hands, expressing confusion, “Where did you get all this from?”
If she remembered correctly, Yuanxi Manor didn’t have these things. The young miss hadn’t been back for several months; how could there be food stored here?
Na Na gave her a look filled with pride, “This is my secret. I’m not going to tell you.”
Chapter 1349: Don’t do stupid things.
“Na Na, did you get your food from the main house’s kitchen?” Mei Mei’s expression turned very serious, “Did you anticipate that Mr. Zhuang would come for a run so early?”
“No.” Na Na said impatiently, “Okay, no more questions, hurry back and clean up.”
Mei Mei tried to grab her tray, “Leave the things here, let’s go back and clean together.”
Na Na raised an eyebrow, then told Mei Mei in a placating tone, “Mei Mei, you clean by yourself today, I really have some important things to do.”
Mei Mei’s gaze shifted to Zhuang Liu, who was still running, and she suddenly asked, “Na Na, what on earth are you trying to do? Have you forgotten how we ended up here?”
Previously, she and Na Na were maidservants in another household, but Na Na was very beautiful and caught the eye of that home’s master. He started to make advances on Na Na. When the mistress found out, she didn’t blame her husband but blamed them instead, and then fired them.
Although the mistress of that house didn’t publicize the reason for their dismissal, the incident always hung like a lump in Mei Mei’s heart, and she was very disgusted that such a thing had happened.
Na Na’s expression turned ugly, and she said to Mei Mei in an unpleasant tone, “Let bygones be bygones. We’ve started a new life now, and you shouldn’t always dwell on the past. Plus, it wasn’t our fault, so there’s no need to keep thinking about it.”
Mei Mei spoke with gravity, “Na Na, please don’t do anything foolish. These people are out of our league. If we make a mistake, we will surely be driven out again. With our limited education, finding a job that pays well and is stable is already a great thing, so please don’t do anything foolish, okay?”
Na Na’s eyes followed Zhuang Liu, her affection growing the more she watched. So she said to Mei Mei dismissively, “I know that. Don’t worry, I just think he’s handsome and wanted to take a few more glances. You know I like to look at handsome guys. Usually, the men in this house are all middle-aged or old; where are the handsome ones to be found?”
Mei Mei was half-convinced, “Do you really think that way?”
“I really think that way.” Na Na hurried Mei Mei back to cleaning, “Go on, get back to it. Clean up a bit, then go to the garden and pick a few fresh flowers to put in a vase; I’m sure the young miss will love them.”
Mei Mei nodded and emphasized again, “Na Na, don’t do anything foolish…”
Na Na cut her off, “If you don’t go clean now, the young miss will wake up.”
“Oh, oh.” Mei Mei hurriedly said, “I’ll go to the garden to get the flowers first, you keep an eye on this side.”
“Mmhmm.” Na Na couldn’t wait for Mei Mei to go further away, so she could be alone with Mr. Zhuang.
After running a few laps, Zhuang Liu walked slowly for another lap before stopping to rest. He took a cup of warm water from the tray and once again said, “You don’t need to wait here for me. Go do your work elsewhere.”
Na Na moved closer to him, speaking in a slightly coquettish tone, “Sir, I just thought you looked too lonely running by yourself and wanted to keep you company for a while. Once the young miss wakes up, I’ll have to go take care of her.”
When Zhuang Liu heard her tone, he felt a wave of goosebumps and said seriously, “Can’t you speak properly?”
Na Na was taken aback, then bit her lip and asked, “Sir, did Na Na do something wrong?”
Zhuang Liu felt an indescribable sense of eeriness and waved his hand, “No. Anyway, don’t stay here. Go back now.”
Na Na still didn’t want to leave, “Looking after you is Na Na’s job for this morning; please don’t send me away.”
Zhuang Liu asked, “Did Tan Rou arrange for you to come over?”
Na Na’s eyes darted about, and she lied with a smile, “Yes, the young miss sent me to look after you.”
Zhuang Liu refused her care, “Go somewhere else. I don’t need you to look after me.”
“But…” Na Na said with some agitation, “You’re too lonely running by yourself, and I want to keep you company.” She thought Zhuang Liu was having a cold war with Tan Rou.
Chapter 1350: 1349 on purpose
“When did I say I was lonely running here?” Zhuang Liu often ran and not every time did he have someone with him, “I don’t want to waste my time with you here. You better leave.” He needed to rest here for a while. When Tan Rou woke up, she would definitely come down to run, and he wanted to wait here for a bit.
However, if Tan Rou woke up too late, he would not run with her today.
“Running is quite tiring, but talking to you is even more exhausting. Don’t stay here bothering me, or else you won’t be working here anymore,” Zhuang Liu said sternly. After he said that, he realized that this was not his own home but the manor of the Tao family.
Na Na muttered something, but Zhuang Liu didn’t catch it clearly. He asked, “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing,” Na Na’s tone was very unpleasant as she said coldly to Zhuang Liu, “Fine, I’ll leave now. You can run here by yourself.”
After that, Na Na forcefully placed the tray on the ground and swiftly turned to leave.
Zhuang Liu said, “Strange person.”
After a good while, Tan Rou came downstairs. She saw a maid sitting on the sofa and asked, “Isn’t it time to clean in the morning? Why are you still sitting here?”
Tan Rou wouldn’t order the servants in her house to do anything or force them to work, but there were some rules set by the household that she would not change casually. For example, cleaning was done every morning at a fixed time.
The flowers in the living room were still from yesterday morning and were no longer fresh. There was also a bit of dust on the stair handrail, which meant that today’s cleaning had not been done yet.
When Na Na heard Tan Rou’s voice, she immediately got up from the sofa, discarded the pastry she was holding, and apologized with her head lowered, “Miss, I’m sorry, I was just too hungry, so I sat down to eat something. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to clean the sofa.”
Tan Rou was not worried about the sofa getting dirty from her sitting, “Oh, then you eat first, and after that, wipe the stair handrail. There’s a bit of dust on it.”
“Okay,” Na Na said with a smile.
No sooner had she said this than Mei Mei came in from outside with a bunch of fresh flowers. Seeing Na Na, she asked directly, “Hey, weren’t you taking care of Mr. Zhuang? Why are you back here again?”
Na Na truly felt that Mei Mei was a big mouth, always blurting out everything.
“Taking care of Mr. Zhuang? I was just passing by there and brought him a towel,” Na Na corrected.
“But that’s not what you said just now.” Mei Mei had not seen Tan Rou, and as she carried the fresh flowers towards the corner vase, she said, “Just now when I asked you to clean, you wouldn’t come back and left me to clean by myself. Heh heh, I knew you wouldn’t let me clean alone.”
Tan Rou leaned on the stair handrail, listening quietly to the conversation between the two women below, as if something incredible had happened while she was asleep.
Na Na really wanted to rush up and cover Mei Mei’s mouth, but Tan Rou was watching from above; she couldn’t remind Mei Mei to stop talking nonsense, “I didn’t leave you to clean by yourself; I just asked you to come back first.”
Mei Mei nodded and cautioned, “Na Na, they are high and mighty people, someone we commoners can’t aspire to. You mustn’t do anything foolish or ruin someone’s family. If you destroy someone’s family, I won’t play with you anymore.”
Na Na felt her scalp tingle and shouted, “What nonsense are you talking about? What have I done to ruin someone’s family?”
Mei Mei was startled by her loud voice, “Why are you shouting? I was just reminding you. What are you angry about? And I’m asking you, did you go there on purpose just now?”
“Can you shut up?” Na Na lashed out.
Mei Mei didn’t understand why Na Na was lashing out at her, “What’s wrong with you?”
As she turned around, she saw Tan Rou standing on the side of the stairs, looking right at them.
“Miss… Miss!” Mei Mei was very confused, “Good… good morning!”
Tan Rou nodded slightly and slowly walked downstairs, “What were you talking about? It seemed quite lively.”
“Nothing, nothing,” Mei Mei kept shaking her head, “I didn’t say anything.”