Chapter 541. Future Older Sister-in-Law (1/2)

Liu Huifang jumped off of the donkey cart and jogged over to pull on Xiaocao’s hand. The smile on her face was sincere and pretty, “A few days ago, I saw Little Black in the forest so I knew you were going to be back soon. The capital is truly good at nourishing people. Look at how tender and fair your skin is. I always thought I had a pretty good complexion in the village, but when I stand next to you, I look like a piece of charcoal instead!”

“No worries, as long as my older brother doesn’t care, what does it matter then?” Sometime, while she was gone, Yu Hang and Older Sister Huifang had ended up seeing eye to eye. When her mother had someone help her write a letter, she had specifically mentioned this detail.

Uncle Shuanzhu was good friends with her father and their whole family was of good moral character. Older Sister Huifang had an open personality and was very hard working. She also had a good relationship with her. Thus, in Yu Xiaocao’s mind, she was more than happy to have Huifang become her older sister-in-law in the future. From the letter her family sent her, she could tell that everyone else also liked her quite a bit. If it wasn’t for the fact that the two of them were still quite young, Madam Liu would have gone over to Huifang’s family to negotiate for a betrothal. She needed to strike early in order to obtain such a good girl for her son.

Liu Huifang’s cheeks immediately turned bright red after being teased by her good friend. She glared at her and grumbled, “If you’re only going to speak nonsense, I’m going to ignore you!”

“Why do you think I’m speaking nonsense? Aren’t people supposed to stick to the truth at this time of year? Sigh, my future older sister-in-law is so hard to get along with, as the younger sister-in-law, it looks like I’ll have a difficult time in the future.” Yu Xiaocao shook her head and sighed but her eyes glinted with a spark of mischief.

Liu Huifang revealed an embarrassed expression and raised a hand to lightly slap Xiaocao’s shoulder. She was halfway there when another hand stopped her. She raised her head and met a pair of eyes that were full of warning. Liu Huifang looked at Xiaocao in a flabbergasted manner and asked, “Who is she ah?”

Wutong hurriedly took her hand out of Qiushi’s hand and smiled, “Miss Liu, this is a misunderstanding! Qiushi is in charge of our young miss’s safety and was only trying to protect her. Qiushi, Miss Liu is only playing around with our young miss, so there’s no need to be too nervous! Dongshan Village’s people have either watched our young miss grow up or were friends with her during childhood. No one will harm her. You two, ah, can just relax a bit!” Now, Wutong was no longer like she was before when she viewed everyone around her as beneath her. She now treated her young miss’s friends in a polite and friendly manner.

Qiushi looked at her master. When she saw Xiaocao lightly nod in agreement with Wutong’s words, she released Liu Huifang’s hand and simply said, “Please forgive me!”

Liu Huifang looked at Chunhua, who was behind Qiushi and Xiaocao. The other girl was standing straight and seemed quite fierce. She lightly elbowed Xiaocao and grinned, “Oh ho! Looks like becoming a royal princess does have some changes in customs. You now have female bodyguards protecting you!”

Xiaocao winked at her and said, “No matter how powerful this royal princess is, my older sister-in-law will still be able to outrank me. An older sister-in-law is like a second mother. I currently need to fawn over you, that way you’ll treat me better in the future.”

“Speaking nonsense again!” Liu Huifang lightly pinched her small arm. This time, the two bodyguard maids didn’t try to stop her.

“Alright ah! Don’t be embarrassed and come back home with me. I have things I want to give you!” Like she did in the past, Yu Xiaocao linked her arms with Older Sister Huifang and the two of them laughed and chatted as they headed towards the Yu Family’s residence. She had stayed a few days in the prefectural city and Tanggu Town, so it was likely the luggage carts had already gotten to her home.

Liu Shuanzhu cheerfully watched as Xiaocao ‘took’ his daughter away. After saying a greeting to Madam Liu, he drove the donkey cart home. His wife had seen her daughter and husband leave together but, when only her husband returned, she asked, “Where’s Huifang ah?”

“The Yu Family’s lass, Xiaocao, is back and called our daughter to her home. She said she has some gifts to give our daughter.” Liu Shuanzhu unhitched the animals from the cart and took out some fodder from their shelter for them.

Shuanzhu’s wife was currently taking out the laundry and her hands faltered for a moment and a slightly worried look appeared on her face. Liu Shuanzhu noticed that his wife was sighing repeatedly and asked, “Wife, what’s wrong? Is that brat Tiedan causing you problems? Just watch me discipline him! Tiedan’er, come out for your father!!”

“Our son is currently practicing his calligraphy, why are you hollering about?” Shuanzhu’s wife rolled her eyes at him and continued, “Tiedan’er is very sweet and obedient. He works very hard at school and even the teacher there said that at the start of spring, he can try taking the entrance exam to Rongxuan Academy.”

“The teacher really said that? This boy is truly giving me some face! If he can enter Rongxuan Academy, I can’t guarantee anything else but he will definitely be able to become a county-level official. At that time, our family will also have a county-official then!” Liu Shuanzhu broadly smiled and revealed a joyous expression on his face.

“Father, what did you call me for?” Tiedan’er came out of his own room and was still holding a writing brush with ink on it.

Liu Shuanzhu patted his son’s shoulder and the smile on his face broadened as he proclaimed, “Nothing at all! Continue to work hard! I don’t know if your Older Brother Shitou will come back for the New Years, but if he does you can ask him for some tips for the examination. That way you can work hard to pass the entrance examination to Rongxuan Academy and give our Old Liu Family some glory.”

Tiedan’s round little face revealed a smile and he said, “Older Brother Shitou will definitely come back because he goes wherever Older Sister Xiaocao goes. Since Older Sister Xiaocao came back for the New Years, Older Brother Shitou will not let this opportunity go. Father, don’t worry, I will definitely work hard and test into Rongxuan Academy!”

“Good son! Go ah and you can continue working on your calligraphy!” Liu Shuanzhu thought that his son’s nimble brain resembled his own. However, his family’s situation wasn’t good enough when he was young to allow him to study. Otherwise, he might be a county official right now!