Su Xiaoqi was very enthusiastic, saying that this was the consideration of them as juniors, and asked her to wait until Shen Yun went to the capital to take the imperial examination and had free time, she should visit their mother more often.
Zhao Simei seemed to suddenly remember this matter and immediately nodded excitedly, saying that they could go, and she would definitely accompany her sister whenever she had time, so she didn't need to worry.
Su Xiaoqi wanted to take out money to give her, but she declined.
"Thanks to Xiaoqi, our family's situation has improved a lot." Zhao Simei's voice was a little hoarse, but her complexion was ruddy, and her eyes were more lively.
Su Xiaoqi saw that this was indeed a sign of a better life.
"Fortunately, you found jobs for my cousins. They can study, earn money, and it's not tiring."
Zhao Simei was referring to Su Xiaoqi inviting the three Jiang brothers to her courtyard to make bitter buckwheat tea.
Su Xiaoqi had looked at the account books and knew that the three brothers could bring back an average of seven to eight hundred coins per month.
Compared to the three to four hundred coins they used to earn from Zhao Simei working odd jobs alone, it was undoubtedly a world of difference.
Su Xiaoqi waved her hand: "Auntie, you are too polite. It was just a small effort, and besides, my cousins are capable themselves."
Zhao Simei's eyes reddened again as she spoke.
Her gratitude was known to no one.
Only by experiencing the painful struggles of the past could one appreciate the beauty of the current life.
This is precisely the beauty of the rainbow after the storm.
The Great Liang Dynasty attached great importance to the Winter Solstice Festival. During the Winter Solstice, it was as important as the New Year's Day.
Regardless of whether a family saved, borrowed, or owed, they would buy new clothes, prepare food, and offer sacrifices to their ancestors.
That's why Shen Yun attached such importance to it, unlike other festivals where a simple gift would suffice.
After leaving Zhao Simei's house, the two went to the post station to mail the festival gifts to the Du family.
Then, they took the last festival gift in the mule cart to the Gu family.
In the mule cart, Su Xiaoqi was organizing the festival gift for the Gu family.
These gifts were different from those for other families.
Pork was unnecessary.
However, the four-color candies from Chen Jin Ji were essential, but the varieties were changed to Western pastries that Yu Shi currently liked, such as shredded pork cake and Swiss rolls.
In addition, Su Xiaoqi also put a box of freshly baked coffee.
This was grown in her spatial dimension. She ground it herself. She only tasted a little and hadn't had the heart to drink it.
Thinking of Yu Shi's kindness to her, she packed it into a jar and gave it to her.
In addition, there was half a sheep produced on the farm, and crystal dumplings that she specially made for Yu Shi, who was from the north, along with ten pounds of white fungus and two cans of lotus root starch.
Plus the ginseng that Yu Rong gave her.
These gifts might not be considered valuable to Yu Shi, but they were indeed prepared with great care by Su Xiaoqi.
However, due to her physical condition, she was very afraid of the cold, and her hands trembled as she organized them.
She was a little depressed and frowned. She really didn't know what was wrong with the original owner's body. Her body was internally cold, and no matter how many clothes she wore, it was useless.
She could not escape the fate of having cold hands and feet.
Shen Yun saw this and pulled her into his arms.
Shen Yun's embrace was warm. As Su Xiaoqi's cold body leaned closer, the sudden warmth made her tremble.
She instinctively wanted to push him away, but Shen Yun's arms were incredibly strong. After struggling for a while, she couldn't break free. Instead, he buried his head in the hollow of her neck.
Their distance was now negative.
His breath brushed against her neck, and the faint scent of ink on him made her heart flutter.
She covered her racing heart, her pretty face flushed.
Shen Yun looked up, smiling with the corner of his lips, as if asking: "Not struggling anymore?"
Then he raised his hand and took her hands.
Her small hands were held in his long and broad palms.
The delicate back of her hand felt the thin calluses on his fingertips, which made her feel itchy and uncomfortable. She tugged gently, but Shen Yun's hands remained unmoved.
He even mischievously stretched out his fingers to scratch her palm.
Su Xiaoqi was both anxious and angry. She shook her hands forcefully, but Shen Yun's hands were as if glued with strong adhesive, and she simply couldn't shake them off.
She said urgently, "Let go of me."
Shen Yun looked innocent, "Your hands are cold." Meaning, I'm helping you warm your hands.
Before Su Xiaoqi could say anything else, Shen Jieyuan shamelessly said, "You're welcome."
Su Xiaoqi was furious. How could she tell him that he was holding her hands, her hands were no longer cold, but they were itchy, her hands were itchy, her heart was itchy, and her whole body was itchy.
She mumbled softly, "I'm not cold anymore."
"Whether my wife is cold or not is up to me now," Shen Yun gently squeezed her fingers, smiling exceptionally tenderly.
"You, I..." Su Xiaoqi wanted to scold him but didn't dare. As she blushed, not knowing what to do, Shen Yun spoke again.
He raised his chin, offered his left cheek, and said in an extremely soft voice, "If you kiss me, I'll consider letting go."
"Shen Yun..." You are shameless, Su Xiaoqi gritted her teeth, pronouncing his full name word by word.
But she dared not utter the last three words.
She knew that no matter how gentle and harmless Shen Yun appeared now, he was still the ruthless and powerful official.
"Hmm?" Shen Yun blinked his beautiful phoenix eyes at Su Xiaoqi, with an expression of pure innocence.
Su Xiaoqi was so angry her chest hurt.
This was the first time she felt the blatant thick-skinned nature of the upright gentleman Shen Yun.
He had clearly teased her in every way and touched her, yet he still put on such an act.
She bumped his chest with her shoulder, trying to break free when he was in pain, but that sly fox Shen didn't fall for it. He just held his hands and watched her struggle with a smile.
He had the calm and composed demeanor of someone who knew that no matter how you struggled, you couldn't escape his grasp.
"You, we'll be at your teacher's house soon, don't touch me," Su Xiaoqi saw that force wouldn't work, so she softened her tone and switched to a gentler approach.
Shen Yun, however, was impervious to both hard and soft tactics. He leaned closer and whispered into Su Xiaoqi's earlobe:
"It's clearly your wife's hands and feet that are cold. I'm doing this for your own good." He gently jiggled their tightly clasped hands.
Su Xiaoqi was speechless. She twitched the corners of her mouth. She admitted defeat, alright?
Finally, she heard Li Shushao's voice from outside, saying that they had arrived at the Gu family's.
Su Xiaoqi felt as if she had been granted a general amnesty. She quickly sat up straight and pulled her hands free.
Fortunately, Shen Yun knew when to stop. He didn't mess around anymore and let her adjust her clothes.
Gao Mama, who served Yu Shi, had already been waiting at the entrance of the outer courtyard.
Seeing Su Xiaoqi's mule cart arrive from a distance, she hurried forward and said enthusiastically,
"Miss has arrived, quickly, come in quickly." Gao Mama beckoned to Su Xiaoqi, who had alighted from the cart, and led her towards the second gate.
As she walked, she said, "The master and madam have already ordered lamb hot pot to be prepared for Miss and the son-in-law. Hurry in and eat something to warm yourselves up."
Hearing this, Su Xiaoqi's eyes lit up.