Chapter 648 - 635: Are You Afraid?
Chapter 648: Chapter 635: Are You Afraid?
Naturally, a wife’s cooking is the best.
While in the capital city, although he was dressed in fine clothes and ate refined food every day, in Chu Jinnian’s view, the food tasted just like chewing wax, often unable to swallow it.
Eating a bowl of plain soup noodles here, he felt it was an indescribable delicacy.
“How long do you plan to stay this time?” Zhuang Qingning asked as she propped her chin.
“At least a year,” Chu Jinnian smiled and quickly placed the cutlery he had just used into the washbasin, washed it himself, dried it with a dish towel, and placed it on the nearby dish rack.
“That long?” Zhuang Qingning was somewhat surprised.
“Do you think the time is too long? I feel it’s a bit short. I plan to request the Emperor to extend my leave after our wedding is done,” Chu Jinnian responded with a laugh.
“It’s not that I think it’s too long, but considering your numerous responsibilities in Beijing and at the Ministry of Justice, it’s peculiar that the emperor would grant you this long of a leave,” she noted wryly.
“Because I asked the Empress and the Emperor for a marriage grant, and I also requested a year leave to prepare for the wedding,” Chu Jinnian replied. “Previously, both the Empress and the Emperor were concerned about my unwillingness to marry. Now that I’m willing to marry, they are overjoyed with happiness and overlook the other matters.”
“The imperial decree of marriage is on the way. In a short while, it should arrive. The wedding is scheduled for next August, when the Osmanthus fragrance pervades the air. You will definitely like it.”
Zhuang Qingning indeed greatly adored Osmanthus.
The fragrance of Osmanthus is subtle, yet rich. It doesn’t compete with the flamboyance of other flowers. Most importantly, it can be made into many food items, especially the Osmanthus cake, which Zhuang Qingning was particularly fond of.
Getting married at this time would indeed be excellent.
Zhuang Qingning looked at Chu Jinnian and smiled, “Now that you’re back for so long, there’s finally someone to help with the chores in the courtyard.”
“Of course,” Chu Jinnian straightened his body, “Just command it, Miss Zhuang.”
Whether it’s sweeping the courtyard, cooking or doing laundry, he can do all of it.
The smile on Zhuang Qingning’s face deepened, and she poured Chu Jinnian another cup of the freshly made pear soup.
The return of Chu Jinnian made everyone in Qingzhuyuan very delighted.
After all, as servants, if they couldn’t see their master for many years, they would indeed feel as if they didn’t exist.
However, everyone quickly discovered that Chu Jinnian, after returning, seemed to not have really returned.
He left early in the morning before dawn and didn’t even eat breakfast in Qingzhuyuan. It wasn’t until Chu Jinnian had finished his dinner at Zhuang Qingning’s place that he was willing to return.
Therefore, the recent greetings among the servants included “Have you seen the young master today?” and similar phrases.
Not only the servants, even between Fan Wenxuan and Chu Jinzhou, the situation was the same.
At first, they found it somewhat annoying, perceiving that Chu Jinnian was excessively smitten with love. But later, from time to time when they saw different kinds of snacks brought back by Chu Jinnian from Zhuang Qingning’s place, their annoyance instantly disappeared.
Eating these cakes, which they could never taste before, was much better than the previous state.
Moreover, everything about brothers is fleeting. Eventually, they would fly apart over beautiful women. The cakes in front of them were more realistic.
However, Fan Wenxuan frowned, especially when looking at the Osmanthus sugar cake in his hand that day. He asked Chu Jinzhou, “Hey, do you think this Osmanthus sugar cake was given to us by the young master because he couldn’t finish it?”
“Why do I feel that if the young master could finish this Osmanthus sugar cake, he definitely wouldn’t leave us any?”
“Master,” Chu Jinzhou completely finished the Osmanthus sugar cake in his hand, picked up another piece and said, “Master once taught me, there are many things that we shouldn’t inquire too deeply about. Otherwise, one would become unhappy.”
“So, Master, I think you better not pry too much into this matter. Otherwise, you might not be happy either.”
Looking at him, he seemed quite open-minded, not caring about this at all.
“Hmm, you make some sense,” Fan Wenxuan nodded.
In any case, as long as there was food to eat, how it came did not matter to him.
As for Chu Jinnian, he got up early and worked late, going with Zhuang Qingning to various workshops and shops each day, doing what he could.
For example, running errands, delivering messages, and helping with lifting and carrying things.
Seeing that Chu Jinnian, a handsome young man, suddenly appeared beside the always independent Zhuang Qingning, everyone was extremely curious.
The timid ones whispered and secretly discussed who this man could be to Zhuang Qingning.
The bold ones directly asked Zhuang Qingning who Chu Jinnian was.
“He is my fiancé, and we are getting married next year. Seeing me busy and straining every day, he came to help,” Zhuang Qingning introduced Chu Jinnian’s identity without any secret.
Upon hearing this reply, everyone congratulated and wished them well.
“Really, this young man looks so good, he and Ning really match well. Looking at them is very comforting.”
“Yes indeed, people always say a good-looking person can be as satisfying as a good meal. Looking at the two of them, I feel so happy.”
“This young man is so good-looking, I wonder what his family background is like and whether he deserves our Ning. After all, our Ning is a county mistress, personally appointed by the Emperor.”
“My dear, rest assured, I heard that he’s Master Chu, not only is he an important official in the capital, he’s also the Emperor’s nephew, the prince’s son, and he’s going to inherit the prince’s position.”
“Prince? That’s more or less adequate, at least Ning’s skills won’t be wasted.”
“Yes indeed, I also heard that Master Chu, when he comes to Ning’s house, does all sorts of work. The other day he was even seen chopping firewood. He doesn’t show the slightest bit of grandeur.”
“He seems to be a man who knows how to pamper a woman. This makes us all a bit more assured…”
Such talks were discussed among people every day, and of course they all reached Chu Jinnian’s ear.
Hearing such words, Chu Jinnian laughed, “Seems like I have passed the test?”
“Just barely,” Zhuang Qingning held back her laughter. “But you’ll find that although my parents passed away early, the people in the village are my relatives. If you dare to bully me in the future, I’m afraid none of them will let it pass.”
“So, are you scared?”
Chu Jinnian’s smile became even wider.
How could he be afraid?