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"I’m fine, big sister, I don’t have much to do at home but to chop potatoes anyway," Xiao He readily promised, slapping her chest.

Lin Wei hesitated a bit, not because she didn’t want to come, but because she was worried about the matters of the Red Smoke Pavilion.

How could Lin Yuan not see through this? She quickly said, "It won’t take more than a few days at most. I estimate that we can finish the work here even before the Red Smoke Pavilion announces the finalist list."

As long as it didn’t affect her practice of embroidery, that was fine.

Lin Wei also nodded and readily agreed.

Seeing that both had agreed, Lin Yuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief and added, "Actually, you don’t really have to do any work, and you wouldn’t know how anyway, just keep everyone company, chat, and talk, that’s all."

But He Xiaodong felt a bit embarrassed. They were working to thank Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng for helping them get their deserved silver back. How could they bother the two young ladies from the Lin family to come over?

Before He Xiaodong could speak up, Lin Yuan had already pulled her aside and quietly explained her intention.

By doing this, of course, she intended to help Lin Wei overcome her stage fright.

Apart from He Guangming’s family, the villagers of He family village didn’t know anyone else.

Based on Lin Yuan’s understanding of Lin Wei, she definitely would feel too shy to chat.

However, with Xiao He and He Xiaodong there to help, she believed Lin Wei would change.

With Lin Wei’s issue resolved, Lin Jiaxin and Lady Liu also came out from the estate. They had left somewhat late and it had taken them nearly two hours to travel the road; indeed, it was time to return to the city.

Just as Lin Yuan was about to find someone to call Lao Fan and Xiao Linshuang back home from the backyard, the two figures appeared at the door.

The sight took everyone by surprise.

One big and one small, these two foodies were both hoisting the fronts of their clothes, filling them with what seemed to be dry, grass-like things.

Not only that, but their faces were covered with mud, and their heads had quite a few bits of it too—it looked as though they had just rolled out of a field!

Seeing Xiao Linshuang in such a state, Lady Liu was both shocked and angry. Handing Xiao Yongyan to Mother Zhang, she swiftly walked up to Xiao Linshuang, grabbed her arm, and scolded, "What is all this? Did you get into a fight with your master again? You child, why can’t you be more sensible?"

In Lady Liu’s view, their dirty appearance must mean that Lao Fan had forbidden Xiao Linshuang from playing with dirt, and then Xiao Linshuang had disobediently gotten into a fit and hit Lao Fan.

And the result was that Lao Fan did not manage to best her.

Just look at him, isn’t he still carrying a bunch of rotten grass?

That must be because Xiao Linshuang forced him to carry it!

It has to be said, Lady Liu’s imagination at that moment was quite vivid. If the two of them could see what she was thinking, they would surely die laughing.

But, the truth was not so.

Lao Fan cradled his bundle of rotten grass, his white beard now turned yellow from all the dirt, clinging to his lips in a way that made people uncomfortable to look at.

"Ahem, Madam Liu, you can’t blame her for this..."

"Old gentleman, there’s no need for you to plead on her behalf." Before Lao Fan could finish, Lady Liu, already heartbroken, was ready to give Xiao Linshuang a stern lecture.

Seeing his disciple being reprimanded, Lao Fan coughed and continued, "This time it really isn’t her fault. We are a loving family, an exemplary model of a strict teacher and a filial disciple. How could we possibly fight? Madam, you’re really overthinking it."

Having said that, Lao Fan looked at Xiao Linshuang and took the lead, "Come, my student, quickly embrace the herbs and get them on the carriage. When we get back, I will concoct something excellent for you."

Xiao Linshuang looked towards Lady Liu and giggled loudly, responded with a high-pitched "Okay!" and, like a rolling ball, clutched the herbs on her dress and scurried after Lao Fan.

Lady Liu watched, dumbfounded, as the teacher and student suddenly united in purpose. She could only chuckle dryly and shake her head. No wonder Princess Anle had said Lao Fan had a very eccentric temperament—she had fully experienced it today!

With everyone having boarded the carriage, Lin Yuan, not quite at ease, lingered behind to speak with He Guangming for a moment.

He Guangming mentioned that the Lizheng had not caused them any trouble, and there had been no incidents of thieves or robbers stealing silver in the village; upon hearing this, she felt quite relieved.

After giving He Guangming some detailed instructions, they were ready to board the carriage and return to the city.

Lady Liu had already written a letter to Liu Limin and others. Counting the days, they should arrive in the Capital City by the middle of the second month at the latest. Once they were settled into the villa in the city, she wouldn’t have to worry about the safety of the villa anymore.

On the return trip to the city, they traveled quickly, arriving home just as the sky had begun to darken.

As soon as they entered, Butler Zhou came with an invitation from Mo Zhu to Lin Yuan.

In truth, when Mo Zhu was speaking with the door-keeping servants, Butler Zhou had been listening from the side room by the gate, so he was very clear about Mo Zhu’s probing.

After recounting Mo Zhu’s words in detail, Lin Yuan looked at the invitation in her hand and couldn’t help but smile.

This was the second invitation from Yao Hanai, and it would be quite rude to decline again, especially considering the event was scheduled for the twenty-sixth of the first month, which wasn’t many days away.

As if suddenly struck by a thought, Xia Zheng grabbed the invitation and, with undisguised contempt, tossed it aside, "I have no time for that. We haven’t even had a proper conversation yet. Why go and talk with them? Boring!"

Indeed, it was boring. When women sat together, they either gossiped or talked about jewelry.

She was not familiar with the Capital City, so gossip was out of the question, and she wasn’t interested in jewelry.

The culinary arts and business, which interested her, were certainly not topics those Young Ladies would care about.

Sitting together with people who shared no common interests would only lead to either staring blankly or bowing heads to sip tea in silence.

Of course, there was another possibility.

Lin Yuan snorted coldly, that was the possibility where the Young Ladies of the Capital conspired to ostracize her, and this was the most likely outcome.

Xia Zheng, naturally, had thought of this as well, which is why he was opposed to her attending such a tediously boring gathering.

But Lin Yuan knew that if she truly wanted to live in the Capital City, such situations were unavoidable.

Picking up the invitation from the table, she turned around and said to Butler Zhou, "Tomorrow, you send a reply to Yao Mansion, saying that we will certainly attend."

Although Mo Zhu had spoken of inviting Lin Yuan, the invitation had clearly listed the four Misses of the Lin family.

Hearing Lin Yuan’s words, Butler Zhou nodded and exited.

Xia Zheng frowned and was about to speak, but Lin Yuan preempted him, sharing her thoughts. Xia Zheng was not unaware of these things, but he wanted to seal the mouths of those who should not speak against Lin Yuan first, even though he couldn’t think of any good way to deal with those women.