ebookland Chapter 120 Restless
Chapter 120 Restless
Wu Cuiwei followed Li Niang to the back house, where the maidservant was serving tea and water. Li Niang quietly left the house and went to the shop in front to greet customers.
However, Wu Cuiwei had no intention of looking through the account book. Her mind kept thinking about the handsome young man she had just met at the door. He looked so much like Chen Tong!
Ever since Old Mrs. Wu and her family of twenty came to the capital and moved into the two-story house rented for them by Wu Qiming, they have been living a very comfortable life.
Wu's house is located in an inconspicuous alley on the North Street of the capital. Although the courtyard is spacious, the house looks a bit old. Despite this, it is still one of the cheapest rental houses on the North Street, and it can be rented for only fifty taels of silver per year.
The Wu family was born in the countryside and was very hardworking. After arriving in the capital, although the daily expenses were a bit higher, everyone in the family was very capable and worked hard to make a living.
There were eight men in the family, big and small, who all got a job and had some income thanks to the connections Wu Qiming had helped them with.
The Wu family is very content with their current living conditions. Although they live separately from Wu Qiming, they are already satisfied to be able to live a self-sufficient life.
Now, Wu Cuiwei is already 15 years old and has grown into a beautiful young lady. However, she is not willing to stay at home doing needlework all day, so she begs her brother to help her find a job suitable for women.
Wu Qiming told his wife Liang Zhilan about this, hoping that she could help find something for his sister to do so that he could save some money for her dowry.
Years ago, Wu Qiming found a job as a shopkeeper for his beloved sister Wu Cuiwei through Liang Zhilan's relationship.
Although Wu Cuiwei was a girl, she was influenced by her brother Wu Qiming since she was a child. She was not only able to read and write, but also could do small accounts. Therefore, it was more than enough for her to manage a small shop.
Wu Cuiwei stayed in the room for a moment. She was so uneasy that she didn't even have time to drink a sip of tea. She picked up the account book and hurried out of the shop. She got on the carriage and returned to Wu's house on North Street.
She wanted to find her grandmother, Old Lady Wu, and her mother, Mrs. Lin, to tell them about the young man who looked like Chen Tong that she met today.
The sun shines through the window onto the floor of the inner room, creating patches of light and shadow. Old Mrs. Wu and Mrs. Wang are concentrating on their needlework, their eyes are calm and peaceful, as if time has frozen here.
Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open, and Wu Cuiwei walked in. She closed the door gently, then quietly walked to sit next to Old Lady Wu and Wang.
Wu Cuiwei's voice was low and serious: "Grandma, Mom, are you sure you sold Chen Tong to southern Xinjiang?" She stared at the two of them, as if trying to find the answer from their expressions.
Hearing this, Mrs. Wu's hands trembled, and the embroidery needle pierced her fingertips instantly. But she didn't feel any pain, because her heart was full of panic at the moment. Her face turned pale, her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't say a word.
Wang was also startled by this sudden question. She stopped her needlework and looked at Wu Cuiwei nervously. She also didn't know how to answer this question, because she was not sure whether the broker really sold Chen Tong to the brothel in southern Xinjiang.
For a moment, the room was filled with a tense atmosphere, and everyone fell silent. The sunlight shone through the window onto them, appearing particularly dazzling.
Finally, Old Lady Wu broke the silence and said tremblingly, "Cuiwei, why do you ask this? Did you see her?"
Wu Cuiwei nodded, then shook her head, her eyes empty and lifeless, "Yes, they look alike, but not in temperament. Besides, that's a man, could he be the third son of the Chen family? The third son of the Chen family looks very similar to Chen Tong, but the third son of the Chen family definitely doesn't have that kind of temperament, and it's impossible for the Chen family to come to the capital! Maybe I'm overthinking, there are people in the world who look alike!"
Lin scolded, "You silly girl, you're so jumpy and scared me. There are so many people who look alike in the world. Besides, he's a man. No matter how much he looks like Chen Tong, he can't be Chen Tong. Stop imagining nonsense and look at your account book."
Old Mrs. Wu also breathed a sigh of relief. "Cuiwei, your mother is right. Don't be suspicious all the time. Even if it is really her, so what? With our current status, how dare she mess with us? Your brother is now a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue, and your sister-in-law is a princess. Are we still afraid of the Chen family?"
Wu Cuiwei felt relieved after hearing what the two said. She was indeed overthinking. Even if Chen Tong showed up at the Wu family, what would happen? Would she dare to go to her brother to make trouble? Even if she did, would the princess let her go?
Until now, Wu Qiming still didn't know that his wife Liang Zhilan had instigated his family to sell his beloved woman to a brothel. He still thought that as his family said, his white moonlight got married after being heartbroken and in pain.
It was his lifelong regret that he failed to marry the woman he loved. He treasured her in his heart and made her his eternal white moonlight. He did not have the courage and ability to fight against the powerful. He wanted his career and the safety of his family, so he had to submit to the powerful, obey the princess, and be her man.
At night, Wu Cuiwei had a dream. She dreamed of the warm scene of the original owner Chen Tong doing needlework with her.
Suddenly the environment changed and she saw Chen Tong appear in a brothel. A fat old man forced Chen Tong to serve him. Chen Tong turned around suddenly and hit the doorpost. A bloody hole appeared on her forehead and blood gushed out.
The scene changed again. Chen Tong, dressed in red, with disheveled hair, a green face and fangs, stretched out her bloody hands and grabbed Wu Cuiwei's slender neck. She opened her bloody mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "Wu Cuiwei, I'm going to strangle you to death. It was you, the Wu family, who killed me. I'll let you be buried with me! Hahaha..."
Wu Cuiwei was lying on the bed, tearing the quilt with her hands and coughing non-stop. She suddenly opened her eyes and woke up from a nightmare.
Wu Cuiwei was panting heavily, sweating profusely. She looked around and found herself still in the room, still frightened by the nightmare she had just had.
She didn't dare to sleep anymore, so she got downstairs immediately, lit the oil lamp, and curled up in the quilt, feeling uneasy.
Why did she have such a dream? Could it be that Chen Tong was already dead? With her strong character, she could not bear the humiliation and might even die to preserve her reputation.
If her brother knew the truth of this matter, would he resent the three of them? Would he not care about her marriage?
She came to the capital just to leave her peasant family and marry a man of her dreams in the capital. She didn't seek great wealth, but was content with a small fortune.
Of course, if her brother and sister-in-law help her wholeheartedly and she can marry into a family of officials, that would be icing on the cake. She can order servants around and enjoy wealth and glory.
Everything was going according to her ideas and she was living a comfortable life. She was about to reach the age of 15 and could meet someone new.
She had met several of her brother's good friends. Two of them were seventh-rank editors. They were good-looking and came from wealthy families, making them good blind date candidates.
But what happened today and the nightmare just now made her feel that her peaceful and comfortable life was about to be disrupted...