My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 3 He wants to take me as a concubine!?

The next morning, Lu Yuan was awakened by a rhythmic noise.

He rubbed his eyes and walked out of the bedroom, then suddenly gasped in surprise.

The spacious living room was completely renovated, with all sorts of odds and ends neatly arranged, and not a speck of dust to be seen inside or out.

Chen Xiaomiao was kneeling on the ground with a rag, moving forward inch by inch, wiping very carefully, until the tiles were so clean that you could see your reflection in them.

Seeing Lu Yuan come out, she immediately stopped what she was doing, looked up and smiled shyly: "You're awake? I saw that there was dust in the room, so I wanted to help you tidy it up. I didn't touch any of your things."

Lu Yuan noticed that her foxy eyes were red and swollen, and guessed that she had secretly cried again last night.

The young girl felt bad about eating and living there for free, so she felt she had to do some work to feel at ease.

But she didn't recognize anything in the room, so she didn't dare touch anything and could only wipe the floor...

Why don't you use a mop?

"Do you mean that?"

Chen Xiaomiao pointed to the electric mop in the corner of the restaurant: "I pondered for a long time, but I still didn't understand how to use it. When I pressed the button on it, it started buzzing and spinning by itself, which scared me quite a bit."

"never mind……"

Lu Yuan waved his hand: "Don't bother, no one will live in this house starting tomorrow."

Chen Xiaomiao widened her foxy eyes: "Such a nice house, it's such a waste not to live in it!"

In her opinion, this bright and clean house, which was warm in winter and cool in summer, was more impressive than the Zhao family's house down the mountain, and it would be an injustice if no one lived there.

Lu Yuan smiled dismissively and didn't explain further.

This house was bought by my maternal grandfather, Chen Shu, when he was making his fortune. At the time, it was located in a high-end residential area.

Although Chen Shu's wealth is enough to afford a villa in the capital city where land is incredibly expensive, his daughter passed away early and his grandson is estranged. He lives alone in this old house, which is a way of preserving a piece of his memory.

Lu Yuan came to the capital this time because he learned that the old man did not have much time left and was waiting to make his funeral arrangements.

"Pack your things and come out with me."

"It's working!"

Chen Xiaomiao didn't ask any questions. She quickly washed and hung the rag up, looking obedient and ready to serve at any time.

As soon as the two stepped out of the building, Chen Xiaomiao was completely dumbfounded, like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

Cars came and went on the road, honking their horns incessantly. The "iron boxes" that sped along were shiny and colorful, even more impressive than the military vehicles she had ever seen.

In the distance, towering "glass mountains" gleamed blindingly in the sunlight.

"Good heavens... Mommy... what are all these?"

She followed closely behind Lu Yuan, her small hands clutching the hem of his clothes, her eyes unable to take it all in.

"Lu Yuan, how could that building be built so tall?"

“Look over there, there are even higher ones.”

"What are those red lanterns floating in the sky? And why do they have words written on them?"

Traffic lights are for guiding cars.

"Why are the women in the paintings hanging on those big pillars dressed so scantily? Aren't they ashamed?"

"Girl, times have changed..."

Lu Yuan was both amused and exasperated, and he gave a perfunctory reply.

Chen Xiaomiao nodded as if she understood, following Lu Yuan step by step, finding everything new and interesting.

She kept asking "What do you think?" and "Why?" to the pop music playing in the shops on the street, to the "glowing bricks" held by passersby, and to the airplanes that occasionally flew overhead.

The two arrived at a nearby shopping center, where the automatic glass door slid open with a "whoosh," startling Chen Xiaomiao once again.

She tugged at Lu Yuan's sleeve and muttered, "This door... has it come to life?"

Lu Yuan didn't respond to her again. He went straight into a large chain clothing store, picked out a few well-fitting solid-color T-shirts and sweatpants, and finally picked up two pairs of sneakers, which he then put on Chen Xiaomiao.

Chen Xiaomiao stood in front of the mirror, touching the soft fabric of her body, and muttered to herself, "Such nice material, it's a pity I'm wearing it..."

Lu Yuan quickly paid the bill and turned to go to the supermarket on the basement floor.

He pushed the cart, weaving skillfully between the shelves, and soon the shopping cart was piled high with items. Looking at the cart full of things, Chen Xiaomiao asked curiously, "Lu Yuan, are you going on a long trip?"

Lu Yuan nodded, without denying it.

His grandfather's funeral is over, and summer vacation is almost over. He has to go back to school to prepare for his senior year.

Suddenly, a new person named Chen Xiaomiao appeared. She had no household registration or identity, so she couldn't take high-speed trains or airplanes and could only drive on the highway.

As for what to do with this Miss Chen who fell from the sky, that's a big problem.

We can't take her, this "unregistered resident," everywhere we go.

Passing by the women's products section, Lu Yuan paused, turned his head to look at the colorful packaging on the shelves, and casually picked up a pack of each model.

Daytime use, nighttime use, extra long, soft cotton, mesh...

Let Chen Xiaomiao try them all when we get back, and see which one she's used to, so we can avoid trouble in the future.

Chen Xiaomiao curiously leaned forward again, picked up a bag and examined it from all angles: "Lu Yuan, what is this? Can I eat it?"

"I bought these menstrual pads for you in advance."

Lu Yuan answered directly, without any concealment.

In his view, this is just like eating and drinking, a perfectly normal physiological need, and there's nothing to hide about it.

"What?!"

Chen Xiaomiao's hand trembled, and she quickly threw the items back into the shopping cart, her face turning bright red, like a boiled shrimp.

Lu Yuan ignored her embarrassment and took the initiative to lead her to the women's underwear section, instructing the sales assistant: "Please take her in and have her pick out four or five comfortable sets. As for the size... could you help her check?"

"Good sir!"

The sales assistant, with a professional and enthusiastic smile, pulled Chen Xiaomiao, who was still in a daze, inside.

Chen Xiaomiao watched the sales assistant gesture, then looked at the colorful but sparsely made "little clothes" on the wall, and then at the scantily clad, smiling women in the advertisements. She felt like she was on fire.

When it was time to pay the bill, she huddled next to Lu Yuan, blushing and muttering to herself.

"Too flashy, too... too embarrassing..."

"And those women in the painting, how could they dress like that for everyone to see? They have no shame..."

Leaving the mall, Chen Xiaomiao was carrying large bags and small packages. Upon closer inspection, she realized that most of the items were bought for her. Only then did she belatedly realize that Lu Yuan had prepared them for her.

She couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Lu Yuan, how much did you... how much did you spend on all these things?"

Lu Yuan glanced at the payment record on his phone and confessed, "A little over 1,500."

"Fifteen thousand! Silver dollars?"

"Hmm... it's hard for me to explain to you in a short time, so just calculate it as 1:100."

Lu Yuan chose to give a perfunctory answer, but Chen Xiaomiao had no idea about exchange rates or prices and was immediately dumbfounded.

Inflation was rampant in her time, but in early 1942, she went down the mountain to buy half a pig from Butcher Li for only one silver dollar during the Lunar New Year.

Lu Yuan spent a full ten dollars on her today?
Those few pieces of clothing with hardly any fabric and a pile of "menstrual cloth" were actually worth ten fat pigs?

"Wait...wait until I find a job, I'll definitely pay you back! If all else fails, I'll work for you long-term, I'll do anything for you!"

Chen Xiaomiao made her statement in a very impatient and boastful manner.

"No need, we're all family, talking about money is too formal."

In Lu Yuan's view, since the person was an old acquaintance of his maternal grandfather, it was only natural to take care of him.

After hearing this, Chen Xiaomiao secretly glanced at Lu Yuan, and began to have doubts.

My own family?
We're not related at all, so how did we become family?
They didn't make me work to pay back the money, they fed me, clothed me, and even thought of everything for me, including my underwear and menstrual pads.

Is it possible...

He wants to take me as a concubine!?

Come to think of it, he even touched me there last night...

Chen Xiaomiao touched her chest, feeling uneasy.

(End of this chapter)