A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

These past few days, those hazy memories have suddenly become clearer.

Her parents always went to work in the fields before dawn, so she spent most of her time with her grandmother.

Grandma sat on the embroidery stool by the window, her needle flying as she sewed in the daylight. She would give the scraps of fabric she cut off to play with, and she would also teach her the simplest stitches with a stern face, muttering, "A girl should always know some skills."

Although my grandmother wasn't young at that time, she had sharp eyes and a straight back; she was the pillar of the family.

But the old man in front of me looks like he's already in his twilight years...

She has no memory of the middle period.

I didn't see Grandma Chen's black hair turn white strand by strand, nor did I see how her once sharp and bright eyes became cloudy and bloodshot.

This was a stark contrast to the person she remembered, and it was more impactful than any words could express it.

……

In the courtyard, Grandma Chen went back into the house, and Mr. and Mrs. Chen, wiping away tears, were persuaded by their children to go inside as well. The commotion temporarily subsided.

The women who had been watching and listening with great interest outside the courtyard reluctantly prepared to leave when they realized there was no more excitement to be had.

As they whispered among themselves, they turned around and noticed Chen Wanxing, the master and servant, who had been standing at the door for who knows how long.

The women were stunned, their curious gazes all falling on Chen Wanxing.

The girl was dressed in a blue satin cotton dress, with a neat cloak over it. She had a beautiful face, fair skin, and an air of elegance that seemed completely out of place in this simple village.

The maidservant behind her was also dressed neatly, with bright eyes, not to mention the two attendants who carried knives and looked like they were not to be trifled with.

"Whose daughter is this? I've never seen her before!"

"They look like distinguished guests from the city..."

"How long has she been standing here? How come I didn't notice her earlier?"

The women whispered among themselves. Their eyes were full of curiosity; after all, a young woman accompanied by guards was a rare sight in a small place like Ping'an Town.

One of the bolder women forced a slightly awkward smile, took two steps forward, and tentatively asked, "Young lady, who are you looking for? Are you visiting relatives or...?"

Chen Wanxing didn't answer. She took a deep breath, lifted her foot, stepped over the not-so-high threshold, and then, under the astonished gazes of everyone inside and outside the courtyard, gently closed the creaking wooden door behind her.

This directly shut out those probing eyes.

This sudden scene startled the Chen family members who were about to disperse, and their eyes were all focused on the uninvited stranger.

Mr. Chen recognized Chen Wanxing at a glance. Wasn't this the employer they worked for? How did she end up in their house?

He was filled with confusion. He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to address him, so he asked awkwardly and honestly, "Master, what brings you here?"

After his initial astonishment, Brother Chen looked at the complex and indescribable expression on Chen Wanxing's face, and a thought that made his heart pound suddenly surged into his head.

By the way, he left his address last time. This Ms. Chen, who seems to have some connections in Kaifeng, is very kind. She even asked about her sister's situation in detail and said she would help them find her.

Why would they suddenly come to our house? Could it be that they have news of my sister?

He instantly became agitated, instinctively taking a step forward, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly: "Miss Chen, do you... do you have news of my sister?"

When he asked that question, his eyes were filled with hope, yet also with immense fear, lest he hear bad news from the other person.

He hadn't forgotten Ms. Chen's reminder during their last conversation.

Grandma Chen, who was about to enter the house, stopped when she saw the commotion. Her cloudy eyes, which had been filled with scrutiny and doubt, suddenly became excited when she heard her eldest grandson's words.

The courtyard was silent. After hearing Brother Chen's question, no one cared about the identity of the strange woman anymore. They all held their breath and waited for her answer.

Looking into his elder brother's eyes, which held a mixture of intense hope and profound fear, Chen Wanxing felt as if something was blocking his throat.

How should she answer? Should she just say, "That's me"?

Her silence was like a bucket of cold water, gradually extinguishing the flame that had just ignited in Brother Chen's eyes. That light dimmed little by little, replaced by a deeper fear and a resigned despair.

His lips trembled, his voice lowered, and there was a barely perceptible sob in it: "Is...is it...bad news?"

Mr. and Mrs. Chen seemed to realize something as well, their faces paled, and their calloused hands unconsciously clenched the hem of their clothes.

Even Grandma Chen, who was being supported, trembled slightly, her withered fingers gripping the cane tightening, her knuckles turning white.

Chen Wanxing took in the changes in their expressions. She realized that her hesitation was pushing them toward the worst possible outcome.

Without further hesitation, she gently shook her head and, before Brother Chen's expression of despair completely froze, finally spoke. Her voice was not loud, but it struck a chord clearly in everyone's hearts:

"It's not bad news."

She paused, her gaze slowly sweeping over her father, mother, and brother, finally settling on her grandmother who was staring intently at her, before continuing, her tone strangely calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to herself:

"I just wanted to come and tell you personally that you don't need to go to Kaifeng to look for it anymore."

This statement is like a riddle; it's not bad news, but it also means they no longer need to search.

Brother Chen was stunned, unable to understand the meaning behind her words for a moment, and just stared at her blankly.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen also looked confused.

Only Grandma Chen's cloudy eyes suddenly flashed with an extremely sharp light.

Her breathing suddenly quickened, her body began to tremble uncontrollably, and she stared intently at Chen Wanxing's face, as if trying to see through her current appearance to discern her childhood features.

Chen Wanxing met Grandma Chen's gaze, which seemed to pierce through her, and felt the immense impact and incredulous inquiry contained within it.

She knew that her grandmother might have already guessed.

Chen Wanxing didn't look at anyone else, but just quietly looked back at Grandma Chen, as if they were having a silent confrontation and confirmation.

Grandma Chen's breathing grew heavier and heavier, like a broken bellows.

She abruptly broke free from her granddaughter's support, staggered forward, and gripped her cane tightly with her withered fingers to support her swaying body.

"you……"

Her voice was hoarse and almost incoherent, her cloudy eyes fixed on Chen Wanxing's face as if she wanted to devour her alive. "What did you just say? Say it again."

Mr. Chen, Mrs. Chen, and Mr. Chen were startled by the old lady's sudden excitement. They looked at Chen Wanxing with even more confusion, and then at their grandmother who was trembling with excitement. They had no idea what had happened.

Meeting Grandma Chen's gaze, Chen Wanxing straightened her back and repeated clearly, word by word:

"I said, you don't need to go to Kaifeng to look anymore."

"Clang!"

A sharp crack broke the silence.

Grandma Chen's cane fell to the ground.

She seemed to have all her strength drained away, and her body swayed. Chen's mother exclaimed in surprise and quickly supported her.

Grandma Chen ignored everything and simply stretched out her hands, covered in age spots, towards Chen Wanxing, tears streaming down her face.

"Chunlan! My Chunlan!!!"