Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 86

Lying on the ground, Lu Da realized he had truly misjudged this time. That little woman’s ruthless and practiced moves were nothing like those of some countryside wife!

He scrambled to his feet and hurried overnight to Wang Ba’s residence to discuss the matter.

These past days, Li Zhen hadn’t had a moment’s peace, thanks to Wang Dachui constantly pestering her about Shen Cuihua since they returned from Dongjun Village. As her husband, she knew his mind well, he definitely wasn’t interested in Cuihua romantically. So she told him everything she knew.

After hearing about Shen Cuihua, Wang Dachui grew restless and distracted for days. At last, under Li Zhen’s questioning, he confessed his suspicion.

“What? You’re saying that my second sister-in-law is actually Shen family’s little brother’s elder sister?” Li Zhen exclaimed, unable to believe it.

Wang Dachui’s usually simple, honest face grew heavy.

“Shen family’s elder brother had a younger sister also named Cuihua. Five years ago, she was tricked away by Liu An and vanished. Shen family’s younger brother went to demand her whereabouts from Liu An, but Liu An threw him into prison and even broke one of his legs! Shen family’s elder brother, grief-stricken, joined the Northwest Army. He wanted to kill enemies and win merit so that one day he could seek justice from Liu An!”

Li Zhen hadn’t expected such a tragic backstory. She sighed. When she married into the family, Cuihua had already been missing for half a year. Rumors swirled throughout the village. Because her husband and Shen family’s eldest brother were close, she had refused to listen to gossip, only occasionally hearing her husband mention it.

“Old Master Shen thought the girl’s disappearance disgraced the family. He forbade Second Uncle Shen from searching for her, even saying that if they found her, she should be beaten to death. Second Uncle and Second Aunt were timid and didn’t dare defy him, so they searched secretly. Before Brother Changge left for the army, he asked me to look after them. Over the years, young Brother Changyun often slipped away, still searching for his sister. Now that there’s finally news, real or not, I have to tell them.”

Wang Dachui’s face was firm with determination.

Li Zhen smiled, punching him lightly on the shoulder. “Look at you! I never said you couldn’t tell Shen Changyun. He’s helped us so many times over the years. When times were hard, it was Second Uncle and Second Aunt who secretly gave us food. If Cuihua really is Shen family’s lost girl, then we’d be family twice over!”

But Wang Dachui’s expression changed. “Family twice over? Do you know how much she must have suffered? Forced to marry a sickly man, raising a child all alone… If Second Uncle and Second Aunt find out, they’ll cry themselves blind.”

“What are you saying, Wang Dachui? Are you saying my aunt shouldn’t have bought her back?” Li Zhen’s voice rose sharply, glaring at him in displeasure.

Seeing his wife angry, Wang Dachui quickly explained, “No, wife, that’s not what I meant! I just… I just feel sorry for Brother Changge.”

“Hmph!” Li Zhen snorted, then added, “We can’t risk being wrong, it would be humiliating! Don’t tell Second Uncle and Second Aunt yet. Go find Shen Changyun, let him check if this Cuihua really is their lost sister.”

Wang Dachui quickly praised, “Wife, you’re so clever!”

Li Zhen spat lightly and blushed. “Shameless! When I came back from Dongjun Village, Auntie told me where Dalang’s furniture shop is in town. She said Cuihua helps there too. Let’s bring Shen Changyun with us one day, watch from a distance, and see for ourselves if she’s really the Shen family’s little sister.”

Wang Dachui nodded repeatedly and stood up. “Then I’ll go find Shen Changyun now.”

Li Zhen agreed with a nod, but worry clouded her face. If Cuihua truly was Shen’s missing girl, she wasn’t sure how her aunt would take it when the Shen family came to claim her.

Li Dalang had gathered many workers, and the shop renovations were nearly complete, all according to Ying Su’s blueprints. Even the materials were exactly as she required. The shop looked magnificent yet not ostentatious, elegant and grand, completely different from its old style.

Every corner and detail was crafted exactly as Ying Su envisioned, slowly honed into perfection.

Not only Li Dalang and his wife but also Wang Guaizi, Shi Fei, and Shi Yuan had all been working day and night, reproducing the batch of furniture that had been destroyed in the fire.

But just then, the rival shop across the street suddenly began to thrive. Li Dalang stormed back in, slamming the feather duster in his hand down on the counter.

Liu Chuncao looked up in surprise. “What’s wrong? Who made you angry?”

Li Dalang scowled. “The shop across the street, business is booming.”

She went to the door and looked. Sure enough, a crowd was entering Manager Li’s store. Her brows furrowed. “Why suddenly today?”

“They’re selling the same things we are!” Li Dalang said bitterly.

“What do you mean? Furniture too?” She asked, puzzled.

“That’s right! I checked carefully. The furniture they’re selling is identical to the pieces we just finished.” Shi Fei entered with a grim expression.

Realization dawned on Liu Chuncao, and her heart sank. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. These are the exact designs we remade after the fire. How could they possibly have our master’s blueprints?” Shi Fei said, baffled.

Li Dalang’s face turned grave. “Only we saw the blueprints Cuihua brought. Those drawings were burned. How did Manager Li get them and copy them?”

Liu Chuncao spat angrily. “Who cares how! That scheming bastard had this planned. These pieces were supposed to be the highlight of our grand reopening. Now he’s selling them first, who will buy ours? Once customers have already purchased from him, our stock will sit unsold!”

Hearing the commotion, Wang Guaizi came running from the back courtyard. Everyone knew their own wages depended on the shop’s success. If business failed, their pay would drop.

The shop filled with gloom. Wang Guaizi, Shi Fei, and Shi Yuan exchanged uneasy looks, suspicion and doubt flickering in their eyes.

The master wouldn’t have leaked the designs. That left only the three workers as possible suspects.

Just then, Ying Su entered. Before she could even settle in, Liu Chuncao rushed to her, spilling out the whole story, ending anxiously:

“What should we do, Cuihua? Does this mean we can’t open at all?”