Chapter 136 - 135: Going Home to Farm Is Pretty Good
Nanny Jin’s small food shop was not yet affected by the butter cakes and operated as usual. However, with one less person, it naturally became busier—opening the shop, serving customers, closing up, and locking the doors. After a whole day of busyness, Nanny Jin rushed back home, anxious about her family, accompanied by the two youngsters from the main branch of the Qi family.
Walking down the path toward home, she could see her somewhat dilapidated house from afar, its chimney smoke curling up as always. The foundation of the new construction, not far from the east side of the yard, was also faintly visible. Further away, the cattle farm and the unfinished cattle farm construction site were still bustling with activity.
Everything seemed normal.
Nanny Jin and Qi Ercheng, along with Xing Zi, parted ways and took the fork in the road leading to their home. Qi Ercheng returned home full of conjecture. Since there was nothing amiss at Second Grandpa’s place, the issue must be with his own main branch of the family.
......
Sure enough, Qi Ershun had come home by mid-morning, and it was nearly dinner time now. Yet the main branch’s courtyard was eerily quiet. Aside from the occasional sound coming from the kitchen and some smoke from the chimney, it seemed as if nobody was home.
Qi Ercheng, with Xinger in tow, checked their own two rooms in the East Wing Room first and saw that they were empty.
Hesitating, he saw Lady Xu gesturing at the kitchen door for Qi Ercheng to go to the main house first. She whispered to Xinger, "Come here, Xinger, have some water and take a break first, then come help your mother with the dinner preparations."
Qi Ercheng hesitated but proceeded into the main house. The main branch of the Qi family was all there, except for Lady Xu, Meizi, and Xinger, who were busy in the kitchen. Everyone else was present, including the eight-year-old Qi Sanshun, who was unusually obediently sitting beside Qi Yougui.
The entire family being gathered could have been normal, but the fact that everyone was seated as if for dinner was unusual. Besides, the expressions on their faces were not good, especially those of the grandparents and Second Uncle’s family, who looked as somber as thunderclouds.