Chapter 407 - 401_1
The strained interactions went on in this awkward manner, and somehow, they made it through the morning. By noon, the Master of the Chen Mansion and his wife insisted that Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue stay for lunch before allowing them to leave.
Once the couple had left, the Master of the Chen Mansion and his wife had their servant bring out the gift that Zhao Erhu and his wife had given. "Hurry and open it to see what Zhao Erhu and his wife have sent us. This couple is not stingy and has quite some wealth. Certainly, they would have sent something quite nice."
"Seeing how eager the lady of the house is, you’ve surely seen plenty of fine things. Could you really be so eager for their gifts?" The Master of the Chen Mansion seemed dubious at his wife’s eagerness. Zhao Erhu had likewise mentioned that the gifts were modest, merely a token of their intentions. After all, coming from a rural background, it was already commendable that they knew the proper etiquette.
Mrs. Chen, however, ignored her husband’s teasing. She had heard from Lin Yue, between the lines, that they had given an Embroidered Picture. Mrs. Chen had a particular fondness for embroidery, and upon hearing that Lin Yue had sent an embroidered picture, she couldn’t remain seated. She had refrained from looking through it in the presence of the others, but now that they were gone, there was no need to worry. She immediately ordered the gift to be brought to her.
Indeed, as soon as the Embroidered Picture was brought out, Mrs. Chen’s gaze was fixated, and she couldn’t let go of it. Holding the Embroidered Picture without allowing anyone else to touch it, her satisfaction with Zhao Erhu and his wife grew even more. Although they were from a farming family, their generosity was evident. A piece of double-sided embroidery this large must have been worth at least a thousand taels of silver—not to mention Lin Yue’s excellent workmanship. Had the Embroidered Picture been sold, it would have surely fetched even more.
Mrs. Chen marveled at the Embroidered Picture for quite some time, and only afterward did she proceed to look at the other items. The several other trinkets were also exquisitely crafted. While the materials might not have been the finest, what mattered was the novelty and thoughtfulness behind them. Even the Master of the Chen Mansion praised them on this rare occasion.
In addition to these, there were also local produce from Lin Yue’s hometown and some exceptionally well-made handmade soaps—all these gifts brought together.
It wasn’t until they left the Chen Mansion and Lin Yue was back on the carriage that she finally relaxed, easing the tense string within her and leaning on Zhao Erhu. Interacting with such high-status individuals was truly exhausting. Every speech and behavior had to be cautious, every rule had to be meticulously followed. Then there was Chen Ruyu, particularly obstinate and arrogant, who also harbored hostility towards her—it was only a morning spent at the Chen Mansion, but it left her feeling mentally and physically drained.
"Wife, what’s wrong? Did the lady of the house give you trouble?" Zhao Erhu was somewhat concerned seeing Lin Yue’s downcast demeanor. He too could sense that during the lunch, his little wife was merely putting on a forced smile. Seeing her like this now, he was sure something had happened. He had thought Mrs. Chen to be a very kind lady, but it seemed that appearances could indeed be deceiving.
"Don’t make wild guesses. Mrs. Chen was quite nice to me. It’s just that the Jiang Residence has too many strict rules, and I’m just not used to it." Lin Yue considered it for a moment but chose not to mention the issue with Ruyu. Probably, it would just be this once, and likely she wouldn’t have to deal with her in the future. Otherwise, Erhu would definitely feel uncomfortable, thinking that he couldn’t protect her properly.