Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 223 The Bustling Li Family Gate

Lu Lang nodded, and Li escorted Mrs. Liu out through the small door of the shop.

Lu Lang looked at the sky and said, "It's still early now. We can go after they start fighting."

Shen Yu had no choice but to say, "How about asking Master Lu to sit in Yu Cheng's room for a while? The shop is not closed yet and there are still customers..."

Lu Lang smiled and shook his head: "You guys are busy with your own things. I'm just sitting in the store casually. It's not that important."

Mrs. Li said uneasily, "This is a small shop. How can you squeeze in with other guests?"

Lu Lang smiled and said, "I will hold a banquet in the store in a few days. I will sit there and watch, and help you think about how to decorate it."

When this was mentioned, Li became even more panicked: "That's all because Yuzhi is ignorant. Although she is a good cook and can prepare banquets, this shop is really simple. What should we do?"

Lu Lang said casually, "I'll help you set up the table. Miss Shen, just prepare the banquet. Leave the rest to me."

After hearing this, Li was immediately delighted and said repeatedly, "That's good. I have been worrying about how to buy furnishings and utensils these past two days."

"How can we, a country folk, catch the eyes of the nobles with our taste?"

Although Shen Yu felt that Li's words were too self-deprecating, he had to admit that if Lu Lang were to give instructions on the layout, it would definitely be more in line with the aesthetic tastes of his classmates.

She nodded with a smile: "Then Mr. Lu, please do as you please. Thank you for your help."

They returned to the shop, and Lu Lang picked a square stool in the corner of the shop and sat down. Jiang went to the backyard to make a cup of kumquat honey tea for Lu Lang. After that, everyone went back to their own business.

There were not many customers in the shop. Most of them came in to eat, rest for a while, and then left in a hurry.

No one paid attention to the customer who was sitting in the corner of the shop and occasionally giving instructions to the waiter next to him.

When the market closed and the shops were cleaned and ready to close, Mrs. Liu came again.

It was said that the three people from the gambling house had started throwing Li Changgen's things out of the yard, making a mess everywhere. Li Changgen's family was sitting nearby and had stopped making any noise. It seemed that they were going to be kicked out of the house.

Shen Yu nodded and said, "Then let's go over there."

Mrs. Liu didn't know what she was thinking, but she stopped avoiding the question: "I'll go with you. You and Sanniang have only been neighbors for a few days, and you're willing to help her like this."

"As a cousin, I hid away from my mother-in-law because I was afraid of being scolded by her. I felt really bad about it."

"My husband knew that Miss Shen was helping Sanniang like this, and he also said that since I am Sanniang's family, if I just stay away and do nothing, the neighbors will laugh at me."

Shen Yu was a little surprised, but if Mrs. Liu was there, Zheng Sanniang would have her family members present, and things would be easier to handle.

Shen Yu went to the backyard. At this time, Zheng Sanniang was already ready.

She told Xiao Zhuzi to listen to Miss Yutao at home, and then followed Shen Yu out of the back door of the shop.

As agreed upon earlier, Mrs. Liu went back to the alley entrance to wait, while Shen Yu and Zheng Sanniang went out from the backyard alley, met up with Lu Lang and Qi Xi at the street corner, and then went to Willow Lane together.

When they reached the street, the master and servant were already standing by the side of the street. Seeing Shen Yu and Zheng Sanniang coming out from the back alley, they walked slowly towards Willow Alley together.

Although Zheng Sanniang was nervous, she thought about the past two days at Shen Yu's house. Although she could not leave the house, she was well fed and warmly dressed. Xiao Zhuzi was happy every day and even slept more soundly at night.

I no longer wake up from nightmares at night and cry and say I am scared like before.

Thinking of Xiao Zhuzi, Zheng Sanniang took a deep breath and secretly made up her mind that even if she had to die, she would cut off all ties with the Li family today.

Shen Yu and Lu Lang were different. Lu Lang looked relaxed and happy. He didn't look like he was negotiating terms with anyone. Rather, he looked like he was going on an autumn outing with others. He pointed out the shops nearby and chatted with Shen Yu from time to time.

Shen Yu was not sure, but since Lu Lang asked, she had to answer.

The two chatted casually, which made Shen Yu feel a little more relaxed. Before he knew it, he arrived at Liushu Lane and saw Mrs. Liu, who was sweating anxiously.

As soon as I entered the alley, the scene was more lively than I had imagined.

The market was closed at this time, and the people living nearby, whether they were working in shops or setting up stalls, had all finished their work and were rushing home.

People love to watch the fun, and when they heard the noise in the alley, they couldn't help but gather around to ask what was going on.

Those who came later, seeing a large group of people gathered here, stopped with great interest and pulled the early onlookers to ask questions.

"I heard that the young man of this family is addicted to gambling and his house is being taken away by someone to pay off his debts."

"Nowhere, I heard that the wife of this family ran away with the child. Didn't you see that the mother-in-law was sitting there scolding her daughter-in-law?"

"They say that the grandson is not of this family, and that the daughter-in-law is not faithful to her husband. They all say that they want the husband of this family to divorce her."

"Don't talk nonsense. I know the lady of this family. She never leaves the yard except when she goes to the market to buy groceries. It's obvious that the husband lost money and got angry, so he threw dirty water on his wife."

If you have a kind heart, please help Zheng Sanniang clear her name.

Some people who like to gossip started to argue: "We don't believe it. If he is really as virtuous as you say, why is he not here now? Why are there only three of them sitting there?"

The kind-hearted man blushed immediately after being refuted, and hurriedly defended himself: "I am not from their family, how do I know where his wife and children went?"

Zheng Sanniang followed Shen Yu and the others, and heard these slanders against herself behind the crowd. She was immediately ashamed and annoyed, her face flushed red, and her eyes turned red.

Mrs. Liu next to him was so angry that she glared at him, but she managed to hold back and not spit at him.

Shen Yu patted Zheng Sanniang's hand to comfort her. Qi Xi in front of him exerted a little force and pushed the people who were talking excitedly to the sides, forcing out a passage.

Lu Lang gestured to Shen Yu and Zheng Sanniang, and Shen Yu, Zheng Sanniang, followed by Mrs. Liu, walked over one by one.

Lu Lang was the last one to leave. He glanced coldly at the gossiper who was still talking happily and followed him in.

Although the man did not recognize Lu Lang, he felt a sudden chill in his heart when Lu Lang glanced at him. He shut up immediately, looked around, and while no one was paying attention, he didn't even bother to watch the fun and quickly slipped away.

Here, Qi Xi brought Zheng Sanniang and the other two to the door of Li Changgen's house.

Li Changgen was dejected after being scolded by his parents. He stared blankly at the three people from the gambling house, who kept throwing out some of their family's broken belongings.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of someone approaching and thought that the gambling house had sent someone over again, but suddenly he saw that the person standing behind Qi Xi was none other than Zheng Sanniang, the one with red eyes who had been missing for the past few days.