Chapter 422: Chapter 244

The sisters walked through the bamboo grove, and Chun Nuan shared some private words with her.

As an elder sister, Chun Nuan couldn’t wait to teach her everything she knew.

The eldest aunt was a good mother and also taught her, but Chun Nuan, being a few years older, was more persuasive in her teachings.

Moreover, the guidance from elders was often very formal.

Chun Nuan, however, analyzed things practically.

Chun Shu nodded repeatedly as she listened.

Having such a sister was truly her blessing.

“These bamboo shoots in the grove are not bad, we could take some back to make medicine.”

Chun Nuan saw Mrs. Zhou and Zhou Qinglin not far away and deliberately stopped to pick a couple of bamboo shoots to examine: “Sweet, slightly bitter, mild in taste, cold in nature, affecting the heart and liver channels, with strong diuretic and calming properties.”

“Sister, do you want to gather the bamboo shoots? Shu’er can help.”

Over the years, Chun Shu and Chunyan had become accustomed to seeing their sister use leaves and grass she found on the mountain for medicine.

“Yes, they look quite tender, which is good, but I have some matters to attend to today…”

“Let me help then.”

“Okay, Bai Zhi, accompany Shu’er to gather the bamboo shoots.”

Chun Nuan couldn’t leave Chun Shu alone in the bamboo grove, as it was necessary to avoid suspicion.

“Yes, young mistress.”

Bai Zhi naturally understood the real purpose of coming to the bamboo grove this time.

At this moment, Mrs. Zhou walked over.

“Greetings, Aunt.”

“Nuannuan, you don’t need to be so formal.” Mrs. Zhou said to her son beside her, “Qinglin, this is your cousin-in-law.”

“Qinglin greets cousin-in-law.”

“Cousin-brother is tall and handsome, definitely a good match.”

Chun Nuan wasn’t lying; the genteel Zhou Qinglin could easily captivate the eyes of many girls.

Based on her understanding of Chun Shu, she most likely wouldn’t be able to resist such temptation.

“I’ll chat with your cousin-in-law for a bit, you go play on your own.”

Mrs. Zhou’s eyes followed in the direction of Chun Shu, glancing at the girl who seemed a bit less impressive compared to Chun Nuan, although not bad overall, especially since her son wasn’t as handsome as Zhao Minghua.

Yes, Mrs. Zhou had a bit of self-awareness.

What can you say?

The Zhou family was considered a big family in Changzhou, but the Xiao family came from the Capital, as the saying goes, even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Any one of Xiao family’s relatives was quite remarkable, so the Zhou family was eager for this marriage connection.

“Alright, I’ll just wander around.”

Zhou Qinglin certainly knew who he was looking for.

After a few steps, taking a turn, he saw the person he wanted to see.

“Excuse me, young lady, what are you doing gathering bamboo shoots?”

Zhou Qinglin was genuinely curious. While other girls picked flowers, she gathered bamboo shoots.

“Sister uses them for medicine.”

When the young man suddenly approached, Chun Shu’s face turned red to the ears, she was embarrassed to look up.

But she remembered her sister’s words; happiness is something you strive for yourself, marrying is for a lifetime, so if you don’t like what you see at first sight, how can you expect to live together?

The reason for not having a blind marriage was to ensure you see clearly and make a well-considered decision.

Her sister was so thoughtful for her, she couldn’t let her good intentions go to waste.

Look, why not look!

It’s broad daylight, what’s wrong with raising her head for a look?

When she looked up, she saw a fair and genteel young man, her face turned even redder.

She quickly turned aside to pick the bamboo shoots above her head, using it as a disguise, but because they were too high, she couldn’t reach them even on tiptoes.

“Let me help you.”

With a raise of his hand, Zhou Qingma pulled a bamboo down, but inadvertently the bamboo tip poked Chun Shu’s head. As she stepped back, the branch caught her hair and instantly messed it up.

“Ah…”

It was very improper to be disheveled in front of an outside man, Chun Shu was so embarrassed that she softly exclaimed.

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

He really acted hastily and didn’t expect trying to help would backfire.

“Don’t move, let me take that bamboo branch off.”

“No need, no need.” Chun Shu hurriedly called out, “Bai Zhi, come help me.”

“Coming, young lady.”

Bai Zhi had witnessed the whole scene from the side and thought that the young master from the Zhou family still needed to be more perceptive.

Why on earth did he have to mess up the girl’s hair?

She quickly ran over to remove the bamboo branch from Chun Shu’s hair.

Zhou Qinglin’s hand relaxed, and the bamboo tip immediately bounced back, causing dewdrops on the bamboo leaves to fall, soaking Chun Shu.

“Young lady, let’s go back and change clothes for now.”

Bai Zhi sighed again; she wouldn’t choose such a husband even for herself.

“Alright.”

Chun Shu followed Bai Zhi back to her sister’s courtyard in haste.

Watching the two part ways, Mrs. Zhou was a bit surprised.

“Nuannuan…”

“Aunt, this matter depends on Shu’er’s wishes.”

Chun Nuan also noticed that the two seemed to have no destiny: “I’ll go back and change clothes first, Aunt, you can stroll around as you like.”

“Alright.”

Mrs. Zhou saw her son walking over and quickly asked about the situation.

“Son got a bit nervous and was a little reckless.”

He then explained how he messed up the good situation, and Mrs. Zhou sighed.

This child, usually so steady, how could he be so careless today?

“That girl…”

“Mother, the girl is nice, please help negotiate a bit.”

Zhou Qinglin was somewhat annoyed with himself; the moment the girl’s face turned red, his heart was moved, and when his heart was moved, he became a bit flustered, causing him to mess up the situation.

“You…”

Mrs. Zhou sighed again, “Let the matchmaker visit the Xiao family more often then, and ask your aunt to help mediate.”

“Mother, it seems that girl listens to cousin-in-law a lot.”

Aunt’s words couldn’t match the effectiveness of those from a cousin elder sister.

“You’re usually so smart, how did you mess this up?”

Mrs. Zhou was exasperated, her son was just causing her trouble.

When Chun Nuan returned to the yard, Chun Shu had already changed clothes, and Bai Zhi had helped to redo her hair.

“Shu’er, did something happen?”

Mrs. Xu worriedly noted her appearance as she returned; it shouldn’t have been this way in broad daylight.

“Shu’er was helping sister gather bamboo shoots when that young gentleman offered to help. He pulled the bamboo down and it poked my hair, then when the bamboo shot back, it dripped dewdrops all over me.”

“This…”

So vivid, yet so helpless.

“He was just trying to help.”

“Who’s to say otherwise.”

He looked genteel but was unreliable in action; this was truly knowing someone by their appearance but not their heart.

Chun Shu quietly lowered her expectations in her heart.

“Then he…”

“Mother, Shu’er is still young; perhaps it wouldn’t be too late to marry when she’s as old as sister.”

That’s a refusal.

“Alright, as long as you don’t regret it.”

Truth be told, in Changzhou, matching with a suitable family was really not easy. After all, the Xiao family was just commoners for now, with relatives in the Northern Desert. Many wanted to marry into the Xiao family, while many also had reservations.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep