Chapter 393: Chapter 402: Don’t Think Being Drunk Means You Don’t Have to Pay
As the light faded into darkness and the evening sun slanted down, Zheng Qianyu arranged a private room at the restaurant to celebrate Shen Hua’s return and cleanse her of the dust of travel.
Shen Hua gave her face, sitting by the window, gazing out.
The street vendors followed suit and left, the surroundings grew quiet, while the fireworks and willow lanes of Fengzhou City became lively with bright lights and revelry.
"You’re not planning on leaving again now that you’re back, are you?"
Shen Hua pondered and said, "I will leave."
Zheng Qianyu paused and then, without asking any further, refilled her cup.
"Fine, it’s not like we have a particularly good relationship anyway. When you get married to that miner, and I get married too, we’ll probably never see each other again. Without you flitting before my eyes, out of sight, out of mind."
Shen Hua curled her lips slightly: "You seem pretty confident about yourself."
"You—"
"Wishing to marry someone is a good thing; one must always have dreams."
Zheng Qianyu couldn’t win the argument and drank her wine in frustration, but finally asked a question.
"Are you really planning on going against Shen Qu?"
"You must know, no one in the Shen Family will stand by you, not to mention that ambitious Shen Qu. Even your second uncle, who’s like a smiling tiger, and the clan elders are not easy to deal with. It will be difficult for you."
Shen Hua also knew that Zheng Qianyu’s concern was causing confusion.
She didn’t rush to use her chopsticks.
"Do you think I’m so reckless as to hit my head against the wall without preparing anything?"
She revealed a bit of her plan.
"I’m safer than anyone. Just by giving the command, Shen Qu could be tied in a sack and dragged away for burial."
That wouldn’t do.
If there were one Shen Qu, there would be a second Shen Qu.
Shen Hua did not wish to be open and honest, but those people were not worthy of having their blood on her hands.
Since her arrival at the restaurant, those secretly protecting her hadn’t strayed a step and were hidden in the shadows. The restaurant was very safe.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Qianyu looked toward Yingwu and Xiaoqi behind Shen Hua and sneered.
"You’re really talking big now."
"Just look at the two behind you, they couldn’t even truss a chicken—"
The unacknowledged Yingwu found his chicken leg far less appetizing: ???
Xiaoqi subconsciously wanted to poison Zheng Qianyu to show her true power, but refrained.
Shen Hua indifferently said, "One can kill, the other can poison."
They can kill and poison too.
Zheng Qianyu held back her laughter. She knew Shen Hua loved to watch dramas and even act in them. She couldn’t be bothered to expose her, simply responding casually, "Yeah, yeah, but you still want to say they are left by that mining young man of yours? Then he must be somewhat capable."
Shen Hua: ...Believe it or not.
Soon, Zheng Qianyu advised again, "Recently, you should keep a lower profile."
"That won’t do. One day, I expect Shen Qu to kowtow to me resoundingly."
"Tomorrow, I won’t let him off."
Zheng Qianyu: ?? You really dare to dream big!
Although, deep down, she really wanted to see it.
Especially when Shen Hua spoke, the way she managed the attitude of disowning all her kin, as if everyone else was low and vulgar, was just right to subconsciously make people want to believe her.
"Then I won’t miss it for the world. I’m going to see how you handle people."
Perhaps it was her overthinking, but she always felt that the Shen Hua who had returned was much more settled than the one she remembered. After three rounds of drinks, Zheng Qianyu was getting tipsy.
She stood up unsteadily and staggered over to sit next to Shen Hua.
"You’re just as arrogant as ever."
"How is Shengjing compared to Fengzhou? Without me, there must have been no one willing to bother with you outside."
Shen Hua fiercely slapped away the hand that Zheng Qianyu brought close. With an even tone, the young lady said, "It’s fine, I’ve had some interactions with Lady Xie from Duke Fu’s Mansion, Miss Wei from Minister of Industry Mansion, Lady Yan from Commander Mansion, Seventh Princess Consort."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Qianyu almost spit out her drink.
What? Could you write a drama with just a pen in your hand!
"Why don’t you say even the Empress treated you quite kindly in the palace?"
Shen Hua let out a cold laugh and stood up.
"Don’t disgust me."
Empress Zou was no good thing.
She was not in the mood for any more nonsense from Zheng Qianyu.
"Take this drunkard home."
Yingwu hoisted the man onto his shoulder.
Zheng Qianyu, feeling sick, dry heaved. Yet, she stupidly said while watching the girl holding up her skirt behind her, "Shen Hua, you’re quite skilled at walking backwards."
Shen Hua: ...
She snatched away Zheng Qianyu’s money bag: "Don’t think you can avoid paying just because you’re drunk."
After Yingwu stuffed Zheng Qianyu into the carriage, Shen Hua also got in, and the carriage headed towards the Zheng Family estate.
All the way, Shen Hua looked at Zheng Qianyu with the sympathetic gaze one reserves for an idiot.
She had seen her fair share of clueless girls, but Lady Mi was one of a kind, believing herself clever when she was, in fact, the easiest to deceive.
It’s a wonder she grew up at all.
"Really, all my private savings are hidden in the beam of the room. Don’t tell anyone!"
"It’s not much, just several hundred taels."
"Shen Hua, I really don’t understand! Tell me, why do men stand up when they go to the toilet?"
Shen Hua was taken aback.
This was clearly an area of knowledge she was unfamiliar with.
"Who told you this?"
"I saw it with my own eyes."
Zheng Qianyu told her, "A few days ago, my Mama’s younger brother stayed briefly at my house."
The Mama she referred to was Old Master Zheng’s wife taken later in life, known for being honest and decent. The only gossip surrounding her was due to her being somewhat too young, just a year older than Zheng Qianyu.
"You know, she’s a nice person, so I figured her brother is practically my uncle, and so that day..."
Shen Hua cut to the heart of the matter: "Did you see your uncle using the toilet?"
"It’s not like I watched; I accidentally walked in. I panicked too..."
Shen Hua bluntly stated: "You saw your uncle using the toilet."
"I’ve told you it wasn’t on purpose."
Shen Hua asked: "Was it a nice view?"
Zheng Qianyu appeared slightly regretful: "He covered up too quickly."
"I asked him afterward why he was standing."
Shen Hua’s brow furrowed slightly.
"He blushed and hurriedly said that all men stand, told me not to ask further, and then he ran off. He’s been avoiding me these past few days and still is; it’s as if I did something terrible to him!"
"I just can’t figure it out!"
Shen Hua couldn’t quite understand it either.
She felt that Cui Yun certainly wouldn’t do that.
The two young women discussed this matter seriously, as if they were pondering an unresolved academic question.
Not much later, Zheng Qianyu brought her slightly intoxicated face close to the now empty wine jar she held in her embrace. After looking at the girl across from her for a long time, she suddenly said, "Shen Hua, you left your home to come here all by yourself. You must have been very afraid."
Shen Hua was taken aback.
"No."
At that time, all she felt was relief and an open mind.
She even treated each day as if it were her last, spending her time in joy and satisfaction.
"I don’t believe you."
"The day you left, I secretly saw you off."
As she spoke, she could not hold back her sobs.
"How proud you were, all by yourself out there. I was terrified for you, unfamiliar with the world. What if Marquis Cui changed his mind and stopped caring about you? Falling ill, what would you have done?"
"You didn’t even write back to me. And I worried for nothing!"
Shen Hua’s brows slightly drew together.
The girl was indeed touched. She pursed her lips: "Choose one: either get married or reply to my letter."
Without a moment’s hesitation, Zheng Qianyu loudly clamored, "Get married!"
Good, very good! That’s what I thought.
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