Many were familiar villagers. Although Li Yue Shu was puzzled, she didn't pay it much mind.
She carried Shen Zhi Yu into the house.
As soon as they returned home, everyone surrounded Li Yue Shu, asking about her well-being and worrying if she had suffered any grievances in the dungeon.
To make sure she was well-fed, Mother Mo and Aunt Liu even prepared a table full of meat dishes, with chicken soup simmering.
Li Yue Shu found it both amusing and touching, her heart filled with warmth.
Having lived two lifetimes, she finally seemed to understand the meaning of family.
As everyone was about to sit down for the meal, there was a hasty knock on the door.
Mother Mo, puzzled, got up to open it and saw Shen Can run in, panting and sweating profusely.
"Sister-in-law, are you alright?"
She rushed over anxiously, her eyes searching for Li Yue Shu.
Only when she saw Li Yue Shu sitting there unharmed, with no trace of injury, did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
After learning from the owner of Qing Feng Pavilion that Li Yue Shu had returned home, she had rushed back without stopping.
Only when the worry in her heart completely subsided did her legs go weak, and she collapsed to the ground.
It was only then that Shen Can felt the numbness and trembling in her legs.
Li Yue Shu stared blankly at her chopsticks for a long time.
On the way back, she felt like she had forgotten something, and now she remembered: she had left Shen Can at Qing Feng Pavilion.
Li Yue Shu didn't speak, and naturally, no one else did, their gazes toward Shen Can unfriendly.
After all, Li Yue Shu's recent misfortunes were all because of Shen Can.
Perhaps their stares were too obvious, Shen Can belatedly looked up and met their resentful and cold gazes.
Her heart skipped a beat. She braced herself on her trembling legs and stood up, standing there awkwardly.
After a long pause, Li Yue Shu broke the silence, "Aunt Liu, please set an extra place at the table."
Shen Can instinctively looked up, staring at Li Yue Shu in shock.
Li Yue Shu looked at her calmly, "Don't just stand there, come and eat."
It seemed she didn't blame Shen Can.
In a way, Shen Can was quite similar to her, always finding ways to survive.
Shen Can's original intention was to have Li Yue Shu help her buy her freedom, but she hadn't expected this to lead to offending the Li family.
While Li Yue Shu was imprisoned, Shen Can had countless opportunities to escape and leave the Li family behind, but she didn't.
Upon learning of Li Yue Shu's return, she had rushed back immediately.
For this alone, Li Yue Shu decided to forgive her past actions.
She was never one to shy away from trouble. No matter the situation, she only cared if it was worth it.
Shen Can not only could help her manage the restaurant, but her character was also proven to be trustworthy, making her worth keeping.
Shen Can, unaware of Li Yue Shu's intention to train her to manage the restaurant, couldn't help but tear up when she saw that Li Yue Shu didn't seem to blame her.
"Sister-in-law... Thank you."
She didn't know what else she could say besides those three words.
Li Yue Shu nodded without saying much.
Seeing that Li Yue Shu didn't intend to pursue the matter, although the others were displeased, they ultimately said nothing, though their gazes toward Shen Can remained unfriendly.
Shen Can knew that everyone disliked her. She sat obediently in a corner and, after finishing her meal, voluntarily went to wash the dishes.
Aunt Liu and Mother Mo, who were always kind, said nothing when Shen Can offered to wash the dishes. They simply placed their bowls on the table, showing no intention of helping.
Shen Can bore no complaints, her movements swift and efficient. She wiped the table clean three times.
Li Yue Shu watched everything unfold, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She knew Aunt Liu and Mother Mo were standing up for her. Although she didn't blame Shen Can, for Shen Can to integrate with everyone, she first needed to quell the anger in their hearts.
...
After dinner, as if sensing that her mother was truly staying, Shen Zhi Yu finally deigned to leave Li Yue Shu's embrace and took Wei Ling to play.
Shen Wei finally had an opportunity to approach. He adjusted his expression, preparing to speak, when Aunt Liu suddenly walked over. "Yue Shu, the village elder is here. He says he wants to talk to you about that matter from last time."
Li Yue Shu paused for a moment, then remembered her previous conversation with the village elder.
Due to the interference from the Li family, she had almost forgotten about it.
"I'll be right there."
With that, she stood up and left, completely oblivious to Shen Wei's expression.
Shen Wei: "..."
Li Yue Shu invited the village elder into the house and poured him a cup of tea.
The village elder repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
He looked around the simple yet elegant decor of the house and couldn't help but sigh, "Your family used to be the poorest and most dilapidated in the village. How long has it been? I'm afraid you're now the best-off in the entire ten-mile radius."
Li Yue Shu smiled faintly and poured herself a cup of tea. "Every family has its own happiness. With so many children to care for, I have to work hard."
The village elder looked at her with deep admiration in his eyes, devoid of the past frustration of seeing potential go unfulfilled.
"You are a good child. You were busy with the restaurant matters recently, weren't you? And preparing the new medicine shop. Shen Lao San couldn't help you much, so you stayed at the restaurant until today?"
Li Yue Shu's hand holding the teacup paused. She looked up and met the village elder's probing gaze.
Being as sharp as she was, she instantly understood.
She gently put down her teacup and said, "Village Elder, if you have something to say, please be direct."
The village elder awkwardly rubbed his nose, carefully choosing his words. "Third family's wife, that... I heard that you were taken to the county yamen a few days ago. Is that true?"
Li Yue Shu's expression shifted. She suddenly recalled the villagers with strange looks at the doorway when she returned today.
She smiled faintly and replied, "It was a misunderstanding. The carriage that brought us back today was arranged by the county magistrate himself!"
This matter could be verified by asking in town. The village elder, knowing she wasn't lying, felt relieved, but his expression remained troubled.
He sighed, "That matter you mentioned earlier, I've asked around in the village. It might... it might not be possible."
Li Yue Shu's expression remained unchanged. "Is it because I was taken to the county yamen?"
The village elder nodded with a sigh, looking at Li Yue Shu with a hint of pity. "Actually, with the precedent of Old Man Liu and his wife, most people in our village were willing to try. But after they heard you were taken to the county yamen, then..."
Li Yue Shu's expression darkened. Seeing this, the village elder quickly added, "We common folk have a natural fear of the authorities. Everyone was just unaware of the situation and afraid of getting into trouble. It wasn't aimed at you, so please don't overthink it."
Li Yue Shu understood this reasoning perfectly and sympathized with their feelings. Her change in expression was due to something else.
"The people from the county yamen took me from a restaurant in the neighboring town. Why would the village know about it?"
Mother Mo and the others would certainly not spread such news, and it was impossible for news from the neighboring town to have circulated this quickly.