"Shopkeeper!"
The woman called out to the counter.
Before long, the shopkeeper rushed over.
"Madam, what can I do for you?"
"Refund this young lady's tea money."
"Sure thing."
After saying this, the woman turned to Zhao Shuning and said, "Miss, I'm really sorry. Xiaotuanzi offended you just now and wrinkled your clothes. We can't take your tea money. Consider it my apology."
Zhao Shuning shook her head.
She kindly squatted down.
Alas, what kind of world is this? She, a young maiden, hadn't even gotten married yet, while Zhao Xiangxiang and Xie Yu's son was already married and even had a child.
Looking at the cute little Xiaotuanzi, she was really adorable.
Thinking that in a few months, this cute little kid would be able to talk. What would he call her when he opened his mouth?
Great-aunt.
Yes, great-aunt!
Thinking of this, Zhao Shuning felt a bit down. It hadn't been long, and she was already a grandma. In a few more years, wouldn't she become an ancestor?
"Xiaotuanzi, call me sister."
"Sister—"
The voice was clear and a bit soft.
Xiaotuanzi's voice was really nice.
"Can he already talk?"
"Yes. Xiaotuanzi started walking before she turned one, and she started talking when she was one and a half."
Looking at this little kid, Zhao Shuning felt her maternal love overflowing. She really wanted to hold the kid in her arms and give her a good hug.
"Miss, about the tea money?"
"Don't collect the tea money for now. I'll play with this little kid first. By the way, I saw that the man was holding a wooden sword just now. It should be handmade, right? Is this little kid a boy?"
The woman smiled gently and explained, "Alas—many people think so, but actually, my Xiaotuanzi is not a little boy. She's a girl. Since she could walk, she's always liked to pick up her father's swords and play around. If you give her the pretty handkerchiefs and hairpins that girls like, she's not interested at all. Her father loves her very much. So whenever the business in the restaurant, teahouse, or inn is not busy, he always goes to the backyard to tinker and make some wooden swords and wooden knives as toys for Xiaotuanzi. These won't hurt her."
Zhao Shuning smiled.
She said to Xiaotuanzi, "Xiaotuanzi, can I hug you?"
Xiaotuanzi nodded and then looked at her mother.
After her mother nodded, she slowly walked towards Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning reached out her hands, but because of the bamboo hat, it was a bit inconvenient. So she took off the bamboo hat.
Zhao Xiangxiang already had a granddaughter. She was really blessed.
She put the bamboo hat on a nearby wooden table.
Zhao Shuning reached out her hands to Xiaotuanzi.
"Sister—pretty."
The little girl's milky voice came.
Zhao Shuning smiled slightly. Just then, the woman looked up. When she saw Zhao Shuning, she was stunned on the spot.
"What's wrong? Staring at me like this. Is there a flower on my face?"
"No, I just didn't expect the young lady to be so good-looking." She remembered that her mother-in-law had said that the lost girl from the Zhao family was also extremely beautiful.
She wondered how she compared to this young lady.
Zhao Shuning smiled.
She said, "Zhao Xiangxiang is also quite good-looking."
The woman was stunned for a moment. Her face became a bit serious, and she immediately picked up Xiaotuanzi.
Zhao Shuning was completely confused.
Then the woman spoke.
"Miss, please take this tea money."
She put the money into Zhao Shuning's hand.
Then she said, "Shu'an Ningran doesn't welcome you, miss. Please leave."
"Did I say something wrong?" Being suddenly rejected by Zhao Xiangxiang's daughter-in-law, Zhao Shuning had to know the reason.
But the woman didn't want to say more to Zhao Shuning.
The gentle face that had always been there now showed anger.
"Please leave, miss."
"No, what did I do wrong? You have to tell me. What's going on?"
The woman turned around.
She put down Xiaotuanzi.
"Shopkeeper, please take care of Xiaotuanzi."
After saying that.
The woman turned around again and bowed to Zhao Shuning. In terms of etiquette, she was quite proper. There was nothing to fault.
But her sudden change of attitude really caught Zhao Shuning off guard.
She hadn't even had a good hug of Xiaotuanzi.
"Miss, do you really not know why I'm acting like this?"
"I'm all ears."
The woman said, "Miss, although our Xie family's ancestral home is north of the Huai River, in the Eastern Swamp Wilderness, our Xie family also has a say. And my mother-in-law, although she is a woman, is as brave as a man. Her long empty spiritual whip is extremely skillful. Although I'm just a weak woman, I don't understand spiritual power, let alone how to cultivate spiritual energy. I'm just an unknown person and don't need much respect, but my mother-in-law is different. Both my mother-in-law and my father-in-law are well-known in the Eastern Swamp Wilderness."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
She didn't deny the achievements of Xie Yu and Zhao Xiangxiang.
This woman's name was Yanran, right?
Why was she suddenly so angry?
"It seems that the miss also agrees with what I said. Then just now, why were you so rude to my mother-in-law?"
Zhao Shuning pointed at herself.
After confirming that Yanran was talking about her, she didn't get angry but instead laughed, "When did I ever slander Zhao Xiangxiang? Just now, didn't I praise her?"
Hearing Zhao Shuning's words.
The woman said angrily, "Miss, judging from your age, you should be younger than me. I respected you as a guest before and endured a lot from you. When you first mentioned my in-laws' names, I just thought you were being careless because of surprise, so I didn't point out your mistake. But you've mentioned their names again and again. I'm afraid it's a bit inappropriate, right?"
"The names are meant to be called. Even if Xie Yu were here, if I called him, he would have to answer."
Thinking of Xie Yu.
Zhao Shuning could remember the way he flattered her and called her boss.
"Miss, please be more respectful!"
"How does this have anything to do with respect? It's not that serious!"
"Forget it. It's useless for me to talk to you. Seeing how beautiful the miss is, I thought you were a well-educated person. I was wrong."
Zhao Shuning thought for a while.
She still didn't want to have any disputes with Zhao Xiangxiang's daughter-in-law.
On the contrary, Zhao Xiangxiang had a daughter-in-law who protected the elders like this. Zhao Shuning was actually happy for her.
"In that case, remember to tell me again the next time you see me. I have something to do and can't stay in your Shu'an Ningran for too long."
Zhao Shuning lowered her head.
She waved at Xiaotuanzi, looking extremely doting.
"Xiaotuanzi, goodbye!"
"Pretty sister, goodbye!"