Wang Yongzhu turned around and glanced at Old Granny Zhang first. For her, it didn’t matter if Shopkeeper Tian ca to apologize or not; it was more important to make Old Granny Zhang happy.
Old Granny Zhang nodded, "Let them in!"
Only then did Old Granny Wu let the people in.
Shopkeeper Tian entered the courtyard first, discreetly sweeping his gaze around. It was just an ordinary courtyard with so trees and flowers planted, all well-kept and tidy.
Old Granny Zhang was sitting under the veranda. When she first heard that Zhang Qiuju was sold to Shopkeeper Tian, she had already broken off ties with the Zhang Family, so naturally, she didn’t know what Shopkeeper Tian looked like.
Today was the first ti seeing him. Shopkeeper Tian wasn’t tall. Although nearly fifty, he kept himself in good shape. He had fine eyebrows and long eyes with upturned corners, carrying a slight smile even when not speaking.
He must have been quite a handso lad in his youth.
But under his occasionally raised eyelids, his eyes glead brightly.
Once inside, with just a quick glance, he already saw through the courtyard with five or six won. The one who opened the door was certainly not Zhang Chuntao’s mother and daughter they were looking for today.
Among the remaining, the youngest-looking was a girl who seed only sixteen or seventeen, with her hair styled like a married woman’s.
Then, looking at Old Granny Zhang sitting under the veranda, staring at him coldly, he instantly knew that this woman must be Zhang Chuntao he was looking for.
With his thoughts quickly racing, he smiled broadly and cupped his hands towards Old Granny Zhang, "Big Sister—"
This greeting as "Big Sister" almost made Old Granny Zhang sick to death!
Madam Gu also felt waves of shock in her heart. The owner of the Tian Family Rouge and Powder Shop calling Aunt Zhang "Big Sister"? Were they related? And Lady Wang still wanted to expose the Tian Family’s problematic face powders?
Madam Gu imdiately imagined ten different versions of family strife and grievances.
But Madam Gu, being a perceptive person, knew she ought to take her leave upon hearing this "Big Sister." Otherwise, hearing things she shouldn’t would not be good.
So she imdiately rose to bid farewell, "Aunt Zhang, Lady Wang, since you have guests, I’ll be leaving now! Visit my house soday!"
Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu didn’t insist on her staying. Wang Yongzhu personally escorted Madam Gu to the courtyard gate before turning back.
Over there, the shop assistants following Shopkeeper Tian had already moved the gifts into the courtyard and tactfully left one by one.
In the courtyard, there were only Old Granny Zhang and her daughter, the two grannies, and Shopkeeper Tian along with his trusted shop assistant.
Old Granny Zhang gave a cold snort, "I am just a countryside widow, undeserving of being called ’Big Sister’ by Boss Tian. I’m all alone and don’t recall having such a big brother."
Shopkeeper Tian wasn’t offended and just smilingly looked at Wang Yongzhu, "Is this your niece? She looks exactly like Big Sister was carved from the sa mold. You probably don’t know . I’m your uncle-in-law. Today is the first ti eting, so I certainly can’t be stingy—"
As he spoke, he waved his hand.
The trusted shop assistant imdiately presented an open brocade box, revealing a golden necklace, solid gold as thick as a pinky finger, looking heavy.
If it were any country girl inexperienced in the world, her eyes might have glazed over at the sight of this glittering necklace.
Shopkeeper Tian still laughed, "I ca in a hurry, your uncle-in-law didn’t know what young ladies liked, so I just bought sothing random. When you visit our ho later, your aunt will choose sothing better for you."
The words were full of wealth.
Wang Yongzhu looked at it just once, then avoided the shop assistant, turning to instruct Old Granny Wu, "Serve the tea—"
Old Granny Wu then tidied up the table and brought the tea up.
Shopkeeper Tian sat down opportunely, placed the box on the table, and his face showed a bit of sadness, "To speak the truth, our families are blood relatives, but because of so actions by the elders, we drifted apart! If it weren’t for Qiu Ju coming back and saying she t Big Sister in town, I wouldn’t have known! I planned to bring gifts and a few children to visit Big Sister, but so things delayed . Then yesterday, I ca back and heard my niece was wronged at our shop. How could this be tolerable? I scolded several shop assistants in the shop; it must have been their fault that caused my niece to lose her temper! If they weren’t still seriously injured and lying in the clinic, I would have brought them to apologize to my niece—"
Not one word ntioned about the shop being smashed, but every sentence seed to carry another aning.
Especially suggesting that Wang Yongzhu had injured several shop assistants, who were still lying in the clinic.
How could Old Granny Zhang not hear it? She showed no courtesy at all, spat, "I spit! What are you? You have the face to claim my girl as your niece? Long ago, I cut ties with the Zhang Family, no relation at all! Stop trying to cozy up to and my daughter, you and your shaless wife!"
"But since you ca today, I really want to have it out with you! You say my daughter was wronged in your shop, you know it well! I don’t know where you found such a shaless brainless daughter-in-law, didn’t she see my daughter was in mourning clothes? Just because the family runs a shop, thinks a little money is a big deal? Trying to flaunt, find soone else! Dared to target my daughter? Grabbing my daughter, wanting her to buy your rouge and powder! Couldn’t leave without purchasing! What kind of logic is that? Is your family running a costics shop or a black shop? In this world, who forces a mourning girl to buy rouge and powder? My daughter didn’t buy, and then your daughter-in-law cursed implicitly, such a black shop, my daughter smashed it? Let it be smashed! Even if the heavens are split, it’s your Tian Family’s fault!"
"What’s the deal? The shop was smashed, and you barefacedly want to call officers, twisting right and wrong to arrest my daughter and drag her to the Yan! Also opening your black-hearted mouth, asking my daughter to compensate a few hundred taels of silver! I spit! Also, do you think your family is worthy of spending my daughter’s silver? Black-hearted, rotten guts, turtle spawn, heaven has eyes, dare to ask for such silver, you must have faced retribution by now?"
"Besides, those shop assistants were injured and ended up in the clinic, what does it have to do with my daughter? She didn’t hit them? Who told your shop to sell problematic rouge and powder? Lacking virtue for eight generations, harming so many won’s faces, just a few shop assistants getting beaten was a stroke of luck! If I had used your black-hearted powder, let’s see if I wouldn’t chase your Tian family to the ends of the earth?"
"And another thing, my son-in-law now is a scholar preparing for the autumn exams this year. You bringing people to cause trouble at my house, if you disturb my son-in-law, I’ll roll over spikes to go to the County Magistrate and sue you!"
Old Granny Zhang, having listened to Old Granny Wu the previous day, now had a stiff spine and spoke with not an ounce of politeness.
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