High-class maid

Chapter 212 You've started making fun of people again.

Shen Xing'er went out to find her parents and just happened to see them returning dejectedly.

"Father, Mother, what's wrong? Why do you look unhappy?" Shen Xing'er asked anxiously as she quickly stepped forward.

"Your mother and I were just idling around when we ran into Pang Bo, so we went with him to look at the shops. We were thinking of taking you to see them later. When we saw the last shop, your mother and I were quite satisfied. But then, the middleman from another shop came with a steward from an official's mansion to look at the shop."

"They've got their eye on that shop and are even willing to pay an extra hundred taels to buy it. That's why your mother's unhappy," Shen Kun said helplessly.

“Being unhappy is a small matter. That person is too arrogant and looks down on people. It’s not that I can’t afford a mere five hundred taels of silver, but they look down on me. Aren’t they just a lackey themselves?” Wang was particularly angry, and her words were somewhat vulgar.

Unexpectedly, Shen Kun was not saddened at all after hearing this; instead, he burst out laughing.

"Father, what are you laughing at?" Shen Xing'er asked, and Madam Wang also looked at Shen Kun with a puzzled expression.

"It's nothing. I'm just increasingly convinced that leaving the manor was the right decision," Shen Kun said mysteriously.

"Oh? What do you mean?" Wang rolled her eyes at him and asked reluctantly. She was so angry, yet he could still laugh.

“My wife, don’t be angry. Look, you call him a lackey, but when I’m doing errands for the master, won’t others curse me like that too?” Shen Kun said.

"Hahaha." Shen Xing'er also laughed out loud.

"Dad, it seems you sneeze quite often!" she teased.

After realizing what had happened, Ms. Wang burst into laughter, and the family of three was no longer gloomy.

"Alright, alright, Father and Mother, don't be angry. He's just doing his job for money. His master has taken a liking to this shop, so naturally he has to find a way to get it. Luckily, I've also found a suitable shop. Let's find a place to discuss it," Shen Xing'er comforted her.

"When did you find a shop? You haven't been out in town these past few days, have you?" Wang asked suspiciously.

Although Shen Kun didn't speak, he looked at his daughter with a puzzled expression. After all, his daughter had wanted to look at shops together on the way here. How did she find a suitable shop in such a short time?

"Oh dear, my daughter is hungry. Let's find a noodle shop and eat while we talk," Shen Xing'er said, keeping everyone in suspense.

"You greedy girl, didn't you just eat? How come you're hungry again so soon?" Wang asked.

"My dad's cooking is terrible~" Shen Xing'er whispered in Wang's ear.

So the family of three went to the restaurant that rented their shop.

Although the restaurant owner and his wife didn't know Shen Xing'er and Wang Shi, they did recognize Shen Kun! After all, Shen Kun had been collecting the rent for the past few months, so the couple was very welcoming when the group arrived.

"Master Shen is here. These must be your wife and young lady. They've grown into very beautiful women!" The proprietress, Madam Qin, subtly sized up Shen Xing'er and Madam Wang, but her face was full of warmth.

"How's business lately, shopkeeper? My daughter's been craving your signature noodles, that's why I've come to bother you," Shen Kun said with a smile.

"How could it be a disturbance? Please sit down, please sit down. Father, three bowls of our signature noodles!" Qin Shi shouted towards the backyard.

Since it was just past noon, there were still a few guests coming to eat. The family of three had just sat down when two more tables of guests arrived one after another. Qin Shi told them to make themselves at home and went to greet the other guests.

A moment later, a handsome young man came over carrying a tray with three bowls of the signature noodles and a side of cold dishes.

"We didn't know you were coming. Our shop has been too busy to serve you. These are some cold dishes sent by my parents." After saying this, the young man placed the food on the table one by one and then went downstairs.

"This is their scholar son! He's quite a handsome young man. He's about the same age as Xing'er, isn't he?" Madam Wang praised.

"Alright, what are you saying? Eat up." Shen Kun hated Wang Shi Gossipy the most and scolded her in a low voice.

After the family of three had eaten and drunk their fill, Shen Kun asked Shen Xing'er.

"Tell me, when did you find such a good shop? How come your parents didn't know?"

Shen Xing'er then told her parents about Gao Jie's plight. Wang Shi was kind-hearted, and after Shen Xing'er finished speaking, she shed tears of sympathy.

"How can there be so many heartless men in this world? They abandon their wives who have shared their hardships once they have money. Aren't they afraid of being laughed at by the world, or that their children will follow suit?" Wang said angrily.

Upon hearing this, Shen Kun touched his nose. Why did he feel that his wife was referring to him?

"Sister Gao's shop has two floors, with a kitchen and a toilet. There's also a well at the entrance of the kitchen. She asked my daughter for 360 taels." Shen Xing'er told her parents about the price and the interior of the shop. As for the location, her parents had already accompanied her there several times.

Shen Kun and Wang Shi exchanged a glance. Having both bought houses before, they knew that the price Gao Jie offered was very reasonable, so Shen Kun agreed.

"In that case, let's get this over with today. Father, go home and get the money." Since the group had planned to look at the shop today and hadn't expected to make any purchases, none of them had much money on them.

"Wait," Wang interrupted in a low voice.

“Take more silver, let’s give her three hundred and eighty taels. Didn’t Xing’er just say she sold it to someone else for three hundred and eighty taels? We won’t do that kind of opportunistic thing,” Wang said.

Shen Kun did not agree immediately, but instead looked at Shen Xing'er and asked...

"Xing'er, what do you think?"

“I agree with what Mother said, it’s not expensive to buy it for 380 taels,” Shen Xing’er said.

“Alright, then let’s give her three hundred and eighty taels!” Shen Kun said.

They are not stingy people. Don't underestimate the extra twenty taels they gave; it might be something someone remembers for a lifetime.

After the three of them finished discussing, Shen Kun went to pay the bill. Wang Shi and Shen Xing'er left the shop first. Qin Shi and Shen Kun declined each other's offer for the meal for a while, but finally accepted the money.

After seeing Shen Kun off, Qin returned to the shop and saw her son staring blankly at Shen Xing'er's back. Her face immediately fell.

"What are you looking at! Let me tell you, your mother will never agree to a woman like that marrying into our family!" Madam Qin saw at a glance that her son was interested in Shen Xing'er. She felt that her son had been stolen away by Shen Xing'er, so she said unhappily.

"Mother, haven't you always wanted your son to get engaged? What's wrong with her that makes you so resistant?" Shen Juyi asked, puzzled.

"Their family used to be servants of the Minister's household! I don't know how they managed to leave the mansion unscathed, and they even spent several hundred taels to buy this shop! This girl is so beautiful, I guess she must have served some young master in the mansion. Now that the mistress is about to enter the mansion, the Minister's household has sent her away."

Qin leaned close to her son and whispered, "He looks just like the old lady at the village entrance."

“Mother, you’re making things up again. How old is Miss Shen? How could she possibly serve a master? Don’t mention this again.” Shen Juyi said helplessly.

His mother is good in every way, except that she is a bit of a gossip. In the past, people in the village didn't care much because of his reputation, but this is the capital. You could fall a brick from the sky and hit an official. Why doesn't his mother change?