PFC Chapter 174
Chapter 174
Coincidentally, when Madam Qiu and Old Madam Qiu arrived, Jia Qingwu took Xia Chu out. She also brought along Jia Wanlin and Jia Wanqing, along with half a cart of things that Madam Jia had personally prepared for them to have fun.
Xia Chu invited Madam Jia, but the old lady was a little uncomfortable after being caught in the wind on the boat last time, so she refused.
Mrs. Jia was busy with household affairs and couldn't get away. Mrs. Jia II didn't want to go herself, and she didn't even want Jia Wanqing to go. But Jia Wanqing threw a tantrum and went anyway.
As for Madam Jia San, she was still in confinement after childbirth, so naturally she couldn't go. Xia Chu also wanted to invite Zhang Zhou, but unfortunately, they were all female relatives. Jia Qingwu said that might be inconvenient, so she gave up.
We didn't go boating this time. Aunt Xu said there was a chrysanthemum garden in the suburbs. It was the perfect time for the chrysanthemums to bloom, so we could go and enjoy it.
A few days ago, they went boating to admire the lake scenery, today they were going to enjoy the flowers, and next time they would go hiking. Xia Chu had a very good plan, and Jia Qingwu agreed to everything she said without any objections.
When they traveled, they used three carriages and were accompanied by more than a dozen maids and servants, and they were surrounded by people.
The Chrysanthemum Garden is called a garden, but it actually covers a small hillside called Dongli Villa. From a distance, it is a vibrant scene of vibrant colors.
The chrysanthemum symbolizes wealth and longevity, and is one of the four noblest flowers, making it a popular attraction today. Therefore, Dongli Villa is considered a famous scenic spot in Huizhou, though the owner doesn't open it to the public.
But Jia Qingwu and the girl from the villa were already close friends, and seeing that Xia Chu wanted to come, she personally wrote a visiting card and handed it to her. She responded quickly, replying to the card the next day, welcoming her to visit anytime.
Jia Qingwu asked about Xia Chu's departure time and sent him a letter, which happened to be today.
The owner of Dongli Villa was surnamed Li. His daughter, Li Xuemu, had been close friends with Jia Qingwu since childhood, and their interactions were quite close before they married. After Sun Juexia disappeared and Jia Qingwu fell ill, Li Xuemu visited her several times. Unfortunately, Jia Qingwu's thoughts were preoccupied with her daughter, and Li Xuemu was pregnant at the time, so their contact gradually dwindled.
Li Xuemu was incredulous when she received Jia Qingwu's letter. Seeing the familiar, elegant handwriting, she nearly cried. Then, upon learning that her daughter had been found, she smiled. Then, when she asked if it was convenient for her to bring her daughter over to play, she became angry again.
The servants watched her expression change from time to time, and wondered who had sent the post.
When Xia Chu and the others arrived, Li Xuemu personally went to the door to greet them. Seeing Jia Qingwu's clear, smiling eyes, tears immediately fell. She had secretly visited the temple several times, but Jia Qingwu was so emaciated that she was unrecognizable. She always cried after returning, and later she even dared not go there again.
She clenched her fist and raised it, but the force that landed on Jia Qingwu's shoulder was as light as a feather. She choked out a sob and said, "You didn't come to me even if you were fine."
"Isn't it here?" Jia Qingwu blinked, her eyes still red.
"You came to my house and asked me if it was okay. You really don't treat me as a friend. I'm really angry." Li Xuemu pretended to be angry, but unfortunately her tearful eyes revealed her true emotions.
"Long time no see." Jia Qingwu opened her arms and gave her a gentle hug, a gesture Xia Chu often used to comfort her. Jia Qingwu liked it very much. Growing up, she seemed to have rarely experienced such intimate interactions with others. But now, seeing her friend crying with joy, she did it naturally.
"Long time no see." Li Xuemu blinked away her tears and smiled. She then realized that of the three girls behind Jia Qingwu, two of them were familiar to her: the girls of the Jia family. One of them bore a striking resemblance to Jia Qingwu, and she was being watched by six pairs of eyes. She wiped her face sheepishly and studied Xia Chu carefully. The more she looked, the more she felt she resembled Jia Qingwu in her youth, and a certain fondness welled up in her heart.
She let go of Jia Qingwu and warmly walked over to Xia Chu, holding her hand. "This is Xia Xia, right? They really look alike."
"Yes, if they weren't similar, we wouldn't be able to find them back." Jia Qingwu said thankfully.
"Madam, she is still outside the door." The maid behind Li Xuemu reminded softly.
Li Xuemu was about to say something, but after hearing this, he realized what was happening and slapped his forehead. "Look at me, go, go, go in quickly. You don't stand at the door to receive guests."
That crisp sound was painful to hear. Jia Qingwu couldn't help but frown and said, "You hit me so hard, it's all red."
Xia Chu hadn't expected her mother's friend to be so impetuous. Just a moment ago, her eyes were filled with tears, but now she was holding up her skirt with one hand, pulling Jia Qingwu inside. The sound of her slapping her forehead was like slapping a watermelon.
Jia Wanqing and Jia Wanlin looked at each other and both covered their mouths and laughed.
As soon as you enter the gate, you will see a flower garden with chrysanthemums of various colors competing for beauty. People are coming and going. Scholars in long robes, young ladies wearing face clothes, and maids and servants are hurrying back and forth, making the place very lively.
Not far away, there was a building that looked like a teahouse. It was mostly full. Li Xuemu paused and asked, "Should we go to the one at the top or right here?"
"Xia Xia," Jia Qingwu turned to ask Xia Chu, "There's a teahouse on the top that overlooks the entire Dongli Villa. But you have to climb up by yourself, and it takes a while."
"Or we can go to the east. There is a big pavilion there. It's less crowded and quiet. It would be nice to take your things there." Li Xuemu suggested.
"Then let's listen to Aunt Li." Xia Chu glanced at the two younger ones. They had no objection.
"Then wait a moment. I'll have them get ready." Li Xuemu then ordered the servants to go downstairs and take Jia Qingwu and the others upstairs. "Sit downstairs for a while, have a couple of cups of tea, and then we can set off."
This building has three floors. The third floor has no walls, only fences. Screens separate the tables, and there are quite a few people there at the moment.
Li Xuemu took them to an empty table in the corner, and a waiter immediately served them tea and snacks.
The sound of a scholar reciting poetry came from next door, but the poem was full of gorgeous words and had no emotion at all. It was not a good poem at all.
There seemed to be someone playing the piano on the other side. It was quite standard, but the rhythm was wrong and not very pleasant to listen to.
As I sipped my tea in early summer, the wind carried the fragrance of chrysanthemums. Looking down, the hillside seemed covered in a carpet of chrysanthemums, the paths paved entirely with cobblestones. However, tall bamboo fences separated the various varieties of chrysanthemums, making walking among them feel like being immersed in a sea of flowers.
"Your playing is awful, and you still have the nerve to make a fool of yourself here." A female voice sounded, her tone full of disdain.
The piano music stopped abruptly, as if someone had suddenly pushed aside a stool and stood up. A crisp female voice appeared behind Xia Chu, as if there was a screen between them. "Which lady is speaking so rudely? Do you dare to stand up and let me see?"