Chapter 116: Truly Brazen

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Truly Brazen

Shen Shuangshuang snorted.

"That tramp, did she go back to Ning City with Second Brother?"

Zhang Dongxue lowered her head and replied.

"Most likely."

Shen Shuangshuang rolled her eyes.

"Then what is she still doing hanging around Beijing?"

"Don’t tell me she’s just parading around where all the men are?"

Zhang Dongxue didn’t dare respond. She ducked her head, her neck practically disappearing into her shoulders.

Shen Shuangshuang hadn’t expected a reply anyway. Having vented, she felt much better and said directly,

"I’ll show you which two rooms to clear out."

With that, she turned and walked toward the staircase.

Zhang Dongxue nodded meekly.

"Right away!"

There was already a vacant room downstairs, one that Yang Wanqing and Shen Lixin used to live in.

After they left, the room had remained untouched.

Now that they were coming back, it was only natural for them to move back in.

But tucked away in a corner on the first floor was a tiny room, right next to the bathroom, with a window so narrow you could barely fit a hand through it.

It was usually filled with old mops and broken cardboard boxes. There wasn’t even enough space to turn around with luggage.

Shen Shuangshuang reached out and pointed at the door with its peeling paint.

"This one. Clean it out for Her Highness to live in."

"I hear there’s something going on in her belly?"

As soon as the words were out, she tilted her head, glanced at Yao Yuzhen, and pulled the corner of her mouth into a smirk.

"A pregnant woman, you know... climbing stairs is so dangerous. One little stumble and a fall, and both mother and child would be in peril. Living here is most suitable. It’ll save her the trouble of going up and down."

Yao Yuzhen was indeed the one who had told her about Song Yao’s pregnancy.

Shen Shuangshuang had clicked her tongue in disapproval upon hearing the news.

"Tsk, still a baby herself and already in a rush to have kids. What a tramp."

These words were cast from the very same mold as what Yao Yuzhen had muttered to herself earlier.

But back then, when Yao Yuzhen had said it, she felt it wasn’t satisfying enough.

Yet, hearing it come out of Shen Shuangshuang’s mouth, she felt a pang of jealousy.

Now that Shen Shuangshuang was arranging for Song Yao to live in the storage room, Yao Yuzhen initially thought it was inappropriate.

But when she heard the reasoning about a pregnant woman being afraid of falling, she thought the girl was actually quite considerate and thoughtful of others.

Conflict was written all over Zhang Dongxue’s face. She kept glancing at Yao Yuzhen, hoping she would step in and stop this.

But Yao Yuzhen just lifted her chin and said lightly,

"Do as Shuangshuang says."

Then she turned and walked toward the staircase.

Zhang Dongxue’s lips moved, but no sound came out.

Cleaning up the room where the old couple, Yang Wanqing and Shen Lixin, used to live was quite simple.

Just a bit of dusting, mopping the floor, and putting on a new set of bedding was all it took.

But the storage room was a real headache.

It was crammed with old things that had to be moved out piece by piece.

Not to mention there wasn’t even a proper bed.

Shen Shuangshuang pointed to a wooden bed board in the corner and said casually,

"Just find a couple of long benches to put underneath it. Or go grab a few bricks from the base of the wall. Prop it up, and won’t that be good enough for someone to lie on?"

Zhang Dongxue was stunned.

"Huh? This... isn’t this a bit too makeshift?"

Shen Shuangshuang lifted an eyelid, her words laced with barbs.

"Then you can pay for a new one!"

Zhang Dongxue immediately fell silent.

After she moved all the junk into the courtyard, she turned her back and slapped herself across the face.

’Serves me right for running my mouth! Serves me right for being nosy!’

Her hand was still raised when Shen Shuangshuang’s voice floated out from the house.

"Zhang Dongxue! What are you doing just standing out there? Slacking off, are you?"

She took off running back inside.

"No, no, no! I just finished throwing the stuff out, I’m coming in now!"

This time, Yao Yuzhen surprisingly came to her defense.

"It’s not like we’re trying to catch a train. What’s the rush?"

She turned and patted the sofa beside her.

"Come, sit next to Mom and rest a bit. Why are you so busy?"

Shen Shuangshuang wiggled her way over, her voice cloyingly sweet.

"I was just worried she’d start slacking off~"

Yao Yuzhen waved a dismissive hand, a nonchalant look on her face.

"Let her mess with it. If it’s not clean, it’s not like *we’re* the ones living there."

The moment Shen Shuangshuang heard that, she tilted her head and leaned against Yao Yuzhen’s shoulder.

"Mom always gets it!"

Yao Yuzhen turned her head and asked,

"Are you hungry?"

Shen Shuangshuang rubbed her stomach.

"It does feel a little empty."

Yao Yuzhen immediately stood up.

"You need to eat breakfast earlier from now on. Even if you lie down for a nap right after, it’s better than an empty stomach. If you keep going hungry, your stomach will protest. How can that be okay?"

Without another word, she headed for the kitchen.

Just as Shen Shuangshuang popped the last wonton into her mouth, a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK sounded at the courtyard gate.

Yao Yuzhen and Shen Shuangshuang, sitting in the living room, could see clearly through the glass window who was at the gate.

It was precisely because she recognized them that Yao Yuzhen didn’t rush to open it.

Instead, she waited until Zhang Dongxue emerged from the storage room at the sound of the noise before saying slowly,

"Go open the gate."

Zhang Dongxue quickly wiped the dust from her hands and trotted toward the courtyard gate.

Outside the gate, Shen Jiajia and Shen Jiayue stood on the brick curb, holding large and small bags.

Yang Wanqing and Shen Lixin stood beside them.

Zhang Dongxue pulled open the gate, a smile plastered on her face.

"Oh, come in, come in!"

Shen Jiajia and the others smiled, nodding a greeting to Zhang Dongxue before filing into the courtyard one by one.

Inside, Yao Yuzhen was sitting with Shen Shuangshuang at the dining table.

It was Shen Lixin who spoke first.

"Yuzhen, have you eaten?"

Yao Yuzhen nodded.

Yang Wanqing didn’t even look at Yao Yuzhen, turning instead to ask Zhang Dongxue,

"Dongxue, is the room ready?"

Shen Jiajia immediately chimed in.

"Right, right! Which room is Song Yao staying in? We can help bring her luggage up!"

Zhang Dongxue’s neck instantly shrank, her head nearly touching her chest.

Shen Jiajia tilted her head and asked,

"What’s wrong? Is it something hard to say?"

Shen Jiayue thought for a moment before asking tentatively,

"Is it that the room hasn’t been cleared out yet?"

"It’s okay, we’re not in a hurry. Take your time."

Yang Wanqing also hurried to smooth things over.

"That’s right, later is fine too."

Zhang Dongxue’s heart sank. ’There’s no getting out of this.’

Besides, she was just a hired hand. It really wasn’t her place to decide how the rooms were arranged.

Having come to this realization, she raised a hand and pointed to the two rooms downstairs.

Yang Wanqing and Shen Lixin had lived downstairs before, so seeing her point there, they didn’t suspect a thing.

Cheng Muhua cheerfully picked up a bag and rushed forward.

"I’ll help Grandma and Grandpa make the bed and fold their clothes!"

Cheng Muwei jumped up right after her.

"Sis, I’ll go too!"

The two of them skipped downstairs.

Shen Jiajia turned back and asked again,

"What about Song Yao’s room?"

As she spoke, she had already picked up a bag, ready to head upstairs.

But Zhang Dongxue pointed downstairs.

In the end, Shen Jiajia was the first to move, walking to the half-open door of the storage room.

All the junk inside had been cleared out, leaving only a solitary single bed.

Her hands began to tremble as she stared at the bed.

Yang Wanqing, Shen Lixin, and the others gradually gathered around. One look inside and they understood everything.

The usually easygoing Shen Lixin’s face instantly flushed red with anger.

"Dongxue! This... this is the place for Song Yao to sleep?"

Zhang Dongxue didn’t dare nod, only managing to squeeze out a hum as quiet as a mosquito’s buzz.

Shen Lixin’s anger flared up.

"Who told you to set it up like this?!"

Zhang Dongxue lowered her head even further, her lips sealed tight, not daring to let a single word escape.

Seeing her like this, Shen Lixin didn’t press her further and just waved his hand.

"Alright, don’t say any more."

He turned and strode toward the living room, shouting as he went,

"Jiajia! Get your big brother on the phone for me, now!"

Over at the dining table, Shen Shuangshuang and Yao Yuzhen were sipping soup.

When they saw Shen Lixin approaching with a dark expression, Shen Shuangshuang quickly scooted closer to Yao Yuzhen and muttered under her breath,

"Mom, I think Grandpa is really pissed..."