Zhao Xiaozhu was no longer as timid and hesitant as before, unable to string together even a few coherent sentences.
Now, she spoke gently, carried herself with grace, and her entire being radiated confidence.
And all of this was thanks to Xiao Qi, their shared benefactor.
Zhao Xiaomei thought that without her, she would likely still be suffering abuse from her in-laws, perhaps even not surviving by now.
As for Xiaozhu, it was even more so, having been rescued by Xiao Qi from the Yuanbao River.
She had brought her back to the Shen family, taken good care of her with food and drink, found her a livelihood, and even found her a master with exceptional embroidery skills.
How could Xiao Qi be so wonderful, as if a fairy from the heavens had descended specifically to save them sisters!
"Big Sister, I'm doing well. It's you who needs to take good care of yourself." Although Zhao Xiaozhu hadn't returned home, she still cared about her family.
She lived in the city, and the clothes she made while learning to sew and embroider were cut to the sizes of her family members. Once finished, she would send them home.
Now, her grandparents, parents, siblings, and younger siblings all had clothes made by her.
In addition, she gave half of the money she earned from taking on embroidery work outside back home.
The one who had hurt her the most was her mother, Madam Qian, not anyone else.
She could disown Madam Qian, but she still had to acknowledge the rest of her family.
She remembered that after she started following Sister Xiao Qi, her father had also come to see her a few times with food.
These familial bonds were something she could never forget.
"Third Sister, have you made any beautiful clothes recently?" Zhao Xiaoju tugged at Zhao Xiaozhu's clothes, asking curiously.
The clothes her third sister had sent her were too beautiful.
The fabric was good, and the embroidered flowers were lovely.
In the village, even Zhao Haihua from the village chief's family didn't have anything like it.
She was unique.
Her girlfriends were all incredibly envious.
They said she was so lucky to have such a capable sister.
Whenever Zhao Xiaoju was praised, she would proudly straighten her chest.
So, even though she hadn't seen Zhao Xiaozhu for quite some time,
the moment she saw her, she became particularly excited, constantly pestering her to talk and chat.
In her words, there was also the hint of wanting clothes and purses.
Zhao Xiaozhu had only this younger sister, so she didn't refuse, but she felt a little unhappy in her heart.
She couldn't help but think that she and Xiaoju were sisters by blood.
When she was suffering and in hardship, Xiaoju hadn't appeared.
Now that her life had improved, Xiaoju had come, bothering her and asking for things.
But Sister Xiao Qi was different.
When she was struggling to survive, Xiao Qi saved her and gave her a way out.
She made her realize that living wasn't for others, and slowly, she lived out her true self, living with confidence.
Such a good Sister Xiao Qi had never asked anything from her.
Even when she learned a new embroidery technique and made a piece of clothing for her, she always refused.
She told her not to worry about her, to work during the day but to rest well at night and protect her eyes.
She would remember Sister Xiao Qi's kindness her entire life.
Madam Qian, hearing her two daughters whispering, specifically looked up at Zhao Xiaozhu.
But Zhao Xiaozhu didn't even glance at her.
She found it a bit boring, but at the same time, she didn't think she had done anything wrong.
What parent wouldn't scold their daughter after such an embarrassing incident for the family?
She hadn't intended to force her to death—that was Madam Qian's own thought.
She had been too angry back then and had cursed Zhao Xiaozhu with such venomous words without considering the consequences.
But she hadn't expected her to actually go and throw herself into the river.
She was too foolish!
However, saying this now seemed meaningless.
No matter how she had treated Zhao Xiaozhu back then, she was still her daughter.
This was a fact that no one could change.
While the mother and daughter had their own thoughts, others were filled with laughter and joy, everyone genuinely happy for Shen Yun.
Complimentary words flowed from the main table.
Most of them were congratulating Shen Yun and trying to curry favor with Mister Gu.
Mister Gu spoke little, but today he was unusually amiable, sharing in the joy with everyone.
Initially, Su Xiaoqi had worried that Mister Gu and his wife, Madam Yu, accustomed to a life of high status, would be unwilling to share a table with ordinary villagers.
So she had suggested that Shen Yun arrange a separate seating for them.
But Mister Gu had refused.
He said to follow local customs, and this was perfectly fine.
Shen Yun, as his student, was different to him.
He was the most spiritually gifted student he had ever encountered.
Whether in scholarship or in character, he could memorize anything after a single glance.
As a person, he was not pedantic and was not constrained by conventional wisdom.
He often wrote letters to his brother-in-law, the prefect of Yizhou, praising Shen Yun.
He even stated that his reason for teaching in this ordinary county school was probably to wait for Shen Yun.
His high evaluation of Shen Yun was astonishing.
As for Madam Yu, a noble lady from a duke's family, she did not show any disdain for the uncouth relatives of the Shen family. Her demeanor was gentle, and she smiled as she looked at everyone.
However, she didn't speak much.
She only occasionally exchanged a few words with Old Madam Yu and Madam Zhao.
Others, knowing she was Mister Gu's wife and seeing her extraordinary attire, dared not get too close.
The banquet, although it had a few minor disharmonies,
overall proceeded smoothly.
During the meal, Su Xiaoqi had Guo'er serve a dessert—Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup.
Hearing this unfamiliar name, Madam Qian and the others didn't understand, only knowing it looked and tasted good.
Madam Yu, who was knowledgeable, slightly raised her elegant eyebrows and stopped Xiao Qi, asking, "Xiao Qi, is this Wudingzhi?"
"Godmother is correct," Su Xiaoqi replied.
It was during her last visit to the Du family in Yizhou Prefecture that she learned that tremella was called Wudingzhi in this era, a rare and precious item like lotus root starch.
Coincidentally, she knew how to cultivate it, so she tried growing it in her space using poplar logs.
In one day, she managed to get about ten catties.
She dried them immediately, and when she took them out, they were indistinguishable from the tremella sold in modern packaging.
Thinking of it as Shen Yun's big day, she took out some to cook with lotus seeds, making Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup to serve the guests.
"What? What is Wudingzhi? I've never even heard of it," Madam Qian said quickly, carefully examining the Wudingzhi, which was as clear as crystal, in her palm.
Mister Gu spoke, "The heavens produce mist, mist produces dew, and dew produces fungus. This Wudingzhi is a gift from heaven and the king of fungi."
Everyone present, except for Su Xiaoqi and the Gu couple, and even Shen Yun himself, had never seen this before.
Now, hearing Mister Gu talk about it, they all looked eager to learn.
However, his explanation was rather mystical, and the ordinary farming families present couldn't understand it.
Madam Yu then added, "It's a tribute item, very expensive. It's said to prolong life and maintain youthfulness."
These words were easy to understand, and everyone understood and silently praised it as a good thing.
Upon tasting it, everyone's expressions varied.
Those who liked sweets found it soft and chewy, complemented by the fragrance of the lotus seeds, and declared it delicious.
However, others who disliked sweets found the taste a bit sticky and unpleasant, making them uncomfortable.
Of course, after hearing the knowledgeable Mister Gu say that it was expensive, even those who didn't like it "gulped down" their bowls of Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup.
They couldn't help but mutter to themselves that the food of these rich people was truly strange, and the taste was no better than the疙瘩汤 (疙瘩汤 - a type of noodle soup) they made with flour.
Eating the Wudingzhi alone was neither salty, nor sweet, nor fragrant; in short, eating it was like eating nothing at all.
However, everyone valued their reputation, so no one dared to voice their true thoughts about the sweet soup. They all finished it, showing the empty bowls as proof.
Su Xiaoqi watched, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.
Tremella was not a rare delicacy in modern times.
Because the people of Gutian had innovated cultivation techniques, the yield increased significantly, and with a short growth cycle, it could be harvested in just forty days.
Therefore, tremella was a very common item in modern times.
But here, rarity made it valuable.
It was a business opportunity!
Before the banquet even concluded, Su Xiaoqi was already planning another profitable venture.
Although the dishes served at Su Xiaoqi's banquet were not elaborate and were mostly home-style cooking,
she compensated with the variety of post-meal desserts.
Besides Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup, there were various Western pastries.
All of them were made by little sister Shen.
When she returned to her seat, Su Xiaoqi offered an explanation.
Everyone looked at little sister Shen differently.
Madam Qian immediately spoke, saying she wanted little sister to teach her own daughter, Xiaoju, as well.
Shen Xiaomei instinctively looked at Su Xiaoqi.
She couldn't make this decision herself.
Su Xiaoqi, however, directly refused: "Little sister also learned at Chen Jin Ji. At the time, she signed a confidentiality agreement.
Without the owner's permission, she cannot impart it to others privately.
At best, she would lose her job; at worst, she would have to pay tenfold compensation."
She could overlook Madam Qian's past oppression of their family, but that didn't mean she would extend goodwill to her.
Or fulfill her wishes without compensation.
She had never been someone who gave selflessly.