Heaven-Sent Farm Girl Builds Her Fortune And Captures His Heart-Chapter 492 - 491: I Don’t Want to Die

Shen Qinglan raised her brows in surprise, "How does Miss Xiaoman know my name?"

"Of course, it was Young Master Shen who mentioned you to the young lady." Xiaoman replied, "Young Master Shen said he has a cousin named Shen Qinglan, who is blessed by the heavens, is the fortunate one of the Shen Family, and at a young age understands business and provides for the family, the most promising person in the entire Shen Family."

Shen Qinglan smiled to herself; she hadn’t expected Shen Qingning to mention her to his sweetheart.

It seems he truly has a deep affection for this second young lady of the Zhuang family.

"What do you usually eat?" Shen Qinglan asked.

"Cornbread with tea," said Xiaoman.

Shen Qinglan frowned, "Even your young lady eats like this?"

Xiaoman nodded, "Whatever the young lady eats, I eat too."

This second young lady of the Zhuang Mansion, isn’t she living too miserably?

When their family was poor, at least there was rice and wild vegetables to eat, and sometimes even a bit of game.

Shen Qinglan glanced around and found that although the courtyard was dilapidated, it was clean and tidy.

"Xiaoman, who has arrived?"

Just as they reached the front yard, a gentle voice from a woman came from inside the house.

Xiaoman shouted loudly, "Miss, it’s Young Master Shen’s cousin."

From inside came a soft gasp, and soon a slender and pale young lady appeared, biting her fingertip as she walked out.

Xiaoman gasped in surprise, hurried forward to grab the young lady’s finger and said worriedly, "Miss, were you pricked by a needle?"

"It’s fine!" Zhuang Ruyue withdrew her hand and, turning to Shen Qinglan, her face slightly flushed, made a gesture to invite Shen Qinglan in, "The young lady, please come in and sit."

Shen Qinglan smiled and followed the two into the living room.

In the living room, except for two low stools and a low table, there were no other furnishings.

Xiaoman said, "Miss Shen, please sit down. I’ll go make tea for you."

Shen Qinglan nodded.

Once Xiaoman left, Zhuang Ruyue, with her face blushing, asked, "I wonder, what brings the young lady to see Ruyue?"

Shen Qinglan replied, "My second cousin couldn’t reach you, and he’s worried, so I came to check."

Zhuang Ruyue’s face first turned red, then quickly paled, "Is he... doing well?"

Shen Qinglan smiled, "I don’t know either." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Ah?" Zhuang Ruyue was briefly stunned.

Shen Qinglan said, "On the surface, he seems fine, but who knows what is in his heart."

Zhuang Ruyue lowered her eyelids and said softly, "My father doesn’t allow me to see outsiders. How did you get in, young lady?"

"I know," Shen Qinglan replied, "So, I sought help from County Magistrate Pei."

"County Magistrate Pei?" Zhuang Ruyue was startled, "The young lady knows County Magistrate Pei?"

"We’ve had some interactions," Shen Qinglan looked at her exposed hand, noticing the nail marks on it, and furrowed her brows, "I’ve heard that people from the Zhuang Mansion bully you often?"

Zhuang Ruyue seemed to recall something, hastily withdrew her hand and placed it under the low table, sighing lightly, "I’ve gotten used to it."

Shen Qinglan heard endless sorrow and helplessness in those few words.

She sighed lightly and asked, "You just let them bully you like this?"

"I fought back when I was young," Zhuang Ruyue said with a bitter smile, "and was thrown into the Buddha hall by my mother for a month, drinking nothing but half a bowl of water and half a cornbread each day. When I came out, I didn’t even have the strength to walk."

"Haven’t you thought about escaping?"

"Escape?" Zhuang Ruyue smiled sadly, "With not a penny to my name, where could I run to?"

She looked at Shen Qinglan and said, "Before my nurse left, she told me that my mother wanted me to survive no matter what, so I don’t want to die."

To escape would mean certain death; it’s better to stay in the Zhuang Mansion and endure life, to fulfill her deceased mother’s wish.