lained a sentence."Your handling of the situation was satisfactory. After all, your primary mission was to ensure Ginger Lulu's safety, and you acted decisively, injuring Huo Ming without causing any...Zhang Hui'niang and Song Dachuan both sat before the ripples, frowning at the white veil on their daughter's face. They could no longer hold back and finally spoke:

"Ripples, what happened to your face"

Ripple felt there was no need to hide it, so she took off the white veil covering her face and revealed the wounds on her cheeks.

"Ripple!"

Chang Hui-niang cried out in surprise, her eyes immediately turning red. Even the usually calm Song Dachuan swayed, propped himself up on the table edge and stood up, saying in a deep voice:

"Ripples, is this the price you paid for leaving the Dong family"

"My poor daughter, what will become of you"

Zhang Huiniang's tears instantly fell.

I'll find them! That's not how you treat people!

Song Dachuan gritted his teeth and stood up, directly knocking over the wooden stool. It was clear that he was very angry.

Seeing this, Lian Yi immediately grabbed Song Dachuan's arm and patted Zhang Huiniang's shoulder to comfort her.

"Father, mother, please calm down. This is the plan I came up with to escape. After being injured, I didn't take proper care of it, so it looks scary. In reality, it didn't damage anything vital."

"Really"

Zhang Hui'niang, tears welling in her eyes, asked Ripple softly.

"Really, what would I lie to my mother about! Just wait until I'm better, then you'll see!"

Ripple smiled and said.

"Girl, you tell me and your mother, what in the world is going on"

Song Dachuan managed to stay composed. After being pulled back into his seat by the ripples, he couldn't wait any longer and eagerly asked.

"Well, it all started when I returned to the Dong residence. I feigned that you agreed to have me as a maidservant but wanted to sign a death pact."

And then, she told him everything that had happened over the past three months at Dongfu, like ripples spreading out.

Both of them were amazed, they never expected that even within a Dong Mansion, there would be so many twists and turns.

"My poor daughter, she endured two years in that dreadful place, supporting half a family. In the end, she had to sacrifice her beauty just to return home."

Zhang Hui's mother, after hearing this, understood her daughter's hardships even more, and tears flowed uncontrollably once again.

“Ripple, these years have been hard on you. You always bring good news but never bad. We thought that at least you would be able to eat a full meal in the Dong Mansion, but we didn't expect you to live so cautiously. Now that you're back, just stay home and recuperate. If your face doesn't heal, father will support you for life!”

Song Dachuan rarely spoke in such a long sentence.

"Well, as long as my parents don't mind me being an unmarried woman."

Ripple smiled and wiped a tear from Zhang Huiniang's eye.

"You are my daughter, Song Dachuan's daughter. I don't despise you, and no one has the right to despise you!"

Song Dachuan immediately said.

After the serious matters were discussed, Zhang Hui's mother and Song Dachuang finally had the mood to look at the things piled up in the main room.

"Ripples, I didn't notice just now, how did you buy so many things"

Chang Hui-niang asked.

"There's some silk in here that belonged to the madam. I served her well, after all. For my reputation, she has to put on a show, so it's practical cloth and rice noodles. Enough for our family of four to make clothes. Don't be stingy with the rice and noodles either. Make them for my younger brother. While he's young, we should nourish him."

The Dong family hired a cart to take me. I bought some things in town, snacks and tea for my maternal grandfather's family, and a piece of red cloth, just right for my cousin's wedding. I also bought a jar of oil for stir-frying every day. The weather was too hot, so I didn't buy much meat, just one piece.

Ripple didn't mind the trouble and one by one, she told Zhang Huiniang about everything she had bought, what it was used for, and how much silver it cost. She then pushed the remaining two ounces of silver directly to Zhang Huiniang, telling her to use it.

Liàn Yī did not mention the other forty-five taels of silver, fearing that if she did, it would attract Dǒng Mama's attention. Besides, she had other uses for this money and decided to keep it quiet for now.

The next day, when Huzi woke up and knew his sister was back, he happily let Lianyi hold him. Lianyi then took over the task of taking care of Huzi, which also relieved Hui Niang a lot.

Huzi was very interested in the white veil on Lianyi's face and always wanted to take it off, but he just couldn't reach it. He cried out in frustration, and his spirits lifted.

Huzizi was born weak and, at nearly three years old, could only crawl and sit. His legs were too weak to stand, so he hadn't learned to walk. Therefore, besides sleeping, he spent his days either in his mother Hui Niang's arms or on her back.

The first thing ripples do when they return is absorb spiritual energy, then slowly help their younger siblings clear their meridians and regulate their bodies. This is a gradual process, like grinding with water.

First, the spiritual energy here is weak and pitiful. Second, Tiger Cub is too young and his meridians are very fragile, so we can't be hasty. We need to take it slow. Luckily, he's still young, so we have plenty of time.

On the third day that ripples returned to Zhangjiacun, everyone in the village knew she had been sent back because of the injury on her face. However, her former master was still quite considerate and gave her many things as compensation, showing some respect for her return.

The next day, a matchmaker came to the door, wanting to arrange a marriage for Lian'i. She said that the groom had been impressed by her working in a large household and believed she was intelligent and well-mannered, wanting to take her home as his wife.

Zhang Hui'niang couldn't help but ask which family's son, the matchmaker just shook her handkerchief and said:

“He was a student from Songjia Village, relying on his mother alone. The village had cultivated fields for him to study and hoped he would pass the scholar examination next year! If your daughter marries him, she will be the mistress of the house, needing to do nothing but take care of the student's daily life.”

Before the matchmaker could finish her words, Zhang Hniang's face fell. After all, she was a daughter-in-law of Songjia Village; how could she not know who the young bachelor the matchmaker was talking about was!

He's already forty and still uses the excuse of taking exams to squeeze money from his only mother. He must think she doesn't have many years left, so he's set his sights on Ripple, trying to get his hands on her dowry. It's truly disgusting. Just as she was about to speak up and scold him, Ripple lifted the bedroom curtains and walked out.

"Liu Ma, the young man you're talking about might be beyond our reach. To be honest with you, I was originally supposed to be Dong Er Miss's chambermaid. It was only because I injured my face that I begged the miss to let me go home."

The ripple spoke, and without any warning, she tore off the white veil covering her face, exposing her wounded visage to the gaze of the matchmaker.

Oh my goodness!!

Liu Maiba was caught completely off guard. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she jumped right up from her stool.

"Matchmaker Liu, our Song family has always acted upright and honestly. We would never deceive our neighbors. My appearance is indeed a hindrance. If the young men in the Song family passed the imperial examination, I'm afraid I wouldn't even dare to leave the house."

Even if he doesn't despise me, as a dutiful wife, I can't even manage the most basic etiquette when interacting with others. What use would he have for me as his wife

I also don't want to ruin Liu Mapo's reputation. Just tell the Song family's young scholar the real reason I refused!

Ripple, with tears streaming down her face, said something that eased the enthusiasm of Elder Liu. She sighed and walked away, though she regretted missing out on the matchmaker's fee, at least she wouldn't ruin her reputation by spreading rumors about Ripple. When asked, she vaguely said that Ripple's appearance was damaged, making her unsuitable for marriage.

Soon this news spread to several nearby villages. Some villagers expressed pity, while others rejoiced at the misfortune. Old Song, in particular, was overjoyed and ate an extra bowl of rice, until he was full.s turtle had been alive. The shell had turned purple-black, and each piece of the shell was engraved with intricate runes. Lian Ri felt a sense of familiarity.By now, the ripples had reached the shore...