After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 52

Chapter 52

After the New Year, the Shen family, following their annual tradition, had to return home for ancestor worship. Since her father’s generation, they had moved to the city through their hard work, but their ancestors had all lived in the countryside. The ancestral graves were naturally located there. Gathering with siblings at the same time each year to pay respects to the ancestors had become a Shen family tradition.

That morning, the Shen family set off while it was still twilight after breakfast. The drive from A City to the countryside would take several hours.

Their ancestral home was no longer inhabited; all the siblings had moved to the city. They only returned to clean it once a year for ancestor worship, believing that their deceased parents would come home to stay for a while during this time.

Shen Lu didn’t have deep impressions of the village. She only returned once a year for the New Year, yet every time she came back, it had changed. The former dirt roads became stone roads, the stone roads became cement roads, and now the road outside the village had become an asphalt national highway.

The villagers had also gradually developed small businesses, making their lives prosperous.

Arriving at their destination, they were the earliest this year. Father Shen immediately began clearing the weeds in front of the gate, his mood naturally becoming somber.

Shen Lu didn’t say much and followed her father’s lead. As for Shen Jing, the kid was asleep in the car and wouldn’t wake up no matter what.

“Dad, did you, Big Uncle, and Second Uncle all live here when you were little?” Shen Lu found a topic while working.

“Of course! We also had your unmarried Third and Fourth Aunts then. The five of us kids all lived in this ancestral house. Back then, our Shen family was the wealthiest in the village; we built this small storied building in the seventies.”

Shen Lu saw the sparkle in her father’s eyes as he spoke, realizing that period, though difficult, must have been beautiful and worth remembering.

“Then why is our family so poor now?” Shen Lu teased deliberately.

“It’s all because we had to raise you and your brother,” Mother Shen suddenly interjected. “Although houses in the city were cheap back then, the wages were also relatively low. Your dad and I had to raise you both and save money to buy a house, so life was quite tight.”

Father Shen became serious. “Among the brothers, we’re not the poorest, right? Look at your Big Uncle’s family; they only bought a house in the city two years ago and were renting before that.”

Shen Lu laughed heartily. “Dad, why don’t you compare yourself to Second Uncle’s family? They moved abroad ten years ago!”

Father Shen was left speechless this time and bent down to continue cleaning.

…

Before long, the sun was high in the sky. The winter sun shone warmly, making one feel like taking a nap. Several cars drove into the village road—Shen Lu’s Uncles and Aunts had arrived.

Shen Lu greeted them all one by one. Then Big Uncle said, “Shen Lu must be 26 after the New Year, right? Do you have a partner? Girls who don’t marry early will end up as ‘leftover women.'”

While she knew the question was well-intentioned, she couldn’t stand this kind of “kindness” from relatives.

Mother Shen almost let the secret slip, but she was full of confidence. “Big Brother, you don’t need to worry about our Lu Lu. Her partner is excellent, rich and famous.”

“Mom,” Shen Lu subtly tugged at her mother, signaling a warning.

“Lu Lu has a partner? What kind of work does she do? How old is she? Did she graduate from a prestigious school? What about her family’s financial situation? What’s her annual salary?”

Once this topic started, it was endless.

Mother Shen was not one to back down. “In any case, she’s richer than everyone sitting here.”

“Sister-in-law, you’re not exaggerating, are you? Hahahaha…”

Shen Lu reluctantly pulled her mother’s arm again. “Say a little less, please.”

…

The group worked together to clean the ancestral house. After setting out fruit and food, they set off for the ancestral graves, which were located behind the village bamboo forest, in a secluded spot with mountains and water.

Shen Jing lagged at the back, looking listless and completely drained, which was understandable; the debt collectors had driven him to a nervous breakdown these days.

Walking along the field path, Shen Lu received a message from Ye Qin.

Ye Qin: What are you doing? Shen Lu: Heading back to my hometown for ancestor worship. Ye Qin: …..When are you coming back? Shen Lu: I don’t know yet, probably by night. Why, is something wrong? Ye Qin: Nothing really, just take care of yourself.

Seeing this sentence, Shen Lu’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly beamed with joy.

Shen Lu: Of course I will. I’m more worried about you! You can’t even take care of yourself without an assistant. Ye Qin laughed holding her phone. This Shen Lu was getting more and more presumptuous. Ye Qin: Wait till you get back, and see how I deal with you. Shen Lu: Bleah bleah bleah.

She was incredibly smug.

Next, she opened her WeChat camera, took a picture of the rural scenery, and sent it to Ye Qin.

Ye Qin: A bit desolate. Shen Lu: Isn’t it beautiful? Ye Qin: Beautiful, but something’s missing. Shen Lu: What’s missing? Ye Qin: You.

Suddenly, Shen Jing craned his neck and peeked over. “PDA, PDA! That’s too much!”

Shen Lu was startled and quickly put away her phone, shouting, “Shen Jing, I’m going to beat you to death today! Don’t you dare stop me!”

This instantly sent Shen Jing scrambling wildly across the field path.

“Look at those two kids, they’re absolutely crazy.”

“Shen Lu, Shen Jing, stop fooling around! We’ve reached the ancestral graves!”

“……”

The two finally calmed down after a while and stopped fighting. Big Uncle and Second Uncle had already begun burning incense and kneeling, followed by the younger generation in order.

After Shen Lu’s turn, when it was Shen Jing’s, his phone rang in his pocket again. Shen Jing’s face instantly changed. Shen Lu stood in front of him, looking down. “Give me your phone. I’ll answer it for you first.”

Shen Jing shook his head, refusing, and just let it ring until he finished his worship. Then he hurried off a distance to answer it. Shen Lu watched him from afar. Why is Shen Jing so strange? He seems to have endless phone calls lately. Did he cause trouble outside without telling the family again?

“I told you it would only be a few days! Can you please stop forcing me?”

“Please, brothers, I’m at my hometown for ancestor worship today. I don’t want to make a scene. My relatives are all here, and it’s really embarrassing.”

“…..”

After finishing the call, Shen Lu extended her leg to block his path. “You’re hiding something.”

Shen Jing stammered, putting away his phone. “I… I… You’re overthinking it.”

Shen Lu grabbed him. “Are you going to tell me or not?”

Shen Jing yanked his arm free and walked off alone in the direction of the village.