As the carriage passed by the manor outside the city, Shu Yu didn’t stop but simply lifted the curtain to take a look at her vast field of sunflowers.

According to Daniu, in her half-year absence, quite a few people came intermittently to buy sunflower seeds.

The majority of them were from villages near Shangshi Village. The nearby villagers saw that those who planted sunflowers in Shangshi Village made money, especially Daqiang from Dazhuang’s family, who planted sunflowers on more than ten acres with quite a good yield.

They heard that planting sunflowers doesn’t require the high land requirements like grain does, nor does it need meticulous care, so after discussing among themselves, many decided to use a few acres or half their fields to plant sunflowers.

Nowadays, around Wenlan Town, there are quite a few sunflowers planted, forming a beautiful landscape when they bloom.

The carriage drove past the sunflower fields, and after another five or six kilometers, they saw yet another small patch of sunflower fields.

Shu Yu didn’t expect that this area had also started planting them.

"Looks like the workshop needs to continue expanding and hiring more people."

By the time the carriage arrived in Jiangyuan County, it was already evening.

After being away for more than half a year, it still felt so familiar upon return.

Walking all the way to Fenghuai Street, Shu Yu felt an urge to get home faster, and as soon as she reached the doorstep, she couldn’t wait to jump off.

Then she glanced, somewhat surprised, at the carriage parked at the door, "Do we have visitors at home?"

Dabao ran up, "Could it be that someone knows that Sister Yu has become a county magistrate and rushed over to pay a visit knowing you’re coming back today?"

Shu Yu glanced at him, "Who would be so informed as to know I would be back today? This carriage doesn’t look like it belongs to ordinary people, I wonder who it is. Let’s go in and take a look first."

Shu Yu led three young boys inside first, while Ying Dong and the others guided the carriage to the stables.

As Shu Yu turned past the shadow wall towards the front yard, she happened to see two people coming hand in hand towards her.

At first glance, Shu Yu saw the old lady, "Grandmother."

She called out with a smile, and then immediately noticed the person standing next to the old lady... Xiao Family?

Shu Yu paused, "Sister-in-law?"

The old lady and Xiao Family, hearing the familiar voice, looked up in surprise, "Yu."

The old lady hurriedly took a few quick steps forward, "Oh, you’re back? Just got into the city?"

She glanced over each of them, seeing that they all looked well, the three young boys seemed to have grown taller, and she was so happy that her eyes crinkled into crescents.

She immediately thought of Xiao Family beside her and said, "Yu, you’ve come back at the right time. Madam Xiang was just about to leave and happened to meet you. If you had been a quarter of an hour later, you both would have missed each other."

Xiao Ruojun smiled from the side, "Yes, I would have regretted not being able to see you one more time before leaving. Coincidentally, you came back."

Shu Yu paused, "Before leaving?"

Xiao Ruojun nodded, smiling gently, "Yes, I’m leaving to return to the Capital."

The old lady quickly said, "Alright, since Yu is back, Madam Xiang should stay for dinner before you leave. Come in and have a chat first."

Xiao Ruojun hesitated for a moment, then turned back and followed Shu Yu and others back to the main hall.

The old lady didn’t intrude on their conversation since Yu was back and there would be plenty of opportunities for them to talk. She ordered tea to be served and then called Shurui and the others to tell her about their journey.

With the old lady bustling about, Shu Yu shook her head with a smile. Once everyone had dispersed, she finally asked Xiao Family, "Did Lord Xiang send someone to pick you up?"