Chapter 175 Have you ever given someone a lantern?

Although Qingling was a little angry at the broken lantern, she didn't show it.

She also politely told Zhou Zhining that it was alright, and that since the lantern was broken, Zhan Xingzhuo could send her a new one.

However, Zhan Xingzhuo never gave her a second lantern.

That year, only Yao Qingling and Tao Ye went to see the lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival; Zhou Zhining was injured and unable to leave the mansion, so Zhan Xingzhuo accompanied her to the courtyard to admire the moon and eat mooncakes.

That night, she brought home a new rabbit lantern, which Xiao'er saw. Zhan Xingzhuo said that it was a fun time for the child, and he took it to amuse him.

Later, Yao Qingling realized that she was the outsider in that family.

However, Yao Qingling's fondness for the rabbit lantern was not because of Zhan Xingzhuo, but because of her childhood memories that she couldn't let go of; she missed the companionship her father had given her.

Therefore, she wouldn't stop liking the lanterns just because she no longer liked Zhan Xingzhuo.

As festivals approach, she would stay in her courtyard and patiently make a lantern by hand.

On the day of the festival, she took out the lanterns to admire them.

But Lou Yue thought that Yao Qingling made the lanterns because she was reminded of Master Zhan.

Qingling was so engrossed in making the lanterns that she didn't discuss it in detail with Louyue.

She was busy with various arrangements for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, and even the people in the courtyard were on high alert, so much so that although everyone knew it was a festival, they were too busy to enjoy the celebration.

Now that she has some free time, Qingling makes herself a new lantern.

Besides compensating herself, it's also a gift to the baby in her womb before its birth.

It's funny to think about.

Other mothers made clothes, shoes and hats for their children from a young age, but Qingling was criticized by Madam Ma from childhood for her poor needlework skills, so Qingling became too lazy to do them.

The gift she received as a child was a lantern, so perhaps the gift she gives to her child will also be a lantern.

Lanterns are beautiful, bright, and represent love and light—these are auspicious meanings.

Lou Yue stayed with Qing Ling for a while, adjusted the flavor of the mutton soup, and then left after Xia Chan arrived, as she had other things to do.

Xia Chan glanced at the pot of mutton soup: "Miss, didn't you eat enough for dinner? Why are you making mutton soup now?"

Qingling said, "It's getting cold. Drinking some mutton soup will warm you up and make it easier to sleep at night."

Xia Chan looked at her suspiciously, thinking to herself, "Aren't pregnant women all afraid of the heat?"

Moreover, mutton soup is considered "heaty" in traditional Chinese medicine.

But everyone's constitution is different, so she didn't say anything more.

The night breeze was a bit cool, but also comfortable. Xia Chan took a basket and some cloth, intending to make clothes for her child.

Qingling glanced at her and said, "The lights in the yard aren't bright enough; be careful not to hurt your eyes. I don't have anything to do here; you can take it inside and make it."

Xia Chan looked up and glanced around, as if on guard against something.

"What if Miss can't find anyone? I'll just go get another lamp, it's alright."

Qingling looked at her with perfect insight, a slight smile spreading across her lips. She said, "If you add another lamp, and a spark falls onto my lantern, wouldn't all my efforts be wasted? Let He Yin accompany me. Go on."

Xia Chan stared at Qing Ling for a while, seemingly a little sullen, then picked up the basket and the fabric and left.

He Yin is here again.

He Yin has recently been cultivating a precious herb and observes it every day.

She even brought her herb pot and squatted under the tree to study the soil.

She took a small shovel and poked around a few times, collecting the soil from under different trees and putting it into separate bags.

In the quiet air, the sound of her shoveling soil could be heard.

Qingling glanced down at the tree, then looked up at the roof and said, "You've been up there for so long, can you come down now?"

He Yin was very focused and didn't even turn her head once.

A tall figure flew down from the eaves, like a giant hawk, and landed silently.

He walked up to Qingling and gestured with his chin toward He Yin: "What is she doing?"

Qingling said, "We are studying the effects of different leaf molds on herbs."

Lin Shiyuan: "..."

Qingling pointed to the seat: "Sit down."

As Lin Shiyuan sat down, Qingling bent and secured the last bamboo strip, saying, "You don't seem to like cicadas?"

"How can you tell?" The man sat down and poured tea.

“When Lou Yue left, you were planning to come down, but when you saw Xia Chan arrive, you stopped moving.”

The man fiddled with the teacup, unable to speak of Xia Chan's warning to him.

He would never admit to Xia Chan that he liked Yao Qingling.

If Xia Chan sees him visiting Yao Qingling at night again, she'll probably come back to warn him again.

The man said, "When Lou Yue left, I wasn't prepared to come down. My leg was just numb, so I just moved it a bit."

Yao Qingling held the lantern frame, glancing at him sideways with disbelief.

It's not like we haven't spent time on the rooftop together before.

He can lie still all night without moving.

"He Yin is here, why did you come down again?"

Lin Shiyuan: "She is different from those maids."

Yao Qingling raised an eyebrow: "Oh, how are they different?"

"She doesn't talk much."

Qingling: "..."

I don't know if this is a compliment or an insult.

"There's mutton soup over there, have some."

The man took a sip of tea and put down the cup.

He could smell the fragrance from the rooftop.

Lin Shiyuan didn't stand on ceremony with her and started fighting.

Yao Qingling washed her hands, and Lin Shiyuan had already served the mutton soup.

He sat quietly, watching her slowly and methodically wipe her hands clean with a cloth.

Yao Qingling picked up the soup bowl and said to Lin Shiyuan, "First, I wish our first collaboration between officials and merchants a success."

Yao Qingling eliminated the traitors, and Lin Shiyuan gained merit by taking advantage of these people. One secured his safety, while the other took the first step towards rising to prominence.

The two bowls collided in mid-air, making a crisp clinking sound.

Lin Shiyuan did not drink the first bowl of soup, but instead collapsed on the ground.

Qingling had also served in the military and knew that this was a ritual.

She was supposed to pour a large bowl of wine to commemorate the dead, but she couldn't touch alcohol for the next two years, so she substituted soup and poured it on the ground.

Those dead bandits, after all, lived and laughed with them. It's impossible for them to just consolidate their position by stepping on their corpses and feel at ease.

After the second bowl of soup was served, the two began to chat casually.

Lin Shiyuan was drinking his soup when he glanced at the lantern stand out of the corner of his eye and picked it up to look at it.

Yao Qingling said nervously, "Be gentle, be careful not to break it. I put a lot of thought into it."

The man glanced at her, still clutching the lantern tightly. His gaze returned to the lantern, and he said casually, "I saw you working on it so intently. Who were you thinking of while you were making it?"

Qingling looked at him, a hint of amusement in her eyes, and a slight smile appeared on her lips: "You can hear so clearly even on the rooftop?"

The man put his things down, picked up the soup bowl again, and took a sip: "Your yard is small."

It means that the yard is small, so the sound doesn't travel far.

The truth is, he can read lips a little, and he understood what Lou Yue said, but he couldn't see clearly what Yao Qingling said.

Yao Qingling simply smiled and asked him, "Are there lanterns in the south too?"

"As long as there is a festival, there will naturally be lanterns."

Have you ever given away lanterns to others?

"have."

Yao Qingling: "..."

Her smile was a little stiff: "Who did you give it to?"