Happy occasion (revision)
When I opened my eyes, the view outside the window was already bright and clear.
The bed beside her was empty as usual, clean without a single wrinkle, making her feel as if the warmth of him embracing her from behind in the middle of the night was just an illusion.
Hearing her sit up, Zhu Ling and Qing Mo quickly came up. Qing Mo smiled and said, "Second Master left early this morning. Before he left, he told us not to wake you. I didn't expect you to wake up now."
Zhu Ling helped her to her feet, glanced at Lin Xu with concern, and then smiled and said, "Madam looks much better today, perhaps because you've had a good rest."
Last night, after she and Dou Yanxun resolved their differences, they were both exhausted, so they quickly washed up and fell into a deep sleep. She hadn't slept well for several days and was already completely worn out, but she could hear the steady breathing of the person next to her—Dou Yanxun seemed to have fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
He lay peacefully on the outer side, leaving the inner side of the bed for her. If she hadn't woken up once in the middle of the night, she wouldn't have realized that he had almost invaded most of her territory. Dou Yanxun was pressed tightly against her. He was sleeping so soundly that she couldn't push him away, and in the end, she had no choice but to give up.
Zhu Ling smiled and said, "Madam was just saying that Second Master came back late yesterday and brought back a lot of things for you, but he has already put them in the study. Would you like to go and take a look?"
Dou Yanxun's official trip took her to a small town on the outskirts of Mujing called Donglai Town, nestled at the foot of Lai Mountain. She had passed through this place in her childhood, but only by carriage, traveling north to her maternal grandparents' home in Hecheng, without stopping for even a moment. The two towns on the outskirts of Mujing, Dongwei and Donglai, are adjacent, and the several estates, shops, and fields her father left her are all located in Dongwei Town.
Sure enough, the study was piled high with things he had brought back from his trip.
Donglai Town is rich in melons and fruits. A basket of large, round melons, which had a faint fruity aroma even before being opened, two boxes of neatly packaged yellow apricots, each one round and plump, as well as fresh purplish-red sweet potatoes and longans as numerous as stars, filled several large baskets.
Mujing is located in the Jiangnan region. Although it has fruits and vegetables, it is naturally not as fertile as the rural landscape of the small town, and the crops are far less abundant.
She tried to picture in her mind what Dou Yanxun would look like when he brought back these fruits, but she still found it hard to believe... When did someone as lazy and carefree as him become so attentive to food?
Zhu Ling covered her mouth and laughed, "Madam, you don't know, at first I was also surprised, why would Second Master bring back so many local specialties? But I heard from the servants that before he left, he specifically instructed them to find as many sweet fruits and melons as possible in the area. He specifically told them that you usually love sweets, but eating too much can be cloying, and these fresh fruits and melons are healthier and better for your stomach... Second Master is thinking of you all the time."
Looking at the local specialties laid out all over the floor, the study, which was not large to begin with, was now filled with the fragrant aroma of fruit, and Lin Xu couldn't help but smile.
In the midst of the silence, a very faint sobbing sounded from the inner room of the study.
Who is it? Lin Xu immediately turned around and looked warily into the inner room.
Zhu Ling and Qing Mo had clearly heard the noise as well, but their laughter held a deeper meaning. Lin Xu, completely bewildered, hurried forward, only to be startled by the scene before him as soon as he pushed open the door to the inner room—
Beneath a round, four-legged table in the inner room, there was a fluffy, snow-white creature. As she pushed open the door, the fluffy ball moved, revealing a pair of round, black eyes that shone brightly as it gazed at her. The fluffy ball showed no fear of a stranger, panting heavily, its pink tongue flicking out at her, and excitedly wagging its tail as it lunged forward, only to be restrained by the chain around its neck.
Lin Xu was stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
Qingmo chuckled and said, "Madam, this was also brought back by the Second Master to cheer you up. It got late yesterday, so we left it here for now. Madam, do you like it?"
Lin Xu looked again at the small, snow-white ball of fluff in front of her, which was wagging its tail at her, and felt a secret corner of her heart stir slightly.
Keeping pets was a fashionable trend in Dayu. From wealthy families to nobles and royalty, all kinds of pets were kept and loved, especially the small, exquisite, and very precious Fulin dogs.
However, the Fulin dog came from the Western Regions. It has an endearing appearance and a gentle temperament, making it very lovable. However, it is mostly a mixture of several colors such as brown and yellow, and solid-colored fur is extremely rare.
The fluffy ball in front of me was pure white and looked just like a ball of cotton.
In the first few years after losing her mother, Lin Xu was depressed and rarely smiled, except for a period of time when she stayed in Hecheng. At that time, she just wanted to give up and be reckless, so she would climb on the roof and remove tiles, and sneaking out of the mansion to play was a common occurrence.
Back then, Qingwu, despite her small stature, would always run after her with tiny steps, worried that she might trip or fall, or that she might get into trouble again by arguing with someone at the stall.
Once, disliking the fortune teller's pretentious trickery, she caught several crickets and hid them in the swindler's divination stick container. The fortune teller, unsuspecting, stroked his fake beard and spoke eloquently for a moment while telling the old woman's fortune. Then, he struggled to pull out the container, only to find crickets crawling all over the floor. The fortune teller was indeed terrified, turning pale, and the old woman, being elderly, nearly foamed at the mouth.
She watched happily, clapping from the eaves, while Qingwu was terrified and cried incessantly.
To appease her and to keep Qingwu from telling her father, Lin Xu searched the streets for the most beautiful pug and spent a lot of money to buy it for Qingwu to make her happy.
That little pug was also snow-white.
Lin Xu closed her eyes, unwilling to dwell on the memories any longer. When she opened them again, there was a ball of cotton swirling around her feet. She didn't know when, but the little one had broken free of its ropes and was showing her friendliness.
"Madam, would you like to name this puppy?"
"...Let's call it Snowball."
Because she had not yet fully recovered and had not yet resumed the morning and evening greetings to Madam Bai, Lin Xu had a simple breakfast and let Granny Qin comb her hair. Then she ordered Zhou Qi to prepare a sedan chair at the side gate of the detached courtyard.
Yesterday, Zhiyuan suddenly sent a message, and the flower color was quite rare, so something must have happened. She lowered the sedan curtain and, taking only Zhuling with her, prepared to go to Mujing North Street to find out what was going on.
Clusters of white plum blossoms, adorned with glistening dewdrops, quietly rolled off with the breeze, disappearing into the tender green leaves. Forsythia was in full bloom, each blossom a glossy golden yellow, brightening the rustic flower stand behind it. Inside the shop, various vibrant colors of red and purple mingled, and hyacinths and aster bloomed profusely, their fragrant aromas mingling with the unique scent of earth.
Zhu Ling pushed open the door, and the melodious sound of wind chimes rang out—
Yuancaoju faces the street. Although it is not a very large store, it is now filled with all kinds of flowers and plants, and the fragrance is wonderful.
Amidst the vibrant colors of the shop, a woman in a light-colored dress embroidered with butterflies was busy at work. When she heard the wind chimes ring, she turned around with a smile, but upon seeing who it was, her expression immediately lit up with surprise.
It's been a long time since I've seen her, and Zhiyuan has grown even more beautiful.
The girlish charm of the past is completely gone. Although only a few months have passed, she has grown taller. Her original clean and neat personality, combined with a touch of girlish beauty, has created a unique and charming liveliness.
Zhi Yuan placed all the flower branches she was holding on the tall beechwood side table beside her, and hurriedly stepped forward. Just as she was about to bow, Lin Xu swiftly stopped her, his smile gentle and kind:
"Gardenia Lady's business is thriving, please don't stand on ceremony."
Zhi Niangzi is now a well-known shopkeeper on Mujing North Street, but she still couldn't help but feel shy when Lin Xu addressed her like that.
While instructing a very kind-looking young maid in the shop to take good care of the business, she hurriedly led Lin Xu and his companion to the more secluded backyard.
"Things are different now. We can see that our business is becoming more and more prosperous. We've come all the way from the south side of the main street today, and this place, Yuancaoju, is the most bustling with people!"
Zhu Ling and Zhi Yuan were already acquainted, and when they saw her, they smiled broadly and couldn't help but tease her.
Zhiyuan brought over several clean cups and filled them with steaming hot tea made from tender tea leaves, saying with a smile:
"Stop teasing me. It's all thanks to Miss. I'm just lucky to have gained Miss's trust and appreciation."
The group exchanged a few pleasantries with smiles, but Zhiyuan looked worried. She glanced at Lin Xu closely and couldn't help but say:
"But judging from the young lady's complexion, she looks very weak and has lost a lot of weight. Could it be that she has not yet recovered from her illness?"
Lin Xu covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed lightly a few times. "It's alright. It's always chilly in early spring. I caught a cold without paying attention. I'll be fine in a few days."
She glanced at the flower stand in the backyard, where several pots of vibrant red peach blossoms and cherry blossoms were displayed on the top shelf. They were certainly eye-catching and beautiful, but behind them were a few touches of pure white that were light and understated, possessing an elegance that was no less than any of the flowers.
Those few Tangdi plants bloomed leisurely, their flower spikes drooping, and a few drops of water slid off the petals; they were the same variety that Zhiyuan had sent to the other courtyard yesterday.
"When you were still in the manor, you were very good at cultivating unusual flower seedlings. Now, Tangdi flowers are extremely rare on the market, but they are especially fragrant here."
Upon hearing this, Zhi Yuan's expression shifted, and she immediately lowered her voice.
"Thank you for your kind words, Miss. Tang Di is elegant and refreshing, but only if she is appreciated by a noble person can she truly live up to the beauty of spring."
Having said that, Zhiyuan leaned forward slightly, her face showing an undisguised joy:
"I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet, Miss. This is great news for the family. I didn't dare to delay, so I sent the flowers to your residence overnight."
Before Lin Xu could fully react, he heard Zhi Yuan softly continue:
"The Tangdi flower has always had a very auspicious meaning, embodying people's hopes and feelings of revival, as well as the metaphor of deep brotherly affection. That is why I specially chose this flower to send you this message—Madam, you are already more than three months pregnant."
Lin Xu's fingertips trembled slightly as she held the teacup, but she could not suppress her joy.
"really?"
Zhiyuan nodded solemnly, her face beaming with undisguised joy.
"...A few days ago, the young master had an accident, and the madam couldn't sleep at night, worrying day and night about the young master's safety. When the retrial was announced that day, the madam fainted on the spot, and the mansion was in chaos. It was the Zhang family physician who quickly took the madam's pulse. Unexpectedly, this examination revealed some wonderful news: the madam was pregnant!"
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