Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "No matter how good the business is, the shop is still my mother's. The gouache business is not doing well, so I just rent out the shop."
Qin thought about it and agreed, wanting to go and see the shop herself. She vaguely remembered her biological mother's cosmetics shop in Wuyang: cosmetics were sold on the first floor, people lived on the second floor, and the backyard was used for making ointments and serving as a warehouse.
She said, "Mother wants to go to the shop. The carriage will go directly to the backyard and we won't meet anyone we know."
Since she came to Ningzhou Prefecture, the farthest place she had been was the entrance of the alley where they lived.
Xu Lanyin agreed. As long as she didn't go shopping too casually, she wouldn't accidentally run into someone she didn't want to meet.
The next day was June 29th, the end of the month, and Xu Lanting took a day off.
After breakfast, Qin and Xu Lanyin took their three children on a mule cart, driven by Ding Gu. Several servants went to the entrance of the alley to call a donkey cart, and they went to the shop together.
The courtyard and the shop are not big, but they are very new. There are many shops around them and it is very lively. Qin and Xu Lanyin are both very satisfied.
In the middle of the yard stood an old banyan tree, lush and leafy, like a giant umbrella blocking out the glaring sunlight. Beneath the tree stood a stone table and several stone benches, where several people sat to enjoy the cool air while Ding Gu went to pay the money and go to the government office to get the deed.
After sitting for a while, Xu Lanting and Min Jia wanted to go out and play. Mother Liu, Yang Yong and two maids took the children out, while Xu Lanyin chatted with Qin under the tree.
What they didn't know was that in the leftmost room on the third floor of the restaurant on the right, there was a person looking at them in surprise.
To the right of their shop there is a three-story restaurant called Piaoxiang Pavilion. The restaurant and the shop are only three meters apart.
Qin Ru saw his father standing by the window looking out, so he walked over and asked with a smile, "Dad, what are you looking at?"
Following Qin Che's gaze, they saw an old banyan tree in the backyard of the shop on the left. Although it was lush and leafy, from their angle, there was a large gap between the branches and leaves, allowing them to clearly see the two beauties sitting under the tree.
They sat at the stone table, chatting and drinking tea. The younger one was slender, radiant as a spring flower, and smiling happily. Qin Ru still knew her; it was Xu Lanyin. The older one, though in her early thirties, was also beautiful and dignified, with a lingering charm.
My father has always been upright and honest, so why would he secretly look at a beautiful woman here?
Qin Ru quickly said, "Dad, you also know that Miss Xu, Xu Lanyin. They look very similar, they must be mother and daughter. That lady must be General Xu's wife."
He deliberately emphasized the word "Madam", meaning that you, an old man, should stop peeking at a married woman here, as it will have a bad influence.
Qin Che didn't understand what his son meant and said softly, "I think they both look very familiar."
Qin Ru smiled and said, "Yes, even cousin Zhu said that Miss Xu looks like Hong Yu." He looked at his father in surprise and asked, "Could they be relatives of our family? It can't be such a coincidence. There are many people in the world who look alike."
Qin Che ignored his son's words and continued, "Even after all these years, I can still tell that Madam Xu looks a lot like my cousin Qingyan." His voice became softer. "They said Qingyan drowned, but her body was never found. To be more precise, Qingyan is missing, not dead."
Qin Ru was surprised and said, "Dad is talking about my cousin..."
A burst of laughter interrupted his words, "Haha, Lord Qin, I'm late."
Qin Che quickly put on a smile, turned around and walked forward, clasping his fists and saying, "Master Wu, I'm here early."
At noon, Xu Lanting, Min Jia, and Xu Lanyue came back. Xu Lanting pointed to the restaurant next door and said, "Mom, big sister, let's go to that restaurant for dinner. The food there smells so good."
Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "I've asked Zhangqi and Zhaoqi to go to Piaoxiang Pavilion to buy food. Just go and order whatever you want."
After hearing this, Min Jia and Xu Lanting happily walked out. Xu Lanyue was too embarrassed to go, so Min Jia came back and took her out.
Several children came to the restaurant lobby, where Zhangqi and Zhaoqi were ordering food.
Xu Lanting looked at the menu hanging on the wall and read it. If he didn't recognize a word, the chess master would tell him.
After hearing the names of the dishes, the children each ordered one of their favorites.
Just then, Min Hu arrived at the restaurant. He also saw Min Jia and the other children and asked with a smile, "Why are you here?"
Min Jia said proudly, "The shop next door belongs to Grandma Xu. We are here to help her look after the shop."
Minhu invited them to have dinner upstairs. Today he invited some good friends from the officialdom to come here for a drink.
Min Jia was unwilling, "I want to eat with Aunt Xu and Grandma Xu."
Minhu added, "Then go and pay your respects to the elders."
Min Jia looked at his father carefully and said happily, "Daddy, the dark circles are gone now. Has your insomnia been cured?"
Minhu nodded. Although he still felt sad, he had let it go.
These days, he gazed at "that patch" of poppies every night, falling asleep amidst a sea of blossoms. He finally understood. While those flowers were beautiful, they were in another world, one he could never enter in this lifetime. Even if he forced them into his home, they would wither. So, let them bloom to their fullest in another world. Watching them and knowing them in his own world was enough...
Several children went to the private room on the third floor with Min Hu. Inside the room were Qin Che and his son, Min Can and his son, Lord Wu and his son, and Lord Wang and his son.
These people all knew Min Jia, and Min Hu introduced the Xu brothers and sisters, "These two children are General Xu Qingyan's children, Lan Ting and Lan Yue."
Everyone praised him again.
Qin Che's heart was in even greater turmoil. He had seen Xu Qingyan's eldest son, Xu Lanzhou. He looked nothing like his mother. Xu Lanyin bore some resemblance, but this youngest son was a stark resemblance. With white teeth and red lips, a fair complexion and delicate features, he bore a striking resemblance to his cousin as a child...
The children greeted each other and talked for a while before returning to the shop with the girl carrying the food boxes.
Several masters ate around a stone table, while the servants ate on the stone steps with their bowls in hand.
Xu Lanyin and Qin Shi heard that the Min family was dining at Piaoxiang Pavilion and that they had been taken to meet the guests. Among them was "Grandpa Qin," and they were both shocked. On this occasion, they almost ran into Qin Che.
Qin glanced at the restaurant, her heart filled with bitterness. Her family was so close, yet she couldn't see them, and she was even more afraid of seeing them.
They were not in the mood to eat, so after the children finished eating, they hurriedly took the bus home.
When they got home, they found Old Man Xu, Old Lady Xu, and Xu Qingming with Xu Yuan and Xu Man. Mrs. Lu still made lunch for them, but the old man kept clamoring for wine, so she had no choice but to get a pot of wine for them to drink.
Seeing Qin coming back from the street, Old Man Xu was extremely unhappy. They had been in the provincial capital for so long, and Qin had never visited them at home, feigning illness, yet she was able to go shopping and have fun.
He sneered, "Second brother's wife, aren't you sick? Humph, you're not feeling well when you're honoring the elderly, so you'll feel better if you go strolling around the streets."
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