The boys, blushing, huddled close to the old lady, a little shy, but none of them wanted to give up this closeness.
Especially for Guo Wenhao, the old lady's nagging was like sweet rain, gradually nourishing his heart that had been parched by loneliness.
Li Laosan then came in and kowtowed to his mother. Seeing that his mother's face was rosy and her hair was white, he felt a pang of sadness and asked her about the trivial things that happened on the way.
Grandma Li agreed to everything, and then she talked about Zhao Yuru, "My fourth son's wife and I are back, but there are still many things to do in the south. There are more than a dozen people, young and old, and we can't leave someone to take care of them."
"So, Yuru stayed on her own initiative. She brought you a letter, but there's no time to look for it now. She'll give it to you tonight."
"Don't worry, Yuru is doing well. She's even more efficient and decisive than when she was here."
Li Laosan blushed a little. It was normal for him to miss his wife, but his mother's instructions made it seem as if he couldn't live without her.
Especially in front of the boys...
He coughed twice and replied, "Mother, I know. I'm so busy every day that I don't have time to think about these things."
After saying that, he made up an excuse and left, leaving Cat Bro and the others winking and chuckling.
Grandma Li patted her grandson and gave some instructions to the boys.
"Don't think that men being fond of their wives is a bad habit! If you think about it carefully, decades from now, your parents and elders will pass away, your children will grow up, get married, and have their own wives and children to live with."
"The only person who has always been by your side, sharing both hardship and happiness, is your wife."
"So don't be like those good-for-nothings who have three wives and four concubines, a house full of women, fighting to the death every day. It's so miserable. Treat your wife well, and you'll have a peaceful and happy life."
The boys all nodded, their faces turning even redder.
Finally, it was Liu Zhiheng's turn to step forward and pay his respects, which inevitably led to another lively scene.
Jiayin brought in a plate of chilled lychees from outside. Seeing that her brothers had all returned, she smiled and said, "I was just worried that no one would pick lychees. It's good that you're here, brothers. After we eat, brothers, help out and pick more. We'll take two baskets back to the academy tomorrow morning."
"Send some to Dean Zhou and Mr. Peng as well, otherwise you'll be punished by having to copy books since you're always running home every few days."
Cat Brother immediately beamed and followed up, saying, "Little sister, since you've already given us lychees, don't skimp on other good things."
"The half-box of tea you gave me last time was accidentally tasted by the dean, who has been talking about it for a long time."
"I only managed to bring Zhimin, Xiujie, and Wenhao back by making an excuse to come back and get tea."
"Little sister, please have pity on us and give your brother a couple more ounces of tea. Otherwise, when we get back, we'll really have to copy books until our beards are two feet long!"
He was bowing and scraping, and he and Zhimin and Xiujie were also acting silly, constantly begging.
Even Guo Wenhao seemed a little embarrassed...
The village chief, Uncle Zhao, Mr. Wen, Li Lao Er, and others found it all quite amusing.
The village chief praised, "Our child is just so good. No matter how much he's studied, he's never been pretentious. He's so lively and clever!"
"Yes, unlike those scholars outside, who all have their noses in the air." Uncle Zhao nodded in agreement; his son was definitely more lovable.
Seeing her granddaughter's smiling eyes, Grandma Li knew the tea wouldn't cause her any trouble. So she chimed in, "Fu Niu'er, if you have any tea, take some to your brother. Otherwise, he'll be copying books until his beard is two feet long, and he probably won't even have time to get married!"
Everyone laughed again. Cat Bro, without any shame, hugged Grandma and showered her with compliments as if they were free.
Of course, Jiayin wouldn't miss it.
A few years ago, Uncle Lao Hei and others brought back a few tea trees from the south, which she planted on the edge of the nursery. Now, the tea leaves produced have absorbed the spiritual energy of the space and are much better than those outside.
Even though her hastily learned tea-frying technique was poor, the finished tea leaves, when brewed, were refreshing and pleasant, with a lingering sweet aftertaste. A cup of this tea was invigorating and refreshing.
Not to mention Dean Zhou's discerning eye, who not only liked it but also Li Lao Er, Mr. Wen, Liu Zhiheng, and others highly praised it.
At this moment, taking advantage of Cat Brother's request, Mr. Wen, Li Lao Er, and Liu Zhiheng also looked longingly at their little niece.
Jiayin found it amusing and readily agreed, giving Dean Zhou two liang (a unit of weight), while Mr. Wen and his second uncle received half a jin (another unit of weight), including Old Master Liu who was not present.
Everyone was extremely satisfied, so Cat Brother and the others went to pick lychees while the elders continued chatting and laughing.
Soon, the meal was ready.
Torches were lit in the Li family courtyard for illumination, and people gradually took their seats, filling the courtyard to capacity.
The villagers who couldn't fit their own tables and chairs placed outside the courtyard.
In fact, most of the time, family reunions are about enjoying the lively atmosphere and happiness, and it doesn't matter what we eat. But today, with the slaughter of pigs and sheep and the particularly lavish feast, the joy is amplified even more.
The group ate, drank, talked, and laughed.
The villagers talked about the drought in Suijintan, the reduced hot spring water, and other interesting things happening in the nearby villages.
People returning from the south would talk about the foreigners in Quanzhou, their ships as big as houses, and so on.
For a moment, the evening breeze darted around the courtyard, listening to gossip everywhere, keeping itself quite busy...
Finally, as night deepened, the drunken men, young and old, went home, and the women also took their sleepy children and dispersed.
The Li family courtyard finally quieted down.
Liu Zhiheng and his lads were naturally taken care of by Li Lao Er, Li Lao San, and others.
Jiayin then helped her grandmother and mother return to the backyard to rest, and then insisted on sleeping with them.
Grandma Li always granted her granddaughter's every request; the word "no" was never in her mind.
Tao Hongying also had questions for her daughter, so she readily agreed.
The three of them, young and old, took a shower to dry off their damp sweat, then put on cool nightgowns and chatted intimately while drying their hair.
Tao Hongying is a straightforward person, but she is not careless.
He is especially fond of his beloved daughter.
While busy in the kitchen, Wan'er helped with the preparations. When she saw Cat Brother and the others return, she casually remarked something.
If Jiaren and Lige were home, Lu Zong and Jia Xu would definitely come over, and that would be really lively.
As a result, Wan'er's expression turned out to be a little off, and she subconsciously glanced into the courtyard several times.
At that time, apart from the villagers, only Jiayin was in the courtyard instructing Shuiling to go back to the princess's mansion to fetch fruit.
Her mind was racing all night.
Lu Zong and Jia Xuxu might have some connection with each other's daughters, but she couldn't figure it out no matter how hard she tried.
So, while combing her daughter's hair, she tentatively asked, "Fu Niu'er, I heard that the Third Princess and Prince Lu got married? Isn't that a bit too hasty? The Third Princess isn't that old, and what about Young Master Jia? Aren't they engaged yet?"
Old Mrs. Li, unaware of her daughter-in-law's thoughts, chuckled and interjected, "The Third Princess is still young, but Prince Lu is getting on in years. He's about the same age as our Jiaren, and should have been married long ago! Look at our Jiaren, his sons are already running all over the place!"
Two updates today!
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