The children were playing in the yard, while the adults were talking in the living room. As they chatted, the conversation turned to Chen Yuancheng.
This was Mu Lianrong's first time meeting the Chen family, and she asked, "Yunyun, how did you meet the young master and young lady of the Chen family?"
“I met him when I was selling snow fungus. When I first started selling it, I didn’t know the price and sold it for five taels of silver. He told me that it was too cheap and offered to buy it for eight taels. He also bought the tiger. His prices were much more reasonable than others. My father knows that.”
Xiao Shanhai had been drinking and was a little confused. He rubbed his face with his hands and said, "Yes, Young Master Chen is a good person. He is polite and unlike other young masters who have a lot of bad habits."
Mu Lianrong asked, "Why did he come to offer his congratulations? Do you two have some other connection?"
Xiao Yunying answered truthfully: "He had a poor appetite due to health reasons, so I taught his cook a few light or spleen-strengthening and appetite-stimulating dishes. We became familiar with each other over time. I only mentioned it politely the day I sold the tiger, but I didn't expect him to actually come."
Mu Lianrong looked at the brocade box that hadn't been put away at the other end of the long table: "That's a gift they gave us. Do you know what it is? We can't accept anything too valuable."
Xiao Yunying went over and opened all the brocade boxes for her mother to see:
“I have checked everything that the Chen family and Sister Cheng Yue sent. There are two boxes of food that are always given when having a housewarming party, which are pastries and candied fruits, a tea set, a wooden hairpin, and a wooden comb. The jade hairpin and gold hair ornament that Miss Chen sent were too valuable, so I told her to take them back.”
Mu Lianrong subconsciously assumed that the comb and hairpin were a gift from Cheng Yue, and said nothing about it.
“It’s right to return it. Although our family is not as wealthy as theirs, we are not short of food and clothing. We are not shameless and take advantage of others. In social interactions, it is important to give and take. If we accept an expensive gift, it will be difficult to return it.”
"Mother, I know. I'm not the ignorant person I used to be."
Xiao Yunying closed the brocade box and went back: "By the way, Father, you should not sell wild game to Zhenxiu Pavilion anymore. I have already made an agreement with Young Master Chen. From now on, if you have any wild game, send it to the Chen residence, and they will accept it."
"Okay, Dad will listen to you."
Xiao Yunying noticed that her father and two brothers had droopy eyes and looked listless.
"Dad, are you a little drunk? Why don't I tidy up a room so you and your older brothers can sleep for a while?"
Xiao Shanhai stood up, supporting himself on the table: "No need, Dad will go home and sleep."
"Don't go home. Have dinner here. I'll make your beds and you can sleep for a while. I'll wake you up when dinner is ready. Don't leave, or I'll get angry."
Xiao Yunying tidied up three guest rooms and made up the beds for her family to rest.
He turned around, picked up the remaining mattresses and quilts, tidied up the room for the children, and clapped his hands with satisfaction.
"The houses are all about the same size, you can choose for yourselves. Xin'er, do you want to live with your mother or live by yourself?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Luo Xin replied, "Of course I'll live with my mother."
"Okay, Mom has reserved a room for you. The furniture inside is the same as your brothers', and there's a dressing table. You can use it when you're a little older. Then Mom will buy you pretty jewelry and nice clothes."
“Xin’er doesn’t want jewelry, Mother will buy it for herself.”
"Mother doesn't like jewelry."
The shiny hairpin is pretty, but it's not very useful to her. A wooden hairpin is better; it's practical and less likely to break.
"Then what do you like, Mother?"
"Mother likes money and she likes to eat delicious food."
Luo Xin made a big circle with her hand: "Then Xin'er will earn money for Mother in the future, lots and lots of money."
Luo Li chimed in, "I'll cook delicious food for Mom from now on, and fatten her up... um..."
Luo Yang covered his younger brother's mouth: "Ali, let's go choose a house."
Luo Chen and Luo Yang each took one arm of their younger brother and led him into the house, only then did Luo Yang put his arm down.
"Second brother, I haven't finished speaking yet."
Luo Yang tapped his younger brother's forehead: "To lose weight, Mom doesn't dare to eat her fill every day and runs until she's covered in sweat. You said you'd fatten her up, do you think Mom will praise you or scold you?"
"Oh right, I forgot."
"Stop thinking about food all the time. You've gained a lot of weight recently. If you keep eating like this, you'll turn into a meatball."
Luo Li clutched her stomach: "I don't want to turn into a meatball."
"Then control your eating and eat less."
"My mother's cooking and snacks are so delicious, I can't resist them."
Luo Chen suggested, "You can run a few laps in the morning and evening, just like your mother."
With a serious expression, Luo Li made up her mind: "Okay, I'll get up and go for a run tomorrow too."
"It's good to keep your word. Let's pick a house."
Luo Li said nonchalantly, "The rooms are all the same size and the furniture is all the same, there's nothing to be picky about."
The three brothers had the same idea and went to Xiao Yunying's room to tell her.
After Xiao Yunying finished setting up the large kang (heated brick bed) that could comfortably accommodate four people, she rolled around on it and got up to tidy her clothes.
She didn't make any new clothes; she only had a few old ones, which she hung in the closet along with Luo Xin's clothes, and her shoes were placed in the shoe cabinet.
After listening to Luo Chen's words, he said, "You can decide for yourselves. These three big bundles are your clothes: new undergarments, single garments, and cotton-padded clothes. Take them back and hang them in the wardrobe like I did. Fold the thick cotton-padded clothes and trousers and put them at the bottom. Don't hang them up, they're too heavy and the clothes rack will break. Don't bother with the old patched clothes. Use them as rags for me."
Luo Chen, who was used to being frugal, said, "Old clothes can still be worn."
"What can you wear? They're so worn they're almost transparent. Do you even dare to squat? They'll rip in the crotch if you exert any force."
Luo Chen blushed deeply after being told this, and hugged the large bundle: "I understand."
Luo Liren was too small to carry the large bundle, so Xiao Yunying carried it over and tidied it up for him before starting to prepare dinner.
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