Returning Home
On the day of returning home, Xiaozhu and Ayun sat in the front room of the carriage, one driving the carriage and the other sitting upright. They didn't communicate with each other and looked like they were not very familiar with each other.
In the carriage, Zhao Mingyan and Tan Linshuang sat opposite each other, the former eating candied fruit, and the latter pretending to be asleep with her eyes closed, leaning on the table with one hand, neither close nor distant.
After finishing the candied fruit and about to reach out to grab the meat jerky, Zhao Mingyan raised his eyes and glanced at Tan Linshuang opposite him, and found that the dark circles under his eyes had become darker.
I didn't bother him at all last night, so why hasn't he slept well yet?
Zhao Mingyan clearly remembered that when she was reading the book "Secrets of the Jade Chamber", she suddenly fell asleep and her consciousness became blurred... When she opened her eyes again, it was the rooster crowing at five in the morning, and the book she was holding was gone. She was lying on the bed covered with a mandarin duck quilt, and next to her... were Tan Linshuang's feet.
The two of them slept head to toe again last night.
Zhao Mingyan slept very soundly, and Tan Linshuang should have slept the same way.
What a calm night!
Why does Tan Linshuang still look like she can't sleep at night?
Could it be... that it's due to my weak body?
“Ahem!”
She took back her hand that was holding the jerky and cleared her throat, "Husband."
Tan Linshuang opened her eyes slightly, but did not sit up straight. Instead, she signaled with her eyes that she could speak if she had anything to say.
"Husband, do you have a childhood illness? What kind of disease is it?" Zhao Mingyan asked softly.
Tan Linshuang said calmly, "It's a problem I brought from my mother's womb."
Hearing this, Zhao Mingyan frowned slightly, and thinking of his life experience, she stopped asking.
I heard that his parents unfortunately fell off a cliff and died when he was very young, and there were also rumors that he would not live to see his twenties. It was really a tragic fate for him, but fortunately he met me.
Zhao Mingyan immediately sat up straight. "My dear, no matter what incurable disease you have been carrying since birth, I will definitely help you find a cure."
"Thank you, my lady!"
Tan Linshuang also sat up straight and bowed to her.
"As long as my wife doesn't treat me like a weeping willow, I promise that I will never let you become a widow too early."
——Zhaohua Town——
In the Zhao Mansion, lanterns were swaying. Although no candles were lit during the day, the various shapes of flowers, birds, fish, insects, landscapes and people still gave Tan Linshuang, who had just got off the carriage, a refreshing feeling.
They are indeed a family of lanterns!
I didn’t take a close look at the wedding that day, but when I saw it today, I was truly amazed.
He turned around and helped Zhao Mingyan down from the carriage, then casually asked, "Who's running your shop now? Is it my mother-in-law?"
Zhao Mingyan pointed at herself.
Tan Linshuang raised her eyebrows.
If you are really not satisfied with the harem, and now you have another charge for divorce, it seems that you don't need to put in too much effort, as you are already striding towards being divorced.
"Yan'er! Good son-in-law!"
Just as Tan Linshuang was thinking to herself, Li Yuzhu, who had received the message from the doorman, hurried out. When she saw her daughter wearing a golden bun on her head, her nose felt sore and she walked up to her, holding her hand and bursting into tears.
"It's only been three days, and you've gained a bit of weight. I was worried you wouldn't be able to adapt to the food there."
After squeezing her daughter's chubby hands, she looked at Tan Linshuang beside her and asked, "Did my dear son-in-law... not sleep well?"
Tan Linshuang bowed to her and said, "Greetings, mother-in-law."
"On a newlywed's wedding day, the candles are always red."
Li Yuzhu understood and immediately gave him a smirk. She pinched her daughter's hand and gently reminded him, "Even though you're newlyweds, you should still exercise restraint."
"Yan'er, you must not burden my son-in-law!"
She winked at Zhao Mingyan imperceptibly.
Without waiting for Zhao Mingyan's response, Tan Linshuang put her arm around her shoulders and said to Li Yuzhu with a shy smile, "Mother-in-law, I'm happy with it."
Zhao Mingyan suddenly felt goose bumps on the back of her neck.
"Come on, come on, go inside first."
Li Yuzhu became more and more satisfied with her son-in-law. She held her daughter's hand in one hand and her son-in-law's hand in the other, and walked through the rows of lanterns to the main hall.
At this time, Zhao's relatives had been waiting for a long time, and when they saw the newlyweds, they surrounded them.
The elders either gave blessings or kind words, while the children pestered Zhao Mingyan to hug them and hold them high.
"Cousin, lift it higher! I want to take down that turtle lantern!"
"Cousin, I want a hug too. I want to pick the lanterns too."
"My cousin will carry me on her back, and I want to ride a horse."
Soon, Zhao Mingyan was surrounded by a group of children from relatives' families. One was held in her arms, one was hung on her back, and one was tied around her legs.
The elders were all smiling happily, and no one stepped forward to pull the children away, nor did they think there was anything wrong. This happy scene made Tan Linshuang feel strange and yet somewhat familiar.
It seemed like many years ago, when their parents were still alive, their family was also like this, happy and cheerful, with young and old enjoying themselves.
Until my parents passed away, the whole family was shrouded in a haze, and this haze became thicker and lingering as I grew up...
"You like turtles so much, could you be a mung bean?"
Suddenly, Zhao Mingyan's mischievous voice interrupted his recollection. He looked up and saw that Zhao Mingyan had helped the child take down the turtle lantern.
The child was puzzled: "Why did my cousin say I was transformed from a mung bean?"
"Because the turtle and the mung bean fell in love with each other!"
Zhao Mingyan teased him and then laughed so hard that she fell over.
"Hahaha……"
The others also laughed, and the huge main hall was filled with laughter.
Looking at Zhao Mingyan's bright smile, Tan Linshuang felt regretful in his heart: If she had not been chosen by his grandmother, perhaps she could have become his good wife in the future... No!
Immediately, he dismissed this sudden idea.
The mistress of the house wants to be a good family woman, but Zhao Mingyan is too restless, like a female praying mantis...
"Cousin, hold me!"
At this time, a little girl came over and stretched out her hands to him.
She was small and short, and couldn't squeeze in close to Zhao Mingyan, so she had to change her approach and let her cousin hold her to pick the lanterns.
"Oh! No, no, no... Your cousin can't do it..."
Li Yuzhu came over in time and tried to take the little girl away.
"I want my cousin to hold me, I want him to hold me..."
The little girl refused to give in and started pulling a tug-of-war with Li Yuzhu.
This tug of war quickly shifted everyone's attention from Zhao Mingyan to Tan Linshuang, and whispers began to rise.
"It's been rumored that Young Master Tan wouldn't live past his twenties. But seeing him today... it doesn't seem like the rumor at all."
"Look at his body, which looks like it could collapse at the slightest touch, his pale face, and those dark circles under his eyes... Tsk tsk! I'm so worried. Our aunt will have to wait for her next year... cough cough!"
Suddenly catching sight of Zhao Mingyan glaring at him, the man quickly shut up.
Zhao Mingyan put down the child in her arms, pulled the child off her back, pushed the child on her legs away, and turned to walk towards Tan Linshuang.
"Come! Your cousin will let you be a flying bird."
As she approached, she picked up the little girl with one hand, holding her high, spinning her around, and then pretending to throw her out, which made her laugh and scream, looking very happy.
Zhao Mingyan glanced at the relatives and said in a resounding voice, "Who says men have to be stronger than women? Men can be mountains or water, and so can women."
After she finished speaking, her eyes met Tan Linshuang's from a distance.
This woman is indeed a little different.
Tan Linshuang looked at her back as she turned away, and suddenly felt that among millions of flowers, there would always be one that was uniquely beautiful.
And Zhao Mingyan is just like that...bullshit!
After just two sticks of incense, the good impression he had finally developed towards Zhao Mingyan disappeared when she left him alone with this group of relatives' children.
It was like a newly planted Hsinchu bamboo, which was uprooted by a sudden strong wind before its roots were firm.
"Uncle, I want to hear a story. My cousin said you are the best storyteller."
"I want to hear the story of the scholar taking the imperial examination."
"That's not nice. My cousin-in-law should tell us some ghost stories."
At this moment, Tan Linshuang was being pulled by the sleeves and clothes by the group of naughty boys, shaking like a shaky bamboo.
Where did Zhao Mingyan go?
In the blink of an eye, not only did Zhao Mingyan disappear from his sight, but even Li Yuzhu and several other cousins disappeared...
"Auntie, seeing you and Young Master Tan so affectionate, I feel relieved."
Zhao Mingyan and the others who had disappeared were now sitting in the back hall of Mingyuezhai, discussing important matters with the door closed.
Zhao Mingyan smiled when she heard the opening remarks of her second cousin Zhao Guangyao.
"What is Second Cousin worried about?"
But her smile did not reach her eyes, and her gaze was still cold, which made Zhao Guangyao and others look at each other in surprise.
Li Yuzhu quickly tried to smooth things over: "Of course, I'm feeling comforted and at ease for your father's spirit in heaven."
"More than that, right?"
Zhao Mingyan raised her hands, glanced at her mother, then looked directly at her uncles and aunts, and took the initiative. "Although I am married, it does not affect my continued management of Mingyue Zhai. I hope all uncles and aunts will rest assured and not be too suspicious."
Everyone was stunned when they heard this and looked at each other in dismay.
Seeing the atmosphere become solemn, Li Yuzhu and Zhao Guangyao exchanged a glance, then twisted her handkerchief and whispered to Zhao Mingyan, "Yan'er, you're married now. If you show up in public in the future, the Tan family will be unhappy."
"Yes! Besides, if Mingyuezhai is your personal property, it will be one of your dowries to the Tan family. Sooner or later, they will ask us for a share." Zhao Guangyao nodded, unable to hide his worry.
"What's worse is that they will take it for themselves." Third cousin Zhao Guangzu echoed.
"So the best way is to let us uncles come together to help you and your daughter run the shop, so as to dispel the Tan family's idea of occupying Mingyue Zhai." Fourth cousin Zhao Guangming concluded.
Zhao Mingyan glanced at her mother, who was bowing her head in silence, then stood up and bowed to the others, "Thank you so much for your kindness, uncles."
"But..."
She changed the subject and stood up straight again, "I appreciate your kindness."
"Mingyuezhai is the hard work of my father, and as his only descendant, I will definitely carry on the torch."
"As for what the Tan family thinks and plans, that's my business, not 'ours'."
"If the Tan family wanted a piece of the pie, they would come to me, not 'us'."
"I hope all uncles will remember that Mingyuezhai has never been 'ours'."
"Yan'er..."
Li Yuzhu raised her head, frowned and looked at her, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.
"Tsk! No wonder Zhao Mingyan is so anxious to have a child. It turns out she's afraid of being wiped out by the side branches!"
Outside the back door, Tan Linshuang happened to see this scene through the crack in the door.
"A noble family has deep waters, and the Zhao family is no exception."
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