Chapter 021: New Home
"Fifth Grandma." Ying Zhilin called out and strode over.
"Zhilin?" The old lady opened her eyes, her pale, cloudy pupils filled with worry. "I heard your grandmother was trying to split up the family? How's that going?"
Ying Zhilin held her hand and said, "Our family has been separated and we have been driven out. We have nowhere to go, so we came to you to take us in."
"Ah...your grandmother..." The old lady sighed and patted Ying Zhilin's hand. "My room here is empty anyway. If you like, you can stay here."
"From now on, you are my grandmother. Let me introduce my wife to you." Ying Zhilin took Wen Yan's hand and put it into the old lady's hand.
"What soft hands." The old lady smiled.
He immediately took off a silver bracelet from his wrist and put it on Wen Yan's wrist: "I heard that you come from a prominent family. I have worn this silver bracelet for more than ten years. If you like it, wear it. If you don't like it, keep it in the bottom of the box."
Wen Yan smiled sweetly and said, "This is the first gift from my husband's family. How could I possibly dislike it? I can't thank grandma enough."
Hearing her say this, the old lady also laughed.
Ying Zhixue curled her lips: "Tsk, flatterer."
The cheerful atmosphere was awkward for a moment.
Ying Zhixue also knew that she had spoiled everyone's fun, and shrank her neck guiltily.
Ying Zhilin glanced at her indifferently and didn't teach her a lesson this time.
After a brief greeting, they got busy.
Those who clean the room clean the room, and those who cook dinner cook dinner.
Even Ying Zhilin was busy running around, but Wen Yan was the only one who was not allowed to do anything.
She took a rag and wanted to wipe the table.
The rag was snatched away by Pei'er: "Miss, Pei'er can do this kind of thing."
Wen Yan went to sweep the floor, but Ying Zhihai grabbed the broom and said, "Let me sweep the floor. I sweep the floor the cleanest."
She went to the kitchen, but Hui Niang didn't let her touch the knife.
She went to light the fire, and Ying Zhixue was so scared that she kicked her out of the kitchen: "You've already burned down one kitchen, don't burn down our new one too."
Wen Yan: “…”
She felt rejected, but she had no proof.
When Ying Zhilin came back with the water, he saw her dejected look and couldn't help laughing, saying, "If you're really bored, why don't you go and talk to Fifth Grandmother?"
Wen Yan sighed: "Okay then!"
Just as she was about to go find Fifth Grandma, someone knocked on the gate.
Wen Yan ran to open the door and saw Aunt Liu and Aunt Li, leading several aunts standing outside the door.
"Wen Yan, we heard that you moved here, so we came here to help." Aunt Liu walked in carrying a basket on her back.
Aunt Li followed closely behind, cursing, "If I had known that Mrs. Qiao was going to cause trouble today, I wouldn't have gone back to my parents' home. I would have definitely scolded her to death!
But it's better if you split up. Mrs. Qiao has been exploiting Ying Zhilin all the time. If you continue to get involved with them, you won't be able to save any money. When you have children in the future, you'll have to rely on her mood to see a doctor for headaches or fevers!"
Others followed suit.
"You must have no food since you just moved here, so we brought some with you to serve you in an emergency." In the baskets they brought, in addition to various whole grains that would fill you up, there were also seasonal vegetables.
There were two aunts, and each of them gave two eggs.
"Thank you aunts for your hard work in sending it here, so I won't be polite." Wen Yan accepted it generously.
On the roadside in the distance.
A couple stood under a tree, looking into the distance in the direction of Grandma Wu's house.
The woman's tears fell.
She covered her mouth tightly to prevent herself from crying out loud: "She must have suffered a lot in the Ying family."
The husband took the woman's hand and said, "Let's go. It will be bad if other people see us. If you really want to see her, let's go to her house tomorrow and sell tofu. We can see her openly, okay?"
The woman nodded with a sob.
Her husband picked up the carrying pole, held her hand, and gradually disappeared into the twilight.
——
Wen Yan closed the gate and was slightly startled when he saw two figures walking away in the distance.
But she quickly lowered her eyes and closed the gate.
The aunts were eager to help, so they rolled up their sleeves and started to help.
The huge yard suddenly became lively.
In a short while, the whole house looked brand new.
The windows are clean, the yard is flat, and the weeds have been cut cleanly.
The aroma of food came from the kitchen, and the aunts stood up to say goodbye.
Wen Yan sent them out the door and said, "Thank you all for coming today, aunties. Once I'm settled here, I'll invite everyone over for tea."
Aunt Liu deliberately fell behind and opened the basket she had brought with her: "You moved it to the bamboo box at my house at noon. I carried it here for you."
Aunt Liu knew that Yan valued the box very much, so she didn't dare leave it at home, for fear that Mrs. Qiao would sneak in and look through it.
The first meal at my fifth grandmother's house was simple: a small basket of multi-grain pancakes, two stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a plate of scrambled eggs with leeks.
"The last time we had such a sumptuous meal at home was before your cousin died." A flash of sadness flashed across Fifth Grandma's eyes.
She looked towards Ying Zhilin with lifeless eyes. "In the utility room next to the kitchen, there's a chest of drawers. Underneath the chest of drawers is a wine jar. Go get it."
Ying Zhilin followed her instructions and brought a jar of unopened wine.
After prying off the mud seal and uncovering the oilcloth, the rich aroma of wine immediately wafted out.
Except for Ying Zhihai, who was only seven or eight years old, everyone came a little.
Wen Yan hadn't drunk alcohol for a long time, and he was so hungry when he smelled the fragrance.
He took two sips from the bowl and exclaimed in satisfaction, "It smells so good, Fifth Grandma, this wine must be quite old!"
The fifth grandmother's temper softened: "It's been more than ten years. It was stored in the cellar the year my little girl got married."
There was a lot of talking and laughing during the meal, and everyone enjoyed it very much.
After dinner, Hui Niang cleaned up the dishes.
Ying Zhilin helped the fifth grandmother to sit down in the main seat.
He brought Wen Yan and his younger brother and sister-in-law to offer tea to Fifth Grandma: "Fifth Grandma, from now on you will be our real grandmother."
"Okay, okay!" Grandma Wu's eyes were moist as she fumbled to help them up. "From now on, we're a family. But it's not appropriate for you to call me grandma. If your real grandmother hears it, she'll cause trouble again."
Ying Zhilin disagreed: "My father was adopted by Fifth Grandfather, so it's only natural for him to call you Grandma."
"Silly child, it's better to have less trouble than more. I'm old and blind, and I can't stand your grandmother's torture."
Wen Yan understood the old lady's intention and was still afraid that the matter would get out of hand and affect Ying Zhilin's future.
How can the younger generation go against the sincere wishes of their elders?
She said to Ying Zhilin, "My husband, just listen to Fifth Granny. We are filial to her wholeheartedly, so what does it matter if we change our name?"
Ying Zhilin hesitated for a while and agreed reluctantly.
Everyone stayed in the yard to cool off for a while. Grandma Wu yawned twice before everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
Wen Yan and Ying Zhilin lived in the east wing.
There was a huge kang bed in the room with a kang table in the middle. The space on both sides was enough for them to sleep comfortably.
Ying Zhilin was reading a book on the table on the kang.
Wen Yan tossed and turned and couldn't sleep.
"Did the oil lamp disturb you?" Ying Zhilin was about to put the book away.
"No, no." Wen Yan got up and lay on the table on the kang, looking at him, "I want to discuss something with you!"
"You say." Ying Zhilin put down the bamboo pen and looked at Wen Yan seriously.
Ying Zhilin's eyes shone like stars under the oil lamp.
Wen Yan looked away, took out the painting he had drawn this morning, and placed it in front of Ying Zhilin: "You are very familiar with Master Wu Yunzi, right?"
At first glance, he was attracted by the bright colors: "These pigments are very special!"
After looking more closely, he understood Wen Yan's intention.
He pointed at the blank space in the painting and said, "If the seniors saw this, they would be so anxious that they would scratch their heads."
Wen Yan winked playfully: "Help me pass this painting to him, and I'll give you 20% of the profit."
"You want to sell fans?"
"Of course not." Wen Yan kept it a secret. "Whenever the master comes to the academy, please inform me in advance so that I can prepare in advance."
Ying Zhilin lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "He will come to the academy to teach the day after tomorrow and will stay there all day."
“So fast!”
Opportunity knocks down on your head.
Wen Yan did not dare to delay for a moment and began to think about what else to paint and what to make the painting into so that the master would notice it at a glance without being abrupt.
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