Lin Mingyue had already gotten to know Lin Fengyao before and liked playing with this cousin. She looked at her mother with expectant eyes.
Lin Taohua smiled and said, "You go ahead. Hongmei and Hongtao, you stay with the eldest and second young ladies and make sure they don't get hurt."
Both maids responded, "Yes, Aunt Lin."
The group of children disappeared in an instant, even Lin Fenghe was dragged away by them.
Lin Fengnian, being so old, naturally didn't go with them; he obediently stayed with his mother and aunt.
The atmosphere was slightly awkward as the younger children broke the silence. Lin Taohua spoke first, "Eldest brother and sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, how have you been all these years? Why aren't you living in our old house anymore?"
Now it was Song Anxin's turn to feel a little awkward. She couldn't very well say that she had insisted on separating the family and even sold the old house. Fortunately, her sister-in-law stepped in to help her out of the predicament.
Sister-in-law Lin said, "Alright, alright, we're all fine. It's just that we separated our households because it's a good year and they've all grown up and are getting married. But we still live next door, so it's good that we can take care of each other."
Brother Lin opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking, "Little sister, how about you? Are you doing well at the Liu family's?"
Lin Taohua looked at her elder brother, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, and said, "I'm doing well, and I have no worries about food or drink at the Liu family's residence. But you've aged a lot, brother. I got married and left you and our ailing mother at home. I didn't even know that you had passed away, and I couldn't come back to mourn you. I'm so unfilial..."
As she spoke, Lin Taohua burst into tears. When she met her second sister-in-law's family at the restaurant, she thought her second brother was still serving as a soldier in the northern frontier and hadn't returned. Unexpectedly, she heard Feng Nian and the others say that her second brother had died in battle. She cried in the restaurant and couldn't hide her sadness when she got home. Seeing her family now reminded her of her grief, and she couldn't stop feeling sad.
Brother Lin was also touched, and the honest man's face twitched.
The nanny waiting nearby quickly comforted her, "Aunt Lin, don't be sad. It's not good for the baby in your belly."
Sister-in-law Lin chimed in, "Yes, yes, Peach Blossom, what are you saying? It wasn't until Mother urgently needed money for medicine that you got married. Mother always said you were the best in the family." She then began to sob, "Second brother...second brother won't blame you. We all know you're the most filial in the family..."
When Song Anxin saw that her family was finally reunited, everyone was crying. When they mentioned her deceased husband, Song Anxin felt a headache coming on. She had no feelings for him and couldn't cry at all.
She could only try to ease the tension by saying, "Brother, sister-in-law, and Taohua, please don't cry. It's a good thing that Taohua is coming home to visit us. Taohua, what Granny said is right; crying isn't good for the child."
My elder brother and sister-in-law were overjoyed when they found out you were coming yesterday. My brother couldn't sleep at night and even dug out a lot of wooden gift boxes from my backyard. He thought a thief had broken in.
Hearing Song Anxin's words, Brother Lin immediately felt embarrassed, while Lin Taohua's tears vanished, and she smiled through her tears:
“My older brother is still the same as before. I remember that whenever something happy happened to him, he would get up and go to bed in the middle of the night, which would make our parents very worried.”
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Lin exclaimed, "Oh dear, I thought he only started acting like this after he got married. I didn't expect he had this problem before. It makes me afraid to make him too happy, otherwise it would be so scary if he stayed up all night."
As soon as Sister-in-law Lin finished speaking, Song Anxin and Lin Taohua burst out laughing, and then the other women burst into laughter.
Lin Fengnian and Fengshou both suppressed a laugh as they looked at their uncle. They never expected that their seemingly honest and quiet uncle would have this side to him.
Brother Lin: "......" The world where only I am injured has been achieved.
Lin Taohua, Mingzhu, and Mingyue stayed for lunch, while Song Anxin, Lin's sister-in-law Song Mei, were busy in the kitchen, and Old Mrs. Song naturally came to help as well.
Lin Taohua and her nanny Fang were sitting in the main room watching a group of children playing in the courtyard.
Fang Mama's eyes were full of affection: "Aunt Lin, I don't think the eldest and second young ladies have ever had so much fun since they became sensible."
At this moment, Mingzhu and Mingyue were playing hopscotch with Lin Erxi and Feng Yaodongzi in the courtyard. Song Anxin had taught them this game.
"Haha, Dongzi, you stepped on the line again!" Lin Mingzhu clapped her hands and laughed loudly.
"The eldest and second young ladies are really impressive; they passed the test in no time," the two maids said.
The maids serving Liu Mingzhu and Mingyue were mostly young girls around eleven or twelve years old, so they naturally played together with them.
"Dongzi, come down quickly, it's my turn now," Lin Fengyao said.
A moment later, the little girl Liu Mingyue said in a clear voice, "Cousin Fengyao, you're cheating! You turned around and looked at the pebbles..."
"Hey, Feng Yao, if you can't handle it, then don't play! Hahaha..." Lin Erxi laughed and mocked him loudly.
The courtyard was filled with the laughter of children.
Granny Fang looked on with some concern: "These young ladies have gotten their clothes all dirty from playing. If Madam sees them when they get back, they'll probably be punished for not following the rules."
Lin Taohua smiled as she looked at them and said, "It's alright, you can change into something else when you get in the carriage. Mingzhu and Mingyue haven't been this relaxed in a long time."
Granny Fang was a servant of the late First Madam. Later, the First Madam assigned her to be Concubine Lin's personal maid. She had deep feelings for the former First Madam and had watched the two maids grow up. Seeing this scene, she couldn't help but wipe her eyes.
“If the First Madam were still alive, the two young ladies wouldn’t be suffering so much in the mansion, unable even to laugh heartily.”
Lin Taohua put down her teacup and said, "Granny, please don't say that again. If Madam hears this, none of us in this courtyard will have a good time."
Only then did Granny Fang realize that she had spoken out of turn, and she looked around and said, "Yes, yes, I was too talkative."
The children played for a while, and lunch was ready. Song Anxin even killed a rabbit to make braised rabbit meat. Since they were all farmers and not so particular, Lin Taohua also asked Granny Fang and the two maids to sit down and eat with them. But none of them dared to break the rules and refused to sit at the table. Song Anxin had no choice but to set up a small table for them in the kitchen, and the horse driver naturally came to that table as well.
Several Liu family servants were stunned by the dishes on the table. This was the expensive and popular braised delicacies and the rich and oily duck eggs sold in restaurants in the city!
Even in a wealthy family like the Liu family, they couldn't afford such expensive food. How come Aunt Lin's family, a mere peasant household, has such a large plate of it, as if it's free?
Song Anxin greeted from the front table, "Taohua, Mingzhu, Mingyue, don't be shy. Eat whatever you want. There aren't so many rules at home, just be yourself."
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