The younger children didn't need to be told; they started eating right away. Lin Erxi and Dongzi were already very familiar with eating at their second aunt's house.
Seeing that her two cousins only picked up a piece of food after a long time, Lin Erxi looked puzzled and said, "Why aren't you eating? Your aunt's food is so delicious, if you eat so slowly, there won't be any left."
As he spoke, he picked up a large piece of rabbit meat and gave it to the two of them.
Lin Mingzhu and Mingyue were both stunned. How could other people not only talk and chat while eating, but also eat so much food so quickly? When they ate at home, they would be scolded if they made any noise or ate a few extra bites of their favorite food. They might even be punished by their mother by being forced to stand and copy rules from a book.
Lin Taohua seemed to read the two girls' thoughts, and placed a piece of their favorite sweet and sour pork into their bowls, saying:
"Mingzhu and Mingyue, this is our own home, we don't need to worry about those rules, just be as casual as Second Aunt said."
Upon hearing their mother's words, and since their mother wasn't home, Liu Mingzhu and Mingyue began to eat heartily. They clearly preferred the sweet and sour pork, and this meal was truly satisfying; they no longer had to worry about being called picky eaters.
Moreover, the food at my second aunt's house is always so delicious, even better than what the chefs in their household can cook.
Meanwhile, Fang Mama's table was also amazed by the taste of the food. This...this...did Aunt Lin eat this well at home before? Wasn't Aunt Lin's family supposed to be poor farming people?!
After the meal, Lin Taohua couldn't stay any longer with the two children, otherwise she was afraid she wouldn't be able to get along with the madam.
Lin's elder brother and sister-in-law, along with Song Anxin's entire family, were all at the door seeing them off. Lin Taohua looked at her elder brother and sister-in-law and their entire family with great reluctance, but seeing how well they were all doing now, especially her second aunt who had improved so much, she felt a sense of relief.
When she met her second sister-in-law in the county, she was so preoccupied with her own longing that she didn't think straight. But when she returned home, she realized that her second sister-in-law was different from before. Not only had she made such delicious food and partnered with the restaurant, but she had also had a very harmonious discussion with her husband. She had just found out from her sister-in-law that her second brother had appeared to her in a dream after his death, which was why her second sister-in-law had slowly changed. Seeing that her second aunt had become so good and treated her nephews well, she felt relieved.
She glanced at her family one last time and said, "Eldest brother and sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, may you have a bountiful year... Take good care of yourselves, I'm leaving now."
Looking at her large belly, Song Anxin whispered to her, "Taohua, if anything happens, be sure to send someone to inform us. You have a family to rely on, remember that."
Lin Taohua almost burst into tears again, but she held back and said, "Okay, goodbye, Second Sister-in-law."
She sat in the carriage, watching the familiar Linjia Village slowly recede into the distance outside the window. Although she was saying goodbye, she knew in her heart that she didn't know when she would see her family again after this parting.
And then there was what her second sister-in-law said at the end. She knew her second sister-in-law must know something. Could she really go to her family?
Lin Mingzhu looked at Lin Taohua, who was lost in thought, and said, "Aunt Lin, I like your family. Shall we come again next time? Dongzi is very cute, much better than that hateful Liu Mingjie."
“Mother, me too, me too! Let’s come again next time. This place is much more fun than the manor, and Brother Mingjie won’t bully us here,” Liu Mingyue said.
Lin Taohua snapped out of her daze and said to them seriously, "You can't say those things anymore. Mingjie is your brother, you can't talk to him like that. Next time, next time your mother and aunt will bring you again..."
But even he himself lost confidence when he said that last sentence.
Lin Mingzhu and Mingyue both knew that their mother/aunt was doing it for their own good, so they obediently agreed. But in their hearts, they still thought that Liu Mingjie was very hateful. He was not their brother, and they did not want to have a brother like that.
After Lin Taohua left, Song Anxin's family resumed their busy lives. However, these past few days, Brother Lin had been going to the workshop's backyard in the middle of the night to make wooden gift boxes. Lin Fengshou, who was sleeping there, was initially always woken up, fearing that a thief had come. Each time he got up, he would see his uncle, and later he would just open his eyes, hear the sound of planing wood, and then go back to sleep.
Sister-in-law Lin would always tell Song Anxin with a mix of laughter and tears, and Song Anxin would also cover her mouth and laugh. It seemed that her older brother was really happy to see his sister. How come he never showed it on his face normally?
With the Mid-Autumn Festival fast approaching, Song Anxin's family received more and more gift box orders. Brother Lin and Uncle Bai were so engrossed in planing wood that sparks were flying from their planes. Song Anxin was also trying her best to cook delicious meals for Uncle Bai, since he was working hard for her family. Of course, whenever she had any good dishes, she would also send a small portion to her older brother and sister-in-law's house next door.
And so, on the last day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Song Anxin took Lin Fengshou, Shi Tou, Xiao He, and a few others to deliver the last batch of Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes in the morning. Their holiday business was temporarily over, and the days when the whole family was busy could finally come to an end.
Song An instructed Lin Fengshou, who was about to depart, "Make sure these Mid-Autumn Festival gift boxes are delivered to each shopkeeper. For the Liu family, tell them that they are Mid-Autumn Festival gifts from Lin's second sister-in-law, Lin's maternal family, to Master Liu. Also, deliver them to the county magistrate and his advisor."
Song Anxin stayed up late these past few nights to make some mooncakes, and had Lin Fengnian and the others set up a simple wood-fired oven. Fortunately, the final products all tasted pretty good.
Although mooncakes were sold in the county, Song Anxin felt that hers were more sincere, and secondly, hers were much tastier than the mooncakes in this remote little county. Moreover, she also made snow skin mooncakes, which did not exist in this era, and she was sure that these people would like them. After all, traditional mooncakes were nothing to these high-ranking officials and nobles who were used to eating good food.
Lin Fengshou replied to his mother, "I understand, Mother. Don't worry about me handling things."
Lin Gangzi returned the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Villagers said he came back by horse-drawn carriage to celebrate the festival, dressed in new clothes and brought back many gifts. It was said that he had made a good friend outside.
Some time has passed since the incident involving Zhang's brother and sister-in-law, but some people in the village still look down on him, while others, seeing that he has become successful, try to curry favor with him.
When Song Anxin heard the news from Grandma Song, she was doing the accounts. Grandma Song had now perfectly integrated into the life of Linjia Village. She would wander around whenever she had free time, or chat with people under the big ginkgo tree. She knew everything that happened in the village immediately.
As she spoke, Old Mrs. Song's face became indignant: "He still has the nerve to come back! If I hadn't been there, I would have definitely gone up and scratched him. Why didn't the county government lock him up!"
She had clearly already heard about the Zhang family and Lin Gangzi from others. People in the village like to exaggerate, and judging from the old lady's expression, it was clear that the Zhang family and Lin Gangzi were being portrayed as utterly wicked.
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