When Dong Xianghai saw the way Song Anxin looked at him, he felt ashamed. He was now the lowest-ranking son-in-law, while she had become the high and mighty Consort Hui.
Dong Xianghai clenched his fist secretly beneath his sleeve, but soon, very soon he wouldn't be...
Yu Zhiniang frowned, somewhat displeased: "Xianghai, what are you standing there for? Haven't you greeted Consort Hui yet?"
Dong Xianghai bowed and greeted Lady Hui: "Greetings."
Song Anxin thought it best to pretend she didn't know him, so she nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.
He then said, "Madam Su, Weaver Girl, you two continue your stroll. I'll head back now."
Madam Su, Yu Zhiniang, and their entourage bid farewell to Song Anxin.
Just as Song Anxin was about to leave, she remembered something and stopped, saying to Madam Su, "Madam Su, the seventh day of the month is my grandson and granddaughter's one-month celebration. You must come to the banquet then."
Although Madam Su sent congratulatory gifts one after another, she was very tactful and never tried to befriend him, probably because, as she just said, she was afraid of bothering him.
She'll definitely invite her this time, no matter what; someone like that is worth befriending.
Madam Su was very happy and said repeatedly, "Good, good. I will definitely come to congratulate you in person. It will also be a good opportunity to see Mingzhu. I miss her too."
At this moment, Yu Lin'er asked, "Can I go too?"
"Lin'er, don't be so rude!" Yu Zhiniang scolded softly, then apologized to Song Anxin, "Hui Gongren, I'm so sorry, Lin'er was impolite."
He said in a low voice, "Lin'er, what's wrong with you? You're not usually like this."
Yu Lin'er was scolded by her mother. Her eyes were lowered and her fingers were clenched tightly. She would occasionally look up at Song Anxin.
Song Anxin felt that this child was really strange. Could it be that girls in Liuzhou are different from those in their area?
However, the child's eyes were pure, and she didn't sense any malice from her. She guessed that the child had been staying in her room for too long and found the outside world interesting and wanted to join in the fun.
So she said, "If Lin'er wants to come, Madam Su, you can bring Lin'er along to join in the fun. It's no problem."
Yu Lin'er's eyes lit up with joy as she looked at Song Anxin expectantly.
Song Anxin didn't take it to heart; it was just a young girl joining in the fun, so she went back.
On the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the day of the full moon celebration, Song Anxin's whole family started to get busy. Although it was not a village-wide banquet, there were still many of their relatives and business partners.
She had sent invitations to several county magistrates, but with the year-end approaching, they were all too busy to come, so it was mostly their wives and family members who came.
"Congratulations, Lady Hui and Lin Nongshi! You've had a son and a daughter at the same time, it's truly a double blessing!"
"Congratulations to Lady Hui and Lin Nongshi on the birth of your twins! This year has truly been a year of one joyous occasion after another for your household..."
A group of officials' families came to offer their congratulations.
"Madam Lu, Madam Fan, Madam Tian... Congratulations! Please come in quickly."
Song Anxin and Lin Fengnian greeted the guests at the door with smiles on their faces the whole time, but when she saw Dong Xianghai in front of her, her face twitched for a moment.
"Congratulations, Lady Hui! Thank you for inviting us to the banquet. This is just a small token of our appreciation."
Dong Xianghai held the gift and offered his congratulations.
Song Anxin thought to herself that she didn't think she had invited him; she had only asked Old Madam Su to bring Yu Lin'er over.
Yu Zhiniang, standing to the side, looked embarrassed. She said, "Hui Gongren, it is my husband who felt that since Lin'er was invited to the banquet by you, we should also pay a visit. I hope we have not disturbed you."
Song Anxin put on a smile. Well, since they're already here, there's no reason to turn the guests away.
She said, "It's alright. I'm very happy that you could come to my house to congratulate me. Please come in."
After Yu Zhiniang and her family went inside, Old Madam Su whispered an apology to Song Anxin:
"I'm so sorry, Hui Gongren. I don't know why the Weaver Girl's husband insisted on coming to congratulate her in person. Weaver Girl had no choice but to come along."
Song Anxin knew perfectly well why Dong Xianghai insisted on coming to her house. Seeing Old Madam Su's apologetic expression, she patted her hand and comforted her:
"It's alright. I quite like Zhiniang. It's good that she's here to make things lively. By the way, Madam Su, didn't you say you missed Mingzhu? Mingzhu is over there. You should go quickly. Mingzhu was very happy to hear that you were coming today."
Before Madam Su could even approach, Mingzhu had already spotted her maternal grandmother. She called out sweetly and pulled Madam Su away.
Song Anxin ignored the sudden appearance of Dong Xianghai and was busy welcoming guests. When it was almost time, she asked Feng Nian to keep watch while she went to the kitchen in the backyard to check on the preparations for the banquet.
She paused for a moment when she reached the backyard, then suddenly changed course and turned a corner to a secluded spot, where she stopped:
"If you want to talk to me, come out quickly. Why are you sneaking around like this, following me?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a figure emerged from the shadows in the corner. It was Dong Xianghai, who was found to show no embarrassment but rather some delight.
"Don't worry, you must have been thinking of me to find me so quickly. I'm really happy."
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he walked up to her confidently and, in the manner of a refined gentleman, said, “Anxin, do you know that the moment I saw you in the plum garden, I realized that you still moved me as much as you did when I was a young man? Please forgive my abruptness; I simply couldn’t help myself.”
vomit!
Song Anxin appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she felt utterly nauseous. Such affectionate words would have made the original owner of this body, with her love-struck mind, rush over and embrace him, weeping. But she was not the original owner.
She took a step forward, and Dong Xianghai reflexively stepped back. Song Anxin sneered, "Afraid I'll hit you, you still followed me? Dong Xianghai, let me tell you, I'm not the same Song Anxin anymore."
I am now a wife and mother, and even a grandmother, while you are someone else's husband with your own family. I advise you not to have such inappropriate thoughts. I still have feelings for you, so please don't show your face in front of me again!
Dong Xianghai became anxious: "Don't worry, I know you must be resentful that I didn't show up when we agreed to elope. I... I had no choice at the time. My family suddenly suffered a misfortune and I couldn't take care of you. I came back to look for you, but I heard that you had already married someone else. I was filled with remorse!"
Song Anxin recalled that there was indeed a story about the original owner wanting to elope with him. However, when the original owner arrived at the agreed location, Dong Xianghai never showed up. When the original owner's father found out, he was furious and quickly married the original owner off to someone else.
Thankfully, Dong Xianghai didn't show up, otherwise she wouldn't know what kind of life she would be living when she opened her eyes.
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