"Madam Hui, you really don't look like you're going to be a grandmother. We wonder how you take care of yourself. Tell us about it."
"Yes, Madam Hui, we would believe you if you said you were a newlywed. Please teach us how to maintain such good health."
"....."
Staying young was of far greater interest to these ladies than any achievements they could make, and the group of women chatted about it, their laughter occasionally breaking the silence.
Actually, Song Anxin didn't have any special beauty secrets. It's just that the original owner had a good foundation, went to bed early and got up early, and exercised every day, so she naturally looked young.
Meanwhile, Madam Liang's eyes darkened with some annoyance. After thinking it over, she suppressed her thoughts. The women were all chatting enthusiastically, and it would seem too deliberate for her to ask questions now. She decided to befriend Madam Hui first and then inquire later.
Since that banquet, Song Anxin has been receiving invitations from Madam Liang from time to time, sometimes for flower viewing banquets, sometimes for moon viewing banquets, and sometimes for going to the theater.
As the wife of the highest-ranking official in the vicinity, Madam Liang naturally deserved some respect from Song Anxin. However, Madam Liang always seemed to be inquiring about what Song Anxin was up to lately, which she found quite inexplicable.
This overly familiar concern made Song Anxin really uncomfortable, so she simply made excuses to decline some of the subsequent banquets.
That day, Song Anxin was enjoying the fan in her yard. She had drawn up the design and asked her older brother to make it because the weather was too hot for her to bear.
The fan is a large, floor-standing wooden box containing fan blades and a hand crank. Turning the crank rotates the fan blades and automatically blows air.
"Hehe, Mom, this is really fun! Shaking it like this actually makes a breeze. Watch me blow a huge gust of wind for you!"
Lin Fengyao cranked the hand crank with a whooshing sound. Today was a day off at the academy, and he was amazed when he saw the fan as soon as he returned. He excitedly tried it out.
"Fengyao, this isn't a strong wind at all! Get out of the way, get out of the way! I'll give you a really big one!" Lin Erxi shoved Lin Fengyao aside with a look of disgust. She grabbed him and shook him wildly, excitedly saying, "Haha, Auntie, look how big this wind is! This is truly amazing!"
Lin Dongzi was getting impatient: "Second sister, step aside and let me try too."
Big and Little Grass followed behind, saying, "Big and Little Grass also want to play with the wobbly wind."
Granny Wei said anxiously from the side, "Oh dear, young master, young lady, young ladies, let this old servant shake them now, so you don't tire yourselves out."
The group was having a great time and completely ignored Granny Wei.
Song Anxin lay on the bamboo recliner, leisurely enjoying the cool breeze. She squinted her eyes contentedly and said:
"Grandma Wei, just leave them alone. They'll stop rocking when they're tired of playing. Come and enjoy the breeze with us."
Kids aren't afraid of the heat or getting tired, so this is a good way to burn off their energy.
Song Mei, with her pregnant belly, lay on her side on another bamboo recliner. Since becoming pregnant, she had been particularly sensitive to heat, and now she finally felt cool.
She said, "Mother, this is really a refreshing and wonderful thing. Once Uncle has finished making it and sent it to the factory, the workers there will be overjoyed."
Song Anxin naturally wanted to arrange for the fans to be installed in the factory, especially in the distillery. The distillery was constantly burning and the temperature was even higher. Once the fans were installed, they could take turns fanning the distillery to cool it down. She couldn't be a wicked capitalist.
When the workers at Dafeng Factory felt the cool breeze from the fans, they were filled with gratitude.
Not only are there fans to cool them down, but the factory also provides herbal tea to relieve the heat, afternoon snacks, and even a high-temperature allowance—they basically just get paid! What other employer would be so generous? They are so lucky to be able to work at the Dafeng factory.
Just as Song Anxin was comfortably enjoying the fan and was about to fall asleep, Anfu came in to announce that Madam Liang had arrived with several county magistrate wives and young ladies.
Song Anxin sat up in shock. No way, how did they even follow her to her house?!
“Madam Hui, as soon as I arrived at Linjia Village today, I felt that this place is truly beautiful with its mountains and rivers. No wonder you didn’t come to listen to the music with us.”
Madam Liang sat in the courtyard, smiling.
Song Anxin: "......"
Madam Lu from Qi'an County said, "The scenery in Linjia Village is indeed beautiful, but I don't think Madam Hui is the kind of person who enjoys life. Madam Hui must have her own things to do, which is why she didn't have time to keep the appointment."
“What Madam Lu says is true. Lady Hui is a court lady, unlike us idle women in the inner quarters. What has Lady Hui been busy with lately? She seems to be thinking about matters of the people’s livelihood. We ladies in the inner quarters really admire her.”
Song Anxin: Here we go again, here we go again! What I do is none of your business!
“My family are farmers, so we are busy with things in the fields. These are the basic necessities of life. Madam Qi, you don’t need to admire us. If you think it’s good, you can also farm a few plots of land at home.”
Song Anxin smiled politely.
Madam Liang's expression froze. Why would she farm? She wasn't a peasant woman.
At this moment, the ladies felt a cool breeze coming from behind them. It was because Song Mei had arranged for Anfu and the others to bring out the fans from the room and run them.
The fan immediately attracted the attention of all the ladies.
"Madam Hui, what kind of object is this? It can even produce its own breeze, it's so refreshing!" asked Madam Mo from Heyang County.
Song Anxin smiled and said, "This is called a fan. I made it because it's been too hot lately, and I didn't expect it to be so practical."
"Madam Hui is truly clever and resourceful; you were able to come up with such an item." Old Madam Lu's eyes were full of admiration for Song Anxin.
Madam Liang's eyes lit up when she saw the fan: "Oh my, Madam Hui was telling me she was just farming at home, but she came up with such a wonderful new product without saying a word. We wouldn't have known if we hadn't come. It seems we should come more often in the future."
Song Anxin: "..." I should have locked this thing in her room.
At this moment, Madam Lu noticed Song Mei, who was heavily pregnant. She said with some surprise, "Madam Hui, is this your pregnant daughter-in-law? Didn't you say you were only four months pregnant? This belly doesn't look like that of a four-month pregnant woman."
Song Mei looked down at her belly and replied with a smile, "Madam Lu, the doctor said I'm carrying twins, which is why my belly is so big."
"Madam Hui, you are truly blessed! Twins are wonderful, twins are wonderful!"
Madam Lu was probably quite old, and she was especially happy to hear that the babies were twins.
The other ladies also offered their congratulations.
Actually, Song Anxin's family only found out about it a few days ago when they went to town to check her pulse. They were very happy when they found out, and Feng Nian was so excited that he cried again.
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