Jiang Nuan didn't have a particular favorite flower before, but now she realizes that she absolutely adores this red plum blossom.
Looking at the vibrant plum tree, Jiang Nuan nodded in satisfaction.
She knew that these plum trees would thrive even without the external space.
However, the plum tree clearly doesn't think so.
Petals kept falling in the wind, and the branches swayed weakly, making one feel inexplicably aggrieved.
Jiang Nuan sensed it and looked at the red plum blossoms with a sheepish smile, "The space is too small, they can't grow properly."
It's all her fault for not being able to control herself and always wanting to split the branches, resulting in dozens of trees of all sizes, making the three acres of land increasingly crowded.
Clearly, these words did not appease the spirit-like Red Plum.
Jiang Nuan gritted her teeth, watered each tree with well water, and the group of red plum blossoms immediately began to sway wildly.
"Be good, don't let anyone notice anything unusual, or they'll chop you up and burn you for firewood."
The tone was gentle, but the words spoken were exceptionally cruel.
After saying that, he ignored the trees' reaction and continued practicing the formation.
She wanted to set up a formation to cover the main courtyard.
So far, we can only cover half of the area; we need to continue our efforts.
However, she felt that one more day of practice would be enough.
The villa was very large, with many courtyards. For convenience, Jiang Nuan let each of her three married sons choose a courtyard.
The others lived with her in the main courtyard.
They eat all three meals in the main courtyard, and everyone prefers to gather together.
"Mother, Brother Lai is here," the voices of the two elders, Huang and his wife, came even before they arrived, "and he brought his wife with him."
"Wait a moment." Jiang Nuan wiped her hands and went out.
“Auntie,” Lai Zi stood up, looking somewhat lost, “I’d like to ask you for a favor.”
"I knew it! Why did you come? What's the matter?"
Upon hearing this, Lai Zi blushed. "Auntie, Qian Qing is pregnant. I'm a grown man and I don't know anything about these things. I don't have any elders in my family, so I can only ask you for help."
"Pregnant? Not a month in?"
"It's been more than a month."
After saying that, he lowered his head awkwardly.
The reason he didn't come to the Huang family was partly because he was indeed busy, and partly because he was newly married, cough cough...
They never visit each other when there's nothing going on, but they come knocking immediately when something happens, which is really embarrassing.
But now there's no one else to go, so I have to bite the bullet and do it.
“Sure,” Jiang Nuan said understandingly. “It’s good for her to stay here. It’s lively with more people, they can look after each other, and it’s not as hot down the mountain.”
"Thank you, Auntie."
"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Jiang Nuan paused, then asked, "Have the eldest brother and the others told you about the estate? Do you want to settle in the county town or this village?"
"We'll settle here," Lai Zi answered without hesitation. "Qian Qing and I only have Auntie as family. Wherever you are, we'll be there."
The county town is indeed convenient and clean.
But he often has to go out on business and is frequently away, leaving Qian Qing alone at home without anyone to look after her, which always makes him uneasy.
“Okay,” Jiang Nuan said happily, “I’ll reserve a nice house for the two of you then.”
"Thank you, Auntie," Lai Zi stood up and handed over a purse. "Auntie, this is a token of my respect."
"Keep it for yourself, I don't need it."
“That’s right,” Huang Lao Er also disagreed. “We’re all brothers, why be so polite? We’re not short of food from our sister-in-law.”
"Thank you all." Qian Qing lowered her head and secretly wiped away her tears.
She hasn't slept well since she found out she was pregnant.
Her husband was an orphan, and she was in a similar situation. Without the help of elders and lacking knowledge about these things, she lived in constant fear, always afraid that she would wake up one morning to find her child gone.
"Stop crying," Jiang Nuan handed over a handkerchief, "Be careful the child doesn't become a crybaby."
"Really?" Qian Qing immediately stopped crying. "Then I won't cry anymore, I won't cry anymore."
Hearing this, Jiang Nuan couldn't help but laugh. "It's okay to do it once in a while."
Qian Qing used to be very strong, with a gentle yet firm personality, but I never expected her to become so sentimental after becoming pregnant.
Can pregnancy really change a person so much?
After saying that, he changed the subject, "Lai Zi, has anything interesting happened in the county these past few days?"
“There’s nothing new, but there’s good news,” Lai Zi grinned. “Auntie, my nephew got transferred and is now a junior officer.”
"Hmm?" Jiang Nuan narrowed her eyes. "When?"
"Five days ago," he asked warily, noticing Jiang Nuan's unusual behavior, "was something amiss?"
He actually felt there was a problem.
He was just a country bumpkin with no qualifications or background, yet he rose from a clerk to a seventh-rank officer, which was like ascending to heaven in one step.
Of the dozens of people in the entire county government office, only he had received this opportunity, and he felt that something was wrong.
Has anyone contacted you recently?
“Yes,” Lai Zi said. “The county magistrate has come to me, the clerk has come to me, and the eldest brother has come to me.”
"But what have you been asked to do?"
“No, not at all,” Lai Zi said strangely, “it’s just a reminder not to forget the past.”
At this point, Lai Zi paused, "Strange, did they already know I was going to be promoted?"
"That doesn't make sense either. A small flag shouldn't be enough to make them so wary."
“A junior officer is a seventh-rank official,” Huang Lao Er said speechlessly. “Even the county magistrate here is only an eighth-rank official. You think it’s too low?”
Lai Zi looked at Huang Lao Er in surprise, "Xiao Er, you actually know these things?"
"Who are you underestimating?" Huang Lao Er crossed his arms. "Don't you understand the saying 'a scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation'?"
Sure enough, Mother was right. All the servants in the house are quite knowledgeable, and we can really learn a lot from them.
“It was my fault, brother,” Lai Zizheng said, straightening his face. “Even so, they didn’t need to do that. A junior officer is a military officer, and his status is not high.”
Not to mention comparing him to the county magistrate, he couldn't even compare to the clerk.
“Then let’s ignore them,” Jiang Nuan nodded slowly, “Just focus on being your little flag.”
“Oh, right,” Lai Zi suddenly remembered something, “the clerk and the magistrate both asked me to ask my aunt if they could come and pay a visit.”
Thinking back on that cautious manner now, it still seems strange.
He had initially guessed it was because of the scythe, but then he thought that a scythe shouldn't be enough to make the two most powerful people in Ping'an County fawn over him.
After pondering for a long time, I still couldn't figure out the reason, so I could only make up an excuse to get by.
"Ignore it, I'll just refuse next time you ask."
This casual and nonchalant tone, brimming with confidence, made Lai Zi feel as if he had missed something.
Again, cautiously probing, "Is this really okay?"
“It’s alright,” Huang Lao Er said honestly. “Those who offer unsolicited kindness are either up to no good or have ulterior motives.”
Upon hearing this, Lai Zi looked at Huang Lao Er speechlessly, "They are all people of status, they wouldn't stoop to such petty theft."
"You can know a person's face but not their heart. Don't think so highly of people," Huang Lao Er couldn't help but shake his head. "They wouldn't be so humble if there were no benefit for them."
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