Chapter 308 Closest Relatives
By the time Li San Niang and the others returned to the Li family home, it was already completely dark.
After the group entered the house carrying their belongings in large and small bags, Brother Li Er had already started putting up the door panels with his young apprentice.
"Why are you so late coming back today?"
"If my sister-in-law hadn't told me this morning that you'd be back late, I would have rushed out to look for you."
"Second brother, lend a hand quickly."
Li San Niang tossed the fruit she was carrying into Li Erxiong's hands and shook them, saying, "I still can't get enough strength, but this basket of fruit is really heavy."
Brother Li looked down at the rather large pears in the basket, then looked up and asked, "Why are there still pears now?"
"I saw an old man selling them at the entrance of the workshop. He said they were from his mountain and had been picked and stored in a cellar a long time ago."
I don't know if it's true or not, but these pears looked good, so I bought them all.
Upon entering the main hall, the aroma of meat wafting from the kitchen aroused Li San Niang's curiosity. She asked Li Da Sao, who had just come out of the kitchen door, "Sister-in-law, are you stewing meat?"
Sister-in-law Li took the oil paper package from Qiu Xiang's hand and replied to Li San Niang, "Hmm, haven't you always wanted to eat stewed beef?"
After returning at 19 in the morning, he and I went to the Western Market to buy beef cattle from the Western Regions. It was legal, and many people had gone to steal it.
I arrived early and managed to grab two large pieces. I'll stew one today, and cook the other one another day.
Seeing Li San Niang's touched expression, Sister-in-law Li laughed out loud: "Alright, alright, I know you don't want to tire me out. It's just stewing some meat. With your second sister-in-law's help, I'm not tired at all."
This is your first time receiving a paycheck; it's worth celebrating.
After Li San Niang washed her hands, Li Da Sao heated up the food she had brought back, plated it, and served it on the table.
To prevent food from getting into their noses, several lamps were lit in the main hall, and Sister-in-law Li even took out a seven-branched candlestick from her dowry.
They were still seated at separate tables for men and women. Li San Niang looked at the people in front of her by the warm candlelight, and a warm feeling flowed through her heart.
It was a fine day. Li San Niang poured herself a cup of peach blossom wine. The wine, fragrant with peach blossoms but not intoxicating, made Li San Niang, who was already happy, even happier.
Li San Niang stood up, smiled at Li Er Sao who was looking at her in surprise, picked up Qiu Xiang's empty wine cup, and gently tapped it against her own cup, the crisp sound echoing in the main hall.
The rhythmic sounds also caught the attention of the people at the table next to Li's father.
"Tonight is a family dinner, and I have a few words to say, Third Sister."
After saying this, Li San Niang walked to the center of the main hall, between the two tables, bowed to her father, and then bowed to her mother.
Then he spoke: "Today is the first time I've received my salary, and the first time I've earned money through my own abilities."
I bought some jewelry to give as gifts to the women in our family.
Li San Niang took out an item wrapped in a cloth from her bosom. She had bought it at Baohuaji after finishing her shift that day.
With only seven or eight taels of silver, Li San Niang could not buy any expensive jewelry. She only bought four silver hairpins of different sizes and patterns, a pair of delicate bracelets for children, and two pairs of light earrings.
Li San Niang came to Li's mother, took out the heaviest and largest silver hairpin, and said to Li's mother, "I am grateful to you for loving and teaching me, Mother. You are the person I respect and love the most."
Even with the simplest of words, Li's mother's eyes welled up with tears, and she held them back from falling.
Li San Niang raised her hand to put the silver hairpin on her mother's head, her eyes full of affection: "Mother, it looks beautiful."
Then Li San Niang came to Li Da Sao and said with a smile, "I grew up on your back since I was a child. You treat me the same as you treat Da Lang, or even better."
Everything at home is managed entirely by my sister-in-law; she deserves unforgettable credit for my success today.
Sister-in-law Li felt the weight of the silver hairpin inserted into her hair, and she couldn't hold back any longer; tears of happiness streamed down her face.
"When I was young, I wore many clothes made by my second sister-in-law. She has done a lot for the family and never complained. I thank my second sister-in-law."
Li Ersao was stunned when she heard this. Although she never said anything to Li Sanniang's face, she actually harbored some resentment in her heart, especially since Li Sanniang had brought a lot of risks to the family after her divorce and return home.
However, Li Ersao is sincere in her dealings with people.
Li Ersao raised her hand to touch the silver hairpin that Li Sanniang had just inserted into the top of her hair, feeling that it was a little smaller than the one in Li Dasao's hair.
Li San Niang walked to Qiu Xiang's side, raised her hand and directly inserted a silver hairpin into her hair. Qiu Xiang was stunned; she hadn't expected that the silver hairpin was actually bought for her.
At that time, in the shop, Li San Niang asked her if the hairpin was pretty. She thought Li San Niang had bought it for herself, since besides Wu Qiaolan and Bao Ya who were staying there, only Li's mother, Li's eldest sister-in-law, and Li's second sister-in-law were the people closest to Li San Niang.
But now that the hairpin was on her head, she suddenly realized, "Third Sister bought this for me!"
"Third Sister, there's no need..."
Li San Niang pressed down on Qiu Xiang's hand, which was about to pull out the hairpin, and looked into Qiu Xiang's eyes to stop her: "You have done everything you can to protect me. Although it was a task you gave me, I am grateful to you from the bottom of my heart."
It's just a silver hairpin weighing two qian (approximately 6 grams), but it's a token of my appreciation. Please accept it.
Li San Niang squatted down and smiled at Lu Zhu'er, who was sitting on a raised stool. Li San Niang put two small silver bracelets on Lu Zhu'er's wrists. Lu Zhu'er knew what was beautiful and ugly, and happily touched the silver bracelets on her wrists with her little hands.
"My dearest child, I love you the most. This is what I earned for you, do you love it?"
“Mother, my love, Pearl loves Mother.”
Finally, she took out two pairs of flower-shaped earrings wrapped in a handkerchief and handed them to Wu Qiaolan and Bao Ya. Wu Qiaolan and Bao Ya were very surprised, they really didn't expect that they would get some too.
Wu Qiaolan quickly stood up and declined, saying, "Third Sister, you mustn't, you mustn't."
"It's just a pair of earrings. Sister Qiaolan and Baoya have been busy ever since they arrived, helping the family a lot. Today is a good day, so please don't refuse."
Li's mother said, "Qiaolan, just accept it."
After Li's mother spoke, Wu Qiaolan stopped refusing and accepted the two pairs of earrings for herself and Baoya.
After the gifts were distributed, Li Sanniang walked back to the center of the main hall, turned to her father and said playfully, "Father, my salary is limited, so I'll buy them for the women in the house this time. I'll buy them for you next time I get paid!"
Li San Niang looked at Li's father and said, "There are also Master's and Junior Brother's." When she saw Li Er Xiong, Li San Niang added, "Eldest Brother and Second Brother must have theirs too." When she got to Nineteen, she said, "Nineteen will also have a share."
When it was the four little ones' turn, Li Sanniang smiled and said, "Big Brother and the others, you'll have to wait until next time!"
"Today is a happy day, and Third Sister is sincerely grateful to everyone present."
You are all my dearest family members; you love me, teach me, help me, and support me.
I am often away on duty, and I have troubled you all with many things at home. It is my good fortune to have such a kind and lovely family by my side.
Whenever I encounter difficulties, you all stand up to help me;
I am in danger, and you are all worried about me;
I passed the medical exam, I established a religious association, I opened a school, and you are all happy for me.
"What have I, Li San Niang, done to deserve such a wonderful family?"
Li San Niang, in high spirits, picked up the peach blossom wine that had been poured earlier on the table and said, "This is to my dearest family. I am deeply grateful."
I drank it all in one gulp, and the soft peach blossom wine melted in my mouth.
Li San Niang turned to look at the bright moon outside the window and sighed in her heart, "What a round and big moon!"
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