Chapter 54 Not Being an Uncle: Have You Eaten?
Aunt Ying's childbirth went very smoothly.
The intense contractions and delivery lasted about two and a half hours. Little Stone ran frantically to find Lin Sicao. The father and son, along with the obstetrician and midwife, rushed back, barely touching the ground. By the time they were out of breath, Granny Xue, who had come to help with the delivery, could already see the baby's thick lanugo.
As soon as Lin Si Cao and Xiao Shi Tou entered the room, they urged the midwife to change into clean clothes, wash her hands, and enter the delivery room. As soon as the curtain was lifted, they heard Granny Xue mutter, "Such a wide forehead, looks like a boy."
Grandma Xue was hard of hearing. She was unaware that she always spoke loudly, nor was she aware of the Lin Si Cao family's obsession with their daughter. Her whispered murmurs sounded like thunder to those around her.
Yao Ruyi was an unmarried girl and it was not appropriate for her to enter the delivery room. So she could only help out in the kitchen outside the delivery room, handing over handkerchiefs and hot scissors.
Yu Jiuwan had given birth before, and she and Aunt Yu went in to help out and encourage Aunt Ying. When the mother and daughter heard what Grandma Xue said, they quickly gave Grandma Xue a meaningful look.
Aunt Ying is currently riding high, and we can't let her lose heart because of this. If she suffers a setback, and her spirits dissipate, she could easily suffer a postpartum hemorrhage and dystocia, which is no joke.
Grandma Xue was unaware of what was going on, but seeing that Yu Jiuwan and her daughter were sweating profusely, she realized that she had said the wrong thing and quickly slapped her mouth. She also hurriedly peeked at the delivery bed.
On the bed, Aunt Ying was in great pain, her face flushed, as she struggled to give birth.
Having given birth several times, she had some experience. She tried to take a deep breath and exhale slowly. As soon as the abdominal pain started to intensify, she gripped the sheets tightly with both hands, gritted her teeth, and endured the pain, pushing down with all her might.
She was trembling all over from the pain, her ears were ringing from straining so much, and her eyes were slowly turning bloodshot. She couldn't hear what anyone was saying next to her, let alone speak. She could only endure and persevere through wave after wave of excruciating pain, using all her strength.
Fortunately, she didn't hear it.
Lin Si Cao, who had just arrived at the door and was still catching his breath, heard this. He was also on edge, and when he heard the word "kid," he felt like he couldn't catch his breath. His knees buckled, and he didn't even make a sound. He was so frightened that his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed again outside the delivery room.
"Thump—"
Yao Ruyi and Yu Jiuwan were both startled. The obstetrician was also seeing this for the first time. Before she could even examine the pregnant woman, she had to save her husband first! Little Stone was also so frightened that he jumped up and almost screamed. Fortunately, Lin Weiming and the other three brothers had a general idea of what was going on, especially Lin Weiming, the eldest son, who was already used to it.
Ever since his third brother was born, his father would faint every time a new brother was born into the family; today, he just fainted a little earlier than usual.
Lin Weiming was afraid that Xiao Shitou's cries would frighten his mother, so he quickly covered Xiao Shitou's mouth: "Don't cry! Don't scare your mother!" After saying that, he turned to his younger brothers and instructed them: "Quick! You guys carry Dad into the side room! It's alright, he'll wake up on his own after a while, don't worry about him."
The other brothers quickly agreed.
Several teenagers scrambled to lift him up, some by the feet, others by the head. Lin Silang, lacking the strength, couldn't manage it, so they half-dragged, half-pulled him towards the side room. As they crossed the threshold, Lin Silang, supporting the head, tripped, causing Lin Silang's head to slam heavily against the threshold with a loud "thud."
Now I'm even more dizzy.
Little Stone gradually calmed down, wiped away the sweat from his run, and, a little scared, hugged Lin Weiming's waist, burying his face in it: "Big Brother."
Lin Weiming patted his head and said, "You should go and rest too. We don't need you here. I'll take care of things."
Little Stone refused to go, clinging longingly to Lin Weiming's clothes. He followed his older brother everywhere, much to Lin Weiming's annoyance, yet he couldn't bear to scold his youngest brother.
He is the youngest brother after all, so it's understandable that he doesn't understand many things. And it is precisely because he doesn't understand that he thinks things are bigger than the sky whenever they happen, especially since his mother giving birth is a huge event in itself.
Even a minor incident like Lin Si Cao fainting didn't affect Aunt Ying's delivery. Inside the delivery room, Yao Ruyi, following the midwife's instructions, vigorously fanned the stove fire, while ginseng soup was just being simmered on the tea tray.
The old woman and the doctor examined her and both said that Aunt Ying's pregnancy was going well, the baby was in the correct position, and everything else was fine. However, the baby's head was large, so it would take some effort. Therefore, Aunt Ying's physical strength was extremely important. This ginseng soup was not for anything else, but simply to help her regain some strength.
Although it was Aunt Ying giving birth inside, Yao Ruyi's heart was pounding. It was only then that she realized childbirth was a hundred times harder than she had imagined!
It turns out that you can't push during the intervals between contractions; you have to conserve your strength to prevent the placenta from bursting. And you have to push harder when the pain is intense and you feel weak. It turns out that you can't just pull the baby's head out smoothly; you have to get past the shoulder. It turns out that even if you hear the baby crying, you have to keep pushing to deliver the placenta.
"Waaaaah—"
Finally, the shoulder emerged, and the midwife supported the baby's head and neck to help pull it out. At this time, it couldn't be too fast, otherwise Aunt Ying's lower body would easily tear. It had to be slow and steady to deliver the baby smoothly.
As soon as the child came out and breathed the air, he immediately let out a loud and healthy cry.
Such cries were the most comforting, and everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
Aunt Yu clutched her chest and hurriedly instructed, "Quick! Who's watching the water clock? Report the time!"
"Two quarters and three minutes past the hour of Xu!"
"Find someone to write it down; the child's birth date and time must be accurate."
The delivery room was quickly and efficiently tidied up.
The doctor used scissors that had been boiled in boiling water to cut the umbilical cord, picked up the bright red little baby and took it aside. She used a cloth that had also been boiled and sun-dried to wipe away the amniotic fluid, then turned the baby over and laid it on its side. She patted the baby's back with a cupped hand until the baby vomited up the amniotic fluid that it had swallowed.
The little one was slapped a few times on the back as soon as he was born, and he cried even harder in grievance.
Aunt Ying was also exhausted, panting heavily, her eyes seeing stars, and she couldn't speak for a long time. It wasn't until everyone helped her up, changed her bedding, wiped her body, and applied medicine that she recovered and asked eagerly, "Is it my daughter? Quickly, bring her here so I can see her!"
As soon as she came out, the midwife looked at everyone with extreme seriousness and forbade them to speak. So no one in the delivery room dared to utter a word and kept quiet about whether it was a boy or a girl.
Only after the midwife had taken care of Aunt Ying and saw that the bleeding had gradually stopped and that she was alright did she put on a cheerful smile: "You are so lucky, you now have a son and a daughter!"
Upon hearing this, Aunt Ying's face immediately lit up, and her body was flushed with excitement. Not only did her face turn red, but some blood also seeped out from her lower body. However, she seemed not to feel any pain. She was impatient and even had the strength to stretch out her arms: "Quick, quick, bring my daughter here!"
Seeing this, Yao Ru couldn't help but feel a deep respect for the midwife. Lin Si Cao had finally done something reliable this time; the midwife he hired was both experienced and composed!
Aunt Yu had already noticed it was a girl, but she had been holding it in. Now, she burst into laughter and grabbed Aunt Ying's hand: "Congratulations! Your wish has finally come true! And it's a big, round, and chubby girl! Don't worry, Physician Yuan is wiping her body and weighing her right now! Just wait!"
Yu Jiuwan smiled too, and secretly wiped away her tears.
Thankfully, everyone is safe and sound.
Yao Ruyi was finally able to enter the delivery room. She first inquired about Aunt Ying's health and offered her congratulations. Then, she curiously watched the doctor weigh the baby. The doctor placed the baby in a basket lined with a mattress, hung it up like a rice sack, and weighed it. Afterward, the baby was taken out and the basket was weighed separately.
After weighing him down, the doctor exclaimed in astonishment: "A full seven pounds and four ounces! No wonder he felt so plump and heavy when I held him just now, he really has a lucky face."
Upon hearing this, the child burst into tears again.
"Oh, you're not happy about it now?" The doctor smiled as she swaddled the baby and then held her over to let Aunt Ying touch her face. By now, Aunt Ying was exhausted from crying, her skin was red and swollen, and she was far from pretty. But in Aunt Ying's eyes, she was the most beautiful woman imaginable. What pleased her most was that her daughter didn't have the pointed face of Lin Si Cao, but rather a round face like Little Stone's, just like her!
Very good!
Aunt Ying felt content with all the suffering she had endured. The midwife, seeing her relaxed expression, examined her thoroughly before carrying the neatly dressed baby out for the five Lin brothers, who had been eagerly waiting outside after hearing the cries.
A room away, Aunt Ying, lying on her bed, could hear the earth-shattering cheers of several silly boys outside, each one shouting like a monkey possessed, "Sister! We finally have a sister!"
Aunt Ying was wondering why she hadn't heard Little Stone's voice when suddenly a big head popped out from beside the bed, a pair of bright eyes staring intently at her.
Little Stone sneaked in while everyone was cheering for his sister.
Aunt Ying turned her head and asked him with a smile, "Have you seen your sister?"
Little Stone didn't answer, his eyes still fixed on Aunt Ying, scrutinizing her tired appearance from head to toe. He quickly noticed the clumps of sweaty, sticky hair on Aunt Ying's forehead; her bloodshot eyes from straining too much; the ten bloody marks on her palms; and he also caught a glimpse of the blood-stained mattress in the bamboo basket in the corner.
He opened his mouth, then suddenly burst into incoherent sobs.
It was past dusk, and lights were gradually being turned on throughout the house, filling the room with a warm yellow glow that made Xiao Shitou's wailing face look somewhat comical. Aunt Ying initially didn't know why he was crying, and gently comforted him, "It's alright, Mother gave birth very smoothly." "You're so happy to finally have a little sister!"
She paused mid-sentence.
She then noticed that Xiao Shitou's palms and wrists were scraped and bleeding, his cotton coat was covered in mud, and his elbows and knees were covered in mud. He must have fallen, and it looked like he had fallen quite badly!
She frowned, about to ask what was wrong, but before she could speak, she heard Little Stone wiping his nose and tears haphazardly, making a mess of his face. After a while, he was able to utter a few words, the first of which was, "Mother, does it hurt?"
Aunt Ying's heart immediately felt sour and heavy. Seeing her son's embarrassing state, she wanted to laugh, but couldn't. Instead, she tasted salty tears as soon as she opened her mouth.
She sighed, opened her arms, and hugged the small stone beside the bed. She was strong and fertile, and this wasn't her first pregnancy. She was quite confident in herself, and even as she was close to giving birth, she was still working tirelessly without stopping for a moment.
She couldn't even remember if anyone had ever asked her about this before.
It seemed to be the first time in her memory that, while everyone, including herself, was happy because her wish had finally come true, someone empathized with her pain and asked her, "Are you in pain?"
It hurts, how can it not hurt? But everyone takes it for granted, thinking that childbirth is a woman's natural duty, something she is born to endure, and even she herself sometimes numbs herself to this.
Aunt Ying sniffed, gently patted Little Stone's back, and rarely revealed her vulnerability. She lowered her gaze and tenderly leaned close to her child.
***
As the sun sets in the west, the sky grows dim and gloomy; the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) has passed.
Fu Lai, a young eunuch from the Arsenal, brought Lord Lin's dinner from under the eaves.
He was only twelve years old, and looked as skinny as a monkey. The eunuch's robe he was given was old and oversized, probably worn by some tall guy. It didn't fit him well, so the cuffs were rolled up in two sections. He hastily sewed a couple of stitches on them, so at least they wouldn't hang down like a theatrical performance.
He carried a food box as he walked from the end of the long corridor, where the setting sun was gradually fading. At this hour, the evening light had retreated to the vermilion palace walls, illuminating half of them and casting shadows on the other half. After he passed, the light slanted further west, and slowly the corridor disappeared into darkness.
Fu Lai walked quickly, with a hint of excitement in his steps.
Normally at this time of year, as soon as dinner was served, Lord Lin would tell him to leave and not serve him anymore. He could then return to his room in the corridor to rest early, and the thought of it made him secretly happy. Ever since he was assigned to serve Lord Lin, he had secretly kowtowed to every god and Buddha he knew, including the Queen Mother of the West, the Jade Emperor, and the Earth God.
Thank goodness, such a great job has fallen into his lap!
I remember when Lord Lin first arrived, he wanted to pick two servants from the miscellaneous laborers of the Military Equipment Bureau. The chief eunuch saw that he was incorruptible and had already dealt with many corrupt officials since his arrival. He also saw that Lord Lin always had a cold face and thought this was a tough job. He was reluctant to send his own apprentices, but he couldn't refuse those who had been paid. So he assigned Fu Lai and Cai Lai, who had just been castrated two years ago and were both stupid and incapable of currying favor, to the post.
At first, Fu Lai was trembling with fear when he saw Lord Lin's cold face, but later he found that Lord Lin was very easy to serve.
How can he be served? He doesn't want to be served at all!
Fu Lai walked to the courtyard where Lord Lin usually worked. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he saw Cai Lai wiping the floor back and forth along the corridor with a long-handled, wide-board mop. He smiled and greeted him, "This thing looks really good. You don't have to bend over. This time you won't need to put on plasters for your back anymore."
Upon seeing it was him, Cai Lai stopped, leaning on the long handle of the mop, and exclaimed with delight, "It works incredibly well! I wiped that long corridor twice in just a quarter of an hour!"
Fu Lai had seen him running back and forth pushing the mop from afar. He touched it with affection and instructed, "Slow down, don't break it. Lord Lin specially brought this in for us. I'll need it when it's my turn to be on duty."
Although these lowly servants were assigned to serve Lord Lin, they still had their own chores to do. They would take turns, with one person taking care of Lord Lin's affairs, serving him tea and water, standing at the door to wait for his summons and run errands, while the other person would do the chores that the two of them would normally do.
They were originally menial laborers in the Ordnance Bureau, where they had to bend over to wipe the pillars and mop the floors, leaving their backs so sore they couldn't straighten up by the end of the day. That day, Lord Lin passed by and saw their hardship, and he remembered it. The other day, when he was summoned to the palace, he was carrying a long mop handle and a wide plank of tung oil. He didn't find it troublesome or shameful at all. Upon entering the palace, he was subjected to a respectful inspection by the Imperial Guards, attracting considerable attention.
Knowing that it was for them, the two immediately cried and kowtowed.
Upon hearing Fu Lai's instructions, Cai Lai puffed out his chest and said, "Don't worry, even if a piece of paint chips off this thing, you can just slap me. From now on, as long as I'm here, the mop will be here!"
"Silly boy!" Fu Lai smiled and stopped chatting with him. He respectfully carried the dinner across the threshold and walked to the half-closed door. Just as he was about to bow and call out, he saw that Lord Lin was lying on the table, already asleep.
He quickly held his breath, tiptoed inside, and temporarily placed the food box inside the cotton quilt near the stove. Then he opened the chest in the side room, took out a new, thick cloak, and carefully draped it over Lin's shoulders. He had been wondering earlier, when he took the clothes, where was the dark cloak that Lord Lin usually wore? He had seen it just two days ago. Had Lord Lin taken it home to change into?
"Didn't I just wash that one and bring it here?" Fu Lai scratched his head.
Without giving it much thought, Fu Lai draped a robe over Lord Lin, gently pulled the curtain closed, trimmed the lamp wick, and then stepped back to the door to wait with his hands at his sides.
He held his breath and stood on tiptoe the whole time, afraid of making even the slightest sound and waking people up.
Lord Lin hadn't slept for two days. When Fu Lai first entered, he noticed that the messy drawings and drafts on Lord Lin's desk were gone. He figured Lord Lin had quickly finished calculating them and sent them to the coppersmiths so they could cast them overnight. Lord Lin was always like this; he wouldn't rest until everything was done.
Although Fu Lai was a lowly servant without any official rank, he came and went every day, overhearing bits and pieces of conversation here and there, and had already roughly figured out why Lord Lin had been suddenly summoned back to work—the Liao Kingdom had suffered another defeat at the hands of the Jin Kingdom, and now the Jin people had occupied two prefectures that originally bordered the Liao Kingdom and our Great Song Dynasty, and the border was under pressure again.
When a minister from the Ministry of War came to the Ordnance Bureau to oversee a new batch of arrowheads, he said to the junior official beside him with great concern, "At this rate, I'm afraid the Liao Kingdom won't last much longer..."
Even a lowly eunuch like Fu Lai knew that once the Liao Dynasty was destroyed, it would be the Song Dynasty's turn to fight the Jin Dynasty, just like sumo wrestlers in a brothel, who would throw each other out and sooner or later decide a winner.
Therefore, the firearms made of fierce oil that Lord Lin Wen'an possesses must be improved as soon as possible and mass-produced to supply the northwest border. The Jin people have fine horses and the most powerful cavalry in the world, but no matter how strong the men and horses are, they cannot surpass firearms, and they do not have anyone like Lord Lin Wen'an who can make firearms for the Jin country.
Lord Lin is the trump card that will decide the outcome!
As Fu Lai pondered this, he raised his head with a touch of pride.
He was once a eunuch who served Lord Lin Wen'an! If new fire-breathing weapons were to be invented in the future, they could help our Great Song Dynasty to annihilate the Jin invaders. That would be enough for him to boast about.
Fu Lai chuckled foolishly as he daydreamed.
Inside the room, Lin Wen'an gradually woke up from the blood-soaked dream.
He sat up somewhat blankly. The room was shrouded in twilight, and it took him a while to realize that this was no longer the dark and sunless dungeon from his dream.
In his dream, he seemed to have returned to that stinking, dark dungeon. In the darkness, his hands and feet were tightly bound by iron chains, and his entire body was suspended by the chains.
The dungeon reeked of a thick, viscous stench, and the stone walls were covered with bluish-gray mold. The crackling sound of the torch suddenly exploding jolted him awake from his drowsy state.
By then, his legs should have been broken.
He opened his swollen eyelids as the chains trembled. His dangling arms were already numb, his broken leg bones were bent at an odd angle, and his festering flesh was covered with tattered clothes. The crisscrossing whip marks were covered with dark red, hideous scabs.
It's noisy outside the dungeon.
Outside, there was a chaotic cacophony of shouts and cries of battle; in his dream, he must have returned to that day.
After the Prince of Jin's defeat, he was still putting up a last-ditch resistance with his remaining troops. Fortunately, even on his deathbed, he remembered this stubborn cripple and ordered Xu Dalang to come to the dungeon to end his life.
Sure enough, the smell of kerosene soon wafted in, the heavy lock hinges groaned, and footsteps approached from afar. He didn't have the strength to look up, but he could see the torch in Xu Dalang's hand casting a swaying shadow on the stone wall.
Xu Dalang was his closest classmate and friend. They took the imperial examination in the same year, but Xu Dalang failed. Later, he accepted the Prince of Jin's offer and became a staff member in the Prince's court, firmly standing on the Prince's side and going against his former friend.
Lin Wen'an had advised him many times that the Prince of Jin was not a wise ruler, but he refused to listen.
The two drifted apart and eventually broke off all contact.
Even at the very end, Xu Dalang knew that the Prince of Jin was going to lose. When he came to the dungeon with his long sword, Lin Wen'an thought he was going to kill him.
The torchlight bathed half his face in a warm golden light, while the other half remained shrouded in shadow. His dream was exactly as it had been years ago. Xu Dalang stood gazing at him for a long time before whispering in his ear:
“Mingzhi, Zhao Boyun has treated you well, and the Prince of Jin has also shown me great favor. To repay your kindness, I will serve you with my life. We each served our own masters, and I have lost, but I do not believe I was wrong.”
"From now on, live well for me."
After saying that, he raised his hand and cut off the ring of the top iron chain, then casually pointed out the jailer who had been bribed by the master to show him mercy during the torture, and told the jailer to carry him out.
Lin Wen'an smelled an even stronger odor of kerosene and felt the intense heat emanating from the flames. He struggled to open his swollen eyes, leaning on the jailer's back as he glanced back.
Deep inside the dungeon where he had been imprisoned for months, Xu Dalang set a fire. He stood calmly in the firelight, raised his hand to tidy his disheveled hair, and did not come out.
Lin Wen'an hadn't thought about these old things for a long time, but for some reason, he dreamed of Xu Da again today after so many years. Perhaps he was just too tired.
He got up and opened the window. It was already dark. Only in the far distance was there a sliver of the setting sun that had not yet completely disappeared. He stared at it for a while, his gaze heavy. Finally, that ray of light set, and the world returned to darkness.
He lowered his eyes, stepped forward and pushed open the door, startling Fu Lai, who was staring blankly at the floor tiles at the door. Fu Lai almost jumped up and hurriedly tried to bow, but then heard Lord Lin say as he walked in, "You two can share the dinner inside."
"Go back, everyone."
Fu Lai stood there, stunned, not even having time to say a word, when Lord Lin's tall and upright figure had already turned the corner of the corridor and hurriedly walked out.
This was the first time he had ever seen Lord Lin leave in such a hurry.
That makes sense, he hasn't been home for two days.
Initially, when Lord Lin came to the Ordnance Bureau, he was so busy that he lost track of time and could not go home until the eve of the Lunar New Year. Later, he suddenly changed and would leave the palace to go home no matter how late it was.
At that time, Fu Lai and Cai Lai even hid in their room and whispered about this matter.
Has Lord Lin arranged a marriage? Fu Lai was quite skeptical. An old eunuch they knew once said that when a person has someone they love, they will want to see her every day and wish they could be with her all the time. Even if they have nothing to do and are just looking at each other in silence, they will feel joy in their hearts.
Look at Lord Lin's appearance, isn't he just as the old eunuch described? Now he not only comes back frequently, but he also always finds time to write a bunch of articles that they can't understand, compile some kind of book, and go to see the Emperor repeatedly about the palace examination. Last time, when Fu Lai was serving him outside the Funing Palace, he heard the Emperor angrily scolding him while gnawing on a duck: "What kind of old, trivial matters are these that you have to come all the way to see me for? Take it, take it, next time you can ask Liang Da Dang for it."
After finishing his tirade, the official suddenly clicked his tongue, snapping out of his reverie. He looked at Lord Lin thoughtfully and said, "Mingzhi, something's not right with you."
Something's definitely not right.
Moreover, a few days ago, there was a dish of stuffed bitter melon at dinner, and Lord Lin actually laughed at that dish! Fu Lai really didn't understand what was so funny about bitter melon?
The more Fu Lai thought about all the clues, the more he felt that something fishy must be going on.
However, given Lord Lin's age, it's normal for him to be considered for marriage; he's already been delayed. It's only because the late emperor's reign didn't have the custom of choosing a son-in-law based on the imperial examinations, otherwise, with his looks, he would have been torn apart by five horses long ago… uh, no, you can't use "torn apart by five horses" like that… Fu Lai tried hard to think of other words with his not-so-bright brain, but couldn't come up with anything else—basically, it meant someone fighting tooth and nail for him!
Lin Wen'an had already stepped out of the palace gate; the evening breeze was getting cool.
He walked along the Imperial Street, through the bustling night market, and hurried toward the alleyway leading to the Imperial College. When he reached the alley entrance and saw the dim yellow light at the far end of the alley, his pace unconsciously slowed.
The stagnant blood and old memories in his chest gradually dissolved.
He approached the light step by step, and the closer he got, the more the light seemed to wash away, smooth out, and heal the old wounds, scars, and bloodstains on his body. When he stood in front of the Yao family's courtyard gate, and also in the area illuminated by the light, he saw Ruyi, who, upon noticing his return, suddenly darted back under the windowsill, pretending not to see him.
He couldn't help but want to laugh.
Lin Wen'an was more intelligent and perceptive than others from a young age, and his memory was always better than that of ordinary people. He naturally watched as an observer, step by step, how he fell in love with Ruyi and got closer to her. He did not struggle, but instead tried to calmly dissect his own heart, like calculating the angle of the flames of a firearm.
But he failed.
Lin Wen'an was used to doing everything in an orderly and methodical manner. In his eyes, there was nothing difficult in this world; most things could be done well without even thinking. The only thing that went wrong was when he was with Ruyi. His body would disobey his will, and he would always react faster than his reason, making some of the reactions he categorized as impulsive and emotional.
Just like that night in front of the palace gate.
Lin Wen'an understood on the way back.
Matters of the heart cannot be understood through mathematics, cannot be clearly explained by the words of sages, and cannot be measured by reason.
If you like something, you like it.
His body was more honest and straightforward than his heart. Just like at this moment, he stood in the night, she was in the lamplight, separated only by a window. All the cold wind and chill in his body dissipated and melted away, but his heart was like a plucked string, requiring all his strength to restrain himself and maintain a calm and self-possessed composure, so as not to be easily swayed.
He knew he was older than her, and he also knew she had always been well protected by her husband; she was seven years younger than him. When he passed the imperial examination at the age of seventeen, she was still a naive little girl playing with rag dolls. Lin Wen'an could also sense Ruyi's affection and flutter of heart for him, but was it love? Whether it was or not didn't matter; he couldn't guide her, shouldn't deceive her, and certainly couldn't use this feeling to bind her.
Because he has weathered storms and crossed turbulent waters, he understands himself. But what about Ruyi? She may not yet fully understand. This world is so vast; she can go out and meet more people, experience all things and events, and then ponder what love and longing truly mean.
Based on this, Lin Wen'an had not revealed a single thing before, even though his heart was in turmoil and completely chaotic. But in that heavy rain, he still suppressed his emotions and said that if she was willing, he would no longer want to be that second uncle.
His emotions were expressed, but restrained by propriety. This was the proper measure he should have, as well as the necessary boundaries and patience.
Whether she wants to push him away or still want him to be her second uncle is her prerogative. In the days to come, he may be able to remain calm and proceed cautiously, but he should always keep the sharp edge of his blade turned around, letting Ruyi decide how to treat him and judge him.
At that moment, he watched her through the window. He saw her head down, fumbling around, seemingly touching something, but he didn't say anything, just watched quietly. Finally, seeing that she had nowhere to hide and no way to escape, she stubbornly glared at him, gritted her teeth, and raised her face.
But when her eyes met his, she deflated instantly, like a punctured water bag.
Lin Wen'an shifted his gaze slightly and easily noticed that her earlobes had turned red. As she spoke with some discomfort and stuttering, the redness gradually spread to her cheeks.
"Lin... Lin Wen'an."
She turned her head to the side, her eyelashes drooping, staring at the half-shadow he cast on the window.
"Have you...have you eaten...?"
Lin Wen'an paused slightly, then shook his head.
"Then...then come in. I made scallion oil shredded chicken today, and I saved some for you." Before Yao Ruyi could even finish her sentence, she fled in a flustered manner.
A smile spread across his eyes.
"good."
*
Then, another month or so passed in the blink of an eye.
The Lin Si Cao family held a grand full-moon celebration for their little girl, a major event in the alley. Besides that, there was an even more important matter: the imperial examinations were in two days. Yao Ruyi was busy preparing various "exam-preparing tools" that she had commissioned from Zhou Jumu and other suppliers.
As she moved the baskets of new goods aside, she suddenly noticed a piece of paper that seemed to have fallen into the corner between the counter and the shelves. When she picked it up, she realized it was a rice dish order that Lin Wen'an had written down when he was minding the shop for her a long time ago. He seemed to be bored while minding the shop, and he had even casually drawn a bitter melon in the corner.
Her gaze suddenly paused, and she slowly discerned some meaning from the vague feeling she had been experiencing for days.
It seems that things started to change between her and Lin Wen'an from that bowl of shredded chicken.
It's not just a change in the way people address each other.
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Don't worry now. [Cat emoji]
Songxue crisps are a dessert, how could I possibly make a knife out of them? [Sunglasses]
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