Chapter 5 Each with

his own means The next day, dawn split the silent night like a sharp sword, ushering in the rising sun. Mingxi, who had a good night's sleep, woke up from her dream and felt the faint morning light. She was surprised at the fit with this body and was also surprised that she could sleep all day. Maybe it was easy to feel sleepy when pregnant, Mingxi thought and opened her eyes.

"Ah!" A short startled sound rang out. Mingxi saw a pair of dark eyes in the dim light as soon as she opened her eyes, and almost scared herself to death.

"Mother!" Minglan looked at Mingxi with a smile.

"Ming'er? Is it you? Why are you lying on my bed and looking at me?" With the faint morning light, Mingxi saw Minglan's appearance clearly and asked her helplessly, which was really frightening.

"Mother, are you very happy with Daddy now? Will you not stop him from leaving when he comes again? Will Daddy treat me like he treats Fourth Sister?"

Minglan asked a series of questions, which not only stunned Mingxi, but also made her eyes sore. The main storyline of the drama "Do You Know" starts from when they grow up, and not much is written about their childhood.

The grown-up Minglan has always been strong and rational, pretending to be cowardly but actually having her own ideas. Perhaps many people who watch the drama have overlooked the childhood Minglan. The young lady was not favored, and the Sixth Lady was not valued either. Her food and drink expenses were all cut. Little Minglan was sensitive and fragile. Even though she longed for her father's love, she never mentioned it because she was considerate of her mother's feelings. Even though she wore the worst clothes and ate the worst among her sisters, she never complained. Little Minglan was very sensible. Damn Wei Xiaoniang, you should have captured Sheng Hong's heart even for this child!

"Ming'er, you hope that mother and father can be together more often, right?"

"Mother, I know that father is not your husband alone, and father is not my father alone, but I envy Lin Xiaoniang and Fourth Sister because father always visits them, and father always remembers Fourth Sister's preferences and brings gifts to Fourth Sister. I don't need father to bring me gifts, as long as he can come and accompany us more often." Minglan lowered her head and whispered.

Mingxi felt Minglan's loss and understood Minglan's expectations. God made her travel through time at this point in time to make up for Minglan's childhood regrets.

Mingxi sat up and held Minglan in his arms, "Ming'er, believe me, you will have everything your fourth sister has, as long as you want it!"

Minglan hugged A'niang tightly, buried in A'niang's arms and took a deep breath of her mother's scent, feeling extremely satisfied. "Ming'er, did you get up so early to ask me these questions?" "

Yesterday, I heard the servants in my grandmother's room say that you went to the study to find your father, and your father personally sent you back and had dinner with you. I was happy for your mother. But when I came back yesterday, sister Zhuli said that your mother had gone to bed, so I got up this morning to look for your mother. Who knew that your mother was so sleepy today and hadn't gotten up yet, so I sat by the bed waiting for you."

Mingxi was embarrassed. The ancients got up too early, which didn't fit her usual schedule. "Mother, I'll ask Zhuli and Sister Parrot to come in and help you. Get up and wash up. I'm going to pay my respects to my grandmother. I'll have breakfast at her place. The crab soup dumplings there are delicious."

"It turns out you're really a glutton! Go ahead!" Mingxi waved her hand to let her go.

Mingxi had a plan for today. She had made a good start with Sheng Hong yesterday and gained some favorability. Today she wanted to build on her success and deepen his impression.

There is a famous saying on the Internet that if you want to capture a man's heart, you must first capture his stomach. Cooking? Mingxi can't do that. She hasn't turned on this skill. But she can ask for help. She said she would let others do it. Don't ask why she doesn't do it herself to show her sincerity. It's just that her big stomach makes it inconvenient.

Mingxi plans to make a medicinal meal - Four Gods Soup, a famous recipe for strengthening the spleen and kidneys, nourishing the complexion and removing moisture! Take six cents of lotus seeds, four cents of Euryale ferox, two cents of Poria cocos, and six cents of Chinese yam and put them into a pottery pot, along with a piece of pork belly and ribs, boil them first over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

Mingxi asked the parrot to go to the warehouse to get the medicinal materials, and then watched the people in the kitchen make the Four Gods Soup according to the recipe Mingxi said. As for how Mingxi knew, the Chinese awakened their blood for health preservation when they reached a certain age. In order to beautify and nourish the complexion, Mingxi studied many famous recipes, and this came in handy!

Mingxi still put on some makeup today, but she put more rouge on her cheeks. Compared with the white flowers yesterday, she looked like a beautiful woman today, which fits the image of her beloved lover. I don't believe Sheng Hong will not be confused. Mingxi held the oriole in her hand and ordered the parrot to carry the food box with the Four Gods Soup. She waited in front of the Sheng Mansion early to ensure that the first woman Sheng Hong saw after returning was herself.

Zhulou and Lulu saw Mingxi leaving with the oriole and the parrot carrying the food box, completely ignoring the two of them. They were worried that Wei Xiaoniang did not trust them, but they were also glad to have the opportunity to report the news. Zhu Lou stayed in the courtyard to prevent Mingxi and his group from making a comeback, and asked Lulu to send a message to the contact person saying that Wei Xiaoniang was waiting for the master outside the mansion with a food box.

Lin Qinshuang sat opposite her in front of the window arranging flowers. She was born into an official family. Although her family had long been impoverished, she was proud of her status and liked to recite poems, make couplets, paint and arrange flowers the most.

"Miss, Lulu sent a message saying that she prepared food and went to the mansion gate to wait for the master." Zhou Xueniang got the news and reported it to Lin Qinshuang.

Lin Qinshuang paused while arranging the flowers, "Hmph, I thought she was so clever, she rushed up like this and even waited until the gate of the mansion. Isn't she afraid that the master will think she is embarrassing?" She continued to arrange the flowers, but she had no method at all. She arranged the flowers without any artistic conception, and it was obvious that she was distracted.

Zhou Xueniang looked at her and saw that Lin Qinshuang was uneasy, so she advised her, "Young lady, don't underestimate the enemy. Men are most attracted by gentleness and tenderness. How can they not be happy to see a woman cooking for him, especially a beautiful woman!"

Lin Qinshuang fiddled with the flowers she had just arranged irritably, and suddenly took the scissors beside her to cut off all the branches, and then told Xueniang, "Send someone to the small kitchen and ask them to prepare a "The table is ready. I'm going to invite the old man to have dinner. You accompany me to change my clothes and dress up again, and we will go to greet the old man."

Sheng Hong went home from the government office. As soon as he arrived outside the mansion, Dong Rong, who was sitting outside the carriage, reminded him that Aunt Wei was waiting at the door. Sheng Hong opened the curtain of the carriage and was caught off guard by a pair of smiling eyes. Sheng Hong looked at Mingxi steadily, and the thought "There is a beautiful woman in Yangzhou, as glorious as peaches and plums" flashed through his mind.

Sheng Hong jumped off the carriage and walked quickly towards Mingxi, and Mingxi also walked slowly to meet him.

"Master!" The woman's gentle and soft voice like a wind chime came into his ears. Sheng Hong held her hand and asked her, "Why is Yi'er waiting outside the door?"

Mingxi looked up at him and then lowered her eyes. She approached him and whispered "I miss you". Sheng Hong shuddered when he heard it, and couldn't help but hold Mingxi's hand tightly.

"Honglang," a charming female voice broke the ambiguous atmosphere just now. The person who came was Lin Qinshuang!

She dressed up carefully and rushed to the front of the mansion. She walked up to the two of them and saw Sheng Hong holding Mingxi's hand. A dark light flashed in her eyes for a moment, and she covered it up by lifting her hair. "Honglang, why are you still standing outside the mansion? If you have something to say, you still have to go inside. After all, there are too many people outside the mansion."

Sheng Hong seemed to have just come to his senses, and he let go of Mingxi's hand and walked into the mansion holding her with one hand instead. Seeing that Sheng Hong didn't let go of Mingxi's hand after seeing her coming, Lin Qinshuang became even more annoyed, and walked over and took Sheng Hong's other arm, "Honglang, Mo'er said that she must tell you something happy, I specially asked someone to prepare a table of food and invite you over."

After saying that, she pretended to have just seen the food box in the parrot's hand, "Oh, is Sister Wei also here to invite Honglang? It's a coincidence, I have already prepared a table of food, and Molan is already waiting."

Sheng Hong then saw the maid brought by Mingxi holding a food box in her hand, he looked at Mingxi, "Is this prepared for me? What's in it?"

"It's the Four Gods Soup. Yesterday, I saw that my master was busy with official duties, so I wanted to make some medicinal food for him to replenish his body. My master, please don't overwork yourself." Mingxi stared at Sheng Hong while speaking. Sheng Hong seemed to feel her friendship and also looked at her without blinking. It seemed as if a barrier had been erected between the two of them, isolating everyone else from outside.

Seeing this, Lin Qinshuang could hardly control the expression on her face. She could not help but use force to hold Sheng Hong's arm. Sheng Hong felt pain and twitched his arm violently. Lin Qinshuang looked at Sheng Hong with tears in her eyes, hurt, "Honglang?"

Sheng Hong felt sorry when he saw Lin Qinshuang's tears were about to fall, and he hurried to coax her. Lin Qinshuang took the opportunity to mention going to her hospital for dinner, and Sheng Hong was very embarrassed. He wanted to accompany Wei Shuyi in his heart, but she made him feel too fresh, and he couldn't bear to refuse Lin Qinshuang.

It was Mingxi who spoke up, "My Lord, don't be embarrassed. I just wanted to bring you some tonic soup today. It's fine if you don't mind. Since Sister Lin and the fourth lady have something to say to you, it must be something important. I don't mind." She said this to Sheng Hong. She said it with consideration, but her eyes were staring at Sheng Hong with a sense of grievance and almost crying.

Sheng Hong felt so distressed that he wanted to immediately reject Lin Qinshuang and go to her courtyard with Mingxi to comfort her. After Mingxi finished speaking, she took the food box from the parrot and handed it to Sheng Hong. When the two palms were about to touch, Mingxi pinched Sheng Hong's palm, then bowed and saluted, turned around and left. Zhuli and the parrot saluted with Sheng Hong and Lin Qinshuang and hurried to follow.

Sheng Hong and the others watched the master and his servants leave, and knew that the figure disappeared around the corner. The person they wanted to see did not look back, but that simple and elegant back somehow carried a sense of sadness.

Seeing that everyone had gone far away, Lin Qinshuang pulled Sheng Hong back, "Honglang, let's go back too. Be careful of catching a cold standing here in the wind!" As she spoke, she looked down at the food box in Sheng Hong's hand, "Honglang, Sister Wei has brought this soup a long time ago, and it must have gotten cold. Why don't we use it today to avoid getting an upset stomach later. I also have some yam, wolfberry and bone soup!"

Sheng Hong looked down at his palms, and the remaining warmth in his palms made him feel itchy. He handed the food box to Dong Rong, "It's okay, let Dong Rong take it to the kitchen and heat it up on the stove." Lin Qinshuang glanced at the food box in Dong Rong's hand with cold eyes, and said nothing more. The group walked towards the yard.

Zhu Li lowered her head and followed Ming Xi, supporting her. She was impressed by the good tactics of Wei Xiao Niang. She first showed weakness and waited for her master in the cold wind, then tenderly sent her soup. In the end, she used the tactic of retreating to advance even better. Although her master did not return with Xiao Niang, the look in his eyes at Xiao Niang at the end seemed to want to tear her bones into his stomach. The look of wanting to follow her was embarrassing.

Zhu Lou could not help but scheme in her heart. She was a house-born child. Her father and mother worked under the eldest lady, but they were not considered important and did not make much money on a daily basis. This time, she was assigned to Wei Xiao Niang by the eldest lady. To put it nicely, she was giving Wei Xiao Niang orders, but in fact, she was also letting her monitor Wei Xiao Niang's movements. Zhu Li has reached the age of marriage this year and is old enough to talk about marriage. She originally planned to complete this task and then ask for the favor of the eldest lady and find a good marriage for her. But now that Wei Xiaoniang is becoming more and more popular with the old master, Zhu Li has other ideas. Wei Xiaoniang has no one to use around her. If she can do things for Wei Xiaoniang well, she may be valued by Wei Xiaoniang. By then, she will become a first-class maid, and it will be more respectable when she goes out to talk about marriage. It seems that Wei Xiaoniang also has good intentions. If Wei Xiaoniang is willing to arrange a marriage for her, she can find a housekeeper in the outer courtyard, and after marriage, she can be Wei Xiaoniang's housekeeper's mother, which will make her have a goal in life.

Now that Zhu Li has figured out the connection, she pays more attention to the relationship between Wei Xiaoniang and the old man. Wei Xiaoniang was so calm today even though she didn't invite the old man. She was curious about Wei Xiaoniang's next plan, "Miss, the old man and Aunt Lin have gone back, what are your plans next?"

Mingxi overheard Zhu Li's question and looked at Zhu Li carefully from the side, "Winning or losing can't be judged by appearances. The person you invite away may not be the one you invite with all your heart! Just wait and see!" Mingxi's confident look gave Zhu Li a reassurance.

Lin Qinshuang and Sheng Hong returned to the courtyard. The food had been prepared in advance. Sheng Hong walked to the table and didn't see Molan. He asked Lin Qinshuang, "Where is Mo'er? Didn't she have something to tell me? Why is she gone?"

Lin Qinshuang lied naturally, "Maybe she waited for you here for a while and didn't see you, so she went back to her room. I asked someone to call her. Xue Niang, you go to Mo'er and tell her that her father is here to see her. Invite her to have dinner together."

Zhou Xue Niang knew that her daughter had nothing to say to the master. This was just an excuse for Lin Xiaoniang to invite the master. Xue Niang didn't move after hearing what she said. She pretended to be hesitant, as if she had something to say but didn't know how to start. She hesitated for a while and didn't move.

Sheng Hong looked up at her embarrassed expression and said to her, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't be so hesitant."

"My Lord, my lady, Yunzai beside the lady just now said that the lady had been waiting for the Lord for a long time and didn't come. Because she was tired from studying at the old lady's place today, she had a meal and rested first." Xue Niang made up a story. Sheng

Hong didn't doubt it. "Since Mo'er has already rested, don't bother her. Studying is hard, and you will benefit more if you rest your mind."

"Honglang, since Mo'er is not coming, let's have dinner directly. I'll serve you the dishes." Before she finished speaking, she reached out and took the serving chopsticks to pick the dishes that Sheng Hong usually liked.

"No hurry. Wait for Dong Rong to bring the hot Four-spirit Soup. I'm sorry for the hard work he put into preparing it. It's a token of his thoughtfulness. I shouldn't let him down." Sheng Hong raised his hand to stop Lin Qinshuang from serving the dishes.

Lin Qinshuang put down her chopsticks and pretended to be jealous and angry, "Honglang can't see the thoughtfulness of me on the table. Although they are not made by me, they were prepared early according to Honglang's preferences. Why is Honglang only thinking about sister Wei's thoughts? Honglang hasn't looked at me carefully today. I specially drew crescent eyebrows, put on plum blossom hairpins, and changed into a lotus-colored jacket today. Did Honglang notice it?"

Lin Qinshuang was worthy of being spoiled by Sheng Hong for so many years. She knew how to control Sheng Hong very well. Sheng Hong saw that she looked jealous and charming, so he sat over to hug her. When he lowered his head, he smelled the cold plum scent on her body, which made him feel soothed. He liked the plum scent on her the most, which was fresh and elegant.

"Shuang'er is jealous! How could I not notice Shuang'er? You are the apple of my eye. Forgive me for making a bowl of soup for me when you were pregnant. I can't let her down. But if Shuang'er doesn't like it, then I won't drink it. I will only eat the food Shuang'er prepares for me. Is that okay? Come on, raise your head so that your husband can take a good look at you...

Lin Qinshuang understands . She was pleased that Sheng Hong fell for her tricks, and disdained that Wei Shuyi had put so much thought into doing so much but still couldn't stop her temper. Lin Qinshuang got up from Sheng Hong's arms and fed him food mouthful by mouthful. The two of them had a very affectionate meal. Lin Qinshuang flirted with him deliberately, and Sheng Hong tried to compensate her. Halfway through the meal, Sheng Hong picked up Lin Qinshuang and took her to the inner room.

Before leaving, Sheng Hong's eyes caught sight of the food box that Wei Shuyi handed to him, and his palms began to itch again. Before Sheng Hong could feel it carefully, Lin Qinshuang's arms were wrapped around his neck. Sheng Hong's eyes flashed with lust. Tonight was particularly exciting. Lin Qinshuang thought that her charm to Sheng Hong was no less than that of the past. Sheng Hong looked at the excited woman under him, but he remembered the plain figure and the rose scent on her body.