Mrs. Wu stopped immediately. The surprise in her eyes instantly made her full of energy, and her previous resentment and grievances immediately disappeared.
"Sister-in-law, can you see if my eyes are swollen?" Lin hurriedly pulled the eldest wife's sleeve and asked shyly.
Before the eldest wife could say anything, the maids in the old lady's room covered their mouths and laughed, and the tense and depressing atmosphere just now disappeared.
The old lady looked over and asked, "Why are you still here?"
Lin looked at the old lady with a pleading look on her face: "Mother, Shi Mao is back, I..."
Everyone in the Ren residence knew that the Fifth Madam and the Fifth Master had a close relationship. Although they had their share of arguments since their marriage, they always made up. As long as the Fifth Master was at home, the two of them were as close as a family.
Old Mrs. Ren doted on her youngest son, and her daughter-in-law was from her mother's family, so she turned a blind eye.
However, this time, Lin had clearly offended the old lady. The old lady frowned and scolded, "Did you take my words for granted?"
The first wife pulled the overly happy fifth wife and said, "Fifth sister-in-law, your eyes are swollen like peaches, and your makeup is smudged..."
Lin touched her face and said anxiously, "Mom, I'll go back and wash my face first." Then she hurried out, completely forgetting the old lady's words asking her to go to the ancestral hall to reflect on her mistakes.
Old Madam Ren was furious again. She pointed at her back and said to the eldest wife, "Look at her! Look at her! She has no manners at all! She's completely lawless!"
The eldest wife lowered her head and smiled, then stepped forward and directed the maids to clear the table away. Then she said gently, "Fifth sister-in-law knows that you have always loved her. This is because she is close to you."
Old Madam Ren snorted coldly, "I allowed her to lose her composure, and now she doesn't even take me seriously!"
As soon as these words came out, a loud voice from outside followed up, "Who dares not respect you, mother? Your son will be the first to not forgive him!"
Then the curtain was lifted and two men of similar height walked in.
The man walking in front had a round face and round eyes, and two deep dimples on his cheeks, which were exactly the same as those of Old Madam Ren, making him look a little childish. Although he was obviously twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, he looked like a young man.
The man walking behind him was much more mature than him, with handsome features and well-proportioned eyes. In such a cold weather, he was only wearing a white robe with wide sleeves. He moved as gracefully as an immortal, with an elegant posture.
Old Madam Ren glanced at the baby-faced man and said coldly, "You're the one who said that! Don't deny it when the time comes!"
Ren Shimao, who had just casually responded to the conversation, realized that something was wrong. His eyes rolled and he immediately pulled Ren Shimin forward. He kowtowed to Old Lady Ren with a smile and changed the previous topic.
The old lady's gaze turned to Ren Shimin's clothes and frowned, "What are you wearing? Are all the people serving you dead?"
Ren Shimin raised his head calmly, "Mother, this is called the Wangxian robe. It's very popular in the capital lately, and every famous scholar has one. Mine was personally sewn by the skilled craftswoman Mu Yingniang in the capital. My fifth brother has a similar one, but it's made of blue brocade."
"Go back and change it for me! If your father sees you, you will have to kneel in the ancestral hall again! Get up, everyone!" Old Mrs. Ren said with displeasure.
Ren Shimin did not argue and stood up gracefully. The maid beside him knew his fastidious nature and hurried over to kneel at his feet to straighten the slightly wrinkled hem of his robe.
Over there, Ren Shimao had already sat down on the kang and was talking to the old lady about what happened on the road: "...Originally, we were going to delay for a few days, but we happened to run into the Han family father and son. Their caravan was large and they had someone clearing the way, so my third brother and I followed them back."
"Since you have accepted their favor, remember to ask the housekeeper to prepare a thank-you gift and send it over later." Mrs. Ren instructed.
Ren Shimin walked to a chair nearby and sat down, then took the tea brought by the maid: "I have already given Young Master Han a painting and calligraphy."
"What calligraphy and painting?"
"When Mr. Han saw my third brother's calligraphy and paintings, he liked them very much. So my third brother gave him one of his most recent masterpieces." Ren Shimao winked at Ren Shimin.
Old Madam Ren glared at them and said, "That's just a child's toy, how can it count? Remember to have the housekeeper prepare a generous gift. If you have time, you can personally take someone to deliver it to the Han family, or you can have your personal servant accompany the housekeeper."
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