Chapter 150 Yin Caiwei smiled; she had read it…
Yin Caiwei smiled, looked around, and chose to sit down next to Du Min.
Once everyone had arrived, Mencius' mother went out and asked the servants to serve the dishes.
"Uncle, would you like to have a drink?" Meng's father asked.
Du Min waved his hand, "I won't drink. It's hot, and drinking will make me restless."
Meng's father looked at Du Li, who also refused, "I drank quite a bit when the third son got married. These days, I feel uncomfortable whenever I smell alcohol. I think I won't touch alcohol for the next two or three years."
“Then let’s not drink at all. Your mother won’t let me touch alcohol either.” Meng’s father gave up.
When the food was served, Meng's mother also took her seat. She looked at Yin Caiwei, wanting to chat, but was intimidated by Yin Caiwei's head full of jewels and the servants behind her, and swallowed her words.
“Caiwei, our family’s food is more Jiangnan style. Try it and see if you like it. These dishes are from a restaurant, so they might suit your taste better. Eat more.” Meng Qing said, pointing to the dishes on the table.
"Thank you for your trouble, Second Sister-in-law," Yin Caiwei said.
"No need to be so polite." Meng Qing looked at Sun's mother standing behind Yin Caiwei and asked, "Should we invite Sun's mother to sit down and eat as well? We don't stand on ceremony in our family."
"Thank you for your kindness, Second Madam, but a master is a master, and a servant is a servant. There is no rule that masters and servants should sit at the same table," Mama Sun said, refusing.
"You don't need to serve me here. Go down and eat with the others," Du Min said.
Sun's mother didn't move; she looked at Yin Caiwei.
Yin Caiwei nodded, "Go ahead."
Only then did Mrs. Sun leave.
"Everyone, pick up your chopsticks and take some food," Meng's father called out. "Third Uncle, you take care of his Third Aunt."
Du Min nodded, picked up two pieces of food with his chopsticks and placed them in Yin Caiwei's bowl, telling her to help herself to whatever she wanted to eat.
It was a rather quiet dinner. After the meal, tea was served, and then the conversation began.
Du Li talked about his rice paddies, saying, "Back in Wu County, your second sister-in-law mentioned using dead fish as compost. This year I had some free time, so I used four baskets of dead fish mixed with soil and grass ash to keep them for three months. A few days ago, when I dug them up, the soil was shiny black. I plan to spread two baskets of fertile soil before planting the rice seedlings when the paddies are flooded and plowed. I'll spread two more baskets of fertile soil when the rice is flowering and two more when it's heading. This year's rice harvest will definitely be better than last year's."
"Did you plant winter wheat on your five acres of land?" Du Min asked.
Speaking of this, Du Li glared at him resentfully, "What do you think? Last autumn, you only arranged for the yamen runners to help harvest the rice. The fields weren't plowed, the soil wasn't loosened, and by the time I got back it was already the end of the year. How were we supposed to plant winter wheat?"
"I was so busy I forgot," Du Min said. "Oh, right, Second Sister-in-law, someone from Heyin County will probably come looking for you in a few days. It'll either Magistrate Zhao or the president of the Mingqi Association. Magistrate Zhao invited me to dinner yesterday to inquire about the establishment of the Baishan Association."
Meng Qing understood immediately, "You want the charity school to donate to the Baishan Association in Heyin County?"
Du Min nodded. "Are you going to donate or not?"
"I'll definitely donate, but we'll decide how much later." Meng Qing got tired of sitting and stood up to walk around.
Du Min glanced at Yin Caiwei, stood up and said, "It's getting late, you should get some rest, we're heading back."
“Okay.” Du Li was more than happy to do so. He stood up and said, “I’ll see you out.”
Mencius's parents and Wangzhou were feeding the horses in the front yard when they heard the commotion, so the three of them went out together to see them off.
"His third uncle and his third aunt, please come over for a meal whenever you have time," Meng's mother said politely.
“My second sister-in-law and second brother live here, so I’ll definitely be a regular visitor,” Du Min said without ceremony. He even ordered some food: “Aunt Pan, the shredded chicken with chili oil that you ordered tonight was really good. I’ll definitely come back for more tomorrow night.”
“...Alright.” Mother Meng silently thought that this was her eldest grandson, and she felt she had the upper hand. She was much more tolerant of Du Min. “Third Aunt, do you have any dishes you like to eat? I’ll prepare them in advance for tomorrow so you don’t go hungry.”
"Auntie, I like all the dishes tonight, anything is fine with me, there's no need to prepare anything special for me," Yin Caiwei said politely.
"Don't bring anything next time you come. We have everything we need at home," Meng's mother reminded him once again.
Yin Caiwei hesitated, "I feel bad about coming empty-handed."
"Buy a bag of dried fruit on the street, or two packets of tea snacks at the teahouse, it's fine. Don't bring any medicinal herbs or anything like that," Meng Qing said.
"Listen to Second Sister-in-law," Du Min said, pushing Yin Caiwei's shoulder as they walked out the door. "Let's go, you should go inside too, there are too many mosquitoes outside."
After watching the three of them, master and servants, leave with lanterns, the Meng family closed the door and prepared to go back to their rooms to rest.
"Du Laosan has gotten married and looks quite presentable now; he looks a few years older," commented Meng's mother.
"Grandma, don't talk about people behind their backs." Wang Zhou frowned.
“…I’m praising your third uncle,” said Meng’s mother.
Wang Zhou ignored her excuses, saying, "You'll praise him in front of him tomorrow."
“If your third uncle came alone, I would dare to praise him to his face. But it won’t work with your third aunt. She’s so dignified that I don’t dare to say much in front of her.” Mother Meng’s mood darkened slightly, but she said without hesitation, “Qingniang, why don’t you three come back to the government office for a meal every few days, so that your father and I don’t have to come over? With them around, your father and I feel so constrained.”
“Once you get to know each other, you won’t be so reserved. If you don’t spend time together, you’ll always feel awkward.” Meng Qing disagreed. “I’m going back to my room. Wang Zhou, you should also get ready to wash up and go to bed.”
Wangzhou left with his parents.
Mencius' mother stomped her foot in frustration, "That stubborn brat!"
"Haven't you figured it out yet? She deliberately lured the Du couple here so we could have more interaction with them." Meng's father gradually realized what was going on. "When they come to our house, we can warmly welcome them, but if we go to the government office, we'll probably be treated by servants. If we're always unfamiliar with each other and feel constrained, would you rather feel constrained on your own turf or on someone else's?"
Mencius' mother understood; it was indeed so.
“Listen to Qingniang. If she wants to build a good relationship with Du Laosan, then we should treat him sincerely. With our abilities, we can’t possibly guard against him; it’s useless and will only offend people,” Meng’s father said.
"Alright then." Mencius' mother had to admit that his last sentence was correct.
"Come on, let's go back inside and wash up," said Meng's father.
The Meng family members were all in bed when Du Min and Yin Caiwei arrived home. Yin Caiwei sat in front of the bronze mirror to remove her hairpins, while Du Min sat at his desk drinking water.
“A year ago, if we were walking back at night tonight, we would have needed two or three constables to accompany us,” Du Min suddenly said.
"Was Heqing County in such chaos a year ago?" Yin Caiwei looked at him in the bronze mirror.
“They only targeted our family for chaos. I ruthlessly suppressed the practice of lavish funerals, offending the entire population of Heqing County. If I went out without the help of yamen runners, I would be beaten. Wangzhou was bullied by his teacher and classmates while studying at a private school. My brother and sister-in-law dared not go out alone.” Du Min smiled faintly. “At that time, our family was like rats in the gutter, hated by everyone.”
"No wonder you're so close to your second brother's family, sharing hardships and having such a deep bond." Yin Caiwei turned around and said jokingly, "The day you came back from Luoyang, you really scared me. Your second sister-in-law said she'd move back after her postpartum period, so why were you still so angry?"
“She didn’t discuss it with me. Besides, she, my second brother, and Wangzhou are all part of my family. Why would she move out?” Du Min believed that Meng Qing wouldn’t do something pointless. At the time, he didn’t quite understand her decision to go back to her parents’ home to give birth and recuperate, thinking she had ulterior motives. As for what those motives were, he couldn’t guess. He wondered if it was because his marriage had upset her, and he also had thoughts of whether he had said or done something wrong, causing her to become distant.
But he nipped these thoughts in the bud as soon as they surfaced. With Meng Qing's magnanimity, even if it weren't his fault, she wouldn't back down. Instead, she would wait for an opportunity to teach him a lesson. Only if he did something so serious that it would lead to the extermination of his entire family would she sever ties with him.
Du Min stroked his teacup, clearing his thoughts, and said, "My second sister-in-law and I always discuss things together. She knew I wanted to live with them, but she left without saying goodbye. She probably knew that if I found out, she wouldn't let them move out."
Yin Caiwei frowned. His excessive closeness and dependence on Meng Qing made her uncomfortable. She exhaled, ignoring the strange feeling, and tried to recall the half-cup of tea.
"If you're not happy going to the Meng family, find an excuse to decline tomorrow night. You don't need to come with me for dinner. If this happens again, I'll cover for you; you won't need to attend anymore." Du Min realized that after he married, it wasn't simply a matter of adding another person to his family. His household was complex, and any slight change could throw it out of balance. His official residence welcomed a new mistress, and the woman who had previously served as the mistress was unwilling to be subservient. She didn't want to flatter or fawn, so she had to yield and avoid the situation.
The last bit of dissatisfaction in Du Min's heart disappeared, replaced by satisfaction and joy. His second sister-in-law was genuinely thinking of him; otherwise, with her scheming nature, Caiwei would definitely not have fared well, and his backyard would have been on fire.
"Are you serious? Won't you be upset if I don't go?" Yin Caiwei probed.
"No." Du Min had his own selfish motives. He wanted to maintain the relationship between himself and his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew, and he wanted a territory where he could take off his mask and do whatever he wanted. This territory could only be centered on him, and he didn't want anyone else to interfere.
“Your brother and sister-in-law are also my brother and sister-in-law. I married you and we are one, so of course I should go with you. How could I not go? If I don’t go once or twice, won’t Uncle Meng and Aunt Pan think I look down on them? How can my second sister-in-law feel good about that?” Yin Caiwei had already seen how much Meng Qing meant to Du Min. She would be a fool not to go.
Du Min's heart skipped a beat; this wasn't what he expected. "No, Uncle Meng and Aunt Pan aren't like that. They're understanding; you just have different lifestyles..."
“Lifestyle habits aren’t unchangeable,” Yin Caiwei interrupted him. “My second sister-in-law also moved out because of our different lifestyles. Does that mean she’s going to use that as an excuse not to move back in?”
Du Min was speechless.
"Thank you for your understanding, my husband, but I also have to understand you. I'll go with you tomorrow night." Yin Caiwei said, blushing. "My second sister-in-law has already moved out because she understands how hard it is for me as a new bride to manage the household. If I don't take the initiative to visit her, does that mean we should never see each other again?"
Du Min's feelings were mixed, unsure whether to be happy or sad. He scratched his head and said, "I'm going to wash up first."
After Du Min left, Granny Sun came in. As soon as she entered, she asked, "Madam, did you ask? What was the young master's attitude? What did he say?"
"I didn't ask." Yin Caiwei untied her hair tie and took off her braids, saying, "Mom, let's not talk about what happened before."
"Why? Madam Meng moved back to her parents' house without even saying hello. Who knows if my husband will think we've bullied him?" Mother Sun said emotionally. "She's the sister-in-law, and a businesswoman. She's shrewd and clever. What doesn't she understand? But what has she been doing? She moved out the day you moved in, and it's been so many days now. She hasn't even come to visit you. Does she have to force you to come to her door first? She always tries to take advantage of you and gain the upper hand in everything, and in the end, she still gets the reputation of being a good sister-in-law. How infuriating!"
Yin Caiwei had harbored resentment towards Meng Qing after hearing these words before, but after tonight, she found the argument somewhat ridiculous. Meng Qing had no shortage of reputation as a good sister-in-law in Du Min's eyes, and he certainly didn't need this incident to prove she was a good sister-in-law.
“Second sister-in-law has already drunk half a cup of tea, what good reputation does she need? Can’t you see her status in the young master’s heart?” Yin Caiwei asked. “With her abilities, if she wanted to sow discord between me and the young master, would she need to go to such great lengths? She doesn’t need to move out at all. Living in the government office, she has plenty of ways to torment me.”
Mrs. Sun frowned, "But I still feel like something's not right."
Yin Caiwei picked up a comb and handed it to her, indicating that she should comb her hair. "Mother, you are thinking too much. I benefited the most from this matter. Given how much my husband values my second sister-in-law, she is giving birth in the government office, so I have to take good care of her. If I neglect her even a little, it will be my fault."
“That’s true,” Mrs. Sun nodded.
"Open the storeroom and cut a few feet of soft cloth, have the maids make a few small garments, and prepare some nourishing medicinal herbs. When your second sister-in-law gives birth, bring these things and come with me to visit her," Yin Caiwei instructed.
It should be Sun's mother.
A maid's voice called for her husband from outside the door. Mama Sun hurriedly left, as the master disapproved of the servants loitering in his room.
*
The following evening, after finishing his shift, Du Min returned to the government office. He changed his clothes and took Yin Caiwei with him to the Meng family's house for dinner.
Yin Caiwei was much more enthusiastic that night, taking the initiative to speak and chat.
But Du Min remained silent for a long time, and as soon as he put down his bowl and chopsticks, he was about to leave.
The Meng family saw the couple off, and Meng's mother asked, "Will his third uncle come over for dinner tomorrow night?"
"I'm not coming," Du Min replied.
"Second Sister-in-law, Second Brother, Uncle Meng, Aunt Pan, why don't you have dinner at the government office tomorrow night?" Yin Caiwei invited, but then changed her mind: "How about noon? Second Sister-in-law is feeling unwell, so it's best if she doesn't walk at night."
“Okay,” Meng Qing agreed.
"I won't be back for lunch tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow," Du Min said.
"It's alright, I don't need you to keep me company," Meng Qing said. "You go ahead with your work."
Du Min: ...
Du Li chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?" Du Min asked, displeased.
"What's it to you what I'm laughing about?" Du Li didn't answer. "Go on, you're the one who should leave, and you're the one who's not leaving now."
Du Min took a deep breath, then turned and left.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow night at 8 PM.
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