Wang Hongyu asked Bai Yumei and Xiao Qiao'er to look after the child, and then took Zhou Xiaoyun to the Wang family next door.
After what happened last time, Wang Hongyu had become somewhat acquainted with the Wang Fugui couple next door. After explaining her purpose, Wang Fugui thought for a moment and finally gave them an idea.
“Your mother sent you to find me, but that’s not the right thing to say,” Wang Fugui said sternly.
"Master Wang, this...this...please enlighten me," Wang Hongyu asked, puzzled.
"This second daughter-in-law is pregnant with the Ling family's child, right? Then she should go find the child's grandfather!" Wang Fugui said, eager to meet the people from the General's Mansion!
Wang Hongyu and Zhou Xiaoyun looked at each other, somewhat puzzled.
“People in the capital are very good at judging people by their social standing. You two don’t look like you come from a wealthy family, so even your servants can be cunning,” Wang Fugui said. “If you two sisters-in-law can’t come forward, you can have your husbands go find your biological father! The person who would treat your children like their own young masters and ladies is probably from the children’s grandfather’s side, isn’t he?”
When Wang Fugui said that, Zhou Xiaoyun and Wang Hongyu understood immediately, and it resonated with them deeply.
Yes, how could outsiders treat a child well? Only the people sent by the child's grandfather would do their best.
"Master Wang, you are truly remarkable. Thank you for your guidance," Wang Hongyu said sincerely.
Wang Fugui waved his hand and replied modestly, "You flatter me. I've only eaten for a few decades longer than you."
After thanking Zhou Xiaoyun again, Wang Hongyu took her leave.
They were indeed hesitant to bring it up, so after the Ling brothers returned home, Zhou Xiaoyun couldn't wait to tell them.
"You want me to go see Father? If I don't go, what if Father catches me and makes me squat in a horse stance?" Ling Dapeng shook his head repeatedly, feeling somewhat traumatized.
“Dapeng, this is the best way. Hiring outsiders is expensive and they might not be dedicated. What if they hurt our Zhi’er in the future?” Zhou Xiaoyun grabbed Ling Dapeng’s arm. “You’re both so busy, you can’t even take care of the family!”
"But... but what if Dad doesn't let us work as waiters? I've just made friends with several other waiters, and they're very efficient." Ling Dapeng was still a little hesitant.
“Isn’t there still Mom?” Zhou Xiaoyun felt that her father-in-law couldn’t do anything to her mother-in-law. As long as her mother-in-law gave them chores to do, her father-in-law couldn’t say anything.
"Then...then you'll come with me!" Ling Dapeng finally relented. Yes, only a father would truly care for his children, and maybe, it wouldn't even cost him anything!
The couple got together and discussed it again. Finally, on a day when Tao Wanniang hadn't assigned any work, the two of them took the child and went to the General's Mansion.
"Hey, the second young master is back!" Qian Feng couldn't help but tease him when he ran into him.
"Greetings, Lord Qian. Is my father here?" Ling Dapeng greeted him politely, but once inside the General's mansion, he inexplicably fell silent.
"Yes, come on, I'll take you there. The general is very diligent; he's practicing martial arts at the training ground." Qian Feng led the group towards the training ground.
Ling Dapeng's legs trembled; the shadow of those days of squatting in a horse stance had returned.
Ling Yunzhou, dressed only in thin clothes, held a silver spear and was sweating profusely in the training ground.
After finishing his martial arts practice, he walked towards Ling Dapeng and his wife, who were standing outside.
"What brings you here?" Ling Yunzhou asked with a serious expression.
"father!"
"father!"
Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun felt the pressure from Ling Yunzhou and immediately called out.
"Dad, can we talk somewhere else? My legs are weak here!" Ling Dapeng said, still feeling a bit scared.
"Pfft!" The other guards couldn't help but laugh when they heard Ling Dapeng's words.
Ling Yunzhou glanced around, and the group immediately began practicing martial arts.
"Qian Feng, take them to the living room. I'm going to change my clothes," Ling Yunzhou instructed.
"Let's go, Second Young Master, Second Young Mistress." Qian Feng suppressed a laugh. The Great General was so majestic and powerful, but his son looked like a pretty face with no substance. It was strangely comical!
Not long after, Ling Yunzhou, having changed his clothes, came to see Ling Dahu and the other man. He sat directly in the main seat and asked, "Speak, what is it?"
Ling Dapeng stammered out his purpose, and when he mentioned that Tao Wanniang had asked for someone to take care of the child, Ling Yunzhou raised an eyebrow.
"Did your mother send you to find me?" Ling Yunzhou asked immediately.
“No, it’s us,” Zhou Xiaoyun said weakly. “Dad, you’re the child’s grandfather. We can only trust the people you’ve arranged.” Zhou Xiaoyun echoed Wang Fugui’s words.
His men have entered the Tao family! Ling Yunzhou started to think about it. Tao Wanniang still wanted to remarry, so there would always be men she associated with. If he had someone of his own to keep an eye on things, wouldn't that be a good way to know her and her enemy?
“Okay, I will arrange for someone to do that.” Ling Yunzhou agreed immediately.
"Xiaoyun...right? Take good care of yourself and help the Ling family have more children. You're doing great!"
Zhou Xiaoyun felt inexplicably happy after being praised by Ling Yunzhou, and her face turned red.
"Thank you, Dad!" Zhou Xiaoyun said shyly.
Once the matter was explained, the atmosphere became awkward, and Ling Dapeng had nothing to say to Ling Yunzhou!
Ling Yunzhou thought for a moment and then asked, "Will you two brothers be working at the restaurant from now on?"
"Yes, Mother's Zhaixinlou restaurant will open in about a month. We'll all be very busy then," Ling Dapeng said proudly. "Father, would you like to come and support us?"
"Hmm!" Ling Yunzhou replied. At that time, his ex-wife would be a cook and his two sons would be waiters. Just thinking about it made him inexplicably angry.
"You... really want to be a waiter?" Ling Yunzhou couldn't help but ask.
“But I can’t do anything else!” Ling Dapeng said truthfully. “This isn’t Lingjia Village, and there’s no land for me to farm. I’m already very happy that my mother could arrange a job for us.”
"Idiot!" Ling Yunzhou couldn't help but think to himself, but then he felt a pang of self-reproach. If he hadn't been absent for so many years, how could his two sons have been so unambitious?
If he had thought of it sooner and brought the mother and son to the capital sooner… Ling Yunzhou felt a pang of regret, but also a bitter sense of helplessness. His seventeen years, apart from fighting on the battlefield, had been spent in a daze!
"Since you are willing, I will not force you, but I still hope that you will read more books when you have time, and not become illiterate people."
“No, Mother asked a tutor to teach us the Thousand Character Classic. We still need to look at the menu,” Ling Dapeng immediately said. “I know a lot of characters.”
The Thousand Character Classic, ah, isn't that what children learn to be enlightened?
"Dad, didn't you also not know how to read? When did you learn this?" Ling Dapeng suddenly asked, then looked at Ling Yunzhou with curiosity.
Ling Yunzhou felt a lump in his throat, thinking, "That unfilial son of mine, all he knows is to expose my weaknesses!"
“Yes, when I was in Lingjia Village, I was illiterate. Later, I went to the army and was ridiculed for a long time. But as time went on, I vowed to read a lot of books. I also wanted to read official documents and military intelligence. How could I become a great general if I couldn’t read?” Ling Yunzhou recalled the past with a straight face.
"Dad, you're amazing!" Ling Dapeng praised with a silly grin. "Mom is actually the most amazing. Not only does she know a lot of characters, but she can also compose poems on the spot. Even the teacher praises her highly."
"Huh?" Ling Yunzhou was taken aback, then remembered that when Tao Wanniang married her, people said it was like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung!
"Your mother is very good!" Finally, Ling Yunzhou sighed heavily. It's a pity she doesn't want him anymore!
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