C39 (1/2)
Just as his mind was wandering, the door opened and the tall Uncle Biao stood out. Seeing that it was the Xiaowan, his slightly nervous eyebrows softened as he said: ”Silly child, what are you standing here for?”
When the Aunt Zhang heard the commotion, he did not get angry, but laughed: ”Evening, what did you hear?”
Xiaowan quickly waved her hand, but she quickly lost her courage and said, ”I did hear a bit, Aunt … Where are you going? I don't want you to go. ”
”I'm not going anywhere.” Aunt Zhang rubbed her head, ”Even if it's for your sake, Aunt won't leave.”
Uncle Biao walked quietly to the kitchen. Aunt Zhang looked at his man, then asked Xiaowan: ”Have you eaten lunch well, Sir?”
The Xiaowan nodded her head: ”They are all full. Only the Lord Tang can't sit still and doesn't taste good. He seems to be especially afraid of those two.”
The Aunt Zhang laughed, and finally revealed her indifference to all kinds of weird things, and said to the Xiaowan: ”We'll just serve him then.”
Her husband might have white hair, but he had an extremely extraordinary aura. He was not like the other men in the village who at his age, had become bad old men, and was even more spirited than the Lord Tang.
”Dinner will be ready soon. Ladies and gentlemen, would you like to wash up or eat first?” Aunt Zhang watched silently from the side. She only saw the Madam give a gentle smile and replied, ”Wash your face first.”
Xiaowan and Ershan hurriedly went to carry out their bath tools, while Lord Tang did not need them to do so. After repeatedly saying that they would take care of those two, a pot of hot water was delivered to them and only after closing the door and treating them to guests did they heave a sigh of relief.
She wanted to ask the guests to remember to lock the door, but Lord Tang was guarding the stairs like a door god, she did not need to worry at all, and even pointed at Xiaowan, indicating that she could go down, so the Xiaowan quickly ran away.
Ling Chaofeng changed into his regular clothes and looked at Xiaowan who was busy moving around, but before they could speak properly today, he dragged them to the foot of the stairs and said: ”Don't be busy, take your time, you are just like a headless fly who is moving around, it makes one's heart flustered.”
In the beginning she did not know how to treat guests, while Ling Chaofeng always scolded her head and face, she could only tremble, but now it was different, even when Ling Chaofeng's tone was not strong, the Xiaowan still dared to talk back, and said unwillingly: ”I have been busy for an entire day, you can walk around outside.”
Seeing that her husband had slightly raised her face, Xiaowan was even more unafraid. ”I didn't do anything wrong, why are you being so fierce towards me?”
Ling Chaofeng had already thought that if he let this little thing's guts out, he would not be able to take it back in the future. However, he had never planned for night to be afraid of him, it was just a joke, so he took advantage of no one to secretly kiss his, ”I haven't seen you for a long time, I missed you.”
The Xiaowan was at a loss for words. With a red face, she said, ”Your esteemed guest is here, stop messing around. ”Moreover …” Her expression suddenly turned serious, ”The guests this time won't be easy to deal with. I want to protect my aunt.”
Ling Chaofeng frowned slightly. It seemed that Xiaowan knew something.
But in reality, there were no conflicts, nor was there any trouble. The two of them went downstairs after washing up. Their appetite was in high spirits and the aroma of the dishes on the table was alluring. Unfortunately, before he could even touch the chopsticks, he saw the Lord Tang holding silver needles stabbing and stabbing into the food, causing the Madam to say angrily: ”Are you even letting me eat?”
Lord Tang was sweating profusely. ”Madam, please have a meal.”
After serving dinner, the guests all went back to their own rooms to rest. Xiaowan gave them tea and went to the back door to wash the dishes.
”Tonight, that soft and sticky thing is really delicious. Uncle Biao put quite a bit more in my bowl.” Xiaowan wanted to find some topic to break the silence, ”Aunt, what is that thing?”
”Horseshoe tendons.” Aunt Zhang replied indifferently, ”If you like it, I'll make it for you another day.”
Xiaowan pursed her lips and asked softly: ”Aunt, did you come here twelve years ago?”
Aunt Zhang nodded her head: ”Old Madem, it was your mother-in-law who saved us, Ershan was only six years old then. Normally, when he said six years old, she would be able to explain the family's identity clearly, but when he asked, he did not know, so Old Madem searched for a long time but still could not find his family. After greeting the yamen, she left him in the shop.”
Xiaowan said in a soft voice, ”Aunt, if we go further in, you and Uncle Biao are …”
However, a gentle voice suddenly came from the back door as he smiled and said, ”So you were here.”
They turned around at the same time, only to see a lady, even more noble than the Lord Tang, leisurely walking over. She wasn't wearing a particularly gorgeous dress, it was just something ordinary people would wear, and even so, he had a noble aura about his, this kind of temperament seemed to be born in his bones.
”Madam, what do you want?” Xiaowan stood up to receive him.
”It's nothing. I can't sleep right now, so I want to chat with someone.” ”You guys are washing the dishes. I'll help.”
”No, no.” Xiaowan stopped her, ”Madam, if you wash the dishes, I will die of anxiety.”
Everyone knew that he was nervous. Xiaowan's words made the lady laugh, but she turned towards the Aunt Zhang and said: ”I thought that Xiaowan was your daughter at the beginning, she was so beautiful, so cute, and so likeable.”
Aunt Zhang stood up and coldly sneered: ”How could I have such good fortune like you, I have both children.”
Xiaowan felt that the atmosphere was getting better and better, the two of you are truly going through the past, her presence here was probably too much of an eyesore, her heart was thumping hard, and she said: ”Aunt, I will take the clean bowl in first.”
The lady stepped aside and smiled: ”Xiaowan, I will give you a job, help me block the Lord Tang, don't ask him to follow me, okay?”
Xiaowan nodded her head vigorously: ”Madam, I understand, I definitely won't let him come.”
Watching young lady run away, Aunt Zhang was worried and reminded him, ”Later, go slowly, you better be careful not to fall.”
”You love her.” ”However, this kind of child will hurt anyone who sees him.”
The Aunt Zhang sat down to continue washing the dishes, and the clanging of the porcelain was heard. She said: ”Before, no one had pain, her mother died early, and was abused at home by her stepmother. If you had seen more than a month earlier, all you would have seen would be a pitiful worm whose voice would tremble. ”
”He's been reborn just a month ago.” The Madam sat at the seat of the Xiaowan, next to him she said, ”It's been twenty years since we last met, and you have changed completely. If you weren't so beautiful, I'm afraid I wouldn't have recognized you.”
The lanterns illuminated the area, making it so that everyone could clearly see each other's faces.
At a similar age, the Madam's skin was exquisite, there were barely any wrinkles on her body, and the Aunt Zhang had already caught wind and frost. She was dressed in simple clothes, with a flowered kerchief tied around her head and an apron tied around her waist. Her hands were red from soaking in the cold water of the well.
She rolled up her sleeves and put her hand in the water. The cold feeling made her smile and said, ”Before I married the Emperor, I worked for Grandmother at home. There were not many people at home, and eating was simple as well. Naturally, I didn't wash so many bowls and chopsticks.”
Aunt Zhang's expression was cold. ”Is he the emperor or the emperor now? Should I call you empress or empress?”
Inside the store, Lord Tang had indeed come to chase after the empress, and Xiaowan had obstructed his way, but how could Lord Tang be willing to agree? In the end, Ling Chaofeng still came out, and finally managed to persuade him.