Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Can’t Leave People (2/2)

“If you like them, please eat more. We have plenty more in the kitchen, and later I’ll have Xiao Xi pack some for you to take home.”

“Then I’ll take you up on that offer. My little rascal at home has a sweet tooth; he’ll certainly love these,” Madame Liu Zhao found Su Wenyue quite agreeable, accepting the gift openly. She thought, since Su Wenyue was new here, she would support her in return. Although her husband was a Deputy Lieutenant and a subordinate to Han Yu, she had been in the Camp for many years and was a local who grew up here, understanding there was more to things than official positions—complicated interwoven relationships mattered as well.

When Han Yu returned home, Madame Liu Zhao had just left, and he saw the tea and cakes that had yet to be cleared away.

“Did we have a guest just now?” Han Yu asked, embracing Su Wenyue as he sat down, surmising that it was one of the neighbors who had come to visit now that someone had moved in, or possibly a colleague from the military camp.

“Madam Liu, the Deputy Lieutenant’s wife, came by. Knowing we had just moved in, she wanted to see if she could be of any help. She seems like a decent person, and since I’m new here and not yet familiar with everything, getting to know her is a good idea. It’ll help me become acquainted with the local customs and people more quickly. I’m just not sure what kind of person Deputy Lieutenant Liu is?” Su Wenyue said, leaning against Han Yu. She was a bit tired after the long conversation with Madame Liu Zhao and wanted to hear his thoughts. She might have had past life experiences and knew more about household matters, but she lacked familiarity with these affairs. Moreover, communication between husband and wife, discussing the trivial matters of life, was good for deepening their relationship and mutual understanding.

Han Yu was glad to see Su Wenyue relying on him and patiently shared his knowledge with her so that she could have a clearer picture, “I haven’t been on duty yet and haven’t interacted with Deputy Lieutenant Liu, so I don’t know much about him. However, other people speak well of him. I trust your judgment; if you think his wife is good company, then you should socialize more with her. Follow your heart, it’s just the women’s friendships between you, and it won’t impact much. Still, you should be cautious where necessary.”

“I understand. I will maintain the proper discretion in my interactions with her. Also, I checked out the vegetable field behind the house. It’s in a good location, large, and the soil is fertile. I’ll have Xiao Xi plant various vegetables there, so we won’t have to buy our greens anymore.”

Han Yu was happy if Su Wenyue was happy. He knew his wife’s nature; she had recently taken an interest in managing the land. When they initially rented this courtyard, it was precisely because of that vegetable field; they were willing to pay extra rent to secure it, despite neighboring courtyards being cheaper.

“You may do as you please, just one thing—pass the time if you must, but you are not to overexert yourself. Leave the work to the servants. I’ve also picked out two servants, a maid and a young servant girl, who will be sent over in a few days. Then you can let Xiao Xi train them and teach them the rules before they start working.”

Han Yu knew that Su Wenyue had a different bond with Xiao Xi, who had been with his wife since she was young. His wife often treated Xiao Xi as a sister, reluctant to overburden her, and one girl attending to her was too few, especially now that his wife was pregnant and needed someone by her side constantly. That was precisely the purpose of his outing just now.

Su Wenyue had been considering hiring two more servants as Xiao Xi alone was too strained, and Han Yu had already taken care of it ahead of time, making her inwardly praise his thoughtful nature—it was truly comforting.