Chapter 91: Asking After Her Well-being (Part 1) (Pink Tickets: 690)

  Returned to the Lotus Flower Pavilion, it was already the beginning of the magnificent lanterns.

  They first went to pay their respects to Madame Wang.

  Niangzi and Zhenji were playing jump rope on the kang. Seeing Xu Lingyi come in, both of them froze there.

  The lady sitting on the edge of the kang couldn't help but chuckle as she watched the two play with the skipping rope, and she reached out to ruffle Tongge's hair: "It's not a tiger, it can't eat you, can it?"

  Fourth Brother tightly grasped the sleeve of Madame Tian, and with her gazed fearfully at their father.

  Xu Lingyi looked at him with furrowed brows.

  His expression became even more tense.

  She had just married into the Xu family and was still considered an outsider in the eyes of the Xu family members. It wasn't good for father and son to be at odds like this, and if they said something serious that was overheard by others, Madam Xu might feel uneasy.

  The eleventh girl smiled and asked Zhen Jie: "Have you eaten?"

  Zhenji'er was taken aback and hastily got down from the kang, saying respectfully: "I've already eaten."

  The eleventh girl smiled and nodded slightly.

  Zhen Jie's eyes flashed with several hints of vigilance.

  After all, she's just a little girl, and whatever comes into her mind is expressed. However, if it were oneself, one would also be on guard, wouldn't they?

  The eleven girls couldn't help but smile.

  With Shiyi's question and Zhen's answer, the atmosphere in the room eased a lot.

  Old Lady Tai looked at Eleventh Sister once and felt a little comforted in her heart.

  After Xu Lingyi and Shiyi curtsied to Old Madam, Old Madam smiled and had Rong'er and Jing'er return the courtesy.

  Zhen Jie'er half-knelt and gave a courtesy, her movements were very steady and elegant. Zun Ge, on the other hand, was a bit awkward and stiff, looking quite unfamiliar with it.

  Eleventh Sister thought that when she came to see Yuan Sister, it was the wet nurse who carried her and made a courtesy call, guessing that he might rarely make courtesy calls on ordinary days.

  Xu Lingyi's eyebrows furrowed even tighter as she looked on.

  Old Lady said: "It's getting late, let's all take a rest!"

  It seems that she didn't want Xu Lingyi to scold her brother in front of her... But such straightforwardness still made Eleventh Lady feel a bit surprised. She also thought about Xu Lingkuan's liveliness... and felt that Madam was a bit doting on the child. However, Xu Lingyi seemed not to have any spoiled habits. This can't be said for sure. After all, she hadn't spent much time with him, maybe she just didn't notice...

  She couldn't help but glance at Xu Lingyi.

  He saw him with a sullen expression and bowed to Tai Fu Ren: "Madam, take care of yourself! We'll go back first."

  The eleventh girl hastily followed Xu Lingyi to bid farewell to Madame Tai.

  On the road, Xu Lingyi's face was as calm as water, and he walked hastily. The eleventh girl had to run a few steps to keep up with his pace.

  Even a fool can guess his mood is bad, and even a fool won't touch his sore spot at this time.

  The maids and young servants, including Shiyi, followed quietly behind them.

  Along the east-west corridor passing through the Flower Hall, Point Spring Hall, Xu Lingkuan and Yuan Niang's courtyard, Xu Lingyi suddenly stopped in her tracks.

  Eleventh daughter couldn't help but look around.

  On the left is a bamboo forest, on the right is a black lacquered corner door.

  The following maid was 11th sister's person, everyone was a little dazed, the young servant was Xu Lingyi's person, immediately someone went forward to knock on the door: "Master Hou and Madam have returned."

  The gate creaked open with a "creak" and an old woman came out to pay her respects: "Master Hou, Madam!"

  Xu Lingyi didn't even give the old woman a glance and walked straight in.

  The eleventh girl didn't dare to linger and followed him into the corner gate, only to discover that this was actually the back door of her own courtyard.

  The corner door is connected to the corridor of the back house. They went straight up to the east corridor and into the main house.

  The two entered the house, and Xu Lingyi directly called Chunmo and Xiaoyi to help him change his clothes.

  The eleventh girl didn't dare to idle away and personally went to brew a cup of tea.

  Xu Lingyi changed her clothes and sat on the kang by the window, taking a sip, looking at Shiyi Niang with some surprise.

  The eleventh girl smiled and explained: "These past few days I've been watching Master Hou drink Tieguanyin, so I followed the usual custom and brewed a cup for you!"

  Xu Lingyi nodded slightly, "Hmm" and her face clouded over, then she took another sip.

  Fortunately, this flattery did not go too far.

  The eleventh girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled as she asked him, "Young Master Hou, would you like to have something to eat? I instructed the kitchen to stew some ice sugar lotus seed and silver ear soup before I left."

  Yesterday evening, Amber told her that there was a small kitchen in their courtyard, and the Xu family had also assigned two mothers on the stove, two rough maids, and two little maids to serve day and night, with hot water and hot food available at any time.

  Xu Lingyi's eyebrows relaxed a bit: "I won't eat anything tonight, if you're hungry, go eat by yourself!"

  As expected, the two will be tied together for a lifetime. The flirtatious glances between them are like guessing games that lovers play, but it doesn't suit their situation. Why not just make life simpler?

  "I was afraid you'd drink too much, so I made some sweet dishes." She proactively but still somewhat reservedly introduced herself to Xu Lingyi, "I don't eat at night either, afraid of indigestion."

  Xu Lingyi raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and lowered her head to take a sip of tea.

  The eleventh girl couldn't help but smile slightly.

  She was also a talkative and cheerful person in college, and even won the championship of debate competition. Later, when she entered the workplace, due to work reasons, she didn't want to say a word after returning home. After a long time, neighbors and friends all said that she was too silent. Unexpectedly, Xu Lingyi spoke even less than her. Moreover, this silence was different from hers, as if it was innate - in front of the empress dowager, he was also concise and to the point, without any unnecessary words.

  Two people together, although they don't need sweet nothings, but being silent like this also makes one feel a bit awkward!

  Will I have to make conversation in the future when there's nothing to talk about?

  Thinking of this, Shiyi Niang couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

  She is also not good at gossiping. Moreover, she suspects that Xu Lingyi will like to listen to people talking about her...

  Xu Lingyi, who was sitting opposite Shiqi Niang, did not have so many thoughts.

  He just felt that the tea was a bit cold, but still drinkable. What he was thinking more about was his brother.

  Yuanniang had always believed in the words of Changchun Daozhang, and later, after much ado, she indeed became pregnant and believed even more strongly. Before Wengong was born, Yuanniang asked Changchun Daozhang to calculate his fortune. At that time, Changchun Daozhang said that this child would be a male. However, it wouldn't be easy to raise him. Before the age of ten, he would have to experience three disasters: bloodshed, drowning, and unforeseen calamities. If he could pass these three hurdles, his life would be smooth sailing; if not, misfortune would abound. Therefore, someone had to take extremely good care of him. Later, when Wengong was born, it proved that Changchun Daozhang's words about a male child were true. When Yuanniang gave birth to Wengong, she suffered severe bleeding, fulfilling the prophecy of bloodshed; at ten months old, he almost lost his life after being scalded by water while bathing, fulfilling the prophecy of drowning... From then on, Yuanniang never let her child leave her side for even half a day.

  He himself was also uneasy at heart and had been turning a blind eye to everything, but unexpectedly, he had spoiled him into a lady-like person who only knew how to play with skipping ropes and sandbags...

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

  It can't go on like this... Raised by a woman's hand, I'm afraid it's hard to become a great man. This family still needs him to support it!

  A little maid came in trembling and reported: "Master Hou, Madam, Wen Niang has come to pay her respects!"

  The eleventh girl found Xu Lingyi's expression sinking a little, then faintly "en" a sound.

  The madam smiled and brought in a red lacquer box with gold trim: "Master Hou and sister have been tired for several days, it just so happens that Master Wen sent two ginseng and one catty of blood swallow's nest the other day. I specially brought them over to supplement your body." As she spoke, she looked at Xu Lingyi with eager eyes as she handed the box in front of Eleventh Madam.

  What politeness!

  Eleventh girl thought of that day in the small courtyard, Wen Niang's peeking, and wanted to pretend to be a pig eating a tiger to take these things down. But looking at her big eyes staring at Xu Lingyi with a watery gaze, she immediately changed her mind and decided not to make a sound, letting Xu Lingyi make the choice.

  But Amber won't move without Eleven's signal.

  At this moment, Wen Niang held the white tender shoots in a red gold-plated box and froze in mid-air.

  Xu Lingyi didn't understand why Shiyi wasn't speaking, so he looked at her. Coincidentally, Shiyi looked back with a questioning gaze, and their eyes met.

  This is an internal affair, must I be the one to speak out...

  But thinking of Mrs. Luo's ruthless lecture today, he guessed that she might have never received such teachings before, and he nodded involuntarily.

  The eleventh girl immediately understood and smiled at Wen Niang, saying "Let you worry", and Hu Po took two steps forward to receive the box.

  Aunt Wen felt a slight chill in her heart.

  Since she found out that Shiyi would be marrying into their household, she had been filled with regret. On the day when they were in the small courtyard, she shouldn't have offended her. She had always wanted to make amends, but hadn't found a suitable opportunity yet. Today, she specifically came to offer medicinal herbs. Firstly, she wanted to tell Shiyi what kind of household Wen's family was - two stalks of hundred-year-old ginseng and one catty of blood jade, which weren't things that could be bought with just money. She wanted to intimidate her a bit. Secondly, she wanted to see Shiyi's reaction. Would she smile and accept it, or would she give her a cold face? If it was the former, then she might be a deep and cunning person, and she herself would have to be careful and think of ways to resolve this knot in their relationship. If it was the latter, then there wouldn't be much to worry about, and giving her some gold and silver to placate her would be enough... But unexpectedly, Shiyi had asked Houye for help, asking him to make a decision on her behalf, and Houye, who never interfered with internal household matters, told her how to handle things, clearly wanting to protect her.

  "Master Hou and the madam must be tired after a long day." She gazed at Shiyi Niang's delicate eyebrows and eyes, countless thoughts flashing through her mind. "I'll take my leave now, lest I disturb your rest."

  The eleventh girl smiled and nodded, seeing Madam Wen off with her eyes, then asked Xu Lingyi: "Does the Marquis want to take a rest?"

  Xu Lingyi was just about to speak when a little maid came in and reported: "Master Hou, Madam, Second Young Master, and Qin Yiniang and Qiao Yiniang have come to pay their respects!"

  "Let them in!" Eleventh Sister noticed that Xu Lingyi had a faint smile at the bottom of her eyes, and her tone was also very gentle.

  Could it be that Xu Lingyi doesn't like Wen Niang's cunning ways? Or is she very fond of Xu Shixian?

  Deep in thought