"Send it over? Who will do the sending?"
Su Pan’er lifted an eyebrow in surprise, then quickly grasped her father-in-law’s intention.
He was planning to shelter Mrs. Qin-Li and help her escape!
"I’m not sure, I didn’t ask."
Qin Yueshi scoffed coldly, "After I learned of his lordship’s plan, yesterday afternoon I hurriedly sent Qin Hui away, just saying he was going out to do a short-term job. Unexpectedly, when they left, father-in-law didn’t even ask."
"Really?"
Su Pan’er felt that this was indeed her father-in-law’s true nature. Seemingly easy to talk to, but in reality, he often turned a blind eye when it didn’t concern his own direct interests.
"Perhaps father-in-law has other plans! Oh right, this morning, the servants said that the leeks buried in the sand are ready to be eaten, just in ti for stir-fried goose eggs at noon. Those goose eggs were specially delivered by Big Brother Lui, you should try the delicacy too."
This was to steer Qin Yueshi away from the trouble over there.
Instantly delighted, Qin Yueshi was very happy!
"Fourth Cousin-in-law always enjoys arranging delightful foods for you, you don’t know, every ti I co to Third brother’s wife’s place, I eat until my mouth is greasy. Even his uncle said I’ve put on quite a bit of weight recently, and it’s all thanks to you, Third brother’s wife." Fourth Cousin-in-law naturally referred to Mrs. Su-Hua.
Qin Yueshi’s face was full of joy, beaming from ear to ear.
"As long as you don’t mind, it would be better if you ca to talk with every day. Otherwise, I don’t know when lying here alone will co to an end."
Su Pan’er spoke earnestly.
Confinent period is truly suffering!
She had to eat bland and tasteless confinent soups, couldn’t go out for a stroll, and had to lie down all the ti, feeling as if she was almost spoiling.
Fortunately, it was winter now!
"Alright, I’ll co every day."
Qin Yueshi was also very glad.
Little Yanyan, who had been quietly watching Little Sugar Bean, heard this and pounced over, squeezing in between the two, and affectionately rubbed against Su Pan’er, "Mother, Little Yanyan will also co with Great Aunt every day to keep you company! Chat with you and also with Little Sister Sugar Bean."
"Oh my! Look at Yanyan’s little mouth."
Qin Yueshi happily scooped up Little Yanyan from behind into her arms and showered her with kisses.
She laughed heartily, "Great Aunt likes Yanyan and also likes Little Sister Sugar Bean. I will not only co to keep your mother company, I will also co to chat with you. How about that?"
These words made Little Yanyan’s eyes shine instantly!
She nodded her head obediently, and crisply said a word.
"Okay!"
She naturally wrapped her arms around Qin Yueshi’s neck, "Great Aunt, you are so good to !"
"You silly child, I’m your Great Aunt, of course I will be good to you."
How could anyone not love such a sweet little girl?
Qin Yueshi’s eyes crinkled with joy, "Oh dear, I always hear people say that children from other families are good, but I think our Qin family’s children are the best. Look at Little Yanyan’s sweet little mouth, look at Little Sugar Bean’s good manners, eating and drinking quietly without crying or fussing? You won’t find more sensible little ladies than these two sisters!" She lavished praise upon the two sisters.
These complints filled Su Pan’er with pride!
And her smile was rather cheeky! Her children, naturally, were all top-notch!
"But..."
Little Yanyan lifted her head from Qin Yueshi’s embrace, hesitated as she glanced twice at both of them, and said with sadness, "But, Grandmother doesn’t like Little Yanyan. She says Little Yanyan is just a little girl, destined to belong to soone else’s family when she grows up, a loss-making good. She also said..."
She turned her head to look at the cradle where Little Sugar Bean lay, but said no more.
In one sentence, the warmth that had been so hard-won between the two sisters-in-law vanished in an instant.
"Yanyan sister, it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t love you, you have us to love you. Co quickly, co see Little Sugar Bean. Look at how tightly she’s grasping my finger! Co see!"
Shuang’er, who was originally playing with Little Sugar Bean, sensed sothing was amiss and hurriedly took Little Yanyan away.
"Oh! It’s true, she’s holding on so tightly, this little hand is really strong..."
With Shuang’er leading the way to play, Little Yanyan quickly recovered, chatting and laughing gleefully once more.
Seeing that Su Pan’er remained silent, Qin Yueshi turned to fetch so sewing from the bamboo basket she had brought with her. She chatted idly with Su Pan’er while continuing her needlework.
"Third brother’s wife, you shouldn’t always dwell on those thoughts. As for her, if you were to take everything she says to heart, I’m afraid it would take a lifeti to get over it. Once you’ve done what needs to be done, let it be," she said.
"I know," Su Pan’er replied, smiling faintly.
So things, once let go, are over, but there are other things that, once said, beco a thorn lodged permanently in one’s flesh, causing pain at the slightest touch.
And this matter was a thorn in Little Yanyan’s heart, as well as in her own!
Without pulling it out, Yanyan would not be happy.
Nor would she be happy!
As the two sisters-in-law chatted and laughed for a while, Su Pan’er saw that she was again making clothes for Little Sugar Bean and quickly intervened.
"Big sister, Little Sugar Bean already has several sets of clothes. She’s so little and grows so fast; she’ll probably outgrow these clothes after wearing them only a couple of tis. It’d be such a waste to throw them away. Shuang’er isn’t that young anymore; maybe you should make so clothes for Shuang’er instead," she suggested.
"Clothes for Shuang’er aren’t urgent," Qin Yueshi said, continuing her sewing without delay. "She’s still young, and she’s been growing quickly lately. It’s not worth making so many clothes yet. As for the baby clothes not being worn out, it doesn’t matter. When you later give birth to a little nephew, these clothes can still be put to good use."
"That’s not sothing you can just say," Su Pan’er said with a hint of amusent. A nephew—could she really have another child?
Seeing Su Pan’er’s lancholic expression, Qin Yueshi quickly changed the subject: "Looking at your constitution, it doesn’t seem like you’re the type to lack offspring. Raising children is all about fate. Maybe the child destined for you is just coming late?"
Su Pan’er found a lot of truth in those words.
"Actually, I’ve gotten used to it. I feel uncomfortable if I don’t have work to do; I like having sothing to occupy my hands. Over there... over there, I made quite a few clothes," she reflected.
Qin Yueshi’s face lit up with joy.
In those days, fabric was precious, and dealing with a mother-in-law in the Qin family who liked to move things to her daughter’s marital ho ant that Qin Yueshi, even if she wanted, didn’t have the materials to make clothes.
Thankfully, over there... the Employer’s place had plenty of fabric, allowing her to sew as much as she wanted, which delighted Qin Yueshi. It seed she needed to work off the energy she had accumulated over the years, unable to stop crafting garnts.
Especially for Pan’er’s side—there was an expectation of reciprocity.
She spent her days mooching als and relying on Third Brother’s wife to treat Shuang’er’s wounds and to protect her. To sew so clothes for them was a task within her abilities, and what hardship was there in that?
However, when it ca to Third Uncle’s clothes...
Qin Yueshi thought that, even if he was family, in the end, Third Uncle was only her brother-in-law. Making clothes for him might lead to gossip and criticism.
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