Chapter 649: Chapter 649: Are You Lan’er?
Upon reaching the kitchen, the maid Xiaoju followed in, smiling and saying, “Old Madam, young lady, let tend to the fire!”
The Old Madam glanced at Xiaoju, usually she followed Zhao Yan, why was she being so attentive today?
The Old Madam’s eyes scrutinized Xiaoju and declined, “No need, go look after the third household!”
Xiaoju saw the Old Madam refuse her and left with her eyes lowered.
In the kitchen, Zhan Lan listened to the crackling of burning firewood, the aroma from the osmanthus cake steaming in the big pot was wafting out, and she felt that the air was exceptionally delightful. Although she hadn’t lived with her grandmother before, she felt a deep sense of familial love.
She watched her aunt busily adding twigs to the stove, watched her skilled grandmother and mother wrap dumplings, and suddenly felt like she had transford into a child.
A happy child.
Her dumplings weren’t shaped well, resembling little buns, dexterity seed like sothing unrelated to her.
Zhan Lan placed the round dumplings in her palm and said, “Grandmother, I fear I will never learn your true skills, better off making xiaolongbao!”
The Old Madam leaned over to take a look, laughed, and said, “Child, what you made is an ingot, it’s well wrapped!”
A feeling of happiness and warmth made Zhan Lan feel at ease, she was no longer a child, but her grandmother still treated her as one.
Qin Shuang laughed and shook her head, “Mother, you’re biased, you never praised when I was young.”
The Old Madam poked Qin Shuang’s forehead with her flour-stained finger, “Oh you, when you were young, you were like a little monkey! Can you be compared to Lan’er?”
Qin Shuang sighed, “Mom, I’m in my forties now, can’t you let hear so of your praise too!”
Glancing at the dumplings in Qin Shuang’s hand, the Old Madam said, “You’ve been wrapping them for so many years, yet still not satisfactory in skill, our Lan’er makes them look better!”
Zhan Lan saw Qin Shuang’s face looking defeated and laughed heartily, raising her brows and saying, “Mom, give up!”
Qin Shuang pouted.
As Aunt Wen continued to add firewood to the stove, she laughed, it’s said that the affinity skips a generation, since Zhan Lan arrived, the corners of the Old Madam’s mouth have been lifted, she’s in a great mood.
The Old Madam uncovered the pot, scraping off a circle of corn bread stuck on the side, the aroma moved toward Zhan Lan.
“Co, Lan’er, taste this,” the Old Madam fumbled a bit with the golden corn bread fresh out of the pot, waited till it wasn’t hot, then handed it to Zhan Lan, looking at her with anticipation.
Zhan Lan received the corn bread, took a bite, feeling the crispy crust, the soft inside, each bite was morable.
“Delicious!” Zhan Lan quickly ate the whole corn bread.
“Ah, Mom, corn bread! I haven’t had it in years, I want so too,” Qin Shuang looked toward the Old Madam.
The Old Madam gave Qin Shuang a sidelong glance, “You have hands, take it yourself!”
Qin Shuang’s lips twitched, ever since having a granddaughter, her mother’s love seed to disappear so quickly? She smiled, shook her head, and went to get so corn bread.
The Old Madam plated the finished osmanthus cake and placed it on the small table, “Lan’er, try this osmanthus cake and tell whose is better, your grandmother’s or your mother’s.”
After sitting down and eating a piece, Zhan Lan sincerely praised, “Grandmother, the taste of your osmanthus cake is extrely delicious, beyond description. Did my mother really learn from you how to make osmanthus cake?”
Qin Shuang was eating corn bread, choked on a piece, since when they were in Ding’an City, Zhan Lan quite liked the osmanthus cake she made, but now her own mother was directly overshadowed.
So, can a daughter’s love shift too?
She watched her mother being praised by Zhan Lan, smiling widely, thought to herself: alright then, child-like old lady, as long as she’s happy.
The whole family was filled with joy, occasionally, laughter drifted out through the windows, Zhan Lan hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long ti.
During the al, everyone sat together to eat sour soup dumplings and small dishes, Zhan Lan really liked her grandmother’s sour soup dumplings. She added so vinegar, put in a lot of chili oil, and ate two bowls.
After the war ended, she hadn’t indulged her appetite like this for a long ti, the dumplings were steaming hot, and Zhan Lan felt extraordinarily warm inside.
The Old Madam watched Zhan Lan eat two bowls of dumplings in a row, her eyes moistened amid the steam, such a good child, how did she end up enduring so many hardships.
Feigning fullness, she went off alone to see Qin Xiangming.
The Old Madam sat by the bed, holding a cloth to wipe her tears, looked at the still sleeping Qin Xiangming, “Master, weren’t you always favoring girls over boys? If you knew what a beautiful and capable granddaughter we have, you would surely like her! Old man, wake up quickly. You always said Qin Shuang’s martial arts were lacking, our granddaughter is really impressive, you might not be able to beat her!”
The Old Madam’s shoulder shook, rembering the scars on Zhan Lan’s hand from war while wrapping dumplings, her vision blurred again.
She nudged Qin Xiangming twice, “Oh you, wake up soon, Lan’er is waiting for you to wake up!”
Wiping away her tears, the Old Madam left the room.
Laying on the bed, Qin Xiangming’s brow furrowed slightly, his fingers moved ever so gently.
…
Three days later.
The spring sunshine was bright, but also prone to cause drowsiness; everyone who had been busy all morning went to take a nap.
She consulted with Imperial Doctor Xue, learned that her grandfather’s condition was improving, likely to wake up in a few days.
Zhan Lan woke up late in the morning, hence she didn’t feel sleepy, and sat in the courtyard munching on beef jerky her grandmother made, she could feel the hint of fat appearing on her tummy.
The beef jerky was very chewy, Zhan Lan slled the scent of locust flowers, while watching pairs of oriole birds in the trees, she mused, Mu Yan really missed out!
Zhan Lan stood up, grabbed a handful of millet, and walked under the locust tree, scattering the millet on the ground. Several small birds imdiately flew over, their little heads bobbing as they pecked at the millet.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her, slow and steady, Zhan Lan sharply heard a deep and powerful voice, a hint of joy in it, asking, “Are you Lan’er?”
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