With the wedding date set, these days Wen Wan’s top priority is staying at ho to embroider her trousseau, her wedding dress, shoes, and clothes for her fiancé and future parents-in-law.
Outside, it has already started to snow, a blanket of white everywhere. When the wind blows, it cuts to the bone.
In Wen Wan’s room, the stove is burning, and she has a rabbit fur blanket over her legs. It was a rabbit hunted by Old Song himself, which Song Wei took to the county town to be processed after skinning. It was sent along with the betrothal gifts a long ti ago, but Wen Wan had been reluctant to use it, fearing it might tear. However, today was so unbearably cold that she had no choice but to take it out.
Putting down her embroidery hoop, Wen Wan rubbed her hands together after breathing on them, ready to pick up the embroidery again when she heard voices outside.
"Such a cold day, the roads must be difficult to travel, right? Why didn’t Third Son co on a nicer day? Don’t stand outside, co in, I’ll boil so water for hot tea to warm you up."
It was Mrs. Zhou’s voice.
Imdiately, Song Wei softly responded with an "mmm," "I’m grateful, mother-in-law."
"Why are you being so polite with family?" Mrs. Zhou ushered him into the main room, motioning him to sit down. Seeing the many gifts he brought, she felt satisfied at heart but remarked politely, "You didn’t have to bring all these things, isn’t that a bit much?"
"It’s pork from a pig slaughtered today for the New Year, bringing so at for father-in-law and mother-in-law to taste. — By the way, is father-in-law not ho?"
Mrs. Zhou replied, "He’s helping at the eldest brother’s house with their pig slaughter today. You haven’t eaten yet, have you, Third Son? Sit for a bit, and I’ll prepare sothing for you."
Song Wei shook his head, "I ate before coming, no need to trouble yourself, mother-in-law."
Mrs. Zhou gave two dry laughs, "Then I’ll boil so water for tea."
On her way out, Mrs. Zhou called to Wen Shun, who was playing in the snow outside, instructing him, "Quick, go call your eldest sister and tell her your brother-in-law is here."
Wen Shun pouted, "He didn’t bring anything tasty for . I’m not going!"
Mrs. Zhou gave him a slap on the back of his head, "You little rascal, can’t you just do what you’re told?"
Wen Shun, feeling the pain, crouched to pack a snowball and, once standing, threw it at the door of Wen Wan’s room, shouting loudly, "Little mute, your fiancé is here!"
Mrs. Zhou’s face darkened, worried that Song Wei in the main room might hear, and hurriedly covered Wen Shun’s mouth.
Song Wei, of course, had heard, his eyes narrowing slightly, a different kind of coldness in them than usual.
The loud "thud" on the wooden door snapped Wen Wan out of her thoughts. She lifted the blanket, got off the warm kang, and opened the door to step out.
The snowball Wen Shun had thrown had long since shattered, leaving a ssy wet mark on the door with so snow fragnts clinging to it.
Wen Wan’s gaze moved from the door to Mrs. Zhou with a look of questioning.
Even if she couldn’t speak to rebuke Wen Shun, there was no reason to let the matter go just like that.
At five or six years old, children are prone to saying whatever cos to mind. If Mrs. Zhou hadn’t called her that more than once, how could Wen Shun, a half-grown boy, say it so casually?
Song Wei had already walked out to the courtyard, witnessing the scene, his lips tightly pursed, his expression stern.
Mrs. Zhou felt awkward inside, putting on a smiling face, saying, "Wan Niang, Shunzi is still young and has no sense in what he says or does, don’t take it to heart. I’ll deal with him later."
Just as Mrs. Zhou finished speaking, two snowballs ca flying over the courtyard wall, one hitting Mrs. Zhou on the back of her neck, the other striking Wen Shun’s butt.
The force was quite strong, and Wen Shun felt like cursing.
Mrs. Zhou furrowed her brows, turning around to see Song Yuanbao, sitting astride the courtyard wall with a grinning face.
Was it this little rascal?
Whatever Mrs. Zhou had planned to curse was swallowed back down instantly, and she forced a smile, "Oh Yuanbao, you’re here, why not co in? Don’t sit so high up, be careful not to fall."
Then she elbowed Wen Shun, "Quick, go get a ladder for Yuanbao to climb down."
Wen Shun, seething, refused to move.
Song Wei approached with his hands behind his back, looked at Mrs. Zhou, and returned her own words, "Yuanbao has always been wild and unruly, mother-in-law, you don’t have to concern yourself with him, I’ll see to it that he is properly disciplined once ho."
"..." Mrs. Zhou was left speechless.
Wen Shun protested, tugging at Mrs. Zhou, "Mom, Song Yuanbao hit , why aren’t you scolding him?"
"Keep your mouth shut!" Mrs. Zhou dragged Wen Shun into the kitchen, assigning him to add firewood for boiling water.
Song Yuanbao jumped down from the stone-built courtyard wall and hopped over to Song Wei, looking at Wen Wan standing by the door not far away. He asked his father, "Dad, what should I call her from now on?"
Song Wei retorted, "Have you given back all the books you’ve been taught to ?"
Song Yuanbao scratched his finger, shuffled over to Wen Wan, and hesitated before speaking, seeming to muster courage. His little face flushed, and after a mont, he reached out a small hand to clasp Wen Wan’s hand, softly calling out, "Mother."
Wen Wan: "...?!"
Her shock-stricken, stone-like expression made Song Wei’s earlier stern deanor completely vanish, a smile in his eyes, "Do you not like him calling you that?"
Wen Wan found herself at a loss whether to nod or not, wearing a look of bemusent.
She’s only fifteen years old, having a seven-year-old son calling her mother all day long?
Before the engagent, she had always seen Song Yuanbao as a younger brother...
Song Yuanbao leaned his head against Wen Wan’s arm affectionately, looking more like her own than a biological child might.
Mrs. Zhou boiled water and made tea, inviting Song Wei and Wen Wan inside to sit.
Not long after, Father Wen returned from helping with the slaughtering.
Upon hearing Song Wei was here, he quickly washed his hands and went in to join them.
Before Father Wen arrived, Mrs. Zhou had been on edge the entire ti since Song Wei was a scholar and talking to him required careful wording, fearing any mistake that might cause embarrassnt.
This put a lot of ntal pressure on Mrs. Zhou.
Finally, Father Wen arrived, and Mrs. Zhou could breath a sigh of relief, suggesting that they sit and she would go marinate the at.
Wen Wan thought, conversations among n may not be suitable for a young girl like her to hear, so she followed Mrs. Zhou out, but she didn’t plan on helping with the marinating. Instead, she returned to her room, took out two pairs of shoes she’d prepared long ago from the bottom of a chest, intending to discreetly give them to Song Wei when he left, so he could try them on. If they didn’t fit, there would still be ti for adjustnts.
...
While the adults chatted indoors, Song Yuanbao actively sought to join Wen Shun in building a snowman. Despite Wen Shun’s refusal, Song Yuanbao demonstrated his respect and enthusiasm by addressing him as "Little Uncle." With utmost respect and enthusiasm, he crafted a snowman resembling this "honorable self" for his two-years-younger uncle.
Gazing at the fat-headed, pig-nosed snowman likeness of himself, Wen Shun’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Song Yuanbao praised the great spirit of pigs to eat and grow with his skillful flattery, praising the pig statue as unique in heaven and on earth.
"..." Wen Shun.
An insult that can be accepted wholeheartedly, it’s truly sothing else!
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