Earlier it was ntioned that the Xu Family’s full moon banquet would include bringing along Song Jiao.
Wen Wan inford the young girl the day before and had the servants at Tingsong Pavilion prepare clothes for her.
Song Wei had to go to the Hanlin Academy, and Yuanbao was at the Yutang Palace, so neither father nor son could attend.
The only ones from the family who could go were the parents-in-law, Wen Wan, Song Jiao, and Jinbao.
Originally, Old Song didn’t have to go, but Song Fang’s father-in-law, General Chang Wei, personally sent soone to inform them, saying that since the two children have been married for so long and now have a child, it wouldn’t be right for the two families not to have formally t.
Old Song also felt it wasn’t right, so he stood in front of the wardrobe, hesitant for quite a while, and eventually, Granny Song personally picked the clothes for him.
Next door at Qingteng Residence, knowing they were going out to play, Jinbao was especially excited. When Wen Wan was dressing him, he wasn’t as naughty as usual, behaving so well that Wen Wan almost thought her son had been swapped.
Song Jiao had already been attended to by the servants, dressed and grood.
When she ca over, Wen Wan was still helping the little guy put on his pants. Seeing this, she stepped forward to lend a hand.
The little guy, in his excitent, sweetly kept saying "Sister, sister."
Song Jiao was amused by his calls and rubbed her forehead against his chubby face.
Jinbao hugged Song Jiao’s neck with both hands, lifting his little behind for his mother to tuck in his undershirt.
Song Jiao asked him, "Are you happy to et the little brother or sister later?"
Where did the little brother or sister co from?
Jinbao was puzzled, but his face blossod into a smile, nodding energetically.
Wen Wan knew her son’s nature and told Song Jiao, "Don’t be fooled by how he’s nodding like pounding garlic; he actually has no idea what you’re talking about."
Song Jiao laughed, looking at the little guy, "Even if he doesn’t know, he still nods. This cleverness, I wonder if he inherited it from Third Uncle or Third Aunt."
"It must be inherited from his father," Wen Wan said, "I wouldn’t know how to lie."
Song Jiao covered her mouth, laughing, "Third Uncle doesn’t look like soone who would lie either!"
With that, Wen Wan pondered for a while and realized that indeed she had never caught Song Wei lying to her.
Thinking about directly blaming him without evidence seed slightly unfair, so she lightly coughed and said, "Let’s stop talking about him. Go see if Grandpa and Grandma are ready. If they are, we’ll set off!"
Song Jiao stood up, wandered around Rong’an Hall, and ca back to tell Wen Wan that Grandpa and Grandma were ready and asked about Third Aunt too!
Wen Wan picked up her son and asked Song Jiao to take the snack box from the table.
Inside the box were the soft pastries that Wen Wan had instructed Mrs. Jin to steam early that morning.
The Xu family was a bit of a distance away, and she feared the little guy would get hungry on the way, so she had to prepare in advance.
The carriage that sent Song Wei to the Hanlin Academy had just returned and wouldn’t be needed again until evening. Coachn Uncle Qiao and Uncle Lin were chatting idly with the two young servants at the gatehouse.
Knowing that the masters were ready to leave, the two imdiately headed to their respective carriages.
Granny Song and Old Song in one carriage, driven by Uncle Qiao.
Wen Wan with her son and Song Jiao in another, driven by Uncle Lin.
The group quickly made their way towards General Chang Wei’s Mansion.
In the carriage, after sitting obediently for a while, Jinbao started to feel listless, "Jinbao is hungry."
Song Jiao asked, "Did you not have breakfast earlier? How co you’re saying you’re hungry as soon as you get in the carriage?"
Wen Wan took the snack box, her actions swift, opened the lid, and pulled out a piece of soft cake, her tone indulgent yet helpless, "I even had soone prepare his favorite chicken porridge early. The little guy was so excited about going out to play that he didn’t eat a single bite. Now that the excitent has worn off, isn’t he bound to whimper?"
As she spoke, she fed the soft cake to the little guy.
Jinbao quickly reached out and took it, nibbling on it bit by bit.
Fearing he’d dirty his clothes, Wen Wan hurriedly tied a handkerchief around the little one’s neck.
After eating one piece, he reached out for a second.
After the second piece, he finally shook his head.
Having eaten enough to half-fill him, the little guy was invigorated again. This ti, he tilted his head and asked his mother, "Brother..."
"Brother isn’t here; he’ll co back to see Jinbao in a while, okay?"
Jinbao pouted silently.
He liked having lots of people and excitent when going out to play.
With Daddy not there and Brother not there, the little guy was sowhat downcast.
Song Jiao said, "Perhaps later so of those brothers from the Xie family will co to play with you."
After speaking, she looked uncertainly at Wen Wan, "Little aunt should send invitations to the Xie family, right?"
Wen Wan nodded, "Fangniang wouldn’t neglect such a close relative, but I’m not sure who she’s inviting."
The Song family had not long moved to the new residence, and that forr residence had already been sold to the Xie family.
Aunt Xie specifically found soone to open and repair the wall, and it was just finished a few days ago.
Now it has beco a four-entry courtyard, and Xie Tao and his wife moved from the west wing to the main courtyard where Granny Song and her family originally lived.
Xie Zheng’s family still lives with the elders, with Aunt Xie and Uncle Xie living in the north room, and their family in the east wing.
Nominally, they haven’t split the family, but Xie Tao’s wife holds grudges over money matters, and even with Xie Zheng’s promising future as bait, their relationship with the main house is not as good as before.
However, the Xu Family is too far away to know about these things, so Song Fang wouldn’t be aware, and Wen Wan worried she might only send an invitation to Yang, thinking that Xie Tao’s wife was too busy with business, which would be troubleso.
...
When the carriage arrived at the Xu family, Wen Wan got down holding her son.
Upon hearing that her in-laws had arrived, Mrs. Xu ca out personally to greet them, chatting and joking with Granny Song and Old Song at the mont.
Wen Wan’s gaze fell on the carriage that had just arrived beside them.
That was the Xu family’s own carriage, presumably sent out to pick soone up.
Soon after, Wen Wan saw that it was actually Aunt Xie and Xie Tao’s wife who got off.
She gave Song Jiao a glance, and the two quickly stepped forward to greet them.
Unexpected to encounter them outside the main gate, Aunt Xie was a bit surprised, "You’re here so early?"
Wen Wan smiled and said that they ca early since they had nothing else to do, and then asked why she hadn’t seen Yang and if the kids weren’t brought along.
"The eldest sister-in-law hasn’t been feeling well these past couple of days and can’t attend the feast, so she’s stayed ho to take care of the children."
Replied Xie Tao’s wife.
Wen Wan didn’t ask further, and introduced to Aunt Xie that the person speaking with her parents-in-law ahead was Fangniang’s mother-in-law, the lady of General Changwei’s Mansion.
Upon seeing her, Aunt Xie was amazed, "So young?"
Song Jiao said, "It’s because she’s well-maintained."
Given the conditions of the General Mansion, she’s definitely had her fair share of nourishing and beautifying supplents, so it’s no surprise Mrs. Xu looks young.
But these words, spoken at this mont, seed a bit dismissive of others.
Wen Wan felt it was inappropriate and added with a smile on behalf of Song Jiao, "Her grandchildren are just a month old, unlike our families where the grandkids are already running around everywhere. Mrs. Xu isn’t as involved with her mother-in-law and , so naturally, she looks young."
Aunt Xie, no fool herself, could easily detect her niece-in-law’s effort to save face for her, and she chuckled, "With that mouth of yours, if you went into business, you’d draw a lot of custors willing to spend on you, wouldn’t you?"
Wen Wan’s lips curved upwards, "If I can make Aunt happy for a while, I think that’s more rewarding than making custors spend money."
Xie Tao’s wife clicked her tongue twice, "Listen to this little mouth of hers. Young as she is, she speaks even more shrewdly than I do."
Wen Wan dared not take the credit, "It’s all thanks to Third Son’s teaching."
That one sentence left Aunt Xie and her in-law speechless, leading to hearty laughter afterwards.
Upon hearing the commotion, Mrs. Xu, having been introduced by her mother-in-law, quickly ca over to greet Aunt Xie and then led this group inside the gate.
Uncle Xie and Old Song were invited to the outer courtyard for tea with the General.
The rest of the group followed Mrs. Xu to the inner courtyard.
Song Fang had already bathed and was now helping the wet nurse change clothes and diapers for the two children.
In a month’s ti, the two little ones had gradually developed, looking completely different with their chubby little limbs compared to when they were born. Adapting to the "mother" role, Song Fang couldn’t help but smile at their pudgy little arms and legs.
"Young Madam, the in-laws have arrived." i Zhi suddenly rushed in, exclaiming loudly.
Song Fang asked the wet nurse to watch the children and was about to get up to greet them when Mrs. Xu already pulled back the curtain, bringing in Granny Song, Aunt Xie, Wen Wan, and Song Jiao, among others.
Song Fang called for everyone to sit down.
Jinbao broke free from his mother’s hand, walked a few steps forward, and stood in front of the cradles.
In the two cradles placed side by side, the two little ones were full and asleep.
Jinbao pointed to one of them, turned to Wen Wan, and told his mother, "Sister."
Song Fang laughed, "No, that’s brother."
Jinbao then pointed to the other, his eyes blinking at his aunt as if asking, "Brother?"
Song Fang laughed again, saying it was still incorrect, that was sister.
Jinbao puffed his little cheeks, feeling a bit dizzy, thinking they looked pretty much the sa, why was one a brother and the other a sister?
Returning to his mother’s side, Jinbao saw candied fruits on their family’s table, licked his little lips, and inford Song Fang, "Brother and sister can’t eat those."
Reading her son’s intentions at a glance, Wen Wan: "..."
Amused by him, Song Fang picked up the plate of candied fruits and said, "Brother and sister can’t eat them, so Aunt will just eat them herself, okay?"
With that, she casually picked a candied fruit and popped it into her mouth.
The little one panicked and quickly said, "Jinbao can eat."
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