White Hedge Dream

Chapter 10 Sisters

Mrs. Dongyang Hou sat, looking down at the white fungus soup in her hand.

Lu Jin saluted Zhuang Li and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, please sit down quickly."

Zhuang Li looked at her.

"This is Miss Ajin from the Ding'an family." Xu's mother introduced with a smile, "She is also our wife's adopted daughter."

This is the explanation for the title of sister-in-law.

Zhuang Li returned the greeting with a smile: "Hello, sister Ajin."

Lu Jin pursed his lips and smiled, looking Zhuang Li up and down: "Brother Shizi naturally calls me sister-in-law, but when it comes to age, I might be older. I wonder how old sister-in-law is this year?"

Zhuang Li said: "I will be sixteen in August."

Lu Jin exclaimed: "You are indeed two years younger than me." After saying that, he stepped forward and took her hand to guide her to sit down. He saw Zhuang Li looking at the table next to him, which was covered with messy papers, pens and ink, "I was drawing just now. Pretty." He asked Zhuang Li again, "What do you like to do in your daily life?"

Zhuang Li said: "It means reading and writing."

Lu Jin exclaimed: "It must be very good. Unlike me, my adopted mother who copied Buddhist scriptures still disliked the poor writing." He said and laughed, "In the future, if I let my sister-in-law copy Buddhist scriptures, my adopted mother will not dislike it."

Mrs. Dongyang Hou looked up at her and said with a straight face: "All my thoughts are spent on being lazy."

Although he had a straight face, his eyes were full of smiles.

Lu Jin let go of Zhuang Li and came to her side: "If you don't want to be lazy, I'll go home and practice my calligraphy." He then said with a smile, "In the future, if there is one more person to copy Buddhist scriptures for my adoptive mother, my adoptive mother will be more sincere in worshiping the Buddha."

Mrs. Dongyang Hou snorted: "Am I not sincere without Buddhist scriptures?" She poked Lu Jin's forehead and said, "Every day, there are no big or small talk in front of me."

Lu Jin held his forehead and said he didn't dare anymore, then rolled his eyes and said, "Sure enough, my stepmother will dislike me now that I have a sister-in-law."

After saying that, she ran away with a smile. Mrs. Dongyang Hou's hand that she stretched out to slap her failed, and she could only point at her: "How dare you do this in front of your uncle and aunt?"

Lu Jin shook his head: "That's not true. I only dare to live in front of my adoptive mother."

Mrs. Dongyang Hou burst into laughter, and Mrs. Xu and other servants also laughed.

"I can't help it, it's all my wife's habit." Xu's mother said with a smile.

Laughter and laughter returned to the room again, and Mrs. Dongyang Hou's originally stern expression also returned to softness.

Seeing the scene of a happy family, Zhuang Li sat and watched with a smile but said nothing.

Mrs. Dongyang Hou was in a good mood and looked at Zhuang Li.

"Since you have entered the house, Jingyun must have told you that the young lady from before is from Ding'an Bo's house." She said, "That is, Ajin's sister."

Zhuang Li stood up and responded: "I know." After that, he saluted Lu Jin.

Lu Jin hurriedly returned the gift, his face no longer full of laughter as before, but with a bit of sadness.

This child is just forcing a smile. The brother-in-law has a new man, which means that the deceased sister is really a thing of the past, and Mrs. Dongyang Hou is also a little sad.

"Other relatives and friends, we will meet again when Jingyun comes back." She said, "Ajin is not an outsider, she is a family member. You meet her first and recognize her sister."

Zhuang Li responded yes again.

Lu Jin called his maid over, took a small brocade box, and handed it to Zhuang Li.

"I will give you the wedding gift to your brother Crown Prince when we officially meet." She said with a smile, "This is for you alone. It is a small gift between us sisters."

Zhuang Li reached out and took it: "Thank you sister."

After that, he looked towards the door.

It stands to reason that the eldest maid is Xue Liu and is qualified to come to Madam. However, since Xue Liu had already arrived early, Zhuang Li called Chun Yue when he went out.

Chun Yue, who was standing by the door, was a little nervous. When Zhuang Li looked over, she even shrank.

Xue Liu, who was standing next to Lu Jin, couldn't help but curl her lips, what's going on? In the past, she was not so shameless when managing these maids. Why has she changed after following this Zhuang family?

Zhuang Li stretched out his hand to Chunyue: "I also prepared a gift for Miss Lu."

Meeting gift? Xue Liuxu's mother and others looked a little surprised. Mrs. Zhuang came in almost empty-handed, only carrying a bag with a bunch of small things. The clothes she is wearing now were all given by the government. The family members she saw before were young masters, young ladies, and aunts. They didn't even come up with any gifts.

What did you find out from that little baggage?

Xu's mother was a little nervous and worried. Don't bring out something dishonorable, as it would embarrass the Dongyang Marquis Mansion.

Madam should prepare some for Zhuang earlier.

She couldn't help but look at Mrs. Hou, who lowered her eyes and didn't care. "Really?" Lu Jin asked curiously, "What did sister-in-law give me?"

Seeing Zhuang Li extending his hand and hearing Lu Jin's inquiry, Chun Yue could no longer stand still. She took out the long box wrapped in her sleeves, stepped forward with a brave expression, and held it to Lu Jin.

Lu Jin took it and smiled at Zhuang Li: "Can I open it and take a look?"

Everyday when I receive a gift, I put it away and never open it in front of my face.

A family with a good relationship doesn't need to talk about these things.

Zhuang Li nodded with a smile: "I made the eternal flower."

Hearing the word "eternal life flower" was a little strange, and Xu's mother and other maids couldn't help but look over curiously. Lu Jin opened the box, and there was a lotus bud in the long box.

Everyone's expressions were a little frozen.

Xue Liu's eyes widened even more.

this!

Isn't this the lotus bud that Zhuang Li put in the vase?

It’s been on display for three or four days!

She even suspected that she was being deceived. Why did she give it as a gift?

She couldn't help but look at Chunyue, and saw that Chunyue had almost buried her head in her chest, looking like she didn't dare to see anyone.

Chunyue really didn't dare to see anyone. Just when she was about to go out, Zhuang Li suddenly asked her to get a gift and asked her to get a box and put the lotus in the vase into it. She was dumbfounded at the time.

How can this be a gift?

If you really don’t have a gift, don’t give it to her. If you really want to give her flowers, just ask her to pick another one from the lotus pond.

"I made it into an eternal flower." Zhuang Li explained to her, "It will never bloom and is very suitable for display."

When was it made? I haven't seen it before. I only saw the young lady burning incense and writing at the table. Chunyue couldn't stop her. Hongxing was waiting to leave again, so she could only come over with the box in her arms.

It's really, really embarrassing.

Lu Jin was different from these maids. He didn't know the origin of the lotus buds, but he was a little dazed for a moment. He even reached out and touched it. He originally thought it was a silk flower, but his tentacles found that it was real.

It was the first time in my life that I received such a gift.

However, she, Lu Jin, can handle any situation.

"Ah...are the lotus flowers in the spring pool blooming soon?" She pointed out her familiarity with Dongyang Marquis Mansion in one sentence, and then looked at Zhuang Li with a smile, "Did my sister-in-law pick them for me with her own hands?"

Zhuang Li said: "It is different from the lotus in the pond. I have smoked it. If you go back and put it up, it will never bloom or fail."

Real or fake? It sounds strange, but no matter it is the same lotus or a strange lotus, if others dare to give it to her, of course she dares to accept it.

"Thank you, sister-in-law." Lu Jin said with a smile.

Zhuang Li nodded: "You're welcome."

You're welcome, Xue Liu couldn't help but press her chest. This was when she met Miss A Jin. She was kind and had a good temper. Any young lady in the capital would be able to throw away the flowers.

Lu Jin smiled and put away the box.

I don’t know if she has finished what she needs to say, or if her patience has been worn away by the lotus buds, Mrs. Dongyang Hou said: "Okay, you go and do your work."

Zhuang Li said yes without saying anything more, bowed and left.

Chun Yue followed her out, while Xue Liu remained in the room. When the curtain was lowered, faint chatter and laughter could be heard inside.

"Stay home for dinner today and steam your favorite pigeon."

"I also want to eat pickled fish."

"Okay, I'll make you pickled fish."

…

…

Seeing Zhuang Li looking back slightly, Chun Yue sighed in her heart. There was nothing she could do about her adopted daughter being closer than her daughter-in-law.

"Young madam, go back." She reminded in a low voice.

Zhuang Li looked away, stepped forward, and asked her again: "Is the pickled fish delicious?"

Chunyue was stunned.

(End of chapter)