Since today is my birthday.😁

Chapter 90— Needle in the Wool

But after so many years, every time Lian Jinyu remembers the rebuke she gave, she found it ironic because later, she found herself wishing for more intimacy. But she was unable to obtain it. She often heard people saying that there was a lot of joy and laughter in the Lanxiaoge Pavilion.

An Zhongtao looked at her and saw the blush on his wife’s face. Remembering their times together when they were newly married, he couldn’t help but say, “Clearly you’re exhausted, I’ll immediately send someone for a sedan!”

Lian Jinyu laughed, “I’m not very old! Still, I’m not afraid of being laughed at. It just happens that my legs are a little cramped from the carriage ride, so I’ll do some exercise!”

“Then you be careful!”An Zhongtao was still holding her in his arms. Lian Jinyu felt this deep feeling they are having now is really good. It is no longer the intimacy of a young couple. But more like they can rely on each other to weather through the storms together!

An Qingran upon seeing her father and mother being like this, couldn’t help but smile so big that her mouth stretched from ear to ear. Her beautiful little face was even brighter. This made An Yanran’s heart bitter. How did this happen? Haven’t seen her for more than a month and yet she still bright and beautiful? Could it be that Yuehua Temple’s water did this?

Don’t know how they came up with a cunning plan to leave home. Which, by the way, not only did they leave but also prayed for good fortune. Father is also convinced by them!

I couldn’t believe it, sure enough, things started to go as I planned, but things have completely changed. As of now, I still don’t know if mother will be able to win back father’s heart.

It looked like it won’t be easy.

She had this thought in her heart. With a smile on her face, she stepped forward and said intimately, “Mother, jiejie, you’re back! This is very good. Mother, I’ve been worrying about you this whole time. Thought of you abstaining from meat, praying for blessings, and enduring the hardship. My heart is very uncomfortable!”

Lian Jinrong also stepped forward and spoke to Lian Jinyu, “Jiejie didn’t inform meimei on when she’d return. Else meimei would love to prepare a grand welcome for jiejie!”

Lian Jinyu isn’t an unkind person, although so many things happened, she still nods her head and agrees to whatever is asked of her, “To pick me up, there’s no need. I’m just returning to my own home, besides I don’t have that much luggage anyways.”

She only spoke what was in her heart, but to the ears of the people, the words were like a needle, stabbing in their hearts, feeling the pain!

An Qingran laughed.

Mother has made some progress.

Lian Jinrong’s face changed a few times but still squeezed out a smile, “But after all, it’s been a long journey away from home. Jiejie has suffered a lot plus you were also sick previously. Meimei’s heart is really sad…”

“That’s right, yiniang always talks about mother and sister. This place doesn’t feel like a home when you two aren’t around, it’s so quiet and desolate. To me, it’s like there’s no one to talk to…”An Yanran followed up with these words.

(ed. note: yiniang is concubine mother, in case you didn’t know.)

Contrary to what one might expect, An Mingxuan simply stepped forward and performed salute, then quietly moved behind the others, without making a sound!

The reason behind for him deciding not to speak was whenever he spoke, his second sister would always mock him, so he stayed silent.

“Yes, I also thought about meimei when I was at Yuehua Temple!”An Qingran calmly asked, “How’s everything at home, meimei?”

“Jiejie didn’t remember, I originally thought jiejie pretended to be unconscious, and I pointed it out. You must feel very angry! Meimei was really confused and was possessed, unexpectedly did that kind of thing. When meimei returned to the General’s Fu, she blamed herself very much. Thinking about all of jiejie’s hard work outside was just for us, it’s unreasonable for me not to appreciate it but actually spoiling it…In the end, she is older and more sensible than me. If it were her in my place instead, she wouldn’t be confused if she was in the same situation…”An Yanran rambled, as if she was apologizing, but also explaining, in short, she was not idle, probably trying to break the awkwardness in the air, but also to get her to forget about her behavior the other day.

An Qingran replied, “That is my duty. It’s not something important to be remembered as a contribution to the General Fu’s. Though, to begin with, something of that nature would have to be an accomplishment in government. That’s something out of reach for women like us. Therefore all we can do is to take care not to sully the General’s Fu’s reputation. Don’t you agree, little sister?”

An Yanran was stunned speechless. She did not expect that An Qingran would speak sharp words, gently reminding everyone of her recent actions. She’s not letting An Yanran off.

She was so angry. She only wanted to show off her good behavior at Fu’s. Father also hasn’t punished her. She tried to find a way to make her angry and lash back. But An Qingran didn’t. Unexpectedly, she took her revenge. When did she learn to do that?

(ed. note= Fu means official residence)

She couldn’t stay quiet and said, “Jiejie has spent a month in Yuehua Temple, I felt that you have improved a lot. But I couldn’t catch up to jiejie. Meimei was hoping to get help and decided to go over later to ask jiejie to help me…”

An Qingran suddenly smiled, “Oh yes, I didn’t mention this, but we also prayed for yiniang and meimei. When I was at Yuehua Temple, I didn’t get a chance to talk with meimei properly. But when I woke up, I heard from Rendong that father sent meimei back to the General’s Fu. I was terribly worried and not sure how meimei handled being grounded. It’s so sad, she has never committed such grievance before. If there’s a fire, how can it be good?”

An Yanran was shocked that she had to mention her confinement. How could she be confined at home with her yiniang? Every day she did not know how happy she was. This time, it was because of her grandmother’s coming, the mother and daughter were too overjoyed and forgot about the punishment!

An Qingran mentioned this deliberately!

Sure enough, An Zhongtao coldly looked at her and asked, “Yes, how did you escape your confinement and be here?”

An Yanran was panicking, but before she said anything, Lian Jinrong hurriedly said, “When Yanran came home, she realized her own mistakes, and I kept her grounded. I gave her lessons every day about etiquette, how dare she hit her jiejie. Even if something actually happened to An Qingran and is hiding it from us, she should at least kept General’s Fu as a priority. After all, we are a family…Yanran is regretting it now. And so she rushed to greet us, and I let her out…”

An Qingran didn’t believe what she said. No way yiniang kept her confined.

She would naturally help her daughter, nothing strange about that.

If it were my own mother, she would have done the same.

But didn’t father recognized that she was deceiving him?

She’s really worried about her father.

No wonder the General’s Fu was utterly controlled by this mother and her two children! It ultimately made the future looked bleak.

As she thought of this and her heart couldn’t help but feel resentful, “Yes, yiniang has to work a lot at home these days. It must be so challenging to manage the General’s Fu.”

Lian Jinrong only smiled, “Ah no, this is what I should do. You guys suffered for the General’s Fu. What am I afraid of is when I do something, I’d be unable to endure. In the end, it’s still home, and everything is okay!”