Page 192

After lunch, Lin Yuan and her aunties cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks, but before they could even wash them, they were nudged into the house by Loudmouth.

Lin Yuan didn’t say it out loud, but she could feel Loudmouth’s warmheartedness.

Watching her briskly scrubbing the dishes, Lin Yuan thought about her husband, who had abandoned his family for a young widow, and she once again felt it was a pity for the man.

What a waste, to overlook such a good wife.

In the west room, Lady Fan opened up the big bundle she had brought, which was filled with newly made little cotton-padded jackets and bedding, all brightly colored and very pleasing to the eye.

It was the first time Lin Yuan had seen such tiny clothes and bedding.

She curiously held them in her hands, touching them, and found them to be soft and warm, without a single lump.

A baby would certainly be very comfortable wearing them.

"These clothes and pants were made by your eldest sister-in-law and these little bellybands were made by the second brother’s family.

Her health isn’t good, so she could only make a few bellybands for the baby.

These beddings were made by your mother," Lady Fan said, taking items out one by one and explaining to Lady Liu, until she reached the bottom of the bundle and pulled out two pairs of cotton socks. Lady Fan couldn’t help but laugh, shaking the little socks, "These were made by your sister. "

Liu Limin’s face turned dark in an instant. She was truly clueless about sewing. Even these few socks had taken her several all-nighters to complete, pricking her fingers full of holes.

Lady Liu took the socks from her mother’s hands with a smile and carefully placed them with the other small clothes and pants. Regardless of quality, these were all tokens of her family’s affection. How could she dismiss them?

Lin Yuan carefully tied up the bundle and placed it together with the small beddings previously made by Lady Liu.

Now that her mother was eight months pregnant, although she had never given birth, she knew about the ten-month pregnancy.

Moreover, Lao Fan had secretly told her that due to Lady Liu’s frail constitution and insufficient nutrition during pregnancy, and despite Lin Yuan’s best efforts to nourish her later, full-term delivery would still be difficult and premature birth was likely.

That’s why Lin Yuan was so eager to rush the construction of the house.

"Although you’ve had a bad relationship with your mother-in-law, at least she was there watching over you during the previous childbirths.

But now that the relationship is severed, you’ll only have a few children by your side.

I really can’t stop worrying," Lady Fan said, her eyes starting to well up with tears.

Lady Liu firmly held her mother’s rough hands, knowing she was loath to part with her. She too felt her eyes moisten and hastily comforted her, "Mom, don’t worry. Haven’t I told you? The old man who treated Jiaxin’s leg is a Divine Doctor. With him taking care of things, I’m sure I’ll be fine."

Lady Fan sighed, "Even if he is a Divine Doctor, he’s still a man. Childbirth is..."

Lin Yuan finished packing the bundle and nestled her little head into Lady Fan’s embrace, saying in a childlike voice, "Grandma, if you’re worried, why don’t you stay? I really want to snuggle with you under the same quilt."

Her seemingly childish words actually lit up Lady Liu’s eyes, but they dimmed again shortly.

Of course, she wished her mother could stay.

Now that they were living alone, they didn’t have to consider others’ feelings.

But thinking of her sick second brother at her family home, and her eldest sister-in-law’s two little rascals, Lady Fan couldn’t stay even if she wanted to.

Lady Fan naturally thought of this too. She smiled and stroked Lin Yuan’s head.

She was about to shake her head when her eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Suxin, said, "Mom, don’t worry about the matters at home.

Right now, elder sister here needs someone, so you stay with us for a while.

I’m here at home, nothing will go wrong. "

Lady Fan trusted her eldest daughter-in-law, but she couldn’t choose between her ailing second son’s family and her own. Both were dear to her.

Seeing Lady Fan still hesitant, Lin Yuan exchanged a glance with Xiao Linshuang, who was eating sweet cake.

The little one was cooperative, holding the sweet cake up to Lady Fan’s mouth and pleading in a soft, sticky voice, "Shuanger likes Grandma, doesn’t want Grandma to leave. Eat up, Grandma, eat up."

Lady Fan’s heart melted instantly, and she nodded with a smile in agreement.

Seeing her mother decided to stay, Liu Limin’s eyes darted around, and she too clamored to stay.

Without her mother at home, she was certain that if she went back, her father would constantly nag her about finding a husband.

Although they had agreed to stay, since Lady Liu had more than a month until her childbirth, Lady Fan and her daughter would initially stay at her daughter’s home for a few days, then return to take care of her daughter during her confinement period closer to the birth.

Just the thought of staying for a few days was enough to make Lady Liu very happy.

Since marrying into the Lin family, she had barely had any opportunity to visit her natal home, let alone live with her mother.

In the past, Lady Fan could only stay to help during the confinement period for about ten days because of Lady Yang, but now that Lady Yang was no longer there to give her the cold shoulder, Lady Fan could stay as long as she wished.

Since Lady Fan and her daughter were going to stay, Lin Yuan had to quickly go to the east room and give her grandfather and others a heads-up in advance.

Just as she reached the doorway of the east room, she heard several men inside laughing heartily, evidently in high spirits, with her eldest uncle continuously praising Xia Zheng for his cleverness and intelligence.

Curious about their conversation, Lin Yuan tiptoed closer, hoping to eavesdrop. But just as she leaned in, the curtain that was lifted nearly hit her in the face.

Xia Zheng looked at Lin Yuan with a playful expression, as her little face turned blushingly red upon being caught. This girl was getting more and more adorable by the minute, to his liking!

Clearing her throat, Lin Yuan, with her little red face, casually greeted him before entering the room to speak with her grandfather.

When Lin Jiaxin heard that his mother-in-law intended to stay for a few days, he was also very pleased.

He could see how much his wife had missed her home over the years, and now that he couldn’t even take care of himself, he knew his wife would be very happy with her mother around.

With Lady Yang no longer buzzing in his ear, Liu Huaiqing also wanted his wife to spend more time with their daughter, so he agreed without hesitation.

However, he was quite displeased with the thought of his younger daughter staying—after all, a twenty-year-old young woman living at her brother-in-law’s house was somewhat inappropriate, especially with so many men working on the construction around the house.

But when Lin Yuan coaxed him, what was deemed inappropriate became acceptable. She really liked this younger aunt of hers and hoped to spend more time with her.

Liu Siliang even specifically instructed Lin Yuan that when Lady Fan and her daughter wished to return, Lin Fugui should send a message to the villagers, and he would personally come to pick them up with the ox cart.

Before Lin Yuan could respond, Xia Zheng interjected, "Why should the big uncle have to come? When the time comes, I will personally drive the horse carriage to take grandma and the young aunt home, ensuring their safe arrival!"

This declaration once again made Liu Siliang burst into laughter.

Lin Yuan glanced sideways at Xia Zheng who was winking at her and pouted. Look at how sweet-talking this guy was, addressing the big uncle as if he were his own, no wonder he had already won over grandfather and the big uncle’s hearts in less than a day.