CHAPTER 166: CHAPTER 166 CELEBRATION (1)

"Spend all the money to buy things, and also invite Da Niu’s grandfather and her second uncle for dinner." Liu Laoda laughed heartily.

He handed some money to Hu Shuangcheng, consisting of three small strings.

It’s three hundred coins.

Enough to buy three hundred buns.

In the countryside, spending the equivalent of three hundred buns for a meal was considered quite extravagant.

Li Yuzhu thought to herself, Liu Laoda must be eagerly awaiting this child, don’t you think?

Lady Liu reproached Liu Laoda, "This child is just conceived, don’t make too much noise about it. It’s enough if both families have a meal together, don’t spread the news."

Liu Laoda nodded, "I know, I know, nagging wife."

Although called a nagging wife, Lady Liu didn’t get angry.

Instead, she even smiled a little.

Lady Liu reminded Hu Shuangcheng and Liu Da Niu not to blurt it out, then called her three younger daughters over to emphasize it several times.

Everyone nodded earnestly.

Hu Shuangcheng went to buy wine and dishes, while Lady Liu held onto Li Yuzhu, not letting her leave, "Have a meal before you go, Miss Li."

Families with happy events like to have people around to make things lively and celebratory.

Li Yuzhu didn’t leave and agreed with a smile.

Soon, Hu Shuangcheng returned with wine and dishes.

He carried four jugs of wine and a large food basket containing several cooked dishes.

There were about ten boiled salted duck eggs, large pieces of braised beef, a paper bag full of fried fish, a packet of stir-fried peanuts, a braised pig’s trotter, and a pig’s ear.

Lady Liu chuckled in exasperation, "Why are all the dishes for drinking? Didn’t you buy anything else?"

Hu Shuangcheng replied sheepishly, "This is all the Pork Luo family has in the village."

Li Yuzhu laughed, "These dishes are quite good."

Lady Liu said, "Not enough, not enough, I’ll look around the kitchen. Da Niu picked some vegetables from the field this morning, let’s make a few more dishes."

She rolled up her sleeves and headed to the kitchen.

Da Niu called her second, third, and fourth sisters to accompany Li Yuzhu and also went to the kitchen.

But soon, she was shooed out by Lady Liu.

"You take a rest, I’ll do it." Lady Liu said, calling in her second and third daughters.

Getting special care for the first time, Liu Da Niu smiled bashfully. She sat with Li Yuzhu in the main room, chatting.

Liu Laoda’s youngest daughter, Liu Si Ni, stood by, watching them talk.

Hu Shuangcheng placed the wine jugs on the table and took the basket of cooked dishes into the kitchen.

Liu Laoda went to find Liu Er and his father, Liu the bricklayer.

When Li Yuzhu arrived, she saw Liu Er’s house was closed, and it was quiet at the door, probably the whole family went to the fields. Early spring is also a busy farming season.

Li Yuzhu chatted casually with Liu Da Niu, then started talking with Liu Laoda’s youngest daughter, Liu Si Ni.

The little girl was very shy, looking at her timidly, only responding when questioned.

At seven years old, she looked like she was only five because she was so thin.

Lately, she seemed to have some inflammation, her lips cracked open.

Li Yuzhu took out a lip balm from her space to show her, "This is for applying on the lips, it will get better in two or three days."

Li Yuzhu opened the cap and applied some on her lips, "Don’t always lick with your tongue, the more you lick, the drier your lips get, remember?"

The little girl blinked at her, took the lip balm and examined it, soon looked up and revealed a smile to Li Yuzhu.

"This girl, so timid, doesn’t even say thank you?" Liu Da Niu frowned.

"Th...Thank you." Liu Si Ni said shyly.

When Lady Liu’s dishes were ready, Liu Laoda also found Liu Er’s family and Liu the bricklayer.

Liu Laoda, on the way, had already told them about Liu Da Niu’s pregnancy.

As soon as the family entered, they immediately congratulated Liu Da Niu with smiles.

Lady Liu happened to be coming with the dishes and waved her hand at them, "It’s still early, it’s enough if only our two families know about this."

"Yes, sister-in-law is right to remind us." Second Lady Liu laughed.

She walked over to Liu Da Niu and whispered to ask about the situation.

Liu Da Niu just smiled with her lips pursed.

.

After the meal, it was already evening.

Li Yuzhu left the Liu family to visit Miss Chai.

Not far along, she saw the Princely Heir striding over, waving and calling her from a distance, "Third sister, I couldn’t find you at home, second sister said you went to the Liu family, why are you still in the village so late?" He glanced at the Liu family’s house by the road and asked, "Did you just come out from the Liu family?"

Li Yuzhu stood in the road waiting for him and replied with a smile, "Yes, Liu Da Niu’s parents invited me for dinner."

The Princely Heir was surprised, "Why did they invite you for dinner?"

When he got closer, Li Yuzhu quietly told him about Liu Da Niu’s pregnancy.

Because of the Great Princess’s active involvement, the whole family knew about Liu Da Niu’s matter.

Everyone was more concerned about this woman whose married life was not going well.

It was heard that she was pregnant, and the Princely Heir was happy for her, "Finally, Uncle Liu’s family won’t have to wear a frown anymore."

"That’s for sure." Li Yuzhu said with a smile, "By the way, brother, since you’ve come to pick me up, why don’t you accompany me to visit Miss Chai? I was hesitating whether to go because it’s getting dark. Now that you’re here, why don’t you walk with me?"

The Princely Heir did not object, "Alright, I’ll accompany you."

From the Liu Family to Miss Chai’s house, there was still a one-li journey.

The two walked and chatted along the way.

The Princely Heir then said, "Guoguo, at such a young age, can actually appreciate art and enjoys looking through picture albums every day. Jingjing, being mischievous, would look at them upside down, but she holds the albums without flipping them. When you see her later, third sister, help me ask if she has any new picture albums, and I’ll pay for them."

As a man, he found it awkward to make requests to a woman he didn’t know well.

Li Yuzhu, being a woman and familiar with Miss Chai, was asked by the Princely Heir to make the request on his behalf.

"Okay, brother." Li Yuzhu said with a smile, "I didn’t expect our little Guoguo to be so smart, appreciating picture albums."

As they spoke, the two arrived in front of the Chai Family’s old house.

The door was closed, but there were voices from the Chai family’s old servant and Miss Chai’s nanny in the yard.

They were talking about lighting candles.

At this time, the night had fallen.

In the distance, most of the houses were already lit.

The Princely Heir stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard door.

Li Yuzhu called inside, "Miss Chai? It’s me, Li Yuzhu from Niu Tou Mountain."

Having visited many times, the people around Miss Chai were familiar with her voice.

The nanny immediately said with a smile, "Is it Miss Li? I’ll come to open the door."

She opened the door with a cheerful smile.

And found the Princely Heir with her, whom she had met once.

She smiled and curtsied, "Hello, Mr. Li."

"Has your lady gone to bed?" Li Yuzhu looked towards the bedroom, "I came a bit late today."

"It’s still early in the evening. Our lady just had dinner and is probably reading now. I’ll go call her." The nanny said with a smile, walking into the bedroom.

In no time, Miss Chai walked out of the bedroom.

Now that it was late spring, the weather was getting hotter.

She wore a lilac-colored spring garment and walked gracefully.

The lantern light in the pavilion shone on her, making her radiant face appear even more gentle.

It was nearly a month since her surgery.

Her body had fully recovered long ago.

Her previously emaciated face had returned to normal, and her eyes were especially bright.

Upon seeing Li Yuzhu, she said with a bright voice and a smile, "Miss Li is here? I’ve got some new tea, just right for us to taste."

Seeing the Princely Heir, she shyly performed a maiden’s courtesy, "Mr. Li."

The Princely Heir returned the gesture with a light bow.

Li Yuzhu said with a smile, "Miss Chai, I came to the village on some business and found it was quite close to your home, so I walked over to see you. My brother mentioned he wanted to ask if you have any picture albums, as he would like to buy them for my little niece, who is only half a year old."

Miss Chai glanced at the Princely Heir, smiling, "I have some; no need to buy them, I’ll gift them to you."

The Princely Heir said, "How could that be? These are your hard-earned works."

Miss Chai laughed, "These are just drawings I did out of boredom. My brother teases me for drawing childish things, and my nanny doesn’t understand them. If you want to take them, it proves my drawings aren’t too bad, and I’m more than happy. Why accept money? No, no, accepting money would be too formal. Don’t give any, it would make me unhappy."

She asked the nanny to set up the tea set in the pavilion and brew the new tea, while she went into the bedroom to find the albums.

"Seeing you value her drawings makes her happy, so don’t give any money." The nanny also said with a smile.

Li Yuzhu said with a smile, "Thank you to your lady, then."

It wasn’t long before Miss Chai came out holding several picture albums.

She flipped through them one by one for the Princely Heir and Li Yuzhu.

One album was full of monkeys, another of horses, and another of rabbits.

All were drawn with human expressions and depicted aspects of human life, and they were all accompanied by text.

Whether the pictures or the text, they were all very interesting.

"These three were drawn last year, and I found them recently among some old items. Take them all if you don’t mind, and I hope your little lady at home will like them." Miss Chai said with a smile.

The Princely Heir took them in his hands, repeatedly expressing his thanks, "Thank you very much."

"There’s no need to thank me; these are just old items." Miss Chai said with a smile.

Her voice had completely recovered, and with good spirits, she kept Li Yuzhu engaged in tea and conversation.

They talked until it was completely dark before Li Yuzhu and the Princely Heir took their leave.

Miss Chai gave them a lantern to light their way and personally escorted them to the road outside the residence.

The lantern light gradually grew distant, becoming as small as a firefly, before Miss Chai turned around and went back into the residence.

She said wistfully to the nanny accompanying her, "Nanny Jiang, do you think I’ll ever meet a husband as handsome and talented as Mr. Li?"