CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 84

Shu City, the Xiao family has been here for eight months now. Even in the coldest winter months, it hasn’t snowed, but the piercing cold wind finds its way everywhere. The Xiao Family is afraid of the cold and doesn’t dare to step outside.

Especially the Old Lady, who caught a cold getting up at night a few days ago and is bedridden again.

"Mother, please take some medicine first. Nuannuan personally brewed it." Mrs. Xu brought in the medicine: "After taking the medicine, try to eat a little."

"Ah, I’ve become a burden to you."

The Old Lady felt she couldn’t help with anything and was, in fact, causing trouble for the younger ones: "I’m getting old, and I’m useless."

"Mother, everyone gets old eventually. Please don’t say such things." Mrs. Xu gently comforted her: "As long as you are well, we have a pillar to rely on."

The Old Lady patted her hand, knowing all three daughters-in-law were filial and good kids, though fate had been unkind to them.

"When I asked for your hands in marriage, I hoped to treat you like my own daughters. I instructed the three brothers to treat you well. Who would have thought you’d endure so much hardship?"

The three daughters-in-law, along with a granddaughter-in-law, have been helping Lady Lin with embroidering wedding dresses and new clothes since last year.

Earlier, the first wedding dress they embroidered received high praise from customers, which prompted Lady Lin to take on twice the embroidery work. She was delighted, but it wore out these young ones at home.

The Old Lady watched them embroider day and night, staying up late into the night, and felt very sorry for them.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, you’re older than the others and have been managing the household work tirelessly all these years. Don’t stay up late to embroider, or your eyes will suffer in the future."

"Mother, it’s alright. I’m older now and don’t sleep as much. When I can’t fall asleep, it’s better to do some work with them," Mrs. Xu said. "Embroidery is just handiwork, not tiring. The only thing I’m not used to is the dry cold of Shu City winters, which makes my hands freeze."

Sometimes, it was so cold that she couldn’t even hold the embroidery needle.

In the Capital, winters bring snow, and it’s cold, but most of the time, they wouldn’t go out. The room would be warmed with silver carbon, they’d wear marten fur coats, and still hold hand stoves...

"Yes, the climate in Shu City is dry and cold," the Old Lady said. "Over thirty years ago, the Old Master once took me back to Shu City. It was early autumn then, and the climate was suitable. There were lots of fruits, and I quite liked it at that time."

Who would have thought, over time, she’d bring her daughter-in-law, grandson, and granddaughter back here to spend the rest of her life?

Back then, visiting the Old Master’s family, they were honored guests. The best guest rooms of the Xiao Family were reserved for them, with delicious food on the table and fine wine poured, with servants attending to their needs.

Returning this time, they couldn’t even enter the gates of the Xiao Family.

The Xiao Family, which came to prominence because of this very family, ultimately rubbed salt in her wounds in such a callous manner.

The Old Lady was always holding this anger and couldn’t let it go.

Added to the wrongful death of the Old Master, with children and grandchildren far away in the Northern Desert, the eldest granddaughter all alone in the Capital supporting herself, each incident stuck in her throat like a bone, her already frail body couldn’t withstand the slightest breeze in this coldest of months.

"After the harsh winter comes spring. When spring comes and flowers bloom, everything will get better." Mrs. Xu spoon-fed the Old Lady with the medicine.

Suddenly, an exclamation was heard from outside from Mrs. Xu.

"Nuannuan, what happened to your face?"

The Old Lady and Mrs. Xu were startled to hear this.

"Go check on Nuannuan." The Old Lady motioned to Mrs. Xu to stop feeding the medicine.

Mrs. Xu placed the medicine bowl on the small table by the bed and went out, only to see Chun Nuan’s face all smudged.

"It’s nothing, Mother. Sister-in-law Wu and I went to buy some good things."

Chun Nuan motioned for Wu to move the items to the kitchen.

"What did you buy? How did your face end up like this?" Mrs. Xu was also worried: "Didn’t encounter any trouble, did you?"

"We bought charcoal; this is a fire stove for roasting charcoal. Here, they call it a ’hong...’"

"It’s called a ’honglong’," Wu knew Chun Nuan couldn’t remember the name: "It’s made of baked clay. The girl said you don’t have this kind of thing in the Capital."

"Indeed, we don’t, but we can learn to use it." Chun Nuan said: "Sister-in-law Wu said the people here use this for heating. Wait for me; I’ll get a stove ready."

With that, she hurriedly ran into the kitchen.

Wu went to cook and then taught Chun Nuan how to light the charcoal.

"This child..."

Mrs. Xu, as a head of the household, knew how much effort managing a family required. Fuel, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea, everything had to be considered, especially with their current circumstances, not only making a living for the family but also earning money depended on her.

Such a load of responsibilities, inside and outside the household, all pressed upon this young girl.

How hard must she work to keep things going?

Mrs. Xu felt a pang of sadness looking at Chun Nuan’s back.

She thought of her eldest daughter Chunyu again.

The inner residence of the Wu family certainly wasn’t the most peaceful, but how well they’ve treated Chunyu lately changed many of her thoughts.

When Nuannuan’s engagement was arranged with the Zhaang family, Mrs. Xu felt Nuannuan was a bit more fortunate. After all, the Zhaang family personally proposed to the Old Master, who agreed before both sides formally discussed the marriage.

The inner residence of the Zhaang family was harmonious, with good family conduct. The legitimate second son of the Zhaang family was also a good man.

"I never imagined, shows how you know the person, not the heart. When the Xiao family met with trouble, the first thing the Zhaang family did was to break off the engagement," Mrs. Xu said. "Even the Old Master could misjudge people at times."

"Mother, the second sister is a capable girl. Good fortune will not miss a deserving person. Breaking off the engagement is the Zhaang family’s loss," Zhu Lingling said. "Such a wonderful sister, there will surely be a better match waiting for her."

"By the end of the mourning period, Nuannuan will be eighteen." Mrs. Xu still worried: "But here in Shu City, given our circumstances, what kind of good match could there be?"

"Mother, don’t worry. Most people in the Capital weigh pros and cons. In remote places like Shu City, there isn’t much involvement. Second sister herself is an exceptional person; marrying her is truly a blessing for any family," Zhu Lingling reassured.

In the kitchen, Chun Nuan was unaware of how much her aunt worried about her marriage.

She was learning from Wu how to use the honglong.

Although this device was also for warming hands, it was distinct from the hand stoves of the Capital.

Watching Wu pour the still fiery red ash into the honglong, she felt controlling the heat would be challenging.

"The fire can’t be too big; if it’s too big, it’ll scorch the clothes," Wu said. "When warming, it’s best to drape an apron over it, so the heat doesn’t escape."

"If after a while you no longer feel warmth, just gently stir it with a bamboo stick, and it’ll warm you up again," Wu said. "It’s padded with charcoal below, so it burns longer."

"This one’s done; it can be used by the Old Lady."

"Grandmother is bedridden; let the aunties use it first."

"If used for a long time, it might become too hot to handle," Wu smiled. "Usually, we don’t use it. We’re busy with work daily, constantly moving around, so we don’t feel cold—sometimes we even break a sweat."