CHAPTER 307: CHAPTER 276: JINBAO SCARED TO TEARS (2 UPDATES)

The stillness of deep winter in the Song family’s courtyard was shattered by a series of urgent knocks.

Uncle Lin, who usually played the role of gatekeeper when there was nothing else to do, went to open the door and found several people standing outside.

Leading the group was a young woman holding a baby in swaddling clothes, followed by a man and a woman; the man dressed like a guard, the woman looked like a maid.

It was too dark for Uncle Lin to recognize Lin Xiaoyue, and he hesitated, asking, "May I ask who you’re looking for?"

Lin Xiaoyue’s voice was somewhat husky, "I’m looking for your mistress, Mrs. Wen. Could you please inform her?"

As she spoke, Lin Xiaoyue reached out gently patting the swaddling clothes, as if calming the baby in her arms to sleep.

"Well..." Uncle Lin hesitated.

At that moment, Mrs. Cao came over upon hearing the noise and asked, "What’s going on?"

Uncle Lin turned to Mrs. Cao and quietly said they were looking for the mistress.

Mrs. Cao looked up at Lin Xiaoyue and quickly recognized her as someone who had visited before and was a friend of the mistress.

She respectfully made a courtesy, "Please wait a moment, I’ll go inform her right away."

Lin Xiaoyue’s tense expression slightly relaxed, showing gratitude, she said thanks.

Mrs. Cao immediately turned and headed towards the rear courtyard.

When the door of the east room was knocked on, Wen Wan was in a deep slumber, Jinbao was the first to wake up.

The little one was grumpy on waking, disturbed from his dreams, he started to whine.

Wen Wan and Song Wei woke up one after another.

Upon hearing that Mrs. Cao was calling her from outside, Wen Wan dressed and got out of bed.

Song Wei glanced at the time, then looked towards the window lattice; it was still early.

He bent down and took Jinbao into his arms, soothing him softly, the little one who wanted to cry was comforted by Song Wei’s gentle voice and gradually fell back asleep.

Wen Wan pushed open the door, seeing Mrs. Cao standing outside looking anxious, she asked, "In the middle of the night, what happened?"

Mrs. Cao said, "Mistress, the lady who visited our home last time says she has an urgent matter to discuss with you."

Wen Wan was momentarily confused, "Who?"

Mrs. Cao lowered her voice, "It seems to be from the Su Family."

With that explanation, Wen Wan understood, it must be Lin Xiaoyue.

But at this late hour, what urgent matter could she possibly have?

While pondering, Wen Wan’s feet did not stop, quickly heading towards the main door.

The distance from the rear courtyard to the main door wasn’t long, and it didn’t take long to reach.

Upon seeing Lin Xiaoyue, Wen Wan was momentarily taken aback.

The other appeared too haggard, as if having just gone through a catastrophe, fatigue showed between her brows.

"What’s the matter?" Wen Wan asked while approaching, her gaze falling on her arms.

Due to how long they’d been out of touch, Wen Wan had no idea she had already given birth.

Lin Xiaoyue hadn’t completely recovered from the frightening ordeal, so she spoke briefly, "I’ve run into trouble, could you possibly let me stay for a few days? I’ll leave once Mr. Qi returns."

Afraid Wen Wan might refuse, Lin Xiaoyue added, "If it’s inconvenient, even one night is fine, I’ll go find an inn at dawn."

Wen Wan was not opposed, just surprised that Lin Xiaoyue would come knocking at their door a second time in such a manner.

"It’s cold outside, don’t stand here, let’s talk inside first."

Bringing them into the front hall, Wen Wan asked Mrs. Cao to prepare two guest rooms, then went back to the room to fetch Jinbao’s small blanket, handing it to Lin Xiaoyue, "The baby might be cold, add this on."

Lin Xiaoyue accepted it, her lips still somewhat pale, softly thanking her.

Wen Wan observing her condition, asked if she wanted to heat some water for a bath.

Lin Xiaoyue had visited the Song family before and knew they had no other servants; at this time, heating water meant lighting a fire, which was likely something Wen Wan would personally do.

Not wanting to be a bother in the middle of the night, Lin Xiaoyue shook her head saying she didn’t need it.

Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Cao came over announcing the guest rooms were ready.

Wen Wan helped Lin Xiaoyue up, taking the opportunity to glance at the baby in her arms, who was already asleep, fair and tender looking adorable.

"Is she a girl?" Wen Wan asked aloud.

Lin Xiaoyue nodded, looking at her daughter, the anxiety and panic in her heart dissipated considerably.

Wen Wan was worried and personally escorted her to the guest room, "Our home is simple, you’ll have to make do for the night. When morning comes, if anything is missing, I’ll have the two nannies arrange it for you."

Listening to Wen Wan’s thoughtful and detailed arrangements, Lin Xiaoyue felt warmly comforted, her eyes turning red, "Thank you."

"You look tired, so let’s not talk anymore. Rest early and we’ll discuss everything tomorrow."

After giving her instructions, Wen Wan quickly left the wing.

Lin Xiaoyue set Ah Nuan on the bed, pulling the quilt over, and sat by the head of the bed, eyes blank.

Faced with such events, with her husband absent and herself just a young woman, she couldn’t come up with any solutions immediately. She could only temporarily seek shelter under someone else’s roof, hoping to get through these times first.

Jin Zhi knocked on the door and came in, carrying a wooden basin.

Earlier in the front hall, Lin Xiaoyue had said there was no need to heat water for bathing, but Jin Zhi realized Granny Qi didn’t want to trouble the Song family. So, she asked for the kitchen’s location and heated a pot of hot water herself.

Now, Jin Zhi placed the wooden basin on the engraved basin stand and looked at Lin Xiaoyue, "Granny Qi, the servant heated some water for you, would you like to wash your face first?"

It’s inconvenient to bathe for now, but washing the face to rid of the smoke smell should be enough.

Lin Xiaoyue hmmed, rising from the bed and bending over by the basin stand.

The wooden basin reflected her haggard and weary face, her hair bun loose, wisps of hair slightly disheveled at her cheeks, eyes red from fatigue, she really looked a mess.

She sighed softly, scooped water, and washed her face.

Then she returned to the bed, but even with both body and mind exhausted, she couldn’t sleep thinking about the previous fire.

——

When Wen Wan returned to the east room, Song Wei asked her a few questions.

Wen Wan said Lin Xiaoyue had personally sought them out, seemingly in a hurry and with nowhere to go, requesting a few days of refuge.

After finishing, Wen Wan specifically noticed Song Wei’s reaction. Seeing her husband not showing too much emotion, she tentatively said, "If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll have them find an inn first thing in the morning."

Song Wei pondered, "We’re already involved. Whether they stay or leave, we’re entangled in this, so better to keep them. Otherwise, if any accident happens outside after we turn them away, we might even be more implicated."

Wen Wan thought it over and agreed, mumbling as she lay down, "It seems Mr. Qi from the Su Family isn’t in the Capital, otherwise Lin Xiaoyue wouldn’t have come here with just two servants. What could have happened so late at night?"

Song Wei replied, "Stop thinking about it, you have to go to Hongwen Academy early tomorrow, go to sleep now!"

Wen Wan nodded, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

——

The next day, Granny Song and Old Song found out there were guests in the house.

Out of courtesy, Lin Xiaoyue went early to the main house to pay her respects to the elderly couple.

In the Song family courtyard, there were only two rough-tempered servants, and life was usually quite simple with no such formalities.

Granny Song was a bit bewildered by her "Paying respects to the Old Madam."

Wen Wan hadn’t left yet, fearing her mother-in-law might be suspicious, she explained that it was an acquaintance in trouble, who came to stay temporarily.

Upon hearing that the young woman had brought a baby girl who hadn’t even been a month old, Granny Song couldn’t bear to turn them out and let them stay well, promising to help with any needs.

After Wen Wan and Song Wei left, Granny Song took her little grandson to see the barely one-month-old Ah Nuan.

The little girl was sleeping soundly in Jinbao’s cradle.

Jinbao stood outside the cradle, his beady eyes staring at Ah Nuan for a while, reaching out his paw to wake her up and play together.

Meanwhile, while Granny Song and Lin Xiaoyue were chatting, the little guy bent over, his chubby paw just about to touch Ah Nuan’s face, but the little girl woke up first.

Not seeing her familiar mother’s face, she sniffled and began to cry.

Startled by her sudden cry, Jinbao fell on his bottom, turning back guiltily, just as Lin Xiaoyue looked over with a smile.

Afraid of being scolded, Jinbao simply burst into tears as well, his loud cries completely overpowering the barely one-month-old Ah Nuan, successfully making himself appear as the victim.

"What’s happening here?"

Granny Song turned her head, puzzled at how both children ended up crying so soon.

"Jinbao, come to Grandma." Granny Song didn’t go over to pick him up but opened her arms from her seat.

She liked to hold her grandson but Third Lang’s wife had said not to carry him in arms all the time, he should be exercised, or he might not walk steadily even at two.

Jinbao wiped his tears with his chubby little hands, crawling towards his grandma with arms and legs.

Granny Song told him, "Stand up and walk, and Grandma will buy you something tasty later."

Hearing there was something tasty, Jinbao held onto the cradle, shakily stood up, and had just taken two steps towards Granny Song when Ah Nuan’s cries came again from the cradle, and the little guy was scared stiff, falling down, his lips pouted and tears rolling down without stopping.