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墨書 Inktalez
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, Ziyan had been accompanying Ling Yuxuan in the beautiful Hot Spring Valley for a full two months.
During these two months, aside from occasionally leaning on each other for a bit of tenderness or savoring the natural delicacies provided by the mountains, most of their time was spent diligently practicing Martial Arts.
Ling Yuxuan did not relax his standards or lower his demands on Ziyan out of love and pity; on the contrary, he became even more serious and even harsh in his requirements for her.
He understood in his heart that if he did not do this, the little girl would suffer greatly if she ever found herself in danger in the future.
As Ziyan's 15th birthday approached, a significant coming-of-age year for girls in this era, she decided to return home with Ling Yuxuan.
One morning, two months later, Ling Yuxuan carried a large basket of gifts that he had specially procured from the capital for his little protector.
This time, instead of leaping forward, he held Ziyan's small hand as they walked slowly toward the Zi Family's direction.
After more than an hour, they appeared at the front door.
At the same time, the three members of the Zi Family rushed to the Yard Entrance in a flurry, with Zhou's eyes glistening with tears as she looked up and down at her Little Girl.
“Dad, Mom, Sister, I'm back. Sorry to have worried you.”
“You little brat! You’ve been gone for months! Do you know how worried your mother has been?”
“Mom, don’t cry! Look, I’m back safe and sound! I just went to the capital for a trip!”
After saying that, Ziyan pounced into Zhou's arms, acting spoiled, and continued, "Mother, the capital is so big, it's bustling and beautiful there. Once I earn enough money in the future, I'll take you, Dad, and my sister to have fun there. Mother, what do you think?"
"That's great! As long as my daughter is happy, anything is fine."
Zhou finally stopped crying and happily turned around, holding her daughter's hand as they walked into the courtyard. Zi Lao Er was initially a bit dazed but then helped Ling Yuxuan take off her backpack and walked behind them.
Ziying hurriedly poured a cup of tea for her sister and Ling Yuxuan.
Next, Ziyan began to share the words she had thought out and prepared in her mind beforehand, boasting about how beautiful and prosperous the capital was.
Hearing this, Ziying was left speechless and filled with longing.
Zi Lao Er and Zhou appeared quite calm, listening to their daughter while secretly observing her and Ling Yuxuan, seemingly eager to see if there had been any 'special' changes between them during this time.
Ziyan had no idea what her parents were thinking at that moment. She talked so much that her mouth became dry before finally stopping.
Then she took out various local specialties from the capital from her backpack: osmanthus cakes, mille-feuille cakes, pineapple pastries, etc., along with some small pieces of jewelry she had bought for her mother and sister, handing them one by one.
Ziying smiled widely, unable to put down a gilded silver hairpin she was fondling in her hands.
This was the most precious gift she had ever received in her life; she felt immensely grateful to her sister and Ling Yuxuan.
However, Zi Lao Er and Zhou seemed to have something on their minds. They exchanged glances while Zi Lao Er and Ling Yuxuan engaged in casual conversation.
Zhou pulled Ziyan into the inner room. Confused by the sudden action, Ziyan was about to ask her mother what was going on.
Zhou, without saying a word, carefully examined Ziyan. Then, she grasped his right hand and neatly rolled up the sleeve, slightly raising it until she could see the small, crimson cinnabar mark on the inner side of his arm. Only then did Zhou let out a long sigh of relief.
"Mother, what's wrong? What are you—"
Ziyan, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation at Zhou's actions, finally understood her concerns.
He shook his head and said, "Mother, you're overthinking it. Brother Yuxuan is not that kind of person."
After saying this, he thought for a moment and softly murmured like a whisper, "Your daughter is not that kind of person either."
"Yes, daughter, that's right. As a woman, you must not give yourself to anyone before the wedding night; otherwise, you will surely regret it on that day."
Zhou's determined gaze was fixed on her nearly fifteen-year-old daughter as she earnestly instructed her.
"Yes, Mother, don't worry. I will definitely remember your teachings."
"Good, that's how it should be. My daughter is so understanding; I am proud of you."
Sigh—
In her previous life, Zhou had hastily accepted betrothal gifts for her two eldest daughters as soon as they reached adulthood, eager to marry them off without consideration. This led to their lifelong resentment.
Even after growing up and being encouraged by her Adoptive Father to reconnect with them, she never managed to cultivate a deep bond with them.
Thinking of this made Ziyan's heart feel mixed emotions.
Looking at the kind and attentive Zhou in front of me, I couldn't help but compare her to the Zhou from my previous life.
I could only silently complain: the same mother, just different times and spaces, yet their personalities are worlds apart. If the Zhou from my previous life had been like this Zhou, then my sisters and I wouldn't have had to endure so much suffering and hardship.
When the mother and daughter came out of the back room together, Zi Lao Er felt uneasy and looked eagerly at Zhou. It wasn't until he saw Zhou nodding lightly at him that his heart finally settled.
He maintained a complicated mindset while casually chatting with Ling Yuxuan, watching as the mother and daughter walked out calmly and peacefully.
Zi Lao Er suddenly spoke up more freely, his voice noticeably louder than before.
The drastic change made Ling Yuxuan feel a bit unadapted, but being clever, he had already sensed something during their earlier conversation where Zi Lao Er seemed distracted.
Especially when Ziyan and Zhou came out, he could see through the exchanged glances between Zi Lao Er and Zhou that they were both worried inside.
He couldn't help but want to smile but held it back since Zi Lao Er was right in front of him. Instead, he relaxed and chatted genuinely with Zi Lao Er.
"By the way, that wicked Zhi Shunli is said to still be lying in bed and hasn't gotten up yet? Also! No one has come from the old house to disturb our peaceful and beautiful life anymore. Haha! Life is really too happy now—"
Beside them, the quick-tongued Ziying suddenly brought up that scoundrel and the people from the old house, laughing gleefully while covering her mouth.
Zi Lao Er glanced at Ziying and continued, "Yes, that little beast has been dealt with thanks to Gu Young Master’s righteous actions. This little beast has been running rampant in the village for many years; now all the folks in Red Mud Village are overjoyed. As for the old house, we should just avoid them—"
"Alright, let's not bring this up again. If the Village Head's House finds out it was Yuxuan who did it, they definitely won't let it go easily. And as for the people from the old house, since things are like this now, we must never provoke them again; these people are ruthless."
Zhou cautiously warned everyone, turning specifically to quick-tongued Ziying, "Do you remember?"
"Ah? Oh, Mother, I remember. This is a big deal; I'm not that foolish."
After hearing her eldest daughter solemnly promise, Zhou smiled and pulled her youngest daughter back down to sit.
She then initiated a conversation with Ling Yuxuan: "Tomorrow is Yan'er's 15th birthday, which is also her coming-of-age ceremony. Yan'er's grandparents and Uncle will come to celebrate with her. Gu Young Master, if you don't mind our Han Xuan, you should invite your Father to come over as well."
"Of course not! Aunt, you are overthinking it. My father really enjoys the dishes Yan'er makes; I will definitely invite him to come tomorrow."
"Great!"
Zhou happily responded and then turned to the Ziyan sisters: "Then tomorrow's food preparation will be up to you two."
"No problem!"
Before Ziyan could respond, Ziying already loudly agreed like a trumpet.
So Ziyan didn't say anything more and just nodded seriously at Zhou.
Everyone chatted for a while in the courtyard before Zi Lao Er and Zhou remembered they needed to go to the fields to pull weeds from the newly planted seedlings, so they took their straw hats and went out.
By the end of May, the weather in the southern region was already becoming hot. Even shortly after the sun had risen, just a little labor would leave one drenched in sweat.
The three young people soon arrived at the riverside and saw Zi Lao Er and his wife working in the fields with straw hats from a distance. They greeted them lightly, and the sisters took off their shoes and waded into the river to collect snails, clams, and shellfish.
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