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Chu Yue felt a bit embarrassed but still smiled at him, tightening the bundle on her shoulder, and followed Chu Youqian and Chu Dashan into the yard.
Yun Cuihe hurriedly looked at her other son. “Xing’an, go pour some water for our In-laws, your uncle, and your sister-in-law.”
The more reserved boy nodded and went to the kitchen.
Lu Xingping and Lu Xing’an were twin brothers, both eight years old. What puzzled Chu Yue was that they didn’t look alike at all, and their personalities were also completely different.
Yun Cuihe walked up to Chu Yue. The young girl in front of her was a bit thin, but her features were very pretty. Her round, bright eyes immediately made her look like a smart child.
Yun Cuihe took the light bundle from her shoulder and gently pulled her hand, smiling warmly at her.
“After such a long journey, you’re tired, aren’t you?”
Before Chu Yue could respond, Chu Dashan spoke first. “We’re just simple farmers, it’s only half a day’s mountain road. What’s there to be tired about?”
Yun Cuihe’s smile froze on her face.
No wonder when she asked around yesterday, people said the Chu family’s daughter had a tough life — with a gambling father, a selfish and biased mother, and a brother who treated his younger sister badly. It was a wonder she had any happiness at all.
Chu Yue didn’t mind Chu Dashan’s words. She smiled faintly and said, “Thank you for your concern, aunt. I’m fine.”
Looking at the kind and harmless young girl in front of her, Yun Cuihe genuinely liked her.
“Silly Yueyue, from now on, you’ll be Xinghe’s wife, you should call me ‘mother’ now.”
Chu Yue lowered her head and, in a barely audible voice, softly called, “Mother.”
This passage shows Yun Cuihe’s warmth and affection for Chu Yue as she starts to feel welcomed into the Lu family, while also highlighting Chu Yue’s quiet and respectful demeanor.
“Hey!” Yun Cuihe affectionately grabbed her hand and led her into one of the rooms. “This is Xinghe’s room. From now on, you’ll live here with him. Yueyue, go ahead and unpack your things. Mother will go out and greet the guests.”
After speaking, she handed Chu Yue her bundle and left the room.
Chu Yue looked around the thatched hut. Although it was old, it was clean and tidy. The room had a stove and a table, with the few pieces of clothing neatly folded at the foot of the bed.
On the desk by the window were ink and brushes, and beside them, a stack of small booklets.
Chu Yue walked over, picked up one of the booklets, and flipped through it casually. The characters on the booklet were strong and bold, looking as though they had been printed, beautifully written.
However, the content in all the booklets was the same, suggesting that they were one of the ways Lu Xinghe made a living.
Previously, she had learned from her mother, Zhao Chunhua, about the basic situation of the Lu family. Lu Xinghe’s father was the only scholar in Banpo Village. Nine years ago, he went to the city to take the imperial examination, but he disappeared.
Many people rumored that he had offended a high-ranking official and was harmed because of it.
After he left, Yun Cuihe discovered she was pregnant. Not long after, Lu Xinghe’s examination results came out, and at the age of nine, he became the youngest scholar in Nanping Town.
At the time, Yun Cuihe was carrying twins, and her delivery was extremely dangerous. It was said that after giving birth, her body was severely weakened, and she had to take medicine for years to maintain her health, which was a significant financial burden.
Raising the mother and her children meant that the family now had four more mouths to feed and enormous medical expenses. So, when Lu Xinghe’s younger brothers, Lu Xingping and Lu Xing’an, were less than six months old, the grandparents decided to separate the family and give them this thatched house as a place to live.
When this happened, eleven-year-old Lu Xinghe, as the eldest son, naturally took on the responsibility of supporting the entire family.
This was also the reason why, at the age of eighteen, Lu Xinghe had not yet married. Not only was he impoverished, but if a woman married him, she would also have to take care of his entire household. Despite Lu Xinghe’s good personal qualities, any girl would hesitate before agreeing to such a marriage.
Indeed, people are often practical and guided by their circumstances.
…
Because the head of the Lu family was only Yun Cuihe, when Chu Youqian entered the Lu family’s courtyard, his expression was somewhat awkward. It was easy to imagine how difficult the Lu family’s life must have been, with a woman raising three children on her own.
“Where is Lu Xinghe?” Chu Dashan asked.
Yun Cuihe brought out two chairs from the house and invited them to sit down. After all, the Chu father and son were outsiders, and without a man as the head of the house, letting them inside would only invite gossip.
When she heard Chu Dashan ask about her eldest son, Yun Cuihe’s expression turned sorrowful.
“Xinghe went early to fetch water and water the fields. It’s been nearly two months without rain. Not only are the fields dry, but even the river is almost running out of water. I don’t know if we’ll get anything this year,” she said, then looked towards the door where Lu Xingping stood. “Xingping, your brother should be on his way back. You’re fast on your feet, go meet him and bring him home quickly.”
“Alright!”
As soon as Lu Xingping finished speaking, he disappeared from sight.
When Chu Youqian heard that Lu Xinghe was almost home, he started feeling uneasy.
Though the Lu family was poor, their eldest son was no easy match. Not only was he intelligent, but he was also exceptionally strong.
What if he thought that the girl, Er Ya, was too young and refused to accept her? What would happen if he sent her back with them?
With this thought, Chu Youqian quickly drank his tea in one gulp, then hastily pulled Chu Dashan to leave.
Yun Cuihe tried to persuade them to stay, but when she saw they had no intention of doing so, she turned and went back to the kitchen to continue her work.
Meanwhile, Chu Yue finished organizing her two sets of clothes and headed to the kitchen.
“Mother, let me help you,” she offered.
Yun Cuihe quickly waved her hand, “No need, there’s just two flatbreads left. If you’re free, Yueyue, could you help set the table?”
“Alright,” Chu Yue happily agreed.
Just then, Lu Xingping’s excited voice came from a distance.
“Mom, Big Brother is back!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, two figures—one tall and one short—entered the courtyard. Lu Xinghe had just placed the shoulder pole and water bucket down when Yun Cuihe immediately led Chu Yue out of the kitchen.
“Xinghe is back.”
“Mother.”
Lu Xinghe looked up and immediately spotted Chu Yue standing next to Yun Cuihe.
The young girl appeared a bit shy, dressed in worn clothes patched in several places, looking thin, with big, bright eyes that blinked as if she were somewhat pitiful.
“You’re Chu Youqian’s daughter?”
His voice was pleasant, and his appearance handsome—tall and broad, at least two heads taller than Chu Yue.
Chu Yue nodded and quietly answered, “Yes.”
After a pause, Lu Xinghe spoke again.
“Actually, the reason I agreed to bring you here, it’s not for any other reason. I mainly want someone to take care of my mother. Her health is poor, so from now on, you can stay with her.”
As he spoke, he squatted down and washed his hands.
“With someone at home taking care of my mother, I can feel more at ease when I’m out working.”
Hearing this, Yun Cuihe raised her voice.
“Xinghe, what are you saying? The Chu family made it clear that Yueyue is sent here to be our daughter-in-law, not to take care of me. If you do this, how is Yueyue supposed to behave in the future? Either you accept her as your wife, or you should never have agreed to the marriage in the first place!”
Perhaps too agitated, Yun Cuihe’s face grew even paler, and she began coughing uncomfortably.
With the cough came a dizziness that started to overwhelm her.
Seeing his mother wobbling, Lu Xinghe was immediately panicked.
“Mother, are you okay?”