Chapter 64: In-Laws

◎In Hua'er's Dream, She Didn't Die◎

There were two main tables. One was occupied by Yu Lian's family and Second Uncle's family, while the other was reserved for the village chief and elders.

Midway through the feast, Second Uncle spoke with a smile, "Today marks the day that Uncle Baixi's descendants have returned to our village and built a new home. I represent everyone here in extending a warm welcome to them. I hope that all of us will look out for them in the future. A hundred years ago, we were all one big family, descendants of the same ancestor. Let's not forget our roots."

Second Uncle had said something similar when Yu Lian's family first arrived in the village. Back then, the villagers were either curious or indifferent, showing little response. However, after spending some time together, their feelings had changed. They now enthusiastically applauded, with some chiming in, "Of course, that goes without saying!"

"We all bear the same surname, Hua, and we're fellow villagers from the same clan. That makes us one family. If anyone dares to bully them, I won't stand for it!"

"Indeed, indeed!"

The atmosphere became lively, except for the table occupied by the village chief and the elders, which remained somewhat quiet and subdued.

Uncle Two glanced over and said, "Dog Egg, you're the village chief. Don't you have something to add?"

The village chief twitched the corners of his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and surveyed the crowd. "In my opinion, building such a grand house is a bit extravagant. How many people are there in your family? With such lavishness, don't come asking others for help when you run out of money to buy food and live. We're all poor folks in this village; no one can afford to lend a hand!"

The atmosphere fell silent, as no one had expected the village chief to dash their spirits with such a comment on this joyous occasion, without even a single kind word.

However, he quickly added, "It's commendable that you sought help from fellow villagers for the construction and land clearance, providing them with extra income... But perhaps next time, it would be best not to invite outsiders."

The Ma family, consisting of Ma Dafen, were the only "outsiders" present since Ma Dafen was the foreman and had fulfilled Yu Lian's instructions flawlessly. Hearing the village chief's remark, their faces darkened.

What did he mean by that? Were they being ostracized because Ma Dafen was from another village, hindering the locals from earning money?

But being a foreman wasn't a job for just anyone. Ma Dafen had diligently carried out his duties, never shirking or cutting corners. Why couldn't he be hired again?

Yu Lian smiled and replied, "If possible, we naturally prioritize our neighbors. But certain tasks require specific skills. Whoever is capable and does the job well should be chosen, regardless of where they come from."

In truth, the village chief had merely made an offhand remark. He hadn't been on good terms with the Hua Zhan family from the start, thus finding it difficult to interact with them as comfortably as with other villagers. On this celebratory day, he couldn't bring himself to say anything positive and had instinctively lashed out. Now, upon hearing Yu Lian's composed response, he felt displeased.

Nonetheless, he still possessed some sense of reason and realized his jab had been unjustified. Embarrassed, he refrained from further retaliation.

Next came a hearty meat stew, and the villagers eagerly dug in, effectively diverting attention away from the previous awkwardness.

This feast was sumptuous, a rare treat for the village after years without such an oily and satisfying spread. They ate from noon until the sun was almost setting, their bellies swollen with content. The savory broth of the meat dishes was ladled over white rice, leaving no scrap behind.

It provoked Lord Second and Lady to scold the group of inexperienced youngsters as if they were uncivilized beasts, utterly outrageous.

Yet, the more vibrant and lively this feast is, the better; it symbolizes a future of growing prosperity, abundance in food and drink, and an ever-present warmth of human interaction and vitality.

As twilight fell, most of the villagers had departed, leaving only a few aunties and married women to assist with washing the dishes, tidying the kitchen, and arranging the chairs and tables scattered around the courtyard and pots and pans.

Lady Mei joined in the preparations, acting as a general supervisor. She stood there, attentively overseeing everything, pointing at one item and gesturing to another. By the time she finished her tasks, the sky had turned completely dark.

Yu Lian ventured into the newly constructed bathing chamber for a much-needed soak, her first proper bath since arriving in this era. A large pool had been excavated within, and water was channeled in from a nearby river. As it was summer, the temperature requirement for the water was not too high. Yu Lian merely added some hot water to the pool, mixing it with the warmer river water, creating a comfortably tepid temperature perfect for both bathing and relaxation.

Leaning against the bathtub, she bathed slowly, contemplating how, if she found leisure time, she would take her children to the hill behind their home to pick wildflowers. She imagined scattering them in the bath, indulging in a rustic romanticism infused with the scent of nature.

In a playful mood, she hummed a few tunes. The melodies were disjointed, and she would switch to another song when she forgot either the tune or the lyrics. These were songs from her past life, and she sang whichever lines came to mind, without any semblance of structure.

Completely relaxed, she nearly dozed off in the water. Fortunately, Little Guo'er knocked on the door, calling out to her. "Sister, why have you been bathing for so long? Has the water turned cold? Grandmother and Mother are worried that you might catch a chill. They sent Guo'er to fetch you."

Looking at the hourglass beside her, Yu Lian realized that almost two hours had passed.

She responded to Little Guo'er and promptly climbed out of the bath, drying herself before changing into fresh clothes.

Exiting the room, the matriarch and Mrs. Chen were relieved to see that she was unharmed. The family sat together in their spacious and well-lit courtyard, chatting leisurely under the glow of the full moon above.

The matriarch said, "Reflecting on our life in the capital feels like a lifetime ago, so distant from now. But with this newfound stability, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Mrs. Chen, unusually without tears, especially when reminiscing, smiled and said, "Mother, you always told me to look forward. That's what we should do."

The matriarch gave her a glance. "Don't you miss your son?"

Mrs. Chen replied, "What happened to Hua'er is in the past. If he's looking down on us, seeing that we're doing well and that Yu Lian is by our side, he would undoubtedly be comforted and happy. As his mother, that would bring me joy too."

Zhu Ying, on the rooftop, couldn't help but smirk. His living conditions had improved – the new house had a higher roof, reducing the number of mosquitoes.

But the feeling of being the only one who knew his master was still alive, yet unable to share it, left him with an odd sense of oppression.

When his master could finally be seen by others, he vowed to shout it out loud – his master was alive!

The matriarch nodded, pleased. "It's good that you can see things positively." She then turned to Yu Lian, taking her hand. "Lian'er, you've worked so hard these past days. Although I've often said so, each time I mean it from the bottom of my heart. From our journey from the capital to building our new home, acquiring our own fields, none of this would have been possible without your hard work and wise counsel. If Hua'er were still here, he wouldn't have let your efforts go to waste. I know him; he would have adored a fine young lady like you."

Yu Lian pretended to be bashful, lowering her head.

The elder lady smiled affectionately and asked, "Have you written to your parents since you arrived? I've heard that although your grandmother is quite forceful, Yu Sanlang and his wife treat you like a precious gem. If not for your determination to marry Hua'er and take care of us, they would surely have paved a bright future for you, no matter how difficult it was."

Yu Lian shook her head. "I haven't written to my father and mother yet. With the thought of parting forever, I didn't consider returning to the capital, nor did I know how to write to them without causing worry or stirring up longing in myself."

She paused before continuing, "Tomorrow, I'll write them a letter and tell them about our new home, the vast land we have, and that my life is without worries. That way, they can rest assured."

The elder lady nodded. "That's good."

"Hua Zhan, after Lian'er finishes her letter, you run the errand and deliver it to the post station."

Hua Zhan agreed and fell silent. He surveyed their new house, a large and clean courtyard with three pigs in the pigsty, clucking chickens and hens in the coop, and two almost fully grown geese nearby that would soon become full-grown and run around the yard, bullying the chicks.

Behind the house were neat and spacious rooms. The elder lady and he had their own quarters in the eastern wing, while Little Guo'er and Aunt Mei resided in another. The twins, still young, shared a yard with them, and the daughter-in-law had her separate courtyard. Lastly, the elder lady occupied the northern wing.

Though the house wasn't grand compared to their previous one, it was theirs, signifying that they were now officially part of Upper Village. He sighed, releasing the breath of refusal to accept his fate. He finally acknowledged his failure and that his family had truly fallen from the capital to the countryside.

Upon reflection, however, the fact that they had preserved their lives was already the best outcome.

Lately, he had been having ambiguous dreams. In these dreams, Hua'er hadn't died, but their family had been sentenced to a three-thousand-mile exile. Yet, on the journey, they all perished, victims of bandits – a ridiculous notion, as who would dare to rob an escorted exiled group?

Despite it being only a dream, Hua Zhan felt as if it had truly transpired. He often wondered if Hua'er had also experienced this dream, foreseen their fate, and thus chose to sacrifice her life to save them first. Later on, if not for his daughter-in-law suggesting they return to their ancestral village, accidentally leading the family out of the emperor's sight, they would have remained a threat. The emperor, for the sake of his reputation, would not have harmed them further, allowing the family to survive by chance.

Reflecting on these events, Hua Zhan believed it was a combination of luck and coincidence. It was already miraculous that they were alive; what more could they ask for?

"Zhan'er, when you deliver the letter for Yu Lian, don't forget to write one to your in-laws, expressing our apologies and sincerity. You must tell them that I, this old lady, along with you and Mrs. Chen, will take good care of Yu Lian and won't let her suffer. This will ease their worries. It has been so long; I wonder how much those parents must be fretting over their precious daughter."

Hua Zhan nodded. "Mother, I understand."

Mrs. Chen promptly said, "I'll sew a couple of outfits or something. Even though I've never met her, I believe she must be a remarkable person to raise a fine lady like Yu Lian. I don't have anything valuable on hand, but I can make two outfits for her parents as a token of gratitude."

Making clothes for the in-laws? How inappropriate! But considering they indeed lacked any impressive gifts, the old lady allowed her daughter-in-law to proceed.

Yu Lian, however, suggested, "Don't rush to send the letter. Our mountain behind the house is an excellent spot. When I'm free, I'll take Yan'er, Xing'er, and Guo'er up there to gather some wild produce. We'll dry them and send them to the capital. My parents in the city have never tasted rural flavors; it would be nice for them to try."

"That's a good idea."

"Are there any other arrangements for tomorrow?"

"There's not much. Once we finish preparing that land, I plan to go to town to search for seeds, see what we can plant. With the current scorching weather, it's not suitable for planting anything. Let's wait until it cools down a bit."

"Let Yilan decide for herself, my dear. None of us truly understand this matter. If it really becomes too confusing, we can always lease the land to the villagers as a simpler solution."

As the family chatted casually, Aunt Mei suddenly recalled something and said, "Yilan, during today's feast, that son from Widow Zhao's household lingered by our kitchen back door for a while. I'm not sure what he was up to, and when I asked, he didn't reply. He just took off in a flash."