Chapter 134

Chapter 136: Unexpected (Part 1)

Eleven Niang was puzzled, unsure who this "Xiao Lan" was or how the Fifth Master had gotten her pregnant... But remembering the children were still in the room, she couldn’t help but glance their way.

Xu Siqin, who had been smiling moments ago, now wore a tense expression and retreated to the corner.

Such matters shouldn’t be discussed in front of the children. Besides, Xu Siqin wasn’t that young anymore!

She beckoned to Xu Siqin and the others, "Brother Qin, Zhenjie, let’s go see if the maids have set the table yet."

Xu Siqin and the others were startled, their eyes turning to Xu Lingyi.

Hearing Eleven Niang speak, Xu Lingyi suddenly realized.

Such matters shouldn’t be discussed in front of the children. Moreover, it concerned the reputation of the Fifth Master. No matter what, he was still an elder!

He immediately nodded and said, "You all go ahead."

The children breathed a sigh of relief and followed Eleven Niang out of the inner room.

Only Chun Ge was still clueless, being pulled along by Zhenjie while curiously looking back, "Sister, why isn’t grandmother happy about having another grandson?"

Zhenjie glanced awkwardly at Eleven Niang, her face red, and whispered, "Don’t ask."

Chun Ge pouted, looking aggrieved.

Eleven Niang couldn’t help but smile slightly.

The children still saw her as an outsider, so they were trying to maintain their dignity in front of her!

She didn’t know how long the adults would talk; usually, it was already time for dinner. She asked the children, "Are you hungry?" Her eyes were on Chun Ge.

Before Xu Siqin could answer, Chun Ge indeed nodded and said, "Hungry!"

Xu Siqin and the others couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed.

Eleven Niang led everyone to the eastern side room.

"Have a few slices of apple to tide you over. Once the Third Master and Third Madam arrive, we can start dinner!"

She directed the maids to serve each person a few slices of apple on small gold-rimmed plates, "Besides, eating fruit before a meal is good for your health!"

The children had varied expressions—Xu Siqin was full of curiosity, Zhenjie was somewhat shocked, Xu Sijian was grinning, Xu Siyu had a strange look in his eyes, and only Chun Ge loudly said, "You’re wrong. You should eat the meal first, then the fruit."

Eleven Niang smiled and crouched down to Chun Ge’s eye level, saying, "The flavor of the meal is strong, and the flavor of the fruit is light. If you eat the meal first and then the fruit, the flavor of the fruit will be overwhelmed. How will your stomach know there’s still fruit to eat?"

Chun Ge was left speechless, his mouth opening and closing, unable to find a rebuttal.

Eleven Niang then patted his head, "So, you should eat fruit before the meal. Give your stomach a heads-up, tell it you’re about to eat, so it can get ready."

Chun Ge seemed confused by Eleven Niang’s reasoning, staring blankly at her as she patted his head.

Xu Sijian burst out laughing, "Fourth Aunt, you... you’re really good at spinning nonsense."

Xu Siqin also laughed, "Fourth Aunt, you’ve completely confused Chun Ge!"

Zhenjie found it amusing too, smiling quietly to herself.

Only Xu Siyu was looking at Eleven Niang with a flickering gaze.

Eleven Lady knew that the widely accepted belief was to eat fruit after meals, and discussing scientific matters might not be understood by others, potentially making them think she was eccentric. She had no intention of telling others how to live their lives.

She smiled and shifted the conversation, asking, "It’s already late November—haven’t you had your break yet?"

Eleven Lady recalled that the tutor the Luo family had hired in the past would take a holiday before the winter solstice and return in the spring.

Laughter filled the room, lightening the atmosphere.

Xu Sijian casually settled into a nearby armchair and sighed, "We have to keep studying until Laba, eat Laba porridge, and bid farewell to the teacher before we can close the school. Other families stop at the winter solstice."

Eleven Lady nodded, carrying Chun Ge to the large kang by the window. "Our family is the same. The teacher leaves at the winter solstice and returns at the start of spring," she said as she removed his shoes.

Chun Ge fidgeted slightly but then obediently sat on the kang.

Zhenjie quickly stepped forward to help take off Chun Ge’s other shoe.

"Auntie!" Xu Sijian perked up. "Why don’t you talk to Uncle and suggest that our family also closes at the winter solstice and reopens at the start of spring?"

All eyes turned to her.

Eleven Lady, noticing Xu Siyu’s serious gaze, smiled slightly and said, "This is a matter for you men. How can a woman take the lead? If you want to suggest it, go and speak to the Marquis yourself."

Xu Sijian let out a mock groan and slumped in the armchair. "Auntie, you’re teasing me."

Eleven Lady’s gaze shifted to Xu Siyu and Xu Siqin.

She saw both of them nod slightly, showing agreement.

Eleven Lady was somewhat surprised.

She hadn’t expected Xu Siyu, who had always been somewhat distant and aloof toward her, to agree. *This child is fair-minded and truly commendable,* she thought, nodding inwardly.

Zhenjie, hearing Xu Sijian’s words, showed a hint of anxiety and quickly said, "Mother, should we help set the table?"

She changed the subject, as if worried that Eleven Lady might be upset by Xu Sijian’s antics.

Sensing Zhenjie’s concern, Eleven Lady felt both touched and envious—the children were united and looked out for one another.

Naturally, she wanted to reassure Zhenjie and smiled, "Good! Let them stay here, and we’ll go help Yao Zi set the table."

But Chun Ge tugged at her sleeve. "Mo—Mother, if I eat the apple first, will my stomach really know?"

He had called her "Mother" on his own...

Eleven Lady breathed a sigh of relief, her smile brightening. "You have to eat an apple before every meal for a long time—then your stomach will know. If you eat it today and not tomorrow, and it’s not as smart as Chun Ge, how would it know?"

Chun Ge laughed.

Eleven Lady was momentarily taken aback.

When Chun Ge laughed, his eyes were clear, radiating a pure innocence... She had seen such a smile on Eldest Lady when they first met.

For some reason, her eyes welled up.

Afraid others might notice, she tilted her head and blinked. "Alright, Chun Ge, sit here nicely and play with your brothers. Sister and I will go set the table. When your third uncle and aunt arrive, we can eat!" With that, she hurried toward the nearby table.

Unbeknownst to her, Xu Siyu’s gaze had been following her all along.

*

Although it was said to be laying out the chopsticks, in fact, the maids had already prepared everything. They just needed to take the items from the maids and place them on the table.

Zhenjie lowered her head, wrapped the chopsticks that the maids had handed over earlier with a handkerchief, then slowly placed them down, looked around, and adjusted their positions... very slowly, yet it gave a sense of dexterity.

She knew that laying out the chopsticks was just an excuse, and she was deliberately doing it slowly!

Looking at the quiet and mature Zhenjie, and thinking about her long time living with the elder madam, with only the naive Chun Ge by her side, Eleven Miss suddenly felt that she was very lonely.

Eleven Miss thought of the Second Aunt who taught her to play the piano... she wondered what her plans were after receiving Qin Yi's letter?

"Since the Second Aunt is not at home, and the Fifth Aunt has moved to the back garden," Eleven Miss asked her, "have you stopped practicing the piano?"

Since the day she heard her play the piano in Shaohua Courtyard, Eleven Miss had never heard her play again.

"I stopped practicing," Zhenjie smiled, "the Second Aunt said that poetry, chess, calligraphy, and painting are all just things to cultivate one's temperament, and one should not become too absorbed in them."

Why suddenly talk about becoming too absorbed?

Eleven Miss looked at Zhenjie's hands.

She held the chopsticks very steadily.

"Besides learning the piano, what else have you learned?" she asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I've dabbled in a bit of everything," Zhenjie smiled somewhat shyly, "but I'm just better at playing the piano."

Hearing this, Eleven Miss felt a pang in her heart: "You really like playing the piano."

Zhenjie lowered her head and did not answer.

From the large kang by the window came the cheerful laughter of Xu Sijian and Chun Ge.

Eleven Miss couldn't help but sigh.

Some are innocent and lively, others are mature beyond their years, and some are cold and indifferent... but one shouldn't suppress their true nature.

"Does grandmother like you playing the piano?"

Zhenjie smiled, "Grandmother has trouble sleeping at night and needs to nap during the day. I'm afraid of disturbing her."

Hearing this, Eleven Miss felt a pang of sadness.

Looking at Xu Lingning's two children, Xu Siqin is clever and Xu Sijian is simple, and then looking at Lord Xu's three children, one is lonely and restrained, one is eccentric, and only Chun Ge is normal.

Managing the household, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world... Lord Xu probably only excels in "governing the country"!

Deep in thought, a young maid lifted the curtain of the hall: "Third Young Master and Third Madam are here!"

Eleven Miss, worried they were heading to the west chamber, hurried to greet them: "Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law. Please, have a seat here!"

Third Young Master was wearing a dark blue silk robe adorned with a pattern of five bats holding the character for longevity, and behind him, Third Madam was wearing a bright red, gold-embroidered brocade jacket. Both were smiling and walked in with great energy.

"What's going on?" Third Madam looked at the curtain hanging in the west and then at the lively children in the east, looking puzzled.

Third Young Master was also full of confusion.

Eleven Miss was pondering how to start when Xu Sijian, hearing the commotion, rushed out: "Father, Mother, what took you so long?"

Third Madam quickly embraced her son who rushed over: "Can't you be as steady as your brother?" she scolded, though her smile was full of affection.

Xu Siqin and Xu Siyu stepped forward to pay their respects to Third Young Master and Third Madam, while Zhenjie helped Chun Ge put on his shoes and led him over to pay his respects as well.

"You’re all here!" Third Young Master looked kindly at the children. Xu Siqin then gave his father a meaningful look, "Father, mother, Grandmother is speaking with Fourth Uncle and Fifth Uncle, let's sit over here!"

Third Young Master’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he quickly regained his composure, smiling and agreeing, "Alright," then followed Xu Siqin to the east chamber.

Third Madam, however, had a gleam in her eyes and pulled Eleven Miss aside: "Why is this? Why are you left outside with the children?"

There was no hiding this!

Eleven Miss smiled and said, "It's said that Xiao Lan is pregnant! I thought it would be inconvenient for the children to be there, so I brought them all out."

Hearing this, Third Madam showed disdain: "Since she's been made a concubine, she should be taught what to avoid! This vague behavior might seem virtuous, but it’s just hypocrisy to me!"

It seemed Third Madam knew about this Xiao Lan!

This was a matter of the fifth household. Eleven Miss chose not to comment, smiling, she walked with them to the east chamber.