Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Xiang Lian had already harbored the intention of reuniting with the Han family, and now that the Han family had dealt with Liu Zhenzhen the way they did—whether out of genuine sincerity or other considerations—it was enough for her to try opening her heart to them.

After all, as the saying goes: judge by deeds, not intentions; for if we judged by intentions alone, no one in this world would be perfect.

So, just a few days after the Liu family's downfall, Xiang Lian and Kang Zhanxun brought their son and took the initiative to visit Shangpo Village.

This was the first time the Han family had seen Xiang Lian and her son in person.

That one look was all it took for the Han family to understand why Han Zhang had suspected her identity after seeing her and her son just once.

Because the resemblance was truly striking.

Little Yi'er and Han Zhang were indeed cousins, and they looked remarkably alike.

And Xiang Lian... though she only bore a slight resemblance to Grandpa Han, the rest took after Grandma Han in her youth.

One person looking alike could be a coincidence, but two? How could that still be coincidence?

Even without modern paternity testing technology, looking like this was more than enough to confirm the blood relation.

Grandma Han's hands trembled as she stepped forward, pulling Xiang Lian tightly into her embrace, weeping heart-wrenchingly:

"My child... it's all Mother's fault for being useless, letting someone switch you out without me even knowing, letting you suffer all those years of hardship in that cursed Liu family..."

"Your father and I have failed you... Thank heaven for its mercy, letting you find a good match. Don't worry about us from now on—just live well in the marquis's household."

"Though our family has nothing grand to support you now, your eldest nephew, Da Lang, is a good student. When he passes the imperial examinations and earns top honors, he'll be able to back you up... so you can always hold your head high in your husband's family..."

Though her daughter now appeared in fine silks and jewels, with an air of elegance and grace, the status of a concubine was ultimately an inherent flaw—one that would always invite disdain wherever she went. How could she not ache for her?

Grandpa Han was also weeping, his Adam's apple bobbing for a long moment before he managed to choke out a hoarse sentence:

"...You look just like your mother did when she was young."

"Sis... little sister..."

Han's father, Second Uncle Han, Third Uncle Han, and Fourth Aunt Han—who had rushed back from her husband's home upon hearing the news—all stood nearby, looking agitated and uneasy.

The siblings stood frozen in place, at a loss, with "awkward" practically written all over their faces.

It wasn't that they felt inferior—after all, the Han family had always been good at keeping their spirits up.

They were simply worried that this long-lost sister might still resent the family's oversight back then;

And that their humble, impoverished household simply couldn't measure up to the sister who had clearly been raised in wealth and comfort.

In the eyes of every member of the Han family, there was only tenderness for Xiang Lian and a wariness of being rejected by her—not a trace of covetousness or greed toward her status.

Xiang Lian had matured early and seen much of the world's highs and lows. She could tell genuine from fake at a glance.

"Father... Mother..."

She finally sobbed into her mother's shoulder, releasing years of pent-up grievances in a flood of tears.

That cry held so many emotions—the fear of being mistreated by the Liu family as a child, the confusion after learning her true origins, and the bittersweet release of finally coming home.

Everyone watched quietly as mother and daughter wept in each other's arms. No one tried to stop them. Some emotions fester when bottled up too long; only by crying them out could the heart find relief.

When they had cried enough and vented it all, the whole family sat down together, catching up on all the years that had passed.

Everyone already knew about Xiang Lian's ordeal and didn't want to bring it up for fear of upsetting her, so they only touched on it briefly.

It was mainly Grandma Han and Grandpa Han who spoke, introducing their daughter to every member of the family.

"Your older brother, older sister, and sisters-in-law are all easy to get along with. Everyone has their little flaws, of course, but bickering within a family is normal—small quarrels keep things lively, just don't let them escalate. And your nephews and nieces are all well-behaved children."

"In the Han family, everything else is flexible, but when it comes to running the household, we must all pull in the same direction—no one is allowed to be selfish in that regard. It's precisely because of this that we all chipped in to support Da Lang's studies. He excels at his studies; he's our family's hope."

"The name Xiang Lian is lovely too. Da Lang said that the lotus rises unstained from the mud, so we won't change your name. We'll put it in the family genealogy. Would that be alright with you?"

Grandma Han clutched her daughter's hand, as if trying to tell her everything about the family in one breath.

Xiang Lian listened just as attentively, and she didn't feel slighted that the Han family hadn't suggested changing her name.

Because she knew—the Han family wasn't neglecting her; rather, they cared so deeply that they were afraid of overstepping their bounds and causing her distress.

The name Xiang Lian was given to her by her husband; it had nothing to do with the Liu family.

She had lived a good life in the marquis's household, and this name was not a shame to her—it was a blessing.

"Alright..." Xiang Lian smiled warmly, pulling her son forward to introduce him: "Father, Mother, this is my son with my husband, named Chen Yi. Yi'er, come—say hello to your grandfather and grandmother!"

"Grandfather! Grandmother! Uncles! Aunts! Fourth Aunt, Fourth Uncle! Cousins!"

Little Yi'er was very clever—not only did he greet Grandpa and Grandma Han, but he also went around calling every member of the Han family by name, not missing a single one.

His clear, sweet child's voice was utterly charming.

It delighted Grandpa and Grandma Han so much that they nodded repeatedly, smile lines deepening at the corners of their eyes: "Ah—good, what a good child!"

Han's father and his siblings, overjoyed, quickly grabbed candies from the table and pressed them into his hands: "So this is Little Yi'er? He really does look like Da Lang—they could be brothers!"

"That's right, that's right! Little Yi'er really does look so much like Big Brother!"

"Little Yi'er, how did you grow up looking more like Big Brother than even me? He and I are brothers from the same mother!"

"Little Yi'er, since you look so much like Big Brother, you'll definitely grow up to be just as handsome, and you'll marry someone as beautiful as Sister-in-law!"

The younger generation of the Han family was lively by nature, and once someone started a topic, they got chummy right away.

They even threw in a compliment for Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan beamed with delight, then, suddenly remembering something, tugged at Han Zhang and laughed: "Husband, now that Earl Kang has become our uncle by marriage, won't my second brother and the others have to change how they address him from now on?"

After all, because of the earlier bet, his second brother and Brother Pan and the others had been gloating quite a bit over "making their sworn enemy their little brother."

Now that Kang Zhanxun had suddenly become an elder, wouldn't his second brother and the others be crying their eyes out?

Kang Zhanxun caught on too and laughed immediately: "No problem! From now on, we'll each use our own terms—I'll call them brothers, and they'll call me father. Nobody's stepping on anybody's toes."

An uncle by marriage is still a father, and a father is a dad.

Is there anything wrong with calling him dad? Nope, not a thing!

Xiang Lian awkwardly pinched her husband's waist: "Husband, quit messing around."

"Ha ha ha ha..."

The whole room cracked up at Kang Zhanxun's goofy yet relatable antics.

The fact that a titled lord would clown around like this to amuse everyone showed how much he valued Xiang Lian and her son, treating the Han family like real kin.

The family reunion was warm and full of good vibes.

After some heartfelt talk and setting a date for the welcome feast and adding them to the family registry, Xiang Lian, with Grandpa and Grandma Han watching reluctantly, climbed into the carriage with her husband and kid to head back to the city.

It wasn't that Grandpa and Grandma Han didn't want to keep their daughter and her family longer—it was just that the little Han family courtyard couldn't fit the lord's whole crew.

Watching the carriage disappear down the road, Grandma Han and Grandpa Han stood at the door for a long time, dabbing at their eyes.

Han Zhang stepped forward to comfort them: "Grandpa, Grandma, don't worry. It's just that the house can't hold everyone right now. Fifth Aunt's always thinking of you. Once we build a bigger house, we'll definitely have a big family get-together for New Year's."

"Build a house, you say?"

Grandpa Han and Grandma Han looked unsure.

The idea sounded good, but even in the village, building a big house would cost a pretty penny.

Even though the family was doing better now, scraping together that much money at once wasn't easy—they couldn't exactly dip into their grandson's husband's dowry, could they?

It was one thing for Da Lang to live off his husband, but for the whole family to mooch off him for food, housing, and building a house—that just didn't sit right.

Shen Qinglan noticed Grandpa and Grandma Han's worry and smiled as he spoke up:

"Grandpa, Grandma, don't worry. My husband's a whiz with flowers, and our flower shop's bringing in good money now. We could afford more than one house—even several."

"Really?"

Grandpa and Grandma Han turned to Han Zhang, eyes wide with excitement.

Han Zhang also smiled and nodded: "Grandpa, Grandma, rest assured. I've got it under control. In a few years, the younger kids will be old enough to marry, and with more people in the family, it's time to build a big house. It'll also make it easier for Qinglan and me to come back and stay."

He didn't mind the little farmhouse, but his husband still wasn't used to it every time they came back.

Now that he had more money to spare, building a big house was a must—and it wasn't pricey in the village anyway.

Hearing this, the Han family no longer hesitated.

Grandpa Han and Grandma Han beamed with joy, saying repeatedly: "Good, good... Our Da Lang has made something of himself. Grandpa and Grandma get to share in the glory..."

Han's father and mother were bursting with pride—their son was truly remarkable.

Not only had he found a husband with excellent family and looks, but before even becoming an official, he was already bringing prosperity to the family. Who else's son could match their Da Lang's abilities?

"Eldest, go fetch your Third Uncle! There are only a few months until New Year's—we need to start arranging the house construction as soon as possible!"

Grandpa Han was spirited, his voice bright and strong.

Thinking of the family reunion at the New Year, the old man radiated joy.

Grandma Han also cheerfully called to her daughters-in-law:

"Let's get moving too. Sort through the fabric that Lan Ge'er sent back the other day—we can sew some new quilts. Sleeping in a new house with new quilts for New Year's—that's double the blessing!"

"Alright, Mother, you rest. We'll go move the chests."

Han's mother and the others happily agreed and hurried off with brisk steps to prepare for the New Year in the new house.

Shen Qinglan quickly directed Qiao Dong and the others: "Go help Grandma and Mother take inventory. Note down any materials we're short on, and we'll have the fabric shop owner deliver them to the village."

"Yes, Young Master."

Qiao Dong and the others hurried to help.

Once everyone dispersed, Shen Qinglan and Han Zhang returned to their room and closed the door for a private chat.