Re-embroidering life

Shui Qinghua's heart skipped a beat. She knew how painful the trip to Qianzhou was for Ji Zimo. If possible, he probably didn't want to go to Qianzhou again in his life, but he chose this place. "Have you really thought it through?" She looked at him worriedly.

Ji Zimo smiled and said, "It would be a lie to say I'm not afraid, but I know that if I don't find a way to cross this threshold, I will never be a good official in my life."

"You don't have to be an official. You can just be a calligrapher and painter and live a carefree life." Just like in the previous life.

Ji Zimo shook his head, his eyes showing sadness and determination: "Ever since I went to Qianzhou, I saw so many people working hard for a living, and a natural disaster or a government decree could make them lose everything. I can no longer continue to write poems and paint, or be a talented scholar. As a man, I must do something for this world."

The path chosen by Ji Zimo was full of difficulties and dangers. As a wife, she had no choice but to give him her full support, just like Ji Zimo had never said "no" to her decision to open an embroidery workshop.

"I hope that everything goes well for you, my husband, and that you will be blessed in times of trouble. I will pack your luggage whenever you leave."

"No rush, let's wait until after the Mid-Autumn Festival." Ji Zimo smiled, revealing his neat and white teeth.

Mid-Autumn Festival. Shui Qinghua suddenly remembered that the second family was coming back to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Calculating the time, it should be here in the next few days.

As expected, the next day, the old lady summoned the whole family to the main courtyard for the first time, saying that Ji Zifang and his family would arrive the day after tomorrow, and all the courtyards should be decorated to make it festive. She also told Tan Meixue to take care of the second room's food, clothing, housing and transportation, and make sure they feel the welcome and warmth of the Ji family.

On the day when the second wife came back, the old lady got up early in the morning and ordered someone to drive a carriage to the dock to pick her up. The whole family changed into new clothes, added new flowers and plants to the yard, and the kitchen started cooking early in the morning to make moon cakes and prepare for the welcoming banquet.

At noon, the old lady was feeling anxious when the gatekeeper came to report that the second master and his family had arrived at the main gate! The old lady tensed up and stood up, then slowly sat back in her armchair, acting like a mistress of a family.

There was a sound of footsteps. Qinyun and Qinxin opened the curtains. The second master, Ji Zifang, had already strode in. Before anyone could react, he had already fallen at the old lady's feet: "Mother, I am an unfilial son. I am back!"

The old lady couldn't hold back any longer, tears fell like broken strings: "You are so cruel, you have been gone for so many years and never came back to see your mother!" The mother and son hugged each other and cried bitterly, Ji Zixuan and Ji Zimo couldn't help wiping their tears.

The second wife, Sun Xiaolan, brought her son and two daughters, and knelt silently behind the second master. The old lady stopped crying, looked at them, and said affectionately: "Xiaolan, you have worked hard to take care of the family all these years." She also pulled several grandchildren over to look at them again and again. The eldest daughter of the second room, Ji Yun, is already thirteen years old, with a beautiful face, gentle and elegant. The eldest son, Ji Wei, is only a few months younger than Ji Ji, with a chubby face and very cute. The second daughter, Ji Ping, is the same age as Ji Fei, and is still childish.

The old lady called her darling over and over again, saying, "When you left, Ping'er was still in swaddling clothes, and in the blink of an eye, you have grown up so big. If it weren't for your third aunt who was worried about you, you would not have come back today!" After saying that, she wiped her tears again.

Shui Qinghua's heart skipped a beat, and she received the admiring gazes from Ji Zixuan and his brother, and the jealous and hateful gaze from Tan Meixue. Shui Qinghua pretended to know nothing, without even blinking, and just smiled gently at her nephews and nieces, and presented the greeting gift from the third room.

"Wow, what an exquisite sachet!" Several children exclaimed in surprise, looking at Aunt San with gratitude.

The sachets were embroidered by Huixin, and the patterns were raccoons, puppies and rabbits drawn by Yuhua, which were childish and interesting. Shui Qinghua observed the children's reactions and nodded secretly in her heart. It seems that she can open an animal series for children in Shuixiufang.

Sun Xiaolan also had a good impression of Shui Qinghua. Although this sister-in-law was not from a high family, she was very tactful and thoughtful, much better than her eldest sister-in-law who always had a gloomy face. After being a sister-in-law for so many years, she knew what Tan Meixue was thinking. One of the reasons why she didn't come back for so many years was that she didn't want to compete with her to avoid unrest in the family.

The old lady asked Tan Meixue if the yard for the second room had been cleaned up.

Tan Meixue bowed gracefully and smiled brightly: "How dare I neglect the old lady's order? I specially cleaned up the east painting hall. Although it is a little small, it is close to the main courtyard, so it is convenient for my second brother and his family to pay their respects to the old lady."

Everyone was silent. Huatangxuan, is that a little small? That was the boudoir where my younger sister Ji Ziyun lived before she got married. How big could a boudoir be to accommodate a family of five?

Before the second branch of the family went to work outside, they had their own courtyard. However, over the years, as Tan's son grew up, the courtyard was given to her three sons to live in.

The old lady's face darkened. She couldn't get angry right away, so she thought of a solution: "How about this, second brother, you and your wife take Ji Wei to live in Huatangxuan, and let Yun'er and Ping'er live with me in the main courtyard."

"Grandma, I want to live with my sister Fei'er." Ji Ping was lively and cheerful. While the adults were talking, she had already started playing with Ji Fei, and they were inseparable.

The old lady was happy to see that her grandchildren had a good relationship, and she laughed and said, "Okay, okay, you can live in the third room. Third daughter-in-law, you must take good care of them."

The courtyard affairs were handled in this way. At the welcoming banquet, there were many people today, so they were divided into two tables. Tan Meixue arranged the first wife's family to sit at one table with the old lady, and the second and third wives' families to sit at another table. The old lady's face immediately turned black. Today was a welcoming party for the second wife, so she wanted to get close to the second wife. The first wife was in front of her every day, and she hadn't seen enough?

Tan Meixue also had grievance written on her face. According to the order of seniority among the brothers, it was not bad for the eldest son to sit at the main table!

The second wife's family was smiling the whole time, as if they didn't notice the quarrel between the old lady and the first wife.

Shui Qinghua cleared her throat and came out to help: "Today is a holiday, we should let the children relax. They are uncomfortable sitting with adults. How about the adults sitting at one table and the children sitting at another?"

As soon as these words came out, the children cheered and applauded. The old lady's expression became much calmer. She walked down the stairs and told the maid to make arrangements quickly.

Shui Qinghua was once again delighted to attract Tan Meixue's resentful gaze.

Shui Qinghua thought to herself, sister-in-law, don't bother making things difficult for me. Just focus on your own power in managing the household. Second sister-in-law is much more capable than you.

Since dealing with Wang the shopkeeper and Ye Jincheng in the business world, Shui Qinghua realized that the little tricks of the eldest sister-in-law were not enough, and her eyes had already flown out of the backyard and were placed on higher places. Although mosquitoes are not fatal, their stings are also annoying, so she invited the second sister-in-law to help Zhao from Wei.

Second sister-in-law, it’s up to you from now on.