The dinner was incredibly lavish.
Two chicken eggs, thoroughly mixed with white flour, made into egg noodles. Seven peeled, boiled bird eggs were placed on a plate, along with a dish of stir-fried green vegetables and crispy fried lotus root fritters. In front of each person was a large bowl of plain rice.
Although they had been eating their fill for many consecutive days, the four boys still couldn't help but drool profusely.
Cheng Loanloan served each person a bird egg, and finally added one more to Wu Huinüang's bowl.
Wu Huinüang was slightly overwhelmed by the favor. "Mother, one is enough for me. This one is for you..."
"One for each person, it's fair." Cheng Loanloan glanced at her belly. "When these busy days are over, I'll invite Physician Zheng to examine you."
She had never been pregnant and didn't understand what precautions were needed during pregnancy, but women in modern society had monthly check-ups. Inviting Physician Zheng to examine her certainly wouldn't be wrong.
Wu Huinüang's eyes welled up slightly.
She had been married into the Zhao family for a year and had been tormented for a year. If it weren't for Dashan's love for her, always secretly saving food for her to eat, she probably wouldn't have been able to bear it long ago.
Before, Dashan was her light.
Now, she felt as if her mother-in-law was glowing.
There were seven bird eggs in the house, and she could actually eat two of them. She had never imagined her mother-in-law would treat her so kindly.
"Mother, I..."
Wu Huinüang wanted to say something, but her voice caught in her throat, unable to form the words she wanted to speak.
Cheng Loanloan patted the back of her hand. "You're about to become a mother, you mustn't cry. Otherwise, the child will cry every day after birth and annoy people to death."
Wu Huinüang swallowed her tears.
The family was about to eat.
A faint sound suddenly echoed in the courtyard.
"Er Gou Ge, where are you?"
It was a girl's voice.
Zhao Ergou didn't even eat his rice, throwing down his chopsticks and heading towards the outside of the courtyard.
Cheng Loanloan looked over curiously. A girl wearing a patched lotus-pink dress stood outside the courtyard wall. She looked delicate and charming, but she was extremely thin. One could tell at a glance that she was experiencing a famine year.
A spark of gossip ignited in Cheng Loanloan's eyes. "Si Dan, stop eating, quickly see if that's your second sister-in-law?!"
Zhao Sidan's mouth was full of food. He nodded vigorously. "Yes, it's Shui Qin Jie. I met her once, so she's my future second sister-in-law!"
Zhao Sanniu's eyes widened. "Second sister-in-law is so beautiful."
This girl had proper features and very large eyes. She indeed looked beautiful, especially since she was wearing clean clothes, which made her stand out even more.
The tangerine-colored sunset glowed on the girl's body. Her pupils reflected the brilliant sunset as she looked up at Zhao Ergou standing in front of her.
Zhao Ergou didn't dare to look into the girl's eyes, his hands fidgeting, unsure where to put them.
Cheng Loanloan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Youth was truly wonderful. Love was undisguised, and seeing it made one's heart flutter. But immediately, she couldn't laugh anymore.
Looking at the second son's expression, full of youthful infatuation, she knew this boy was determined to marry her. This girl actively coming to find the second son must also have feelings for him.
In other words, their family was about to hold a wedding feast.
Holding a wedding feast meant spending money.
Actually, she wasn't short on money. The ginseng she sold brought in one hundred and twenty taels of silver, enough to last her a long time. However, she lacked a legitimate reason to openly spend it.
If she were too obvious, she would face a major problem.
Cheng Loanloan casually asked, "Dashan, how much silver did you spend on your wedding banquet back then?" Zhao Dashan's face suddenly turned red, and he stammered, "I, I don't know..."
Wu Huiniang, on the other hand, was so shy she was about to bury her entire head in her rice bowl.