The two sisters-in-law boarded the car, and Bao'er gave an order, and the coachman immediately whipped up and set off for home.

Sister Lu Hong saw that there were no outsiders in Zuo Jin, so she asked, "Sister-in-law, is that Shen Gongzi an old acquaintance with you?" When Xia Chunchao saw her and asked, he told the relationship between the Shen and Xia families, and only hid the section where the Shen family proposed marriage, and said: "His family and my mother's family were originally world friends, and there were some business contacts in the early years. When he was young, he often came to my house with his mother, so we knew him. Sister Lu Hong nodded and said: "That's the case, I'll just say, my sister-in-law usually rarely goes out except for coming to the shop to check the accounts, how can she recognize such a person." As he spoke, he paused slightly, and then said: "This Shen Gongzi is a talent, and he almost even has to compete with his brother." Xia Chunchao heard her voice, so he said: "When I was still at home, my father also said that he was good. It's just that the sky is not beautiful, and I am born to meet the sorrow of this widow. If you want to continue the string in the future, you have to choose it at the small gateway person's house. When Sister Lu Hong heard this, she just bowed her head and said nothing, and only sighed for a long time. Xia Chunchao also only did not listen.

After a while, Sister Lu Hong suddenly remembered what she had bought on the street, so she took out the peony grass and handed it to Xia Chunchao. Xia Chunchao took it over, and saw that this velvet flower was very exquisite, the pattern was fresh, bright and vulgar, and he liked it very much. Just considering the daily teachings of my mother-in-law, I said in my mouth; "It's beautiful, but it's a pity that your brother is not at home, and I can't wear such gorgeous flowers." When Sister Lu Hong heard this, she was quite unimpressed, and said: "Sister-in-law, this is too much, it is when you are young, why don't you dress up?" It's not that my brother is dead, and my sister-in-law is widowed at home. Wearing such a plain all day long, I buried my sister-in-law's good appearance in vain! ”

When Xia Chunchao heard this, he hurriedly took a sip and reprimanded: "Children's family, such a mouth is not blocked!" When your brother saw that he was fighting at the border, did he say such things casually?! For no reason, curse him to do something! When I got home, I said no to my mother. "That Sister Lu Hong was not afraid of this sister-in-law, but she was afraid that her mother would be suspicious, so she hurriedly grabbed Xia Chunchao's arm and coquettishly again and again, and the good sister-in-law called her sister-in-law four or five times, and Xia Chunchao, who had just been entangled, changed her words.

The two laughed for a while, and Xia Chunchao suddenly sighed again: "Your brother has not come back for several years. The letter always said that the situation at the border was not good, and I didn't know when I would be able to come to my house to have a look. Sister Lu Hong was very surprised when she heard this, and even said: "Yesterday, my mother told me that my brother asked someone to come home with a letter, saying that he would return to Beijing next month. Sister-in-law doesn't know? Xia Chunchao was also taken aback, and hurriedly asked, "Is there such a thing?" Why didn't I know at all? When will the letter arrive? My mother didn't tell me. Sister Lu Hong said: "When I heard my mother talk about it, it had been two days since the letter was delivered. When Xia Chunchao heard this, he lowered his head and said nothing. Sister Lu Hong hurriedly said: "Presumably, my mother saw that my sister-in-law was busy with family affairs for the past two days, and she didn't have time to tell her sister-in-law for a while, and there was nothing else." Xia Chunchao asked softly, "What did your brother say in the letter?" Sister Lu Hong said: "My brother's letter said that the war at the border has eased. The leader of the Yi tribe in that compartment intended to make peace, and the commander who led the troops sent him back to be a messenger, and he was already on the way. ”

Xia Chunchao's complexion turned pale, and he smiled: "It's better to prepare for a good life." ”

As he spoke, the carriage had already arrived at the door of Lu's house. Bao'er got out of the car first and helped the two of them down. When the doorkeeper saw this, he greeted him and greeted him, while someone rushed in and shouted, "Grandma, the girl is back!" ”

Sister Lu Hong scolded with a smile: "This group of monkey cubs has never been so attentive in the past. How did you run so fast today? Xia Chunchao saw a two-passenger sedan chair parked at the door, so he asked, "Is there a guest at home?" The little guy who came up to follow him replied: "It's the wife's mother's family who came, and Mrs. Zhang brought the young lady over, and now the lady is sitting in the room." Before Xia Chunchao could speak, Sister Lu Hong said: "It turns out that my aunt and cousin are here, and she has a bad family at home, so she has the heart to come." With that, he entered hand in hand with Xia Chunchao.

The house where the Lu family lives now was originally built by Lu Huancheng's father, and the chief of the family was awarded the long house when the family was separated.

This house was originally a two-hall courtyard, with a whitewashed wall and shadow wall inside, and a pomegranate and a dwarf pine bonsai placed underneath. The first floor was originally the main hall and guest house, and the residence of my grandmother Lu Jia was also here. Beyond this is a small patio with peach and plum trees. Through the patio, it is the wing room on the ground floor, where Lu Huancheng and his wife, Lu Chengyong and Lu Hongjie stay here every day. The two houses on both sides against the wall are the residences of the Lu family, as well as the kitchen and the place of Dongjing. Although this courtyard is small, fortunately, the Lu family has a small population, but it can still be lived. When Xia Chunchao married into the door, the Lu family was prosperous, and a few new subordinates were used, and the house was immediately tight, and it was quite inconvenient to enter and exit. Seeing this scene, Xia Chunchao discussed with her husband and spent more than 100 taels of silver to expand the back wall of her house a few zhang and build a few new houses. Because the old house has been in disrepair for a long time, it has been strengthened and repaired once.

After the house was completed, Lu Jiashi and Lu Huancheng moved into a new house, and a shrine was placed in the front hall to worship Guanyin and the sages. Lu Chengyong and Xia Chunchao lived in her in-laws' original house, and Sister Lu Hong also moved in with her grandmother.

At that moment, the two girls went back to the house, and when they were re-dressed and dressed, they went to the room to say hello.

Xia Chunchao returned to the house, and Zhu'er, the girl who accompanied the room, greeted the general, and said with a smile: "Grandma has been going for a long time today, and she won't come back until this morning." Xia Chunchao said: "When I came back from burning incense, I went to the shop to have a look." Shopkeeper Xia put on a few new good goods, looked at it, and calculated the account again, but it was too late. "I omitted the section on Hexiangzhuang meeting Shen Changyu.

Zhu'er came up to wait for her to change her clothes and comb her hair, and when she glanced at Bao'er and saw that Bao'er was already sitting on the stool on the side, she smiled and said, "Don't be lazy, Mrs. can wait over there, why don't you clean up for grandma quickly." This time I will be a young lady again. Bao'er pouted: "You didn't go today, accompany your grandmother to Dade Temple from home." It's enough, don't talk about coming back, go to the shop again, in and out of the house, so little way! My legs are very sore now, so I'll work hard for you! Xia Chunchao listened to the two arguing, so he asked, "When did Mrs. and Miss Tong come?" Zhu'er replied: "Grandma came not long after she went out today, and the two-seater sedan chair stopped at the door, and Xing'er, who was the messenger, was bluffed. When the letter came in, the wife seemed to know about it for a long time, and only said please come in. As he spoke, he smiled and said, "This is also strange, if my wife knew that there was a guest at home today, why did she agree to grandma to go out?" ”

Xia Chunchao listened to it in his ears, and he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart, but he still said in his mouth: "Presumably my mother has other plans, but don't talk here." Now that there are guests waiting, don't hurry up and dress me. ”

After a while, the clothes were finished, Xia Chunchao left Bao'er in the house, gave a few instructions, and then took Zhu'er to the upper room.

Walking to the door of the upper room, it happened that Sister Lu Hong brought her little girl Xing'er over, and when she saw her, she smiled and said, "I was saying that I was going to look for my sister-in-law, but it happened that my sister-in-law came, so we just went in together." After saying that, without saying much, he took Xia Chunchao's hand and stepped up the steps. Apricot opened the curtain, and the two walked in.

When I entered the room, I saw Mrs. Liu sitting on the jujube wood circle chair in the front, and the big girl Changchun standing on the side holding tea. There is a middle-aged woman sitting at the bottom, with a round bun on her hair, beaded hairpins on her sideburns, a lake-green placket on it, and a honey-colored swastika pattern covering the ground skirt below. As soon as the Liu family saw the two of them coming in, they were about to get up, but the Liu family opened his mouth to stop him: "You can sit, they are all juniors, but I want to give you a salute." ”

At that moment, Xia Chunchao and Sister Lu Hong stepped forward to salute and greet the Liu family. Liu Shi responded, but he didn't say anything at first, only walked his eyes to Xia Chunchao, and then said to Aunt Zhang: "Look, it's such rudeness." There was a guest at home, not to mention coming to see him, but he didn't know how to go and change his clothes first. Aunt Zhang only smiled and didn't answer. Xia Chunchao saw his mother-in-law reproaching, and hurriedly smiled: "What my mother taught me is that my daughter-in-law also knows that there are guests at home, and when I went out, my clothes were stained with some dust, and I was afraid that I would lose my manners when I saw the guests, so I went to change them first." Sister Lu Hong also smiled: "Mother, don't blame your sister-in-law, it's a big day outside, and I'm sweating a lot." The garment was sticking to his body, and it was not uncomfortable. I also went to change my clothes before I came. ”

Seeing her daughter say this, Liu didn't say much, so he said, "Let's see your aunt first." ”

The two sisters-in-law walked up to Aunt Zhang, and each said ten thousand blessings and called her aunt. Aunt Zhang picked up Sister Lu Hong, looked at her with her eyes, and said with a smile: "I remember that when you left Beijing, you were only a little old." In the blink of an eye, you're so big. It's not a sign that the birth is good, but is there a family? Sister Lu Hong's face was blushing and she was silent with a smile. Liu said above: "Some people came to see each other a year ago, but they didn't like it. Fortunately, she is still young, so let's mix it up at home first. ”

After listening to this, Aunt Zhang looked at Xia Chunchao again, but smiled at Liu's family and said, "This is Brother Yong'er's daughter-in-law?" Sure enough, my brother-in-law didn't lose his eyes back then. Saying that, Fang Cai said to Xia Chunchao: "Brother Yong'er is not at home all the year round, but he has wronged you." Xia Chunchao was about to answer, and the Liu family had already spoken: "Brother Yong'er is earning a future with his name outside, otherwise where would this family have today!" The daughter of this merchant's family fell a crown of pearls from the sky, and became a lady on the flat ground, how much cheaper did she get! Xia Chunchao listened to it, and saw that there was no room for interjection, so he had to keep silent.

After a while, everyone sat down. Liu Shi looked at Aunt Zhang and asked, "My brother-in-law had a bad time outside, and now he has gotten to the point of returning home naked." My niece's daughter has suffered another incident, what are you going to do now? ”。