Chapter 372: Hope and Worry
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Mother! Mother!”
Ah-Yao was nestled in Han Qiao’s arms, talking non-stop. Han Qiao listened carefully for a while, but she couldn’t hear what he wanted to say clearly. It was entirely based on her guess that he was hungry and wanted to go to the dining room to eat.
“Is it time to eat?”
Yao nodded vigorously.
He looked obedient.
Han Qiao’s heart softened as she hugged him and kissed him.
Ah-Yao immediately kissed his mother.
The mother and son kissed each other’s cheeks for a while before heading to the dining room together.
Han Qiao held Ah-Yao’s hand, and Ah-Yao hummed and sang a song that no one could understand except himself.
He Cheng ran over.
“Brother, brother.”
“Toto! Toto!” Ah-Yao shouted and broke free from Han Qiao’s grip to run toward He Cheng.
They hadn’t seen each other only for a little while, yet they hugged each other as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages.
He Cheng opened his hand and showed Ah-Yao the earthworm in his palm.
Han Qiao had goosebumps all over her body.
However, Ah-Yao picked up the earthworm with a curious look on his face. “Buggy!”
“Yes, Buggy.”
Then, the poor earthworm became the brothers’ pet and was almost played to death.
The two brothers dug under the flowerbed and dug out a few more.
There was also Sun Ke.
Han Qiao didn’t stop them. As long as they didn’t eat it, it was fine if their hands and clothes were stained with mud. They just had to wash it clean.
Zeng Bao’er joined in the fun when he learned that they were digging earthworms.
With two more big hands, they dug even faster.
When Madam Jun came over, she saw Han Qiao waving her fan and standing at the side, looking at the children sticking out their butts.
“What are they doing?” Madam Jun asked curiously.
“Digging earthworms.”
Hearing this, Madam Jun’s scalp went numb.
“Those things can be played?” She asked in confusion.
“Children are curious about everything. Since they like to play with these things, let them play. After playing a few more times, their curiosity would pass. They wouldn’t play anymore even if they were asked to.”
Moreover, this was the children’s childhood.
A happy childhood, a lifetime of healing.
An unhappy childhood would take a lifetime to heal.
If knew of this, why would she be harsh on her children?
When Han Qiao said this, her eyes were filled with gentleness and love.
When the sky turns dark, the children should go back to take a shower.
After washing up, Han Qiao tells them a story.
Pucao had been fanning them for the past few nights.
Duofu was now taken care of by the nanny, servant girls, and old women, so Han Qiao slowly let go.
She was very busy and didn’t have time to take care of Duofu.
“Lie down, lie down. Let’s start the story.”
Han Qiao called the two children to her side and began to tell them a story in a gentle voice.
As she talked, the children fell asleep, and so did Han Qiao.
Pucao stayed for a while longer before getting up to open the window and sleep on the small couch at the side.
Dong Lai should be back soon…
It was getting closer and closer to the fifteenth day of the eighth month. Han Qiao also asked Li Mi to prepare to make mooncakes.
Especially the fillings.
Madam Jun was also trying her best to teach her daughter how to be a housekeeper.
With Han Qiao’s full support, Li Mi was able to manage the household chores in an orderly manner very quickly. The servants also listened to her orders and did their best.
“Mother, what filling should we make?” Li Mi asked.
“What do you think we should make?”
Li Mi was born rich and had good food and clothing. She naturally had a lot of knowledge.
“Fresh flowers, meat stuffing, five nuts, salted egg yolk, lotus paste…”
Han Qiao agreed, “Let Xiu and Auntie help you. You can teach them too.”
“Alright.”
Sun Xiu, Sun Yi, Li Mi, and a few other girls from the Feng family had opened their pearl shop. Business wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either.
After all, pearls were expensive. Only some people could afford them. After buying them, they would not throw them away casually. Even if they did not like the shoes in the future, they could still take the pearls back and make other designs.
Therefore, even if they didn’t earn a lot of money, they still had a small amount of money in their pockets.
To the girls, this was not a small sum of money.
Moreover, earning money was a significant event for them.
It was enough for them to be happy for a long time.
Han Qiao didn’t interfere with the mooncake making, so the three girls could handle it properly.
All kinds of fillings that could be prepared had been prepared early. They even specially baked some meat cakes. Ah-Yao and Cheng’er liked them very much. They could eat every one of them.
However, the two of them ate less salt and less seasoning. Even so, the two children still ate exceptionally well.
“Poor thing.” Madam Jun smiled.
She told the two children to eat slowly.
However, children devoured their food.
Thinking of her two children, Madam Jun looked at Li Zhao.
Li Zhao was smiling as he looked at Zeng Qin’er, who was also eating barbecued meat mooncakes.
There was a moment of clarity in Madam Jun’s mind.
Zeng Qin’er seemed to have sensed something and quickly moved out of the situation.
She did not even look at Li Zhao.
Li Zhao rubbed his nose and walked over. Zeng Qin’er ran away with the mooncakes in her hands.
Li Zhao was stunned.
Madam Jun covered her mouth and laughed.
Zeng Qin’er was a good-looking girl. Most importantly, she was hardworking and capable.
And smart.
However, she did not expect his son to fancy a young girl.
She was still a child.
In the blink of an eye, it was the thirteenth day of the eighth month. There were only a few days left until the Mid-Autumn Festival. Han Qiao was also a little anxious.
She didn’t go out either. She stayed at home with the children and rested while she could.
Of course, she was still waiting for Heng Yi.
“Madam, Madam, Dong Lai has returned.”
When Dong Lai returned from Xishan Village, Han Qiao quickly asked him, “How are they?”
“Old Master and Old Madam are very healthy. It’s just that the weather has been hot recently and their appetite hasn’t been very good. They look a little thinner.”
“This is what the Old Madam asked me to bring back for the Third Young Master.”
The two round lion balls looked especially festive. There were even bells hanging on them that jingled when they moved.
“I’ve also visited Han Laoshi’s house. His wife and children are honest people. When I informed them that Han Laoshi colluded with thieves, his wife and children kept kowtowing for forgiveness. Things are really difficult at home…”
The entire family’s clothes were all patched up. Because of Han Laoshi’s matter, they were also afraid of being implicated.
When Heng Yi was still a constable in Puyi County, the villagers didn’t dare to provoke him, let alone now that he was a marquis.
Dong Lai had only said a few words but that seemed to be enough for Han Laoshi’s wife to be so frightened that her entire body was trembling. She knelt on the ground and kowtowed non-stop.
“Let’s leave this matter at that.” Han Qiao said.
As for the rest of the Han family, she did not want to ask.
“Madam, this lowly one also saw the three Masters. Something happened at home.”
“It seems that the three Masters have severed all ties with Master Han and Madam Han”
Han Qiao sneered.
Without her taking the lead, Father Han and Han Yuan were determined to raise Han Xiao and Han Sa and acknowledge them. Han Xiang would not care about the two children if she married again. She still had to rely on Father Han and Han Yuan to look after her.
The three brothers could agree, but their wives could not..