Chapter 378: The Daughter Who Arrived Late

The Heir to Prince Ying finally noticed that the often overlooked Yan Lao’er was actually quite close with the villagers.

With the Yan brothers back, Xiao’an Village felt different.

The villagers respected and even relied on them more than they did on Xiao Er, the young girl.

Yan Lao’er finally extricated himself from the crowd and rushed to his wife, his face alight with joy, even his hair seemed to be smiling.

Knowing the importance of propriety^[1], he took his wife’s hand and led her back to their courtyard.

The two of them went into the kitchen to talk.

Yan Lao’er was reluctant to let go, never getting enough of looking at his wife.

One moment he would have her sit down, the next he’d ask if she was cold, poking the stove from time to time, then suggesting he fetch some goat’s milk to warm up for her…

Upon being told by Li Xuemei that the goats were too startled to produce milk, he could only sigh in frustration.

“Why don’t you make some egg drop soup? I’m a bit hungry,” Li Xuemei suggested with a smile.

“Alright!” Yan Lao’er replied as he busied himself, turning to chat with her.

He didn’t mention Crouching Tiger’s situation at all, only the fact that Magistrate Tian had accepted him as a student.

“Mei, what do you think of me taking this teacher? I feel this old man is decent, he truly cares about the people. When holding a knife to defend the city, he was full of energy, and that slogan he shouted…

He even promised to help me conceal my actual abilities. Honestly, it moved me deeply, though it doesn’t really matter. I was already prepared to be embarrassed, but the old man seems a bit pitiful… We don’t have to do much, my brother said, once we officially become disciples, we just need to visit often. Then, we can take the family to meet the Master’s wife in the Prefectural City.”

Li Xuemei followed his train of thought and asked, “The Master’s wife is alone in the Prefectural City?”

“Yep, I suppose she doesn’t feel it’s safe here in Crouching Tiger…” Yan Lao’er’s voice grew softer.

Li Xuemei understood him well. If nothing was wrong in Crouching Tiger, he wouldn’t stay silent. Not mentioning it meant the situation was dire, and he didn’t want her to worry.

How could Magistrate Tian be pitiful? She’d seen him when he came to Xiao’an Village; though a bit aged, he carried himself impressively, vibrant and full of authority.

How did he become ill? How come there was no one around him? Why was there no one to take care of him, leaving only her husband?

These thoughts couldn’t withstand scrutiny. The more she thought, the more her heart raced uncontrollably.

Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to calm her spirits.

Yan Lao’er enthusiastically brought the egg drop soup, kept stirring and blowing on it, testing the temperature before urging her to eat.

Li Xuemei took a sip, closing her eyes. It was just the right taste.

Seeing him constantly gaze at her belly, a joyful expression on his face, she had an inkling.

She softly asked, “Is it a daughter?”

“Indeed, it’s our little girl!” Yan Lao’er blurted out, then realized he might have misspoken, cautiously watching his wife’s expression.

A slow smile spread across Li Xuemei’s face.

It was like melting ice and snow, with spring’s warmth bringing the swallows back.

“Ever since we arrived here and they said I was pregnant, I’ve been… hoping,” Li Xuemei gently stroked her belly and said, “At that time, my thoughts were scattered. On one hand, I felt this wasn’t our child, but since we’ve taken on this identity and can’t return, who knows how that family will be. We should raise this child well, even if they’re not close to us later, it’s fine, we still have our daughter.”

“Exactly, exactly, our daughter is raised so well, everyone envies us. Our Dabao is so smart and sensible, always a joy to be around. Just looking at her brings happiness,” Yan Lao’er said proudly.

Li Xuemei chuckled softly, then continued, “I often wondered if it would be a boy or a girl. If a boy, it would be troublesome. By local custom, we’d have to find him a wife, have him take care of us in old age, and give him most of our estate. Then, once our Dabao is married off, she becomes an outsider^[2]… I don’t like that idea.”

She really didn’t like it.

So back then, she was often gloomy.

“That little rascal dares to defy us, I’d break his legs!” Yan Lao’er pretended to be fierce, eyebrows raised.

Li Xuemei punched him lightly, laughing, “Who are you scaring? You’re the one who spoils the children the most.”

Yan Lao’er chuckled, warmth in his eyes, “But it’s a daughter, Mei, it’s our daughter who’s come to us…”

As he spoke, tears began to fall before they even had a chance to well up.

Li Xuemei’s eyes also reddened, “I thought how wonderful it would be to have a girl, but it’s only a fifty percent chance, still too small. I didn’t dare hope, didn’t dare wish…”

Yan Lao’er cried with abandon, “I know, I know, it’s all my fault for not taking better care of you both, it’s all my fault.”

“How can I blame you? It was my own stubbornness, insisting on sending off that graduating class. Otherwise, I could have left early and none of it would have happened…”

Li Xuemei’s tears finally fell. She closed her eyes, steadied her emotions, and said, “Let’s not talk about the past.”

“It’s my fault…” Yan Lao’er said, but stopped when Li Xuemei grasped his hand.

“The child is growing in my belly every day. I want to ask Granny Rong, but I’m also afraid of knowing…

Yan Huaian, let’s just say this daughter of ours is twenty years late in arriving, alright?”

Yan Lao’er nodded while crying, “Alright! Yes, she’s just late. This little heartless one finally remembered her parents and sister and is coming to us now! Boohoo…”

Li Xuemei smiled through her tears, gently caressing her belly over and over as if it was never enough.

Yan Yu squatted outside the kitchen, her red eyes staring up at the sky.

She had always known about the unborn sister.

Her parents hid it from her, but the meddlesome relatives back home didn’t, speaking freely even in front of children. Her cousins would tug her neatly braided hair, using the merriest tone to deliver the cruelest words.

“Aunt keeps having girls, haha, you don’t have a brother, your family line will end…”

“Aunt can’t have any more, there will never be another child…”

“To work you have to give up children. Who knows if they were lost by accident or on purpose…”

Yan Yu slowly stood up, tiptoeing away.

First, she went out through the backyard, running a lap outside.

With the first rush of cool wind, her eyes returned to normal, and even her mind felt clear and refreshed.

She quickly ran to the big rock, standing next to her uncle.

Pretending as if she had been there the whole time, as if nothing had happened.

Yan Huaiwen glanced at her, reaching out to smooth down her messy hair.

“Uncle, haven’t they reached a decision yet?”

“For such a big matter, some time is needed.”

Yan Yu glanced at the Heir Apparent nearby, sneaking a look at her uncle.

Yan Huaiwen understood and told the Heir Apparent that he would step away for a moment to fetch a child’s jacket.

Yan Yu pulled her uncle aside, whispering, “Uncle, being a Squad Leader or Platoon Commander, is it good or not? I mean, what do you think?”

“What I think doesn’t matter. What matters is what the villagers think.” Yan Huaiwen taught her, “The villagers’ trust doesn’t mean we must comply with all their wishes. This concerns the future for several generations.”

(End of chapter)