"That's true," Wang Shufen nodded in agreement.
"Look at Lockhead's kid, he's truly unbearable to watch. Eating with food all over his face, he has no manners at all," she pointed at a young boy at the banquet, clicking her tongue in disdain.
"He's looking more and more like his mother, with eyes that look down on people."
Xue Niang looked over. The child, over ten years old, was slovenly. He ate with his mouth full, holding food in his hands, completely unrestrained.
There was no one else beside the father and son. Liu Lockhead paid no attention to his son, focusing only on his own meal.
"Is that Tian Luhua's son?"
Wang Xiulan looked down on this family. "Isn't it? Forget about others, this father and son are shameless. Have they forgotten what happened back then? Heaven sees all. I heard that Lockhead deliberately starved Tian Luhua to death back then.
Now, this kid is only eleven, and he's already daring to lay hands on Liu Lockhead. It's truly retribution. Just watch, when he gets older, he'll probably be kicked out by this son."
As they were talking, a woman carrying a child approached.
"Chunsheng, say hello to Auntie."
Xue Niang looked at the woman with confusion, taking a long time to recognize her as Chen Dong's wife.
Why had she aged so quickly? There were wrinkles around her eyes, many age spots had appeared, and her skin was as rough as any other village woman. Her attire hadn't changed, she still liked to tuck a silk flower into her hair.
It was just that she had switched to darker colors, which weren't eye-catching.
The child was disobedient, wriggling on her, reaching towards the banquet.
Seeing her made Xue Niang feel extremely disgusted. She could now remain calm even when facing Xu Daniu, but towards this woman, she felt nothing but loathing.
Wang Shufen pursed her lips.
"Hurry and take the child to eat, look how hungry he is."
She thought her own child was exceptionally good, but others didn't care. Villages had no shortage of children, yet she thought her own was a precious gem, incomparable to any other.
In reality, the child wasn't particularly good-looking, not at all like the deceased Chen Dong, with a sharp mouth and a monkey-like face.
"Auntie, I just came to thank you. I haven't seen Miss Xiao for several years, so I thought I'd come and chat."
What was there to chat about with her? This person was truly clueless.
Xue Niang picked up an orange from the table and began to peel it. Her crystal-clear fingertips were like fine jade, seeming to flow with a watery sheen under the sun.
How could someone become younger as they lived?
Su Peilan stared at the fingertips, lost in thought. When she came back to her senses, she saw that they had already moved on to other topics, with no one paying attention to her.
The child only wanted to break free and eat, making her feel very embarrassed.
"Miss Xiao, look at my child, he's so restless. I won't bother you any longer. You're doing so well now, with no children, you have so much less to worry about!"
Su Peilan thought with no small amount of jealousy. A woman, if she had children, how could she still be as delicate and beautiful as a flower? Her figure and appearance clearly showed she had never given birth. After so many years, perhaps she was unable to have children!
Thinking this, her heart felt a little better.
What was the use of being beautiful? What did it matter if a man doted on her? Without children, perhaps the man would grow tired of her at any moment. A woman without sons to rely on would be very miserable in her old age.
Xue Niang ate a segment of the orange and casually looked at her, "Who says I don't have children?"
"Ah? Xue Niang, you and Xiao Shan have children? Is it a son or a daughter?"
The first to ask was Wang Xiulan, with a look of pleasant surprise.
Xue Niang smiled, "A son and a daughter, twins."
"Wow!" A round of exclamations.
As expected, Xiao Shan was impressive. To have two at once, truly capable.
Su Peilan was once again left on the sidelines.
"Where are the children?" Aunt Feng was very curious. "Our village hasn't had twins before! Let's see what they look like, do they take after you or Xiao Shan? Oh, if they take after you, they'll be incredibly beautiful!"
"They've always been with their aunt. Now that my body has recovered, I've already notified their aunt, and she'll be arriving in a few days."
"This is truly great news!" Everyone was beaming with joy.
They thought they would definitely come to see them in a few days. Twins, how rare and precious!
Su Peilan's face stiffened. She looked at Xue Niang's belly, half-believing, half-doubting. Her body, no matter how she looked at it, didn't seem like she had given birth.
No, it didn't even look like she was married!
"Mother, let's go! Let's go!"
Chunsheng's mouth watered at the sight of the meat on the banquet, and he wriggled forcefully, almost making Su Peilan lose her grip on him.
"You only know how to eat. Didn't you just eat meat yesterday?"
Su Peilan was very annoyed, and she slapped his bottom hard. "Fortunately, you were born in the third month and received imperial favor, otherwise, I truly wouldn't be able to raise you."
Wang Xiulan said impatiently, "Alright, stop making noise here. We know your child is noble, so raise him well!"
The third month?
Xue Niang was startled.
Oh my! How could she have forgotten!
Bei Yue and Bei Shang also had birthdays on the twenty-second of the third month. It was only a few days away, would they be able to make it in time?
Where had Xiao Shan gone?
There were too many people, Xue Niang stood up and craned her neck, but couldn't see him.
"What's wrong? Xue Niang?" Wang Xiulan asked.
"Ah, my children's birthday is coming soon. I asked Xiao Shan to find out where he is, so he doesn't miss the return."
"Ah? They were also born in the third month?"
"Yes, it's in just a few days."
Xue Niang looked for a long time without seeing him, then sat down, thinking she would ask in the evening.
However, she saw Wang Xiulan and the others all wearing strange expressions, a mixture of happiness and envy.
And Su Peilan's face turned pale. She no longer found it offensive and, holding her child, turned and left without a word.
"What's wrong?"
"You don't even know?" Wang Xiulan was surprised, but then she understood.
"That's true, your family is wealthy, they don't lack money, but receiving imperial favor is still quite prestigious."
"Do you know why Chen Dong's wife dotes on her son so much, raising him like a golden nugget? It's because he was born in the same month as the princes and grandsons. The court provides him with nourishment until he's ten years old! Three hundred wen a month! That's equivalent to what a strong man earns.
How much can a child spend? It's the adults who benefit. Otherwise, how could a widow like her survive? Because of this, she thinks her son is gilded, making her incredibly proud."
Xue Niang remembered this matter. It was decided during the palace banquet for the children's full moon.
She had objected at the time, but that person was insistent. She thought it was a good thing and finally agreed.
So, it was actually being implemented!
"I never thought that we ordinary people would one day receive imperial favor. We have to thank the good Emperor and the Divine Maiden of Jing Country."
Wang Xiulan clasped her hands together in prayer, and the others followed suit.
Xue Niang: "..."
The banquet continued until the afternoon, and people gradually dispersed, clearing their own tables and returning as they came.
Her third brother was drunk early and was carried back to the room to sleep by Xiao Shan.
He himself had also drunk a lot, his dark face showing a flush from within.
Xue Niang had seen his drinking capacity in the military camp; he could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.
This little bit of alcohol couldn't have knocked him down.
However, he leaned on her, pretending to be unable to hold his liquor.
"You stink, you smelly man."
"Not smelly," Xiao Shan's voice was heavy, as if he were acting cute.
A big tiger was acting cute.
"You are smelly," Xue Niang pinched his nose.
As the two of them entered the house and were about to close the door, they saw a little girl suddenly appear from the corner.