TGFH Chapter 24: Family Feast Part 1

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 　　Just after the hour of You(酉), Xiao Min and her aunt Hua Lan arrived at the main courtyard together. Bai Yi and Xiao Yiran went to the courtyard to greet them after receiving the news.

　　"Aunt." Xiao Yiran supported Bai Yi and stood in the yard. After seeing the three people, he nodded symbolically and greeted Aunt Xiao.

　　Bai Yi smiled gently and greeted the three people one by one, "Aunt, Min'er, Cousin Lan, please come in and sit down."

　　Xiao Min smiled back and walked forward quickly, "Why did sister-in-law come out? We are family, so don't be so polite. Go in quickly and don't get tired." Then she looked back at Aunt Xiao and Hua Lan, and seeing that they caught up, she smiled and persuaded Bai Yi to go back.

　　Aunt Xiao followed behind with Hua Lan. Seeing Xiao Yiran carefully supporting Bai Yi, she muttered disdainfully, "What are you pretending for? You are just a bitch and a bastard..."

　　Hua Lan was closest to Aunt Xiao, and when she heard this, she was so scared that she quickly pulled on her mother's clothes. She did not withdraw her hand until she stopped talking, turned back and glared at her.

　　After everyone entered the hall and sat down, Bai Yi said to the three people with a smile, "I haven't gathered with everyone since I came to the General's Mansion. Today, it's a rare occasion that Yiran is in the mansion, so I thought of having a meal together. I hope my aunt and two sisters won't blame me for being nosy."

　　"It's Min'er who was inconsiderate. Auntie hasn't held a family dinner for so long. Auntie, don't blame Min'er." Xiao Min replied with a smile, then looked at Bai Yi's bulging belly and asked with a smile, "Auntie, it's been more than five months, right? Cousin Yun came to see you yesterday. How was it?"

　　"Yeah, everything is fine." Bai Yi touched his belly and smiled.

　　Although it was a family dinner, the general's mansion was not populated, and there were only six people including Bai Yi and the baby in his belly. Among them, Xiao Yiran was always silent, Hua Lan was just quiet, and Aunt Xiao didn't want to talk to Bai Yi at all, so it was only Xiao Min and Bai Yi who chatted a few words to avoid awkward silence.

　　It was not until the servants brought all the dishes that Xiao Yiran said expressionlessly, "Let's eat."

　　After hearing Xiao Yiran's words, everyone started to move.

　　Aunt Xiao looked at the table full of dishes with disdain. Although she was very unhappy to eat this meal, fortunately Xiao Min's warning during the day was still useful, and she did not deliberately make trouble. Hua Lan was still eating quietly at her seat. Xiao Min and Bai Yi looked at each other and smiled faintly, then stopped talking and ate quietly.

　　During the meal, Xiao Yiran kept picking up food for Bai Yi, which made Bai Yi feel a little embarrassed. He also received several glares from Aunt Xiao, which made him feel helpless. However, even though Aunt Xiao's eyes were about to pierce a hole, Bai Yi did not stop Xiao Yiran. He was very happy to accept the affection of his lover.

　　The meal passed quite quickly, and soon it was almost over. Aunt Xiao found the intimacy between Xiao Yiran and Bai Yi annoying, so she put down her chopsticks and said with a sullen face, "We've finished the meal, Lan'er and I will go back first."

　　Upon hearing this, Hua Lan glanced at her mother and quietly put down her chopsticks.

　　Xiao Yiran looked up at Aunt Xiao and Hua Lan, and suddenly asked, "Is my cousin nineteen this year?"

　　Hua Lan was startled by this question and immediately lowered her head. After a while, she replied in a low voice, "Well... after the New Year, I will be twenty."

　　Dazhao girls can get married when they are 15 and usually get married around 18. Hua Lan has not married yet because of Xiao Yiran. It would be a bit late to find a husband after she is 20.

　　Aunt Xiao did not expect Xiao Yiran to ask this suddenly. She was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and immediately said with a smile, "Yes, Lan'er will soon be old enough to get married. I remember that the eldest princess said that Lan'er would be her daughter-in-law when she grows up." The eldest princess that Aunt Xiao mentioned was naturally Xiao Yiran's mother, the same old lady who had passed away, and the elder sister of the late emperor.

　　Xiao Min frowned and glanced at Aunt Xiao, then smiled and said, "Cousin Lan is a kind-hearted woman. If I were a man, I would also like to marry her. Aunt must be jealous of Cousin Lan's future in-laws... But if Aunt sees sister-in-law, I'm afraid she won't have to envy other people's wives anymore."

　　Aunt Xiao's face suddenly turned dark after being blocked by Xiao Min. She hesitated for a while and just when she was about to open her mouth to make amends, Xiao Yiran spoke first.

　　"Lord Qin, the Young Master of the Household, is an old friend of my father. The eldest son of his house is twenty-two years old this year and is still unmarried. I have asked someone to inquire about it. The eldest son of the Qin family has a superior appearance and character. His literary talent and martial arts are also first-rate. If Lan'er feels it is possible, I can find a time to invite Master Qin to my house for a chat." Xiao Yiran said indifferently to Hua Lan.

　　In Dazhao, marriages between men and women were usually arranged by matchmakers and passed down through calligraphy and painting. However, the nobility was more meticulous in choosing their husbands. Often, women would invite the men to their house as guests, and the women could take this opportunity to observe them secretly. On the contrary, men would choose their wives in reverse. Their female relatives would invite the men to a banquet in a restaurant or teahouse, and the men would observe them secretly after the women arrived. As for men’s wives, except for those who had been engaged since childhood, they were usually people who knew each other well, so these steps were omitted.

　　Xiao Yiran's words clearly indicated that he had chosen the eldest son of the Qin Mansion as a husband for Hua Lan. Although the Qin family's family background was not as good as the General's Mansion, but it was a good one. Although the official position was not high, it was not bad. It was indeed not a disgrace to marry the cousin of the General's Mansion, Hua Lan. Moreover, Qin Zhenli, the eldest son of the Qin Mansion, was a man of both civil and military talents. If he had not just returned recently after traveling abroad for two years, he would have been engaged long ago.

　　Xiao Min had already told Hua Lan about these situations in the afternoon, giving Hua Lan enough psychological preparation. Therefore, Hua Lan was not surprised to hear Xiao Yiran say this. She had no objection to this arrangement, but was actually looking forward to it. After all, Qin Zhenli had a good reputation in Shengjing. Therefore, Hua Lan blushed and nodded gently.

　　Hua Lan had no objection, but Aunt Xiao was furious. She had thought that this was Bai Yi's way of showing off. She had endured the meal and was already furious. She didn't expect that there would be such a trick in the end. Aunt Xiao slammed the table hard and shouted, "I don't agree! Yiran, Lan'er has wasted several years waiting for you. Now you are going to arrange for our Lan'er to marry off casually? You are bullying me, an orphan and a widow , and your mother would never agree to it in the underworld!"

　　When Aunt Xiao called out like this, everyone looked over.

　　Bai Yi was hugged by Xiao Yiran and didn't say anything. Although he didn't expect Xiao Yiran to bring up this matter suddenly, he naturally stood on Xiao Yiran's side since he brought it up. However, it was not easy for him to speak up, so he could only watch in silence. Hua Lan was frightened by her mother and lowered her head even more. She didn't dare to speak in this situation. Fortunately, Xiao Min had already sounded out Hua Lan's opinion in the afternoon and knew that Hua Lan herself had no objection to this matter.

　　"Aunt! Don't say anything careless." Xiao Min was the first to reply. She looked at Aunt Xiao and said in a deep voice, "Cousin Lan is already nineteen. If big brother doesn't arrange a marriage for Cousin Lan, I will not agree. Besides, Min'er has heard of this Mr. Qin. He is indeed a handsome man and is definitely worthy of Cousin Lan."

　　"Hmph, I don't care who that is in the Qin family. Lan'er is going to marry Yiran!" Aunt Xiao could no longer suppress her anger and blurted out.

　　Xiao Yiran frowned and was about to speak, but was stopped by Bai Yi.

　　"Aunt." Bai Yi smiled and stood up, slowly walked to Aunt Xiao, and said in a friendly manner, "Yiran told me about this matter. If I hadn't shown up, maybe Aunt Xiao would have gotten what you wanted in the end, but now Yiran and I are already in love. Yiran will definitely not marry Cousin Lan, and I will not give in... In any case, it was Yiran who didn't make it clear at the beginning, which made you have expectations, and it was I who suddenly intervened, which made Aunt Xiao so embarrassed. It's our fault, and I am willing to apologize to you for this."

　　Bai Yi held his belly and knelt in front of Aunt Xiao. Xiao Yiran stepped forward to pull him up, but Bai Yi pushed Xiao Yiran away to stop her. "It's my fault for wasting cousin Lan's best years. It's my fault for disappointing aunt. But aunt is delaying cousin Lan's marriage. In the end, only cousin will be harmed. Can aunt bear it?"

　　"Aunt, there is no intention between cousin Lan and big brother, so why force it? Besides, Mr. Qin is really good, why don't you make a decision after seeing him?" Seeing Bai Yi kneeling down, Xiao Min hurried forward to persuade her, and signaled Cuiying to help Xiao Yiran pull Bai up.

　　Aunt Xiao had already been shaking with anger when she saw that Xiao Yiran and Xiao Min were both on Bai Yi's side. Now that Bai Yi was kneeling down to persuade her, she felt that Bai Yi was being hypocritical, and her rage grew even greater. She could not restrain herself for a moment, and picked up a porcelain bowl from the table and smashed it over.

　　The incident happened suddenly. Xiao Min did not expect her to suddenly attack. Although she reacted immediately and stepped forward to stop her, it was still too late. The porcelain bowl had already flown towards Bai Yi. Xiao Yiran was leaning against Bai Yi. Seeing this, he immediately stepped forward and protected Bai Yi in his arms.

　　“Boom!”

　　"Lan'er!"

　　"Cui Ying!"

　　The porcelain bowl fell to the ground, with blood stains on the rim, and rolled to the side.

　　Hua Lan knelt in front of Bai Yi and Xiao Yiran with her eyes closed, her body still trembling slightly. She was extremely scared, but when she saw her mother throwing the bowl, she had no time to stop her. When she thought that the person kneeling on the ground was the one her cousin loved and that she was pregnant with her cousin's child, she would be even more afraid if something happened. So she stood in front of Bai Yi, but she did not feel any pain until Aunt Xiao and Xiao Min's voices rang out.

　　She opened her eyes tremblingly, only to see the maid who had been following Xiao Min standing in front of her, with blood still oozing from her forehead. Hua Lan was so frightened that tears immediately flowed out, and for a moment she didn't know how to react.

　　"What are you standing there for? Go and call Doctor Zhong!" Xiao Min let go of Aunt Xiao's hand, stepped forward to support Cuiying, and shouted to the other servants who entered the hall after hearing the noise.

　　"Someone, send Madam Hua and my cousin back to the villa." Xiao Yiran said in a deep voice while holding Bai Yi, whose face was a little pale.

　　The servants also reacted immediately and hurriedly cleaned up the mess. Aunt Xiao was obviously frightened by Cuiying with blood all over her head and Hua Lan standing in front of Bai Yi, so she didn't argue anymore and obediently followed the servants to take Hua Lan back to the villa.

　　"Min'er, let me bandage her and stop the bleeding first." Although Bai Yi's face was still a little pale, looking at Cuiying with blood all over her face on the ground, he gently pushed away Xiao Yiran, took the medicine box brought by the servants, and half-knelt to apply medicine and bandage Cuiying.

　　"Sister-in-law, you don't look well. You should go back and rest. Let me do it here." Seeing Bai Yi forcing herself with a bulging belly, Xiao Min immediately advised.

         "Yes, madam, I'm fine. It's just a minor wound and I'll take care of it myself." Cuiying also reached out to stop Bai Yi.

　　"I'm a doctor, I'll do it." Bai Yi shook his head and said guiltily, "I'm sorry that you were injured because of me." If he hadn't expected Aunt Xiao to suddenly attack, Cuiying wouldn't have been injured.

　　However, after this incident, Bai Yi finally understood that he had been tolerant and retreated before only because the other party was Xiao Yiran's family, and he hoped to become a real family with Xiao Yiran's family. But if the other party did not regard him as a family member and kept pressing him, then there was no need for him to be tolerant in everything. This time, because Cuiying and Hua Lan were there to block him, otherwise, maybe he and the child in his belly would be in trouble.

　　"Okay, don't get wet these few days, change the dressings frequently, and see a doctor if anything happens."

　　Bai Yi didn't stand up until he had bandaged the wound on Cuiying's head. However, because he had been half-kneeling for a while, he felt a little dizzy and unsteady when he stood up. Fortunately, Xiao Yiran had been guarding behind Bai Yi. He reached out and held Bai Yi in his arms to support him, "Are you feeling unwell?"

　　"I'm fine. I just felt a little dizzy when I got up." Bai Yi shook his head and leaned against Xiao Yiran's arms. He smiled apologetically at Xiao Min, "I'm sorry that I asked you to come over for dinner, but you made a mess."

　　"Sister-in-law, don't say that. It's Min'er who is not good at managing the household... You are not feeling well, so you should go back and rest with my brother. Leave the rest to me." Xiao Min said worriedly when she saw that Bai Yi's face was indeed not good.

　　"I'll take him back first. Thank you for your hard work." Xiao Yiran, who had been silent all the time, spoke at this time. Without giving Bai Yi a chance to refuse, he nodded to Xiao Min, and then Xiao Yiran carried Bai Yi back to the house.

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