PDLP Chapter 3 The Xiao Family
Chapter 3 The Xiao Family
the next day,
When Xiao Siyue opened her eyes—yes, Xiao Siyue could open her eyes now—she saw Lin Qin lying next to her.
She was slender with a beautiful oval face and long, flowing hair that made her look extremely gentle. However, her face was a little pale, probably due to the fatigue from giving birth yesterday. She was wearing a white nightgown and lying diagonally on the bed.
Wait, something's not right.
Why do these pajamas have such a retro style? Siyue quickly scanned her surroundings.
The room was clean and tidy, but there wasn't much furniture. There was a desk by the window, and the sunlight was streaming through the window and falling on the desk. Next to it stood a large bookshelf filled with books. On the other side of the desk were two large wooden chests, which were not locked. There was a table by the bed with a small bronze mirror on it, which looked like a dressing table.
Isn't this just like the furnishings in an old-fashioned farmhouse?
Did I travel back to ancient times?
In ancient times, transportation was extremely difficult, and how could a modern person like me live in ancient times? There were no cell phones, computers, or sugary drinks. Just thinking about it is terrifying.
"Yue'er, you're awake."
Lin Qin's words interrupted Si Yue's reverie. She turned to look at her mother, somewhat bewildered.
Lin Qin saw her daughter's big, round eyes open, as if asking, "What's wrong?" She found her exceptionally adorable.
Then she realized she hadn't fed the baby yet, and the baby was probably hungry.
Before Xiao Siyue could react, Lin Qin pulled her to her chest and instinctively began to eat her.
When she came to her senses, she felt a strong sense of resistance. She was a woman in her twenties, and even though her body had shrunk, she still felt somewhat embarrassed.
However, there was nothing she could do; after all, she was still a baby. She just hoped that time would pass quickly so she could get out of this awkward age.
I had just finished eating when the room door was opened.
"My wife, you're awake."
"Oh dear, Siyue is awake too. What is Siyue looking at with her bright eyes? Is she looking at Daddy?"
Following the sound, one saw a man in a light gray robe, its hem fluttering in the wind. His hair was tied up with a ribbon, towering high on his head like a dark mountain peak. He had delicate features, resembling an ancient scholar.
This is her father; he's very handsome and a good match for her mother. She probably doesn't need to worry about her looks; she'll definitely grow up to be a beautiful young woman.
"Yes, she just woke up, and I fed her milk," Lin Qin replied.
"Now that Yue'er has eaten, I'll go get you some food. You should eat some too." Xiao Qinian had come to check if his wife was awake and ready for breakfast, and this was just the right time.
Breakfast at farmhouses is quite simple, usually consisting of a bowl of brown rice porridge and a multigrain steamed bun. Those who are better off might also have a small dish of side dishes. The Xiao family happened to be one of those families who were better off.
Not long after breakfast, a lively chattering sound came from the courtyard. It turned out that the daughter of the Xiao family had returned.
"Grandpa, Grandma, we're here." The first to enter was Xiao Xiaogu's youngest son, Qian Jun. The five or six-year-old boy skipped and hopped into the courtyard.
"Father, Mother," Aunt Xiao and Aunt Xiao followed closely behind.
Hearing the noise, Old Lady Xiao quickly came out. Although her two daughters were married not far away, they were usually quite busy, and she hadn't seen them for several months.
"You're here, why bring so much? Come inside quickly." Old Mrs. Xiao took the things from her daughter's hands. Although she said this, the smile on her face that she couldn't hide betrayed her true feelings.
“Mother, I am your daughter, what’s wrong with being filial to you? Besides, we’ve come to see your sister-in-law today. Yesterday, my eldest brother said that she had a premature birth, so we came to visit her today and bring her some things to help her recover.” Upon hearing this, Aunt Xiao immediately helped her mother up.
“Come on, let’s go inside and see the fabric I bought for my little niece. I don’t know how to make clothes, so I can only let my third sister-in-law make them herself,” Xiao’s younger sister said to her mother, following Xiao’s older sister’s words.
"Hey, you still have the nerve to say that? I told you to study needlework properly, but you wouldn't listen and just played around all day. Now you know how shameful you are." Old Mrs. Xiao pointed at Xiao's forehead with a hint of doting.
Everyone burst into laughter. When she was little, Xiao Xiaogu was like a boy, always following Xiao Qinian around and playing instead of learning needlework properly.
The Xiao family is a large family living in Xiaojia Village, a small village under Taohua Town, Anyuan County, Qinzhou Prefecture during the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Xiaojia Village has a small population, about seventy or eighty households, and most of them are surnamed Xiao.
Grandpa Xiao, whose real name is Xiao Yong, lost his parents when he was a teenager. He was young and had no source of income, so he chose to join the army. However, he was injured and had to retire and return to his village. He is now 55 years old.
The old woman, whose real name is Wang Chunhua, is 50 years old this year. Her family is from the next village, not far away.
The Xiao family has a total of 5 children, three sons and two daughters, and now they have many children and grandchildren.
Uncle Xiao Qiren, 33 years old, married Zhao Yindi, 32 years old this year. They have three sons: Xiao Siqi, 14 years old, Xiao Siyuan, 10 years old, and Xiao Sining, 6 years old.
Aunt Xiao Qiru is 30 years old this year, and her husband Su Zhiming is 31 years old. They have two sons, the eldest son Su Lekang is 13 years old, and the second son Su Lean is 8 years old.
Xiao Erbo, Xiao Qili, was 28 years old when he married Liu Cui, who was 26. They had two sons, Xiao Sizhe, 11, and Xiao Sibo, 7.
Xiao Laosan, also known as Xiao Qinian, is 25 years old. He married Lin Qin, who is 23 years old. They have a son and a daughter. Their son, Xiao Siyu, is 5 years old, and their daughter, Xiao Siyue, was just born.
Xiao Qirong and Xiao Qinian, the younger sisters of the Xiao family, are twins, a boy and a girl. Their husband, Qian Lai, is their husband. The couple has two sons: the eldest son, Qian Hao, is 8 years old, and the second son, Qian Jun, is 5 years old.
Because he had served in the army, although his knowledge and experience were not comparable to those of wealthy families, he was still better off than the villagers who had never left the village.
After being wounded and discharged from the army, he married Wang Chunhua from the next village through the introduction of the village chief. The two lived a pretty good life. After having children, they didn't want their children to spend their whole lives toiling in the fields, so they thought about sending their children to school.
Although his wife, Wang Chunhua, was illiterate, she had a cheerful personality and was willing to listen to her husband's opinions. So the two of them decided to send their child to school.
Who would have thought that the eldest son wasn't cut out for studying? After studying for several years, he failed to even pass the preliminary examination and dropped out. However, he was cheerful and good at dealing with people, so he eventually became a waiter at a restaurant in town, and now he's the manager.
The second son is too weak-willed and doesn't like to talk. He likes to follow Grandpa Xiao around doing carpentry all day long. In the end, he didn't finish his studies and has now taken over his father's job as a carpenter.
The third son, however, proved to be a source of pride for Old Master Xiao. From the time he started school, he displayed a higher level of talent than other students. He was quick-witted, learned things quickly, and was deeply loved by his teacher.
So the elderly couple did everything they could to support Xiao Qinian's studies. Of course, Xiao Qinian did not disappoint them; he has now become a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examination) and is just waiting to take the provincial-level examination next year to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examination).
The Xiao family has two daughters. The eldest daughter, Xiao Qiru, takes good care of her younger siblings because she is the eldest. Although she is gentle, her brothers and sisters listen to her very much.
The eldest son-in-law was also a scholar, but he failed the imperial examination twice and gave up. He became a teacher at a school in town, where the Xiao family's grandchildren studied.
The second daughter was lively and learned some characters from her brother. She eventually married Qian Lai, whose family owned a tofu shop in town and was quite well-off.
After so many years of accumulation, the Xiao family is now considered one of the more well-off families in Xiaojia Village. They own 20 mu of fertile land and 30 mu of inferior land. Old Master Xiao himself is a carpenter and has saved some money, and his sons also have their own businesses.