Originally, it had been agreed that Lin Jiaxin would stay in the same room as me, but once we got home, that changed.
Lin Yuan watched with concern as her father lay on the Kang, drunk as a skunk, feeling a wave of regret. Why hadn’t she stopped him during dinner? Now that he was this intoxicated, she didn’t know if it would have any adverse effects on his leg.
Lady Liu, however, was seated on the edge of the Kang, wiping Lin Jiaxin’s face with a warm cloth, her eyes filled with joy. As she wiped, she whispered to Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng, who were standing by, "Your dad, it’s been more than half a year since he last had a drink, not to mention this drunk."
Lin Yuan looked at her mother, perplexed, "Mom, dad is so drunk, you’re not angry?"
If Xia Zheng got so drunk that he couldn’t even move, she would’ve definitely thrown him out of the house! The stench of alcohol was all over him!
Xia Zheng touched his nose, receiving Lin Yuan’s warning, and smiled ingratiatingly.
Lady Liu smiled and squinted her eyes as she finished wiping his face, then began to wipe Lin Jiaxin’s hands, slowly and gently, afraid of accidentally waking her husband.
"What’s there to be angry about? If your dad is happy today, let him drink a little more. I remember, your dad has been drunk less than five times. The first time was on our wedding day, the second was the day when you were one month old. And then..."
Lady Liu paused in her wiping, suddenly changing her tune, "Today, your dad is truly happy, his daughter has done well, and also there’s this fine..."
"Mom!" Lin Yuan quickly interrupted her before she could finish.
Lady Liu chided her daughter with a laugh, "Alright, alright, I’ll say no more."
Even though Lady Liu didn’t finish her sentence, Lin Yuan knew why Lin Jiaxin had gotten drunk. It was also because of her little brother who passed away early. They had waited for so many years and finally had a son. How could they not be overjoyed? They just hadn’t expected that the child would pass away so soon, without even living to see his first month.
Looking down at Lady Liu’s belly, Lin Yuan remembered what Lao Fan had said: this child was supposed to be a healthy one, and nothing like an early death would happen. However, because Lady Liu’s nutrition hadn’t been sufficient in the first half of her pregnancy, even though it had improved in the last few months, there was still a chance the child could be frail.
Being frail wasn’t so bad; what Lin Yuan feared most was the possibility that after her parents finally had another son, tragedy might strike again. Lao Fan had assured her, with utmost certainty, that Lady Liu’s child would definitely be a boy!
A son was great, not because she disliked her sister but because the era was simply cruel. A family without a son would be regarded as having no descendants. Those without sons were looked down upon by others. Just think about the grievances Lady Liu had suffered at the hands of Lady Yang in the previous years, and it was evident.
Even if they were wealthy, without a son, they would always be the target of gossip for some people.
"So, where exactly am I supposed to sleep?" Xia Zheng suddenly tugged at Lin Yuan’s sleeve and asked in a low whisper beside her ear.
Lin Yuan felt a warm breath on her earlobe, a spicy sensation that made her heart itch. Knowing he was doing it on purpose, she pulled her sleeve out of his hand and glared at Xia Zheng fiercely, almost through gritted teeth, "Sleep on the floor!"
Xia Zheng pouted in aggrievement.
Lady Liu also noticed the whispered exchange between the two and looked at Xia Zheng with a somewhat difficult expression, holding the cloth in her hand, "I’m really sorry, Ah Zheng. Look at your uncle, he’s so drunk, if he starts vomiting in the middle of the night, I’m afraid..."
Looking at Lin Yuan, Lady Liu continued, "Why don’t you stay in the bridal room for the night? The Kang is already set up there, it’s just missing the bedding. In a moment, I’ll have Da Ya prepare a new set for you. What do you think?"