"Xiao He, what’s wrong?" Lin Yuan approached her gently, noticing that the soy milk and meat dishes in her bowl had barely been touched and thinking she didn’t like them, "Don’t you ? Should I make something else for you?"
Xiao He didn’t expect Lin Yuan to notice her amid so many people, feeling surprised and a bit embarrassed as she quickly waved her hands, "No, no, Yuan sister, the food is really delicious, there’s no need to make anything special for me."
It wasn’t just because she was afraid of troubling Lin Yuan that she said this; today’s meal was indeed very tasty.
"Then why aren’t you eating?" Lin Yuan sat beside her, took a newly steamed bun, and handed it to her.
Xiao Shitou and Xiao Linshuang were sitting on the side, competing to see who could eat faster, while Sanchen and Guizhi’s sister-in-law, not needing to feed their children, were chatting with Loudmouth and Lan Hua while eating.
Xiao He took the bun, feeling a mix of sadness and helplessness, "I, I saw them drinking and remembered, I remembered..."
Without finishing, Xiao He lowered her head, her shoulders trembling imperceptibly.
This time Lin Yuan finally understood. She glanced at the men who were happily drinking in the outer room, sighed inwardly—this child, she was reminded of her own father. Or more precisely, she was reminded of how Lin Dashuan would drink and then hit and yell at her, no wonder her eyes held a trace of fear earlier.
Patting Xiao He’s head, Lin Yuan whispered comfortingly, "Silly Xiao He, your dad isn’t in the village anymore, he will never drink and hit you again. Don’t be afraid."
"But what if he gets out in a few years?" Xiao He’s lingering shadow didn’t dissipate with a few words from Lin Yuan, after all, that man had beaten and scolded her for many years.
Lin Yuan was at a loss for how to respond to her, she couldn’t just say your dad will definitely not get out, will definitely die in jail.
Xiao He bit her lip, her tone utterly flat, "I really hope he never comes out."
Lin Yuan was startled, not expecting this child who used to take Lin Dashuan’s beatings without a peep, would harbor such deep hatred, wishing he would never be released.
Nevertheless, Lin Yuan could understand the sentiment; if she had grown up under the tyranny of such a father, she would also long to forever escape that person.
The meal at noon was prepared by Lan Hua and Loudmouth. Although it wasn’t as delicious as those personally made by Lin Yuan, such rich dishes with meat in this village were rare. Coupled with the sizable steamed white buns, it left everyone stuffed.
After the meal, the women helped Lin Yuan clean the dishes, while the men continued to chat over tea. They didn’t sit for long before they all dispersed.
During the warming of the beds—a tradition when guests bring gifts to the host—when leaving, the host couldn’t let the guests go empty-handed. Normally, pastries made by the bride’s family should be given, but because of the special situation at Lin Yuan’s house, she didn’t give pastries or buns made from white flour, instead, she had prepared boxes of cakes from Rice Flower Fragrance.
Calling it a box of cakes, it was essentially an assortment of various cakes neatly arranged in a box and wrapped with red silk thread. Each box contained eight different homemade cakes from Rice Flower Fragrance, two pieces of each type. Though not the most expensive kinds, they were superior in taste and mostly unavailable in other shops.
The box used for the cakes was also very exquisite, and everyone who received it praised it highly.
However, looking at these carefully carved wooden cake boxes, Lin Yuan always felt a pang of distress. It wasn’t that she minded the expense, rather the wood was too costly and too precious; if she continued to make boxes like these, it would waste so much timber.