In the evening, after dinner, Zhu Yuanyu was chatting with his parents.
Then thinking of the scene at noon, Zhu Yuanyu asked casually: "Is that my aunt's family?"
Wang Chunmei's eyes sharpened, "Son, have you met them?"
"Well, I met this one in the garden today. She said she was my cousin, and the other one called me my eldest cousin. I don't know when I got so many more relatives..." Zhu Yuanyu sneered.
Wang Chunmei glared at Zhu Dafu and complained: "The whole family has defected to our house, and your father was kind enough to take him in. Not only you, but also I have met your aunt for the first time, and we haven't interacted with you for many years." …”
Zhu Dafu just smiled and didn't dare to say anything.
"Forget it, your aunt treated your father well when he was young. We should take them in, but we should still find a place for them to stay and make a living." After saying that, Wang Chunmei glanced at Zhu A rich look.
Zhu Dafu nodded in agreement, "That's right!" Then he looked at Wang Chunmei flatteringly.
Wang Chunmei rolled her eyes at him and didn't care anymore.
Zhu Dafu breathed a sigh of relief.
While the three of them were talking about other things, a maid came in.
"Master, madam, young master." The maid said hello, "Auntie and the others are here."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Zhu walked in with a smile.
"Oh, my grandnephew is here too! Come, come here quickly, I'm your great-aunt! She's grown so big..." Mrs. Zhu had a happy expression on her face, as if she wanted to hold Zhu Yuanyu's hand and look at her carefully.
The three of them stood up when Zhu came in, and the maid also stepped aside. Zhu Yuanyu saluted and inadvertently avoided Zhu's hand.
Mrs. Zhu didn't notice either. After Zhu Yuanyu finished her salute, she took her hand back, but her eyes were still looking at him.
An inexplicable dark light flashed in Wang Chunmei's eyes, she stepped forward slowly, held Zhu's hand, and said softly: "Aunt, please sit down. Someone come, serve tea to aunt and the others, and bring the seasonal gifts that Zhuangzi sent today. Let’s bring some fruits here, too, for Aunt and the others to have a taste. Aunt, you are in for a treat, the lychees on Zhuangzi are the sweetest, so you should try this one.”
Mrs. Zhu sat down and nodded with a smile, "Okay, okay, it's rare that you have this kind of intention. How can I refuse? Although I am old and my stomach is not as good as when I was young, I can still eat a few lychees." .”
"Isn't that right? Lychees are a rare thing. Mom, you should eat a few more and don't waste your cousin's love." Guo Hua'er squeezed forward, and a strong smell of powder dissipated, and there was still a faint smell. Yueyue smells of sour sweat.
Wang Chunmei turned sideways and said with a smile: "My cousin has had a good rest recently. Please forgive me if there are any shortcomings."
"Hey, we are all a family..." Guo Hua'er's eyes lit up. She did have a lot of dissatisfaction. Since the host had opened her mouth, she didn't have to be polite. She smiled and said, "Actually, It’s nothing, just——”
"Eh? Why doesn't your brother-in-law come with you? How can this be done? Come on, ask someone to send some seasonal fruits to your brother-in-law so that he can have a taste." How could Wang Chunmei let Guo Hua'er say anything? came out and interrupted her at that time.
What a joke, a big family came here to enjoy the autumn breeze, and all the host said was kind words, but they actually dared to be dissatisfied with the host?
Guo Hua'er wanted to continue talking, but the servants brought tea and fruits.
Wang Chunmei greeted warmly, "Aunt, come and have a taste. Cousin, you can eat too, don't be polite."
Seeing that everyone's attention was diverted to the fruit, and Guo Hua'er was also greedy, it was her first chance to eat lychees, so she swallowed her words back and planned to ask Wang Chunmei again when she found the opportunity. mentioned.
Wang Chunmei sneered in her heart, I won’t stop your mouth now.
The lychees sent by Zhuangzi in the south are cinnamon-flavored, also known as cinnamon sticks. The fruit is spherical, the shell is light red, thin and crisp, the flesh inside is yellow-white, soft and full, the core is small, and the taste is very sweet. It is the most delicious lychee. One of the best varieties.
The fruit plate presented by the maid included peeled lychee flesh and intact lychees without peeling, which were opened separately. The peeled ones also had small bamboo skewers for easy consumption.
"Son, eat one of your favorite lychees." Zhu Dafu pinched the bamboo stick with his index finger and thumb, picked up a big and round lychee meat, and handed it to Zhu Yuanyu. He remembered that his son had loved to eat it since he was a child. Lychees, that's why he asked someone to buy a farm in the south, specially used to cultivate lychee trees, and of course some other fruits unique to the south, so that his son could be transported from Zhuangzi when he wanted to eat them. This time the fruit was also delivered to Beijing by Zhuangzi's people who traveled non-stop day and night.
Zhu Yuanyu reached out to take the lychee meat and took a bite. The unique lychee fragrance instantly flooded his mouth. The sweet juice enriched the entire taste. He smiled and said: "It's so sweet."
Zhu Dafu smiled with satisfaction. Bringing happiness to his family is one of his lifelong goals.
"It turns out that my cousin likes to eat lychees!" Zhu Rumei chuckled and said, "What a coincidence, my favorite food is also lychees!"
Everyone just smiled slightly when they heard this, and no one exposed her lie. How could a wild girl who grew up in a rural area have the ability to eat expensive lychees? Knowing that she was deliberately trying to please her, they left it to her.
Zhu Yuanyu smiled nonchalantly and said to Zhu Dafu: "Dad, how many lychees are there? Did grandpa send them over?"
Wang Chunmei was very pleased. Her son knew that asking about his grandfather meant that he cared about his natal family. At first, she was worried that her son was not close enough to her natal family, but now she felt relieved. She smiled softly and said, "It's been a long time since. I asked someone to send it over. I still have it at home, and it will be enough for you to eat for a long time."
Zhu's Mansion has its own icehouse where lychees can be kept fresh.
Zhu Yuanyu nodded and said, "I want to send some lychees to the General's Mansion and Prince Xian's Mansion. Is it enough?"
Zhu Dafu and Wang Chunmei didn't ask why. Of course their son had his own reasons for sending them. Zhu Dafu smiled and said, "That's enough. Zhuangzi sent a few big baskets. You can decide who you want to give them to."
"Oh, my cousin also knows the wise king and the general? This is incredible! He is a noble man!" Guo Hua'er said as if she had seen him with her own eyes, with a look of envy and pride.
Zhu Yuanyu twitched the corner of his mouth, "Haha."
Guo Hua'er stuffed two lychee meats into one mouth as if she didn't need any money. She also chose the big ones to eat. Chew, chew, and then two tiny lychee cores flew out of her big mouth. It came out and landed on the clean and tidy floor tiles.
She herself didn't realize how rude this was, until Zhu coughed and glared at her, she spit out the lychee kernels she wanted to spit on the ground on the plate.
She stuffed another lychee into her mouth and muttered: "Rich families have a lot of rules. I don't think I just vomited casually in the countryside. I didn't see anyone saying anything. I just cleaned up after vomiting. It's not like I don't have slaves." You have to find some work for them, otherwise they will all be left to eat..."
"What are you mumbling about? Eat and swallow before you talk! What does it look like!" Ms. Zhu warned, then smiled sheepishly at Wang Chunmei, "This is how your cousin makes you laugh."
Wang Chunmei's smile didn't reach her eyes, "It's okay, it's understandable."
"Hey! How lucky is the rich man to marry such a virtuous wife like you? It's really the blessing of our ancestors!" Mrs. Zhu smiled and looked at Wang Chunmei kindly, then glared at Guo Hua'er and scolded Said: "Eat less, you will feel better when you get angry! You are a glutton!"
Guo Hua'er was dissatisfied, "I only ate a few! It's so easy to get angry! Besides, these lychees are rare. If you miss it, you have to wait until next year. It's not something you can eat every day..."
Zhu Yuanyu put down the lychee in his hand and stood up, "Father, mother, I'm going back to the room first. Auntie, please eat slowly."
Wang Chunmei knew that her son was bored, and she felt bored too, so she didn't keep him around, and whispered to the maid beside her: "Send the lychee to the young master's study later."
Then she smiled and nodded, "Go ahead."
Zhu Dafu also smiled and nodded, "Don't read too late, take a rest early."
…
Walking on the corridor, Li Zhuangzhuang held a lantern and walked in the direction ahead. The moon in the sky cast a silvery light.
"Zhuang Zhuang, come to the study later. The lychees today are quite sweet."
Zhu Yuanyu looked at Li Zhuangzhuang's tall back and remembered that he seemed to have said that he was lucky enough to eat a lychee given to him when he was young, and he still remembers the taste.
Li Zhuangzhuang turned around suddenly, his mouth wide open, "Really, young master! Can you give it to me?"
"Your young master, when have I ever lied to you? It's just a mere lychee. You can eat as much as you want. Even people like that can eat whatever they want, why can't you? Humph!"
Zhu Yuanyu sneered.
Li Zhuangzhuang chuckled, "Master, are you talking about the relatives I met today? That's true. At least I, Li Zhuangzhuang, still have strength to sell after eating it." He remembered that the woman who called the young master her cousin wanted to beat him today. Yes, he remembers this grudge!
Zhu Yuanyu smiled as if he understood what he was thinking.
The two of them quickly walked to the study room, and a servant had already lit the candle first.
"Li Zhuangzhuang, go to my room and move my pillows and bedding to the study."
Zhu Yuanyu thought of Xiaoman, the female ghost in the room, twitched the corner of her mouth and gave helpless instructions.
"Master, why do you want to sleep in the study room?" Li Zhuangzhuang looked puzzled.
"Oh, because there is a female ghost in my room."
Li Zhuangzhuang opened his eyes wide, "But Master, don't you know how to catch ghosts?"
"She is still useful for the time being. Okay, don't ask any more questions, just go!"
When Li Zhuangzhuang came back with his things, the servants ordered by Wang Chunmei also sent lychees to the study.
"Come over and eat lychees after you've made the bed." Zhu Yuanyu sat on a chair, holding an ancient book in his hand, and said to Li Zhuangzhuang in the room.
"Okay, young master!"
