After eating, Qiuniang and Dongmei cleared the table, leaving the place for An Ran and the three of them to talk.
An's mother looked at the things in the main room and said, "Why did you bring so many things back? It's not good for my uncle to see this."
"Mom, my uncle knows this, and he still thinks I'm too thin."
Then, he asked Dongmei to bring the package over and called Qiuniang over.
"These are newly made gold bracelets, a pair for my mother and my brother and sister. I haven't done anything to you in all these years, so I gave this to you specially."
An Ran put the gold bracelet on her mother. Mother An looked at it and said, "This is so expensive. I have to wear two gold bracelets at such an old age. It's better for you to keep them." ?.?????.? ??
"Mom, I still have it, please keep it."
Qiuniang rubbed her hands in embarrassment and said, "Sister, this is too expensive."
An Ran saw that this sister-in-law was not an ostentatious person in her speech and behavior, and had a good impression of her.
"I will need you to take care of the house more from now on. I won't be around often, so Mommy will have to ask you to take more care of me. Besides, this is my first time seeing you, so don't refuse."
Then he handed two silver hairpins to the two of them, "I usually wear this. I know that if I gave you a gold hairpin, you wouldn't be willing to wear it every day."
An's mother smiled and said, "Who in the countryside carries such valuable things all day long? It's just a visit during the New Year to decorate the appearance."
"Mom, the boxes outside are full of fabrics. There are some for you, some for Anqiao, and some for my siblings and children. You can take a look and divide them up."
An's mother was startled again, "Why did you bring so much fabric back? How many clothes do you need to make?"
"Mom, I still have some. You can keep this and use it later. The same goes for my younger siblings. Make more clothes for the child. I haven't given anything to the child for so long."
Qiuniang said hurriedly, "Sister, don't say that. You often bring things home, so you don't give me much."
"Mom, there are candies and snacks in that little box. You can give some to our family if you see that they are good friends with us. After so many years, I don't know who is close to us."
An's mother nodded, "Let Qiu Niang handle this later. From now on, they have to support An's family. Let them do the walking outside."
Qiu Niang responded hurriedly, "Don't worry, Mom, I'll see how many there are in a moment and I'll divide them up."
Dongmei followed Qiuniang out and put things away.
An Ran asked, "Is there something wrong with Qiu Niang's family?"
An's mother smiled and said, "His eldest brother's child is one month old. Your younger siblings went there yesterday, but your niece hasn't come back yet."
An Ran smiled, "What a coincidence."
He hurriedly called Dongmei in again, took out a piece of soft cloth, and took out ten taels of silver and gave them to Qiuniang.
Qiuniang repeatedly refused, "Sister, country children don't need such a heavy gift when they are celebrating a full moon."
"Take it, it's a rare time to come back in so many years, and it's a happy event for the birth of a child. You can take it with me when you go to pick up the child, so I won't just go."
Qiuniang knew that her mother-in-law told her sister, so she took it when her mother-in-law nodded. "Then I will take care of my eldest brother and nephew. Thank you sister."
After dinner, Heng'er couldn't stay in the house anymore, so Anqiao took him to the house at the entrance of the village.
The mother and daughter talked in the house all afternoon, and Qiuniang did not disturb them except to bring tea in.
After breakfast the next day, An Ran and An Qiao went to the village entrance house to have a look. Because they were outside the village, Qiuniang and Dongmei accompanied Anran there.
As soon as they walked to the house at the entrance of the village, the veterans who were stationed here yesterday knew that the lady was coming. When they saw the lady this morning, they came over. Several veterans and four guards shouted in unison, "I have seen the lady."
An Ran smiled lightly, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone."
The lame veteran in the lead said, "It's not hard work. We are all happy to be able to help the general and his wife."
"The general is also thinking of you. If you have any difficulties, please tell An Qiao. If you can't solve it, send a message to him."
After listening to An Ran's words, several veterans felt very happy.
They were brought here by the young Lian family. Although they are physically disabled, they can still support their family. They no longer have to worry about their wives and children suffering and not having enough to eat. The general takes care of them.
"Madam, tell the general, don't worry about us. We are doing very well here and have learned our craft. We are quite content."
"That's good. The scale of this place may expand in the future, and we need people like you. You have to help An Qiao take care of this place."
Several veterans were very happy when they heard that they had been reused. "Madam, don't worry, we will definitely do a good job."
An Qiao accompanied An Ran to look at the collected medicinal materials and then looked at the inventory.
Anqiao was very cautious and attentive in this regard. An Ran said, "The medicinal materials grown here are of better quality and higher yield than those grown here. The general wants to expand the scale here."
After these two years, An Qiao has become much calmer.
"Sister, there is no need to make it too big at once. Medicinal materials are seasonal. During the harvesting time, just add a few people. There is no need to expand it any further."
"I told the uncle about this, but it's best to plant more, buy more, and produce more medicine. You can decide this yourself."
After An Ran read it, he took Dongmei and Qiuniang back to the village.
After this trip, Qiuniang's attitude towards An Ran became more respectful. She also wondered that her sister really didn't look like a girl from the countryside.
