Chapter 503 - 497_1
Time flies, and another year is coming to an end. It’s now early December, the day of the Laba Festival, and the weather is very cold. A casual breath is enough to see a puff of white fog. There’s still no news from Zhao Erhu, and Lin Yue doesn’t know whether to miss him or worry about him. As time passes, her heart becomes even more restless. Based on the time, Zhao Erhu and his company should have returned from overseas by now. Otherwise, if the weather gets colder and the snow falls, the sea might freeze over, making it difficult to sail.
In the end, this was Zhao Erhu’s first year engaging in maritime trade, and preparations were made in haste, whether it was for preparing or departing. They set sail in late September. If they have to go again next year, they definitely need to depart earlier; they wouldn’t have ended up in a situation where they have not yet returned so late in the year. What Lin Yue fears the most is being detained at sea due to the extreme cold—not only would it delay their return, but the risks would also be much greater.
"Xixi, is the Laba congee all done?" Lin Yue stood at the window, gazing at the withered grass and trees, and asked, masking her thoughts.
"It’s all done. I personally oversaw it. We put in plenty of ingredients and boiled several big pots of it—it smells delicious." Xixi said with a smile, her covetous expression actually bringing some relief to Lin Yue’s mood.
"That’s good. Once Dalang and his brothers have made offerings to the Kitchen God, send the congee to every household in the village, making sure to give a generous portion. Also, give some to each of our servants and long-term workers. I’ll leave this task to you."
Although Lin Yue herself didn’t believe in the offering to the Kitchen God, it was the local custom, and it was natural to conform to local customs. This year, with Zhao Erhu not at home, the women couldn’t make the offering, so it fell to the five brothers to do it instead.
Lin Yue went to the kitchen to check on things and, seeing that all was indeed in order, she proceeded to the courtyard where Dalang and his brothers were. Warm from reading, Dalang greeted her, "Mother, you’ve come."
"I came to see how you were doing. Your father is not at home this year, and you brothers are the pillars of the family. The offering to the Kitchen God is your responsibility now, and also for your uncle and the relatives and friends who got along well with your father. They’re different from others; as hosts, we have to personally deliver to show our sincerity. Hand out the Laba congee yourselves. Any problems with that?"
"Don’t worry, Mother. Leave it to us, and we promise to complete the task you’ve assigned," assured Sanlang before Dalang could reply. Even though he had become more steady studying at the academy, Sanlang was still a bit unruly in front of Lin Yue, teasingly indicating a desire for his brothers’ attention. Of course, Dalang and Erlang knew he was just playing the fool.
The siblings’ affection had been forged through hardship and shared adversities from a young age, and they understood and loved each other deeply. Naturally, they wouldn’t let a small matter like this lead to misunderstandings or resentments. As for Si Lang, he had always been most concerned about food; right now, he was fixated on the pot of fragrant Laba congee.