Chapter 526 - 520_1
Before Zhao Dahuo and Zhao Anyu went to pick up the guests, Lin Yue took out a new cotton outfit from the inner chamber that Erhu had never worn before. "This is the clothing I made for Erhu, it’s never been worn. If you don’t mind, cousin, please change into it. It’s snowing so hard, and the weather is bitterly cold. You’re wearing so little, how will it do if you catch a cold?"
Zhao Dahuo hadn’t noticed before, besides, the hall was quite warm with several brazier burning, he even felt a bit hot, so he hadn’t thought about it until Lin Yue mentioned it. Only then did he realize how lightly dressed Zhao Anyu was; in such severe winter, he was still wearing autumn clothing, no wonder he was cold. Zhao Dahuo felt somewhat ashamed of his oversight.
"Look at me, such a coarse man, I didn’t even notice how lightly you were dressed, cousin. It’s good that my wife was attentive and noticed. Hurry and change into the cotton clothes, don’t catch a cold," said Zhao Dahuo as he took the clothes from Lin Yue’s hands and stuffed them into Zhao Anyu’s arms.
Zhao Anyu was not too proud to accept help and felt grateful for Lin Yue’s kindness. Taking the clothes, he followed a maid to the inner chamber to change, and indeed, felt much warmer. The cold that had numbed his body seemed to gradually recede, and with a few cups of wine in his belly, his cheeks flushed with a ruddy glow.
As Zhao Dahuo and Zhao Anyu went to receive the guests, Lin Yue instructed Nanny Zhao to tidy up the guest room. Although Zhao Dahuo had said he would take Zhao Anyu to his home, Lin Yue was unclear about the condition of Zhao Dahuo’s household. If Zhao Anyu’s family really moved in with them, it would undoubtedly add a heavy burden on Zhao Dahuo’s family. Knowing Erhu’s character, when he returned and found out, he certainly would not let Zhao Dahuo bear the burden alone; he would surely arrange for Zhao Anyu’s stay in their own home. Instead of all this back and forth hassle, it would be simpler if she directly settled Zhao Anyu in her own guest room temporarily, until Erhu returned to discuss how to properly arrange things for Anyu’s family.
"Nanny, it’s not good for me to keep going out, otherwise Erhu will surely nag me when he returns. I’ll trouble you to go there in person and have the guest room prepared properly. Although Zhao Anyu’s family has fallen on hard times, we cannot neglect them now more than ever. Besides, I see that Zhao Anyu is a sensible man; he may well have a turn of fortune in the future. Even if not, he is still Erhu’s cousin; we must treat him with due respect for family’s sake," Lin Yue said.
"Yes, I understand," the servant replied. "I will see to it right away, and make sure the guest room is properly arranged."
Zhao Anyu’s elderly mother and his wife and children were sheltering in a dilapidated temple not far from the Zhao family village. It didn’t take long for Zhao Dahuo and Zhao Anyu to reach them by carriage. When they arrived, Zhao Anyu’s family was huddled together for warmth, dressed as sparsely as he had been, only in thin autumn clothes. The children were slightly better dressed, clearly because the adults had given their own clothes for them to wear. Despite that, it was not enough to fend off the harsh winter, their lips were slightly purple from the cold, imparting a particular aura of misery and pity. If Zhao Dahuo had not come to fetch them, and they had delayed a few days more, the family might not have survived much longer.
"Anyu, you’ve returned?" After waiting a long time, Zhao Anyu’s elderly mother saw her son finally return, her face showing a flicker of hope. Then, seeing the man standing next to Zhao Anyu, she asked uncertainly, "This, this is nephew Dahuo, isn’t it?"