Chapter 361 — Daughter
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 4 of 4
"It is nothing!" Dou Yan let out a long breath and said, "Keep an ear out for any sound outside. If Madam Guo has any instructions, serve her well." Then she ran off to the back garden herself, where she looked at flowers with Dou Pinyuan, ate sweets, sat in the sun, and played to her heart's content.
When Song Yan came home, he saw her face flushed pink.
"You are in high spirits today!" As usual, he took Dou Yan in his arms and kissed her twice — and was caught squarely by Madam Guo, who had heard the noise and come out to greet him.
With a cry of "Aiyo!" she retreated back into the inner room.
Dou Yan smiled a radiant smile.
Song Yan was even more brazen than she had imagined; with perfect composure he exchanged greetings with Madam Guo, who wore a look of some fluster, as though it were she who had been the one to commit a breach of propriety.
Madam Guo could not sit still a moment longer, and made to take Dou Pinyuan home.
Dou Pinyuan still remembered this Fourth Uncle who had always been so kind to her, and called out cheerfully to Song Yan, "Fourth Uncle!"
Song Yan was delighted beyond measure, praising Dou Pinyuan over and over as clever and quick-witted; he held her and fed her two pieces of fruit, rewarded her with a pouch of gold beans, and only then handed her back to her wet nurse.
Madam Guo watched, lost in thought, then made a curtsy to Dou Yan and Song Yan and took Dou Pinyuan back to Locust Tree Lane.
Song Yan said, "Starting tomorrow I shall have five days off together. Leave the household affairs to me."
Tomorrow is the sixth.
The family banquets of the fourth and the fifth passed in dullness but without the slightest mishap; from the sixth onward, the Yingzhenguo Mansion would begin to host its spring banquets.
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To my dear readers — this chapter came faster than expected... o(∩_∩)o
ps: Thank you all for your care in pointing out the many errors in the text; I will find time to make small revisions, and mobile users need only refresh.
Please keep hunting for bugs for me as always.
o(∩_∩)o~
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