In the Yi Household's courtyard, those who were supposed to be busy in the kitchen remained busy. Only a few people heard the commotion and came out to look.
Yi A Bao's wife, Lu, stood with her slightly rounded belly, holding her four-year-old daughter with one hand and her six-year-old son with the other, gazing curiously toward the reception hall.
Lu was the younger sister of a close friend Yi A Bao had studied with at Moon Province Academy, a true daughter of a distinguished family.
Naturally, the Yi family treasured such a refined, sensible young woman. Since Lu herself was rather frail, they also tried to let her rest whenever there was heavy work to do.
Despite having lived in the countryside for years, Lu's breadth of experience remained far beyond that of ordinary villagers. After watching for only a short while, she realized these visitors were anything but ordinary, and Zhang Liangxi's appearance in particular surprised her.
Once the guests entered, Lu greeted them, then headed toward the rear courtyard.
But as she walked, she recalled what she had just seen, and her imagination inevitably began to stir until she could scarcely restrain it.
"Xiaofang, look after the children for me. I'm going to the study!"
"Yes!"
Lu left the children with her maid and headed toward the study, her steps growing quicker and quicker. Had she not been pregnant, she might well have broken into a run.
In the study, Yi A Bao was writing furiously.
With the New Year approaching, A Bao had to write the Spring Festival Couplets, Blessing Characters, and similar decorations for the entire village. This had practically become a West River Village tradition. He also had to keep devising new variations so they would not look too alike. It was a skilled