Lele looked at her after hearing.
"Alright then, Ming Liu, go and tell your mother."
"Ah, Iāll go right away!"
Ming Liu said and went out.
The food was prepared quickly, and it wasnāt long before the meal was ready. Yang Chuxia originally wanted to wait for Ye Ziāan to return so they could eat together, but someone from the official residence had come to say that Ye Ziāan had gone out and would not be back for lunch.
Without giving it much thought, Yang Chuxia proceeded to have the meal with her sons and sisters. The steamed pork with rice flour in the kitchen was very well made, so she told them to prepare more of that dish for the evening.
In the past few days, she had heard that Ye Ziāan had been very frugal on this side, partly because the Mianyang County Office was extremely poor, unable to accomplish much. Nearly all his salary was funneled into it, not to mention some of the money they had brought from home.
As a result, the entire residence had been economizing on food and clothing.
After having lunch at noontime, she spent the afternoon telling stories to her sons. But at the time of the afternoon watch, a sudden torrential rain began to fall.
And the rain kept pouring down ceaselessly, right up until dinnertime without a break.
"Go to the front courtyard to see if the young master has returned." Dinner was ready, and it was initially arranged for the family of four to dine together, but Ye Ziāan had not yet returned.
Ming Liu, carrying an umbrella, went out and shortly returned, saying, "Madam, the young master has not yet come back!"
"He hasnāt returned yet? Did Ye Yi and Ye Er go out with the young master? Do you know where the young master went?" With such a heavy rain and Ye Ziāan still not home, Yang Chuxia began to worry.
"Ye Yi and Ye Er both went out with him, but we donāt know where the young master has gone. It is said he left with the steward."
"In that case, serve the dinner now. Feed Lele and Yangyang first."
Children shouldnāt go hungry, so they shouldnāt wait any longer.
"Wait for daddy!" Lele insisted, pulling at her.
Embracing her son, Yang Chuxia said, "Lele, be good. You and your brother eat first, and we can eat with daddy tomorrow, alright? If you donāt eat, Leleās little belly will get hungry. Children canāt go hungry; if you do, you wonāt be able to grow as tall as daddy, will you?"
"But wait for daddy! Wait for daddy!" The stubborn little rascal just wanted to wait for Ye Ziāan to come back and eat together.
"Are you really going to wait?"
He nodded his head emphatically.
"Then, are you hungry?" Yang Chuxia asked again.
But he shook his head.
Helpless, Yang Chuxia turned to Yangyang, "If thatās the case, Yangyang, you eat first. If you want to wait, then wait."
Yangyang was very obedient; when Yang Chuxia told him to eat, he ate.
However, just as Yang Chuxia had fed him a couple of bites, Ye Ziāan rushed in, drenched in rainwater.
"Oh, how did you get so wet?"
Seeing Ye Ziāan coming in, Leleās eyes also lit up, "Daddy!"
He even got down from the chair and approached, arms outstretched.
"Good Lele, daddy is all wet. Let daddy change clothes first, then Iāll hold you, alright?"
"Ming Liu, quickly fetch some hot water for the young master, and ask Sister-in-law Li to bring over a bowl of ginger soup," Yang Chuxia instructed.
Originally, Mingcui had been sent to attend to Yang Xiayun and Linyu upon their arrival in Mianyang. In Yangshu Village, the two girls had not needed personal maids. Luo Linyuās servants had all been provided by Mu Shaoling. Later, when they stayed in Yangshu Village and saw that Yang Xiayun didnāt have maids or servants, she dismissed hers. But upon their arrival in Mianyang, having personal attendants became necessary again. In the past few days, two new maids had been added, one for Yang Xiayun and one for Luo Linyu, which is why Mingcui had been reassigned back.