Chapter 208: In‑laws Cherish Granddaughter Like a Treasure, Lin Yue'e Feels Warmth Swell in Her Heart

The first ray of morning sunlight filtered through the window lattice onto Lu Qingshan's face; he slowly opened his eyes and reached into the bed to feel his wife's warmth.

Lin Yue'e was still sound asleep, Xiao Xue curled up on the small bed, her little hand clutching a toy bear, a faint smile at the corner of her mouth. Jin Hu lay at the foot of the bed and lifted his head as soon as he heard a sound.

"Woof!" Jin Hu softly barked twice, his tail wagging as if to say, "Master, it's dawn!"

Lu Qingshan rose quietly on tiptoes and walked to the window to push it open. In the morning courtyard, the air carried a faint scent of fragrant grass, and from afar came a vendor's cry: "Tofu for sale! Hot, steaming tofu pudding!" The Capital City of this era still retained a strong sense of bustling life and human warmth.

"Dad!" Xiao Xue sat up from the bed, rubbing her eyes, "Where is this? Last night I dreamed that Little Winnie could talk."

"She must have been half‑asleep, this is Grandpa and Grandma's home," Lu Qingshan walked over and lifted his daughter, "Do you remember seeing Grandma last night?"

Xiao Xue nodded, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes brightening: "Grandma said she would buy me candied hawthorn! And also roast duck and some donkey rolling!"

"Right, Grandma loves Xiao Xue the most," Lu Qingshan dressed his daughter, "Today we'll meet more family members, including aunt and great‑uncle."

Lin Yue'e also woke up, and watching her husband interact with their daughter, a warm current rose in her heart. She had been so nervous last night that she hadn't slept soundly, and now seeing Xiao Xue adapt so quickly, the stone in her heart finally settled.

"Let's go out and look at the courtyard," Lu Qingshan suggested, "so Xiao Xue can get familiar with the surroundings."

The three of them walked out of the room, Jin Hu following close behind, his nose constantly sniffing the various scents in the air.

The layout of the three‑by‑four courtyard fascinated Xiao Xue; she tugged Lu Qingshan's hand, looking around curiously. "Wow, such a big courtyard!" she exclaimed, "It's bigger than our home's courtyard! Can the grapes on this trellis be eaten?"

Just then, voices came from the main hall.

Wang Guilan and Lu Hua had already gotten up; seeing the family come out, kind smiles appeared on their faces. Wang Guilan was holding a small egg in her hand, clearly prepared especially for Xiao Xue.

"Xiao Xue, come to Grandma," Wang Guilan crouched down, opening her arms.

Xiao Xue felt a bit shy, hiding behind Lu Qingshan and peeking at Grandma. But when she saw the egg in Grandma's hand, her little eyes couldn't look away.

"Don't be shy, go ahead," Lu Qingshan encouraged his daughter, "Go greet Grandma quickly."

"Grandma, hello!" Xiao Xue finally mustered courage, trotting and leaping into Wang Guilan's arms.

"Oh, Xiao Xue is so well‑behaved!" Wang Guilan held her granddaughter tightly, eyes full of affection, "Grandma boiled an egg for you and prepared lots of tasty treats."

"Grandpa, hello!" Xiao Xue ran to Lu Hua, raising her little face and calling out.

"Ah!" Lu Hua, so excited he didn't know where to put his hands, "Xiao Xue is truly a good child. Grandpa didn't sleep well last night, constantly thinking about what Xiao Xue would look like when we met."

Lin Yue'e watched this heartwarming scene, and the tension in her heart vanished completely. The in‑laws' love for Xiao Xue was sincere, which made her feel immensely at ease.

"Dad, Mom, good morning," Lin Yue'e said respectfully.

"Yue E, did you sleep well last night?" Wang Guilan asked concernedly, "The room is a bit small, sorry for the inconvenience. The courtyard next door is still under renovation; once it's finished it'll be much more spacious."

"Mom, please don't say that, the room is fine," Lin Yue'e quickly waved her hand, "We are very satisfied."

At that moment, a knock sounded from outside the courtyard. Jin Hu instantly became alert, low‑voiced "Woof" barking, but his tail wagged, clearly recognizing a familiar scent.

"It should be A Qiang and his party arriving," Lu Qingshan said, "I'll go open the door."

Sure enough, A Qiang stood at the door with several bodyguards; seeing Lu Qingshan, he immediately said respectfully, "Boss, we're here to help you unload. The master at Huxi Tongkou said that if these many good items are moved late, it might provoke others' envy."

"Thanks for your effort, did you sleep okay last night?" Lu Qingshan asked concernedly.

"Quite good, the hotel at Huxi Tongkou is very clean," A Qiang nodded, "But that boss kept asking us if we were Hong Kong merchants, and said he wanted to introduce us to business."

"Haha, people from the Capital City are indeed shrewd," Lu Qingshan laughed, "Shall we move the things in the car right now?"

"Alright, move everything into the living room," Lu Qingshan said.

A few people began to hustle, unloading box after box of mountain specialties from the car: wild ginseng, smoked deer meat, pickled sauerkraut, mushrooms, wood ear, bamboo baskets, and various village delicacies, quickly filling half of the living room.

Wang Guilan stared at the house full of items, mouth agape in surprise, "Yue E, how did you bring so many fine things? That's exhausting! How much does this cost?"

"Mom, please don't be formal," Lin Yue'e said somewhat embarrassed, "The countryside doesn't have much, these specialties are just a token of thought. The villagers say you shouldn't meet your in‑laws empty‑handed the first time."

"These are all good things!" Lu Hua picked up a piece of wild ginseng, examining it closely, "This ginseng is at least twenty‑ or thirty‑years old; you can't buy such quality in the Capital City. Look at the veins, the root hairs, all signs of wild growth."

"Dad, do you understand ginseng?" Lu Qingshan asked curiously.

"I lived in the mountains back then, have seen it, but never seen such fine quality," Lu Hua said with a smile, "These items are treasures; you are so thoughtful. This single piece of ginseng is worth at least a few hundred yuan in the Capital City."

Just as they spoke, footsteps sounded again in the house. Lu Hong and her husband emerged from another room, and upon seeing the house full of mountain goods, displayed surprised expressions.

"You're too courteous, younger sister‑in‑law," Zhang Jianhua, Lu Hong's husband, said, "These items are hard to find in the Capital City, especially this smoked deer meat; it smells fragrant just by scent."

"Brother‑in‑law, it's only natural. Bring more, everyone will have some," Lu Qingshan laughed, "We're family, no need to be formal."

Lu Xiaoyu also stepped out of the room, saw Xiao Xue playing with Jin Hu, and was instantly drawn over.

"Xiao Xue, do you remember Aunt?" Lu Xiaoyu crouched down, speaking gently.

"Aunt, hello!" Xiao Xue smiled sweetly, "Jin Hu, this is Aunt."

Jin Hu seemed to understand, wagging his tail amicably, and even stepped forward to let Lu Xiaoyu pat his head.

"This dog is really smart!" Lu Xiaoyu patted Jin Hu's head, "He looks mighty. In the village he's surely a good hunter."

At that moment, nanny Li Jie emerged from the kitchen, carrying steaming hot breakfast.

"Everyone's up, perfect time for breakfast," Li Jie said with a smile, "I bought fried dough sticks, fried dough twists, made soy milk, and also have pickled vegetables and boiled eggs. Oh, and the Capital City's specialty 'donkey rolling', prepared especially for Xiao Xue."

"Wow, it smells so good!" Xiao Xue, smelling the aroma, ran over immediately, "What is this? It looks like a little pillow."

"These are fried dough sticks, a Capital City specialty," Wang Guilan picked up a piece, "Xiao Xue, try it."

Xiao Xue gingerly took a bite, her eyes instantly brightening, "Delicious! Crispy, with a hint of sweetness."

"If you like it, have more," Wang Guilan said affectionately, "Grandma will buy you more tomorrow."

The family gathered around the table, enjoying authentic Capital City breakfast.

Xiao Xue ate with relish, occasionally sharing some with Jin Hu, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"Qingjun, haven't you gotten up yet?" Lu Qingshan asked.

"He's still sleeping; the kid was so excited yesterday he slept very late," Lu Hua said.

"I'll go call him," Lu Qingshan, with a youtiao in his mouth, got up and walked toward Qingjun's room.

"Lazy egg, get up quickly!" Lu Qingshan pushed the door open, "The whole family is waiting for you."

Lu Qingjun turned over in bed, muttering, "Second brother, let me sleep a bit longer."

"Stop sleeping, Xiao Xue has finished breakfast," Lu Qingshan drew the curtains, "We still have to go to the construction site today."

"Alright, alright, I'll get up right now," Lu Qingjun said helplessly as he sat up. "Second brother, you really are something."

Lu Fang is still on the way back to Capital City handling paperwork; it will probably take about a week before she can reach the capital.

After Lu Qingjun finishes washing up, the family is finally complete.

Xiao Xue saw all her relatives, and Lin Yue'e got along very harmoniously with everyone; the whole breakfast period was filled with laughter and chatter.

"Lu Qingshan, what's the plan for today?" Lu Hua asked.

"I'll go to the construction site with big brother and Qingjun," Lu Qingshan said, "and I also need to make a trip to Capital City First Construction to urge the surrounding projects to start. I'll come back in the afternoon to arrange kindergarten for Xiao Xue."

"Then we'll stay home to keep Yue E and Xiao Xue company," Wang Guilan said, "and it's a good chance to sort out these nice things you brought."

"Mom, I'll help," Lin Yue'e offered.

"No need, no need, you just arrived in Capital City, just rest well," Wang Guilan waved her hand, "the few of us will handle the tidying."

After breakfast, Lu Qingshan, Lu Qingyuan, and Lu Qingjun finished packing and, with A Qiang and a few others, prepared to leave.

"Dad, where are you going?" Xiao Xue tugged at Lu Qingshan's hem, her eyes full of reluctance.

"Dad is going to work and will be back tonight," Lu Qingshan crouched down, patted his daughter's head, "Xiao Xue stay at home with grandma and be good."

"Then you should come back early," Xiao Xue pursed her lips, "I'll wait for you."

"Alright, Dad promises," Lu Qingshan gave his daughter a light kiss on the cheek, "Jin Hu will stay with you."

Lu Hua also prepared to go to work, and before leaving said to Wang Guilan, "I'll leave the house in your hands; I'll be back early tonight."

"Don't worry, go ahead," Wang Guilan nodded, "we've got the house."

The men all left, leaving only the women and Xiao Xue in the courtyard.

Wang Guilan, Lu Hong, Lu Xiaoyu, Lin Yue'e, and the nanny Li Jie—five people—started sorting the mountain goods, chatting while they worked.

"Yue E, these mushrooms are wonderful," Lu Hong picked up a lion's mane mushroom, "you can't buy this fresh in Capital City."

"They were all picked by the villagers themselves," Lin Yue'e said, "the things from the mountains are indeed good."

Xiao Xue and Jin Hu played in the courtyard, sometimes chasing after Jin Hu, sometimes giving him water, having a great time.

"Xiao Xue is really lively," Lu Xiaoyu looked at her niece, "just like Lu Qingshan when he was a child."

"Was Lu Qingshan that rowdy when he was young?" Lin Yue'e asked curiously.

"Oh, definitely; every plant in the courtyard was once damaged by him," Wang Guilan said with a laugh, "now that we see Xiao Xue, we think of his childhood."

Listening to the mother‑in‑law recount her husband's childhood anecdotes, Lin Yue'e felt a warm current rise in her heart.

The warmth of this family gave her an unprecedented sense of security.

"Yue E, how did you meet Lu Qingshan?" Lu Xiaoyu asked curiously.

Lin Yue'e blushed: "Back then he had just arrived in the village, looking very destitute, but his eyes held an indescribable stubbornness."

"Haha, that kid has been stubborn since childhood," Wang Guilan laughed, shaking her head, "but now he's better, knows how to care for his wife and children."

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the grape trellis onto the courtyard, and the family busily enjoyed a harmonious bustle.

And on the other side of the city, Lu Qingshan was working hard for this family's future.