Chapter 514 - 281: A Firearm Stuck Out...
Lu Yuan was still feigning innocence, the back of his right hand pressed to his forehead as he exclaimed:
"Aunt Song, what’s that glittering thing? It’s so bright, it’s dazzling!"
"My dear nephew, you’re quite the joker. After gripping it for so long, how could you not know what kind of treasure you were holding?"
Lying flat on her back, Song Meiqin did the splits right in front of Lu Yuan!
This was a move that required considerable skill; not something an ordinary person could do.
Even practicing yoga is usually just for exercise; most can’t achieve such difficult poses.
Ever since Song Meiqin had gotten pregnant,
she and Lu Yuan hadn’t been together for half a year.
Parched for so long, Song Meiqin could no longer suppress the fire within her.
Unable to take it anymore, Song Meiqin whimpered, "My dear nephew, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and come in!"unce
Lu Yuan nodded, composed himself, and chuckled slyly.
"Aunt Song, brace yourself!"
Inside the Lu Mansion, Gu Ziye had darted through every room but couldn’t find a single trace of Lu Yuan or Aunt Song.
So, Gu Ziye went to find Su Liyan.
Su Liyan was in her room, neatly arranging the new clothes for the children to wear on New Year’s Day tomorrow.
Gu Ziye rushed in, grabbed the teapot from the table, poured herself a bowl, and downed it in several large gulps.
After catching her breath, Gu Ziye asked worriedly, "Sister, where do you think those two could have gone? It’s New Year’s Eve, and we haven’t seen them all day."
Su Liyan glanced at the pendulum clock on the wall and said nonchalantly, "They should be back within an hour!"
Gu Ziye asked curiously, "Sister, how do you know? Can you tell fortunes, too?"
Su Liyan smiled. "Because unless our husband is intentionally trying to last longer, his timing... in that department... is very consistent!"
Gu Ziye immediately understood. She laughed and said, "Honestly, that Lu Yuan... Why does he have to go out to do it?"
"That’s where you’re mistaken, little sister. Men love chasing a thrill!" Su Liyan placed the new clothes in a prominent spot and continued, "A change of scenery means a different kind of feeling, you know?"
"Mom, where are my new clothes?" Lu Ruyan came running in, a kite in her hand.
Seeing Gu Ziye was also in the room, she called out, "Fourth Mother, you’re here too!"
Overjoyed, Gu Ziye stroked Lu Ruyan’s head. "Ruyan, you’ve gotten so pretty."
"I want to be as pretty as Fourth Mother!" Lu Ruyan said, looking up at Gu Ziye and blinking her big, bright eyes.
Gu Ziye praised Lu Ruyan, telling her what a sweet-talker she was.
Su Liyan patted the freshly arranged new clothes. "Mommy has them all ready for my precious daughter. Right here."
Lu Ruyan tossed her kite aside, gripped the edge of the table with both hands, and jumped up and down, craning her neck. "Mommy, I wanna see, I wanna see!"
"Alright, Mommy will get them for you!"
Su Liyan held the clothes up against Lu Ruyan’s body to size them. "Mhm, a perfect fit!"
Lu Ruyan reached out her little hand to touch the new clothes.
Su Liyan pulled the clothes back with a "TSK."
Lu Ruyan looked at her own grubby little hands and said with a giggle, "Mommy, I’ll go wash my hands right now."
With that, Lu Ruyan ran out of the room to find water and wash her hands.
Su Liyan straightened up and smiled at Gu Ziye. "When I was little, I was just like Ruyan this time of year.
Back then, we only got one new set of clothes a year. I could never bring myself to wear them, insisting on waiting until the first day of the New Year!"
Su Liyan’s eyes filled with childhood memories. Life may have been a bit harder back then, but it was fulfilling and full of things to look forward to.
Gu Ziye, who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, had never lacked for food or clothing. Instead, she had missed out on that particular kind of surprise and anticipation. She said,
"If I could, I would’ve liked to experience a childhood like that just once."
Su Liyan laughed. "I’m the one getting sentimental. We shouldn’t talk about such things on New Year’s Eve. Besides, he should be back by now."
The words had barely left Su Liyan’s mouth.
"I’m back!" Lu Yuan shouted from the courtyard. Clinging to his arm was a flushed and blushing Song Meiqin.
Song Meiqin walked with a slight limp. With every step, *that place* ached, but it was a pleasant, satisfying sort of ache.
Hearing Lu Yuan’s voice, Gu Ziye gave Su Liyan a thumbs-up. "Sister, you’re psychic!"
Zhao Qiao’Er appeared, holding a baby in one arm. "Where have you two been? Just left your son with me and disappeared?"
Zhao Qiao’Er’s voice was a little loud, but that was just her way. She was never one to hold back; she was always blunt and straightforward.
Enduring the pleasurable ache, Song Meiqin went CLICK-CLACK-CLICK... as she hurried over in her high heels to take her son from Zhao Qiao’Er’s arms.
Just those few hurried steps sent another wave of sore pleasure through her, making Song Meiqin feel like she was about to get soaked all over again.
Song Meiqin leaned close to Zhao Qiao’Er’s ear and whispered a few words. This earned her an eye-roll from Zhao Qiao’Er, who shook her head and muttered back:
"You little tramp! Look at that smug face of yours. Still wet, are we?"
Song Meiqin just giggled slyly. "Oh, you’re just jealous!"
The old steward approached, bowing as he presented a pair of red couplets to Lu Yuan.
"Master, the New Year’s couplets for the main gate are ready. We await you to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new for the Lu Mansion!"unce
It was tradition here for the head of the household to personally hang the new couplets on the main gate.
Lu Yuan rolled up his sleeves and took the couplets. "Alright! I’ll be the one to hang the couplets this year!"
As soon as Lu Yuan had hung the couplets, Lu Ruyan came running and yelling, "Daddy, it’s time for New Year’s Eve dinner!"
The New Year’s Eve dinner was a time for family to come together.
Su Liyan’s father and mother had stayed at the Su Mansion, that is, Su Changliang’s estate.
But don’t think for a moment that it was only Su Liyan’s parents, Su Changliang, and Xiaoqian—just four people—gathering for New Year’s Eve dinner at the Su Mansion. That would be a huge mistake.
This year, the entire Su clan had gathered at the Su Mansion for the New Year’s Eve dinner, making for a very lively celebration.