Chapter 248

......

The closer they got to home, the more Meng Shaoxia's heart swelled with both anticipation and nervousness.

He wondered if his mother and grandmother were well.

They must have missed him terribly.

When they arrived at the Meng family home,

The main gates of the Meng Mansion were wide open.

The last time they had been opened like this was to welcome Old General Meng home.

Meng Shaoxia expected there would be tears, hugs, head-patting, and thorough inspections.

That had been the routine every time he returned home in the past.

Thinking about it now made him a bit embarrassed, considering he was a married man now.

But he was overthinking it.

When he arrived home, his mother and grandmother were stunned for a moment, seeing how much weight he had gained - he hadn't suffered at all, it seemed.

They hurriedly pushed past him to see their daughter-in-law (granddaughter-in-law) and their first and second grandsons.

He was relegated to the role of a mere guide.

He watched, quite dramatically, as his mother and grandmother embraced Little Yu'er with tears in their eyes, sobbing.

"Oh, child, you must have suffered so much."

"Let me look at you. Oh my, my heart aches for you. It aches so much."

"And these are our grandsons. Oh my, oh my, tsk tsk tsk, oh dear."

They held on tightly, refusing to let go.

Meng Shaoxia felt acutely as if he were adopted, completely unrelated to the scene before him.

Watching his mother hold Little Yu'er so tightly, and seeing how naturally Little Yu'er nestled into his mother's embrace, he felt a twinge of loss, but mostly joy.

He knew his mother would love such a straightforward girl as Little Yu'er.

They would surely get along well.

Perhaps too well, as he seemed to have been forgotten entirely.

Meng Qingshe also eagerly eyed his two grandsons. They had been raised so well - plump and fair, with chubby, dimpled hands. He was delighted and satisfied.

Their looks were also remarkable. Though the eldest grandson had a square face, on a child it looked undeniably handsome.

Moreover, the in-laws' family's good looks seemed destined to improve the Meng family's genetic pool.

He felt the entire Meng Mansion looked more attractive because of it.

After much fussing and cooing, they tidied up and went to eat.

During the meal, Madam Meng and Old Madam Meng found themselves increasingly pleased with Jiang Yu.

They had heard rumors comparing her beauty to Daji, and although their son had assured them that Little Yu'er wasn't like that, and that he didn't like such girls anyway, they couldn't help but worry until they saw her in person.

Now that they had met her, they were truly relieved.

She was beautiful yet dignified, with a round face that suggested simplicity. Her words were sweet, direct, and pleasant to hear.

They felt even more sympathetic towards the two children.

The whole household came alive with activity.

How could Madam Meng be ill now? She was the picture of health, full of energy, bustling about.

Meng Qingshe felt that speaking too loudly might startle his in-law.

It pained him to think that such a good person had been forced to become a rebel.

Fortunately, he had accepted the offer of amnesty. It was said that he was an excellent official, caring deeply for the people. This year, Jingzhou's tax revenue ranked among the top in the country. Even Inspector He, who came looking for faults, couldn't find any and gave a positive evaluation.

But thinking about it, such a good person in the Capital City would likely be bullied.

Those sly officials in the capital had no shortage of ways to mistreat others.

His in-law had no background to speak of, so in the future, he would have to stand up for himself, with Meng Qingshe's protection.

Look at how they had fattened up his son and raised two chubby grandsons. They were truly a family of honest, good people.

He suspected that things had gone so smoothly these past few years partly due to his son's efforts. He had been somewhat useful.

"The official circles in the Capital City are complex. In the future, when you go out, just mention my name. I'm a military official, and I'm not afraid of their tricks. If anyone bullies you, don't be afraid, don't cower. Our family has connections too."

Jiang Changtian nodded repeatedly at his straightforward father-in-law.

"Thank you, father-in-law. I was worried about being a newcomer without support. With your words, I feel at ease now. If anyone bullies me, I'll certainly let you know."

Meng Qingshe, excited by the food and drink, repeatedly patted his in-law's arm.

However, seeing how thin he was, he patted gently, controlling his strength.

Meng Shaoxia ate silently, not joining the conversation. He had already been scolded harshly by his mother for saying a few words earlier. If he spoke again now, his father would likely intervene physically. Better to just eat.

My in-laws' family is truly formidable, what kind of eyes do you all have?

After praising his in-law, Meng Qingshe went on to praise Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng was truly talented and handsome, with a smile that hinted at a bit of simplicity - the very picture of a gentle nobleman.

His old Meng family's genes just couldn't compare; they were all rough folk.

Hearing that Jiang Feng was still single, Meng Qingshe couldn't help but want to introduce him to potential matches. No, he couldn't do it himself - he'd have his wife do it. She knew more young ladies.

Old Meng was very happy today. He had held his two grandsons and seen his chubby son. He resolved to be a bit more ambitious in the future. After all, life held promise now. With grandsons, he would need to take better care of his in-laws' family as well.

Mianmian dined with the women.

She met her Elder Sister's mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law. The Meng family now had four generations under one roof, which would be rare even in modern times - truly a blessed family.

Her brother-in-law's mother and grandmother were very nice people. They spoke generously, without any sarcasm, and got along well with her mother.

Qin Luoxia had been worried that the people from the Capital City might look down on country folk, but after meeting them, she felt much more at ease.

Indeed, little Meng was a good match. She felt a bit guilty towards the in-laws, but now that there were grandsons, there was no returning the goods.

After dinner,

They rested at the Meng family home.

The guest rooms were well-prepared.

Mianmian curiously asked her mother, "Mother, where will we live after this?"

"In our own home, of course. Your father knows how much you love buying property, so he's already arranged for someone to purchase a house and land for us in the Capital City. Today we're staying with your Elder Sister to meet her in-laws. Now that we've met them, we can rest easy. Tomorrow we'll go to our own home," Qin Luoxia said, her cheeks flushed.

Mianmian was very excited.

Father was amazing.

He had even bought a house in the Capital City.

Come to think of it, there were no purchase restrictions in the Capital City now. With money, you really could buy anything.

Before bed,

In the guest room of her Elder Sister's in-laws' home, Mianmian opened her diary and made an important entry.

In the 289th Year of Chu Era, during winter, they entered the Capital City. As guests at the Meng Family residence, both hosts and visitors were in high spirits. They received welcome gifts of a bag of eastern pearls and a bag of precious gems...