Being a second wife is difficult

Jiang Wan took the nut with a handkerchief and nodded: "It's the first year, so there's not much to it. When the day comes, prepare what needs to be prepared, invite what needs to be invited, and as long as nothing major goes wrong, it'll be fine."

"It's already quite an achievement that nothing major went wrong in the first year." Mrs. Shen put down her teacup, her finger lingering on the rim for a moment.

"This is the first time I've ever managed the Mid-Autumn Festival menu at our house. I've revised it six times. My mother-in-law is picky; she has to try everything before she'll approve of it."

"When I revised it for the fifth time, to be honest, I really wanted to just make the same dishes as last year to save myself the trouble." She said, then laughed at herself.

Jiang Wan glanced at her: "And then?"

"I was still not convinced, so I tried it a sixth time." Mrs. Shen said, a hint of pride in her smile. "The sixth time went smoothly, and my mother-in-law nodded after tasting it."

Jiang Wan laughed after hearing this: "It's the first time doing something like this, and it's not easy for anyone. Once you get through this, you'll feel more confident, and you'll be able to handle anything else more easily."

Mrs. Shen nodded, as if she had thought about what she had said.

She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and as she put down the teacup, her tone naturally shifted, and she casually asked, "Speaking of which, if I remember correctly, the second master of your household studies at the Imperial Academy, right?"

Jiang Wan's heart stirred slightly. When Young Madam Shen suddenly mentioned the second master, although it was just a casual question, the rumors outside, such as the maid climbing into bed, getting pregnant after just one time, and Fang Shi losing face, had already spread throughout the various mansions here.

This kind of thing doesn't look good on the Earl's family, so generally no one would bring it up in front of her.

She suppressed her doubts, showing no sign of it on her face, and replied naturally, "Yes, he studies at the Imperial Academy and doesn't come back often."

Madam Shen responded quickly, but instead of continuing on the topic of the Second Master, she changed the subject and brought up her own family: "I have a cousin who lives there. He mentioned your Second Master in a letter before."

She glanced at Jiang Wan, as if waiting for her reaction, or as if chatting casually, "My cousin said that the second master of your household studies very hard. He doesn't usually go out much, and even on holidays he stays in his cell to study."

Jiang Wan thought for a moment and then said, "The second master is indeed a bit quiet and doesn't like socializing. He's like that in the mansion too. Except for necessary matters, he spends most of his time in his study."

Mrs. Shen nodded, as if she had expected this answer, then smiled and said in a more casual tone, "I envy your second master's temperament; he's quiet and reliable."

"Unlike my cousin, who can study well, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to get into the Imperial Academy, but he can't sit still. Every few days he wants to run away, dragging his classmates to drink, watch plays, and go to the market. My uncle has written to scold him several times, but he still doesn't change."

She complained, but her tone carried a hint of affectionate laughter, making her seem like an older sister who couldn't do anything about her cousin, pretending to dislike him but actually liking him.

Jiang Wan sensed the difference in their relationship and chimed in, "It's good for young people to be lively. They can concentrate on their studies and have fun at the same time, without neglecting either."

"Besides, your cousin is still young. In a couple of years, when he gets older, his temperament will gradually settle down, and he will naturally be able to sit still."

Mrs. Shen seemed to have been touched by those words and chuckled, "I hope so. That's what his father, my uncle, said too, that things will be better once he gets married."

She finished her cold tea, put it down, and looked up at the sky. "It's getting late. The children have been running around all afternoon and are all sweaty. They'll easily catch a cold if the wind blows later."

She stood up and called out into the distance, "Cheng-ge'er, An-ge'er! You're back!"

Shen Cheng and Shen An were squatting on the other side of the field looking at something when they heard the shout. They lingered for a while before running back.

When Shen Cheng ran back, his trouser legs were covered in mud, and Shen An's was even worse, with half of his sleeves wet.

Mrs. Shen didn't say much. She squatted down to roll up Shen An's sleeves, then stood up to say goodbye to Jiang Wan.

"When I have some free time another day, I'll take my two children to visit the Earl's residence. My two boys get along quite well with your children."

Jiang Wan also stood up to see her off, her tone smiling: "That would be wonderful. Whenever Mrs. Shen has some free time, just bring the children over. The children will have a playmate, and we can have a chat too."

Mrs. Shen nodded and left with the two children. Shen Cheng took a few steps and looked back. Lu Wan waved to him, and he waved back. Then he turned around and jogged to catch up with his mother.

After they had walked away, Qinghe leaned over and whispered, "Madam, this young mistress Shen is quite a straightforward person."

Jiang Wan didn't reply immediately. She looked down at the celadon box on the table. The lid was still open, and there were a few candied apricots inside.

She reached out and closed the lid, saying, "She's a smart person."

Qinghe didn't understand and was about to ask when Lu Wan ran back and squatted down in front of Jiang Wan, saying, "Mother, I just taught Shen Cheng how to dig sweet potatoes. He dug up two and he was so happy."

Lu Zhao arrived at some point and stood to the side, still holding the peeled corn in his hand.

He glanced in the direction the Shen family mother and son had left, then looked away, not mentioning the Shen family's affairs, but only asking, "Mother, when are we going back?"

Jiang Wan also stood up and looked at the sky. The sun was already setting, casting long shadows across the ridges of the fields. She said, "It's about time. Call your sisters, it's time to go."

The children began packing their things.

Lu Wan's basket was the fullest, piled high with sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn. She couldn't lift it with one hand, and even with both hands, she still staggered.

Lu Zhao walked up and glanced at it, but didn't say anything. He simply reached out and took one side of the basket from her hands.

Lu Wan was stunned for a moment, then quickly grabbed the other side of the basket with her other hand, and the two of them lifted the basket up from the left and right.

"You didn't even say anything when you couldn't carry it," Lu Zhao said.

"I thought I could carry it," Lu Wan said in a muffled voice.

The two people carried the basket forward. The sweet potatoes in the basket rolled twice at the bottom of the basket and bumped together, making a dull sound.

Lu Hui walked ahead, still clutching the bent ear of corn in his hand, turning it as he walked, as if trying to find its center of gravity.

Lu Shan followed behind, walking very slowly.

Jiang Wan noticed that her steps were getting smaller and smaller, so she squatted down and asked, "Can't walk anymore?"

Lu Shan neither nodded nor shook her head, but her eyelids were already drooping.

She had been walking with Lu Wan in the fields all afternoon without resting, and now that she was exhausted, she was feeling sleepy.

She stood there, her hands hanging limply at her sides, as if she didn't even have the strength to lift them.

Jiang Wan handed the basket in her hand to Qing He, then bent down and picked up Lu Shan.

As soon as Lu Shan's head rested on her shoulder, her eyes closed, and soon her breathing became even.

Lu Wan walked ahead, glanced back, and whispered, "Is Second Sister asleep?"

Jiang Wan nodded.

Lu Wan glanced at it again and said, "Then let's walk slowly."

She slowed her pace, and the basket in her hand wobbled slightly. Lu Zhao steadied herself beside her without saying anything.

It was already dark when we returned to the temple.

Jiang Wan handed Lu Shan over to Zhao Tongfang and Aunt Zhou for care, went back to her room to change into clean clothes, and tidied her hair before pushing open the door to the main hall.

Several people were already seated inside. The old lady sat in the main seat, and Granny Gui was serving tea.

Fang was sitting on the left, holding a cup of tea, which she had already drunk most of, so she looked like she had been sitting there for a while.

The children had already changed their clothes. Lu Wan sat on a small stool to the right of the old lady and chatted with her casually.

Lu Zhao and Lu Hui sat quietly. Lu Shan also woke up and sat next to Zhao Tongfang, holding half a piece of osmanthus cake in her hands, slowly breaking it apart to eat.

Lu Wan's voice came from behind her. She put her teacup aside and said in a bright voice, "Grandmother! I picked up a total of twenty-three sweet potatoes today!"

The old lady glanced at her and said, "Judging from your appearance, you have more than last year."

Lu Wan nodded vigorously, counting on her fingers: "Last year we only picked up eleven, this year it's almost doubled!"

"But my mother helped me this year, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to collect so many."

Aunt Zhou, sitting at the lower end of the table, smiled and added, "I just saw Miss returning from afar on the veranda. Her basket was practically overflowing; it kept spilling as she walked. It was only thanks to Second Young Master's help that it didn't spill. It seems Miss certainly had a very fruitful day!"

Lu Wan felt a little embarrassed by Aunt Zhou's praise. She lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and then looked up as if she had remembered something. She turned to the old lady and said, "Grandmother, something interesting happened this afternoon."

The old lady looked up at her: "What is it?"

Lu Wan put down her teacup and gestured: "When we were resting in the fields this afternoon, my second sister said she was thirsty. I happened to have a pot of water with me, so I gave it to her to drink. As a result, she took a sip and her whole face scrunched up."

She laughed as she said this: "I didn't realize it at first, but then I remembered that the pot contained herbal tea."

"Qinghe packed it for me when I left this morning, saying it was to cool me down. I drank it the whole way and didn't feel anything, but my second sister had never drunk it before, and it was so bitter after just one sip."

Lu Hui chimed in from the side, "Second Sister's expression at the time, her face was all scrunched up."

Lu Wan nodded repeatedly: "Yes, their eyebrows are all furrowed together."

Lu Shan sat next to Zhao Tongfang and overheard them talking about it. She whispered, "It's really bitter, like medicine."

Lu Wan smiled and said, "I quickly rummaged through my bag and found a candied fruit for her to suck on, and that's when she recovered."

The old lady, holding her teacup, smiled after hearing this: "It's common for children to not be able to endure hardship, but the fact that they can swallow it shows they're not spoiled." As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Shan, her tone carrying a hint of approval.

Jiang Wan chimed in, "This is the first time I've heard of this. Kids can get into all sorts of strange things when they're playing together."

Fang chuckled and added, "When they grow up and look back on these things, they'll probably laugh at how silly they were as kids."

After saying that, she glanced at Jiang Wan again: "Now that we've finished talking about the child, how was your day, sister-in-law?"

Jiang Wan smiled and continued, "It's much more interesting than staying in the mansion. The wind blows on the ridges of the fields, and people feel happy. When the children run around, I walk along with them, and I feel refreshed."

Fang nodded in agreement, her tone more relaxed than in the afternoon: "I think so too. It's better to go out for a walk occasionally than to stay cooped up in the house all day. The children are happy too. Your children all had smiles on their faces when they came back today."

Jiang Wan smiled and said, "The children's happiness is the most important thing."

Fang didn't reply, picked up her teacup and took another sip, as if she had stopped talking there, but her gaze lingered on Jiang Wan's face for a moment before moving away.

Laughter and chatter filled the main hall for a while longer.

Lu Wan put down her teacup, slid off the chair, ran to the old lady, and placed her hands on the armrests: "Grandmother, can you come again next year?"

The old lady glanced down at her, said nothing, picked up her teacup, took another sip, and then slowly said, "Let's talk about it next year."

Lu Wan wanted to ask more, but Lu Zhao reached out and tugged at her sleeve.

She turned to look at Lu Zhao, who gently shook his head. She opened her mouth, but swallowed her words and reluctantly returned to her seat.

It was completely dark outside the window.

The light from the lantern under the eaves shone through the window paper, casting a warm orange hue over the shadows in the hall.

Jiang Wan sat on the chair next to the old lady, listening to the children talk, only occasionally chiming in, feeling content.