Old Grand Master Qin's eyebrows raised, and before he could make a sound, he heard Qin Yize's second aunt burst into laughter, "Oh my, everyone listen, this is really typical of someone from the countryside, surprisingly knowledgeable. I've heard from colleagues that the Northeast is very backward, and it even has four famous oddities nationally."
"What are they, second aunt? Tell us about them," Xiao Na, from the third uncle's family, asked eagerly.
Shen Manru and Qin Xuan's faces changed simultaneously. Shen Manru cursed Gu Qiaoqiao a thousand times in her heart. Just for lighting a cigarette, she had to create trouble. She thought that this uneducated village girl was not presentable, and it really seemed to be the case now.
Second aunt, triumphantly glancing at Shen Manru, thought to herself, 'You always act so aloof in front of me, watch how I slap your face today.' She then said cheerily, "Do you really want to hear?"
"Yes, second aunt, I want to hear too," Qin Yifeng, the eldest son from the third uncle's home, joined the excitement.
Second aunt's gaze shifted slightly, "Then I will tell."
"Go ahead, tell us," the others urged.
"A young woman smoking a pipe, window paper pasted outside, wearing a fur coat inside out, hanging up a child to raise... Haha... What do you think, funny isn't it?... Haha..."
The living room was filled with second aunt's piercing laughter.
At this moment, Wang Manyun and Qin Xuan felt utterly embarrassed, wishing they could dig a hole and bury themselves.
Qin Xiaoyu saw Xiao Na and the others laughing uproariously, feeling more humiliated than the day before. Tears welled up in her eyes. She stomped her foot and ran to Shen Manru's side, whispering urgently, "Mom, quickly get that idiot away, it's too embarrassing."
Shen Manru was so angry she wished she could slap Gu Qiaoqiao a few times, but she couldn't lay a hand on her. Her face was a mix of red and white, wishing she could pass out right then and there.
Qin Xuan felt the same, feeling that since yesterday, Gu Qiaoqiao had totally disgraced the Qin family.
Gu Qiaoqiao, holding a tray, looked calmly at the Qin family, some mocking, some taking pleasure in her misfortune, and some wishing they could kill her.
Is it really that funny?
Just because she could mix tobacco, she was looked down upon by these self-righteous Qin family members.
Was it just because she had no fortune or background?
If it were the daughter-in-law from the second uncle's family who had said this, they might have looked at her with amazement and praised her with admiring tones.
Because that daughter-in-law came from a distinguished family.
As for her, in their eyes, she significantly lowered the status of the Qin family, so no matter what she did, all she received was mockery.
"Sister-in-law, do you smoke a pipe? Did you start smoking from a young age?" Nana asked curiously.
"Is that even a question? If she didn't smoke, how would she pack tobacco, haha. You see, Old Shen, marrying such a capable wife, you're really lucky,"
Qin Yize's second aunt said sarcastically.
While the third uncle's family didn't speak at the moment, they were winking at each other, covering their mouths, clearly laughing happily.
Qin Yize's gaze was deep and cold as he swept it toward Xiao Na, just a glance, and the air pressure around him dropped instantly.
Xiao Na was so frightened that she hid behind the second aunt.
Grandma Qin's expression darkened. She glanced around but did not feel it appropriate to scold her second daughter-in-law and grandchildren in front of Old Grand Master Qin, especially since today was New Year's Day. She turned to Gu Qiaoqiao soothingly and said, "Alright, Qiaoqiao, come light a cigarette for Great Grandfather."
Old Grand Master Qin tapped his cane on the floor, not too lightly or heavily, and hummed softly through his nose, then his sharp gaze fell on Gu Qiaoqiao as he slowly nodded, "Good, come over."
And inside his heart, he was silently approving.
He hadn't expected that, despite her young age, his great-granddaughter-in-law was very composed. Facing the mockery of the Qin family, she was calm, neither rash nor humble, nor arrogant.
She was serene like orchids in a deep valley, resilient like bamboo on a mountain, and compared to her, the other Qin family members seemed rather fickle.
Gu Qiaoqiao bent halfway down and placed the tray on the coffee table, took Old Grand Master Qin's ivory smoking pipe, and then put cut tobacco leaves on it, added osmanthus honey, dropped three drops of old wine, added dry straw mint, and also added a few drops of fragrant oil.
Suddenly, the room quieted down.
All eyes were on her.
Gu Qiaoqiao's slender fingers moved, smooth as flowing water, indescribably elegant and gentle.
In their eyes, an action as coarse as loading a smoking pipe was performed with an elegance akin to a tea ceremony.
Moreover, was this smoking?
It felt more like preparing a delicious meal.
Old Master Qin had genuinely become interested this time.
He also started looking forward to this cigarette.
Shen Manru's face still looked displeased, but Qin Xuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he disliked Gu Qiaoqiao's antics, he had to endure them for the time being.
Today was the first day of the Lunar New Year, after all.
Gu Qiaoqiao packed the prepared tobacco into the ivory smoking pipe, didn't use a ready lighter, but instead used a particularly large match to light the tobacco, then handed it to Old Grand Master Qin with both hands, gently saying, "Great Grandfather, please try this…"
Old Grand Master Qin took the smoking pipe, placed it to his lips, and gently inhaled. A cool sensation carrying a mellow fragrance went straight down his throat.
Unlike the usual harshness, this cigarette was as if it had been enhanced with an Immortal Pill, making Old Master Qin's body feel warm all over.
His throat, originally somewhat thirsty and set for tea, became moist with the refreshing coolness of mint.
His sharp gaze gradually softened as he looked at Gu Qiaoqiao, "Young lady, is there anything special about this cigarette?"
"It cools and quenches thirst, reducing the irritation of the tobacco leaves, which is beneficial for your body."
Gu Qiaoqiao didn't mention that smoking was bad, as many elderly people from this era smoked, and quitting was simply unrealistic.
"Young lady, did your grandfather teach you this?" Old Grand Master Qin took another couple of puffs, his expression growing even more gentle.
"Mhm, Grandfather said this was the most popular style a hundred years ago in the Old Imperial Capital City. It even had a name."
"What was it called?" Old Grand Master Qin asked curiously.
"Grandfather said, it's called Drunken Lustrous Fragrance."
"Oh?" Old Grand Master Qin's expression paused, slowly putting down the smoking pipe, and asked Gu Qiaoqiao, "How does your grandfather know so much about it?"
Gu Qiaoqiao shook her head, cleaned up the tray, and smiled, "Grandfather didn't say."
Old Grand Master Qin took a few more joyful puffs, suddenly laughed heartily twice, and exclaimed, "Good, good, good."
Then, he put down the smoking pipe, looked at Gu Qiaoqiao contentedly, reached into the pocket of his Tang suit, and took out a jade pendant, kindly beginning, "Your name is Gu Qiaoqiao, right?"
"Mhm." Gu Qiaoqiao nodded.
"Good child, this is a gift from Great Grandfather to you."
Everyone was astonished.
The jade pendant, with its red knotted cord, emitted a greenish gleam under the afternoon sun.
This was a relic of Great Grandma, and Old Grand Master Qin had always cherished and kept it close to him.