"As my daughter grows older, her thoughts become bigger. Sister-in-law Xin, what do you think?"
Mrs. Song's question was like a basin of thick ink poured into Mrs. Xin's heart.
Mrs. Xin always knew that Xiangmaozi was not close to her.
It's no wonder that she treats Lemongrass the same way.
At first, when she married Xin Lang, she was unwilling in her heart. A good young girl, who wants to marry a man who is married twice and has a child? She becomes a mother as soon as she enters the house!
But her parents were waiting to use her bride price to marry her brother. Xin Lang was the only man willing to pay a tael of silver at that time, so her parents agreed.
The night before her wedding, Mrs. Xin held her quilt tightly and cried all night. The next day, she was carried onto the sedan chair with red eyes.
Go to church and get married.
She saw her husband for the first time, tall and silent.
She was uneasy, fearing that if she were not careful, she would anger the other person and give him a beating. But no, this man looks very fierce, but in fact, he is a bit gentle. Especially when it was just the two of them.
On the wedding night, when the tall and strong figure pressed down, she resisted the urge to cry but did not dare to cry. When her sadness and despair reached the extreme, the man stopped and held her in his arms. He kept kissing her ears and neck. Coax her and tell her not to be afraid.
At that moment, she suddenly wasn't afraid anymore.
For the first time, she realized that this man, her husband, would also love her and love her. From that moment on, the shy girl Yang Chang disappeared and became Lady Xin.
Although she was tortured repeatedly by Xin Wang for a long time that night, she was no longer afraid in her heart, and even had some secret and shy happiness that was difficult to express to others.
But this kind of happiness did not last long. When she woke up sweetly and shyly on Xin Wang's arms, before she could start planning for her new life, a thin and dark baby was handed over to her.
A shriveled, black and thin girl.
Lady Xin didn't like Xiangmaozi from the first moment she saw him!
At that time, she had fallen in love with Xin Lang wholeheartedly and wanted to spend her whole life with him and have many children. But the existence of Xiang Maozi seemed to keep reminding her that before her, Xin Lang had another woman. He also slept with this woman and had a child with her!
This kind of jealousy was like a poisonous snake with sharp teeth. Every time she looked at Citronella, her heart was bitten!
So it's hard for her to be sincerely nice to Xiangmaozi.
For so many years, Xiangmaozi was more like a tortured puppy, raised by her casually. If you don't pay attention, the lemongrass will grow up.
In Mrs. Xin's heart, Citronella was no different from a puppy raised at home. She grew up stubbornly and silently, and began to do many things silently.
Chopping firewood, cooking, washing clothes, and taking care of my younger brother. It seems that no more teaching is needed, Xiangmaozi always learns this skill unknowingly when she needs it.
But both Lady Xin and Xiangmaozi knew that they didn't like each other.
Lemongrass has many little secrets.
For example, she often sneaks out to play, for example, she nags Zi Wan, the daughter of the old Liu family next door, all day long, and for example, she sometimes secretly beats Xin Mao twice.
This kind of little secret will sometimes be discovered by Lady Xin, but she will also acquiesce in the existence of this kind of little secret, and whisper in front of Xin Lang when necessary. This wasn't a vicious intention, she just instinctively didn't want Xin Wang to get too close to Xiangmaozi.
It seems that only in this way, Xin Wang will be closer to her heart, and then further away from that unknown woman.
However, this little secret acquiescence does not include immortality, this is immortality!
Immortal fate has exceeded the range that Mrs. Xin can accept.
Immortal fate, that is the hope for the revitalization of a family, and the opportunity to attain immortality. Some people will never encounter this kind of thing in their lifetime, and some families will never have the opportunity in several lifetimes.
If there really is a destiny, it must be her son's!
definitely is!
Madam Xin whispered a lot to Madam Song again, mainly surrounding the gossip of the Shengxian Order. Aunt Song told Mrs. Xin everything she knew. Unfortunately, these gossips were often just hearsay, and 80% of them were unreliable.
But Lady Xin finally knew about the existence of the Immortal Order.
The remaining shepherd's purse flowers were quickly picked and cleaned by them, and placed in huge round bamboo radishes to dry, waiting for the subsequent processing by the masters.
Today's work is done.
The other women all went to Shopkeeper Chen to collect their wages and go home to cook. Mrs. Xin returned to the lower room where she stayed and started rummaging around.
The situation of Xiaoxiaowu can be described as clear at a glance.
After opening the door, there was only a bed, occupying more than half of the space, and a chamber pot placed near the end of the bed. There was a small table placed against the window, and some tea bowls were placed on the table. There is a half-person-high bed chest placed across the bed, which is stuffed with everyone's bedding and some sundries.
Madam Xin looked at this small room, and she slowly thought about where the Immortal Token might be hidden. How big is the Immortal Order? What does it look like? Is it flat or round? Is it gold or jade? Lady Xin didn't know anything about it.
But she was very sure that the Immortal Order must be a good thing that she had never seen before. That kind of thing must look particularly good and luxurious, and it must not be found in Lemongrass.
In addition, if Lemongrass has this magical order, she will definitely hide it in a place where she often hangs out, such as where she lives.
So Mrs. Xin planned to start the search from the hut. She rummaged around in the room. She even took a small branch and searched the room slowly and carefully, not even missing a gap.
Xiangmaozi read the words taught by her husband over and over to Xin Mao in the corridor. In Xiangmaozi's opinion, Xin Mao was really stupid, and he couldn't even remember what he was told. So she could only try her best to make Xin Mao remember, "Look, eyes are eyes. Don't you have two eyes? So eyes have two horizontal sides. Do you remember?"
One was talking nonsense seriously, while the other was memorizing it in a daze.
Xiangmao's mouth was almost dry as he talked about it, and Xin Mao finally memorized all the words his master taught him this morning. Thinking about having to lecture Xin Mao like this every day from now on, Xiangmaozi was so irritated that she wanted to punch him.
So she ordered Xin Mao to practice on the table while she ran to the kitchen to find water.
When passing by the room, she saw her stepmother lying on the ground with her butt sticking out and using a branch to pull under the bed.
Lemongrass was surprised, so he went over and asked, "What are you looking for?"
Lady Xin was startled by the sudden appearance of Citronella, and when she raised her head, she hit the bed board, which was so painful!
Then Mrs. Xin came out holding the back of her head and scolded Xiangmaozi angrily, "Calling Soul! Didn't I tell you to look at Xin Mao? If he can't answer tomorrow, I'll beat you."
Xiangmaozi didn't take it seriously, "He knows everything today. But what are you rummaging about here? There is nothing under the bed."
Mrs. Xin's expression remained unchanged, "I just dropped a needle and I was looking for it. You were lucky enough to scare me so much that I almost broke my head."
Xiangmaozi didn't think much and believed it to be true. "Is it worth lying down on the ground to look for a needle? You can't tell where it ended up. You can ask the aunts next door to borrow one first. Maybe it will come out by itself sometime." Xiang Mao Zi said carelessly, "I want it. No, can I borrow a needle for you?"
Mrs. Xin's heart moved, "This makes sense. I want to change Xin Mao's clothes to be smaller. You see, he is dragging his clothes and he is not energetic." Mrs. Xin searched for a long time, but she couldn't find anything in the room, so she started The idea came to Lemongrass. "Go and get Xin Mao's school clothes and your own clothes for me, and I'll show you how to make them."
Xiangmaozi said "Oh", and neatly took down the clothes for the two of them to go to school from the top of the cabinet, handed them to Mrs. Xin, and warned, "Don't make it too small, Master Cheng said. , only one set of these clothes are issued a year, if they are made smaller, they will no longer be worn."
Mrs. Xin took the clothes and chased her away, "I know, you don't need to teach me! Go and borrow a needle and thread, and by the way, bring me your schoolbag too."
Xiangmaozi asked curiously, "What are you doing with your schoolbag?"
Mrs. Xin said smoothly, "The cloth bag has a certain shape. I will embroider some grass on it for you, which can be regarded as a mark." Mrs. Xin could not read, so she could only embroider some shape on it.
Xiangmaozi agreed and ran out.
She is now very popular in Huangshi Town. As soon as she turned around, she borrowed various items such as a sewing basket and small scissors. After handing them to Mrs. Xin, she went back and continued to watch Xin Mao do his homework.
Mrs. Xin was in the room, changing her clothes and searching her schoolbag and clothes thoroughly, but still said she found nothing.
Mrs. Xin was doing needlework silently, while she put her mind on Xiangmaozi.
Will the Immortal Order be on her body?
For the rest of the time, Mrs. Xin was silently thinking about this matter until she finished dinner and cleaned up. Mrs. Xin began to boil water and give everyone a bath. Xin Wangyou had been working in the new house for a day, and his body was covered with dust. He was not averse to taking a bath.
After boiling the water, Mrs. Xin sent him to take Xin Mao to wash his hair and take a bath. The father and son were washing inside, while Mrs. Xin and Xiangmaozi were outside hurriedly rubbing their clothes with hot water.
Then Mrs. Xin said, "Xianmaozi, you will also take a bath later."
Lemongrass said, "I don't have to, my front child has just been washed and is clean!"
Lady Xin shook her head and said, "Why is it so clean? You have washed your face but not your neck since you were a child. It is already dark, and your neck cannot be washed clean. From a distance, it looks like you are wearing a black collar. Now you are different from before, too. If you go to school, your classmates will dislike you if you are not clean."
Xiangmaozi thought for a while and felt that what Mrs. Xin said made sense, "Oh, then when dad finishes washing, I will wash them with their leftover water."
Mrs. Xin added, "Come on, your dad is cleaning the house today. Can the residual water be used for washing?! We don't have ready-made hot water. Let's change the water again later and we can wash it together."
Xiangmaozi was shocked, "Should we wash together?!"
Mrs. Xin said naturally, "Yes, they both can wash together, why can't we ladies wash together?"
Xiangmaozi couldn't help but look up and glance at the setting sun outside. The sun hadn't set in the east. Did Mrs. Xin take the wrong medicine? !
Seeing Xiangmaozi looking at her furtively, Madam Xin hit her on the head hard and said, "Why, I took you to take a bath, and you still dislike me."
Xiangmao Zixin said, How dare I dislike you? It is obvious that you always think I am dirty. So she didn't say anything and just speeded up the washing.
By the time they finished washing their clothes, Xin Wang and Xin Mao had already finished taking a bath. The father and son put on clean old clothes, which shopkeeper Chen and Chunyu had found for them these days. The father and son rested in the yard.
Mrs. Xin took Xiangmaozi to change the bath water, and the two of them went into the house and closed the door to take a shower.
When taking off her clothes, Xiangmaozi took off her clothes quickly and carelessly, and then quickly jumped into the hot water.
On weekdays, when she takes a bath, she either picks up the residual water from other people's baths, or takes a basin and pours some hot water to wipe it with herself. She rarely has the opportunity to soak in such a large bucket of fresh, sweet and clean hot water. Lemongrass sunk its head into the barrel and soaked in it happily.
Therefore, she didn't see it. Her stepmother quickly searched her clothes from beginning to end, and then threw them aside in disgust.
Over there, Mrs. Xin also took off her clothes and got into the tub.
The bathtub was not big, and if two people were squeezed into it, they would not be able to stretch their legs, so Xiangmaozi squatted cross-legged in the bathtub with her back to her stepmother. He was lowering his head and rubbing his hair.
Mrs. Xin looked at Xiangmaozi from behind, with thin shoulders, dark skin, and a red rope tied around her neck.
Red rope? !
Xiangmaozi didn't know, but she still lowered her head to wash her hair seriously.
Madam Xin reached out and picked up the red rope from behind, and in one fell swoop she lifted the pendant under the red rope out of the water.
It was a small turquoise jade piece, thin, narrow, crystal clear, and extremely moist.