Chapter 215: Chapter 215
"Dad, I like playing with Aunt Chai." Jingjing was afraid his dad would pick him off the stool, and held onto Miss Chai’s arm tightly.
Guoguo grinned at his dad.
Li Jing immediately added, "Oh right, Guoguo also likes Aunt Chai."
The children really don’t listen! The Princely Heir looked embarrassed and clasped his hands in respect towards Miss Chai, "Children are young and know no manners, please forgive them, Miss Chai."
"You worry too much, that’s not the case." Miss Chai smiled.
Li Yuzhu also said, "Brother, I’m watching Guoguo and Jingjing, they won’t bother E Ying. I’ll take them to find Mother in a while."
The Princely Heir nodded, "Try not to trouble Miss Chai, keep an eye on Jingjing and Guoguo."
"Got it." Li Yuzhu waved her hand at the Princely Heir.
The Princely Heir clasped his hands to Miss Chai and then left.
Miss Chai watched him leave, then withdrew her gaze, lowered her eyelids, and quietly smiled. Follow current novᴇls on novel_fіre.net
When Li Yuzhu turned back, she saw this scene and was momentarily stunned.
The lunch was prepared by Miss Chai and Nanny Jiang.
Li Yuzhu only washed some vegetables before Nanny Jiang cheerfully invited her to rest aside.
"We are lodging with Miss Li’s family, how can we just sit and eat without helping? Let me do the cooking." Nanny Jiang insisted on not letting Li Yuzhu lend a hand.
Miss Chai also smiled and said, "Yuzhu, Nanny Jiang cooks really well, let her cook."
Li Yuzhu could only agree with a smile, "Alright, then I’ll taste Nanny Jiang’s cooking."
When Miss Chai arrived, she brought not only daily necessities but also some food.
Smoked meat, fresh fish, seasonal vegetables, freshly hunted game, filled two baskets to the brim.
Nanny Jiang’s culinary skills were good, ten dishes of meat and vegetables, all vibrant in color, aroma, and taste.
Li Yuzhu returned from milking sheep, and the dishes were already laid out on the table.
Miss Chai was setting the bowls and chopsticks.
She exclaimed, "Is this a New Year celebration? Such a sumptuous spread."
Miss Chai smiled and said, "It’s just our usual meals, though we’ve made a few extra dishes, it’s far from a New Year feast."
Nanny Jiang also smiled and said, "Time to eat, Miss Li, quickly call Lady Li and Mr. Li to come to eat."
Miss Chai saw Li Yuzhu carrying a bowl of milk and said, "Let me warm the sheep’s milk, you go call everyone for dinner."
Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "Then I’ll trouble you."
"It’s just warming milk, quite simple." Miss Chai smiled and waved her hand.
Li Yuzhu called Prince Luling and his wife, along with Li Xing’an and the Princely Heir, to come for dinner. Everyone entered the kitchen, amazed at the hearty spread.
The happiest was Prince Luling, who could have a couple of drinks again.
He rubbed his hands with a smile and called the Princely Heir, "Oldest, quickly open yesterday’s wine jug, scoop some wine."
The Princely Heir went to scoop wine.
Princess Consort Luling maintained a stern face, "Drink less, there are lady guests today."
Prince Luling sheepishly replied, "Just a small cup."
Miss Chai laughed and said, "Auntie, that wine isn’t intoxicating, we ladies can drink it too, Auntie should try a bit."
Princess Consort Luling smiled, "Alright, alright, I’ll try a small cup."
In rural homes compared to the city, there’s a lack of many formalities.
In big city households, there are distinctions between men and women and they don’t eat in the same room.
Even with relatives, seating arrangements are separate.
In rural homes, with smaller space, meals are served in one room.
If there are many people, two tables are set: one for men drinking and one for women and children not drinking.
Today, Princess Consort Luling arranged similarly, she moved Prince Luling and his two sons to the smaller table, she sat at the main table with her daughter Li Yuzhu, the two children, and Miss Chai and her nanny.
"We have more people, we’ll sit at the big table, while your three go to the smaller table." Princess Consort Luling said confidently.
The Princely Heir and Li Xing’an didn’t mind, and Prince Luling was satisfied as long as there was food and drink.
The three of them didn’t care, they sat at the small table, pouring and drinking contently.
The table had only three dishes: a plate of fried beans, a plate of sliced marinated beef, and a plate of stewed pork trotters.
On the women’s table, however, there were five large bowls of dishes.
Miss Chai then called Nanny Jiang to make two more bowls of dishes.
Princess Consort Luling argued, "What’s the need? Don’t waste food. They just need one dish to accompany the drink, three dishes now is already lavish."
Miss Chai laughed and said, "The fish is cleaned, just needs frying, if left it’ll become dried fish, not as flavorful as fresh."
She still called Nanny Jiang to make another dish.
All the dishes she brought were piled high in the bowls.
She insisted that the nanny make another dish, and the Princess Consort Luling smiled courteously and said nothing more.
In her heart, she thought this girl really knew how to handle situations, understanding how to impose the least amount of trouble when staying as a guest in someone else’s home.
They say a girl without a mother lacks discipline, but Miss Chai, having neither parents nor maternal relatives from a young age, actually possesses commendable manners and etiquette.
By evening, the Great Princess, Second Princess, and the Second Young Master had returned.
By then, dinner was prepared.
A table full of dishes surprised everyone.
"Third Sister, did you make these dishes?" The Second Young Master noticed the braised carp he loved most.
"And the pan-fried small dried fish." The Second Princess also found her favorite.
The Great Princess’s eyes brightened at the sight of the steamed egg with shrimp.
Li Yuzhu, setting up the chopsticks and bowls, smiled and said, "I didn’t make the dinner; it was E Ying and her nanny who did it. I only washed some vegetables and dishes."
"Really? E Ying’s nanny has such good cooking skills?" The Second Princess said joyfully, "Third Sister, why not let E Ying and her nanny stay for a few more days?"
The Great Princess sneered, "Her brother will come looking for her; eventually, she will have to go back. You can only imagine."
"Alright, I’ll just think about it." The Second Princess sighed.
During the days Miss Chai and her nanny stayed at the Li Family’s residence, they tried their best not to cause any inconvenience.
When the food was finished, Miss Chai would send the carriage driver to fetch more, and all three meals were cooked by Nanny Jiang.
When she had free time, she also helped the Princess Consort Luling take care of the two children.
After staying for two days, they received praise from everyone in the Li Family.
During a casual chat, the Princess Consort Luling said to Prince Luling, "This girl has a good character. If we know of a good family, we could consider matchmaking."
Prince Luling glared at her, "Have you forgotten that she said her marriage is arranged by her brother, requiring wealth and status, and should happen quickly? Where are you going to find such a good family? And whom do you know here?"
The Princess Consort Luling shook her head, "I’m just thinking out loud. Her marriage—I can’t meddle in it."
On the third afternoon of Miss Chai staying at the Li Family’s residence, it started to rain, so there was no need to water the fields, and all the vegetable seedlings had been planted.
The task of digging paddy fields was also delayed due to the afternoon rain.
The Princely Heir, now with free time, planned to assess his son’s literacy homework.
He searched around the estate and finally found his son in Miss Chai’s room, and of course, his daughter was there too.
Little sister Li Yuzhu was also present.
However, Li Yuzhu was not minding the children; she was sitting aside, reading a book.
It was Miss Chai who was looking after the children.
He was surprised that the two children were not crying or causing a fuss.
Guoguo was sitting on Miss Chai’s lap, looking at a picture book. Although small, he was seriously flipping through the pages.
Jingjing was playing wooden block toys with Miss Chai.
The two of them were engrossed in their game.
He recalled that when the Xue Family spent time with the children, it was either his daughter screaming or his son crying, followed by the Xue Family’s hysterical yelling and shouting.
It made him think that little kids were incredibly annoying.
He admired nannies who could calm children down.
But now, without a nanny at home, and with his parents urging him and the Xue Family to have a third child, he was always hesitant.
With just the two kids, without help from the parents, their life was already chaotic. Having another one...
He couldn’t imagine it.
But now, seeing Miss Chai playing so well with the two children, quietly, the Princely Heir was astonished.
Children, they’re not all that maddening.
The reason the kids had been crying was simply because the Xue Family’s approach to handling children did not work.
"Jingjing? Guoguo?" The Princely Heir stood outside the room, calling his children.
Jingjing looked up, "Dad, I’m here playing with Aunt Chai."
"It’s about time to stop playing; you should be learning characters." Understanding gender distinctions, the Princely Heir continued speaking from outside the room.
Miss Chai did not leave the room but smiled and said, "Brother Li, I just taught Jingjing some characters. Today, he learned ten new ones and recited a poem."
Li Yuzhu also smiled, saying, "Jingjing was very obedient, and he didn’t make a fuss."
"Yes, I recited it very well, and Aunt Chai praised me for being smart." Jingjing nodded his little head repeatedly, "She said I can become a top scholar in the future."
Guoguo also giggled in agreement.
"Come out; Dad has other things to ask you." The Princely Heir felt it was unfair to burden a young girl with watching the children. Why didn’t Third Sister lend a hand?
"Dad!" Jingjing ran to the threshold of the room, looking up at the Princely Heir, "Can I ask Aunt Chai to be my mother?"