Chapter 108: Snatching the Son?

The doctor smiled as soon as he saw the gathering and clasped his hands in greeting to Old Wen and Madam Luo, wishing them a happy New Year.

The shopkeeper followed right behind him. “Uncle Wen, Aunt Wen, happy New Year. Sorry to trouble you.”

With both children in hand, Madam Luo could only greet them with her voice. “What trouble? We’re all family. Come inside, come inside.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Let’s go in and talk.” Old Wen hurried over to them and led them toward the house.

Hong Hai exchanged New Year greetings with the Wen family, then parked the carriage beneath a nearby tree. Only then did he come in through the gate, carrying a heap of gifts with a grin.

Wen Yao poked her head out from the kitchen to greet them. “Doctor Jin, Uncle Qiu, you’re here.”

Madam Li and Madam Cai were peeking out behind her as well. Seeing the doctor and the shopkeeper, they nudged Wen Yao. “Yao Yao, go and attend to the guests first. We can keep an eye on things here.”

In any case, they were only steaming dishes and the like for now; all that was needed was to watch the heat. The stir-frying could wait until Wen Yao returned.

Wen Yao took off her apron and followed them out.

Once inside, the doctor beckoned to Hong Hai, who immediately set the armfuls of New Year gifts on the table.

Seeing this, Old Wen and Madam Luo exclaimed, “Oh dear, what is all this for?” How would they ever be able to repay the Wen family’s kindness?

The doctor and the shopkeeper exchanged a glance and laughed. “None of it is anything precious. It’s New Year’s, after all. We couldn’t come empty-handed, could we?”

The shopkeeper added, “Exactly, Uncle Wen, Aunt Wen. Please don’t be polite with us. Otherwise, we won’t even be able to eat this New Year’s Eve meal.”

With the two of them saying it like that, Madam Luo found it hard to refuse.

“You really are something,” she said helplessly, setting the gifts on the cabinet beside her as she spoke, then telling Wen Di to hurry and make tea.

She had not even stepped out the door when Wen Yao came in carrying the tea.

“Grandma, the tea is ready.”

Wen Yao set the tray on the table and poured tea for the doctor and the shopkeeper. Though the teapot and cups were not as fine as the set they had given the doctor, they were still exquisite.

The doctor and the shopkeeper exchanged a meaningful look.

“Old man, eldest son, you entertain Doctor Jin and Shopkeeper Qiu. I’m going to see how the meal preparations are coming along. Doctor Jin, Shopkeeper Qiu, make yourselves at home.” Madam Luo called out, then took Wen Yao and the other girls out, leaving Old Wen and his sons and grandsons to host these honored guests.

Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing, both big simple oafs, did not know how to entertain anyone. Afraid that their rustic manners might offend the two men, they could only sit nearby and grin foolishly.

Old Wen was honestly a little at a loss as well. He had never dealt with people of such standing before, and for a moment he did not know how to receive them. He could only force a smile and say, “Doctor Jin, Shopkeeper Qiu, try the tea and see what you think. We country folk don’t have anything good to offer you, so please don’t mind.”

The doctor and the shopkeeper both said it was nothing. They had expected as much before coming. Yet the moment the tea touched the doctor’s lips, his eyes lit up.

“Excellent tea,” he blurted out. The liquor was bright and clear in color; once it entered the mouth, it was like orchids blooming on the tongue, refreshing the heart and mind. Fragrant yet crisp, clean and delightfully cool.

Old Wen was stunned by the sudden praise. After a dazed moment, he laughed. “As long as Doctor Jin doesn’t dislike it, that is all that matters.” He took a sip himself, but apart from finding it tasty, he could not discern anything else.

Still, in order not to make a fool of himself, Old Wen kept up an air of complete composure.

Wen Xiuyi also sampled it. As expected, it was indeed good tea bought at great expense by his daughter.

The father and son’s calm, matter-of-course reactions only made the doctor and the shopkeeper more convinced that the Wen family must be descended from some hidden and venerable house, or else how could they remain so unruffled before such exceptional tea?

Old Wen had truly never imagined that his lifelong vanity would lead to such a beautiful misunderstanding.

The New Year’s Eve feast would be held in the evening, so at noon everyone merely ate a simple meal. In the afternoon, the Wen family prepared guest rooms especially for the doctor and the shopkeeper to rest in.

At lunch, the doctor drank some wine with Old Wen, and Wen Jun escorted him to the guest room to rest. Shopkeeper Qiu and Wen Xiuyi then found a place to sit and chat.

“Brother Wen, I actually came today because I have something I’d like to discuss with you,” Shopkeeper Qiu said without beating around the bush, going straight to the point.

“Hm?” Wen Xiuyi poured him a cup of tea and waited for him to continue.

Shopkeeper Qiu looked a little uncomfortable and coughed behind his hand. “Did Big Head not tell you?”

Wen Xiuyi was still confused. “Tell me what? He didn’t say anything to me.”

“...” For a moment, Shopkeeper Qiu did not know how to continue. Thinking of the words Big Head had discussed with him, he recalled how the boy had said he would come back and tell Wen Xiuyi and the others himself. In the end, he had said nothing at all.

Unfortunately, by now Big Head had already gone off to play in the village with Jin Xiuyi, and there was no chance of seeing him.

With no other choice, and since the matter had already come this far, Shopkeeper Qiu could only steel himself and continue.

He took a sip of tea before saying, “I am a few years older than you, yet I am alone in the world. Aside from Old Jin and a few other friends, there is no one else by my side.”

Wen Xiuyi: “...” Was this going to turn into a discussion about the meaning of life?

Still, the conversation had to continue, so he asked, “What about your family, Shopkeeper Qiu?”

“My parents passed away long ago. My uncle’s family is in the capital, and for various reasons, I have remained childless all my life.” As he said this, Shopkeeper Qiu secretly watched Wen Xiuyi’s reaction.

By now, Wen Xiuyi was a little dumbfounded. Why was he suddenly talking about this? The subject was far too awkward; how was he supposed to respond?

Tell him why he had not sired a son? If he said that out loud, he feared he might get beaten.

Then, all at once, Shopkeeper Qiu said, “Big Head is a good boy.”

Wen Xiuyi froze for a moment, then his eyes widened as he looked at Shopkeeper Qiu. Frowning with a trace of wariness, he blurted out, “You’re not planning to steal my son, are you?”

Having said that, Shopkeeper Qiu was just about to hide his unease by taking another sip of tea, when he suddenly heard this. The tea in his mouth shot straight back out.

Wen Xiuyi dodged with a flash and grew even more guarded.

Good heavens, so after all this, he had come to steal a son?

“Cough... cough, cough... no, no, Brother Wen, you’ve misunderstood,” Shopkeeper Qiu hurried to explain.

Looking at Wen Xiuyi, he found every line of the man’s face written with disbelief.

Shopkeeper Qiu seemed to have expected this and let out an awkward sigh. Then, with some guilt, he said, “You’ve misunderstood. I’m not here to steal your son.”