Chapter 157: Daddy Mi is Back Home

Chen Xiao Mi bought a copy of Ji Yun An's book and he was addicted to the stories, "No wonder this book becomes a hit, he writes in such lively and elegant style. I've heard most of the stories from Lin, but I love how Yun A has polished every story."

Chen Xiao Mi also learned to read, he could understand the stories in the book.

Chen Xiao Mi flipped through the pages, he touched his chin and thought to himself, 'Ji Yun An is a young man of unusual literary talent, he writes in an easy and fluent style, every story becomes so enchanting. However, he is still not as talented as Lin."

Chen Xiao Mai looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said, "Big Brother, let's go to the tea house to listen to the stories in the book."

Chen Xiao Mi who had never been to a tea house nodded with excitement and said, "That's a good idea."

The tea house culture in the capital city was very famous. Many people would frequent the tea houses and support their favorite storytellers. Back at home, Chen Xiao Cai had mentioned the tea houses he had been to when he was in the capital city.

After Chen Xiao Mi came to the capital city, he had been very busy, and he did not have the chance to spend some time in the tea house.

Chen Xiao Mi took Chen Xiao Mai to Auspicious Cloud tea house. The storyteller in Auspicious Cloud tea house was one of the best storytellers in the game, the way he narrated stories was cadenced and rich in feeling, he could always bring down the house.

Chen Xiao Mai took another piece of pastries from the plate and said, "Big Brother, this storyteller is amazing, isn't he?"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "Yeah, look at the audience, they all go crazy for him!"

Chen Xiao Mi blinked and thought, 'This person's storytelling skill seems to be much better than Lu Lin's. He deals with the ups and downs of the plot in perfect ways, but the atmosphere in the tea house also works to his favor, everyone is listening to the story with avid attention.'

"Lin Ge isn't as great as this storyteller," Chen Xiao Mai held his face and said.

Chen Xiao Mi said sullenly, "That's different. The storyteller does this for a living, of course he needs to come up with different ideas to carry the audience away."

......

Lu Lin stayed in the county yamen and looked at the sky with a depressed expression.

He sat still and watched the sun setting in silence.

"Father, Daddy Mi isn't back today!"

Lu Lin nodded and said, "Yeah, but that's fine, he will be back after Little Uncle's wedding!"

Lu Lin was aware that Chen Xiao Mi wouldn't be back anytime soon, the big families loved to follow unnecessary and overelaborate formalities on wedding ceremonies. Picking the wedding date alone would take them up to months.

Lu Lin then thought about he and Chen Xiao Mi's wedding. Grandma Lu asked several villagers to carry him to Chen Xiao Mi's house, and that was their entire wedding ceremony.

Shabby as it was, it was efficient.

"Father, when will daddy come back?"

Lu Lin said sullenly, "After Little Uncle's wedding ceremony, I'm sure."

"Father, shall we get worried? Is it possible that daddy has found someone better than you in the capital city and he decides to stay in the capital city?" Yuan Bao asked.

Lu Lin shook his head and said angrily, "My good son, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you think it's that easy to find someone better than me, tell you what, I'm very confident!"

Dash blinked and chimed in, "We've heard so many similar stories told by you, remember? Brother Yun An has even transcribed them."

Lu Lin pouted. 'Well, I must be held accountable for this. I've lifted a rock only to drop it on my own feet.'

"The two of you, come here, you don't remember a thing from the Four Books and Five Classics, yet you remember every tale and story I've told!"

Yuan Bao's eyes widened in surprise, "Father, you don't like the Four Books and Five Classics, either. Every time you open the book you would just doze off."

Lu Lin lowered his head with embarrassment, 'What the kids said was right.'

"In all seriousness though, kids, don't worry. It's not easy to find someone better than me. Your daddy will be back soon," Lu Lin said smugly.

Yuan Bao and Dash exchanged a look and a knowing smile.

Lu Lin cleared his throat to cover the awkwardness, "You two, go wash your hands, it's almost dinner time."

Yuan Bao looked at Lu Lin and said, "Father, winter is coming, I hope daddy can be bask soon."

Lu Lin stroked Yuan Bao's hair and smiled.

'Yeah, the kids are right, it's not safe for Mi to start the long trudge home in winter, heavy snows can be deadly, they may seal the roads and take lives. mountain passes. Do we have to wait until next spring?' Lu Lin was very anxious.

......

Ji Yun An listened to Chen Xiao Mai and didn't go for a grand wedding ceremony.

Chen Xiao Mai felt that the most important thing about marriage was that the two of them were happy. As for the ceremony, it was nothing but a show to tell outsiders that they were happy. And Mai thought they didn't need that.

Chen Xiao Mai and Chen Xiao Mi met Ji Yun An's father and stepmother.

Ji Yun An's father looked disdainful and acted condescending in the wedding.

As for Liu Qingmei, she was dressed in a gaudy outfit, trying to steal the thunder.

Chen Xiao Mi did not pay much attention to the two. Seeing Ji Yun An's father and stepmother, Chen Xiao Mi felt very grateful to Ji Cheng Kang who had saved Ji Yun An from the Zhao Family.

Although Ji Yun An and Chen Xiao Mai's wedding ceremony was simple, it was still very impressive. The dowry was prepared by Highness Cheng and his two ladies, all the guests were dazzled by the exquisite jewelries and garments.

After the wedding ceremony, Chen Xiao Mi and Chen Xiao Mai moved to the house that Ji Yun An bought.

The new house wasn't a magnificent manor or anything, but it was tastefully furnished and there was an atmosphere of elegance everywhere.

Chen Xiao Mi looked at the snow outside the window and said, "I can't be back for a while!"

Ji Yun An looked at Chen Xiao Mi and said, "Big Brother, it's not safe to trudge over a long distance in winter. I will send a letter to Magistrate Lu and let him know everything is fine, is that okay?"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said with reluctance, "That seems to be the only solution now."

Chen Xiao Mai noticed the frown on Chen Xiao Mi's face, he chimed in, trying to cheer his Big Brother up, "Big Brother, Lin Ge wouldn't want you to take any risks and set out on a winter day either. And we can celebrate Chinese New Year together in the capital city this year, that's exciting."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded with a smile.

Chen Xiao Mi was a little worried about Lu Lin and the kids back at home, Chen Xiao Mai would come up with different activities to cheer up his Big Brother, so the days in the capital city weren't bad.

Hotpot was the most ideal food for wintertime. And there were a lot of entertainments and cultural recreations in the capital city, Chen Xiao Mi had a lot of fun.

But he would miss Lu Lin and the kids whenever he was watching the opera and listening to stories in the tea house... ...

......

Lu Lin and the kids miss Chen Xiao Mi as well.

Chen Xiao Mi finally went back home in spring. However, Chen Xiao Mai and Ji Yun An didn't come back with Chen Xiao Mi, they decided to stay in the capital city for some more time.

"You're back!" Lu Lin exclaimed on seeing Chen Xiao Mi.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and hugged Lu Lin tightly, "Yeah, how come you look like you've lost weight!"

Lu Lin rubbed his face and said, "Maybe, but that's fine."

"You seem to have lost weight too. Didn't I tell you to not be frugal in the capital city?" Lu Lin stroked Chen Xiao Mi's face.

Chen Xiao Mi smiled and said, "No, I've gained some weight actually."

Chen Xiao Mi felt guilty deep down. Chen Xiao Mai and Ji Yun An knew he was homesick, they would take him places and try different stuff to cheer him up all the time, he just felt guilty that he had enjoyed so much without Lu Lin and the kids.

......

"I'll show you something," Chen Xiao Mi opened his bag and Lu Lin saw a pile of well-styled silver ingots.

Most of the silver that Lu Lin had seen was very ugly in shape, he had never seen such beautiful siler ingots. Each ingot was 50 taels, they looked like chubby dumplings.

"Where did these come from?" Lu Lin asked.

"This is money reward from His Majesty, for Roast Whole Lamb," Chen Xiao Mi said.

Lu Lin's eyes widened, "For a dish?!"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "Yeah, I was shocked as well! But Highness Cheng said His Majesty has added this dish to the menu of state banquet, hence this reward."

Lu Lin nodded and played with an ingot, "Let's save these ingots in a safe place and give them to the kids when they grow up, shall we?"

Chen Xiao Mi smiled and said, "Excellent."

"Would you like to go to the Hot Springs Resort, to wash off the dust and relax?" Lu Lin said.

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and said, "Great. I've heard so many people talking about the Hot Springs Resort."

Lu Lin nodded and said, "During winter, the resort was packed almost every day. Now it has cooled down a little bit, because it's getting warmer."

There was even sedan chair business at the gate of the resort, the customers loved the convenience. They were happy to pay 100 cents for one way sedan chair service.

The local villagers were grateful to Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Cai for creating these new job opportunities.

Lu Lin and Chen Xiao Mi checked in a private room and enjoyed the hot springs, "It's so comfortable!"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, " I heard you've rubbed General Ji the wrong way somehow, and the two of you are ignoring each other at the moment, is that so?"

Lu Lin pouted and said, "General Ji is a fool, an old rigid fool. I've distributed some free tickets to the soldiers for the hot springs, he went mad and scolded me, saying soldiers shouldn't indulge in creature comforts."

Chen Xiao Mi glanced at Lu Lin and said, "General Ji means well though, he is a very straightforward person, you guys have been friends for a long time, you know him."

Lu Lin shook his head, "And he keeps saying that I'm wasting my talent, he wants me to invent more farming tools. But Mi, I don't want to catch any unnecessary attention to me, what if people find out I'm from the modern society?"

Chen Xiao Mi nodded and stroked Lu Lin's back gently, "It's fine, we can just do whatever we want to do and enjoy life, it's fine."

"Thank you for your understanding."