Qi Zhenzhen looked at Aunt Lin doubtfully, unsure of her meaning.
"Zhenzhen, what do you think of Zhang Er Niu?" Aunt Lin asked.
The question was direct, and seeing Aunt Lin's expression, Qi Zhenzhen immediately understood her intention. She had taken a liking to Zhang Er Niu.
"He's quite responsible, capable, diligent, and hardworking. It's just that his family has many brothers, and none of them are married yet," Qi Zhenzhen said after some thought.
Aunt Lin nodded repeatedly, her demeanor clearly showing satisfaction.
"I think he's quite good. Do you think he's a good match for Rui Xue? I'm just worried that he might look down on Rui Xue for being divorced and having a son." Aunt Lin's face was full of worry.
Qi Zhenzhen was amused. Could this be considered fate? Zhang Er Niu fancied Lin Rui Xue, and Aunt Lin fancied Zhang Er Niu. This way, the chances of success would be even greater. At least Zhang Er Niu wouldn't have to worry about the Lin family's attitude in the future. As long as Lin Rui Xue agreed, this happy event would be sealed.
"I think Brother Zhang Er is very good, but what use is that? Whether he's good or not depends on whether Sister Rui Xue likes him, after all, this concerns her future," Qi Zhenzhen said carefully.
Aunt Lin nodded. "That's true. We can't rush this. Rui Xue has just gone through this. Back then, Li Shan seemed like such an honest person, yet he turned out like that. She's probably scared. She needs some time to get over this."
Qi Zhenzhen smiled. "Auntie, don't worry. Sister Rui Xue is a sensible girl. After this period, she won't keep herself trapped in the past."
Aunt Lin clasped Qi Zhenzhen's hand. "Zhenzhen, I'm so grateful to you for this matter, and also for the pickled cabbage business. I don't know what to say. If you ever need anything from our family, just say the word. We have plenty of labor. My eldest and second sons have good temperaments. Although the second one is a bit easily swayed, he can stand his ground in important matters. You treat Rui Xue like your own sister. From now on, we are family."
Indeed, the Lin brothers were both good-natured. Every few days, various seafood would be brought over, never ceasing. It was heard that it was their grandfather who led the two grandsons to the sea to gather it, and they specifically brought it for the Qi family to eat.
"Auntie, my mother brought us siblings here. Although we have blood relatives, it's no different from having none. Now that we're living a decent life, it's still a bit lonely..." Qi Zhenzhen sighed. "Especially my mother, her maternal grandfather's family suffered a disaster..."
Aunt Lin had heard about the Qi family's mother and children from Lin Rui Xue and knew how miserable they had been before. She already felt some sympathy for them, and now that the two families were so close, Aunt Lin genuinely cared for the mother and her two children. A pressing idea then arose in her mind, "Zhenzhen, why don't we become sworn relatives?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. "My mother is younger than Uncle Hu Zi. How about this, from now on, I'll call Sister Rui Xue 'Auntie' instead of 'Sister'? That way, it's more normal. Before, I followed Li Shan's family and called her that. Now that he has nothing to do with us, let's re-establish our relationships?"
This way, Lin Rui Xue would be in the same generation as Yun Shi. Originally, Lin Rui Xue was only four years younger than Yun Shi. Because she followed Li Shan's family's way of addressing her, she was directly placed a generation below Yun Shi.
"Alright, Rui Xue has no sisters, so I'll recognize your mother as my goddaughter," Aunt Lin said joyfully. "This way, I'll have two daughters!"
When this was told to Yun Shi, she was first stunned, then her eyes slowly welled up. Zhenzhen was twelve years old, and it had been thirteen years since the Yun family's disaster. Although she had entered the Marquis of Changping's mansion, she didn't feel a sense of belonging there. She always felt like a rootless duckweed. When Aunt Lin proposed this matter, she inexplicably felt a glimmer of hope, a longing for the warmth of a home she had long missed.
Seeing that Yun Shi remained silent, Aunt Lin felt a bit awkward. "Look at me, I was only thinking of myself and didn't ask if you were willing."
Yun Shi came to her senses and nodded vigorously, "I am willing, I am willing."
After speaking, Yun Shi solemnly knelt before Aunt Lin, kowtowed, and called her "Mother."
Qi Zhenzhen also obediently called her "Grandmother."
Old Madam Lin supported her and wiped her eyes. Qi Zhenzhen, with her sharp eyes, saw that the old lady's eyes were indeed moist.
"This is not a small matter. Later, I'll call your father, elder brother, second brother, and your two sisters-in-law over. The family will gather to acknowledge each other. Lan'er will also take the children to visit in time. From now on, we are family," Old Madam Lin said, her voice choked with emotion.
Becoming sworn relatives was indeed not a small matter. Old Madam Lin wanted to prepare jewelry for Yun Shi and clothes for Qi Zhenzhen and Qi Yi.
Yun Shi, in turn, wanted to prepare shoes, socks, and seasonal clothes for the elders.
They also needed to find a good time to announce it to everyone.
"Grandmother, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is a good day. We don't have to work that day. Why don't we invite Grandfather, Uncle, Aunt, and my two cousins to come over? We can also invite the village head's family to be witnesses?" Qi Zhenzhen suggested.
Old Madam Lin nodded. "Good, good, good. We'll do as Zhenzhen says. Tomorrow, when your two uncles come to pick up the pickled cabbage, Grandmother will tell them."
Qi Zhenzhen was happily chatting when she suddenly glanced at the sun outside. Without another word, she hurried out, "Grandmother, Mother, you two talk. I'm going to make dinner."
Gu Si Nian had said he wanted noodles for lunch. He and Xiao Niu had hearty appetites, so she should prepare early, lest they return and she hadn't prepared anything. However, his request was too vague. After pondering for a moment, Qi Zhenzhen had an idea: she would make knife-cut noodles. She would knead the dough and let it rest. Then, she would take the dough outside to rest for a while. The low temperature would make the dough firmer, which was perfect for knife-cut noodles.
She added water to the stove to boil the bone broth, then picked a few garlic sprouts and cilantro, washed them, and set them aside.
On another stove, she added clean water and started boiling it. When they returned, she could directly shave the noodles into the pot.
After preparing everything, Qi Zhenzhen went to Lin Rui Xue's room. Yun Shi was also in Lin Rui Xue's room at the moment, and the three of them were chatting happily.
Lin Rui Xue saw Qi Zhenzhen enter and smiled, beckoning her. "Come, come, call me Auntie."
Qi Zhenzhen reached out her hands towards Lin Rui Xue and said, "Come, Auntie. It's still within the first lunar month, so it's still considered the New Year. During the New Year, shouldn't Auntie give me a red envelope?"
Lin Rui Xue looked to Old Madam Lin for help. Old Madam Lin smiled and took a silver coin from her sleeve. "Here, you won't be shortchanged, my dear girl. Your aunt's grandmother is giving you this in advance. When she earns money, she'll make it up to you."
Qi Zhenzhen happily took the money. Although she wasn't short of money now, this money held a special meaning and had to be accepted. From now on, she would have legitimate relatives. Even though it was just a sworn kinship, in ancient times, recognizing sworn relatives was a very solemn matter. Once recognized, they were treated like blood relatives.