After saying that, I took Mai Mai straight to my room, never looking back. The butler was still standing there, holding a precious box in his hand, staring blankly at us.

 Mai Mai is right, in that box, there is a golden apricot flower head brooch, which is my most precious jewelry. When I was a child, when I saw that my mother had a beautiful head brooch, I asked for it to play, but she definitely refused. It wasn't until I got married, the night before returning to my husband's house, that my mother solemnly handed the brooch to me, hoping that for the rest of my life, I would be at peace, would not have trouble, and would not have to suffer. …

 I don't know if what happened in the past is tribulation, but the pain has penetrated into my bones and marrow.

That night, of course, it rained.

 Another month has passed and the snow has begun to fall. In the yard of the mother-in-law's room, the yellow apricot tree blooms in brilliant clusters, showing off its bright yellow color in the snow. When it was not yet morning, Mai Mai went out to steal some branches and put them in her room, the fragrance spread everywhere, her hands were both red and swollen from the cold.

 I felt my heart hurt, both scolding and rubbing my hand to keep it from cold.

 Only then, Mai Mai whispered secretly, today is her birthday. It is seventeen years old.

 I froze, then went into the kitchen myself, making it two eggs and a bowl of longevity noodles.

 When I was a kid, when I was at home with my mother, every time my birthday came, she would make me those dishes. Eggs are cooked by mother with red sugar, both fragrant and delicious, take a bite, there is still a bit of unripe yolk inside, both slippery and fatty. Every time I eat, I feel hungry. As for longevity noodles, my mother forced me to eat them. Mom said, eating longevity noodles on your birthday will bring you good luck. I will be protected for a peaceful, healthy and long life.

 Mai Mai ate each piece, each piece was full, while eating and laughing with me, in the end, even the broth she drank, she licked her lips and praised it.

I look at Mai Mai, remember my mother, remember the past memories, tears welled up again.

 I secretly wiped my tears, I smiled and told Mai Mai that, if it feels good, I will cook for her for her birthday next year.

 Mai Mai tried her best to nod, hug me like two sisters, and then frantically praise me “The missing lady is so kind, she is beautiful, gentle, skillful, did not expect her cooking skills to be great.The heart is also kind, always treating the people below us well. Behind her, everyone praises her, but somehow, the young master doesn't like to come here...".

 My face suddenly became gloomy, Mai Mai is rude, inattentive, indifferent, of course she doesn't know what she said wrong, still chirping and praising me.

 Finally, Mai Mai also asked me to promise her that, this day next year, I will definitely cook eggs for her to eat.

 I also promised it with a smile.

 In fact, just a few months later, Mai Mai left me, leaving the Ngo family to marry the gentle owner of a tofu shop.

It's been three months since he stepped foot in this room, I thought he would never set foot in this place again.

  I caught a glimpse of his expressionless face when I walked in, and I was a bit embarrassed, but immediately calmed down. I quickly stood up, almost spilling the bowl of egg soup.

  " Why is you room so cold? If you don't even bother to light the fireplace, how can you live?" He frowned and looked around.

  I'm trying to suppress the joy mixed with a little bit of sadness in my heart, gently reaching out to help him brush off the snowflakes that are clinging to his hair and shirt. I said nothing, but quietly made the fire burn bigger, then hurriedly went to prepare hot water for him to bathe.

  I was always busy for a while, running in and out.

  "Nuong Tu is also very happy, sitting here alone, watching the snow and enjoying the hot soup!" His lips curled up slightly, looking like he was smiling but not smiling, then sat down and picked up the bowl of soup to drink.

  A " Nuong Tu" voice uttered from his mouth made me extremely happy, that joy overwhelmed my anger and pushed it to the bottom of my heart.

  He always complimented the egg soup cooked very well.

  I dared not look him in the face, his face flushed red again, a sweet feeling welling up in my heart.

  “No need more busyness! Look at you pampered and startling look of you!” He laughed "I was just walking, passing by here, suddenly remembered that I haven't been to you for a long time, so I went in to see how it was."

I stopped and looked at him questioningly.

 "I'm not going to spend the night here, just sit back for a while and then leave." He said slowly and then calmly drank the soup.

 I hummed, but I couldn't hide my overwhelming disappointment.

 I quietly approached him, watching him eat egg soup.

 "It's delicious! Was it cooked by one of the people below? How come I have never eaten such a delicious dish before.” It seemed that he also felt the atmosphere was a bit heavy, and by the way found a topic to talk about.

 "It's because I cook it myself." I replied softly.

* Nuong Tu is the way a husband calls his wife in feudal times.