Once in the courtyard, Lu Yuan looked toward his mother-in-law, who was inside the main room kneading dough to make hand-pulled noodles for lunch, and called out to her,

"Mom~"

Hearing the commotion outside and her son-in-law calling for her, his mother-in-law immediately wiped the dough from her hands and hurried out into the courtyard.

"What is it, Yuan’Er? You don’t want to eat noodles for lunch?"

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law knew her son-in-law was a picky eater.

She’d heard from her daughter that if there wasn’t some good wine and fine food to go with it, he couldn’t even stomach food made from plain white flour.

If he didn’t want noodles, she could make something else. They had already-proofed dough at home, so she could make flatbreads or steamed buns, whatever he wanted.

They could even have dumplings; there was still enough time to wrap them fresh.

Whatever it took, she had to make sure her son-in-law enjoyed his meal.

The family certainly wasn’t short on food. They had a huge amount left over from a recent banquet, so much that the three households still hadn’t finished eating it all.

On New Year’s Eve, Su Changliang had returned from his brother-in-law’s house with another large haul.

And just now, her son-in-law and daughter had returned, bringing yet another massive pile of things.

The three homes were practically overflowing.

"Noodles are fine. I’ll be drinking in a bit anyway, so I won’t be eating much of the main course,"

Lu Yuan said with a wave of his hand.

His mother-in-law nodded, looking at her son-in-law. ’So what did he want to talk about?’

Then, Lu Yuan lowered his voice and said,

"Mom, please don’t let them smoke in the house. Liyan is pregnant, and the smell is not good for her."

After hearing what Lu Yuan said, his mother-in-law blinked, then couldn’t help but purse her lips in a smile.

"Oh my, and here I was wondering what the matter was.

It’s fine, let them smoke. Liyan will be alright. She’s not that delicate."

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law didn’t think it was a big deal at all.

For one, people around here knew nothing about the dangers of secondhand smoke. For another, no one had ever said you couldn’t smoke just because a daughter-in-law was pregnant.

’Everyone does it, what’s the big deal?’

Back when she was pregnant with her two children, didn’t their father smoke one pipe after another?

’What could possibly go wrong?’

But while his mother-in-law didn’t think it was a big deal, Lu Yuan was quite serious. He raised an eyebrow and said,

"Not a chance!

My Liyan *is* delicate, and if I say no, it means no.

At my own home, I have to go out and squat in the courtyard to smoke. If you won’t tell them, then I’ll go in and take their cigarettes away myself!

A junior like me confiscating cigarettes from his elders... that would cause a very ugly scene, especially during the New Year!"

Lu Yuan’s sudden shift in tone startled his mother-in-law.

However, once she recovered, she smiled with fond exasperation.

"Oh, alright, alright, alright. Mom will listen to you. Honestly, you kids..."

With that, Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law smiled, turned, and headed back into the house.

’My son-in-law really knows how to dote on someone~’

’My daughter must have been blessed for several lifetimes to deserve this~’

Just as Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law entered the main room, Su Liyan was coming out of the west room, having just changed her clothes.

Upon arriving at her parents’ home, she had to change out of her nice clothes and get ready to help with the chores.

Seeing her mother come in smiling and then head toward the east room, Su Liyan asked curiously,

"Mom, where are you going?"

Just a moment ago in the west room, while changing her coat, Su Liyan had seen her husband call her mother outside.

’She found it strange. What could it be that they had to go outside to talk about it in private?’

Lu Yuan’s mother-in-law just smiled at her daughter and said,

"It’s nothing. Your husband is just showing how much he cares for you."

Huh?

Su Liyan looked puzzled.

She then saw her mother enter the east room and, without another word, start collecting the ashtrays as she announced,

"All of you, put out your cigarettes. If you want to smoke, take it outside. No more smoking in the house."

Su Liyan’s father, who was sitting on the edge of the kang, stared and said,

"It’s so cold outside. Why would we go out there to smoke?"

Who goes out into the courtyard just to have a smoke in the dead of winter?

Especially during the New Year festivities.

But Su Liyan’s mother wasn’t intimidated by her husband in the slightest. She just shot him a look and said,

"Our son-in-law is displeased.

He said that since our daughter is pregnant, even he has to go to the courtyard to smoke when he’s at home."

Hearing this, Su Liyan’s father didn’t argue further and immediately handed over his cigarettes.

Her second and third uncles, who were beside him, also quickly handed theirs to their sister-in-law.

As for the three other sons-in-law sitting on chairs below the kang, they naturally didn’t dare to say a word.

’Their most respected brother-in-law was a formidable figure.’

They had heard he was connected to the Zhao Family in the city—that he was Madam Zhao’s close nephew.

Meanwhile, Su Liyan stood in the main room, her face filled with bliss as she watched the man in the courtyard puffing on his cigarette.

Her heart felt as if it were filled with honey.

The two aunts and three young wives in the main room all clicked their tongues in silent admiration.

’This son-in-law really knows how to cherish his wife.’

"My brother-in-law is so good to you.

No wonder he had to go outside for a smoke the other day.

I didn’t realize there was such a rule about it."

Su Changliang said with a wide grin as he sidled up to her.

Snapping out of her reverie, Su Liyan shot Su Changliang a playful glare, then turned to get back to her chores. Inwardly, however, her heart swelled with sweetness as she thought,

’Of course he is! You don’t need to tell me that~’

...

When it was time for the noon meal, the men all took off their shoes and climbed onto the kang.

Su Changyu was the head cook for the day.

Su Changliang was beside him, working the bellows and tending the fire.

The women were in the main room, helping chop vegetables and plate the food.

"Liyan, stop working. Come get on the kang and eat."

Lu Yuan, who was sitting on the kang near the entrance, leaned over and lifted the door curtain to call out to Su Liyan in the main room.

Su Liyan was taken aback for a moment, then replied with a sweet look on her face,

"Dear, you go ahead and..."

Before Su Liyan could finish, her mother gave her a little push from behind and shot her a look.

"Listen to your husband. Why must you always argue with him?"

Hearing her mother, Su Liyan gave a shy little sound of agreement, then wiped her hands and entered the room.