Hua Erniang was still in her postpartum confinement, and with no draft allowed in the heated room, it felt extremely stuffy. She sat by the bed with a thin quilt draped over her waist and belly while her hands wiped away the endless sweat on her forehead. Watching Hua Xiaomai holding the soft and cuddly Tie Chui, making faces and having a great time, she couldn't help but curve her apricot eyes into a smile.
"Your intentions are naturally good," she said, lowering her head to think for a moment, and then softened her voice, "The things that happened with Yuhuai's family in the past, although your brother-in-law hasn't said much about them to me, over the two or three years since I married into Fire Knife Village, I've heard a lot, on and off. It hasn't been easy for him. It's right for you to be considerate of him, but with Meng's mother coming and going at your eatery every day, aren't you afraid she'll disrupt your business?"
