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During the reign of Jin Wudi in the Tai Kang era, Pan An, who was over thirty years old, took office as the magistrate of Heyang County. He diligently governed the county, bringing order and prosperity to the region.
He planted peach and plum trees throughout the county, and every spring, when the blossoms bloomed, their fragrance filled the air. Thus, Heyang County earned the beautiful titles of "Hua County" and "Heyang County Flower."
"I heard that Sima's family is coming to visit us today. It's rare for you to be so generous, actually willing to bring out those two jars of Daughter's Red that your father gifted you back then!" Pan An said with a smile, squatting by the wall and watching his wife beside him as she dug up the wine with a small shovel, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection.
She shot him a half-teasing, half-annoyed glance and gently patted his shoulder. "Then how about we take some of our stored Peach Blossom Wine out?"
"That won't do! We agreed that Peach Blossom Wine is only for us to enjoy together; it can't be used for entertaining guests or given away!" He said, suddenly reaching out to gently wipe away the dirt smudged on her face, his touch as soft as if he were handling a precious treasure.
Xue Rongji's face turned red with embarrassment. "What are you doing?"
Her hair was styled in a typical woman's bun, and her features had long since lost the youthful innocence of her younger days. At first glance, she appeared quite gentle and charming; time seemed to have left a tender mark on her.
"In front of the children, aren't you afraid..." Xue Rongji began but instinctively looked behind her only to find that their daughter, who had been sitting on the swing, was nowhere to be seen. The swing frame still swayed gently.
A sense of unease surged within her.
"Where's Lu'er?" She hurriedly stood up, her tone tinged with anxiety.
Pan An shook his head, a hint of helplessness on his face. "She probably went off to play by herself..."
Before he could finish speaking, a clear cry and complaint from a young boy came from the wall, “Father, someone shot my face with a slingshot!”
“Who? Who is it?” A familiar male voice called from outside the wall.
Pan An and Xue Rongji quickly looked up at the wall and saw their precious daughter sitting on a sturdy peach tree at the corner of the yard, trying to hide the slingshot behind her back, her face showing signs of guilt.
“ Lu'er, did you steal your father's slingshot again?” Xue Rongji stood under the tree with hands on her hips, her face stern as she scolded, “Get down here right now!”
Their four-year-old daughter, Pan Jinlu, trembled at her mother's fierce roar and hurriedly scrambled down. Just then, a bird that had been perched on the tree suddenly swooped down towards her.
Startled, Lu'er quickly covered her eyes, loosening her grip on the tree. She was about to fall.
In a split second, Xue Rongji and Pan An moved with agility and coordination like twins, rushing to the tree and extending their hands to form a net. They barely managed to catch Pan Jinlu just in time.
Applause rang out from outside the gate as Sima Zhan stood under the moon gate in front of the courtyard with an amused expression. “Brother Pan and Sister-in-law are truly affectionate! Look at how perfectly you worked together to save your daughter just now; it’s as if you share a telepathic bond. No wonder the good name of Pan Xue has spread all the way to the capital!”
Pan An picked up his daughter while still holding tightly onto Xue Rongji's hand, as if declaring their happiness to the world. Without any embarrassment, he pointed at the half-dug wine jar in the yard and said, “If you want to drink, go get it yourself! I’ll take Rong Ji and Lu'er next door to apologize to Mr. Chen!”
Sima Zhan could only resign himself to fetching the wine alone. Pan An held his daughter's hand in one hand and Xue Rongji's in the other, walking out amidst the fragrant peach blossoms. Their figures appeared especially warm against the backdrop of blooming flowers.
“Indeed, daughters take after their mothers; Lu'er is quite a handful!” Xue Rongji muttered under her breath while giving her daughter a fierce glare that was filled with affection.
Pan Jinlu defiantly made a funny face back at her mother, her mischievous expression reminiscent of Xue Rongji in her younger days, making everyone unable to suppress their laughter.
Pan An smiled, his expression filled with happiness and contentment. "It seems that my dear wife and I are increasingly in sync."
"In sync?" Xue Rongji was taken aback, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "What do you mean?"
With a charming smile, Pan An leaned closer and whispered softly in her ear, "Isn't it time to give Lu'er a little brother like me? One who will ease your worries and know how to cherish you?"
Xue Rongji's face instantly flushed, turning as red as a ripe apple. Without thinking, she kicked him hard. As he cried out in pain, clutching his foot, she quickly took their daughter's hand and walked briskly ahead. Meanwhile, her other hand unconsciously brushed against her still-flat belly.
Inside her, something was quietly growing—a boy just like him, perhaps? A slight smile curved her lips as her heart brimmed with hopes for the future.
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