Chapter 87: Chaos

Chapter 87

Chaos

"Shuang Shuang!"

Nie Ran and Xiao Yi Niang called out to her in unison, moving towards her excitedly. Nie Shuang regained her composure and quickly bowed to her parents, as well as to the Hou and Elder Furen Xu Shi.

The Hou and Xu Shi then greeted Kang Wang as per the formal custom, and Nie Ran and Xiao Yi Niang quickly followed suit. Neither of them knew who Kang Wang was, but judging by the Hou’s respectful greeting, the other party was surely someone of high standing. The Hou’s gaze shifted to Young Miss Mu, and then to his son.

"What is the meaning of this!?"

Kang Wang ruled Nan Fang province and should not be able to leave his territory. Young Miss Mu’s appearance here must have something to do with his wayward son. Look at this—Nie Shuang still refused to return to Yong An Hou Manor, and now it seemed that Song Qilin planned to bring a new wife into the household just to torment her. What about his poor grandchildren? And not to mention, Young Miss Mu was on the verge of entering the palace as a concubine. This was asking for trouble.

"You should be the one explaining what you’re doing here, Father. Are you here to bother Shuang Shuang!?"

Song Qilin shot back at his father, his face equally furious.

Nie Ran and Xiao Yi Niang were confused, unable to grasp the Hou’s intentions. They didn’t even know who the beautiful young woman in the room was, but when they glanced over and saw the three small children staring at the adults with wide, curious eyes, all other concerns evaporated. The grandparents rushed over to the children.

"My sweet grandchildren, Bao Bao, Bei Bei, and Xiao Hua Hua, is that right?"

Nie Ran’s face lit up with a huge smile, and Xiao Yi Niang scooped up Bei Bei, who was closest to her.

"My adorable little grandson. Are you Bao Bao or Bei Bei?"

The Hou had already informed Nie Ran and Xiao Yi Niang that they had triplet grandchildren. Throughout the entire journey, the grandparents had eagerly rushed forward, eager to meet the three little ones. They hadn’t expected Nie Shuang’s first pregnancy to result in such robust, adorable children, who clearly received the best features from their parents.

Upon hearing the delighted exclamations about his grandchildren, the Hou momentarily set aside his concerns about Young Miss Mu and hurried over to join the group. He quickly scooped up Xiao Hua Hua in his arms while his other hand reached out to affectionately pat the heads of Bao Bao and Bei Bei.

"My dear grandchildren, have you missed your grandpa? This time, Grandpa has brought the other grandparents to visit you."

He spoke quickly, eager to make a good impression. By bringing Nie Shuang’s parents along to visit, it was a gesture of acceptance towards his daughter-in-law. He wanted to assure her that the Hou Manor did not look down on her merchant family.

Xu Shi, meanwhile, felt a bit out of place amidst the chaotic scene. She wasn’t sure what issue to handle first—the fact that her son was supposed to be stationed at the border, the sudden presence of Young Miss Mu, or the appearance of Kang Wang. Everything seemed so confusing and overwhelming. Not to mention, the Hou and Song Qilin seemed on the verge of another argument.

But when she glanced at the three chubby little ones surrounded by three adults, Xu Shi made her decision in an instant.

Other matters could wait! Let she enjoy her grandchildren first!

Xu Shi elbowed her husband aside to snatch Xiao Hua Hua into her arms.

"My precious little granddaughter, how adorable you are."

Xu Shi, who only had sons, couldn’t resist the charm of Xiao Hua Hua, a sweet, lovable girl. She bent down to kiss those chubby cheeks lovingly. The little girl, with her big round eyes, dainty nose, and fair skin flushed with rosy cheeks, looked like a living doll. Her hair was tied in two tiny buns, perfectly suiting the name Xiao Hua Hua. She would surely grow up to be a beautiful young woman.

Finally, Xu Shi’s dream of having cute little grandchildren to dote on came true. She beamed with joy that wouldn’t fade. This daughter-in-law was truly amazing—not only had she given birth to triplets, but each child was chubby and charming.

The hosts, along with the guest Kang Wang, were utterly taken aback by the sudden change in situation. A moment ago, the Hou had a furious expression, seemingly ready to confront Song Qilin. But now, he was gently poking Xiao Hua Hua’s cheek, playfully teasing her in a soft voice while she was held by his wife.

Bao Bao and Bei Bei, who had been picked up by their maternal grandparents, looked at each other in confusion. Who were these people, and where did they come from? Aside from the old servant who had been away for a while, they didn’t recognize anyone else. Suddenly, these strangers were scooping them up, and their mother wasn’t stopping them.

Nie Ran was a distinguished middle-aged man. His flushed complexion signified that he was someone who had eaten well and lived well. His full nose and large earlobes marked him as someone blessed with wealth and prosperity. A successful merchant, he rarely miscalculated. When he received a letter from Nie Shuang after she had run away, he was deeply saddened, realizing he had made the wrong decision by forcing something his daughter didn’t want. Later, upon hearing from Song Qilin that she was safe, he was relieved, though Song Qilin refused to reveal her whereabouts. In the end, it was someone Nie Ran never expected to humble themselves and personally invite him to join the journey to visit his daughter.

"You must be Bao Bao..."

Nie Ran gazed at Bao Bao with great affection, a smile spread across his face. This grandson resembled his father so much—how could the General not be completely doting on him? Seeing Bao Bao’s clever, unyielding demeanor made Nie Ran love him even more. These children were a blessing from heaven, truly gifts to Nie Shuang, his beloved daughter. The change in attitude from the Hou and Elder Furen towards Nie Shuang and the Nie family was so astonishing that Nie Ran could hardly believe it.

"My dear grandchild...It’s such a shame I couldn’t make it for your full-month celebration. This time, I’ve brought many gifts to make up for it. I’ll save some for your first-year ceremony too."

As Bao Bao was still a baby and nearing nap time, being surrounded by unfamiliar faces made him start to cry. His younger siblings, also held by the elders, soon followed suit. The adults scrambled to calm them, panicking as if something terrible had happened.

"Daughter-in-law! The children are crying—do something quickly!"

The Hou exclaimed in distress, seeing big tears rolling down Xiao Hua Hua’s cheeks.

"They’re probably sleepy. Let’s take them to bed now!"

Xu Shi, with her experience raising children, turned to her husband and then asked her daughter-in-law,

"Where should they sleep? They’re crying so much—why are we still hesitating?"

Nie Shuang and Song Qilin exchanged glances. It was them playing with the children that led to all the tears, yet it now seemed like they were accusing the couple of mistreating their own kids. Nie Shuang gestured for Xiao Tong and the two wet nurses to take the children from the doting grandparents. Still, the elders followed the wet nurses into the children’s nap room, leaving the hall quiet once again. Both guests and hosts exchanged looks.

"Ahem! They’ll return shortly. I apologize for the chaos, making His Highness and Young Miss Mu witness such disorder."

Song Qilin said, feeling slightly embarrassed. Kang Wang appeared amused, while Young Miss Mu smiled genuinely.

"There’s nothing to apologize for, really. It’s such a warm family atmosphere. The elders clearly love their grandchildren dearly. It’s rare to see the family members gather like this."Nie Shuang quietly sipped her tea, refraining from saying anything. Her headache still lingered. Let Song Qilin handle all of this chaos for now!