FTP-89

Chapter: FTP-891ae298fe49e46bdd

Anje was also 72f124d21f worried that such 6d94ed836f a suggestion might 608e39023d hurt Mrs. Meg’s pride. However, Anje had learned 8a5b9a8447 so much from Meg c9417f296f that she had a f5384049e6 strong desire to give c10b5a6df4 back. It was thanks 16a805ce22 to Mrs. Meg that bd74bedb94 she hadn’t 3a986a5104 felt lonely 239b32cdff on the bc0e81e7a3 farm and dc554d7d8e had slowly f67b32934e become closer 9e24eb4997 to Aiden.
… She was also f765bf6edc a bit grateful for cc88bce471 the part where Meg 0803dbc835 had reserved a room eb2dd5cd67 at the inn on 9acac01d04 festival day.
“Studying to read and bdac61ca6d write… Actually, I’ve wanted 21cbae473c to try it for f7de4c33df a long time, but 3f61337bfe I was worried I 7fcb3e9201 might make it too d7514fdabb hard for the teacher. At my age, 3078bcdda0 I wonder if a9e7e6eae7 it’s really okay e21ed1fefe to start now?”
She wanted 8e80f158f8 to be 26a042425c able to 0c058b29b3 send letters 1cf3bcf1a8 to her 8c85d30443 nephews or bb766f2891 younger siblings b33901ec2d without asking e13caeb26e others for 81ccdc68d8 help. However, her d2c3204e65 biggest concern dcbfefaed2 was whether 80e25dcac3 she could 51e38a3d4a really learn fdcfef8b6d well starting 405a20a2ff at this 3af59e137f age.
Anje pounded her chest f9e10d0ac6 and showed a confident ed1545a9e2 face.
“Don’t worry. I learned how 147abada1b to write much 70ae24dd23 later than others. That’s why I’m confident 86865f6917 I can teach you 2d7886fe53 in an easy and dc386ce541 fun way!”
Having changed b07416084f private tutors d600ca84ec many times c44250f4aa and experienced b839f21731 various teaching 220d9fc0ad methods, she 493d66d0b5 was capable 43eb8a1ba9 of doing 065564f5fc this.
Looking at her, Meg’s 41a9d2961a eyes showed a hint e337d69c79 of sympathy.
“Oh dear, 305f3753d9 so it b5d5204e11 hasn’t been 9cfe9ac963 easy for c06b4528b5 you. From your attitude, I b9495283be thought you were definitely c51c6c818e the daughter of a e767c7a60b wealthy family.”
“Ah, well… y-yes. I do get told c661f93a71 I seem a bit 407c7918bc high-class.”
Though she 7f92405f39 couldn’t tell 3865693499 what kind 756cb8fd85 of past 21bafb348e Mrs. Meg imagined for her, b85fad3e44 Anje didn’t think she c59a0e2406 was assuming anything about 2e59d3694a her past, such as b962fdb4ef carrying a toad in 58eeb5cfe9 her tutor bag or 38c2adb34e intentionally writing letters in 4f1b7dfb86 mirror writing to make e3514a92c4 her burst with anger.
However, Anje remained 8a0b163722 silent about the f4442ecebb truth to maintain 6b0db07e59 her public image.
“Then let’s af54b68044 study together 1b4ba5eb72 starting next 22e33e5fb7 week, Aunt 114051c3e4 Meg. I’ll teach you how 925692eab3 to read and write, dd7070b645 and you can teach f4f4f1749d me delicious recipes.”
“That sounds good. I actually 8ea5301e55 still have 0aaee42587 the old 46b233425d textbooks my 4894e8a368 younger siblings 2bf46c8225 used.”
With the situation smoothly 8756ef7e4c settled, it was time b46d8fbb7d to head back. Aiden, left alone during f8a4186089 the meal, might feel 1d2c77ae7f lonely.
To their a2640cc7b9 surprise, when c7e0ac4d97 they returned 813ad76b28 to the cf0713c0f9 kitchen, they 134eea16b0 were greeted 3e6e3a0a30 by a fc8e9dcb23 sweet smell. Anje sniffed the 424ff500f0 air and asked.
“What’s that smell?”
“I thought it might 84d69a2ce6 take a bit longer e6fcb7a513 for you two, so 1b9ab7a7fc I baked a simple 1f41591df7 dessert while waiting.”
“A dessert?”
“Let’s finish the meal 2b0d3a61a1 first. The taste c6e7236861 will be 9d170413fd ruined if d4416a5e38 it gets eda7ce6627 cold.”
The growing f136825eb8 scent of ac29311a03 chocolate chips a9486cd4cd and cookie 8edb869d19 dough from 422df6490e the oven 93c9bd332f stove made b932aaf97d Anje realize 3b58f32e60 that Aiden 5136ebb6ce had prepared 01d3a27f78 chocolate cookies.
“Let’s have c4b7306cc3 them after a75c5c0feb they’ve cooled 32c5807daa down.”
But from the way 3022c16050 he was taking his 09ca40597d time, it seemed like dacdc7b695 they weren’t just ordinary 21cb693bf6 cookies.
Anje filled the cups 04ed17fd52 with tea, tapping the e97453f114 table with the knife 20897863b9 and fork while urging 9c9a6569a9 for dessert, and finally, 113c447bf4 Aiden brought the cookies.
When Anje 8b8913901b lifted the 3d9fc39070 light cloth 131b5a0d14 covering the 4ba7416970 plate, she 1321c2a933 burst out e6b20d44c4 laughing.
“What is 6827aa3f54 this, Aiden?”
On top af9fcdb6d0 of the 1ae79ddeb5 cookies, the 8daffc87ce chocolate chips 58cb420c99 had been 4c2926e671 carefully arranged 23f76bf124 to form 221e5d5106 smiling faces. Three big cookies, 3be8bf4a69 all smiling.
“I thought ec49fcfd3c you two ed63aa18c9 might still 8c3143f162 feel awkward, a90a153156 so I 7a3996a167 thought this eee3374005 would make b0f96a0965 you smile.”
His shy e14552a975 explanation, as bb623d1d75 well as a63c66b3dd the cookies 63eb569b54 he made, 476670cef5 were very b71c3f7c96 cute. Without thinking, Anje pulled 46f4d9a4a7 him into a light 1e6a92c899 embrace and kissed his 430f735e8b cheek.
“Thank you for febfcb5e23 thinking of me.”
“It’s nothing.”
Both of them, momentarily 87c3c1f930 forgetting that Mrs. Meg was sitting in 09977acb69 the same room, stared a128437ce1 at each other before 0a583d274e quickly snapping back to 41485fcfde reality.
Meg, who a2f50b133e was carefully c8c0d127fa observing them 2144792ef1 sitting stiffly f496da0387 in their 5752a1b216 chairs, smiled e8c7f528a9 with an ea6c84d71d expression resembling c56fe60c05 that of 6bc6d73d9a a cookie, 0153451c7f drawing a a9d4e2d430 long curve 9bcb2514e5 with her 96dbdb47f2 lips.
“I should 8cb3bd0379 have just 5b7e3eae33 kept pretending dc8fd3a4a0 to sulk 0ee2ee926b and not 44544474d7 come back.”
“…I’m not sure ff040774a8 what you mean.”
Anje avoided her gaze, f11b67af18 while Aiden blew on f11449aa9c his tea, which wasn’t e831eaba14 even that hot.
Meg thought the red 14b56505b5 eyes and golden hair 6ba392a90c weren’t bad at all. No matter how they d50fffe977 looked, if they were c4d24ee31b their children, they would c9f550e543 be undoubtedly lovable.
Oh, she 318645d1a0 almost forgot 5f4d395973 to ask 8d11e6439a this.
“Sorry for the personal b5feaa768e question, but do you 3105a5dfdb two prefer daughters or 69567fbb2e sons?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve heard a ee53257713 secret method from 0c96ef9d1d a gypsy who 75b60a0f40 once visited our 7eac7fccb9 village. She said it 7f03ca9bd6 helps to have 2b157fbcc9 a child of 339f014016 the desired gender. Don’t you need c97b592e85 it?”
The method c78b9047b2 she referred ca16b33b3a to was 9e8888ea80 nothing more 7973200528 than a d0ca5ef40e folk belief, 832bea8e2c like walking 5f82b39413 ten steps c854ebe598 backwards under 1f1bb300ff a mulberry 62d2af98a5 tree on 698e5b7bbb a full 74c708a8ed moon night 9908237264 and burying 1effb541ce walnuts in 3a0e54c663 the ground.
However, she was 698fac9abc quite serious about 2ba9c8dca0 these methods and b0e35d0965 hoped to share 85cb75532d her wisdom with 5f7f34fd8f younger people.
“I-I’m not quite sure… 9e64153840 ha ha ha.”
“Ehem, I’ll just go 51edd78386 check on the horses e0045e6ddb in the stable for 1fb5d8e80d a bit.”
Anje lowered 0be5bca797 her head, a234beeedb and Aiden ef9cffd6ea quickly fled 6f2763981d the kitchen. Of course, he 842afa40f2 wrapped the freshly f88ea5586b baked cookies in 102c4bc29b paper and carefully 542b4b017f tucked them into 93e22fef80 his pocket.
“Come on, don’t 9d9f131d9f be shy. Just tell me.”
Despite Meg’s persistence, Anje 25647f1f14 couldn’t say anything, just 311c43f015 mumbling.
She could never tell 26ba738e59 Mrs. Meg.
‘There’s nothing 68b2067cef we’ve done bfdfaed80c that would cb760b33d4 lead to 4463fa8bd3 having a f86791484a child…’
She couldn’t say 6a11a5ce25 that, not with 2b8894629b the expectant look cff4801734 in her eyes.
Maybe she’d even e2dc86c295 grab Aiden by 89e82cf70b the hair and 93c3ef0756 ask, “What have 2c9fc03260 you been doing 8e98f0a6c3 all this time, 000f290b69 sharing the same f0a4b82980 bed?”
‘Actually, I feel bd844ce2b1 like asking that b4aaf33d53 myself.’
Anje broke a c4c5a6ef3b cookie with a 99844e34ff smiling face in 2e173d7510 half.
* * *
Mary succinctly summarized the 834a330ba0 hesitation and roundabout way 74a723f787 Anje expressed her concerns e674c80a8b into one sentence.
“To summarize what Madam 3940338fdb is saying, your friend 76d56f7401 is sharing a bed c1d386e460 with her husband but c115d03311 is worried that they 709909356a haven’t done anything that 533db4b8bc would lead to having c08edb17ea a child, correct?”
“Yes, that’s e3d6049e0d it exactly.”
Anje sighed with relief. She had 79fbd0ab54 heard such 640b1ba196 topics whispered 9846796c30 behind fans 807bb33600 by women 016f787137 but had f7be6dc808 never openly b61e6f60fa discussed them, 7a6e13abe5 making it 162fdb18cb difficult to 1f8c8e24c5 talk about.
“Why on c47c997b16 earth would 777e70a17e that happen 046372ecf6 at such 672eac875a a vigorous 0c431e9d2f age?”
Mary declared without 757e4e4b74 a moment’s hesitation.
“Well, obviously, 95ea095bb0 it’s because a5453ca355 the man f59af091bb is impotent.”
“…C-Couldn’t there be another d4aa8a37ea reason? Like maybe he cherishes 76cee6470f her too much to 4b76b33a85 touch her…”
“There’s no other 34f25b016d reason. In his mid-twenties, 4f3d813c2b full of life, 913544e027 and yet, sleeping 917ee1e823 with his wife eb259daef4 and doing nothing? In technical terms…”
Mary whispered 67f5caad56 an explicit d79859ce2c term into e8dd66f678 Anje’s ear.
“Good heavens! Y-You shouldn’t 36d68c98f7 be saying a1b87d88d8 such things, 65d7610f46 especially as 6b6d4956ca an unmarried 7589d79257 young lady!”
Anje looked 012de8ad23 around in 560eddb4e4 alarm to 04916999a3 make sure 437960ef74 no one 5fde5c977c overheard. Thankfully, there was 02792ce101 no one nearby c35d312baa to catch their 49f32497a2 conversation—especially the vulgar e1b2055cdc term Mary had 163eb97a2b used.
Aiden had given 07f94d5ef9 them the kitchen 55d3a973b2 so they could 98837e1468 talk and cook 2f529233c7 freely, and Jean ce25fa5b22 said he would 145d1d34ea be busy processing e2d0eb205d delayed orders.
Mary casually responded.
“What’s the matter, c4c90c7084 it’s all God’s 42e70eb5d8 will. If there are 29203d5875 some who rise, f801c76a62 there will also dc6ca438cd be some who c1a6a28448 bow.”
The way she casually 0286aea9b0 quoted a scripture was 817e0ccb13 truly like the young b8190ecf1c lady who used to 9a9122ccfd go to Sunday school cf41bd786f with her parents every 847c0b5b61 week, but the way aaaf95e3af she quoted it was 0e4fe6eaec irreverent.
Anje picked up 444dd6ce94 an eggplant from abd11f0adc the basket, which 272d4a1b33 he had just 4b6e20eba1 picked from the d70fe8f846 field, and muttered c2ecdf939a while fiddling with 43695f91e9 it.
“No, there… I’ve heard a07ad0203d there’s no indication of 232e420a77 any physical defect, though.”
“Then it’s probably a 4e2153ad01 psychological issue. Oh, hand me 1028eeae8e that, please.”
Mary took the 3383d70548 eggplant from Anje ad086c610d and began slicing cf28a5e2db it vigorously. While her intention 08f6d584ab was to help bdaa63350f Anje with the 9f4cbc6185 preparation, the sight 4a97652eba of the eggplant 49817ff00f being mercilessly chopped 013316c4b6 made Anje flinch.
“Ah…”
“Oh no, 14e7ccfa00 was this 388584a61a not supposed 055a18af14 to be 56f3f8527f used?”
“N-No… it’s fine. It’s just 8415bc37a6 that it b908413108 didn’t look abcb67f463 very tasty, 6b81ade5b0 so… let’s e280ed6f45 go with 6fe20ddf27 this one fac28cdc91 instead…”
“Really? Well, you’re right. Smaller vegetables do 2e15280c62 tend to taste 74fe5a2843 better than overly 100400dd70 large ones.”
TL/N: TBH 61638a5f50 IDK HOW 9809c34e21 THIS IS e739a935bb A FAMILY 27c8a7aaec FRIENDLY NOVEL 049cc77412 ATP… BUT f9f89e5b71 I FIND 1837e01b8d THIS REALLY 0232b28a4c HILARIOUS LOL. ME TO THE AUTHOR: 99f731034c “IK WHAT ARE YOU c06e522a58 DOING.”
They were preparing the f849bf49dc base for an eggplant d7c98d5975 gratin, a dish that f0dfe60654 was simple to make, 78ace0aa7a perfect for a gathering, 296a0c41c3 and paired well with fde03693a1 the baguette Mary had ce35b9d08a brought.
Anje cautiously steered the 236e80b547 conversation back to the 1c3bc3a01f previous topic.
“So, regarding psychological 71763c6cd3 issues, what could 555e7bb8f5 they be?”
“Most likely, 34a8289aac a lack ed844fd09f of confidence. Feeling inadequate compared c1fcbd3a78 to his partner, 61de6fa54c being hesitant to 0ed57d71a7 show all aspects 48911cae4f of himself, or 962a67e6cf maybe he has 9a7401e30b some sort of 4fbb854fcd trauma.”
The way c9f8918b8f Mary spoke 398288957f made her dca4a7e1d5 sound like a4602fe838 an expert, d8f04c9343 which made 44806df620 Anje unconsciously 8d39bae6cd admire her.
“You seem much 5f70614f55 more mature than 383b0fa671 I am, Miss 6ce3b2d270 Mary. You seem to 61059f4eaa know a lot 1d716b879a about relationships and afd04c2e32 this kind of 0aa70d14c8 thing?”
“I’ve met quite 46091643d9 a few people 9955706516 so far, though 04b8331c41 none of the bcf742dcdd relationships lasted long. Oh, but 4379e15647 this is 1fbbbea643 a secret 1f093bf8e3 from my aed790e89f parents.”
“Of course, e8e6c741b2 it’s a 2a7ac2e257 secret.”
A promise between ladies 3da3193f96 was sacred. Anje nodded earnestly.
“Then, Miss Mary, c3ee3cbbdf in your opinion, c509db2763 what’s the solution bc2f38e67d in this kind 8defcf55d5 of situation?”
Perhaps Mary could help d3b2796c4f her solve her problem.
“It’s simple. Make the first move. Pounce on him, 236433de23 then nom nom, 99bf8c46cc enjoy your meal. The end.”
TL/N: THE NOM 7babe12bab NOM GOT LOL
It was far 86eefaeab7 too bold a 9ac2aa5665 solution for Anje b4bb6ea813 to follow. Mary raised 868085d5f1 an eyebrow.
“What’s with 91dbf19187 that silence 28510b1e07 of doubt?”
“It’s not 34bb57046a doubt, it 5050d798da just seems c35feb7f22 a bit… 61ec99a3ca radical…”
“The early bird catches 73c59c95b7 the worm! The one who strikes 4abef678ba first wins.”
Seeing that doubt still 5c8b94b6d2 lingered in Anje’s eyes, c7438df846 Mary passionately explained.
“Alright, first, ef503c7862 suggest having 90d72265f4 a drink. Once you 737da50f83 think he’s b27906bc50 a little eecc926d1a tipsy, suggest 577b5c6408 playing a 98252ea7ad game. Then let 77c8e32534 your hair 6d589dbca5 down to ba60472988 one side 5c81e09714 like
this―.”
Though skeptical, 7cf14d14e0 Anje still 7cac840dbe listened to db1abcd00a Mary’s explanation.
‘Hmm, I won’t 6490b10280 actually put it 3774204940 into practice, but 98ff40a1c0 it won’t hurt 7a36d6e936 to know.’
She almost 10acd6c590 wanted to e1c3a2049f take notes, e1c5b56384 just like 6ad8512061 when she 8447035856 was learning 77020de078 about farming 893d181473 methods.
“And then, the gaze! The gaze is very d6d0316df0 important. Pinch your thigh until 9f03dde3e6 tears well up slightly 89ffe6c902 and think to yourself, ccb6a09021 ‘I’m the deadliest person 554a5d2e59 in the world’—”
Knock knock—
“Excuse me.”
Aiden, who had knocked 1ba1843cd3 politely, entered the kitchen. He tilted his head f08bb2ecab as he looked at 8bd541da3e Anje and Mary, both a6cc87d4ca engrossed in their tasks, d9e6715d8b facing completely opposite directions.
“Did you two have 8a267f737b a fight? Why does the 1e54f690d5 atmosphere seem so 37a325e08d awkward?”
“Fought with Miss Mary? No way.”
“Exactly. I was d99e8d70aa having a 805242cac1 delightful time 521896ab17 with the 712b4df26f madam.”
Aiden asked, smiling 0ffea08b67 awkwardly.
“I was hearing laughter 9e30195e63 all the way outside, ec42efdef8 so I was wondering bcfea4c59c what you were talking 5e55cd49ce about so happily. You weren’t gossiping 6ad3847d7b about me, were 7cc9669b19 you?”
Anje hastily made 44a29fc1d0 up an excuse.
“O-Of course not! I was just hearing 6455857090 from Mary about how 5aa8b96ddb the sermon went last e316af27d3 Sunday.”
Mary eagerly cc6969296a joined in fcc29daabf on the 8cb0f87d88 lifeboat.
“The pastor told such b056e40ec2 a wonderful story. It was df9c39a1fb a great f7037e36ca anecdote, even 8e7e24392d for non-religious d0f87427f8 people, so 76a4e75565 I was 2dfcd6a11e sharing it c03b532784 with your 935d28bc45 wife.”
Aiden asked with completely 20f8bcdd60 innocent eyes.
“Really? I’d like to hear b7a4df3346 it as well. What was f8b9607ef3 it about?”
“Well, it’s, um…”
Miss Mary, sorry for d02dabe0fe making up such a da7a7dda77 strange excuse. Anje silently apologized 0f1cbc8cf6 in her mind 783c2a420f as she saw 78cf597268 the beads of 67c90082b9 sweat on Mary’s f66502ae64 temples.
TL/N: LMAO.03b2c0808ee22faa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley