FTP-89

Chapter: FTP-89d3b483f5d9a31781

Anje was also 71c56d0fc0 worried that such 5a30594576 a suggestion might d920112222 hurt Mrs. Meg’s pride. However, Anje had 94535568d5 learned so much 0070e0e32d from Meg that a16ae77493 she had a 9db78520fb strong desire to c0754e73ee give back. It was thanks to deeec53997 Mrs. Meg that she c97f81eb6c hadn’t felt lonely 0c93abc2db on the farm 0a515d8a67 and had slowly d902aa4beb become closer to ac7afd4350 Aiden.
… She was also 952dede874 a bit grateful for 657cdd8bce the part where Meg 298e89518c had reserved a room 22968acb44 at the inn on 152bf43d97 festival day.
“Studying to read eb715be997 and write… Actually, 4f1472b39f I’ve wanted to d377dfb6c1 try it for dc29a2c859 a long time, 4a87017972 but I was 3f5c70336d worried I might 987d03ad2c make it too 21485dd9c9 hard for the 5d772c24b6 teacher. At my 8afddf9bf7 age, I 0c5f80e3d7 wonder if 9965a32372 it’s really 4567902f7c okay to 5af640910b start now?”
She wanted 544b41afab to be ce94cb62df able to 6f148967f1 send letters 6fcc76ae1b to her e4d75c462e nephews or c5da7b9a1b younger siblings b9f5c5b339 without asking 21592a2ea4 others for 47a9a1b1ca help. However, her biggest e0f6298783 concern was whether d40884ac3b she could really 9f01832bc2 learn well starting f5240da450 at this age.
Anje pounded 46140e5f04 her chest c4a8f9a463 and showed 3d408f82cb a confident a09510d776 face.
“Don’t worry. I learned 9b155890aa how to 6aa7b0ff9a write much 31ca611838 later than a09e839def others. That’s why I’m confident 05f42956f1 I can teach you 368d00d711 in an easy and ffe8298fdd fun way!”
Having changed private tutors 9b30c09a43 many times and experienced 1df3f5ea85 various teaching methods, she ab368596a4 was capable of doing 913351c24e this.
Looking at her, Meg’s 95ce600efd eyes showed a hint 5c34d78b5d of sympathy.
“Oh dear, so it e5911219d6 hasn’t been easy for 4e7684e80b you. From your 597cd7eae6 attitude, I 6988ec7cb0 thought you 59d8e40c13 were definitely e751f687a6 the daughter d9cfaa4103 of a df50268e48 wealthy family.”
“Ah, well… y-yes. I do get told cc17d05e29 I seem a bit 3fc4311a6b high-class.”
Though she couldn’t tell 7e272eba82 what kind of past 2c661552e7 Mrs. Meg imagined for her, 492c6aaa27 Anje didn’t think she 5770914d13 was assuming anything about 1f7f102b0c her past, such as 38bed7071f carrying a toad in 05cbb25741 her tutor bag or a0c25f5928 intentionally writing letters in 0642961add mirror writing to make 3e3fe77895 her burst with anger.
However, Anje remained a76828c521 silent about the f99bc50608 truth to maintain 0b9c1d0241 her public image.
“Then let’s a6ee542dd1 study together 6c10df6622 starting next 4a420f2920 week, Aunt 1aaee70ae4 Meg. I’ll teach you 21b93cb03d how to read e5d41e27c0 and write, and cc9e6828bf you can teach be851790a4 me delicious recipes.”
“That sounds good. I actually still have 70de01d610 the old textbooks my c0d88c3e11 younger siblings used.”
With the 1f16fedfe2 situation smoothly 22399130ca settled, it 4de4f35765 was time f18c5f34ba to head 25f2dadacc back. Aiden, left f4d0a0b001 alone during 875b865a67 the meal, 9573b945b2 might feel 91008bf5ac lonely.
To their surprise, when de70de0e10 they returned to the 98231f8d14 kitchen, they were greeted b129ef5e37 by a sweet smell. Anje sniffed the air 108f735e21 and asked.
“What’s that smell?”
“I thought 8c49751440 it might a09eeb5ab4 take a 199e390960 bit longer 94ccf03d2f for you 09b84ab67d two, so 7783335d28 I baked 749c398a9d a simple dc474374b8 dessert while 05d1030d44 waiting.”
“A dessert?”
“Let’s finish the meal 635cb38e52 first. The taste will dc6d47f487 be ruined if ee57ef807c it gets cold.”
The growing scent of 11c5797ffc chocolate chips and cookie 2c0aba9535 dough from the oven 63b47c6207 stove made Anje realize e19872d63c that Aiden had prepared 34007409ef chocolate cookies.
“Let’s have them after 39fc886dcf they’ve cooled down.”
But from the 2137023a63 way he was ee7b1ef681 taking his time, f43ede2be5 it seemed like accb0da840 they weren’t just 8879054737 ordinary cookies.
Anje filled the cups 41826cff33 with tea, tapping the 71227e6f37 table with the knife 96b5e52565 and fork while urging fae9ef32cc for dessert, and finally, 893f3a7141 Aiden brought the cookies.
When Anje lifted the 3ac3f80726 light cloth covering the ae60c7eae0 plate, she burst out 38272eda46 laughing.
“What is 9150332c6e this, Aiden?”
On top of 787920a192 the cookies, the 04460e7a2e chocolate chips had 1ef83a12e7 been carefully arranged cd35cc232f to form smiling 3669017f39 faces. Three big cookies, 32eb972f54 all smiling.
“I thought you 3321f243be two might still 538db1c370 feel awkward, so c9bfb889d0 I thought this a3c3dd5ce5 would make you 3ed1059b20 smile.”
His shy explanation, as a846d8c91f well as the cookies 64fb772838 he made, were very 547555a978 cute. Without thinking, Anje 8eb2f5c54c pulled him into ffe4bfc5b9 a light embrace c8a2bae6a2 and kissed his 9137cc82c0 cheek.
“Thank you a7b05235e7 for thinking 705864358f of me.”
“It’s nothing.”
Both of them, momentarily f5aba05c9f forgetting that Mrs. Meg was sitting in 870c97788d the same room, stared 21429886a0 at each other before f0e8738d44 quickly snapping back to fafc56921c reality.
Meg, who was d2f3b20470 carefully observing them f137cf3bf6 sitting stiffly in f9dbff3ad7 their chairs, smiled 322db30a5f with an expression 2985704300 resembling that of 3b889e2e92 a cookie, drawing 7a68cda92d a long curve bec1ab44cd with her lips.
“I should have just bfc136efc0 kept pretending to sulk c779768c2e and not come back.”
“…I’m not 63861d90d4 sure what 3e1691298c you mean.”
Anje avoided 15ad6dfd59 her gaze, a433ddfd26 while Aiden facb5e9b8b blew on 71590f1f54 his tea, 27f647d8b4 which wasn’t d9ffd73c40 even that 5a048ac3d8 hot.
Meg thought 45eac80a94 the red 9cfed16c0d eyes and 0cc68e2beb golden hair c1858d3d95 weren’t bad 9052b25b74 at all. No matter 301f401360 how they 9999dd9fb8 looked, if 3a4ee7050d they were d9029c7ff5 their children, 160ae93f4a they would 74eaf64413 be undoubtedly c697de5835 lovable.
Oh, she almost cfed48923a forgot to ask 80e723ec4c this.
“Sorry for 9d52b58468 the personal 2338789fc3 question, but c8dddd7e95 do you be1c649c06 two prefer 4f0398d4a2 daughters or 22895b8bd6 sons?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve heard a 330a0d35c5 secret method from 5c59b4b39d a gypsy who e6e1b76d7a once visited our 30f4675880 village. She said it helps 43e4f86a95 to have a child 26d62f0613 of the desired gender. Don’t you need 88e30e0d60 it?”
The method she referred 972b4ac21b to was nothing more f8fe6ea37e than a folk belief, 986f6e97cf like walking ten steps e3874996fd backwards under a mulberry 9325fe6fd9 tree on a full 7552eabf49 moon night and burying ead966e654 walnuts in the ground.
However, she was a92353e022 quite serious about 141a7fa51e these methods and 6136fe895c hoped to share adf235b229 her wisdom with 198385b917 younger people.
“I-I’m not quite sure… 072b37e465 ha ha ha.”
“Ehem, I’ll dd6313b82e just go 635c80bb22 check on be09551d75 the horses 887fea4972 in the 0c0839f172 stable for 235cddd8cb a bit.”
Anje lowered her head, 6d45338a01 and Aiden quickly fled e9ab6c57f9 the kitchen. Of course, he 4848fae45e wrapped the freshly 9cc631fd2d baked cookies in 76334f5077 paper and carefully 2018d5b88e tucked them into e025fd3bfc his pocket.
“Come on, 870b48a12a don’t be abf39a9153 shy. Just tell me.”
Despite Meg’s 3b52abbd60 persistence, Anje 16db46463e couldn’t say c6ce4c2f75 anything, just 11b90ffd5a mumbling.
She could never 62cf5ffc06 tell Mrs. Meg.
‘There’s nothing we’ve bbbbcb9805 done that would 5619a78401 lead to having e6121d6efb a child…’
She couldn’t say that, 8450c1d305 not with the expectant 787e0414eb look in her eyes.
Maybe she’d even e72e68ef25 grab Aiden by 1283bc21ca the hair and fd08b46f5d ask, “What have ad2b30a8c1 you been doing fe1a45de7e all this time, ceeb5bbb9f sharing the same f8ed6cef31 bed?”
‘Actually, I feel like 6c253f62ca asking that myself.’
Anje broke a 60777a0137 cookie with a dd83a80b57 smiling face in 2f82547df1 half.
* * *
Mary succinctly b2ddec4169 summarized the d7599cfb42 hesitation and e27e9bbd66 roundabout way 4ebfa4880b Anje expressed 9836012259 her concerns 715e5bc4fc into one b307f6334f sentence.
“To summarize 147f4c69f7 what Madam 481b9c9b06 is saying, c33e002a2c your friend 2a89a6c092 is sharing fdad43f6f6 a bed f91ba6ddbe with her f6b34ad5b1 husband but aca8860375 is worried 1f07152663 that they 7c73c3090c haven’t done 38700b10e7 anything that 6253bf3574 would lead 49305e679f to having 8afdbee3aa a child, b60bbf187a correct?”
“Yes, that’s it exactly.”
Anje sighed 684dba3941 with relief. She had heard such b6a94e05e4 topics whispered behind fans 3674440f49 by women but had 0c1275a9f0 never openly discussed them, 575e9b6d8e making it difficult to 44e1faa8eb talk about.
“Why on earth 73c7c29876 would that happen fff2c7a6eb at such a 4aae6c3d4b vigorous age?”
Mary declared without a 0ebbc8c017 moment’s hesitation.
“Well, obviously, f49917532a it’s because 8c3e71e21d the man 57ad9db3ed is impotent.”
“…C-Couldn’t there be 2b2e9436f9 another reason? Like maybe 16c7fd7612 he cherishes 0a5c737b8e her too 3dbaa2f0ea much to be22080d80 touch her…”
“There’s no other reason. In his 58be3b4766 mid-twenties, full 33bb2ac0e2 of life, 35880917ef and yet, 6b4ab245b9 sleeping with 207312802d his wife 9caa412c94 and doing f02f321807 nothing? In technical terms…”
Mary whispered an explicit 6996581343 term into Anje’s ear.
“Good heavens! Y-You shouldn’t be saying a0a2dbd765 such things, especially as 6c43ee42cc an unmarried young lady!”
Anje looked around e78757ff14 in alarm to a8051819a0 make sure no 66b23eaec8 one overheard. Thankfully, there was 3e90ed6bfd no one nearby 3d6d875b97 to catch their 245aa7b8c2 conversation—especially the vulgar 2aef78d001 term Mary had f8fb9ef363 used.
Aiden had given d524101c2d them the kitchen 6fcbfccc1a so they could 13c6898419 talk and cook 6056c5cfcc freely, and Jean 978e52cd98 said he would 8ab5b54a3e be busy processing f2b82f599a delayed orders.
Mary casually responded.
“What’s the matter, 6b05dd1f60 it’s all God’s def8d2f476 will. If there are some c322884ee3 who rise, there will 7de7891a72 also be some who 3fa051fb6b bow.”
The way bc5a85707d she casually 7ff2c919be quoted a adfa5ff0aa scripture was 346b3c8131 truly like 129f656520 the young beeedcfbbf lady who 94260b2808 used to 369a2cb90f go to 1833239dcd Sunday school c8617fc4e4 with her 81baee63fb parents every 351b4b9849 week, but e2c032a824 the way 5aebc732f9 she quoted 957be20793 it was f03fe8ec7f irreverent.
Anje picked up an 34d66373a1 eggplant from the basket, ef2fb2b6c9 which he had just b97ed0015f picked from the field, 72d82cee41 and muttered while fiddling 0b1515bcf9 with it.
“No, there… 1bf1d1df8a I’ve heard f08d7b1e01 there’s no a972ead6e2 indication of ef5c55de2b any physical 0a9425f99a defect, though.”
“Then it’s probably b697fd2198 a psychological issue. Oh, hand me that, 58d91a9805 please.”
Mary took 6cb2f47f2b the eggplant 1d06dcf26a from Anje 73c726cc9f and began 7aecadf604 slicing it 4eac29e9e1 vigorously. While her d196253d19 intention was ac1cfa39b4 to help a5499b7109 Anje with 3280bf1b17 the preparation, 4f69276a7b the sight 6b2119fc57 of the ae72b064d5 eggplant being a4b7d4d94b mercilessly chopped 4a031dc23f made Anje a177d58982 flinch.
“Ah…”
“Oh no, was this 0da58e4689 not supposed to be 7673499008 used?”
“N-No… it’s fine. It’s just 3cda150de0 that it 1182761771 didn’t look 7451b6e602 very tasty, ecc719c757 so… let’s c22b3a8154 go with 25ed4930ef this one 96d6b3337d instead…”
“Really? Well, you’re right. Smaller vegetables do aa21dde2d5 tend to taste 3694454e6f better than overly 8a1284ef54 large ones.”
TL/N: TBH d27682159e IDK HOW 2e24ba63cd THIS IS 72993dc0b5 A FAMILY 75a2c853bc FRIENDLY NOVEL 9ef60f9a2a ATP… BUT 2821fdb9bd I FIND a9416d13bf THIS REALLY d65a8ef948 HILARIOUS LOL. ME TO THE ead6371f19 AUTHOR: “IK WHAT 0f968a20ba ARE YOU DOING.”
They were preparing the edb517a327 base for an eggplant 9be3293113 gratin, a dish that ced9d2bc9a was simple to make, 4a5fbb0d2e perfect for a gathering, 0eb2346c71 and paired well with 6e108ef7c6 the baguette Mary had 31ea007518 brought.
Anje cautiously 3bb890d1a2 steered the f970b952d6 conversation back 88267f0084 to the 919be2ec99 previous topic.
“So, regarding psychological issues, 19c61742da what could they be?”
“Most likely, a lack f6a28449ae of confidence. Feeling inadequate 12ef0c2548 compared to 7045d109a2 his partner, 2688808e4d being hesitant 36bc65a652 to show a28797a2da all aspects f96d2bb965 of himself, 7082013167 or maybe ca58fc9c80 he has b5e380e7e7 some sort 6a14187777 of trauma.”
The way Mary spoke 71bf242622 made her sound like 860f42e277 an expert, which made c47c95f251 Anje unconsciously admire her.
“You seem much more 772ec98e03 mature than I am, b5394f645e Miss Mary. You seem to know af8e212cca a lot about relationships e377c8991f and this kind of 8fb7934823 thing?”
“I’ve met quite 737aff069c a few people d66708b6e8 so far, though a1280a9e63 none of the c53cfe356f relationships lasted long. Oh, but this 2cddf086a0 is a secret defa035259 from my parents.”
“Of course, a943c8542e it’s a 009b4f611e secret.”
A promise between ladies 71b8bd6910 was sacred. Anje nodded earnestly.
“Then, Miss Mary, eedb3bd150 in your opinion, f55209dec3 what’s the solution cac539e242 in this kind 085447daf8 of situation?”
Perhaps Mary could a332a9712c help her solve 09cc94d4e1 her problem.
“It’s simple. Make the ef6c43fd7c first move. Pounce on him, then 7803d7cb36 nom nom, enjoy your 237588e44c meal. The end.”
TL/N: THE NOM NOM 9e268534a2 GOT LOL
It was far 702bccbdc3 too bold a e7c39dc399 solution for Anje 495519889e to follow. Mary raised an d835fc810d eyebrow.
“What’s with that silence 7edf103ba7 of doubt?”
“It’s not c731ee9a56 doubt, it baa8e8bfa9 just seems a62c5fb99b a bit… dcf585c38d radical…”
“The early bird catches 18a76e2be1 the worm! The one who strikes db6222696c first wins.”
Seeing that d2e83a4f9b doubt still 856d4b4b4b lingered in 566bda842b Anje’s eyes, 4ef1b26cd6 Mary passionately cb01d7ac45 explained.
“Alright, first, suggest having 9cdec46b7c a drink. Once you think he’s 2b961e1456 a little tipsy, suggest f56f28e0ff playing a game. Then let 5a26a8d0f1 your hair 7ed00509d1 down to f5724bad65 one side ee00e00c43 like
this―.”
Though skeptical, Anje still fe1c507334 listened to Mary’s explanation.
‘Hmm, I won’t 7845515411 actually put it 976201662f into practice, but c152e5a0ff it won’t hurt acb7c1a964 to know.’
She almost wanted 7cecc3727f to take notes, a01fb18bda just like when cceea9acf9 she was learning 0f0a9dc1a8 about farming methods.
“And then, the gaze! The gaze 80c1f9fa59 is very 6767cd9e2c important. Pinch your thigh until adc131271c tears well up slightly 004c4be664 and think to yourself, 58c147d9f0 ‘I’m the deadliest person 5825ce6052 in the world’—”
Knock knock—
“Excuse me.”
Aiden, who 68d3d2758b had knocked 17e5b2b7e6 politely, entered 50dce165b9 the kitchen. He tilted his ef57ef8f4a head as he 5e5d01b91b looked at Anje ea4adfea02 and Mary, both 7edf52f37c engrossed in their 9d07e80a76 tasks, facing completely 451507c06b opposite directions.
“Did you two 83ffd333c0 have a fight? Why does the 0ed2864f89 atmosphere seem so 44dd9ce804 awkward?”
“Fought with Miss 9c53aa404b Mary? No way.”
“Exactly. I was having a ef14253751 delightful time with the 396530ebd2 madam.”
Aiden asked, smiling d834f15b4d awkwardly.
“I was hearing laughter 1a1bab79db all the way outside, a1af6ef882 so I was wondering 72169796ac what you were talking ed65f1d845 about so happily. You weren’t gossiping about 5a86d910ac me, were you?”
Anje hastily made up 9785da155a an excuse.
“O-Of course not! I was just hearing d208c6c688 from Mary about how 40406d552f the sermon went last d54a8686cd Sunday.”
Mary eagerly joined in 2b4d0c3f04 on the lifeboat.
“The pastor told 627dfbbec2 such a wonderful fb26860cec story. It was 8cbcd8e7b4 a great 8dfd6993a4 anecdote, even e8a4041569 for non-religious 255ebb55f2 people, so efb466df89 I was 080ffbdd67 sharing it e32b2c9d97 with your d07bbd0f4d wife.”
Aiden asked with 7c5e6789c3 completely innocent eyes.
“Really? I’d like to 206c238b6f hear it as a0eb372bc4 well. What was it 31c40bb879 about?”
“Well, it’s, um…”
Miss Mary, sorry a5c66a0086 for making up 129fc0c217 such a strange 13d9d7238c excuse. Anje silently apologized in 85d148fc85 her mind as she abd3dabdee saw the beads of 17a3462eb0 sweat on Mary’s temples.
TL/N: LMAO.e10ec0be9a023e2f

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