My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 35 The Banquet (3)

The remaining shade of the trees by the lake could not block out the sun's rays. Lin Ziping estimated that it was around 1 o'clock, so he took Yang Xiaobao and left.

As they walked out of the lake and into the courtyard, they met a servant who said the banquet was about to begin. The servant then led Lin Ziping and Yang Xiaobao to the dining hall.

The dining room was divided into separate sections for men and women. Lin Ziping looked at Yang Xiaobao from outside the dining room and was in a dilemma. A three-year-old child should still need someone to take care of him while eating, right? He himself was a baby of several hundred months old and didn't know how to take care of a child!

"Xiao Bao, do you know where your parents are?" Lin Ziping squatted down and asked Yang Xiao Bao.

Yang Xiaobao opened his bewildered eyes and said, "Brother Ziping, Xiaobao doesn't know."

"Do you know what they're called?" Lin Ziping asked again.

Yang Xiaobao shook his head.

Seeing that Lin Ziping didn't speak, Yang Xiaobao was a little at a loss, and tears gradually welled up in his eyes as he looked at Lin Ziping with wet eyes.

Lin Ziping patted Yang Xiaobao's head twice and tugged at his chin. It's just taking care of a child while he eats and helping to pick up food; he can do that himself.

After mentally preparing himself, Lin Ziping pulled Yang Xiaobao into the dining room.

Five tables were set up inside, with servants serving dishes and others exchanging pleasantries.

Lin Ziping looked around and found that Lin Zhong and the others were chatting happily, so he decided not to disturb them and planned to find a seat at random later.

Suddenly, a man dressed in a gray, luxurious robe walked towards him, his gaze fixed intently on Yang Xiaobao, whom he was holding hands with.

"Xiao Bao, where did you go? Why aren't you with your mother?" the man asked, looking at Yang Xiao Bao.

Yang Xiaobao shrank behind Lin Ziping and timidly called out, "Dad."

"This is Yang Xiaobao's father!" Lin Ziping suddenly realized, subtly looking him up and down. He looked respectable, but who would have thought that he would send his daughter to the countryside because of other people's gossip? A boy is Xiaobao, and a girl is Daya. This is the epitome of male chauvinism.

With a professional smile, he bowed to the man and said, "Master Yang."

Yang Xiaobao's father shifted his gaze to Lin Ziping: "Who are you?"

"Dad, he is Lin Ziping." Before Lin Ziping could answer, Yang Xiaobao jumped out and said.

"Greetings, Master Yang." Lin Ziping bowed respectfully.

“Dad, let me tell you, Brother Ziping is…blah blah blah…” Yang Xiaobao tugged at his father’s sleeve and started talking.

Seeing Yang Xiaobao like this, Lin Ziping couldn't help but sigh at how changeable the child's emotions were. Just a moment ago, he was hiding behind him, looking scared, but now he's become a chatterbox.

"Thank you for taking care of my son, Young Master Ziping. You've worked hard." Master Yang's words had a double meaning.

"Mr. Yang, please don't worry, Xiao Bao is very obedient." Lin Ziping pretended not to understand.

"Ziping?" The commotion attracted the attention of others. Lin Zhong saw Lin Ziping and walked over.

Lin Ziping looked at Lin Zhong: "Uncle, greetings."

"Master Yang, do you know my nephew?" Lin Zhong asked Master Yang.

"Young Master Ziping is Master Lin's nephew?" Master Yang laughed loudly, "Truly, like uncle, Master Lin is very fortunate."

"Not at all, Master Yang, you flatter me. Your son has inherited your talent."

"Take the young master to find the madam," Master Yang instructed the servant beside him, then said to Yang Xiaobao, "Xiaobao, would you like to go find your mother?"

"No, I want to be with Brother Ziping." Yang Xiaobao broke free from Master Yang's hand and grabbed Lin Ziping's sleeve.

Lin Zhong and Master Yang looked at Lin Ziping.

As Lin Ziping realized that everyone's gaze was now on him, he thought, "That's it."

She maintained a smile, looked apologetically at Master Yang, and then said to Yang Xiaobao, "Xiaobao, go find your mother first. We'll play together after dinner. You can come find me later too."

Yang Xiaobao lowered his head and clung to Lin Ziping's sleeve. Lin Ziping looked at Master Yang again, indicating that he was powerless to help.

"Little Bao, be good," Master Yang said calmly.

Yang Xiaobao's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He was standing close to Lin Ziping, who noticed it and looked at Yang Xiaobao with a puzzled expression: "Xiaobao?"

Yang Xiaobao let go of Lin Ziping's hand and said, "Brother Ziping, I'm going to find my mother first, and I'll come find you later."

With Master Yang standing to the side, Lin Ziping didn't dare to ask too many questions and simply nodded.

The servants beside him stepped forward and led Yang Xiaobao away.

"Master Lin, I'm sorry you had to see this," Master Yang said to Lin Zhong after Xiao Bao left.

"Mr. Yang, you're too kind. It's only natural for a child to be mischievous. Ziping can be quite a headache for me sometimes," Lin Zhong said helplessly.

Master Yang looked at Lin Ziping, who gave an awkward but polite smile.

The two looked at each other and laughed. Lin Ziping was completely bewildered, not understanding what they were laughing at at all (?_?)

As the two chatted on and on, and Lin Ziping fidgeted restlessly, dinner was finally served.

The servants seated Lin Ziping at the children's table.

Lin Ziping sat down and looked around at the unfamiliar faces, then buried his head in his food.

Lin Zhong and Master Yang sat at another table, presumably acquainted. Everyone at the table was clinking glasses and chatting happily.

During the event, Magistrate Ji also delivered a passionate speech, the central idea of ​​which was to thank everyone for attending the banquet and to encourage everyone to relax, eat well, drink well, and have fun.

As the sun gradually set, everyone, having eaten and drunk their fill, took their leave.

Lin Zhong was probably drunk, as he was walking unsteadily. Butler Tao carefully helped him into the carriage.

Lin Ziping also got into the carriage and saw Lin Zhong reclining with his eyes closed, resting. Lin Ziping found a seat, sat down, and lowered his eyes... in a daze.

"Ziping," Lin Zhong suddenly spoke up.

Lin Ziping was startled and looked up at Lin Zhong: "Uncle?"

Lin Zhong didn't speak, so Lin Ziping tentatively asked, "Uncle, are you drunk?"

Lin Zhong chuckled: "How could that be? How could I get drunk on such a small amount of wine?"

Lin Ziping nodded haphazardly. "Whatever you say. If I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk. The wine I drank today wasn't distilled or filtered; it's more like rice wine. It's not very strong, but it has a strong aftereffect." He then thought that if distillation technology hadn't existed in this era, he might have been able to experience the joys of being a time-traveling heroine using that technology. (‐＾▽＾‐)

"Ziping, how was your day?" Lin Zhong seemed a bit more awake, rubbing his temples.

Lin Ziping replied, "It's great, the manor is quite large today."

Thinking about how I hadn't seen the peach blossoms that Zhuangzi's servant had described, a sense of regret welled up inside me.

"That's good. If Ziping likes it, I'll bring you again next time," Lin Zhong said. "Are you familiar with Magistrate Ji's son?"

Lin Ziping was taken aback. Past experience told him that familiarity or unfamiliarity could become a fatal question at any time.

He replied after careful consideration, "We are from the same college, and we have met there."

Lin Zhong remained silent.

After thinking for a moment, he added, "This time, we were all kidnapped together."

"Okay, Ziping, I'll rest for a bit. Call me when we get there," Lin Zhong replied casually.

Seeing Lin Zhong close his eyes, Lin Ziping couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, thinking to himself that whether someone was familiar with something or not was truly a life-or-death question ╥﹏╥...