"Hello, Grandpa." Ruan Yu greeted the old man obediently.
Grandpa Wen nodded, put down his teacup, wiped the water droplets off his hands, beckoned to Ruan Yu, and said with a smile, "Come here, let Grandpa take a look at you."
Ruan Yu responded and walked closer, stopping in front of the old man.
Wen Yun quickly suppressed the fear that wasn't hers and stood aside watching. After a while, she started to feel a little nervous.
In her previous life, Ruan Yu was truly innocent and pure, like a blank sheet of paper. She eventually gained the appreciation and recognition of Grandpa Wen. But now, Ruan Yu is a reborn person. It is unknown whether the sharp-eyed Grandpa Wen will see through her disguise.
Time passed by, and the only sound in the living room was the gentle murmur of water.
Grandpa Wen suddenly spoke up: "Yunyun."
"Hey!" Wen Yun snapped out of her daze and subconsciously took a step forward.
"You didn't bully Xiaoyu at home, did you?" Grandpa Wen asked again.
When she met those sharp, eagle-like eyes, Wen Yun was taken aback. Then she shook her head, met their gaze with a clear conscience, and said seriously, "Has your joke gone too far?"
"Grandpa, Yunyun is so good to me!" Before Grandpa Wen could speak, Ruan Yu interrupted, "She personally went to the countryside to pick me up and bring me home, let me convert her beloved art studio into a bedroom, and even gave me her favorite dresses and dolls. She also did my hair today..."
"Xiaoyu!" Mr. Wen suddenly interrupted, saying apologetically to Grandpa Wen, "Dad, Xiaoyu is very busy with her studies and hasn't had time to learn etiquette yet—"
"Alright, Yuanmin, you're always so petty, you don't even spare your own daughter," Grandpa Wen said calmly. "They have a good relationship, what's wrong with saying a few words in each other's defense?"
Seeing this, Uncle Li quickly said to Mr. and Mrs. Wen, "The master would like to have a private talk with his two granddaughters. Please come with me."
After the three left, Grandpa Wen looked at Wen Yun with great interest: "As the saying goes, 'a girl changes a lot as she grows up,' and Yunyun has really surprised me this time."
Hearing this, Wen Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief and said in a serious tone, "Yes, I'm almost eighteen years old. I've already stepped into society with one foot in the door, so I should be more sensible by now."
"People in society aren't like you," Old Master Wen scoffed. "They're like your father and mother—stubborn and snobbish!"
Wen Yun was taken aback and subconsciously looked at Ruan Yu, only to find that Ruan Yu was also looking at her in surprise.
It seems that neither of them expected that Grandpa Wen would be so blunt in his evaluation of Mr. and Mrs. Wen.
"Please sit down, it's not proper for you to stand." Grandpa Wen waved his hand and picked up the tea tongs, arranging the previously washed teacups one by one. "Come on, try the tea that Grandpa brewed."
The tea soup has a soft amber color, and it is neither bitter nor astringent when you drink it. Instead, it has a faint sweetness like honey.
Through the original owner's memories, Wen Yun learned that this was the white oolong tea favored by Old Master Wen, also known as "Oriental Beauty," and belonged to the "upper class."
Grandpa Wen remained silent, and Wen Yun and Ruan Yu also kept quiet, slowly sipping their tea with him.
After about two or three cups of tea, Grandpa Wen asked Ruan Yu, "Did your father change your surname?"
“No.” Ruan Yu shook her head, but then told the truth, “Dad said he would give me the choice, and I can choose to stay or leave after a year.”
"Although you still have a year to consider, it seems like you already have an answer in mind," Grandpa Wen said slowly. "However, this is your family matter, and Grandpa won't interfere. I'll just remind you: even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Don't suffer for seventeen years and then gamble your whole life on it."
“Thank you for your teachings, Grandpa.” Ruan Yu nodded. “However, I’m used to hardship. If the Wen family can’t give me what I want, I’d rather continue to suffer.”
"Xiaoyu...!" Wen Yun was startled by her words. She never expected that she would dare to say such a thing to Old Master Wen without even being tactful!
However, she herself was also confused. After all, judging from Old Master Wen's words, it seemed that he was more inclined to persuade Ruan Yu to stay in the Wen family, especially the phrase "even a starved camel is bigger than a horse," which was clearly emphasizing that no matter how disappointing the wealthy family was, it was still far superior to ordinary families and her own hard work.
Ruan Yu spoke so confidently, not giving any face at all. Won't Grandpa Wen be angry?
"Good! Not bad!" But the next second, Old Master Wen laughed and clapped his hands, "Everyone wants to marry into a wealthy family, but you are already in one, yet you want to leave. You really have backbone as a young man!"
Wen Yun was confused again, unsure of what Old Master Wen was thinking, when she saw him get up with his cane and hurriedly went to help him.
"You all come with me." After saying this, Old Master Wen slowly leaned on his cane and led them to the study. He spread out a sheet of Xuan paper on the rosewood table and picked up his brush to wash it in clear water.
Seeing that the plot had smoothly reached the inscription section of the original text, Wen Yun was relieved of another worry. Overjoyed, she volunteered to ask, "Grandpa, do you need help grinding the ink?"
"Here you go." Old Master Wen did not refuse and pointed to the inkstone.
So Wen Yun went over to add water and grind ink. Not long after, she saw Old Master Wen dip his brush in thick ink, and with a flourish, write "Rising from the mud, yet remaining unstained."
Wen Yun: "..."
Good grief, in the past life you could at least hide it, but in this life you've become openly mocked?
She couldn't understand the old man's thought process, but she was greatly shocked.
Grandpa Wen even specially found a long box for storing calligraphy and paintings, and personally helped Ruan Yu put the calligraphy inside.
While he was tidying up, Wen Yun tentatively asked, "Grandpa, what if Mom and Dad go back on their word one day and insist that Xiaoyu stay? Can you help Xiaoyu?"
“If Xiaoyu is determined to leave, I’m happy to oblige.” After saying that, Grandpa Wen solemnly handed the storage box to Ruan Yu. “It would be best to find a framer as soon as possible to hang it up.”
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Ruan Yu hurriedly took the storage box, then thought for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "Why did you give me this calligraphy?"
She was actually subtly asking the old man why, as the person with the most say in the wealthy family, he would so despise the wealthy family.
"There's never a shortage of sycophants in this world." Old Master Wen walked to the window with his cane and looked down. "You get tired of seeing them all. But when you see someone who does the opposite, you can't help but wonder about her future."
The word "curiosity" sent a chill down Wen Yun's spine.
Isn't this exactly the case of "because it's interesting, I want to give it a push and see how it goes"?! It's just that Ruan Yu's determination to break away from the Wen family is too strong this time, so Grandpa Wen readily agreed to help her in the future!
She shouldn't have expected any normal people in the Wen family—except, of course, Ruan Yu.
-
When the two left the study and helped Grandpa Wen back to the living room, the once quiet living room was already filled with two families.
Seeing Grandpa Wen chatting and laughing with two young girls with a kind smile, and the unfamiliar girl holding a box of calligraphy and paintings in her arms, everyone present changed their expressions.
Ruan Yu had never liked gatherings of relatives, and coincidentally, Wen Yun didn't like it either.
But Wen Yun had been a corporate slave before. Despite her dislike for it, she used her "tea talk" template to thoroughly tease the relatives who were deliberately steer the conversation toward Ruan Yu, racking up a full 34 points of tea flavor. In the end, despite their angry but unspeakable gazes, she took the initiative to pull Ruan Yu to the courtyard to relax.
The Wen family seems to have a particular fondness for growing plants. The courtyard of their old house is filled with all kinds of precious flowers and plants, but in a well-lit corner, there are also small pots of succulents on the flower rack, plump and very endearing.
Since this wasn't their own home, Wen Yun and Ruan Yu were very careful, only daring to get close to look and take pictures, but not daring to touch anything.
"I suddenly feel a little homesick."
Standing in front of a jujube tree, Ruan Yu spoke softly, a look of nostalgia on her face.
Wen Yun pondered for a moment, feeling that she was probably referring to her home in the countryside, so she said, "Do you want to go back and visit during the National Day holiday?"
The National Day holiday is quite long; you could even spend a couple of days in the countryside. After National Day, if you want another ample and less stressful holiday, you'll probably have to wait until the long summer vacation after the college entrance exam.
"Can we go back?" Ruan Yu asked her.
"Why not?" Wen Yun asked with a smile. "That has always been your home. You can go back whenever you want."
Ruan Yu was silent for a few seconds, then whispered, "But Grandpa and Grandma both said they don't want me to turn back."
She was well aware of the terrible atmosphere in that small village deep in the mountains.
Her grandparents, who raised her, were intellectuals when they were young, but after being sent down to the countryside, they had to compromise with the environment after ten or twenty years of hardship.
So when the Wen family came and said they wanted to take her away, her grandparents were actually relieved.
They repeatedly told her that now that she had found her biological parents, she should go far away and forget about this place, and preferably be even more ruthless than her aunt.
—Don't look back, for looking back will only lead to a dead end.
A note from the author:
The second update is here!
Chapter 29
"As long as your mind is not bound by your environment, no matter how many times you go back, it cannot be considered a return."
The words of the person next to her interrupted Ruan Yu's thoughts, "From a moral point of view, you would have the idea of going back. You clearly care about family ties, which is the kind of filial piety that reasonable elders would appreciate!"
Ruan Yu blinked. "Really? But if that's the case, why did they warn me like that?"
“You’re still young and haven’t experienced much. They’re probably afraid you won’t be able to distinguish between ‘looking back’ and ‘going home,’ so they’ve gone to extremes to cut off your hopes. That way, you’ll only move forward,” Wen Yun explained. “When you go to university and gain more experience, you’ll definitely be like your aunt, always wanting to go home to visit no matter what.”
Ruan Yu's gaze shifted repeatedly, and after a long period of contemplation, she finally uttered an "Mmm".
"So, do you want to go home?" Wen Yun asked. "If you do, we can go this National Day holiday. Otherwise, we'll probably have to wait until next year after graduation to have time. During winter break, we'll definitely be visiting relatives and preparing for the last college entrance exam in April."
There's still a chance to make up for a failure in the elective exam in mid-October, but the elective exam next April will truly be the final battle.
“…Yes.” Ruan Yu finally nodded firmly, “I also want to stay one more night.”
"Easy, no problem," Wen Yun said with a smile. "How about we bring some gifts for Grandpa and Grandma?"
The countryside was actually the original owner's hometown, and the two elderly people in the village were the original owner's true blood relatives.
After discussing their return to their hometown in the courtyard, they were just about to be invited to a family dinner by Uncle Li. They stopped talking and followed Uncle Li into the restaurant.
The old house had both a small dining room and a large dining room for family banquets like today. As Wen Yun entered, she was dazzled by the multi-tiered crystal chandelier that resembled a cake. Looking around at the decorations on the storage cabinets, she vaguely felt as if she were entering the Wen family home for the first time.
Fortunately, she had been living in the Wen family's house for more than a month, and she had become accustomed to the scene of "mountains of gold and silver" everywhere. She pulled Ruan Yu to sit down in the place arranged by Uncle Li and waited obediently for Old Master Wen to announce the start of the banquet.
It was then that she noticed two other tables of people she hadn't seen before. According to the original text, these were other wealthy individuals who had come to congratulate Old Master Wen on his 70th birthday.
About five minutes later, Grandpa Wen, dressed in a dark red Tang suit and looking very energetic, took his seat at the head of the table with Uncle Li's help and announced the start of the banquet. The seat next to him was empty; according to the original owner's memories, it had always been reserved for Grandma Wen, who had passed away many years ago.
The banquets of the wealthy are filled with all sorts of valuable items, and the chefs they hire are of a very high caliber. Even the steaks are cooked to be more tender and flavorful than those at home.
Grandpa Wen did not follow the rule of "not talking while eating." During the meal, he would occasionally steer the conversation and raise his glass to toast everyone with tea instead of wine, making the meal a lively and enjoyable one.
No one bothered Ruan Yu, so Wen Yun remained quiet and unassuming throughout the meal. As she ate, she suddenly noticed that Ruan Yu hadn't touched her chopsticks, but there was still a lot of meat and vegetables in her bowl. She quickly asked softly, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
“…It’s nothing.” Ruan Yu shook her head, picked up a shrimp from the bowl with her chopsticks, and put it in her mouth.
Wen Yun then noticed the red bumps on the back of her hand. Startled, she quickly took her hand and said to Grandpa Wen, who was drinking tea, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, Xiaoyu has an allergic reaction. We need to leave for a while."
"Oh, then go to the living room and rest for a while!" Grandpa Wen quickly called over Uncle Li, "Go and get the allergy medicine, and have Old Hu go and call the doctor!"
Wen Yun quickly led Ruan Yu to a well-ventilated area in the living room, and examined her hair. She then noticed that Ruan Yu had developed allergic rashes on her ears and neck, and became anxious: "Aren't you itchy? If you're uncomfortable, you should say so! If an allergy blocks your airway, it can be fatal!!"
“I thought it was a mosquito bite…” Ruan Yu said softly, “I’ve never had this happen before.”
"Eating too much seafood at once can easily cause allergies, but there is a chance." Wen Yun poured her a glass of warm water. "You have a good constitution, or you've only had mild allergies in the past, so you might not realize you're having an allergic reaction and think it's just a mosquito bite."
Uncle Li quickly brought over loratadine tablets and calamine lotion. Wen Yun first gave Ruan Yu the medicine, then shook the lotion well, applied some to the rash with a cotton ball, and asked, "How are you feeling? Is your heart beating fast? Does it feel comfortable when you breathe?"
My heart is beating a little fast...
A short while later, Wen's mother also left her seat and rushed over. When she saw that Ruan Yu's face and neck were covered with patches of pink spots, she frowned slightly, but still immediately sat down next to Ruan Yu and said softly, "The doctor will be here soon. You don't have anything to do this afternoon. Go to the hospital and get an allergen blood test. Your father and I will be here with you."
Ruan Yu had no experience in this area, so she gave a brief reply, held her water glass, and took deep breaths again and again as Wen Yun had instructed, trying her best to stay calm.