Chapter 185 – Chen Eldest 1 – Part 1

 

Lingzhou.

A carriage rolled along the country road.

In the carriage, Sun shi looked at her eldest son with a smile: “When you meet your father-in-law and mother-in-law later, remember to sweet-talk them.”

The eleven-year-old Chen Bozong frowned and corrected his mother: “Miss Yu and I are not married yet, Mother, be careful with your words.”

Sun shi: “What do you mean by careful? It’s just the two of us here, don’t talk to me about so many rules, even your father is not as pedant as you. Still so young, but you don’t look like children at all.”

Chen Bozong stopped talking and looked at the gifts on the side seat.

Back then, his father and Uncle Yu went to the prefecture capital to participate in the autumn examination. On the way, they encountered a carriage running wild. Uncle Yu risked his life to push his father away, but he could not continue the imperial examination’s road because of his lameness.

In order to repay his kindness, his father made a pact with Uncle Yu for a child marriage.

Chen Bozong was the eldest son in the family, and Yu Xiu was the eldest daughter of the Yu family, so this child marriage naturally fell on them.

Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and today his mother would take him to the Yu family to give festival gift.

Chen Bozong did not object to this marriage, but he hoped that his mother would stop making joke about him, let alone saying something that would be impolite to talk about at this time.

The carriage bumped on the road for half a day and finally arrived at the Yu’s house before noon.

The Yu family was not wealthy. His father wanted to help the Yu family several times, but Uncle Yu refused flatly. Scholars value character the most, and Uncle Yu was like this, so his father could not force him.

Fortunately, Uncle Yu had the reputation of a scholar, so he could open a private school in the village. With the tuition from his disciples, it was more than enough to support a family of four.

The carriage stopped steadily. While Sun shi and her son got off the carriage, they saw Yu Xiu’s mother Zhao shi running out in a hurry. Her face looked a bit haggard. While keeping a distance of ten steps away she said: “Sister-in-law is here, look at me so flustered, it’s really impolite.”

Chen Bozong saluted her respectfully.

The 11-year-old boy was dressed in a jade-white fine cloth, handsome and well-mannered.

When Zhao shi‘s eyes fell on her future son-in-law, she immediately became gentle, praised Chen Bozong, and then stopped Sun shi who was about to approach, and quickly explained, “Sister-in-law, your visit is untimely. A’wen broke out in pox a few days ago, and even though his father never had it before, he got it this time as well. The father and son are having trouble eating and sleeping, and I’ve been busy taking care of them. The house is in disarray, and it’s quite embarrassing. I don’t dare invite you in, fearing you might catch the illness.”

Getting sick and pox, these were unpredictable things. Sun shi no longer moved forward, showing concern and comfort.

Chen Bozong silently looked at the Yu family’s courtyard behind Zhao shi. Uncle Yu and his son were sick, how about Yu Xiu?

If he could think of it, then naturally Sun shi would think of it too. After showing concern for the Yu family’s father and son and Zhao shi, she immediately asked about her future daughter-in-law: “Where is A’xiu?”

Zhao shi looked to the left, pointed to the house with a willow tree growing at the door and said: “I’m afraid she will also get infected, so I’m letting her live in my eldest sister-in-law’s house for the time being.”

Sun shi whispered: “I remember that your two families are not harmonious?”

Zhao shi lowered her eyes and said awkwardly: “Usually there are some quarrels, but at this time, they are willing to help.”

Living in the same village, if eldest brother and his wife turn away A’xiu, they would be criticized if it got out.

As they were talking here, a child’s crying came from the yard, followed by a woman cursing: “You ungrateful bastard, I take care of your food and drink, and you actually pushed my son, see if don’t beat you!”

Zhao shi heard it and immediately ran over there.

Sun shi also hurriedly pulled her son over.

The mother and son were walking at a slower pace. When they reached the door of the house, Zhao shi had already rushed in. She pulled her daughter, who had been hit by the eldest sister-in-law of the Yu family with a fire stick but remained silent, behind her and said angrily, “Can’t we talk it out peacefully? How can you hit a child?”

The eldest sister-in-law of the Yu family was about to scold when she suddenly saw Sun shi‘s mother and son at the door.

Ever since Sun shi came back from the capital, she had been visiting the Yu family every year, and the eldest sister-in-law of the Yu family also recognized her.

She was jealous of her younger brother and sister-in-law for finding a good in-law, but she was also afraid of this in-law, so how could she dare to bully Zhao shi in front of Sun shi?

The eldest sister-in-law of the Yu family restrained her momentum, pulled up her son who was crying non-stop, and asked him to speak for himself.

The boy glared at Yu Xiu: “She pushed me!”

The seven-year-old Yu Xiu had tears on her face and whispered to defend herself: “He grabbed my bracelet first, then I pushed him.”

Zhao shi looked down and found that her daughter was still wearing a pair of silver bracelets given by Sun shi for the New Year this year.

It was all her fault that she was worried about her husband and son, and was anxious to find a safe place to entrust her daughter. She forgot that her daughter’s silver bracelet was very eye-catching and forgot the greed of her eldest sister-in-law’s family.

“Who told you to steal your sister’s bracelet? If you like money, study hard and buy it yourself when you become an official. It’s wrong to steal other people’s things!”

The eldest sister-in-law of the Yu family pulled her son over and hit him on his butt twice, and then advised Zhao shi to go to entertain the guests and let her daughter stay at their house.

Before Zhao shi could speak, Sun shi smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, bring A’xiu out. I haven’t seen her for a while. I miss A’xiu a lot.”

Zhao shi didn’t have time to think too much. She nodded to her sister-in-law and took her daughter out.

Back at the Yu family, Sun shi pulled Yu Xiu into her arms, holding her with one hand and stroking the little girl’s head with the other, and said to Zhao shi without giving her any room to refuse: “A’xiu is your daughter and my future daughter-in-law. Even if you steel your heart to let her suffer over there, I can’t bear to let her go. How about this, I’ll take A’xiu to live with me for a while, and when her father and brother’s illnesses are completely cured and the sickness in the house is gone, you can go and pick A’xiu up.”

Zhao shi: “That’s not right, it’s too…”

Sun shi: “We are family, so don’t stand on ceremony. Unless you don’t trust me and fear that A’xiu will suffer greater grievances in our place.”

This sentence completely blocked Zhao shi‘s polite refusal. After hesitating for a moment, she sighed and said, “Then you wait a minute, I’ll pack some clothes for A’xiu.”

Sun shi: “Don’t bother, I just made two sets of clothes, shoes and socks for A’xiu, and they are in the carriage.”

After that, she told the coachman to bring down the tea and fruits and other gifts for the Yu family, and leave the ones for Yu Xiu in the carriage.

“A’xiu, are you willing to live at your Auntie’s house?”

Sun shi did not forget to ask the little girl in her arms, “Your mother is too busy, Auntie will take care of you for her for a while.”

Yu Xiu looked at her mother with tears in her eyes.

Zhao shi‘s eyes also turned red: “Go, your aunt loves you the most.”

Her mother agreed, and Yu Xiu was also willing. If she kept staying at her eldest uncle and eldest aunt’s house, it didn’t matter if she was wronged, but she was afraid that her eldest aunt would deliberately scold her mother and make her sad.

“Alright, then we will go back now.”

“Alas, you came all the way here, but we didn’t even entertain you.”

“Even if you want to entertain me today, I wouldn’t dare to go in to eat. It doesn’t matter this time. You can make up for it with big fish and meat next time.”

Sun shi got on the carriage, lifted the curtain and smiled at Zhao shi, and then told the coachman to set off.

There was water in the carriage, Sun shi poured some on a towel, helped Yu Xiu wipe her face, and then took the girl’s little hands and wiped them carefully.

How nice it would be to have a beautiful and delicate little girl. Sun shi had been hoping to have a daughter, but in the end, all she had were sons. Fortunately, she had a future daughter-in-law to love, so how could she let others bully her?

“Don’t be sad, A’xiu. Your father and brother will recover from their illness. When that time comes, we’ll go back to live in our own home, and no one will dare to show off in front of you.”

Yu Xiu nodded obediently, and her big watery eyes turned to look at the silent boy who was sitting on the side.

Sun shi smiled: “Do you still recognize him?”

Yu Xiu nodded and timidly called “big brother”.

Chen Bozong nodded in return.

Yu Xiu lowered her head.

Now she understood more, and because she was often teased by the children in the village, saying that she has a little husband, Yu Xiu knew early on that the big brother of the Chen family was her little husband. When she grew up, she would marry him and sleep in the same bed with the big brother of the Chen family as those bad kids said with a grin.

Although Yu Xiu didn’t understand what was so funny about sleeping in the same bed, she guessed that it should be embarrassing, so every time someone said that, she would be embarrassed, and she didn’t want to go out unless it was necessary.

Yu Xiu was also a little afraid of the big brother of the Chen family who didn’t like to smile.

But she liked Aunt Sun very much, and liked her warm smile and cheerfulness.

“Grumble”, Yu Xiu’s stomach growled as she hadn’t had lunch yet.

Her face turned red, and as if guilty, she secretly looked at her little husband diagonally opposite.

When Chen Bozong looked over, Yu Xiu’s head drooped even lower, and her face turned towards Sun shi.

“We will pass a town later, let’s go to the town to eat. Now eat some melon seeds first.”

Sun shi took out a bag of melon seeds, which she prepared to kill time on the road.

The two people began to peel the melon seeds.

After Yu Xiu ate two, she secretly glanced at Chen Bozong, and began to hold the peeled melon seeds in her palm. After collecting more than a dozen, she quietly stuffed them into Sun shi‘s hands: “Auntie, give some to Big Brother too.”

Sun shi didn’t take it: “You can give it yourself, I’m busy.”

As she spoke, she spit out a melon seed shell and continued to put new ones into her mouth. She was really busy!

Yu Xiu’s face turned red again, but she still turned around, lowered her eyes and stretched out her hand to the handsome boy over there: “Big Brother, you eat too.”

Chen Bozong: “I’m not hungry.”

Yu Xiu didn’t dare to say more, slowly retracted her hand, and ate it herself.

Sun shi shook her head, the bad boy didn’t know how to appreciate the blessing he had.

Half an hour later, the three of them finally arrived in the town. Sun shi was so hungry that she asked for three bowls of noodles and asked for more meat.

The three bowls of noodles were brought together. Sun shi picked up a piece of meat from her bowl and was about to put it in Yu Xiu’s bowl, but her son was one step faster than her.

Sun shi stopped, and silently watched the two children, one thanked and the other said you’re welcome lightly.

They still had to hurry in the afternoon. Sun shi leaned against the corner of the carriage, while Yu Xiu leaned against her. The two people took a nap next to each other.

Chen Bozong took out a book, read it for a while, and then looked out the window.

When the sun set, the carriage finally stopped outside the Chen’s house in Shiqiao Town.

“Mom’s back!”

Chen Xiaozong, who was squatting at the gate playing with sand, shouted to the yard.

Chen Bozong got off first, and seeing his third brother with sand in his hands, he frowned and said, “Playing with sand again, you are already six years old!”

Chen Xiaozong: “Even Mom doesn’t care, why do you care.”

Sun shi also got off, and sure enough, she didn’t care, she just turned around and carried Yu Xiu down.

Chen Xiaozong was stunned and stared at Yu Xiu.

Chen Bozong frowned even deeper.

At this time, the eight-year-old Chen Yanzong came out with his two-year-old fourth brother Chen Jingzong.

Sun shi introduced them together: “This is A’xiu, she is seven years old this year. Old Two can call her Sister, and Old Three and Old Four should call her Big Sister.”

Chen Jingzong was the most obedient and immediately called out, “Big Sister.”

When facing these four sons of the Chen family, the one that Yu Xiu was not nervous of was this little baby with red lips and white teeth, so she smiled sweetly at Chen Jingzong.

Chen Yanzong said softly, “Sister Xiu.”

Yu Xiu felt that this brother looked particularly gentle and amiable.

Chen Xiaozong turned his eyes and said with a smile, “Sister-in-law.”

Yu Xiu: …

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Translator’s note:

The chapter is cut into two parts because it’s long, but I still upload both today to celebrate the end of the main story.