Chapter 48: Cheating

After what felt like an eternity, the family finally awaited the return of those who had entered the palace. As soon as they arrived, Xiao Jingyan quickly finished the handover and strode away briskly, as if delaying another moment would result in him being captured. His hasty departure left no room for explanation.

Lady Qin, puzzled by her son’s strange behavior, persistently questioned her eldest grandson, Xiao Lang. “What happened to your fourth uncle?”

“Grandmother, don’t worry. Fourth Uncle is fine today. He probably just wanted to go out for some fresh air,” Xiao Lang reassured her. Internally, he resolved not to reveal that his uncle had been so upset by his younger siblings that he swore off entertaining children altogether.

Since this was an era of peace and prosperity, those who entered the palace did so with excitement and returned with joy. General Xiao thus did not dwell on his son’s abrupt departure. Instead, he turned his attention to discussing preparations for his youngest granddaughter’s grab-the-object ceremony with the family.

While everyone else was enthusiastically making arrangements for the ceremony, Yuan Yutong wore a worried expression. Being someone who couldn’t hide her thoughts, she sought out her sister-in-law, Tong Mingyu, early the next morning for advice.

“Sister-in-law, help me decide how best to arrange the items for the ceremony!”

“You seemed distracted yesterday. What’s troubling you?” Tong Mingyu asked, genuinely confused.

“Ruyi shows no interest in books or writing materials. Other than food, I haven’t noticed her liking anything in particular. But if we don’t set out food, it’ll be too obvious. I’m completely out of ideas,” Yuan Yutong confessed.

Tong Mingyu pondered for a moment. Although the grab-the-object ceremony was merely symbolic, parents still hoped their children would choose items with auspicious meanings. For boys, seals or brushes were ideal; for girls, sewing supplies were considered best. It would indeed be awkward if the child immediately grabbed a snack.

“What type of snack does Ruyi dislike the most?” Tong Mingyu asked.

Yuan Yutong thought for a while before shaking her head in confusion. Although Ruyi didn’t have a large variety of snacks she could eat, she seemed to covet anything she laid her eyes on.

Just then, Qiaoyue entered, holding Xiao Yao in her arms. After greeting her mother and third aunt, Xiao Yao began searching everywhere. “Where’s Ruyi? It’s strange that Third Aunt is here without her.”

“Stop looking. Ruyi didn’t come,” Tong Mingyu said, pulling her daughter back from rummaging around aimlessly. “Is Ruyi a mouse? You even checked under the bed!”

“If only Ruyi were as easygoing as Ping’an,” Yuan Yutong sighed wistfully, recalling her niece’s behavior last year. She would be content if Ruyi picked even one meaningful item.

Seeing her third aunt so sentimental, Xiao Yao tugged at her mother’s sleeve, silently asking what was going on.

“Ping’an, do you know if Ruyi dislikes any particular snacks?” Yuan Yutong turned to her niece, pinning her hopes on her.

Xiao Yao gently shook her head. Ruyi had only been back for a few days, and as a baby who hadn’t even turned one yet, there wasn’t much variety in her diet. Xiao Yao genuinely didn’t know her cousin’s preferences.

Time was running out, and the two sisters-in-law sat silently, each deep in thought.

“We’re running out of time. Maybe we should just let her choose whatever she likes. Surely she won’t grab two handfuls of food,” Yuan Yutong said in resignation.

Xiao Yao’s mind started working. She wanted to help her mother and aunt find a solution.

“How about silk ornaments or tassels?” Xiao Yao suggested. Ordinary sewing supplies might not catch a child’s attention, but if they were presented in another form—like decorative flowers—perhaps Ruyi would be drawn to them.

“That’s a great idea! Let’s find a skilled maidservant to help,” Tong Mingyu said, catching on.

“Madam, Zhihua is excellent at making tassels and has already crafted many,” Qiaoyue offered with a smile.

“Xiying, go to the eldest young lady’s room and have Zhihua pick a brightly colored and exquisitely styled tassel,” Tong Mingyu instructed. “If Ruyi grabs it, at least it’ll count as sewing-related.”

“Yes,” Xiying replied and left immediately.

“Xiwei, go to the eldest young lady’s room and fetch an illustrated book. But don’t bring the one with the barbarians,” Tong Mingyu added. “Books with pictures and text might catch the child’s attention.”

Hearing her sister-in-law’s quick series of instructions, Yuan Yutong felt a sense of calm return. She silently praised Xiao Yao for her cleverness.

Tong Mingyu couldn’t fathom her daughter’s fascination with her book on Westerners, which depicted incomprehensible hairstyles and bizarre clothing styles. It was all so alien that she could only describe it as “strange.” Every time she saw Xiao Yao flipping through the book so casually, she felt the urge to snatch it away and destroy it.

Xiao Yao, noticing her mother’s unease, chuckled inwardly. What would her mother do if she ever met a real Westerner?

The grab-the-object ceremony proceeded as planned, and Tong Mingyu’s strategy worked like a charm. Ruyi first grabbed the tassel, examined it thoroughly, and tucked it into her little chest, patting it possessively as if to declare it hers. When she reached the illustrated book, she picked it up and looked around for Xiao Yao, intent on gifting it to her cousin. Unsurprisingly, Ruyi eventually went for the snacks. Satisfied with her daughter’s initial choices, Yuan Yutong let her indulge freely after that.

After the second day of the New Year, Yuan Yutong urged her sisters-in-law to return to their parental homes, volunteering to manage the household herself.

“Go visit your families and give me a chance to shine. When you return, you’ll see a transformed Xiao household,” Yuan Yutong proclaimed confidently.

“Third Sister-in-law, the more you say, the more worried I get. When we come back, will Yagarden and Qingyuan still be standing?” Li Jiaoying teased.

“Second Sister-in-law, you have so little faith in me!” Yuan Yutong muttered, silently reassuring herself that her plans involved redecorating, not demolishing. Why was everyone so skeptical of her abilities?

Visiting family and friends, the festive days passed quickly. Before long, it was time for Xiao Jingmin’s family to leave. Unlike previous farewells, the proximity of their new home made frequent visits possible, dulling the usual melancholy.

During their last departure, Ruyi had been too young to understand separation, leaving only Xiao Yao feeling sentimental. This time, however, their roles reversed. Xiao Yao remained calm, while Ruyi wailed and threw tantrums, refusing to leave no matter how much anyone coaxed her.

General Xiao, previously worried about his eldest granddaughter, now found himself fretting over his youngest.

“Why aren’t you leaving yet? Are you just going to let the child cry indefinitely? What kind of parents are you?” he barked in frustration.

The crowd dispersed, sensing the growing impatience in his tone.

“Even the carriage driver is taking his time. Do you even want to keep your job?” General Xiao vented further.

The poor driver looked up at the sky, wondering why misfortune always befell him. What had he done to deserve this?

“Father, don’t be angry. We’re leaving now,” Xiao Jingmin said, quickly instructing his men to load his daughter into the carriage. Before departing, he leaned toward Xiao Yao.

“Give your uncle a farewell kiss,” he teased.

Xiao Yao obliged with a quick peck. “Hurry up and leave. If Ruyi insists on going, let’s get moving.”

Enraged, General Xiao yelled, “Enough! Stop wasting time and leave already!”

Finally, Xiao Jingmin’s family departed. The festive New Year celebrations came to an end, and life returned to normal. Those with court duties resumed their responsibilities, and the children returned to their studies.

Soon, the Lantern Festival marked the culmination of the New Year festivities.

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