Chapter 179

During the Lunar New Year, only New Year’s Eve and the Lantern Festival are the most festive. The rest of the days are spent with reciprocal visits—one family visits another to pay New Year’s greetings, and then the favor is returned. For Wang Yuan’er and her siblings, who had lost both parents, visiting relatives naturally became their responsibility. However, their only relatives were their maternal grandparents’ family.

In previous years, they would visit their grandparents on the second or third day of the New Year. This year, due to their mourning period, they decided to wait until after it ended before visiting. With not much else happening during the holiday, they planned to spend a few days with their grandparents.

This delay led them to visit on the tenth day of the New Year. The five siblings finally arrived at their grandparents’ home in Shilong Town.

“I’ve been waiting day and night, and finally, you’re here!” Grandma Liang had been waiting at the door early. As soon as she saw the siblings get off the cart, she rushed to greet them. Seeing them dressed in new clothes, her eyes turned red with emotion.

Wang Yuan’er and her siblings felt the same. It had been quite some time since they last met, and naturally, they were filled with excitement. Besides Grandpa and Grandma Wang, their maternal grandparents were the only close family they had left.

Their aunt saw they were about to start crying and quickly ushered them inside, saying, “This is a joyous occasion—don’t cry in the streets!”

Once inside, led by Wang Yuan’er, the siblings respectfully bowed and performed a formal ceremony to greet their grandparents.

Grandma Liang hurriedly told them to stand up. Her eyes then fell on the plump Xiao Bao in Wang Chun’er’s arms. Her eyes lit up as she walked over and scooped him up, saying, “Oh, my dear little grandson, let Grandma take a good look at you!”

“Baolai, this is Grandma. Quickly, call her Grandma,” Wang Chun’er eagerly encouraged her little brother.

Ever since the little one started walking, he suddenly called out “Sister” one day. The older sisters took this as an opportunity to teach him how to speak. Now, at one year old, he could say a few single words, with “Sister” being his favorite, though he only spoke in single syllables.

Baolai wasn’t particularly familiar with Grandma Liang, but the little guy wasn’t shy either. He simply sucked on his fingers and stared at her with his big, glistening eyes, melting everyone’s hearts.

“This is Grandma—the one who made so many little clothes for you,” Wang Yuan’er chimed in.

Everyone watched him expectantly, with Grandma Liang’s eyes especially full of hope as she gazed at her hard-won grandson. She yearned to hear him call her “Grandma,” as this little treasure was the child her unfortunate daughter had lost her life bringing into the world.

As everyone playfully encouraged Baolai and waited in anticipation, the little guy giggled, drooled, and said, “Ma.”

Though his pronunciation was incomplete, Grandma Liang was overjoyed. She exclaimed in delight, kissed his chubby cheeks several times, and kept calling him her “precious grandson” and “sweetheart.”

“And this is Grandpa,” Wang Yuan’er said next, pointing to Scholar Liang.

Scholar Liang sat upright, looking rather nervous as he gazed at his young grandson. The little one was cooperative this time, calling out “Pa,” which brought a wide, joyful smile to Scholar Liang’s face.

Everyone then sat down. Grandma Liang noticed that the siblings were all dressed in new clothes, realizing they had completed their mourning period. She asked a few questions, and Wang Yuan’er naturally explained everything in detail.

After chatting with their grandparents about mundane family matters for a while, Scholar Liang took Baolai for a stroll outside. Meanwhile, Wang Qing’er and Lan’er couldn’t sit still and ran off to play with their cousins.

“Come, come, sit next to Grandma,” Grandma Liang beckoned to Wang Yuan’er and Chun’er.

The two sisters happily obliged, sitting on either side of her and wrapping their arms around her. They sweetly chatted with her, their words like honey making Grandma Liang smile brightly.

“Look how happy your mother is now that you’ve arrived. No matter how much your cousins try to amuse her, she’s never been this joyful!” their aunt, Madam Fang, said in mock jealousy.

Wang Yuan’er was startled for a moment. Upon realizing Madam Fang was only pretending to be jealous, she relaxed and playfully exclaimed, “Grandma, has Aunt perhaps drunk an entire jar of vinegar today? Why does she sound so sour?”

Madam Fang froze momentarily, then laughed and playfully pinched her, saying, “You cheeky girl, your tongue is getting sharper. Just wait, I’ll get you for this!”

Wang Yuan’er quickly begged for mercy, and it was only when Grandma Liang intervened that Madam Fang stopped.

“Seeing them every day at home doesn’t compare to seeing them once every year or two. Naturally, they’re always on my mind, and also…” Grandma Liang trailed off, but everyone understood what she meant. She was referring to the difficult and pitiful circumstances of Wang Yuan’er and her siblings.

Sensing the atmosphere turning somber, Madam Fang spoke up cheerfully, “Mother, it’s the New Year, and it’s rare for Yuan’er and the others to visit. Why not let them stay a few more days? I’ll tidy up the rooms and cook.”

“Of course,” Grandma Liang said, holding one of the sisters on each side. “You’re not allowed to leave so soon. Stay and keep this old woman company.”

Wang Yuan’er agreed with a smile.

“I’ll help Aunt tidy up,” Wang Chun’er, who couldn’t sit idle, said as she followed Madam Fang out.

This was exactly what Wang Yuan’er had hoped for—she now had the perfect opportunity to discuss Chun’er’s marriage prospects with Grandma Liang.

Before Wang Yuan’er could bring up the topic, Grandma Liang had already started discussing it.

“In the blink of an eye, you’ve all grown into young ladies. Time passes so quickly. It’s already been a year since your mother passed away. In the past, there was the mourning period to observe, but now that it’s over, it’s time to arrange your marriages.” Grandma Liang looked at her with a heartfelt expression and said, “Don’t feel shy about this. Every girl must go through this stage as she grows up. If your mother were here, these matters wouldn’t need to be discussed with you. But now, as the eldest daughter, you must take on the responsibility for the family, big and small, without any hesitation.”

“Grandma, I’m not shy. In fact, I wanted to talk to you about this,” Wang Yuan’er replied with a smile. “Second Sister is sixteen this year. Grandma, please help look for suitable young men and consider her match.”

“Alright, I’ll keep an eye out. But what do your grandparents think about this?” Grandma Liang asked.

Wang Yuan’er shook her head. “I haven’t discussed this with them.”

Although her paternal grandparents hadn’t used them for personal gain in this life, her subconscious was influenced by experiences from her previous life. She instinctively avoided involving them in their marriage arrangements, fearing a repeat of the unfortunate outcomes of the past.

“You’re a thoughtful person,” Grandma Liang continued. “Although we can make decisions for you, we are still just your maternal grandparents. Unlike your paternal grandparents, we don’t hold the same rightful authority. With your parents gone, the formal marriage arrangements will still need their involvement. Don’t get stuck in your own thinking. As for your mother’s misfortune… sigh, everything happens due to fate.”

Grandma Liang believed that Wang Yuan’er was still resentful towards Grandma and Grandpa Wang for their lack of action, which she thought indirectly caused Madam Liang’s early death. She assumed this was the reason Wang Yuan’er was unwilling to involve them in discussions about marriage proposals.

“Grandma, I understand everything. I was just thinking that if there’s a suitable match, I’ll bring it up with them,” Wang Yuan’er said, feeling a warmth in her heart. She leaned against Grandma Liang’s shoulder, absorbing the comfort of her grandmother’s presence, and relaxed completely. She also wished to have an elder she could rely on instead of bearing everything herself—it was exhausting.

“It’s good you understand the importance. Even though you’ve separated from the family, a girl’s marriage must still be arranged by her elders. It’s not something you can handle alone. With your grandparents around, it’s naturally their responsibility to arrange it. If they’re no longer around, then it falls to your second uncle and aunt. And honestly, compared to them, your grandparents are far better,” Grandma Liang said with clear disdain for her second uncle and aunt, especially her aunt, Madam Zhang.

Wang Yuan’er nodded. She understood this all too well, which was why she felt her life was so full of helplessness.

“By the way, I heard someone mention that your second uncle’s daughter has become a concubine for that Tang family. What’s going on here? How could a good girl lower herself to become someone’s concubine?” Grandma Liang suddenly recalled something and asked Wang Yuan’er.

The matter regarding Wang Min’er was not something suitable for public discussion. Because of this, Wang Yuan’er never mentioned it to her maternal grandparents. Firstly, they hadn’t had the chance to visit them; secondly, she feared that writing about it in a letter might lead to unwanted exposure, so she simply chose to keep it quiet.

Now that Grandma Liang had brought it up, Wang Yuan’er leaned in and whispered the entire story to her.

After hearing it, Grandma Liang’s face changed through a range of emotions, eventually settling into an unpleasant expression. She coldly laughed, saying, “Truly, rotten plants grow in a foul pot. What kind of mother raises this sort of child? She’s a careless woman, so naturally, she raised a shameless daughter.”

Wang Yuan’er remained silent as she couldn’t muster any praise for her second aunt’s character.

“Now that the girl has become someone’s concubine, at least she saved her own life. Otherwise, she’d probably have ended up in a pig cage,” Grandma Liang snorted. Reflecting on the situation, she became alarmed and grabbed Wang Yuan’er’s hand, saying, “Thankfully, this matter was kept under wraps. Otherwise, you girls would have been dragged into this mess by those unlucky ones.”

When such scandals arise in a family, it often taints the reputation of all the daughters, even if they’ve done nothing wrong. While it might not lead to death, the stigma could harm their reputations, and no one wants to be associated with infamy like disloyalty or impropriety.

“Such things must absolutely be prevented,” Grandma Liang added.

Wang Yuan’er smiled faintly and said, “The matter has already passed; let’s not bring it up anymore.”

Grandma Liang nodded but quickly furrowed her brow, pursing her lips. “No, this matter isn’t over yet. That girl will give birth in a few months. It’s hard to guarantee no one will make connections. The Wang family has few people, but the Tang family, on the other hand, is full of chatterboxes. If someone lets it slip, the consequences could be disastrous.”

Wang Yuan’er also frowned.

The Wang family might be small, but the Tang family had many members. Despite the enforced silence from higher-ups, only the dead can truly keep secrets in this world. What if someone carelessly let something slip?

“It seems your marriages need to be arranged sooner rather than later. If this matter gets exposed, it will make things much harder,” Grandma Liang said. “And it’s not just Chun’er and the others—your situation is equally critical.”

Wang Yuan’er quickly repeated the excuses she had previously used with Grandma Wang to avoid further discussion.

Grandma Liang, left momentarily speechless, retorted with slight irritation, “You little girl, those are just excuses. Anyway, you can at least get engaged first and take your time with the actual wedding. You’re already seventeen—you can’t delay any longer.”

Wang Yuan’er hurriedly hugged her grandmother and playfully begged for leniency.

Later that evening, Grandma Liang shared the matter of the Wang family’s second branch with Grandpa Liang, which left him furious. “The Wang family’s moral upbringing has fallen into a cesspit. How could they raise such a girl!”

“Let’s not dwell on it. What’s important is to stay vigilant. While this matter hasn’t been exposed, it’s better to find suitable matches now. It’s much better to arrange proposals ahead of time than scrambling to do so after the scandal hits the streets,” Grandma Liang advised.

Grandpa Liang agreed without further complaints. The next day, he met with his colleagues over drinks to discreetly inquire about any suitable young men for his granddaughters.