Chapter 55

Shilong Town and Changle Town were situated under the Emperor’s rule, but one lay to the north and the other to the east, so the distance between the two towns was considerable. Shilong Town was also closer to the Imperial City and more prosperous than Changle.

The carriage stopped at the station, and Wang Yuan’er held her youngest sister, Wang Lan’er, standing on the bustling main street. People were coming and going, and the atmosphere was especially lively because of the New Year celebrations.

“Eldest Sister, it looks like there’s a performance over there! I’m going to check it out,” said Wang Qing’er, who had a penchant for lively scenes. She immediately dashed off in that direction before Wang Yuan’er could respond, leaving her no choice but to follow closely behind.

Sure enough, a crowd had gathered there to watch acrobatics. As the performer somersaulted, the audience erupted in applause.

“Eldest Sister, I want to watch too,” the youngest sister tugged at Wang Yuan’er’s clothes. Wang Yuan’er had to pick her up but refrained from joining the crowd. It was the New Year, and such gatherings inevitably attracted pickpockets taking advantage of the situation.

After watching cautiously for a while, Wang Yuan’er called Wang Qing’er back, and they continued on their way to their maternal grandparents’ home.

Their maternal grandfather, Liang Mingde, was a scholar in Shilong Town. He was a low-ranking warehouse official at the yamen, managing the granary. Although his position was not prestigious, it was still better than having no official title at all. Moreover, he received a small stipend, which, while modest, was enough to sustain the household.

It had been four years since Wang Yuan’er last visited. Relying on her childhood memories and some directions, she managed to find her grandparents’ home in Osmanthus Lane.

The main gate was tightly shut, with the courtyard surrounded by tall walls. Wang Qing’er stepped forward and knocked on the door, loudly asking if anyone was home. After several calls, the sound of footsteps and a responding voice finally emerged. With a creak, the door was opened. Standing before them was a round-faced woman with a low bun and a pregnant belly.

“Is it… Ah, it’s Yuan’er! And this must be Qing’er?” The woman sized up Wang Yuan’er and her sisters with surprise before exclaiming, “Father, Mother, Yuan’er and the others are here!”

This woman was none other than Madam Fang, the wife of their youngest uncle. Wang Yuan’er and her sisters quickly greeted her, “Aunt, Happy New Year!”

“Oh, oh, good, good. Come in quickly,” Madam Fang said, stepping aside to welcome them inside.

As Wang Yuan’er and her sisters walked into the courtyard, they saw two figures emerging from the main house. One asked, “Is it Rong’s daughter who’s back?”

The speaker, dressed in a dark red jacket, was an elderly woman around the same age as Grandma Wang. She was their maternal grandmother, Grandma Liang. Standing by the door behind her was an elderly man in a teal silk robe, slender and upright in posture. This was their maternal grandfather, Liang Mingde.

Wang Yuan’er set down the basket on her back and led Wang Qing’er and the others to kneel before the scholar Liang and his wife. “Grandpa, Grandma, Happy New Year! Yuan’er kowtows to you!”

Grandma Liang stepped forward and helped her up. “Good girl, what a good child. Stand up now.” She then pulled Wang Lan’er over. “This must be Lan’er? You’ve grown so much. How wonderful!” She looked over the sisters and then glanced behind them a few times before asking eagerly, “Where is your mother?”

“Mother is about to give birth in a few days. It’s inconvenient for her to travel, so she didn’t come. Once our little brother is born, she’ll bring him to kowtow to you,” Wang Yuan’er explained.

Grandma Liang was visibly disappointed upon hearing this, while Liang Mingde let out a heavy sigh and turned back into the house.

Wang Yuan’er understood clearly—her grandfather was somewhat disappointed. But she was still happy. The fact that they came out of the house to greet them showed that they cared about them, unlike in her past life, where they seemed indifferent and cold.

Chapter 56

Grandma Liang pulled Wang Yuan’er and her sisters over, scrutinizing them while chatting animatedly. Madam Fang served tea and snacks and then called her two children to come and greet everyone.

Uncle Liang Zhen is five years younger than Madam Liang. After marrying Madam Fang, they had two children: the eldest son, Liang Yanting, who is nine years old, and the younger daughter, Liang Yanyan, who is six. Madam Fang is now expecting another child.

After getting acquainted, Wang Qing’er took a few of the younger ones out to play while Wang Yuan’er stayed in the east room to chat with the elderly couple. Madam Fang busied herself with preparing lunch, and as for Uncle Liang, he had gone out to visit friends and didn’t return until the afternoon.

“Your grandpa and I have had trouble getting around these years, so we haven’t gone to Changle Town to visit you. And your mother, well, she’s so stubborn, sigh,” Grandma Liang heaved a long sigh, her eyes glancing at Scholar Liang with a hint of reproach in her tone. “It’s all your fault, you old man. If it weren’t for your sharp tongue, why would our daughter stop coming home?”

“Ridiculous, am I supposed to bring an eight-man sedan chair to fetch them?” Scholar Liang snorted, setting down his tea cup.

“Who would dare come back after you said such harsh words? Being branded as unfilial is like being crushed under a mountain.” Grandma Liang shot him a cold glare. “So many years have passed. Yuan’er is all grown up now, and you’re still so bullheaded. And now look, the son-in-law passed before you. How much suffering must Rongniang have endured? My poor daughter, so young…”

As she spoke, Grandma Liang began to wipe her tears.

Scholar Liang wore a stern expression. “I said back then it wasn’t a good match…” He seemed to catch sight of Wang Yuan’er and swallowed the rest of his words.

The dead are gone—what’s the point of bringing this up now?

The atmosphere turned a bit tense.

Wang Yuan’er coughed lightly and changed the subject with a smile. “Grandpa, Grandma, Changle has changed a lot these days. When you have time, you should come visit and have some fun.”

“Alright, alright!” Grandma Liang patted her hand and looked at her fair, delicate face resembling her daughter’s. With a loving tone, she said, “Your father passed away last year, and we didn’t attend the funeral. Don’t hold it against us—it’s the custom, and there’s nothing we can do. When your mother gives birth, we’ll bring gifts to celebrate the new life.”

It’s said that it’s deeply sorrowful for white-haired elders to bury their black-haired descendants. When grandchildren die before the elders, the latter won’t attend the funerals. That’s why when Wang Da passed away, Scholar Liang and the others didn’t attend the rites.

Wang Yuan’er, of course, understood this custom. She smiled and said, “That’s a promise, then. Grandpa, Grandma, you must prepare a big gift for my little brother.”

“Of course, that’s a given. How’s your mother doing? Is she eating well? With her temperament, it must be hard on you,” Grandma Liang asked about Madam Liang’s situation again.

Wang Yuan’er naturally spoke positively. Scholar Liang didn’t join the conversation, but he clearly listened intently. After all, she was his only daughter, his eldest child. No matter how stubborn he was outwardly, his heart was soft—especially since she had lost her husband at such a young age.

It wasn’t until someone came to call Scholar Liang for tea that he left. As soon as he was gone, Grandma Liang took Wang Yuan’er’s hand and said, “I know you resent your grandpa, but don’t blame him. He cares deeply about your mother. He’s just hard on the outside and soft on the inside. When your father passed, he couldn’t sleep at night, pacing back and forth, and even developed sores in his mouth from the stress. He aged several years in just one night, all because he was worried your mother wouldn’t cope.”

“Mother’s doing well now. She’s eating well, too, so please don’t worry, Grandma,” Wang Yuan’er said as she pressed the corner of her eye.

Grandma Liang also wiped away a hint of wetness at the corner of her eyes. The grandmother and granddaughter then moved on to other topics.

In the afternoon, they paid their respects to their uncle upon his return, and he invited Wang Yuan’er and the others to stay for a few more days.