Chapter 16

Hearing this, Lin Cailiang’s face showed self-reproach, “It’s my fault, my fault for not making things clear to you.” Aunt Lin shook her head, “It’s not your fault, it’s me, I didn’t stop Wenbin and Yishuang in time.” Seeing his mother and younger uncle both blaming themselves, Yan Wenbin stood up, his tone casual, “Mom, Uncle, there’s no need to look so glum. What’s the big deal? When we see Father later, won’t everything be fine once we explain things to him?” Seeing her son still unaware of the severity of the issue, Aunt Lin’s temper flared, and with a ‘slap’, she struck him on the forehead, “What’s the big deal? Offending the old madam, none of us will have good days ahead.” As the talks between his mother and younger uncle grew more serious, Yan Yishuang also became anxious, “Mom, will Grandmother punish us? Father loves us so much, he won’t let the old madam bully us, right?” Looking into her daughter’s pleading eyes, Aunt Lin rubbed her temples with a headache, “The old madam is your father’s own mother, tell me, will your father intervene? Dare he intervene?” Yan Yishuang, “Then what do we do? Grandmother won’t be like Madam Xu from Keke’s family who likes to set rules for people, right? Also, will Father start to dislike me and my brother because of this?” Seeing his niece’s eyes fill with tears, Lin Cailiang hurried to reassure her, “Don’t worry, the old madam is a reasonable person, she won’t trouble you children over this. However, when you go to pay respects to her later, you must present yourselves well.” “Wenbin and Yishuang are so adorable, the old madam is sure to like you. As long as she likes you, your father will love you even more than before.” Yan Yishuang and Yan Wenbin exchanged glances and silently nodded their heads. Both of them now knew that in this household, the greatest authority was no longer their father, but the grandmother who had just arrived. They would have to curry favor with her from now on. After some thought, Aunt Lin pulled Yan Yishuang to her side, “Previously, in the backyard of the County Governor’s Office, as the only daughter of the Lord County Magistrate, you received the first pick of everything. But now that your older sister has arrived, everything given by Madam or sent by outsiders will prioritize her. If you see something, you must not fight for it nor throw a tantrum, understand?” Yan Yishuang’s face immediately fell, “I don’t want to, my father loves me the most, why should I let that little beggar have her way?” Aunt Lin’s face darkened, “Shut your mouth, what little beggar? That’s your older sister.” “Mom…” Seeing Aunt Lin’s furious expression, Yan Yishuang felt both scared and wronged, and tears began flowing down her cheeks. Being a twin and younger by birth, she was frail from the start; growing up, her mother had never even raised her voice at her, let alone scolded her harshly, and now she was being so stern with her. Looking at his niece sobbing, Lin Cailiang felt extremely heartbroken and quickly took her into his arms, casting an annoyed glance at Aunt Lin, “Sister, there’s no need to be so harsh, is there? Look how scared you’ve made Yishuang.” As soon as his daughter started crying, Aunt Lin felt remorse and, being scolded by her brother, she didn’t say a word. While comforting Yan Yishuang, Lin Cailiang softly spoke, “Your mom shouldn’t have scolded you, but you were in the wrong as well.” Tears glistening on her face, Yan Yishuang looked at her uncle with confusion. Lin Cailiang wiped away the tears on her face, “Yishuang, remember, even if you dislike something, you mustn’t voice it.” Yan Yishuang, “Why?” Lin Cailiang, “Because that would displease your father, and others too. You don’t want people to dislike you, do you?” Yan Yishuang buried her head in Lin Cailiang’s chest and mumbled, “I don’t like that older sister, Uncle, do you think Father will only like her and not me anymore?” Lin Cailiang playfully pinched Yan Yishuang’s nose, speaking fondly, “Our Yishuang is so smart and talented, able to compose poems at just eight years old. Adults value talent, how could he not like you?” Hearing this, Aunt Lin breathed a sigh of relief. In her haste, she had forgotten that the master liked talented people. How could that country girl possibly compare to her Yishuang in education and demeanor? Chunhua Courtyard. “Daohua? What a rustic name, I don’t even want to say it.” The pleasant-looking seven-year-old Yan Yile was teasing her siblings with a giggle. Yan Wenjie not only didn’t stop her but also nodded in agreement, “It really is very old-fashioned.”