Chapter 3 Aunt

On the fifth day of the third month, Jinghan's elder brother and younger brother both came back. Returning with them was their Fourth Uncle Xu Zhide and his family. The Fourth Uncle had a son and a daughter; his son, Xu Wenxing, was five years old this year, and his daughter, Xu Jinghe, was three years old. Xu Zhide's wife, Mrs. Han, came from a well-off family from the town. Xu Zhide himself had the title of a scholar. The Han family had been impressed by this and agreed to marry their daughter into this family. Later, they even helped set up a school in the town, which now taught around twenty students.

This time Wenhan and the others went to the town because the Fourth Uncle felt that studying in the village's private school, Wenhan might not learn much, and he wanted Wenhan to go to his place in town. It was a good opportunity for Wenhan to take his younger brother to the Fourth Uncle's for a few days of play before returning home with everyone.

Upon seeing the family of the Fourth Uncle returning, Mrs. Chen was quite happy. She pulled Wenxing into her arms and affectionately asked him all sorts of questions. Wenxing had grown up in the town and naturally wasn't close to Mrs. Chen. He squirmed and fussed in her arms, refusing to be held by her. Zhide saw this and scolded his son, "Can't you sit still for a moment? Your grandmother hasn't seen you for such a long time. What's wrong with giving her a hug?"

Upon hearing his father's reprimand, Wenxing puckered his lips as if about to cry. Mrs. Han, seeing this, quickly took her child back, "Why are you scolding him? Isn't the child still young?" she said, and then she led Wenxing and Jinghe outside.

"Mother, don't be angry. I've spoiled the child rotten. By the way, here's some money for you. My youngest brother will participate in the rural examination this year, and it will cost a fair amount," Zhide said, taking out 10 taels of silver and handing it to his mother.

Mrs. Chen did not accept the silver. "Fourth Son, when you started teaching at that school in the town, it was funded by the Han family. We had agreed at that time that it was as if you had been given your share early; we would not provide for you, nor would we take anything from you—that's how it was settled. Now I can't take this money." It was a dire situation back then; her own family had not been able to afford it and had had to rely on the Han family's support to get the school started. So they had made a deal with the Han family not to ask Zhide for money in the future. Mrs. Chen was proud and never asked her sons for money. Whenever they visited each year, she would send them back with various gifts.

"Mother, do we really need to be so formal with each other? This is money I have saved myself; just consider it sponsorship for my youngest brother. If he succeeds in the examination, won't I bask in reflected glory?" Zhide insisted, placing the money into Mrs. Chen's hands, and then he went out to chat with his father.

Mrs. Chen, holding the silver, sighed helplessly. Who would want their son to be closer to their in-laws instead of their own family if they had a choice? It was just the way things had to be. She placed the silver in a small box and then locked it in a chest on the bed.

Wenhan led his younger brother back to the east wing, where they lived and saw his sisters, Jingya included, doing needlework. "Wow, Jinghan, did the sun rise from the west today? When have I ever seen you pick up a needle?" Wenhan teased his younger sister.

"Big Brother, you're mean. Can't I learn needlework? I am still a girl after all; how can I not learn needlework? You're annoying," retorted Jinghan, giving her elder brother a disdainful look. What was the original owner like that her learning needlework would be so surprising?

"Big Brother, stop teasing our sister, or she might get annoyed and refuse to sew anymore. That would really worry our mother," Jingya said gently.

"Eldest Sister, you're laughing at me too. Be careful, or I might really stop learning," sighed Jinghan. Transmigration could be so challenging; the original girl was quite wild. Compared to her, she herself had been quite ladylike, and she shook her head in resignation. "Can't I grow up? Really, can't you just think I've suddenly become sensible?"

"I'm afraid you'll lose interest after a few days of novelty, and then nobody knows where you'll run off to. Let's ignore Big Brother and concentrate on our needlework," said Jingya, still so gentle, smiling as she instructed Jinghan on sewing techniques.

"By the way, I think I overheard Grandmother mentioning something about Jinghan falling ill a few days ago. What happened?" Wenhan cared deeply for his sisters, and the moment he heard something might be wrong, he rushed in to ask, but upon entering, he was distracted by Jinghan learning needlework and forgot his original intent.

Jingya told Wenhan about Jinghan saving someone and getting a fever. Wenhan's eyes widened instantly, "Jinghan, are you itching for a beating? In this freezing weather, with the river just thawed, you dared to go in the water? Did you get sick from it? You're always up to no good. Just today, I was wondering why you were behaving so well; it turns out you were trying to compensate for getting into trouble. Let me warn you, if there's a next time, I will spank you." Wenhan had always treated Jinghan like a brother, and everyone in the village said Wenhan had two brothers, one of them being Jinghan.