Chapter 474: Chapter 443, Harmonious Home_1
In front of the Chuihua Gate, Madam Yan, the senior matriarch of the Yan Family, stretched her neck continuously, looking eagerly towards the main gate, unable to hide the urgency and anticipation on her face. Daohua, Yan Yihuan, Yan Yishuang, and Yan Yile stood respectfully on either side of the matriarch, waiting in a well-behaved manner.
It wasn’t long before the sounds of laughter and chatter approached.
Soon, everyone saw Madam Li, the Sun Family, and the Wu Family accompany a beautiful woman and a gentle-looking young girl as they entered.
“Mother!”
At the sight of Madam Yan, Yan Siyu’s eyes immediately filled with tears. Letting go of Madam Li’s hand, she hurried towards her aged mother.
And Madam Yan, too tear-streaked, moved forward somewhat excitedly with quick steps.
Daohua offered a supportive hand, but noticing that the elderly lady was steady on her feet, she did not intervene further, standing back to watch with a smile as her grandmother embraced the aunt she had never before met.
After watching for a while and feeling someone’s gaze upon her, Daohua looked up to see it was her aunt’s daughter and responded with a smile and a nod.
Yang Xiujun also paused briefly upon realizing that Daohua had noticed her scrutiny, but seeing her nod in a friendly and proper way, she too smiled and nodded in response.
As soon as she entered through the Chuihua Gate, her first attention was drawn to the cousin of the Yan Family standing beside her grandmother, dressed in a silver-red Kesi Silk jacket with white fox fur trims and a coral-red skirt embroidered with branch-folded plum blossoms.
Yang Xiujun’s eyes slightly dropped, hiding the astonishment within.
Sister Yiyi from her maternal uncle’s side was even more dazzling and lively than she had imagined, with a demeanor that did not fall short of the aristocratic ladies and daughters of knights from the high-ranking families in Beijing, whom the Yang Family could not match.
Over here, Madam Li along with the members of the Sun and Wu Families had already calmed down the weeping reunion of mother and daughter.
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“Xiujun, come and pay your respects to your grandmother,” said Yan Siyu, wiping away her tears and beckoning to her daughter.
Yang Xiujun stepped forward, and when a maid placed the cushion properly, she knelt down at once, “Xiujun pays her respects to grandmother,” she said earnestly, kowtowing three times to Madam Yan.
Madam Yan bent over to help Yang Xiujun up, holding her hand with a smile, “Stand up, my child, let your grandmother have a good look at you.”
Yang Xiujun stood obediently with an appropriately measured smile on her face, allowing the senior matriarch and the other members of the Yan Residence to appraise her.
Seeing Daohua and the others standing behind without moving, Madam Li spoke with a smile, “What are you all doing standing there foolishly? Come and greet your aunt.”
Daohua immediately led Yan Yihuan and the other two to greet Yan Siyu, moving in unison to bow to her.
“We pay our respects to Aunt.”
Yan Siyu quickly helped the four girls up, scrutinizing them closely with her focus lingering on Daohua a few times before looking back at Madam Li and the other two women, “Sisters-in-law have indeed done a wonderful job teaching these girls. Just look at their poise and demeanor; they are in no way inferior to the daughters of high-ranking families in Beijing.”
At these words, Yan Yihuan, Yan Yishuang, and Yan Yile showed joy on their faces and secretly thought that their time spent learning etiquette and manners with Master Shen had not been in vain.
Daohua merely smiled politely, not taking the complimentary words to heart.
Yan Siyu watched the reactions of the four girls, somewhat surprised by Daohua’s composure and calmness.
Although her words may have been somewhat exaggerated, they were not false. From the initial impression, the upbringing of the four Yan Family girls truly was not inferior to that of the maidens from Beijing; in fact, it was even slightly better.
Especially the legitimate eldest daughter of her eldest brother, that sense of innate nobility she exuded was quite astonishing to Yan Siyu; she was bright but not ostentatious, beautiful without being aloof—it was hard to imagine that her family had managed to raise such a daughter.
Madam Li laughed and said, “Sister-in-law, you mustn’t praise these rascals too much, this is the first time they’ve met their aunt and they’re all eager to show off. They can’t compare to Xiujun, who exudes grace and composure in her very bones.”
Yan Siyu smiled as she took up the conversation, “Our girl here, she’s just of a quieter nature.” Although her words were modest, her expression was filled with pride.
Clearly, Yan Siyu was very satisfied and pleased with her daughter.
Old Madam Yan, holding onto Yang Xiujun, laughed and said, “They are all good children.” Then, looking at Daohua, she playfully chided, “You’re quite quiet today, aren’t you? Why don’t you come over and meet your cousin Xiujun?”
With a smile, Daohua walked over and looped her arm through the old lady’s, teasingly saying, “Isn’t this because I want grandmother and aunt to get to know my cousin better?”
Old Madam Yan gave Daohua an amused glance.
Seeing the affection in her grandmother’s eyes, Yang Xiujun looked at Daohua and took the initiative to curtsy, saying, “Xiujun pays respects to Sister Yiyi.”
Releasing the old lady, Daohua also curtsied in return and then grabbed Yang Xiujun’s hand, laughing and saying, “Cousin, you’ve finally arrived, you don’t know how much grandmother has been talking about your visit. Now our ears can finally have some peace.”
At this, Old Madam Yan prodded Daohua’s forehead with her finger, “This girl is starting to find fault with this old woman.”
Daohua immediately hid behind Yang Xiujun, “Grandmother, aunt and cousin are watching, please give me some face.”
Old Madam Yan couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation, looking at Daohua with mixed amusement and frustration.
Daohua’s playful banter lightened the atmosphere considerably.
Madam Li took the opportune moment to speak, “Let’s go back to the courtyard to talk.”
Old Madam Yan nodded and, taking Yan Siyu by the hand, said, “You must be tired after such a long journey, let’s go to my courtyard to rest a bit.”
The adults led the way forward, leaving the younger ones behind.
“Cousin, these are my three sisters.”
Daohua, holding Yang Xiujun’s hand, introduced her to Yan Yihuan, Yan Yishuang, and Yan Yile.
After the parties exchanged courtesies and sized each other up, they followed after the adults.
As they walked, Yang Xiujun let Daohua lead her, her thoughts tumultuous.
At the Yang Family, she’d heard plenty of disparaging talk about the Yan Family; her grandmother and three aunts always looked down on the Yan Family, often describing them as poor and unworthy of associating with.
For a long time, the image of the Yan Family in her mind had been one of poverty and shabbiness.
Yet, having now seen the family for herself, she realized it was not so at all.
Though they had just arrived and hadn’t learned much yet, from the behavior of Sister Yiyi and cousins Yihuan and the others, the Yan Family appeared to be much better than she had imagined.
Cousin Yishuang, though the legitimate daughter of a great uncle, did not seem timid or shy but comfortable and confident. This indicated that her life with the Yan Family was not difficult and she hadn’t suffered oppression; otherwise, her demeanor would not be so composed.
And then there were cousins Yihuan and Yile, who despite their second uncle being a commoner, did not show any inferiority. On the contrary, one was quiet and gentle, the other lively and lovely. Their faces were free of worries, which showed they must live a very content life, and their uncle and his wife must not have treated them differently.
As for Sister Yiyi, her radiant, playful, and cheerful personality clearly showed she had grown up spoiled and indulged by her family.
Having seen the intrigue and strife within families in Beijing, now witnessing the harmony and joy in her uncle’s household, she couldn’t contain a feeling of envy.