Chapter 70: Chapter 59, Character Copybook—1
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the entire Yan Family paid their respects to Old Madam Yan.
Everyone spoke auspicious and pleasing words, making Old Madam Yan so happy she couldn’t stop smiling.
Old Madam Yan looked at her children and grandchildren, her eyes and face filled with smiles.
Although being in her hometown was more comfortable than in Linyi County, not having the whole family together always left her feeling a bit melancholic during the New Year.
Now, at last, the family was all together. Even if there were some frictions in daily life, after all, one could not write the character “Yan” twice without a common bond of flesh and blood, and minor conflicts could easily dissolve.
Seeing Old Madam Yan so happy, Daohua too wore a smile throughout. When it was her turn to pay respects to Yan Zhigao, she followed behind Yan Wenxiu and Yan Wenkai, properly performed a bow and echoed whatever her older brothers said.
She wasn’t outstanding, but she was sufficiently well-behaved.
Madam Li watched from the side, feeling proud yet also a bit heartbroken.
She had always known that her daughter was a bit too blunt and stubborn, but on important matters, she was very sensible and knew propriety. As a mother, how could she not see her daughter forcing a smile?
Casting a glance toward the crowd, Madam Li’s gaze darkened when she saw Aunty Lin being called over by Yan Zhigao.
The master’s heart was truly biased!
When Aunty Lin came over just now, the entire Songhe Courtyard went silent for a moment.
However, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, everyone was seeking good luck, and regardless of what the Yan Family thought internally, they maintained a harmonious and joyful exterior.
“Big brother, why do you keep following me around?”
Daohua looked at her eldest brother with a puzzled expression.
Yan Wenxiu glanced at Aunty Lin and her three children in the courtyard and after thinking for a moment, he said, “Little sister, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, so you mustn’t cause any trouble.” As the eldest grandson of the Yan Family, he felt obliged to admonish his younger siblings.
Upon hearing this, Daohua couldn’t help but laugh in annoyance: “Big brother, do you really see me as someone who is always unreasonable and makes trouble without regard to the situation?”
Yan Wenxiu fell silent for a moment: “That’s not what I meant.”
Daohua snorted with laughter, her big brother, despite his gentle and scholarly demeanor, was at heart just like their father, priding himself on his scholar status and favoring women who were learned and demure.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing—everyone had their own preferences—but imposing this standard on all women was annoying.
For someone like her, who showed even a hint of rebelliousness, they saw her as someone in need of instruction and suppression.
“Big brother, if you are worried that I might cause trouble, then there’s no need for you to follow me because, honestly, even if I did intend to cause trouble, you’d be of no use even if you stuck by my side.” After speaking, she turned and walked away.
Watching Daohua leave with her head held high, Yan Wenxiu frowned.
He felt tenderness towards his big sister who had not been raised by their parents, but her nature was somewhat unrestrained. In her presence, the phrase “the elder brother is like a father” held no weight, and she showed him little respect.
After so many instances, he had lost count of the number of times she had talked back to him.
“Why can’t big sister be gentle and compliant like Yishuang?”
Sighing, Yan Wenxiu immediately shifted his attention to his other siblings, determined to prevent a repeat of last night’s fight between Wenkai and Wenjie.
The Yan Family’s New Year thus passed in a lukewarm fashion.
As Yan Zhigao had to report for his official duties in the provincial capital after the New Year, he busied himself early at the County Governor’s Office on the third day of the New Year.
After the Lantern Festival, the county school resumed classes, and Tutor Qin returned to the Yan Residence on this day.
Upon his return, while distributing gifts to each household, Tutor Qin learned from Aunty Lin, at Shuangxin Courtyard, the news that Yan Zhigao had slapped Daohua hard in front of everyone and was now ignoring her.
At that moment, Tutor Qin scoffed and said, “I’m sorry to say, but the nature of the Yan Family’s eldest daughter is indeed defiant. It was one thing to talk back to me in class, but now she does not even regard her own father, the head of the household. If she isn’t properly corrected, she will suffer the consequences when she gets married.”
Aunty Lin kindly and faithfully relayed Tutor Qin’s words to Yan Zhigao.
After hearing this, Yan Zhigao was silent for a long time before asking Aunty Lin to summon Tutor Qin. He personally entrusted her with the task of instructing Daohua properly.
Therefore, on the first day of school after the New Year, Tutor Qin, armed with ‘Imperial Authority’, suddenly slapped a ruler down on Daohua’s hand while she was practicing calligraphy..