Chapter 19: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 19: Harmonious and Joyful
In the Yan family, the men and women are separated by generations in terms of order.
The Male Grandchildren:
Yan Wenxiu is the eldest grandchild. He has been exceptionally bright since a young age, with a quick wit and an elegant demeanor. At 14 years old, he has already passed the imperial examination and earned the title of "Xiucai" (a scholar). Both Yan Zhigao and Madam Li have high expectations for him.
Yan Wenjie, the second, is 13 and a half. He inherited the good looks of Yan Zhiyuan and Sun Shi, appearing quite handsome. However, his academic achievements are average. He is good at conversation and has a bit of cleverness.
Yan Wentao, the third, is 13. He has thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a strong build. Raised in the countryside, he has a natural connection with farming and recognizes characters, but he is not very well-versed in poetry and books.
Yan Wenkai, the fourth, is 12 years old. He is straightforward and enthusiastic, with a handsome appearance, but he doesn't like studying and is overly energetic.
Yan Wenbin, the fifth, is 8. As a twin, he is somewhat weak in health but is good-looking and sharp-witted.
Yan Wenhui, the sixth, is 6 years old. He has a round face and a lively, lovable personality.
The Female Grandchildren:
Yan Yiyi, also known as Daohua, is the eldest granddaughter, 9 years old. She is delicate and graceful, with a poised and elegant manner.
Yan Yihuan, the second, is 8 and a half. She is graceful and gentle.
Yan Yishuang, the third, is 8. She has a fragile appearance but is intelligent and studious, especially talented in poetry, which makes her particularly favored by Yan Zhigao.
Yan Yile, the fourth, is 7. She is eloquent and cheerful.
Daohua glanced over her siblings, then stood up to greet them.
"Big Brother."
"Little Sister."
Daohua first bowed to Yan Wenxiu, who stood up and returned a bow.
Yan Wenxiu smiled at his younger sister: "Father and Mother have been eagerly awaiting your grandmother and you. Now, we’re finally all together. If you ever run into any trouble, don’t hesitate to come to Big Brother."
He was particularly fond of this sister who had been raised in the countryside.
Looking at her elegant older brother, Daohua blinked and cheekily asked, "Only when I have trouble can I come to Big Brother?"
Yan Wenxiu was momentarily stunned by her big, adorable eyes. After a few seconds, he smiled, "You can come to me anytime."
Daohua nodded seriously. "You said it yourself, Big Brother. Don’t complain if I come to bother you later."
Yan Wenxiu smiled and nodded.
As the eldest grandson of the Yan family, he always carried himself with responsibility, keeping his emotions in check, but in front of his sweet and lively younger sister, he couldn’t help but smile.
Next, Daohua turned to Yan Wenjie.
"Second Brother!"
After the bow, Yan Wenjie smiled, "Big sister, now that you’re here, our home feels even livelier."
Daohua nodded and then walked toward Yan Wentao.
Because she was very familiar with him, they greeted each other with a smile without any formalities.
"Little Brother!"
She then approached Yan Wenkai, who, without waiting for her greeting, mischievously pinched her soft cheeks. "Finally, I get to pinch it."
Since Daohua entered the door, he had been wanting to do this.
Her face was so smooth and soft.
Now he had a sister to pinch her cheeks, unlike the boys with sisters who had been showing off in front of him.
"Slap!"
Yan Wenxiu, who had been holding a fan, struck Yan Wenkai's hand with it, his voice stern: "You’re the older brother, mind your behavior."
Yan Wenkai pouted and muttered, "Why so serious? Isn’t this just showing happiness?" He then smiled again and casually took Daohua’s hand.
"Just like I expected, you’re my real sister, and you look great."
At his words, Yan Wenjie immediately added, "Fourth Brother, that’s not quite right. Isn’t every girl in the house your sister?"
"Everyone is my sister, but only Daohua is my real sister," Yan Wenkai said with no hesitation, as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Not bothering with Yan Wenjie anymore, Yan Wenkai rummaged through his clothes, pulled out a green silk flower, and said, "I knew you were coming, so I specially chose this flower for you." He then handed it to Daohua.
Looking at the somewhat misshapen flower, Daohua couldn't help but laugh, but her heart warmed slightly.
"Do you like it?" Yan Wenkai asked eagerly.
Daohua smiled and nodded. "I love it, very much. Thank you, little Brother."
Not happy with the way she had called him "little brother," Yan Wenkai hurriedly corrected her: "You should call me Fourth Brother. Didn’t you call the others Big Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother? Why did it change with me?"
Seeing his serious expression, Daohua didn’t tease him. She nodded obediently.
"Good girl!" He praised and pinched her cheek again.
Daohua couldn’t help but feel embarrassed but didn’t mind the close affection.
After greeting the four brothers, Daohua naturally returned to her grandmother’s side.
She took the initiative to greet those older than her, while those younger than her were expected to greet her.
She had specifically asked her third Uncle for advice on family etiquette before coming.
Actually, it wasn’t that she was overly concerned about it, but she didn’t want to underestimate the children raised in such a well-established household. Their tricks and schemes might be something she couldn’t outmatch.
If she approached them first, they might think she was kind, but secretly, they could consider her unrefined and easy to bully.
To avoid future problems, she decided to follow the rules, at least for the first meeting.
The others in the room noticed Daohua returning to sit by her grandmother, but none of them commented on her not being closer with her younger siblings. Their expressions varied.
Sun Shi, with a sly look, smiled and said, "Daohua, you haven’t greeted your younger siblings yet."
Daohua leaned against her grandmother and smiled at Sun Shi. "Second Aunt, as the sage says, there is a proper order for elder and younger. It’s not that I haven’t greeted my younger siblings, but that they haven’t greeted me yet. Isn’t that the rule of our family?"
She then looked to Yan Zhigao and Madam Li for confirmation.
Both of them were caught off guard by her response and paused for a moment.
The Yan family had started with Yan Zhigao, and while their household rules were more stringent than most, they were still not fully established in all aspects.
Otherwise, Concubine Lin’s brother wouldn’t be running to the county office every day.
At this point, the grandmother spoke up, "Daohua is right. From ancient times, younger siblings should greet the elder siblings first."
Sun Shi’s face became a little awkward. "We’re all family, there’s no need to be so particular about these things."
Daohua smiled and said, "Second Aunt, our family’s third Uncle said that ‘cultivating oneself, managing the family, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world’ all start with proper family rules. Only when the family is orderly can it prosper."
Yan Zhigao looked at Daohua in surprise. "Did your third Uncle teach you this?"
Daohua nodded. "Father, don’t you think third Uncle is right?"
Yan Zhigao nodded, "Of course. third Uncle’s knowledge is well-known in the area."
Upon hearing this, Sun Shi immediately signaled to her daughters, Yan Yihuan and Yan Yile.
The two sisters immediately stood up and approached.
Seeing them rise, Daohua also stood and greeted them. The three sisters exchanged bows.
"Elder Sister!"
"Second Sister, Fourth Sister!"
After the greetings, Yan Yile smiled brightly and said, "Elder Sister, you’re even prettier than Third Sister!"
The innocent words made everyone in the room pause.
Daohua’s heart skipped a beat.
This was only the first day. Was the family rivalry about to start?
Sun Shi walked over, scolding in a joking tone, "What do you know about what’s pretty and what’s not? In my opinion, there’s not a single ugly girl in the Yan family."
Daohua smiled at her innocent Fourth Sister and didn’t say anything. After greeting Yan Wenbin, Yan Yishuang, and Yan Wenhui, she returned to her grandmother’s side.
Grandmother Yan took Daohua’s hand and said with a smile, "Alright, now that everyone has greeted each other, make sure you get along well in the future." She then turned to Yan Wenxiu and the others, "Daohua, Wentao, and Wenhui are new here, so you must take good care of them."
Yan Wenkai stepped forward and said, "Grandmother, don’t worry. After Daohua and the others have rested, I’ll take them around. Before long, they’ll be familiar with everything here."
Daohua immediately chimed in, "Fourth Brother, you’d better keep your word and show us around the county."
Yan Wenkai laughed. "Of course. I’ve been to every street in the county; if I show you, you’ll definitely enjoy it."
Everyone in the room laughed, and the atmosphere became more harmonious.
Seeing Daohua’s lively and active nature, even those who had been silently observing began to feel more relaxed.
Madam Li smiled faintly, feeling a little relieved at how everything was unfolding.
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