AD (QT) Chapter 118

Watching Liu Jiahua’s retreating back as she fled in a panic, Han Ze’s expression returned to calm. He turned back toward the courtyard, only to meet the gossiping gaze of Sixth Aunt Han from next door. Knowing that their entire conversation had been overheard, he didn’t get angry. He paused for a moment and, relying on the Original Owner’s memory, gave her a composed greeting.

Sixth Aunt Han asked jokingly, “Han Ze, did your mother come asking for silver again?”

Han Ze nodded and suddenly asked, “Sixth Aunt, what kind of person do you think my mother is?”

“Don’t you, as her son, have an idea of what kind of person she is?” Sixth Aunt Han liked to watch the drama, but she wasn’t willing to meddle in other people’s family affairs lest she get herself dirty.

Han Ze agreed. “You’re right. As a son, I should understand my own mother. But Sixth Aunt, for someone like my mother who remarried after separating from my father, how should I provide for her in her old age? You heard her just now; she said she’s going to sue me for being unfilial.”

Sixth Aunt Han waved her hand and laughed. “You can’t ask me about that; you have to go to the village chief.”

In her heart, she was grumbling: Liu Jiahua has already married Han Xingwang, yet she still expects Han Ze to support her? What a beautiful dream. Only Han Maode is generous enough to be such a sucker; try that with anyone else.

Han Ze said, seemingly offhandedly, “Originally, I always thought Han Chengming was my father’s son. Since he was my father’s son, he deserved a share of the family’s money. I used to send over whatever food or items we had, and I even provided the paper, brushes, and books for my two nephews’ schooling in the village. For so many years, I didn’t even collect rent on the land I leased to my mother’s family because I felt I owed them. I never expected that I had been mistaken all along—Han Chengming isn’t my father’s son at all… I was so muddled. Our family isn’t so poor that we can’t eat, so if Han Chengming were really my father’s son, how could my father allow his own flesh and blood to call another man ‘Dad’? And how could Uncle Xingwang raise another man’s son…”

Sixth Aunt Han’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. She asked suspiciously, “You only treated Han Chengming so well because you thought he was your father’s son?”

Han Ze nodded affirmatively.

Sixth Aunt Han clicked her tongue. “You were that kind-hearted?”

Based on her understanding of Han Ze, even if he knew Han Chengming was Han Maode’s son, he wouldn’t necessarily be that good to him. There had to be another reason.

Han Ze scratched his head and gave a couple of dry laughs. “Well… wasn’t it because my mother and Han Chengming said my Xiaoliu is a fool? They said I couldn’t rely on him in the future and would have to count on my two nephews to care for me in my old age. My uncle had no children, and didn’t I care for him and bury him? I figured that made sense, so I treated them a bit better.”

Sixth Aunt Han pointed at him. “I knew you weren’t that kind-hearted.”

You say you cared for your uncle and buried him, but you don’t mention that your uncle gave you such a massive inheritance, she thought. However, in her view, while Han Ze was selfish, it was only for his own sake; he didn’t have a malicious heart and wouldn’t harm people. On the other hand, Han Chengming’s family were not good people. Even if Han Ze gave them his entire fortune, they would still think it was their due. Otherwise, Han Xingwang wouldn’t have been able to snatch another man’s wife back then.

Han Ze gritted his teeth. “I didn’t expect them to lie to me. Just so they would treat me better when I’m old and look after my children, do you know how much I stuffed into their hands? In the end, it was all wasted on trash.”

Sixth Aunt Han laughed. “It wasn’t entirely wasted. Han Chengming still shares a mother with you; he calls you ‘Big Brother’ after all.”

Han Ze snorted. “If he really saw me as his big brother, he wouldn’t have lied to me from the start. They thought I was easy to trick and played me for a fool. If I believe his words again, then I’m the real idiot. they have no good intentions, and I won’t fall for their tricks again… As for my mother, I’ve given them enough over the years. She married someone else and is no longer part of my family. The job of supporting her in her old age doesn’t fall to me. Even if she sues me for being unfilial, there’s no logic to it anywhere.”

Sixth Aunt Han said amusingly, “Don’t you see things quite clearly now?”

Han Ze smiled brightly. “Didn’t I see how much you wanted to enjoy a laugh at my family’s expense? I specifically came to tell the story to you.”

Sixth Aunt Han spat in jest and turned back into her house.

Han Ze’s smile faded. He returned to the study, where the five girls were bent over their desks, seriously writing their calligraphy. He nodded with a smile and stood before them to watch. Sensing his movement, the girls panicked subconsciously.

Da Niu and Er Niu managed to stay steady, but San Niu, Si Niu, and Wu Niu were trembling with fear. Wu Niu accidentally dripped ink onto her paper. In a panic, she hurried to wipe it with her hand, only to get ink all over herself and smear the paper into a black mess. The sheet was ruined. Her little face turned pale…

Han Ze moved and stood before her. He picked up the paper from the desk, looked at the rows of horizontal strokes she had written, and said, “Not bad. For a first time writing, these horizontal strokes are very neat. I was going to give you a reward, but since you dripped ink on the paper, today’s reward is canceled. Keep working hard next time.”

Wu Niu was stunned. Dad… Dad didn’t scold her, didn’t hit her, and even… even praised her writing?

Han Ze took the paper away and added, “Sit down. Change to a new sheet and write it again. This one doesn’t count.”

Wu Niu stole a glance at her father. Seeing his expression was mild, she bolstered her courage and whispered, “Dad, if we write well, will we… not get hit?”

Han Ze looked at her. “As long as you study and write seriously, why would I hit you?”

Wu Niu’s small mouth curled into a grin, her heart filled with joy. Did Dad mean that as long as they studied and wrote diligently, he wouldn’t beat or scold them?

The other four sisters were also overjoyed. Their movements became even more careful and serious, as if they were completing a massive, monumental project.

At lunch, Han Maode looked around and then at his daughter-in-law, Ge Hongbu. “Where are Da Niu and the sisters? Why haven’t you called them to eat?”

Their family had plenty of land and no shortage of food. Since they had few members, he treated the girls and the boy the same.

Ge Hongbu looked at Han Ze awkwardly and said in a low voice, “They are in the study writing. They said they’ll eat after they finish.”

She lowered her head after speaking.

Han Maode frowned. “There’s no need to go hungry just to study. It’s not too late to write after they’ve filled their bellies.”

Han Ze, however, said, “Five pages of calligraphy isn’t a lot. Today is the first day; they’ll get better after a few days of practice. Keep the food warm in the pot for them. Let them eat when they’re done. Da Niu and Er Niu are already eleven and twelve. If I’m not strict now, when will they learn to read and write before they are married off?”

Han Maode hummed in agreement, acknowledging the logic.

Han Xiaodong and Han Xiaochun looked toward the study with envy. They were at the age for marriage proposals. Their parents had looked at several families, but nothing had worked out. Two families had sons who were scholars; they were counting on their sons to pass the exams and wanted daughters-in-law who could read. Even though the sisters had generous dowries, those families looked down on them.

Some families liked them, but the sisters weren’t satisfied. They either thought the families were too poor or felt the men were too crude, not as pleasant to look at as a literate young man. They were stuck in a middle ground where it was difficult to find a satisfactory match despite their family’s wealth.

Wang Lanhua noticed her daughters’ envious looks and sighed softly. She felt she usually saw things clearly, but as a village woman who didn’t know a single character, she hadn’t thought to let her daughters study when they were young. Consequently, finding a suitable marriage match was proving difficult.

Han Ze wasn’t oblivious to his sisters’ looks, but he didn’t say anything. The two sisters had no real bond with the Original Owner. Given his personality, it would be impossible for him to suddenly invite them to study with the five girls.

If the two sisters really wanted to study, as long as they spoke to him as their brother, he could use the opportunity to agree. It all depended on whether they truly considered him their brother.

Han Maode glanced at his two daughters but said nothing. Xiaodong and Xiaochun were Han Ze’s sisters; if they wanted help from their brother, they should ask themselves. Why should he, their father, speak for them? If it were a broad-minded brother, it would be fine. But with his son’s petty nature, he might overthink it and end up resenting his father too.

Fortunately, Xiaodong and Xiaochun weren’t stupid. The two sisters exchanged a look, and Xiaodong said, “Brother, Xiaochun and I also want to learn some characters. Can we study and write with you?”

Han Ze looked at them and said with a smile, “Teaching one is teaching, and teaching many is the same. If you want to learn, then learn. However, paper, brushes, and books cost silver…”

Xiaodong and Xiaochun looked at their mother. Wang Lanhua didn’t lack silver, and for her daughters’ sake, she said, “I’ll pay for it.”

Han Ze smiled and said, “We’re all one family, so forget the silver. I heard that Eldest Maternal Aunt in the Wang family has excellent embroidery skills. I wonder if she could give Da Niu and her sisters some pointers?”

Wang Lanhua was startled and then inwardly cursed Han Ze for being crafty. She wondered why he had agreed so easily to teach her daughters; turns out he was waiting for this. But Xiaodong and Xiaochun were older and couldn’t go out to study; they could only follow the girls. She had no choice but to agree. She said reluctantly, “I can’t make the decision on this; I’ll have to go and ask.”

Han Ze popped a peanut into his mouth, the crunch echoing loudly. “Mother, as long as you step in, it will surely work.”

Wang Lanhua gritted her teeth. When you need something, you call me ‘Mother.’ When you don’t, you don’t even acknowledge me.

Do you really think I care about you calling me ‘Mother’?

She glanced at Han Maode. Actually, she did care. If her stepson acknowledged her, she would have more confidence in this household.

In all the years she’d been married into this family, the brat had hardly ever called her “Mother.” If only for that title, she had to get this done for him.

Han Maode glanced at his son, thinking that if the boy didn’t look so much like him, he would really doubt if he were his own seed. How could he be so “bad”? He schemed against everyone.

Ge Hongbu was a bit worried. “If they have to study and learn embroidery, they won’t be able to help with the household chores.”

Han Ze glared at her. “What chores? Are there really that many chores to do?”

Ge Hongbu lowered her head and didn’t say a word. Cutting grass for the pigs, feeding the pigs and chickens, laundry, cooking, cleaning the house… how were those not chores? It was the slack season now, so she could do them, but what about the busy harvest season? How could there be no work then?

Han Ze thought for a moment. “The children’s studies cannot be delayed, nor can their embroidery. In the future, depending on their interests, they might learn even more things. Don’t let them do the household chores anymore. You’ll have to work a bit harder these next few days. In a couple of days, I’ll buy two maids to serve you.”

Ge Hongbu snapped her head up to look at Han Ze. Buy maids?

Han Maode disagreed. “Why would we need to buy maids? The villagers will start gossiping.”

Han Ze didn’t care. “Let them talk.”

Seeing his son was insistent, Han Maode relented. “Suit yourself.”

Han Ze added, “Tomorrow I’ll go to town to look around and see if there are any good doctors. Xiaoliu’s condition can’t be delayed.”

Han Maode nodded. “You handle it.”

Since he was going to town the next day, Han Ze taught them another twelve characters in the afternoon, including tomorrow’s lesson. Xiaochun and Xiaodong hadn’t joined the morning session, and he didn’t have time to teach them separately, so he told them to ask Da Niu and her sisters if they got stuck. He would explain everything to them once he was free.

The next day, just as Han Ze left, Liu Jiahua arrived at the door in a hurry. She never imagined that in just one night, the entire village would be whispering that she had lied about Han Chengming being Han Maode’s son just to get Han Ze’s property. How on earth did this spread?

Her family still had to live in this village; she couldn’t let these rumors fly everywhere, or else who would ever believe them again? Who would be willing to associate with them? To clear the rumors, she needed Han Ze to step forward.