Han Jiwen and Han Jixue went home crying and wailing, which made Liu Jiahua’s heart ache terribly. She hurriedly asked, “What happened? What happened? Which little brat dared to bully my grandsons?”
Han Jixue was sobbing so hard he couldn’t speak. Since childhood, his grandparents had pampered him and never laid a finger on him. “Dad… Dad hit me.”
Han Jiwen wiped away his tears. He hadn’t been hit, but seeing his father fly into a rage had scared him significantly. “Big Uncle bought candied haws. We thought he bought them for us, but he didn’t. He said if we wanted to eat them, we should ask our own dad to buy them for us…”
Liu Jiahua’s face darkened. “Your Big Uncle bought candied haws, and when you asked for some, he actually didn’t give you any?”
Han Jixue and Han Jiwen nodded. Liu Jiahua gave a heavy snort, stood up, and said, “You wait here. Grandma is going to get those candied haws for you.”
Han Jixue and Han Jiwen both chimed in with a “Yes!”
With an air of going to settle a score with Han Ze, Liu Jiahua rushed toward Han Ze’s house in a fury.
…
Han Ze led Xiaoliu back into the house. Han Maode stood up abruptly and pressed, “How was it? Did you see a doctor?”
Han Ze said with a face full of smiles, “Dad, the doctor said our Xiaoliu isn’t a fool.”
Han Maode was so stunned by the pleasant surprise that he couldn’t react for a moment. He froze, and only after a long while did he come to his senses. He asked urgently, “If he’s not a fool, why can’t he speak?”
Ge Hongbu’s mind was echoing with her husband’s words: Xiaoliu isn’t a fool, Xiaoliu isn’t a fool…
Han Ze rubbed his nose guiltily. “He was probably frightened.”
Thinking about how Xiaoliu had already managed to let out an “Ang,” it meant he could at least make a sound. With their guidance to soothe the knot in his heart, combined with the pills from the Medical Department, he would eventually speak.
Han Maode frowned and asked anxiously, “How could he have been frightened?”
Ge Hongbu also looked at Han Ze with a face full of worry.
Han Ze added, “When we were in town, Xiaoliu was already able to make a sound. Usually, when we have free time, we should teach him to speak more. I believe he will speak sooner or later.”
Han Maode said joyfully, “Really?”
Han Ze looked at him. “Of course it’s true.” He then looked at Xiaoliu. “Xiaoliu, say ‘want’!”
Xiaoliu pursed his lips. Facing the expectant gazes of his father, mother, and grandfather, he let out an “Ang!”
“Good, good, good!” Han Maode shouted “good” three times in a row. “Heaven has been kind to us.”
Ge Hongbu wiped away her tears and pulled Xiaoliu into a hug. Her son wasn’t a fool; in fact, he might be able to speak in a while. This was wonderful.
Han Ze said with a smile, “Later, catch a chicken. Let’s slaughter one to celebrate.”
Han Maode gave a wave of his hand. “Slaughter it! I’ll go catch the chicken.”
Then, Han Ze watched his father in this world chase a chicken all over the courtyard, running even faster than he did. This body was very healthy; he didn’t have to worry. With a smile, he went to the study.
…
Da Niu and the other children held their finished calligraphy in their hands, standing in a line before Han Ze, waiting for his inspection. After Han Ze finished checking Da Niu’s five pages, he nodded. “Though you wrote well, you can still do better. You must work hard tomorrow. But seeing as you were quite obedient, here is a reward—a skewer of candied haws.”
As he spoke, Han Ze took out a skewer of candied haws and handed it to her. Da Niu took it in a daze.
Han Ze didn’t pay her any more mind and looked at Er Niu. Er Niu hurriedly handed her pages to Han Ze. As he took them, Er Niu looked nervous, her small hands clenched tight. After Han Ze finished reading them seriously, he nodded in satisfaction. “Er Niu wrote very well. The progress is immense, but Dad believes you still have room for improvement. Reward: a skewer of candied haws and a piece of sugar.”
Er Niu smiled and took the treats. San Niu, Si Niu, and Wu Niu licked their lips, looking enviously at the skewers in their older sisters’ hands. San Niu carefully handed her pages to her father. After Han Ze looked at them, he frowned. Seeing her father’s expression, San Niu hung her head abruptly. She hadn’t written as well as her sisters; would her father hit her?
Han Ze looked at her and said, “The handwriting is blurred; it doesn’t pass. But since you are young, I won’t punish you. However, there is no reward.”
San Niu breathed a sigh of relief. As long as her father didn’t hit her, it was fine.
In the end, Si Niu, Wu Niu, Xiaochun, and Xiaodong didn’t receive rewards either. Though they were disappointed they couldn’t eat candied haws, they felt relieved. At least they weren’t punished. If they wrote better next time, maybe they would get a reward then?
A skewer of candied haws had eight hawthorn fruits. Da Niu shared hers with her younger sisters. Er Niu looked at the skewer in her hand, a bit reluctant, but she still intended to share it. As for the piece of sugar, she offered it to Ge Hongbu. Ge Hongbu refused. “This is a reward from your father; eat it yourself.”
Er Niu pursed her lips. “Then… then Mother, have a bite of the candied haw?”
Ge Hongbu patted her small head. “Mother doesn’t like them; you eat.”
Er Niu frowned—how could someone not like candied haws? She turned and saw her father standing in the courtyard. Bolstering her courage, she walked to his side and held up the skewer. “Dad, have a candied haw!”
Han Ze was slightly surprised. He knew deeply how much these children feared the Original Owner. He hadn’t expected Er Niu to think of him once she had food. He smiled, crouched down, and took one from her hand. “So sweet!”
Er Niu smiled and held it out again, signaling for her father to have another. Han Ze shook his head and said with a grin, “One is enough for Dad. You eat the rest yourselves.”
Just as he finished speaking, Liu Jiahua arrived. Her eyes bulged. “Han Ze! Where are the candied haws you bought?”
Han Ze pointed to the skewer in Er Niu’s hand and said nonchalantly, “The candied haws are for the children to eat, of course. What’s the matter?”
Liu Jiahua looked at the skewer in Er Niu’s hand and barked, “Why is a mere girl eating candied haws?”
She stepped forward to snatch the skewer from Er Niu, but Han Ze shifted his step and blocked her. He said unpleasantly, “Mother, what are you trying to do?”
Liu Jiahua was stunned. She hadn’t expected Han Ze to dare block her. She said unhappily, “Move aside! Jixue and Jiwen want to eat candied haws. Let Er Niu give them up; I’ll take them back for them. Why waste them on a ‘money-losing commodity’ like her?”
Han Ze laughed out of anger. “Even if she’s a ‘money-losing commodity,’ she’s losing my silver. It won’t cost Han Chengming a cent, so you can rest easy. Besides, I don’t think they are money-losers at all.”
Liu Jiahua was enraged. “What kind of nonsense is that? You are my son; isn’t your silver my silver?”
Before Han Ze could speak, Han Maode walked over and said sarcastically, “I didn’t know that my, Han Maode’s, silver had somehow become your, Liu Jiahua’s, silver. How do you have the face to say that? I ought to go ask Han Xingwang—is he unable to support his wife or something, that she has to covet my family’s money?”
Liu Jiahua’s face flushed. She said crossly, “Han Ze is my son. Isn’t it only right for him to support me?”
Han Maode snorted. “You gave birth to him, true, but you’ve already remarried. The mistress of this house is Wang Lanhua. Han Ze’s mother is her, and she is the one he should be filial to.”
Liu Jiahua’s face turned pale and then green. Wang Lanhua—she had always looked down on Wang Lanhua for picking up the man she didn’t want, and Han Ze had never acknowledged her before… She looked at Han Ze: “You are my son; you should be filial to me.”
Han Ze’s face showed no emotion. “Whether I should be filial to you or not—my father is still alive, so I listen to my father.”
Liu Jiahua was stifled. If Han Maode didn’t let Han Ze look after her, she really couldn’t say anything; after all, they were separated and she had remarried. But how could she be willing to let go of this “big tree” that was Han Ze?
She said, “Han Ze, your two nephews are bright and good at studying. They might pass the xiucai exams in the future. They and Xiaoliu don’t have the same grandfather, but they share a grandmother! You won’t count on them? You’d rather rely on those people who have no relation to you? Do you think Wang Lanhua’s grandsons will be a support for Xiaoliu?”
Han Ze narrowed his eyes. “Mother, I actually do believe my step-brother’s children will help Xiaoliu in the future. As for Han Chengming’s two children, I truly don’t trust them.”
Liu Jiahua froze. “They are your nephews!”
Han Ze gave a short laugh. “They are my nephews, true, but I don’t believe in blood relations. I believe in the human heart. My stepmother has a righteous heart, and the children she raised are upright. Our Han family raised them, built them houses, and got them wives. Even if for nothing else but gratitude, they will help Xiaoliu if he’s in trouble. Whereas, given what you and Uncle Xingwang did to my father, and how you and Han Chengming lied to me… it’s very hard for me to believe the children you’ve raised will be grateful.”
“You…” Liu Jiahua’s face turned ashen, unable to speak.
Han Ze continued, “To put it plainly, your character is lacking, Mother. Even I, as your son, have lost trust in you, and consequently, I have no trust in your descendants. When all is said and done, it’s your fault—who told you to lie to me?”
“You…”
Han Ze shot her a glance. “Don’t think I’m cold-hearted. When I think of what you all did to my father, I don’t feel I’m being particularly harsh. You should go back. Instead of scheming for my silver, you’d better rely on your own hands. Find a way to earn money for your grandsons’ schooling. At least then you won’t be looked down upon.”
“Well fine! Fine for you, Han Ze!” Liu Jiahua finally managed to roar out the words. Unfortunately, Han Ze had already gone inside. No one in the courtyard paid her any mind. Clutching her chest, Liu Jiahua walked out in resentment.
Only after leaving the courtyard did she truly panic. She realized clearly that Han Ze really wasn’t going to acknowledge her anymore. Having been supported by Han Ze for so many years, she had grown accustomed to it. Without his provision, could she really go back to a life of hardship?
…
Inside, Han Xiaochun and Han Xiaodong exchanged a look. Han Xiaochun sighed, “I guess one really shouldn’t do things that weigh on the conscience.”
Han Xiaodong added, “If Mother were home and heard what Brother said, she would surely be happy, wouldn’t she?”
Han Xiaochun also smiled. “I didn’t expect that in Brother’s heart, Mother was such a good stepmother.”
Han Xiaodong laughed. “I didn’t expect it either.”
Da Niu asked from the side, “Mother, does this mean we don’t have to be afraid of Grandma anymore?”
From her father’s words, he didn’t plan on acknowledging his mother. If their father didn’t acknowledge her, did they still have to recognize her as Grandma?
Ge Hongbu knit her brows and shook her head. She didn’t know. Whether they acknowledged her or not, she didn’t care anymore—her Xiaoliu wasn’t a fool.
Er Niu, having finished her candied haw, said happily, “This is the first time Han Jixue and Han Jiwen didn’t snatch our food.”
Han Xiaodong curled her lip. “That food belonged to you in the first place. It was bought with our family’s silver.”
Er Niu pursed her lips, the happiness on her face fading slightly.
Han Ze walked out and said, “Don’t worry. From now on, I won’t let them snatch your things ever again.”
The group looked at Han Ze. He continued, “Xiaoliu isn’t a fool. In the past, we all neglected him and assumed he was. Actually, he understands everything. Starting tomorrow, let him study and write with you. Once his speech is fluent, I’ll have him take the Imperial Exams—become a xiucai, a juren, and a high-ranking official. With him around, I don’t need anyone else to provide for me in my old age. Since he will be your backbone in the future, you don’t need to count on Han Jixue or Han Jiwen. There’s no need to suck up to them anymore.”
Da Niu’s eyes widened. Did her father mean that he was only good to Han Jixue and Han Jiwen because the family needed to rely on them, and now that the doctor said Xiaoliu wasn’t a fool, they didn’t need them? And thus, they didn’t have to swallow their pride and endure that whole family anymore?
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152