Chapter 341: The Flavor of Passing the Buck Is Truly Wonderful
After a faint laugh, Nanny Du suddenly discovered that the woman who had turned around holding the child was none other than Tutor Su from their former household.
“Tutor Su?” Nanny Du blurted out.
Old Madam Luo looked toward her, and Nanny Du hurriedly explained: “Old Mistress, this is the very person you had Nanny Shi look for—Su Shilan, Tutor Su, who used to teach the two young ladies of the Qian household zither techniques and etiquette.”
Upon hearing this, Old Madam Luo quickened her pace.
“Yao Yao, you’re back!” Old Madam Luo’s voice arrived before her person, calling out to Wen Yao while her eyes secretly sized up Su Shilan.
Wen Yao hurriedly trotted over to Old Madam Luo, affectionately linking arms with her: “Grandma, I’m back.”
Old Madam Luo cast a dotingly reproving glance at her, giving her arm a gentle pat: “You still know to come back? I thought you weren’t coming back at all.”
With that, Old Madam Luo looked toward Su Shilan and Fan Cheng: “And these two are…?”
Wen Yao quickly pulled her forward and introduced them: “Grandma, this is Tutor Su, the tutor you had Nanny invite over. This is her husband, Manager Fan—the head manager for our family from now on.”
Old Madam Luo froze for a moment. She knew about the tutor, but what was this head manager business?
However, now was not the time to pry into details. Seeing Su Shilan, Old Madam Luo was thoroughly delighted—it had to be said, someone who served as a tutor was truly different. Even standing there holding a child, her extraordinary poise was recognizable at a single glance.
“So this is the Tutor Su whom Nanny speaks of so often,” Old Madam Luo greeted with a smile.
Su Shilan hurriedly set the child down to hold her by the hand, leading her husband along with their son and daughter to pay their respects to Old Madam Luo: “Greetings, Old Mistress.”
All four curtsied and bowed in unison, making Old Madam Luo feel quite self-conscious.
“Into the house first—we’ll talk inside,” Old Madam Luo hadn’t forgotten that they were standing at the entrance, inviting the several of them through the doors.
Holding Fan Ziling by the hand, Su Shilan followed dutifully behind with Fan Cheng and their son. Upon entering the Wen residence, the three kept their eyes lowered and minds focused as they took in the courtyard, showing no improper emotions in their eyes at all. Fan Ziling, on the other hand, rolled her eyes around curiously, taking in everything here.
Wen Yao and Old Madam Luo led them into the main hall, then sent Nanny Shi to bustle about serving water to them, while Mingyue brought Minglan along to carry the luggage of Su Shilan’s family to the room set aside for their family of four.
Sitting down, Old Madam Luo looked at Tutor Su with a heart full of delight, saying, “Tutor Su, since you returned with Yao Yao, you are presumably willing to stay in our home. From now on, the children at home will be entrusted to you.” With that, Old Madam Luo turned her gaze toward Nanny Du: “Nanny Du, go call Wen Di and Wen Ying over.”
Seeing this setup, Wen Yao raised her feet, wanting to slip away.
“Halt.” Old Madam Luo’s gaze was sharp, staring right at Wen Yao like that.
Wen Yao burst out laughing with a few hehehes, speaking straight up: “Grandma, I haven’t been back in a long time, and Manager Fan has to help me manage our family’s assets from now on—shouldn’t I take him to have a look first? Grandma, you all go ahead with your business; I’ll take Manager Fan to check out our family’s winery first.”
With that, before Old Madam Luo could speak, Wen Yao sprinted off as fast as her legs could carry her.
Standing in the room, Fan Cheng looked at Old Madam Luo, then at the direction where Wen Yao had departed, momentarily dazed on the spot.
Nanny Shi pursed her lips in a hidden smile—she had truly guessed correctly.
Old Madam Luo’s eyes went wide with anger, yet no true rage could be seen; she could only scold indignantly: “That stinky girl—she can’t sit still for even a moment longer.”
With that, she turned her gaze back to Fan Cheng, who was unsure of what to do next: “Manager Fan, go attend to your work.”
Only then did Fan Cheng let out a massive sigh of relief, hastily bowing to Old Madam Luo before giving chase after Wen Yao.
Just as he was at a loss as to where to find Wen Yao, she appeared right at the main gate with Mingyue beside her, the two seeming to converse about something and laughing with great delight.
“Miss,” Fan Cheng hurried over.
Wen Yao cast a glance inside the house: “My grandma didn’t say anything, right?”
Fan Cheng offered a smile: “The Old Mistress didn’t say anything.” He realized that the atmosphere of the Wen family seemed even better than he had imagined.
Only then did Wen Yao clap her hands: “It’s fine as long as she didn’t say anything. Come, I’ll take you around for a look first.”
Fan Cheng was hired by Wen Yao to help her manage her own personal industries, but as for the shares allocated to the second branch, third branch, and the old lady, Wen Yao led Fan Cheng to inspect them all as well. While she didn’t require him to manage every single one, if her second uncle, third uncle, or the others needed help, he couldn’t sit idly by either.
In addition, Wen Yao had him teach her second aunt and third aunt whenever he was free. It wasn’t that she felt her second or third uncle were incapable, but with her grandpa around, her second and third uncle would likely never leave those fields for the rest of their lives. Besides, the temperaments of those two were ill-suited for doing business anyway.
They even visited the fruit mountain, though they didn’t run into Old Man Wen.
Wen Yao led Fan Cheng to the very last location—the winery.
Sure enough, inside the winery, they caught Old Man Wen drinking tea and chatting with Old Qin.
“Grandpa, you’re here? I went up the mountain and didn’t see you, wondering where you went to enjoy yourself,” Wen Yao greeted with a beaming smile.
Seeing her return, Old Qin hastily rose to bow: “Miss, you’ve returned.”
Old Man Wen almost jumped up as well: “You still know to come back, huh?”
“What’s wrong? You don’t nag when I’m not back?” Wen Yao leaned over with a cheeky smile.
Old Man Wen glared at her with disdainful fondness: “Go, go, go—get lost! Have you seen your grandma yet?” From the moment this girl left, his old woman had been nagging continuously, to the point that calluses were forming on his ears.
Taking a clean cup handed over by Old Qin, Wen Yao poured herself a glass of water, then poured a glass for Fan Cheng as well.
“Manager Fan, sit! Don’t stand on ceremony,” Wen Yao urged him to sit down and talk.
Fan Cheng offered a bow to express his thanks, sitting down carefully beside the table.
Old Qin sat back down in his own seat as well, though his eyes were secretly sizing up Fan Cheng.
Old Man Wen asked, “And this gentleman is…?”
Fan Cheng rose hastily to bow: “Old Master, this humble self does not deserve to be called a gentleman. I am a manager sought out by Miss Yao Yao, following Miss today to familiarize myself with the family’s industries.”
“Ah?” What kind of arrangement was this now?
Wen Yao explained the details to Old Man Wen in this and that manner, and Old Man Wen understood.
“Manager Fan, hurry and sit, hurry and sit—sit down to talk!” This was truly wonderful—now that this girl had a manager, they could save some worry in the future.
“Have you checked out all the places?” Old Man Wen asked.
Fan Cheng nodded: “In reply to Old Master, I have checked them all.”
Old Man Wen nodded: “Mm, those duck sheds and fish ponds were allocated to her second and third uncle by Eldest Son and Yao Yao. Just lend a hand to help manage them when you’re free. Second Son and Third Son just aren’t built for business—matters are all managed by my two daughters-in-law, so seeking them out works as well.
“As for the soybean paste workshop over there, the old woman has her own way of doing things. You had better not mess with her. If you spot anything done poorly, don’t go say it yourself—tell Yao Yao and let this girl tell her grandma. In the entire family, she’s the only one who won’t get scolded.
“Leave those fields by the river alone as well. Remember this—never touch them under any circumstances! Those are Eldest Son’s prized treasures. As for the rest, they all belong to this girl. Oh right, the fruit mountain behind belongs to this girl as well, but since she’s usually nowhere to be seen, I’m watching it temporarily. From now on, it’ll follow your arrangements.
“These are all the industries in the village. It will be hard work for you in the future.”
Old Man Wen patted Fan Cheng on the shoulder with earnest gravity. The flavor of passing the buck was truly wonderful.
