Chapter 304: My Generational Rank Just Dropped
“Have you been to see the Xie family yet?” Qiu Zhi took the initiative to start the conversation.
Speaking of this, Master Qiu visibly relaxed a great deal, a trace of anger surfacing on his face as he said in a deep voice, “Not yet. Rongrong said there’s no need to pay them any mind, and that coming to see you all first is what truly matters.”
Bringing up this topic, Old Man Wen couldn’t help but start lecturing: “Aiya, look at you as a father. With such a good daughter like Rongrong, how could you bear to marry her off to a place so far away? If it hadn’t been for our family’s Wang Zhao that day, who knows where they would have dragged that boy Xie Anyi off to?
“If you ask me, that fellow named Xie is truly no good creature. Thankfully, the child is safe and sound.”
Master Qiu wore an expression full of guilt and shame: “The Old Master’s scolding is entirely justified. I was completely blinded by greed back then, actually believing the words of that hypocritical villain from the Xie family.”
Master Qiu felt genuine regret—regretting that he had thought he was climbing the social ladder by allying with the Xie family, regretting that he had personally pushed Qiu Rongrong into the mud.
Reflecting on it now, setting aside all talk of whether they offended the Xie family or not, as long as his daughter was doing well, it was better than anything else. In any case, he had accepted his fate: their family was fated to be merchants, so there was no need to engage in those groveling, climbing behaviors. What was so bad about being merchants? Aren’t all these people supported by merchants anyway? Without merchants like them, what would these high-and-mighty people eat, drink, or use?
Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants—it was merely the prejudice of the worldly crowd.
Once the topic was opened, the conversation flowed much more smoothly. Wen Xiuyi and Magistrate Chen took the opportunity to inquire about the rice yields down in Jiangnan. After all, as a water town region, Jiangnan was a major rice-producing hub. Seeing that they were interested in this, and since his family owned several estates—while he might not be clear on how to cultivate the land, he was clearer than anyone on what the annual yield was like—Master Qiu began chatting freely about it.
Everyone present had been influenced by Wen Xiuyi; whether it was Qiu Zhi, Magistrate Chen, or Old Man Wen, all were extremely interested in this. Master Qiu poured out everything he knew—the things he could say and even the things he shouldn’t normally say—making the conversation grow warmer and livelier as they talked.
While things were being discussed enthusiastically on this side, Old Madam Luo on the female guests’ side also brought up the matter of Wen Xiuyi adopting Qiu Rongrong as his goddaughter with Old Mistress Qiu.
“This couldn’t be better! Rongrong told us that she and Yao Yao get along just like biological sisters. If she takes Lord Wen as her stepfather, it’s making a close bond even closer! We couldn’t be happier, so how could we possibly object? Rongrong’s mother, don’t you agree?” Old Mistress Qiu cast a glance at her daughter-in-law, fearing she might harbor some hesitation at a moment like this.
Old Mistress Qiu’s worries were entirely redundant, however. Madam Qiu was naturally more than willing. As long as her daughter lived well, she was fine with anything. What’s more, although the old lady had gone to sleep early yesterday and was still unaware of many things, Qiu Rongrong had already praised every single member of the Wen family to the skies in front of her.
Her impression of Wen Yao was especially wonderful; had she not worried that the Wen family might overthink things, she would have loved to adopt that girl as her own daughter as well.
Madam Qiu spoke up immediately: “Mother is entirely right. That girl Rongrong doesn’t plan to return to Jiangnan with us either, saying that the career she worked so hard to build cannot be abandoned. Her father and I can only let her have her way. With your family here helping to look after her, we couldn’t be more grateful, so how could we object?”
Wen Ying whispered under her breath to Wen Yao, “Second Sister, what does this mean? Is Sister Rongrong going to become Uncle’s daughter?”
Wen Yao nodded. Qiu Rongrong overheard it as well, gently pinching Wen Ying’s little topknots as she teased with a smile, “That’s right. From now on, I’ll be your eldest sister.”
Wen Ying’s eyes lit up in an instant: “Then doesn’t Xie Anyi have to call me Little Aunt?”
Wen Ying’s voice wasn’t quiet, and everyone in the room heard it, bursting into laughter. Old Mistress Qiu nodded and said, “That’s right. According to generational rank, Yi’er will indeed have to call you Little Aunt from now on.”
“Hahahahaha…” Hearing this, Wen Ying burst into loud laughter, unable to wait to run outside to find Xie Anyi: “I’m going to look for them!”
Lady Li hurriedly pulled Wen Ying back, giving her a gentle slap before saying apologetically to Old Mistress Qiu and Madam Qiu, “Forgive us for making you laugh, Old Mistress.” She then gave Wen Ying a quiet warning to behave herself.
Wen Ying pouted her lips, feeling somewhat wronged.
Old Mistress Qiu hurriedly said, “No matter, no matter. It’s good for children to have a lively personality.”
Madam Qiu chimed in agreement as well: “Yes, exactly.”
Lady Li looked thoroughly embarrassed, yet the corners of her mouth couldn’t help curling upward as she said, “Aiya, forgive us for making a fool of ourselves before you. This girl has been mischievous since she was little, with a temperament just like a boy’s. Usually, she plays mostly with those boys, even clamoring that she wants to become a female general in the future.”
“Mother!” Seeing Lady Li talk more and more outrageously, Wen Ying finally fidgeted in embarrassment.
Seeing that she couldn’t sit still either, Old Madam Luo spoke up: “Alright, she can’t sit still anyway, so let her go. We can talk among ourselves, which saves her from causing a ruckus here.”
Though it sounded like words of blame, there wasn’t a trace of actual scolding, but rather deep doting.
Old Mistress Qiu and Madam Qiu exchanged a glance, both feeling that the Wen family truly consisted of wonderful people, just as Qiu Rongrong had described. With that, their minds were put completely at ease.
Having received Old Madam Luo’s permission, it was as if Wen Ying had received an imperial decree; after paying her respects, she turned and darted out.
Old Mistress Qiu was a remarkably clever person, immediately chatting with Old Madam Luo about the children in the household. Sure enough, the moment Old Madam Luo brought up the children, her eyes shone significantly brighter, and the conversation opened up between the two of them, completely unstoppable.
After sitting with them for a while, Wen Yao had to go prepare lunch.
“I’ll go with you.” Qiu Rongrong took the initiative to volunteer.
Old Mistress Qiu said happily, “I’ve long heard that this girl Yao Yao’s culinary skills are superb, and today I finally have the chance to taste them.”
The moment Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong walked out, they heard Xie Anyi’s wailing cries coming from the side room, along with the joyful laughter of the others.
“In the past, we each had our own separate generational ranks, so it didn’t feel like much. Now that we’re formalizing it, Yi’er’s generational rank has dropped a whole level in an instant. From now on, I fear he’ll be kept under the thumb of those other boys.” Qiu Rongrong’s face was completely full of gloating delight.
Wen Yao raised an eyebrow: “Sister, you look more like you’re gloating over his misfortune.”
“Hahahahaha! No, no, I certainly am not!”
As the two were laughing, Xie Anyi suddenly ran out with red-rimmed eyes, running up to Qiu Rongrong and asking pitiably, “Mother, are you really going to become the elder sister to Datou and the others? Wen Ying made me call her Little Aunt, and from now on I even have to call Datou ‘Little Uncle’! Mother, is this true? Waaah…“
Qiu Rongrong and Wen Yao looked at each other and smiled: “It’s true.”
“Waaah…” Now Xie Anyi cried even harder.
Xie Anyi cried with such heartbreaking sorrow that he drew everyone else out from the room. Upon learning the pitiable reason behind his tears, everyone broke out laughing.
Once they had laughed their fill, Old Madam Luo pulled Old Mistress Qiu over and said, “It just so happens that since you are all here today, Old Sister, are there any procedures or rules on your end for adopting a daughter? Tell us about them—we certainly can’t wrong the child.”
Old Mistress Qiu felt deeply moved in her heart. Not only did the Wen family not look down on Rong’er, but they even wanted to conduct matters according to proper etiquette, showing that they genuinely valued her. At this, Old Mistress Qiu felt even more reassured and said, “Sister, there aren’t any rigid rules for this. It’s simply hosting a meal to announce the matter, kowtowing and offering tea before friends and family, and changing the form of address.”
In Jiangnan, adopting godsons and goddaughters was also quite common; even household servants formed god-relationships. To Old Mistress Qiu, such a matter was entirely normal.
“So that’s how it is. That makes it quite easy to handle then.” Old Madam Luo nodded in agreement.
