Chapter 339: Is That a Decision Made?
Leaving their home address behind, Wen Yao and Nanny Shi bade their farewells and departed.
On the return journey, Mingyue asked Nanny Shi with curiosity, “Nanny, will Tutor Su agree?”
Nanny Shi shook her head gently: “I don’t know either. If Tutor Su is unwilling to go with us, we can only look for someone else. It’s just that Tutor Su and I knew each other originally and I understand her fairly well, which was why I recommended Tutor Su to the Old Mistress.”
With that, Nanny Shi looked at Wen Yao with a tinge of guilt: “It was this old servant who failed to consider everything thoroughly.”
Wen Yao waved her hand: “Nanny, this isn’t your fault. You were naturally considering things on our behalf, wanting to find someone trustworthy. Still, I feel there isn’t necessarily no hope. If I were in their shoes, rather than staying here and barely clinging on like this, I’d rather step out and take a gamble.”
Wen Yao was spot on—Su Shilan and Fan Cheng harbored those exact thoughts as well. After Wen Yao and Nanny Shi left, Fan Cheng and Su Shilan fell into deep conflict, staring at their cold, quiet storefront in solemn contemplation.
Just at this moment, Fan Cheng’s eldest son, Fan Ziyi, returned home. Turning twelve years old, Fan Ziyi was studying at a private school in the prefectural city. Having suffered much bullying within the Fan family over the years, he had known since childhood that only by studying hard would he have a day to rise above others and properly care for his father and younger sister.
Because he was well-mannered from a young age, he showed great respect toward Su Shilan, his stepmother, as well.
During dinner, the family sat together, yet the dinner table was devoid of its usual laughter and cheerful chatter for once. Su Shilan had a face full of heavy thoughts, yet was still carefully attending to Fan Cheng’s young daughter, Fan Ziling, as she ate.
Fan Cheng opened his mouth several times, only to swallow his words back down in the end. Ultimately, it was Fan Ziyi who broke this strange atmosphere between them.
“Father, Mother, going to school is the same wherever one goes. Besides, I heard that there is a Grand Academician in Yunwu Town. I want to go try my luck as well—if I can gain his guidance, it will surely be of great help to my studies.”
Su Shilan froze, and Fan Cheng looked at his son in surprise as well.
Fan Ziling, who rarely stepped out due to poor health, looked at them with curiosity, asking, “Father, Mother, is Brother going away on a trip?”
Fan Ziyi looked at her: “Not just me—all of us. Father, Mother, the opportunity now sits right before you. How things proceed from here depends entirely on how you choose yourselves.”
With that, Fan Ziyi resumed eating quietly. Fan Ziling wanted to speak, but was stopped by a single glance from him as well.
The two adults exchanged glances, unsure how to voice the thoughts deep in their hearts.
“Brother Cheng,” Su Shilan called out in hesitation.
Fan Cheng looked at his new wife, remembering that when she married him, she possessed few dowry items by her side; the sole item was that ancient zither locked away in her cabinet. She loved it so deeply, yet had no choice but to use those hands meant for playing the zither to wash hands and prepare soups for him, caring for the daily needs of their family of four.
At this thought, guilt filled Fan Cheng’s heart.
Ultimately, he made up his mind.
“We go! Shilan, this is your opportunity, and how is it not mine as well? I have followed my father to do business since childhood; compared to my elder brother, I am far more suited to managing the family estate. Yet solely due to my birth, I had no choice but to yield beneath him, guarding this tiny storefront. No matter how much intention I harbor, it is useless. Therefore, I want to go give it a try.”
Su Shilan looked at him in surprise, tears glistening deep in her eyes. How could she not understand that her husband was considering things on her behalf? For if they were unwilling to leave, she would certainly never take up her former profession again either.
Since that was the case, she could not drag them back either. Gritting her teeth, Su Shilan said, “Nanny Shi told me that there is an old Imperial Physician who returned from the capital to retire in Yunwu Town, and his relationship with the Wen family is quite good. If… perhaps we can ask Miss to lend a hand and have that old Imperial Physician take a look at Ling’er.”
These words caused the eyes of both men in the family to widen instantly.
Why didn’t you say so earlier?! Had you mentioned this earlier, we would have agreed long ago—what was there to be torn over?!
“Then it’s settled! Tomorrow we will go seek out Nanny Shi. Furthermore, we must hire an agent to sell our storefront and house. Having some silver in hand is better in the end,” Fan Cheng said.
Su Shilan hadn’t expected Fan Cheng to resolve his mind with such immense determination, going so far as to sell both the house and the storefront—he truly wasn’t planning on leaving any retreat.
Since that was the case, what did it matter if she accompanied him to take a gamble? They possessed talent, and no matter what happened in the future, they wouldn’t starve to death.
“Alright.”
With tears in her eyes, Su Shilan nodded, and the atmosphere at the dinner table transformed instantly.
Early the next morning, Su Shilan dressed in a proper skirt once more, dressing up with particular care before heading to the Wen residence together with Fan Cheng.
Nanny Shi had originally thought they wouldn’t finish considering it so quickly, never expecting the two to arrive after merely a single night.
Seeing Su Shilan again, Wen Yao noticed that the aura about her had transformed—the entire person had become confident, and standing right there, her whole presence felt completely different. She sighed with emotion in her heart: This is what a well-bred young lady truly looks like.
Looking back at herself—one who wouldn’t stand if she could sit, and wouldn’t sit if she could lie down—sigh.
“Greetings, Miss,” Su Shilan and Fan Cheng curtsied to offer greetings to Wen Yao.
Nanny Shi nodded from the side—this was Tutor Su as she ought to be.
Seeing this, Wen Yao unconsciously adjusted her own sitting posture, feeling that her own sloppy and undisciplined appearance was unworthy of sitting here.
Sitting upright awkwardly, she asked, “Tutor Su, Manager Fan, is that a decision made?”
The couple exchanged a glance and nodded. Fan Cheng offered a deep bow to Wen Yao, saying, “Miss, it’s just that this humble self has an uncalled-for request.”
“Speak.” As long as they could negotiate, it was good.
Offering another bow, Fan Cheng only then spoke up: “To be frank with you, my son’s greatest dream in this life is to study and pass the imperial examinations to gain official rank. Thus, this humble self and Shilan cannot become servants. However, Miss may also put her heart at ease—we can sign an employment contract with Miss, with the time and duration set by Miss yourself. We, husband and wife, have only this single request, and we hope Miss will consider it.”
This was also the matter Fan Cheng had deliberated over continuously yesterday. After all, the children of bondservants were forbidden from taking the imperial examinations. Yet he knew as well that Wen Yao having him serve as a manager meant agreeing to become a household servant of the Wen family, but that would ruin his son’s future prospects.
Thus, amidst endless struggle, the couple decided to see Wen Yao first. If Wen Yao could agree, then even if this employment contract were signed for a lifetime, it wouldn’t matter—this way, it would neither affect their son’s studies nor fail to guarantee their loyalty.
Wen Yao froze for a moment—when had she ever demanded that they become servants or slaves?
Opening her mouth, she looked toward Nanny Shi with a face full of utter bewilderment.
Only then did Nanny Shi react, letting out a laugh: “Shilan, you two have misunderstood! Miss does not want you to become servants or slaves, but to properly hire you—one to serve as the tutor for the young ladies of the household, and the other to serve as Miss’s right-hand man.”
