Visitors from the Meng Family
After Qin Zheng left, Meng Yao began organizing the things Qin Zheng brought.
Zhao Dahe was explaining on the side.
"The earrings and hairpin, I helped pick them out." Zhao Dahe said awkwardly, "Especially picked for mother."
"So? Am I supposed to be moved? You only helped pick, it was Qin Zheng who paid the silver." Meng Yao examined the hairpin and earrings; they were quite exquisite.
She didn’t feel the imagined emotion, and Zhao Dahe saw disdain on his mother’s face.
"If you don’t like, give the earrings back to me!" Zhao Dahe said angrily.
He got three taels of silver and gritted his teeth to spend one tael on this pair of earrings.
He remembered clearly when his father was still around, his mother had several pairs of different earrings, changing them now and then. Later, she wore tea leaf stems on her ears.
He thought, he must buy her another pair.
This time, Qin Zheng suggested buying a hairpin, and he thought the earrings looked nice, so he heartened up and bought them.
"I never said I didn’t like them." Meng Yao glared at Zhao Dahe, fiddling with the earrings to put them on, "Don’t forget, the two days each month when you come back, the chore of cleaning the dishes is yours."
"Mom! I just gave you earrings!"
"I also never said giving me earrings exempts you from chores, right? Xiaoshu made several benches for me, and he also made the not-so-good furniture in the house, but he never said that doing so exempts him from cleaning the dishes." Meng Yao said calmly, "Or do you mean you won’t come back to eat in the future? If you don’t eat, it’s indeed awkward to ask you to do chores!"
No, he can’t, he doesn’t have that backbone.
Zhao Xiaohua scooted closer, praising that Meng Yao, with the hairpin and earrings, looked several years younger.
Zhao Dahe’s eyes twinkled, "Xiaohua, help me with the chores, and I’ll give you a pair of palace flowers."
Zhao Xiaohua rolled her eyes at Zhao Dahe, "Second brother, you think I’m dumb! Palace flowers, I believe you have them. But I don’t believe you bought them. So why should I help you with chores? If I need to thank someone, I’ll thank brother Qin Zheng when I see him! You’re being generous with someone else’s belongings!"
What else could Zhao Dahe say? He could only resignedly clean up the dishes.
Meng Yao quickly organized the palace flowers too, and Zhao Xiaohua happily took them to her room to try them on in front of the mirror.
The rest were all things like food for daily use, clearly prepared with thought. Meng Yao suddenly felt the egg cakes, braised meat, and buns she gave Qin Zheng were a bit inadequate in return.
"Dahe, when you visit the Qin Family, let me know in advance." Meng Yao said.
It’s impolite not to reciprocate.
Zhao Dahe responded, "Got it, but don’t feel pressured, mom. Qin Zheng did bring a lot, but to their family, it’s like us bringing eggs to visit relatives. Also, I take care of him at school! His parents even want to adopt me as their godson!"
"I don’t feel pressured. I just want the two families to be on equal footing. And I’m not preparing anything expensive, so you don’t need to worry." Meng Yao said.
The Qin Family is wealthy, even if she bought what she considered expensive gifts, they might not appreciate them. So better to prepare thoughtful gifts.
"Well, mom, you decide!" Zhao Dahe casually replied, continuing his struggle with the dishes.
After Meng Yao finished organizing the things Qin Zheng brought, she went to the kitchen to talk with Zhao Dahe. By the time Zhao Dahe finished washing all the dishes, Meng Yao had already gathered all the information about the Qin Family that Zhao Dahe knew and had a plan for preparing the gift.
She was about to start preparing when someone arrived at the house before she could enter her room.
A young girl about Zhao Xiaohua’s age.
Meng Yao was momentarily taken aback, unable to recall who she was at first.
"Aunt, grandma is sick and wants to see you." The young girl called out to Meng Yao, stating her purpose for coming.
Meng Yao realized who she was while aligning the girl in front of her with someone in her mind.
She was the youngest daughter of her original self’s elder brother, Meng Ruyu.
"Your grandma is sick, call a doctor, what’s the use of looking for me?" Meng Yao said without expression.
After the incident with Zhao Ting, her original self sought help from her natal home and was turned away. Since then, except for keeping contact with the elder sister who had become a nun, she had no dealings with the Meng Family.
Therefore, Meng Yao didn’t think the Meng Family matriarch suddenly wanting to see her was anything good.
"Aunt, second cousin is a scholar, reputation is very important. Grandma said when you do things, you should also consider your reputation to avoid dragging down second cousin. Over the years, you’ve ignored your grandparents, if they pursue, they can always accuse you of being unfilial to your parents." Meng Ruyu said softly.
"Bah! Let them sue then! Reputation and all, I’ve never cared. If a father is loving and a son is filial, elders should be kind, and juniors should be dutiful. But if elders are not benevolent, how can they demand filial piety from juniors? When my father’s life was uncertain, who in the Meng Family extended a hand?" Zhao Dahe stood in front of Meng Yao, angrily cursing.
Meng Ruyu trembled a bit, biting her lip, "Second cousin, why erupt at me? I’m just passing the message from grandparents. What I said is what Grandma asked me to say. The anger in second cousin’s heart is really misplaced on me."
"This is the Zhao Family, you’re not welcome here, Meng Family members." Zhao Dahe took a deep breath, "Take care on your way out."
"Second cousin, grandparents always say you’re a scholar and most courteous. Now it seems, they’ve misjudged." Meng Ruyu showed some disappointment on her face.
"My courtesy is not for the Meng Family." Zhao Dahe snorted.
Why should the Meng Family? Are they worthy?
Though his mother was from the Meng Family, originating from it, the Meng Family abandoned her long ago, and she’s now Zhao Meng-shi, a person of their Zhao Family.
Meng Ruyu’s eyes turned red as she was rebuffed, stomping her foot, "Zhao Dahe, you’re a jerk!"
After saying this, she turned and ran off.
The Meng Family was at the far east end of the village, and the Zhao Family was at the far west end of the village.
As Meng Ruyu ran back crying , the news of abuse from the Zhao Family could quickly spread through the village.
Meng Yao never really cared about reputation in the past. But now, being in ancient times, reputation was extremely important.
Meng Yao sighed, "I have to go back once."
Zhao Dahe was puzzled, "Mom, didn’t you say you’d never enter the Meng Family’s door again? And clearly, they don’t care about you. If they did, how could they have just watched you struggle back then?"
"If I don’t go, how would I find out what they’re planning? Ruyu’s words weren’t just casual. If the elders do pursue, the label of being unfilial would definitely fall on me. I might not care, but what about you, Xiaohua, Xiaoshu? Mom doesn’t want to burden you!" Meng Yao gently patted Zhao Dahe’s shoulder.
"I’m not afraid of any burden, and I’m sure Xiaohua and Xiaoshu aren’t either." Zhao Dahe said, "If you must go back, then I’ll accompany you."
"Don’t I know your temper? If something annoys you, you wouldn’t spare anyone’s face. Mom is going to find out what’s going on, not to cause trouble! You sit tight at home! If you feel bored, keep an eye on Xiaohua and Xiaoshu. Oh, I didn’t mention, if you don’t study hard, Xiaoshu will surely surpass you!" Meng Yao said with a smile.