Chapter 437 - 428: I Am the Malicious Eldest Aunt (Part 15)

Chapter 437: Chapter 428: I Am the Malicious Eldest Aunt (Part 15)

Xu Zhiyong’s leg was aching again.

The elder had called for a doctor, who said that more quality medicine was needed. Anning took out the five taels of silver given by Scholar Wen to purchase medicine for Xu Zhiyong.

In the evening, Anning sat by the bed, worrying.

Ying Ge’er noticed and asked Anning softly, "Mother, are you worried about Uncle’s medical expenses?"

Anning nodded: "Right now, mother doesn’t have much money left. I was thinking of sending you to school, but your uncle’s situation is urgent. Your needs will have to wait."

"It’s alright."

Ying Ge’er was very understanding and sat beside Anning to comfort her: "I can study at home by myself just as well. Father left many books; I can read them one by one. If there’s something I don’t understand, I can ask you. Or else, I can take the books and go seek advice from grandfather."

Anning patted Ying Ge’er’s head: "My Ying Ge’er is really sensible."

Lan also crawled up to massage Anning’s back: "Mother, you’ve worked hard. Why don’t you teach me embroidery? Once I learn, mother won’t have to stay up all night."

Anning smiled, hugged Lan, and sighed: "Alright, mother knows, but Lan is still young. Wait another two years, and I’ll teach you embroidery."

After putting the two children to sleep, Anning worked tirelessly through the night.

In the main room, the elder and the Old Madam were also sighing.

Through the window, the Old Madam saw the candlelight still flickering in Anning’s room in the eastern wing, where Anning’s figure could be seen busily working with her head lowered.

And in the western quarters, the second family slept soundly and sweetly.

She recalled how Mrs. Feng felt wronged just for doing a little extra work for the family, while Anning never complained despite racking her brains to earn money and would still cheerfully comfort her during the day.

Given such a comparison, the Old Madam naturally favored Anning.

The Old Madam said to the elder: "You used to blame me for favoring the Eldest Son’s Wife. Now you see if my partiality was justified."

The elder now agreed: "Wife, I’m not as perceptive as you. The Eldest Son’s Wife really is good. It was my mistake to have misunderstood her before."

The Old Madam snorted: "Just look at the children from Eldest’s family compared to those from the second family. The Eldest Son’s Wife has raised her children so well—they’re kind-hearted, magnanimous, and smart. But what about the second family’s? Daya is too naïve, Erya is both silly and malicious, and Gousheng only knows how to eat and play foolishly. Ah, I get a headache just thinking about it now."

After a few days, the Old Madam noticed that the bracelets on Anning’s wrists and the hairpin in her hair were gone.

She still dressed neatly, her whole appearance clean and spirited, but the adornments were missing from her hair, which was now simply secured with a blue cord. The wooden hairpin on her head must have been made by Anning herself, as the craftsmanship looked unrefined.

Seeing Anning like this, the Old Madam discreetly inquired with Lan.

Although Lan was still young, the Old Madam coaxed the truth out of her: "My mother sold all her jewelry. She said that Uncle will need a lot of money for medicine in the future. If we don’t help, Uncle’s condition will worsen. We are all family—compared to Uncle’s life, those pieces of jewelry are insignificant."

Just then, Xu Daya came to the Old Madam with a question but retreated upon hearing this conversation.

She found a place to cry her heart out.

Later, Xu Daya sought out Anning.

Anning was puzzled to see Xu Daya approaching: "Daya, what brings you here? Is there something you need?"

Xu Daya knelt down before Anning with a thud.

"Auntie, I’m sorry. I have always misunderstood you. Only now do I realize who is good and who is bad."

Anning quickly helped Xu Daya to her feet: "Child, what are you saying? I’m your elder; I can’t quarrel with a child like you."

Xu Daya’s eyes were red from crying.

She rubbed her eyes: "I know Auntie has been worried about my father’s situation. I... I was thinking, perhaps Auntie, since you have connections with the wealthy in town and the county, there must be a way. Auntie, please, help me think of a solution. I want to find a decent family to work for—whether as a servant girl or something more humble, at least I can earn some money."

Xu Daya sincerely wanted to work to pay for Xu Zhiyong’s treatment.

But being inexperienced and not knowing many people,

She dared not approach human traffickers for fear of being duped and could only turn to Anning for help.

Anning, who had made embroidery for many prestigious families, surely had her connections.

Moreover, Anning was her great-aunt; she would definitely not deceive her.

Xu Daya looked nervously at Anning: "Great-aunt, I, I’m afraid to seek out a human trafficker."

Anning pulled Xu Daya to sit down: "I know you mean well, wanting to ease the family’s burdens, but, I can’t help you with this."

"Why?"

Xu Daya’s face was full of shock: "I won’t sign a contract to the death. I, I’ll sign a live-in contract, I’ll return after a few years."

Anning smiled especially tenderly, holding Xu Daya’s hand and whispering: "Our family is facing difficulties now, but it won’t be like this forever. Once we get over this hurdle, our days will improve day by day. When that time comes, I still want to send Ying Ge’er and Gousheng to study. I’m thinking of letting the two children participate in the imperial examinations. But if you become a servant girl, have you thought about what will happen to your two brothers? They will be laughed at by others in the future. Also, if there is someone in the family who is enslaved, will they still want to take the imperial examinations?"

In one sentence, Xu Daya became completely sober.

She knew how much hope the elders in the family placed on the children’s education, and she knew the only way for the family to have a better life was for her two brothers to change their fate through education.

If she became a servant girl, the impact on her two brothers would be especially severe.

Thinking this, Xu Daya realized that becoming a servant girl was absolutely not an option.

She covered her face and started to cry pitifully: "What should I do? What should I do?"

Anning patted Xu Daya’s shoulder sympathetically: "Don’t worry, I will figure out something about the money. The best thing you can do now is to take good care of your father. Our family must unite to get through this difficult time."

"Alright, I understand."

Xu Daya looked up at Anning.

She now felt relieved that she had sought out Anning.

If she had foolishly sought a human trafficker and sold herself, to what extent would she have burdened her family?

Xu Daya had not thought about her own future; living a life of servitude, but for her dear father and for this family, she was willing.

But she couldn’t fail to consider her two brothers.

If she really caused her two brothers trouble, she could not rest in peace even in death.

After sending Xu Daya off, Anning did embroidery for two days and two nights straight. This filled both the old master and Old Madam with immense guilt, and Xu Daya quietly mentioned this to Xu Zhiyong.

Xu Zhiyong, a man not inclined to speak much, shed tears.

He told Xu Daya: "Your great-aunt’s kindness to our family is something we can never repay in this lifetime. Daya, you must respect and be filial to your great-aunt in the future, you understand?"

Xu Daya nodded.

She was about to say more when Mrs. Feng called her out to work.

Xu Daya hurried out to assist Mrs. Feng.

These days, Xu Daya had been constantly busy. During the day, she helped Mrs. Feng with chores, and at night, she cared for Xu Zhiyong and Xu Er Ya. She never had a good rest, her meals were not good, and she would feel sleepy while helping Mrs. Feng with cooking.

As soon as Mrs. Feng saw Xu Daya dozing off, seemingly trying to be lazy, she became enraged.

She grabbed a fire poker and beat Xu Daya with it.

"You’re going to be lazy to death. Even when you’re supposed to be making a fire, you fall asleep. What else can you do? Why don’t you just die, why don’t you?"

Mrs. Feng had been enduring grievances these past few days. Old Madam either hit or scolded her every day, and Anning’s attitude towards her was also bad. She dared not fight back, keeping the anger simmering inside, nearly suffocating her.

Now finally seizing the opportunity to vent her anger, it lifted her spirits a little.

But Xu Daya, who was being berated and beaten by Mrs. Feng, was completely dumbfounded.

In her mind, Mrs. Feng had always been a gentle and virtuous figure, loving towards the children.

Yet such a person was now brutally beating her with a monstrous face.

The image of Mrs. Feng collapsed in an instant, and Xu Daya looked at her as if she were a stranger.