At the end of the day, was this not still a society that judged people by their looks? Even children this young already knew how to judge faces. Xiao Guang might feel satisfied teasing Xiao Hua for the moment, but what would come later was another matter entirely.
Seeing the undisguised dislike on Xiao Hua’s face, Jiang Chan silently lit a candle for Xiao Guang in her heart.
“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow at noon. Tomorrow morning I’ll take you to Auntie Chen Xiaopei’s place. I’ve already spoken to her,” Jiang Chan said, patting Xiao Hua on the head. Xiao Hua knew Jiang Chan had already made up her mind and reluctantly answered with a soft sound of agreement.
Jiang Chan treated her very well, but she was also someone who always followed through on her decisions. Once she decided to do something, she would carry it out no matter what. Xiao Hua was small and did not have much say, so she could only obediently resign herself to spending time with Xiao Guang while the two continued to dislike each other.
Seeing Xiao Hua drooping her head, a trace of amusement flashed through Jiang Chan’s eyes. This was one of her little guilty pleasures. Children were meant to be teased a bit, especially one as mature as Xiao Hua.
It was hard to say whom this child took after. In daily life she was very serious and proper, polite in her dealings with others. Everyone who met her praised Jiang Chan for raising her so well.
Unfortunately, Xiao Hua was usually a bit too proper. Jiang Chan always wanted to see some liveliness typical of children her age, so she deliberately set little traps for her from time to time.
“Grandma, I don’t have much homework. I already finished it at school,” Xiao Hua said as she leaned against Jiang Chan’s arm, staring at the original language book in Jiang Chan’s hands with shining eyes.
“Grandma, you know so much. I heard that this year we’re starting to learn English.”
“That’s good. Do you want to learn along with Grandma?” Jiang Chan shook the book in her hand. Looking at Xiao Hua’s delicate, doll like face, she knew that the first wish left behind by the original host had been completely fulfilled.
“Yes. Grandma is the best.”
Xiao Hua was Jiang Chan’s biggest fan. In her eyes, Jiang Chan was omnipotent. She did not find it strange at all that Jiang Chan knew so many things, playing the pipa, practicing calligraphy, and now even reading English.
“You haven’t practiced your calligraphy today yet. Later Grandma will write with you.”
After teaching Xiao Hua a few vocabulary words, Jiang Chan put the book down and took her into the study. The study was very large, almost as big as the living room. Bookshelves lined the walls, most of them filled with books.
Xiao Hua stood properly at her own desk, while Jiang Chan stood on the other side of the large desk, continuing a painting she had not yet finished. Once the mind settled, time passed quickly.
Jiang Chan was completely immersed in her painting and did not even notice when Xiao Hua came to stand beside her. When she finished the final stroke, Xiao Hua clapped her small hands.
“Grandma, you’re amazing. This painting is really beautiful.”
Jiang Chan had painted a Jiangnan landscape. There was a black canopy boat, drooping willows, and an old fisherman sitting on the boat. The scene was elegant and expressive. Looking at the painting, Jiang Chan felt as though she had returned to her first task, filled with many beautiful memories.
“Enough flattery. Bring your writing over. I’m going to properly examine it,” Jiang Chan said as she stamped her personal seal in the lower right corner of the painting and tapped Xiao Hua on the forehead.
After flipping through the pages of Xiao Hua’s calligraphy, Jiang Chan nodded in satisfaction.
“You write very well. You must not slack off. Since your schoolwork is not heavy right now, you should spend more time on calligraphy. Once you reach middle school and high school, you will not have as much time.”
“I know. When I go to Auntie Chen’s place this time, I’ll bring a full set of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone with me. That way I won’t always be running into Xiao Guang,” Xiao Hua said.
Hearing this, Jiang Chan silently mourned for Xiao Guang. Poor child. With Xiao Hua as a comparison, he would be even less favored by his father in the future. Thinking of the uncomfortable days awaiting Xiao Guang, Jiang Chan felt rather pleased.
At heart, Jiang Chan was simply protective. Xiao Hua was a child she had painstakingly raised. How could she allow Xiao Guang to bully her every day?
“Grandma, today we practiced calligraphy. Tomorrow can we learn the guqin? When I get a bit older, I want to learn the pipa. Grandma, you’ll teach me, right?”
“If you want to learn, I’ll teach you,” Jiang Chan said happily. She was more than willing to pass on everything she knew. Skills never went to waste.
On Sunday morning, Xiao Hua drooped her face, carrying her set of brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. Jiang Chan pulled Xiao Hua’s small suitcase, which held her change of clothes, as the two went to Chen Xiaopei’s home.
Jiang Chan’s business had grown quite large over the past few years, and she had already bought a house in the capital. However, she usually stayed in the courtyard residence and rarely went to the apartment.
Since she had come to this era, she naturally wanted to enjoy what courtyard living was like.
Chen Xiaopei’s home was not far from Jiang Chan’s place, about a half hour drive. Xiao Hua sat in the back seat, pointing outside.
“Grandma, we’ve been in the capital for five years now. The changes here are really big.”
Jiang Chan teased her along. “What kinds of changes?”
“A lot. There weren’t this many cars on the roads before, but now there are so many. There are more tall buildings too, and the roads are much wider.”
Listening to her list them off, Jiang Chan nodded. “The capital is changing every day. We’re lucky to have come here, and we should work to stay here in the future.”
When Jiang Chan and Xiao Hua arrived, Xiao Guang was still asleep. Chen Xiaopei came to open the door for Xiao Hua, who politely greeted her.
“Good morning, Auntie Chen.”
Chen Xiaopei was delighted. She had thought Xiao Hua was clever from the start, but it had been a pity that her face had not healed. Now that her face was restored, Chen Xiaopei felt that everything about Xiao Hua was perfect.
Looking at the well behaved Xiao Hua and then thinking of her own son still asleep, Chen Xiaopei felt deep envy toward Jiang Chan.
“Wuyou, come in quickly. I’ve already prepared your room. Go take a look and see if you need anything,” Chen Xiaopei said, pulling Xiao Hua inside. Jiang Chan followed and changed her shoes. Chen Xiaopei’s husband, Hu Zhi, was sitting on the sofa watching television.
When he saw Jiang Chan enter, Hu Zhi stood up immediately to greet her. Jiang Chan nodded to him and gently pushed Xiao Hua forward.
“I’m going back to the province today and will probably be gone for about a week. During this time, I’ll have to trouble you to look after Wuyou.”
In front of outsiders, Jiang Chan never called Xiao Hua by her childhood name, instead calling her Wuyou directly. As a result, very few people knew her nickname.
Hu Zhi was a police officer, upright and principled. Upon hearing Jiang Chan’s request, he immediately nodded.
“Auntie, you’re being too polite. We all like Wuyou very much. Please feel at ease and go back to the province.”
“She’s very easy to take care of and causes no trouble at all.”
Even Hu Zhi, who was usually strict and serious, could not help but smile when looking at Xiao Hua, showing just how fond of her he truly was.
Discover more from Lilly Translations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Thanks for the chapter!