CH 85.1

Couple Outfits (1)

The closed door was pushed open and Wei Qinglian came in with some tea and a pale face.

She did not look at Qin Yuan and only silently refilled the teacups of both father and son before heading out again.

Qin Zhufeng coughed awkwardly. “Qinglian, wait for a moment.”

Wei Qinglian paused and turned her head, her eyes slightly red. “I’ve heard everything outside. I’m sorry. I didn’t want to eavesdrop, but since it’s concerning Xiao-Quan, I…”

Qin Zhufeng looked at her awkwardly. “What is your opinion? I think what Xiao-Yuan said is reasonable. Just let her be and don’t restrain her.”

Wei Qinglian’s eyebrows rose. Her expression was panicked and unwilling. “Zhufeng, we’re the parents. Xiao-Yuan is still a child. How can…”

Qin Yuan interrupted her indifferently, his voice calm. “Aunty Wei, do you sincerely approve of the book you gave Xiao-Quan, saying Chinese women should be virtuous?”

Wei Qinglian’s face turned red. “Of course. Is there something wrong?”

“It’s good then.” Qin Yuan nodded, his expression slightly cold. In ancient times, it was important for women to follow their husbands and for the eldest brother to serve as the father. I presume you agree to this. So, the father and elder brother should decide on such important matters. You and Xiao-Quan are in charge of complying.”

***

Qin Yuan stood in the open sales area of the city’s Xinhua Bookstore, with his sister Xiao-Siquan following him happily by his side. Uncle Yan stood on guard not far away, frequently surveying the people coming and going around.

“Don’t be in such a rush. Take your time to look around,” Qin Yuan said gently, taking a volume of beautifully bound encyclopedias into his hands. “We can take them all home if you’re interested.”

Xiao-Siquan asked in an excited whisper, “Then, can I really not attend the etiquette class every Sunday anymore?”

Qin Yuan’s expression was indifferent as he said, “Right. I’ve discussed with Father to stop all those training classes you don’t like. Of course, I’ll back off if you actually like them.”

The little girl’s pretty face was full of joy. “I don’t like the etiquette class. The teacher was fierce and even told us to practice all kinds of sitting postures. It’s exhausting!”

Qin Yuan’s eyebrows jumped and he patiently reassured her. “You don’t need to do any of those things anymore. If Xiao-Siquan likes to, she can attend a swimming class or a stamina training program. It can also make your body more healthy and pretty.”

Xiao-Siquan let out a cheer. “Wah! A girl in our class knows taekwondo and is very cool! A boy put a dead silkworm in her drawer. When she touched it, she felt the dead body of the silkworm…”

Qin Yuan cooperated by making an angry face. “That sucks.”

“Right! Then, she pounced over and hit that boy until he cried using taekwondo. Hahaha.” Xiao-Quan laughed heartily, her eyes brightening.

Qin Yuan asked gently, “Then, do the boys hate and fear her?”

The little girl thought it over for a moment. “No. She is good at studying and fighting. The boys all like her.”

“So, you see. The stronger you are, the more people will respect and like you. Isn’t that so?” Qin Yuan enlightened her in a warm voice. “If Xiao-Quan feels you don’t like something about what Mom and Dad do in the future, you can earnestly raise your objection, especially if you communicate more with Dad. He will understand. Got it?”

“Then, can I tell gege first?” The little girl looked at him bashfully, her eyes a little red at this moment. “Gege isn’t at home anymore. I miss gege so much.”

Qin Yuan faintly sighed in his heart, remembering his little sister’s naive cuteness years ago when she was learning to speak with stutters, and then thinking about how he used to tutor her on math-related problems, and felt a little sympathetic.

“Gege will go to university later and not be at home as much, but Xiao-Quan can contact gege on WeChat. If you’re unhappy or don’t understand, you must immediately tell me about it. I will put you in the right direction.”

“Can I also sign up for taekwondo?” the little girl immediately asked.

Qin Yuan couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “You can, but you can’t use it to bully others.”

“Mm! I will only hit whoever bullies me!”

“No problem. I’ll talk to Father. You can choose whether you want taekwondo or sanda*.”

*T/N: Sanda or sanshou: a combat sport in which two people fight against each other with their bare hands according to certain rules, using offensive and defensive techniques such as kicking, punching, and wrestling in the martial arts.

Uncle Yan next to him heard him say that and his heart slightly stirred. Not to mention anything else, Qin Zhufeng would probably really agree with this.

After all, he must feel it was good to take Qin Yuan’s side on this after the shadow of all those years.

The little girl suddenly became a little frustrated again. “What if Mommy disagrees? She said girls have to be graceful and beautiful.”

Qin Yuan said indifferently, “No problem. Isn’t she the most docile, virtuous, and obedient to her husband’s word? We’ll only need to persuade Father.”

The little girl happily went to pick out a book from the bookshelf. Uncle Yan quietly came over to Qin Yuan behind her and couldn’t help but whisper in his ear, “This child, why do you care so much about these things? Just let her mother teach her.”

He had been Qin Yuan’s personal bodyguard and driver since the tragic incident back then and had watched him grow up, so he was completely loyal to the boy. After observing her for a long time, he didn’t have a good impression of this stepmother.

She said she would have no kids before marrying him. Then, she was still unsatisfied with having a daughter and suddenly had a second child in her thirties. Who wouldn’t understand what she had in mind?

Fortunately, it was a daughter. Wouldn’t she have gotten on top of the motherless Qin Yuan if it had been a son?

He believed that Qin Yuan should not have bothered and let this foolish woman raise her daughter as she wanted to. Anyway, the Qin family definitely was wealthy enough to provide for these two generous dowries.