There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Fallen Republican Era Young Lady X The Overseas-Educated Paternal Aunt

Ruan Jiyun woke up early the next morning. Seeing that Qingniang was still fast asleep, she didn’t disturb her. She quietly dressed, grabbed her textbooks, and went to the courtyard to study.

She had Jiang Peifeng to thank for learning the Western language. At first, Ruan Jiyun felt dizzy looking at the tadpole-like foreign script, and her tongue would tie into knots. The sounds felt strange, and she found it difficult to speak. Jiang Peifeng noticed her concerns and voluntarily shared her methods for learning Western languages, one of which was reading aloud every day.

“The Western language, actually, works just like a child learning to speak. The more you open your mouth and speak, the more you get used to it. There’s a saying called ‘developing a sense of language.’ See how babies stammer when they first learn to speak? The more they say, the smoother it gets.”

Ruan Jiyun trusted Jiang Peifeng’s words implicitly. Apart from the initial awkwardness, after three months, she could stumble through a few long sentences. This habit of morning reading stayed with her.

She sat under the sycamore tree in the corner of the courtyard. This spot was far from the side rooms, so she wouldn’t disturb anyone’s sleep. As she was reading with her head down, she suddenly felt a gaze on her.

Ruan Jiyun looked up and immediately saw Jining huddled against the wall, quietly observing her.

“Good morning, Sister Ning.” Ruan Jiyun felt a touch of pity for this younger cousin. Her aunt had a severe reaction when she was pregnant with Jining, fully expecting another son, but was disappointed to have another daughter. That disappointment, plus the suffering during childbirth, was all projected onto the child.

If Ruan Jiyun could still rely on her father’s living allowance to receive a grudgingly kind face from her aunt, Jining was an even more pitiful child, having to do chores daily and often getting scolded or beaten.

The child, almost ten, looked small and frail. Her clothes were hand-me-downs from her older siblings, dangling loosely on her like a sack. Thinking of this, Ruan Jiyun’s smile softened a bit: “What are you doing here?”

Jining had a good impression of the cousin who had given her meat. She said quietly: “I’m boiling water and cooking porridge, so everyone will have hot water and hot porridge when they wake up.”

“You do all these chores alone?” Ruan Jiyun frowned slightly, only now noticing the numerous scratches on Ruan Jining’s hands from the firewood. She stood up: “I’ll help you.”

Jining shook her head, smiling: “I’m used to it, Cousin. What are you doing? I keep hearing you muttering, but I don’t understand.”

Ruan Jiyun simply invited her to sit next to her and showed her the textbook: “I’m learning French. This is what foreigners speak. Once I learn it, I can communicate with them.”

Jining looked timidly at the script on the page. She wanted to reach out and touch it, but saw her dirty hands and only said quietly with envy: “Cousin, you’re amazing. I saw a foreigner in town once… with red eyebrows and green eyes. Mother said they eat children…”

“Foreigners are just like us. They don’t eat children,” Ruan Jiyun laughed. “It’s just that the cultures are different, so we feel unfamiliar with each other. By the way, Jining, do you go to school?”

The little girl lowered her head shyly: “The clan did build a school in the past two years, but… but Mother said girls don’t need to waste money on studying. Boys need to become officials or businessmen later, but girls just need to be diligent and capable.”

Ruan Jiyun knew this perspective well. She saw the little girl staring eagerly at the book, looking much like her younger self. She thought for a moment, took out a pen and paper, and wrote down two names.

“These are our two names, Ruan Jiyun and Ruan Jining. Take a look.”

On the white paper were several neatly written characters. Ruan Jining stared blankly at the paper and exclaimed: “Our two names look a bit similar, but you, Cousin, are like a fairy, and I… using a name so similar to yours isn’t worthy.”

Ruan Jiyun folded the paper and put it into Jining’s hand: “What is ‘worthy’ or ‘unworthy’? You are not less than anyone else. Just come find me when you have time these days, and I’ll teach you to write.”

Jining’s eyes widened in surprise. Before she could say anything more, her aunt’s sharp voice came from the back kitchen: “Ningniang! Ningniang, you dead girl, where are you hiding to be lazy again?”

The little girl jumped up in alarm. She carefully hid the paper slip deep in her pocket and then reluctantly ran towards the back kitchen.

Ruan Jiyun watched her retreating figure. She might have ended up like Jining, always feeling inferior, believing she was destined to be a lesser being. But, she took a deep breath, she knew she could change, didn’t she?

After breakfast, the aunt began arranging for Ruan Jiyun to go and pay respects at her father’s grave. Father Jiang had already instructed the housekeeper to prepare a batch of offerings, such as incense, candles, and paper money, which had been delivered with the car, so there was no need to buy more. However, Ruan Jiyun noticed that besides her uncle and aunt, Ruan Xiaoxian was also included in the party.

“During the Qingming Festival these past few years, you were in mourning and couldn’t return, so Xiaoxian kowtowed and burned paper for his Third Uncle,” the aunt said proudly. “Xiaoxian is so close to his Third Uncle…”

Ruan Jiyun looked at her cousin’s increasingly round figure over the years, pursed her lips, and said no more. The group took the supplies and walked up the hill.

Ruan’s father was buried in a sunny spot in the Ruan family’s ancestral graveyard. Although the tomb was not particularly grand, the stone steps were clean. Uncle Ruan boasted: “We diligently come to sweep the grave during the four seasons and three major festivals, so rest assured, Yunniang.”

Ruan Jiyun looked at the inscription on the tombstone. She remembered that although her father was busy running his business for many years and they didn’t spend much time together, every time he returned, he would certainly show her the utmost care and affection. Having lost her mother at a young age, she was very dependent on her father. Thinking of this, her eyes filled with tears.

“Father, I am doing very well at the Jiang family. I’ve also learned to read and write, and I will definitely achieve something in the future,” she silently prayed in front of the grave. “Please watch over me from heaven, and watch me go further in the world.”

Having been away from home for a long time, she naturally spent a longer time at the grave. Her uncle and a few neighbors stood far away, smoking and chatting, not feeling the wait. However, Ruan Xiaoxian, who was being forced to kneel by his aunt, was becoming impatient.

He was already plump, and kneeling on the stone bricks for a long time made his whole body ache. In addition, the summer sun was intense, stinging his neck with heat. He scratched impatiently for a long time and then simply wanted to stand up and cool off in the shade.

The aunt saw her son stand up and quickly pressed him down, coaxing him gently: “My little ancestor, you can’t be lazy right now. Your sister is still paying her respects.”

Ruan Xiaoxian complained: “Didn’t you say we would just sweep the grave once? Why is she taking so long? Mother, I’m tired. I want to rest.”

The aunt frowned: “It will be over soon. You kneel a little longer.” As she spoke, she glanced at Ruan Jiyun’s direction. Seeing that she hadn’t noticed, she simply pressed down on her son’s shoulder, forcibly preventing him from standing up.

Ruan Jiyun had finished her respects by now, only needing to burn the paper money and offerings. Seeing her stand up, the aunt quickly signaled to Xiaoxian, indicating for him to bring the fire bucket.

The fire bucket was a metal cage used to burn paper money so the ashes wouldn’t scatter in the wind. Ruan Xiaoxian’s legs were numb from kneeling. Reluctantly, he carried the fire bucket and threw it heavily toward the grave, inadvertently scattering a plume of ash directly onto the tombstone.

“Aiyoh! Did your sweaty hand slip?” The aunt, seeing Ruan Jiyun’s displeasure, immediately hit Ruan Xiaoxian: “You’re so grown up, and you’re still so clumsy! Hurry and burn the paper money with your Third Uncle…”

Ruan Jiyun silently took out her handkerchief and carefully wiped the spot of ash. Although she didn’t say a word, the indifference in her eyes was apparent to Ruan Xiaoxian. He was used to being spoiled; none of the sisters in the family dared to treat him with such coldness. The dissatisfaction in his heart immediately surfaced.

“It’s just a little ash. You’re acting like it’s a big deal,” he muttered quietly, grabbing a handful of paper money and tossing it into the fire bucket.

Ruan Jiyun reprimanded him without turning her head: “The person in this tomb is your elder. If you have this attitude, you shouldn’t come.”

“Then I won’t come! Do you think I actually wanted to?” Ruan Xiaoxian was lightly provoked by her and immediately retorted: “I’m only here because I pity you! And you dare to talk to me like that…”

He made a gesture to stand up, fully expecting Ruan Jiyun to try to keep him, but Ruan Jiyun had long seen through his indolent nature and only said coldly: “I don’t need your pity. This is my birth father, your biological Third Uncle. You should remember how kind he was to you when he was alive. Today, we came to pay respects to him, and you first showed impatience while kneeling, then you spilled ash on the tombstone. Do you think this is right?”

Ruan Xiaoxian turned his head away from her: “You dare to lecture me? Yunniang, you are very bold! When I’m adopted to Third Uncle, if you ever need help from your maiden family after you marry, I won’t help you with anything!”

The meaning implied in his last sentence made Ruan Jiyun momentarily stunned: “What nonsense are you talking about? What adoption? And why would I ever need to ask you for help?”

The aunt, hearing her son accidentally blurt out the truth, was sweating profusely and pulled at his sleeve, scolding: “What rubbish! Your Third Uncle has always loved you the most. It’s right for you to be a filial son for him. Stop arguing with your sister and deliberately making her angry!”

After speaking, she quickly tried to appease Ruan Jiyun: “Yunniang, he’s just a child. As his older sister, don’t take his words seriously… Hurry and burn the paper money for Third Uncle, and we’ll go back.”

Her stammering attitude only increased Ruan Jiyun’s suspicion. However, their commotion was attracting attention now, and the neighbors were looking over. Uncle Ruan rushed to the grave: “We’re here for a proper grave sweeping. What will the villagers think if you cause a scene?”

Arguing in front of her father’s tomb was inappropriate, so Ruan Jiyun had to temporarily suppress her questions. But she refused to let Ruan Xiaoxian intervene anymore and personally burned the paper offerings piece by piece. Seeing her face filled with coldness, Ruan Xiaoxian was even more upset. He snorted at her and simply stood far away, refusing to come forward no matter how much his aunt persuaded him.

The offerings were burned, and the sun was directly overhead. Uncle Ruan sighed, still oblivious to the situation, and said: “Now that the respects are paid, why don’t we go to the ancestral hall now and formally put Xiaoxian under Old Third’s name?”

The aunt desperately shook her head at her husband, but Ruan Jiyun understood everything now. She shot them a mocking glance and angrily said: “You’re still thinking about having Xiaoxian adopted by my father? Uncle and Aunt, I absolutely cannot agree to this!”

Uncle Ruan had assumed she still had her former meek nature and was stunned by her retort. He immediately sneered: “I already discussed this with the clan leader! You won’t agree? Where does a girl like you get the right to speak in the Ruan family?”

He was becoming anxious now, gesturing to his aunt: “What are you standing around for? Hurry and take Yunniang back!”

Seeing them finally reveal their true intentions—that all their pretense of kindness was still driven by this goal—Ruan Jiyun’s heart plummeted.

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