A Thousand Good Things - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I always did exactly as my mother said. I nodded and told Mother everything that had happened at Zhou Manor during this time.

“Zi’an didn’t like me at first, so I deliberately flattered him, just as you told me to. Zhou Yu is strict and old-fashioned. He says children shouldn’t be coddled, and they definitely shouldn’t only think about pleasure-that makes them indolent and unambitious. So I deliberately went against Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu forbade Zi’an from wearing splendid clothes, so I used the fine fabrics you gave me to make him many new outfits. Zhou Yu told Zi’an to value simplicity, so I deliberately gave Zi’an a lot of money to spend as he pleased…”

My mother nodded in satisfaction after listening. “My child is so clever. Keep doing this from now on. Ruin that child, and everything that belongs to Zhou Yu will be our Changde’s in the future. I also heard from your father recently that Zhou Yu has been promoted again. But that’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is the privilege to have one son benefit from his father’s rank. As long as that child is ruined, the hereditary privilege will fall to Changde.”

I nodded, thinking that my mother’s words made perfect sense.

At that moment, my third younger sister entered the room. Hearing what Mother said, she talked back again: “Mother is teaching Second Sister such things again, corrupting her. Aren’t you afraid that Second Brother-in-law will hear about it and forbid Second Sister from returning to her maiden home, saying that you, old mother-in-law, are inciting Second Sister to mistreat his son?”

Mother shot her a glare. “What ‘old mother-in-law’? I’m still young.”

My third sister sat down beside me, teasing Zhou Changde with a rattle-drum and then pinching his cheeks. Mother slapped her hand away. “Have you washed your hands? If not, don’t touch the child.”

My third sister stuck out her tongue.

Ever since my third sister got married, Mother would say to her every time they met: “Look at the man you married. Our family may not be wealthy and noble, but we are still an official household. All your siblings’ marriages are matches of equal status, or even a step up. Only you married a poor scholar with nothing to his name.”

My third sister had chosen her husband herself. Mother had been unwilling at first, but she couldn’t resist my third sister’s threat of suicide.

“Mother, aren’t you being narrow-minded again? You taught me to read so many books and taught me that people are neither noble nor base. So why, when it comes to my marriage, do you sort people into ranks?”

“Anyway, it was you who taught me that family background and wealth aren’t important; what matters is character.”