63: Chapter 63 The Arrival of the Pedantic Great Uncle 63: Chapter 63 The Arrival of the Pedantic Great Uncle One night passed with each harboring their own thoughts and calculations.
Early next morning, before heading to the office, Zhou Xuennian made a detour to Wufu’s home.
Wufu was just about to take Ah Jiu to the cave in the mountain when she had barely helped Ah Jiu up when Madam Zhou rushed in, flustered, saying, “Wufu, quick, hide him, your uncle is here.”
Wufu was stunned, and before she could react, Madam Zhou had already pushed Ah Jiu onto the firewood pile and then grabbed a bundle of dry straw intending to cover him with it.
Ah Jiu was in a daze, and Wufu couldn’t help but laugh as she busily stopped her mother, saying, “Mother, there’s no need to go to such lengths.”
“Wufu, that’s your uncle, if he finds this person, then we’ll have no way to live!” Madam Zhou, however, had a grave look on her face.
She glanced at Ah Jiu, her eyes full of wariness and the expression of facing a problem.
The fear of trouble was quite akin to that of her daughter, Ah Jiu thought, seeing that look in her eyes.
“I will hide properly,” Ah Jiu said with a slight smile.
Despite that, Madam Zhou was still not reassured.
She hesitated to speak, but Wufu had already pushed her out and closed the firewood room door.
As the mother and daughter opened the door and went out, sure enough, Zhou Xuennian, her uncle, was standing outside with his hands behind his back, clearly displeased at their door opening.
“Dawdling, what were you doing only just now coming out?” Zhou Xuennian was very dissatisfied with having to wait.
Madam Zhou felt a little guilty and subconsciously wanted to glance toward the firewood room, but Wufu tugged at her and, busily composing herself, she smiled apologetically and said, “Big brother, why did you come over?”
Zhou Xuennian ignored her and only fixed his gaze on Wufu.
With one look, his brow furrowed.
In the past, his niece had a difficult nature, somewhat sharp, but she never made any serious mistakes.
Now, looking at her, why did she seem different?
The girl before him was slowly maturing, her figure erect, her demeanor composed and calm.
Her eyes were both black and bright, very spirited, making him think they were too bright, almost uncomfortable to look directly at.
Zhou Xuennian did not feeling.
In his perception, a woman should act demure and gentle, proper and soft, not , defiant and hard to manage.
Therefore, with just one look, Zhou Xuennian took an instant dislike to her, and his face grew darker, especially seeing that Wufu had not even greeted him properly, which made him even more displeased.
“The older you get, the less manners you show?
You don’t even greet your uncle when you see him?” Zhou Xuennian glared at Wufu and turned to Madam Zhou: “What kind of mother are you, teaching her ?”
“Big brother, I…” Madam Zhou felt rebuked and her face was fraught with fear.
“She’s fatherless, so you, her mother, should be even more attentive, shouldn’t you?
A girl should be chaste and modest, well-mannered and courteous, obedient and beautiful.
You also learned the ‘Female Precepts’ from father, don’t you know even this much?” Zhou Xuennian interrupted her and said coldly, “Or is it that with Father gone, you’ve grown bold and let her become unruly?”
Listening, Wufu’s brows slowly knitted together, and she looked at her uncle.
In her memory, she knew him to be pedantic, and his learning laden with so-called moral righteousness.
And now it seemed it was even more so.
Just by the way he looked at her and her mother, as if seeing something vile like dog feces or a fly, showed the extent of his aversion to them.
“What kind of look is that?” Zhou Xuennian caught Wufu’s gaze and his face turned a few shades darker.
Wufu opened her mouth, but before she could utter a sound, Madam Zhou pressed down on her head, saying, “Wufu, quickly perform your greeting to your uncle.”
Wufu had not expected a woman of her build to have such strength, pressing down so hard that her neck was bent.
Her mother, Madam Zhou, was she both afraid and in awe of this uncle?