Chapter 280 Instigating Wan Ziyan to Go Home for the New Year
Wan Ziyan admitted his mistake very quickly.
Tao Ran and Wan Qiqi stood there dumbfounded.
Is this really Wan Ziyan?
He actually apologized?
Tao Ran had prepared a speech, but was caught off guard by the sudden apology.
He even forgot that he was the head of the academy and his identity as a teacher.
Wan Ziyan raised his eyes and said solemnly, "Brother Tao, thank you for your arrangements during this time, which have made everything stable. I am currently penniless and have nothing to repay you with. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do my utmost to help you."
Tao Ran was quite pleased when she heard his first sentence, thinking that Wan Ziyan had finally come to his senses!
But the second half of the sentence sounded wrong to him no matter how he listened to it.
Seeing that the two had reconciled, Wan Qiqi didn't give them a chance to think too much and hurriedly said, "Stop apologizing and thanking us nonstop. We're friends, it's only right that we help each other out."
Chen Yongnian agreed, "Yes, what you say is very true, madam."
Wan Ziyan and Tao Ran both looked at Chen Yongnian at the same time.
They realized that no matter what Wan Qiqi said, Chen Yongnian would always agree.
Chen Yongnian was unimpressed, staring straight up at the two of them, unaware of his own problem.
The four of them moved together to Wan Ziyan's new courtyard.
Tao Ran had a table of food and wine ordered and sent over.
The four of them sat in the courtyard drinking and eating, as if all the gloom had been dispelled.
Wan Qiqi noticed that Wan Ziyan's smile seemed forced, and he drank each glass of wine quickly, as if he was trying to get himself drunk.
Tao Ran also noticed the problem but did not stop it.
He held his wine glass and stared at Wan Ziyan for a long time before saying, "With the New Year approaching, Ziyan, are you planning to spend the holiday alone in this new courtyard?"
"If Brother Tao were to abandon his wife and children to accompany me, I would not mind." Wan Ziyan smiled and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.
Ah Lai, who was serving nearby, heard Tao Ran's words and interjected, "Headmaster Tao, the young master is not alone. I am here to accompany him!"
Tao Ran used to treat his servants very well, and A Lai was someone who had been by Wan Ziyan's side for many years and knew Tao Ran's personality well.
After a while, he learned that it wouldn't hurt to chime in a few words when the two were talking.
Tao Ran glared at Wan Ziyan, "You wish! During the New Year, wouldn't it be better for me to spend time with my beautiful wife? Why should I come and keep an eye on you, a down-on-your-luck scholar? You should come to my house; you can keep an eye on A-Jing for me."
"You're dreaming." Wan Ziyan propped his head up, his eyes slightly hazy, as if he were a little drunk. He said, "You want to take care of your sister and watch you and your wife be affectionate? Why don't you just pay your wages and go back to be your sister's teacher?"
"This idea is feasible!" Tao Ran laughed and slapped the table, saying, "Master Wan, tell me, how much silver would it cost to hire you?"
Wan Ziyan flicked his sleeve, turned his face away, and didn't want to pay any attention to Tao Ran.
He picked up his wine glass and called out to Chen Yongnian to drink with him.
Wan Qiqi snatched the wine glass away with lightning speed. "Second Brother, he can't drink. One cup and he's done. If he gets drunk, I won't be able to go back to the village today!"
Wan Ziyan raised an eyebrow, downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, and reached for the wine pot.
Wan Qiqi took the wine pot away before he could, saying, "You can't drink anymore either; drinking is bad for your health!"
Wan Ziyan put down his wine glass and sighed, "They won't allow this, they won't allow that, what else can I do?"
Wan Qiqi's eyes darted around and she said, "You can come back to the Chen family with me for the New Year. It's a good opportunity to teach Yongnian to read. There are also my second and third brothers and three little devils at home. I can teach them all together!"
Wan Ziyan curled his lip. "Trying to treat me like a free tutor?"
"How could I? I'll treat you to the best food and drink. If you feel you should pay for the repairs, I can pay for them too," Wan Qiqi said, looking troubled.
Tao Ran understood that Wan Qiqi was inviting Wan Ziyan to the Chen family for the New Year.
Although the idea of a brother from the wife's family spending the Lunar New Year at the husband's family's home sounds absurd, it's not entirely unacceptable.
Wan Ziyan has no family now, and he's worried about spending the New Year alone here. Going back with Wan Qiqi is a good thing.
Moreover, he had met the Chen family members before, and they were all very nice; they would certainly treat Wan Ziyan well.
Wan Ziyan's face showed a hint of hesitation.
Long ago, when he opposed his sister's relationship with Chen Yongnian, he said he would go to the Chen family, but he has never been there since.
If it were in the past, he would definitely have accepted Wan Qiqi's invitation.
But now... news of his adoptive father has spread far and wide, making his situation particularly awkward.
It wasn't that he didn't want to go, but he was worried that the villagers would have opinions about it, which would be bad for Wan Qiqi's reputation.
Chen Yongnian understood Wan Qiqi's meaning and continued, "Second Brother, nothing is prepared in the new house. Why don't you come to my place for the New Year? For so many years, none of your wife's family members have visited..."
These words caused Wan Ziyan's expression to change.
Wan Qiqi has been married for six or seven years, yet the Wan family has never been to Lotus Village even once.
In the past, when a new bride gave birth, her family would always go to her husband's family to take care of her.
Chen Yongnian meant that none of the Wan family members went to see Wan Qiqi after she gave birth!
Wan Qiqi bumped into Chen Yongnian.
Let him use reverse psychology, I didn't let him say that!
The name Wanjiacun, Wanjiajia, was almost a taboo subject for Wan Ziyan; it couldn't be mentioned, otherwise Wan Ziyan would become indignant.
Wan Qiqi actually understood why no one from the Wan family came.
Who told the original owner to act like a vampire, constantly demanding things from her family after her marriage?
Although no one went there, I remember that the Wan family seemed to have sent someone to deliver something.
Tao Ran pressed her advantage, adding the final nail in the coffin: "As for reputation, Qi Qi can earn it back herself, but her family isn't something she can summon with a single word. I've heard Qi Qi has two children and has never even met her uncle..."
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