USWHC -Chapter 169 Flying Flower Snow (Part 9)

“Little sister, you’re almost sixteen this year. Have you thought much about life?” Unexpectedly, Ji Yi actually obediently went over to chat with Hua Feixue. Hearing such a grand opening line from him, Zhu Jie couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

Hua Feixue, seeing that only Ji Yi and Zhu Jie were left in the room, no longer looked at her surroundings with the same full-eyed disgust as before. She let out a soft sigh and said, “What can one do? A woman’s life is, after all, mostly about marrying a man and eating well.”

“So what kind of person do you wish to marry?” Ji Yi asked again, testing the waters.

Hua Feixue wasn’t naive. She spoke directly: “I understand what you mean, brother, but this really is my chance. To marry into a family like this is already quite good.”

Sighing, she added, “It’s a pity I was born to the wrong family! If I were born into a scholarly household, maybe I would have had better options—at least I could have married as a proper wife. But one cannot choose one’s birth.”

Zhu Jie quietly agreed with this. Indeed, one’s birth isn’t something anyone can choose.

Hua Feixue continued, “Even those rural bumpkins, brother, you know them—illiterate, not a single character to their name. If someone like me were to marry into that, I’d surely be wronged! Even Meizi hopes to marry well. I’m no worse than her—why should I settle for less?”

“Do you really think the Sun family is a good place?” Ji Yi asked, not trying to persuade her but genuinely curious.

“Of course the Sun family is good. The patriarch is a high-ranking official, my future husband holds a fifth-rank official position. In a family like that, people like us are barely even noticed. How could it not be good?” Hua Feixue said firmly.

Zhu Jie, however, heard only “official… official… official…”—this was an official-obsessed girl! Is being an official really that great?

“But they already have a formidable wife!” Ji Yi couldn’t help but warn her. “With your proud nature, you might suffer if you go there!”

“You’re mistaken, brother. I don’t know how his wife is, but as long as I have harmony with my husband and a dutiful son, how could I not have a good life?” Hua Feixue smiled calmly. “I trust that the young master has read widely and will enjoy conversing with me.”

Hearing this, Ji Yi didn’t argue further. He let out a long sigh and quietly stood up without saying more.

Outside, Old Madam Ji had been waiting. Seeing Ji Yi come out, she immediately asked, “How was it? What did she say?”

“Choosing someone or not… that depends mostly on the Sun family, on what the young master thinks. How could a debate between our two families decide?” Ji Yi didn’t answer directly, stating a simple fact instead.

Old Madam Ji was a little stunned. Indeed, it’s ultimately about the Sun family!

She immediately instructed Ji Yi, “Let’s go. Take the carriage home. We should make Meizi a couple more sets of clothes—who knows, maybe they’ll come to choose a bride soon!”

Sister-in-law You, wiping the sweet potato off her mouth, clambered onto the carriage and curiously asked Old Madam Ji, “Mother, what exactly did we come for today? Was it just to fight? Then why did we even bring sweet potatoes? What a waste!”

Hearing this, Zhu Jie couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. If anyone should think it a waste, it should be the Hua family! In the time those few were fighting, the rest of the Ji family were eating non-stop. That plate of sweet potatoes from the Hua family—at least ten pieces—was devoured to the last skin. And yet they had the nerve to lament a few small sweet potatoes?

Unexpectedly, Old Madam Ji frowned and said, “When did I ever fight? I came just to pay New Year’s respects! We haven’t seen them in so long, I wanted to see how Feixue is now, and whether she can compete with our Meizi!”

Hearing how serious she sounded, Zhu Jie was momentarily stunned. Are you sure you didn’t come to fight? That’s how you call paying New Year’s respects?

“It’s our own relatives. What’s there to fight about!” Old Madam Ji added, as if making it seem like they were practically one family with the Hua clan.

“Mother, you really didn’t come just to stir things up?” Ji Yi seemed incredulous. He thought his mother might have done it on purpose!

“What fight? I didn’t even get a bite of sweet potato because of her!” Old Madam Ji complained. “I just wanted to talk to her about this matter, who knew she’d react so strongly!”

Ji Mei immediately chimed in, “Exactly, mother, I didn’t even get any sweet potato either!”

Seeing the two of them look so wronged, Zhu Jie almost dropped her eyes in disbelief. Really? You didn’t come to fight? And yet you’re such skilled conversationalists! How did you survive all these years? Truly, a miracle!