Chapter 292: The Lecture

 Chapter 292: The Lecture

"Why bother provoking her?"

Xiao Yeyang shook his head at Yan Wenxiu, who was left speechless by the rebuke.

"Exactly, brother!"

Yan Wenkai approached, patted his elder brother's shoulder, and earnestly advised, "You still don’t understand our sister, do you? She’s smart, quick-witted, and articulate. If she’s in the wrong, maybe you’d have a chance. But this time, she’s clearly in the right. How could you outargue her?"

"And now look—got yourself scolded, didn’t you?"

Serves you right!

Yan Wenxiu was about to speak, but Xiao Yeyang glanced over and said, "Daohua isn’t like other noblewomen. Why do you insist on using conventional standards to restrain her? Can’t you just let her live happily and freely?"

In his opinion, teasing a merchant’s child wasn’t a big deal.

Besides, Daohua had been polite enough—she didn’t name names or embarrass anyone outright. She merely made a few indirect remarks. What was wrong with that?

Yan Wenkai nodded in agreement. "Exactly, brother. Girls have delicate minds and think deeper than we do. We should just give way to them. Why would you go and make trouble for yourself?"

Hearing this, Su Hongxin immediately chimed in with a grin, "Wow, Yan Wenkai, who would’ve thought you could be so considerate of women?"

Yan Wenkai puffed up with pride. "I only have one sister, of course I’ll spoil her."

Yan Wenxiu glanced over. "What do you mean, one sister? Where does that leave Yihuan and the others?"

Yan Wenkai froze, then chuckled sheepishly. "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. I meant one full-blooded sister." He muttered under his breath, "I only like my eldest sister anyway."

Seeing him like this, Yan Wenxiu sighed and was about to say something when Dong Yuanxuan approached, also patting him on the shoulder. "Wenxiu, having a sister like Yan Yiyi isn’t a bad thing. Being indulgent toward family is a virtue in my book."

He himself was extremely lenient with his sister Yuanyao.

Coming from a noble family meant living with many constraints, so his sister's unrestrained, joyful smile was especially precious to him. He cherished her laughter and wanted to protect it forever.

He sighed as he spoke.

"Now that our sisters are growing up so quickly, they won’t stay home much longer. A little indulgence won’t hurt."

Yan Wenxiu opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Zhou Chengye came over, adding his voice to the discussion. "I understand you’re worried about stirring up trouble and affecting the relationship between your maternal family and the Fang family. But honestly, with both families already betrothed, small matters like this are nothing to make a fuss over."

"But in this case, I’m standing with Daohua."

"Your family is simple—your father only has two concubines—so you might not know much about the petty squabbles among women. My mother is considered formidable, yet even she has suffered at the hands of my father’s concubines."

"Let me tell you, no woman is truly simple. That Sun family girl clearly has ulterior motives. If you let her off this time, who knows what trouble she’ll stir up in the future."

"Sometimes, a little pushback is necessary. Being overly accommodating doesn’t work, especially when the Fang family is clearly trying to latch onto your family. If they still don’t treat your cousin well, that’s truly out of line."

Yan Wenxiu stood there, stunned, as everyone took turns berating him. He felt utterly defeated.

All he did was offer a word of advice to his eldest sister out of consideration for their uncle and aunt’s reputation, worried about the matter escalating. Yet he was scolded by his sister and bombarded by his friends, leaving him no chance to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Yan Wenxiu reflected on the lecture. Despite feeling chastised, he realized that their words held merit.

His sister's words, in particular, struck a chord.

He knew he had many shortcomings. Growing up in a simple environment, he often failed to consider things thoroughly. Though his father had concubines, his mother had never complained in front of him. As a result, he’d never truly considered her feelings.

Now, thinking back, he felt deeply unfilial.

Every time his eldest sister clashed with their father, it was to defend their mother.

And what about him?
He had never once stood up for his mother!

This realization left Yan Wenxiu filled with remorse.

Seeing him fall silent, Xiao Yeyang and the others said no more. They turned their attention to the distant group flying kites, laughing and chatting about other topics.

Meanwhile, Fang Hao watched the lively figure in blue on the grass, his emotions in turmoil.

Though Daohua's words were harsh, they were undeniably insightful.

Glancing at his nephew, who stood with his head bowed, Fang Hao said flatly, "Don’t blame Yan Yi for being blunt. If it weren’t for them, I would’ve had a few words for you myself."

"It’s one thing to charm women, but failing to turn them down? That’s incompetence."

"Never hesitate when making decisions. Life only gives you so many opportunities to move forward. If you’re indecisive, you may lose them."

"Take the Li family, for example. They’ve only just risen in the last two or three years. They lack foundation and connections and need the Fang family’s support in the business world. Otherwise, your engagement to the Li girl would’ve been in jeopardy."

"Yan Yi made a valid point. Since both families are seeking mutual benefit, you should fulfill your part of the bargain."

"I don’t care whether your feelings for the Sun girl are real or fake, but you need to understand that you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Choose one, and let the other go."

"Throughout history, those who’ve been greedy for both have never met a good end."

"Our branch of the family rests entirely on your shoulders. If you don’t handle your relationship with your wife’s family well, you might end up truly isolated."

These words deeply moved Fang Liangji. When Fang Hao finished, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Uncle, for your guidance. I recognize my mistakes."

Fang Hao nodded and said no more.

Sometimes, it’s best to stop once the point is made. Overexplaining only leads to annoyance.

Fang Liangji glanced at Fang Hao, then turned to look at the Young Prince and his group a short distance to the left. After a moment, he shifted his gaze to the right, where Sun Yongyi and his companions stood a few meters away, sighing inwardly.

Is this the difference between merchant families and noble households?

Merchants tend to focus on the immediate and the superficial, while aristocratic families delve into the essence of matters, emphasizing long-term benefits. Even the Yan family daughter, despite being a woman, had astonishing knowledge and insight.

Now he finally understood why merchants were willing to bleed themselves dry just to associate with noble families.

When you're operating on different levels, the issues you consider are entirely different. Sometimes, a few words of wisdom could benefit a person for a lifetime.

This time, he had truly gained a lot.

"Yiyi, my kite is higher than yours. I win!"

"That doesn’t count! My kite just fell. Give me a moment, and my pig head will definitely fly higher than yours."

"Hahaha! That’s hilarious. Eagles are naturally the kings of the sky. How could your pig head possibly compare to mine?"

"A hero isn’t defined by their origins—pig heads can soar to the heavens too!"

Hearing the playful banter in the distance, smiles appeared on Xiao Yeyang and the others’ faces.

Nearby, Fang Hao couldn’t take his eyes off the scene. His gaze stayed on the lively figure in blue running joyfully across the grass.

One moment, she was arguing with her elder brother; the next, she was laughing and playing with her friends. Someone like this must have an incredibly open heart.

"Yiyi..."

What a fitting name!

(End of Chapter)