Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Zhao Zhitong’s Thoughts
242 Zhao Zhitong’s Thoughts
Zhao Zhitong was speechless for a moment. Suddenly, her spirits drooped.
So, Zhao Zhitong returned to the kitchen dejectedly and sat beside her aunt, Sun Lan. Like a little adult, she lowered her head and began to ponder: Why doesn’t that lady, Zhou Meiniang, like me?
After thinking and thinking, she still couldn’t figure it out. I’m so cute and smart!
Grandpa Bai watched her. This child is getting more and more narcissistic, he thought.
Seeing the young girl still deep in thought with her head down, Grandpa Bai felt this was the perfect opportunity to enlighten and educate her.
So, he closed his book, sat up straight, and said solemnly, "Young girl, you must understand that no one in this world can be liked by everyone. Even silver isn’t liked by everyone all the time."
Seeing the young girl listening attentively, Grandpa Bai continued, "Young girl, in this world, even if you do everything perfectly and are an excellent person, some people will still sneer at you for various reasons. And even if you are unremarkable, you will still have close friends who understand and know you."
"So, just be yourself and go with the flow. Don’t try to cater to everyone and lose yourself. Don’t neglect genuine enthusiasm, and don’t try to win over indifference."
After listening to Grandpa Bai’s words, Zhao Zhitong drooped her head and thought for a while. It seemed like she understood, yet also like she didn’t quite get it.
Anyway, she summarized it into one sentence and declared happily, "Grandpa Bai, I know what you mean! You’re saying, ’I am who I am. If you like me, great. If you don’t, then get lost!’"
After saying that, she asked cheerfully, "Grandpa Bai, am I right?"
Grandpa Bai was silent for a moment. Were those really my words?
Seeing Grandpa Bai’s silence, Zhao Zhitong assumed he agreed with her and immediately said happily, "Then I understand, Grandpa Bai!"
With that, she sprang up from the small stool, startling Sun Lan beside her. Sun Lan quickly looked at Zhao Zhitong and asked nervously, "Tongtong, what’s wrong? Did you get burned?"
Zhao Zhitong’s little face was wreathed in smiles as she shouted, "Aunt, I’m going to play with my cousins now!"
After saying that, she ran into the courtyard.
The two aunts laughed. "Ah, she’s still just a child, flitting from one idea to the next. One moment she’s sitting there pretending to be an adult, and the next she’s off playing wildly."
At this time, her little cousins were playing in the courtyard. Near the courtyard entrance, her Younger Uncle was talking to Zhou Meiniang.
Just then, her Younger Uncle must have said something, because Zhou Meiniang was covering her lips with a handkerchief, giggling shyly, her face flushed.
She looked very delicate and coy.
Zhao Zhitong only glanced at them before going straight to find Sun Daqing and the others.
Just then, Sun Youcai turned his head and saw Zhao Zhitong. A smile immediately spread across his face. As usual, he subconsciously waved to Zhao Zhitong and called out, "Tongtong, come here! Let your Younger Uncle take a look at you."
Hearing her Younger Uncle’s call, Zhao Zhitong instinctively wanted to run over. But when her gaze fell on Zhou Meiniang standing beside him, she stopped.
Seeing Zhao Zhitong hadn’t come over, Sun Youcai was a little puzzled. "You little rascal, what are you hesitating for? Come on! Don’t you like your Younger Uncle anymore?"
Zhao Zhitong pouted her small lips, then trotted over.
Sun Youcai immediately reached out, lifted Zhao Zhitong, and bounced her in the air a couple of times, laughing. "My, you’ve gotten heavier again! Let me see, have you gotten chubbier?"
Zhao Zhitong puffed out her cheeks, denying indignantly, "No, I haven’t! I’ve grown taller!"
Sun Youcai couldn’t help but chuckle. After putting Zhao Zhitong down, he said to Zhou Meiniang, "This is my niece I told you about, Tongtong. Isn’t she adorable?"
In front of Sun Youcai, Zhou Meiniang was no longer as cold towards Zhao Zhitong as she had been just moments before. With a smile, she said, "Yes, she really is adorable."
"Right?" Sun Youcai beamed, his eyes shining as if showing off a precious treasure. "I’m telling you, everyone who meets my niece likes her. She’s clever, adorable, and Mr. Meng from Xiaoyi Village, you know him? He personally accepted my niece as his student..."
Zhao Zhitong stared at Zhou Meiniang. Younger Uncle is so clueless! she thought. Can’t he see that the ’beauty’ is displeased?
After Sun Youcai had finished showering Zhao Zhitong with praise, Zhou Meiniang casually remarked, "I just noticed that everyone in your family seems to dote on her a lot."
Sun Youcai didn’t see any problem with that and affirmed, "Of course! Tongtong is our family’s Little Lucky Star, so naturally, she’s doted on."
Zhou Meiniang nodded and then asked, "She’s your sister’s daughter, right? Why does she come to your house every day?"
Sun Youcai replied, "Oh, Tongtong is learning medicine from my father. Let me tell you, in our entire family, Tongtong has the most talent for medicine."
A flicker of some emotion crossed Zhou Meiniang’s eyes, but she kept a smile on her face. "Oh, so that’s how it is. I was wondering. By the way, I heard your family is a medical family. Why would you pass on your ancestral knowledge to an outsider?"
At these words, Sun Youcai’s brow instinctively furrowed. He looked at Zhou Meiniang, his smile fading considerably, and stated firmly, "Tongtong is not an outsider."
Sun Youcai’s sudden change in expression made Zhou Meiniang’s heart skip a beat. She quickly tried to explain, "That’s not what I meant. I meant to say..."
But Sun Youcai suddenly smiled and waved his hand. "I know that’s not what you meant. You just don’t know our family well enough yet, that’s why you said that."
Zhou Meiniang instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
The two of them then started chatting about other things.
Zhao Zhitong, forced to be the third wheel nearby, looked utterly helpless. ...
Fortunately, just then, Sun Youcai told Zhao Zhitong to go play. Zhao Zhitong practically fled.
Sun Youcai and Zhou Meiniang then went to the Main Hall together.
「 」
According to Grandmother, Younger Uncle was very pleased with Zhou Meiniang. He had already given her a red envelope, and the two families had agreed on an auspicious date for the engagement.
After that, everyone dispersed.
The members of the Zhou Clan who had come this time were Mr. Zhou, Mrs. Zhou, and Zhou Meiniang’s younger brother, Zhou Hai.
After the four of them left Sun Village, Mrs. Zhou remarked with satisfaction, "Although the Sun Family’s house is a bit run-down, they said they’re planning to build a new one next year. And judging by their talk of betrothal gifts, it seems they can offer quite a lot. It looks like the matchmaker was right; the Sun Family really does have some wealth!"
"If we can ally ourselves with such a family through marriage, my son will also benefit greatly."
Her tone was full of contentment with the Sun Family.
Zhou Meiniang, however, was thinking about Zhao Zhitong. "Mother," she said, "I noticed something very strange. The Sun Clan members don’t even dote on their own grandsons as much as they dote on that low-born girl from their daughter’s side."
"They even call her the family’s Little Lucky Star! And the Sun Family’s medical heritage is also being passed down to that low-born girl. Do you think that girl’s family is trying to use her to freeload off the Sun Family, or perhaps even to snatch their inheritance?"
Zhou Meiniang really disliked Zhao Zhitong. She couldn’t understand it. She’s just a silly little chit of a girl! Why do so many people dote on her? They treat her like she’s some precious treasure, but she’s still just a low-born brat! Even Sun Youcai was like that; whenever he mentioned his niece, his eyes would light up, which made Zhou Meiniang extremely displeased.