Returning to the Sun Family, the servants reported that several clan elders had been waiting for quite so ti. Sun Die frowned slightly, sighed helplessly, and walked toward the main hall.
"Sun Die greets Sixth Master, Ninth Master, and Seventeenth Master."
Seated at the top were three Sun Clan Elders, among whom the Seventeenth Master was just over forty years old, yet held senior rank.
"Sun Die!"
Sixth Master, with graying whiskers and cloudy eyes, lowered his head and asked:
"How have you considered that matter?"
"This..." Sun Die’s expression shifted slightly:
"Yu Yanghong and I will have children."
"If you do, that would be best," Ninth Master interjected:
"But what if you never have any? The Sun family’s business needs soone to inherit it, and your branch needs descendants to continue the family line, this is a major matter that cannot be ignored."
"Indeed." Seventeenth Master nodded:
"In my opinion, you should adopt a child from another branch into your family’s na. The child from Mingzai’s family in the eighth branch might be a good choice."
"No!"
Sun Die’s eyes changed sharply:
"Sun Ming is addicted to gambling; how can his child enter the main house?"
"Mingzai has already quit gambling," Ninth Master said:
"Moreover, the child is still young and rembers nothing, their character can be shaped by nurture, just teach them well when the ti cos."
"Exactly!"
"Precisely, precisely!"
"..."
The three clan elders spoke one after another, all urging Sun Die to adopt a child, spouting reasoning entirely for the continuation of the main family’s line.
Sun Die was shaking with anger.
She managed the family business, and if she shifted her focus to educating a child, she would inevitably neglect the business, giving the other branches a pretext to ddle.
Moreover...
The child she would be teaching was soone else’s!
How could she resign herself to this?
"Sun Die."
Just as she was about to lose her temper, Sixth Master spoke solemnly:
"You’ve been unable to conceive, do you wish for the main house to have no heirs?"
Sun Die’s delicate body swayed, her face full of bitterness.
After a long while.
She slowly said:
"This matter is of great consequence. I cannot decide on my own. I ask the three clan elders to grant so ti to discuss it with my husband first."
"It’s always like this, how much longer do you need?" Seventeenth Master slamd the table and stood up:
"You can’t give birth yourself, no matter how long you delay, it will still be the sa!"
"Shut up!"
Sun Die raised her head suddenly and shouted in a hoarse voice:
"The Sun Family’s business was built by my grandfather, what does it have to do with you? Do you really think I won’t dare to drive you away because of your seniority?"
"Nonsense!"
Seventeenth Master was shaking with anger:
"I am an elder, how dare you disrespect ..."
"Enough!" Sixth Master’s voice sank:
"We are here to discuss matters, not to quarrel; what kind of behavior is this bickering?"
He continued:
"Sun Die, it’s true that your grandfather was capable, but without the foundation laid by the Sun family’s ancestors, and without the help of other branches, the Sun’s Cloth Shop wouldn’t be where it is today."
"The other branches don’t owe your main house anything."
"Hmph!" Sun Die snorted softly.
She was well aware of how much of the profit from the Sun’s Cloth Shop was divided among the other branches, and it was evident how many idle people of the Sun family the main house supported.
She was tired of arguing.
"If you can have your own children, that would naturally be best, but dragging it out forever isn’t an option. So..."
"We’ll co again in a month, and if there is no legitimate reason by then, you should seriously consider adopting a child."
"..." Sun Die’s facial muscles tensed, and after a long period, she slowly nodded:
"Alright!"
*
*
*
At night.
Yu Yanghong, reeking of alcohol, drunkenly pushed the door open and entered, seeing his already dressed and grood wife, he gleefully lunged at her.
"My dear!"
"Where have you been?" Sun Die covered her nose and mouth lightly, repeatedly retreating:
"Why do you sll so strongly of alcohol?"
"I went to see my cousin from the sa family," Yu Yanghong replied:
"He’s about to get married, and I promised to give him one of the three stores in the West Market, so he can have his own business."
"He was so happy that he made drink so alcohol."
"What?"
Sun Die’s expression changed dramatically:
"How could you casually make such a promise?"
"..." Yu Yanghong opened his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes:
"You won’t agree?"
"He’s my only brother, and since I ca to the Sun Family, he’s the only bloodline of the Yu Family. How could I not show any gesture for his wedding?"
"But... it’s not right to promise him a store," Sun Die stomped her foot:
"This isn’t a small matter!"
"Fine!" Yu Yanghong’s face withdrew its smile, wiped away the tears, and nodded:
"I’ll go back and tell him that my promise doesn’t count, that my only brother isn’t worth a store to you."
"The Yu Family people are worthless!"
Saying this, he turned and prepared to leave.
"Don’t!"
Sun Die hurried forward and grabbed Yu Yanghong, her expression shifting several tis before sighing:
"Since you’ve already said it, then give it to him, but ask first in the future. After all, we need to give others an explanation."
"I knew my wife cares about ." Yu Yanghong, overjoyed, turned around and hugged Sun Die, spinning her around on the spot:
"You’re the head of the Sun Family, there’s no need to explain to anyone else."
"It’s not that simple." Sun Die felt sweet as honey seeing her husband’s face full of joy, but she still said:
"The Sun’s Cloth Shop belongs to the entire Sun Family, not just the main house."
"Forget it!"
She shook her head, her face showing shyness:
"Husband, let help you wash and change."
"Alright."
Yu Yanghong nodded, and as he leaned back, he instantly fell asleep, breathing heavily from the alcohol.
"Husband?"
"Husband!"
Sun Die nudged her husband, frustrated:
"How could you fall asleep so soon, I’ve already taken the dication."
After calling for a long ti without waking him, she had no choice but to help Yu Yanghong to the bed to prevent him from catching a cold.
"Clatter..."
Sothing fell to the ground.
Sun Die reached out to pick it up, finding it to be an unfamiliar sachet, she couldn’t help but show doubt in her eyes, then she gently sniffed it, her face instantly turning extrely pale.
......
A cold wind whistled.
Sun Die, dressed in thin clothing, walked through the courtyard, a solitary shadow under the faint moonlight was filled with loneliness.
A warm light from afar made her pause, then she moved softly, pushing open the courtyard door and arriving before a statue of an old Buddha.
The ancient Buddha, with kind eyebrows and peaceful eyes, held a male and female infant, under the faint light of the solitary lamp, adding a warmth of carefree enjoynt beneath one’s knees.
Sun Die stared blankly at the ancient Buddha, knelt on the prayer mat, and murmured:
"This believer sincerely worships Buddha, not seeking wealth and honor, nor a lifeti of peace, but only to have both a son and daughter, and harmony in marriage."
"rciful Buddha!"
"rciful Buddha!"
She clasped her hands in a heavy bow, repeating it nine tis.
With each kowtow, she felt confused in her heart, as if she had forgotten sothing. When she finished the nine kowtows and looked up, her eyes were completely bewildered.
"Miss Sun?"
A voice sounded behind her, Sun Die turned to see Yu Yanghong standing there full of joy.
For so reason,
Today, Yu Yanghong seed even more charming than usual, his whole being shrouded in a hazy aura.
"My dear!"
’Yu Yanghong’ spoke:
"What’s wrong?"
"I feel so hot." Sun Die smiled foolishly, feeling heat all over her body, she imdiately tore off her clothes and threw herself at the startled ’Yu Yanghong’.
"Whoosh..."
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew through, and the oil lamp before the Buddha statue shot up, resembling a cold, sinister gaze, like a sharp, chilly sword, reflecting two intertwined figures.
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