"Yuhe, from now on, I’ll leave Yuxin to you. If he misbehaves, feel free to scold or hit him." Ye Qiu said, heavily patting the back of his youngest son. "Hurry up and thank your brother Yuhe."
Reluctantly, Yang Yuxin stepped forward and mumbled, "Sorry to trouble you, Brother Yuhe."
Yang Yuhe was a tall and strong man, with a sturdy build. Otherwise, even if the village chief had connections, he wouldn’t have been able to get his son into the governnt office.
He slightly frowned at Yang Yuxin, with a look of displeasure in his eyes. But that was understandable; those who worked in the governnt office were all quite capable. Yang Yuxin looked thin and weak, not like a child raised in the countryside, but more like the pampered offspring of a wealthy family, always without any proper conduct.
The main issue was having seen this younger cousin from the sa village in unsavory places frequently, making it hard to believe that Yang Yuxin would reform. Looking at his unwilling appearance, keeping him around would just be a burden.
If Uncle Bao Cheng hadn’t saved his life back then, and if Aunt Ye hadn’t given his mother a golden hairpin, he really wouldn’t have wanted to take him on.
"Aunt Ye, rest assured, if Yuxin misbehaves, I certainly won’t be polite." Yang Yuhe looked at Yang Yuxin dangerously. Yang Yuxin shivered and felt even more unwilling. In his heart, he thought his mother and wife were wasting their efforts. Even if they connected with Yang Yuhe, he certainly wouldn’t get into the governnt office. He knew his own abilities well; who would he be able to beat at that ti?
It would be better if they gave him the golden hairpin so that he could treat his brothers to a few als, maybe then he’d find a decent job.
"Then tomorrow morning, I’ll have him follow you to the governnt office. He can do any dirty or hard work," Ye Qiu said with a smile. Seeing her smiling face, Yang Yuhe couldn’t show a bad attitude, having already agreed to help him make so connections soday. After all, he hadn’t promised to get Yang Yuxin into the governnt office for sure; whether he succeeds depends on his own abilities.
"Mother, are you really willing to see suffer? After entering the governnt office, I’ll have to deal with ruffians. What if sothing happens to ?" On the way back, Yang Yuxin pleaded bitterly, hoping his mother would change her mind.
Ye Qiu glanced at him sideways, snorting softly, "Aren’t you a ruffian yourself?"
Yang Yuxin’s face changed, "Mother, how can you say such a thing about ?"
"Am I wrong?" Ye Qiu raised her eyebrows, grabbed his ear, "Don’t think I don’t know what you do outside all day. You might fool your wife, but you can’t fool . I’m doing all this for your own good."
"It hurts, hurts, mother, let go." Yang Yuxin winced in pain, "I was wrong, I’m really wrong."
"Then tell , what did you do wrong?" Ye Qiu still didn’t let go.
Surprised by his mother’s strength, but understanding it from her years of work, he had to whisper in a pleading tone, "Mother, I’m really not interested in farming. Please don’t force ."
"That’s why I didn’t ask you to farm. Haven’t I found another path for you? You’ve played around enough. Your son is nearly two years old; it’s ti to grow up."
"But I’m really not fit to be a constable. I can barely read, so I can’t understand official docunts, and I’m even worse at catching criminals. I certainly won’t be accepted, mother. This golden hairpin is just going to waste."
"How do you know if you don’t try? Don’t you want to make sothing of yourself? Don’t you want others to respect you? Or do you want even your son to look down on you? Do you want Shuhong to grow up and be a fool like you?" Ye Qiu questioned in rapid succession.
"No way! My son will definitely have great prospects." He knew what kind of person he was. The thought of his son ending up like him instantly displeased him.
"If you, as a father, are like this, how can your son have great prospects in the future? By studying? Do you have the money to pay for tuition? Other than studying, there’s only joining the army. Do you want your son to gamble with his life for a future?"
Yang Yuxin looked noticeably down but still unwillingly said, "How could there be no money for education? Isn’t Shuchen studying too?"
Hearing he intended for the whole family to support his child’s education, Ye Qiu felt both anger and helplessness. However, since the son was hers and she had spoiled him to this extent, she could only rely on herself to correct it.
"Do you and your older brothers never plan to split the family? What if sothing happens to one day?"
Yang Yuxin’s face changed dramatically, "Mother, you’re in such good health, how could anything happen?"
Ye Qiu felt warmth in her heart. This youngest son, though unreliable, still cared a lot about her. No wonder she was willing to spoil him.
"I’m just saying ’what if.’ Look at our family; it’s quite challenging to support just Shuchen’s studies. There’s also Shu Liang from your second brother’s family and your younger sister’s marriage, not to ntion our whole family’s livelihood. What could those few acres of land accomplish?"
Yang Yuxin opened his mouth as if to argue, but Ye Qiu continued, "Don’t ntion your wife’s dowry; didn’t you spend a good part of it in the last three years? You don’t bring money ho, so how long do you think what’s left will last? Are you thinking of never going out to drink with your buddies again? Can you really forgo that pride?"
He truly couldn’t abandon that pride, and Yang Yuxin’s face drooped despondently.
"What’s more, you’re already fortunate that your older brothers support you. And you still want them to support your son? Do you want your son to suffer indignities? Don’t act like it’s only natural. Tell , if I asked you to give your wife’s dowry to the family, would you be willing?" Ye Qiu glared, hating iron for not becoming steel, "If you want face, you need to stand on your own."
Yang Yuxin was left feeling utterly humiliated by Ye Qiu’s reprimands. The more he thought about it, the more uncertain his future seed. It was one thing if it were just him, but was his son destined to follow the sa path?
"Don’t make things sound so difficult. You’re never going to be a scholar; you only need to recognize commonly used characters. If you’re not good at fighting, just practice more. I have an idea: every morning, you and your nephew should get up early and exercise with . Also, you have two advantages that others don’t have."
Does he really have advantages? Curious, Yang Yuxin looked at his mother. What advantages did he have?
"The first could be that you look good? Good-looking people are more likable wherever they go. Let ask you, when you and your brothers go out, don’t those street girls like to stick around you? Didn’t your wife marry you because you’re good-looking?"
That seed to be the case, and Yang Yuxin puffed out his chest, realizing he could indeed rely on his looks.
"But just being good-looking isn’t enough; appearances will fade. The second advantage you have is far more precious. It’s this second point that made decide to let you try out with Brother Yuhe. You’re better at this than your elder brothers."
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