Chapter 4: Group Portrait The Old Man, Little Maid, and Second Generation Heir

Life was boring, or to put it more kindly, leisurely. During the continuous rain, I played gomoku with the young servant girl, occasionally practiced calligraphy, and read ancient texts. Although these activities couldn't compare to modern novels in terms of entertainment, I had always been someone who could endure monotony. Since arriving in this ancient era, spending half a day with a book lacking punctuation, painstakingly deciphering each word, was hardly a hardship for me.

Of course, other miscellaneous things also happened over these few months.

As a new son-in-law, and a live-in one at that, I naturally held little status in this era. The Su family's situation was also quite complex. The real power lay with Su Tan'er's still-living grandfather, commonly known as Old Master Su. He had three biological sons, forming the First, Second, and Third Branches. The First Branch, led by Su Tan'er's father, Su Boyong, handled external affairs. However, Su Boyong had only one daughter, Su Tan'er, who happened to be remarkably skilled in business, effectively overshadowing the male descendants of the other two branches. This made her the central figure in the family's intricate relationships. The men of the other two branches had always hoped Su Tan'er would marry out, becoming "spilled water," which would open a path for them to inherit the Su family. My arrival as a live-in son-in-law dashed their hopes. When they saw me, even if they managed to restrain their sarcasm, a contemptuous glare was unavoidable.

Beyond these three main branches, Old Master Su also had siblings. The Su clan had expanded significantly, with at least thirty or forty individuals who could claim a cousin relationship with Su Tan'er. Regardless of the closeness or quality of their relationships, most were not warm towards me, the live-in son-in-law. (Of course, if they were too warm, it would be a headache for me.) Simply dining together every evening in such a large family made for an awkward situation. I could only sit on the side, counting sheep. Apart from my father-in-law, mother-in-law, two secondary wives, and Su Tan'er, hardly anyone spoke to me, which was quite dull. Even the conversations among these few people were uninspiring, making me feel even more bored. Dinner... it would be so much better to eat in my room.

I naturally wasn't afraid of this isolated boredom. My past experiences equipped me to face any situation with ease. However, to be fair, no one truly enjoys or seeks out such a feeling. While I currently found myself engrossed in watching Go, if given the choice, it would certainly be more enjoyable to play mahjong with everyone.

The tangled interests and infighting had not affected me, at least not yet. Of course, if I stayed here, some troubles were bound to arise sooner or later, but the problem wasn't significant. Old Master Su and Su Boyong were both still alive, and the petty squabbles within a family were always limited. However, as I was currently residing with the Su family, the immediate issue was finding work.

I had woken up after being hit on the head with a brick, and I seemed to have some memory loss. Many matters were temporarily put on hold. Later, as I gradually recovered, the Su family had no particular expectations of me. However, being completely idle was naturally not ideal. It was only recently that someone brought up the question of what I intended to do. I wasn't sure about this either. Engaging in business—becoming a shopkeeper, accountant, or more likely, a supervisor at a branch store—seemed unnecessary, and I was too lazy to get involved. Judging by my father-in-law's attitude, he seemed inclined to have me teach at the Su family's private school, allowing me to pursue scholarly studies. After all, my previous image had been that of a poor, dull scholar who only knew how to read.

After this matter was proposed, Old Master Su temporarily rejected it, saying I should wait a while longer and see what I wanted to do. However, in my view, it was likely already settled that I would become a teacher later. I had also had several conversations with Old Master Su. Mostly, he would talk about ancestral friendships and chat about family matters. But an old man capable of leading such a large family was naturally astute. He likely noticed that my recent demeanor differed from that of the former bookworm, which was why he extended the decision period.

I certainly hadn't deliberately concealed too much recently, nor did I try to appear as a foolish bookworm. Life was long, and concealment wasn't a sustainable approach. I had always viewed everything with the mindset of a tourist. Of course, one could probably discern a part of a person's character from their demeanor and actions, but to definitively determine if someone was suitable for business or teaching, or if they were good or bad, based solely on that, was as impossible as judging someone's character by their Go playing. As long as I didn't do anything outlandish and this continued for a while, Old Master Su would probably get bored of observing and arrange for me to teach.

That was fine.

Although in my previous life I wasn't an exceptionally virtuous or academically brilliant student, here, I could always understand ancient texts. My former identity wasn't that of a great scholar, so no one should have too high expectations of me. If I were to teach, the conservative approach would be to have students sway their heads and recite texts daily, which would just about pass. On a whim, I could even use some modern knowledge to impress people, which would be harmless. Living in the Su family this way would also be justifiable. Leaving, when I knew absolutely no one, was completely out of the question. Even in modern times, one needed considerable connections to live well, and this was especially true in ancient times. Despite having once built such a massive business empire, I wouldn't presume that with a few taels of silver, I could "go anywhere in the world as I pleased" here. Regardless, the Su family currently remained the best haven.

The rain continued for several days, keeping me indoors. Occasionally, I'd see the three master and servant women from the opposite small building hurry out with oil-paper umbrellas, and later, their figures returning in the rain. The covered walkways, courtyards, pavilions, and garden terraces, under the fine rain, had their white stone and blue tiles washed exceptionally clean. They would approach from that direction, their dresses in shades of lake-green, fair white, or light red. The ladies of this era truly possessed a refined demeanor, unlike modern "packaged" women who, no matter how they presented themselves, carried an air of materialism or superficiality. Watching them now, everything felt like an ink wash painting. They would rush back from outside, dodging the dripping eaves, lightly patting their damp clothes by the stairs before ascending. As dusk fell, lamps began to illuminate the sprawling courtyards, casting deep red, dark red glows, some fixed, others moving, imbuing the night with the distinct ambiance of an ancient, grand estate.

Of course, this *was* an ancient, grand estate.

Gomoku is easy to learn and not difficult to master. Xiao Chan quickly picked it up and became a master. In the following days, when I played with her, I consistently lost more than I won. This form of entertainment rapidly "spread" to the small building opposite. Three evenings later, as I lit an oil lamp to read, Xiao Chan came to check on me several times, only leaving after confirming I had no instructions. When I rolled up my book and walked to the corridor, I saw a young girl in the courtyard corridor below carrying a Go board towards the opposite small building. She then entered a first-floor room in the opposite building with Xing'er and Juan'er. As the light came on, I could see the three of them playing chess inside. Occasionally, their silhouettes would gesticulate excitedly, with that girl Xiao Chan likely chattering away and teaching the two sisters the methods. It was quite amusing.

The heavy rain lasted for several days before finally stopping. Although I had previously told Xiao Chan it wasn't good to go back to the Qinhuai River to watch Go, that was merely a joke. Indeed, when I went there this time, the old man named Qin who set up the board noticed me and greeted me.

Soon after, the old man finished a game with his friend and smilingly waved to me, who was watching nearby. First, he introduced me to his opponent, and then, naturally, I exchanged greetings with the man. After the basic courtesies, he asked me to share my thoughts on the just-finished game. While not overly serious, after each game, if there were brilliant moves, it was necessary for players to review or perhaps even boast a little. It was similar to saying, "If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have lost..." after a match. Since the old man invited me to participate, he naturally acknowledged my Go skill and then extended an invitation.

"Young Master Ning, would you be interested in another game?"

I smiled and nodded in agreement. As I collected the pieces, the old man spoke with a smile.

"These past rainy days at home, I've reminisced with a few friends about that game. Young Master Ning had many brilliant moves that were thought-provoking. For this, I've been itching for days. Today the rain stopped, and indeed, you've come. Haha..."

Although that day he had somewhat considered my playing style not "gentlemanly" enough, he hadn't truly taken it to heart. On the contrary, as a Go player, suddenly encountering such a novel playing style, the more time passed, the more he replayed it in his mind, becoming somewhat fixated. So, while chatting casually, we played a game, and the old man lost again. I did a quick review of the game with him, then we played another, and I only went home when it started to get late.

I continued to come the next day, and not long after, the matter of my future "work" was finally settled.

On the first day of the seventh month, the whole family ate together. Old Master Su asked me about my recovery, then mentioned that a teacher at the academy was about to travel far and asked if I would be willing to teach there. The old man's attitude was amiable, but given his status in the family, his words were essentially final. I had already prepared myself mentally, so I naturally nodded in agreement. Old Master Su then called in his second son, Su Zhongkan, who managed the family's academy, and instructed him to make arrangements for me after the current teacher departed.

There was still some time before that teacher left. My main way of passing the time was still going to play Go. Other activities included reading, practicing calligraphy, and playing gomoku with Xiao Chan. Another month passed like this. My relationship with the Su family members didn't develop significantly, but I did become familiar with some people on the street by the Qinhuai River.

The scenery on this street was pleasant, with green trees providing shade, but it was slightly remote and lacked large shops. Apart from the somewhat established teahouse nearby, in the mornings, a few vendors selling breakfast or vegetables would come by. The surrounding houses were sparse, with some built along the river extending over the water, like stilt houses. Occasionally, I would see people go down to the river to wash clothes or draw water.

The old man named Qin seemed to come from a good family and was a learned and knowledgeable scholar. He was well-traveled and broad-minded; unlike the pedantic image often associated with ancient scholars, this old man was not like that at all. He never spoke in archaic phrases nor constantly quoted sages. He was very adaptable in his speech and understanding of matters, but if one carefully considered his words, their core remained within the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. This was someone who truly understood Confucius and Mencius. If Confucian and Mencian thought shed the outer layer modified for governance, its core would still be the life philosophies summarized by the ancients. Many things on a philosophical level are universally applicable. I could converse well with this old man and didn't need to be too careful during our casual chats. This old man had probably once been an official; now in his old age, he would set up his Go stall daily out of boredom. His family lived nearby; he had a wife in her fifties and a beautiful concubine in her thirties. The concubine would occasionally bring him lunch, and I had seen her twice.

The old man also had some regular Go friends, most of whom were learned elders. Some came from affluent families, others seemed to be of modest means. At first, I mostly sat by and watched. Later, I gradually became able to participate and offer a few remarks during game reviews. Naturally, some, standing on their seniority, would criticize my junior opinions. For example, an old man named Dong had criticized my "unscrupulous small techniques." His attitude was arrogant, so I bothered less with him; arguing about principles with such an old man was the most pointless thing.

Sitting by the teahouse stall daily, it was natural to eat some snacks and drink some tea, and I also became familiar with the teahouse owner's family. Xiao Chan, bored, would occasionally sit and chatter with the teahouse owner's daughter. For a while, the teahouse owner's daughter reportedly shyly inquired about my background and only showed disappointment when she learned I was the Su family's live-in son-in-law. I appeared to be a young master from a good family, proven by my daily excursions with a servant girl. My ability to converse with Old Qin, sometimes even saying things others didn't understand, further suggested I was very learned. If only she could marry him... but alas, he was a live-in son-in-law.

Chats during chess games, at first, naturally took place in a harmonious and friendly atmosphere. After two weeks, we became familiar with each other. The old man might find some of my casual remarks thought-provoking, but, of course, there were also times when he found them unconventional; this was due to differing customs. I was not particular about details, so we would discuss things while playing. A month later, he seriously brought up the question of my identity again.

I hadn't concealed much about my identity, having mentioned it before. The old man had simply nodded with an "Oh" at the time, treating me merely as a newly acquainted chess friend. Now that we could converse well, almost like friends who transcended age, the meaning of bringing it up again was naturally different.

"You are quite talented despite lacking formal schooling. This matter of being a live-in son-in-law... it's truly a pity..." I hadn't delved much into the Classics, Histories, Philosophers, and Anthologies, and my rote memorization skills were poor; I wasn't from a conventional academic background. Old Qin was a great scholar in this regard, and after interacting for so long, he naturally noticed this. Thus, he gave the evaluation "talented despite lacking formal schooling," which was actually high praise. I merely smiled.

"Being a live-in son-in-law isn't bad at all," I replied. "Look, every day I come out to drink tea, play Go, Xiao Chan handles the money, and my living conditions are excellent. Soon I'll be a teacher, with little burden teaching a group of students. I'm a lazy glutton, so this is quite good already." That's what I said, but in this era, the status of a live-in son-in-law was even lower than that of a common family's legitimate wife. A wife, after marrying in and passing away, could have her ancestral tablet placed in the ancestral hall; a live-in son-in-law didn't even have the right to enter, being no different from a concubine. Anything he did was looked down upon, basically cutting off all paths to fame and fortune, forcing him to strive merely as an appendage of the Su family. In my previous life, I had seen through worldly superficialities, but how could an ordinary young person possess such a mindset? Old Qin probably saw that I had some talent and couldn't help but feel a sense of pity.

"...Moreover," the old man continued, "the Su family is a merchant family. While merchants pursue profit, they also value reputation. But even if you possess talent and insight, matters of official position and wealth will likely never be yours." The old man said this because he saw deeply. Setting aside external attitudes towards a live-in son-in-law, even if I truly had talent, the Su family wouldn't want me to take the imperial examination and gain official status. They originally had me marry in because they saw I was a bookworm. Old Master Su was a man who valued righteousness, remembering his agreement with my elders. And while I had some scholarly air, I wasn't truly profoundly learned. After I married in, Su Tan'er could also keep me in check. Even from my perspective, the former bookworm had actually benefited from this. I harbored no ill will towards the Su family, so I just smiled it off. However, Xiao Chan, sitting nearby and inadvertently overhearing the old man discussing the Su family's affairs, blushed and couldn't help but lean closer.

"Old... Old Grandfather," the little girl stammered, "after Young Master came to the Su family, Young Mistress has never treated him badly. Young Mistress is a very good person, and she won't treat him badly in the future either!" The little girl's expression was tense, utterly earnest. She had grown up by Su Tan'er's side, and they were like sisters. At this moment, she probably couldn't discern the deeper meaning behind the old man's words; she only roughly knew that he was criticizing the Su family. In general, when a family master conversed with outsiders, there was little room for a young servant girl to speak or interrupt. However, the status of a live-in son-in-law was peculiar: some were given much respect, while others were even disdained by servants. But Xiao Chan, having been by Su Tan'er's side and being extremely well-mannered, was naturally not the latter. She was simply nervous about the young mistress's, and even the Su family's, reputation, and it was clear she had to muster great courage to utter such a rebuttal, her hands clenched into small fists in front of her, looking very nervous.

In the past, Xiao Chan always stayed quietly by my side, obedient and sensible. Old Qin had also grown accustomed to the little servant girl's presence. At this moment, he paused slightly. I glanced at Xiao Chan a few times, then laughed out loud and placed a Go stone.

"Haha, you old man, meddling in others' affairs without good reason, you've offended Xiao Chan now, haven't you? If these words spread in the Su family, I'll be the one to suffer."

The old man also laughed: "Haha, I spoke out of turn, I spoke out of turn! Please let Miss Xiao Chan know that this old man's words did not mean to criticize the Su family. However, discussing others' private family matters was indeed a slip of the tongue on my part. My apologies, my apologies..."

He generously apologized to Xiao Chan, who didn't seem angry, just serious. Her nervous and earnest expression didn't fade until she left with me; it even seemed to deepen. She walked along, head bowed, following behind me. Her already petite body seemed to shrink even more due to her silence. I helplessly pursed my lips, turned back, and comforted her: "What's wrong? Still angry?"

Before I finished speaking, Xiao Chan's shoulders slumped, her small mouth flattened, and tears rolled down her cheeks like broken pearls.

The situation seemed quite serious... I was startled, then softened my voice: "What on earth is wrong?" "Xiao Chan..." The little girl choked, lifting her head to look at me, "Although Xiao Chan is just a little servant girl who knows nothing, I would never spread gossip about such things. Young Master, if you say the words will spread, that means you're implying Xiao Chan... Xiao Chan is not... proper..." Xiao Chan's shoulders trembled, and she sobbed even harder. I looked at her for a long time, originally thinking the little girl had been sulking all along because of the old man's words. Who knew she was feeling wronged because of my own joke? I then couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Young Master... you even... *Gulp*—" The little girl's choked words were interrupted as I suddenly reached out, pinched both her cheeks, and stretched her face into a "pancake." This time, it was the little girl's turn to be stunned, her eyes widened like lanterns. She blinked twice. I released her face, gently patted her shoulder, and said, "Let's go," then turned and walked away.

A moment later, the little girl followed, looking startled, her face also flushed crimson. "Young Master, Young Master, you..." She wanted to denounce my recent actions. In fact, this matter could be seen as serious or trivial. In the past few months, we had spent almost every day together. Occasionally Xiao Chan helped me measure clothes, but more often, it was helping me get dressed. There had been physical contact, but it was all unintentional.

The historical timeline I had entered had already largely deviated. However, the Wu Dynasty was actually very similar to the Song Dynasty. Although Neo-Confucianism hadn't appeared exactly the same, by this time, there were already many strict rules regarding interaction between men and women. Xiao Chan was a servant girl, tasked with serving those around her, so she couldn't be expected to behave like ordinary women. If Su Tan'er had married me, it would be almost certain that Xiao Chan, as one of her three servant girls, would become my concubine for bed service later, in which case there would be no issue. But now I was a live-in son-in-law in the Su family, and everything was actually up to Su Tan'er.

After all, the status of a live-in son-in-law was low. In common opinion, it was generally believed that a man with even a little backbone or integrity would not become a live-in son-in-law. This was also because in many families, the status of a live-in son-in-law was virtually no different from that of a slave; most women's families treated them merely as long-term laborers. Of course, situations varied from family to family. If the couple had a good relationship, or if the live-in son-in-law possessed some ability, it was not uncommon for him to have his own place in the family.

In the Su family, Old Master Su, remembering the friendships of previous generations, actually took good care of me, so the family members wouldn't openly despise me. Although Su Tan'er had once resisted this marriage, her attitude towards me was now quite peaceful. But even so, or if our relationship developed further and we became a true couple, the possibility of her allowing me to have intimate relations with Chan'er was not high. Although all three servant girls had grown up with Su Tan'er, and she would probably never let go of these three household servant girls throughout her life, it was more likely that she would marry them off to some loyal and promising subordinates, while keeping them in the Su family for life.

Of course, this was just a casual prank; I didn't necessarily think this much. The little girl naturally couldn't think too complexly either. But even if she wasn't angry, she was still a bit shy. At this moment, she rushed over, red-faced and puffing out her cheeks, trying hard to formulate words that would describe my "ruffian" behavior. Finally, she just said, "Young Master, you... you're bullying me!"

"Hmm," I nodded, shrugging. "Yes, I bullied you. What are you going to do about it?"

"Do about it..." Chan'er blinked, then got angry again. "You're saying things Chan'er doesn't understand again..."

"Haha." By the side of the street, I laughed somewhat happily.

When I first arrived here, my mood was quite gloomy. But after being bored for so long recently, the gloomy mood gradually dispersed. I felt that coming to ancient times was about bullying people; bullying old scholars with Go, and now bullying the little servant girl, was actually quite amusing.

So, we walked along in the direction of home, with Xiao Chan skipping along behind me, talking. At first, she was still a bit shy, then she started rambling about other trivial matters. As we walked to a relatively prosperous street not far from the Su family residence, someone suddenly walked over to greet us and stopped us.

The Su family had many members, and returning from this direction daily, I often encountered some of them. Some were willing to greet me, others disdained talking to me. On rare occasions, I would even encounter Su Tan'er returning from this way, because there was a Su family textile shop right beside the street. At this moment, the man was indeed coming out of the Su family's textile shop. He was also in his early twenties, holding a folding fan, looking like a dashing scholar. From afar, he clasped his hands and laughed, "Brother Ning, what a coincidence." Then he walked over with two servants.

I guessed he was someone the previous owner of this body knew, but I couldn't recognize him now. In my confusion, my gaze swept, only to see Su Tan'er's carriage also parked nearby on the roadside. A small head bobbed in the textile shop, glanced over, and then immediately darted back inside. That was Xing'er, who followed Su Tan'er; she had seen Xiao Chan and me, and so ran to call Su Tan'er out.

The man smiled as he gradually approached. Although I didn't know his name, dealing with such situations was simple. I was about to greet him with a smile when Xiao Chan, behind me, tugged at my sleeve: "Young Master, that's Young Master Xue from Dachuan Textile Shop." Her voice held a hint of unease.

I reacted, realizing that although I hadn't seen the person, I had indeed heard of him. After arriving in this era, I feigned memory loss and had inquired about my previous identity. It had been a simple life overall, but when Su family members like Xiao Chan and Xing'er talked about it, they always avoided certain topics, such as Su Tan'er running away on the wedding night and me being hit on the head with a brick. Despite their evasiveness, after a few months, I already knew what I needed to know. The one who secretly hit me with the brick that day must have been Xue Jin from this Dachuan Textile Shop. Xiao Chan was uneasy now, probably fearing I might get angry and do something that would lead to me being at a disadvantage.

But how could I show any complex emotions on my face? At this moment, I simply smiled and nodded: "Oh, Young Master Xue, hello."

My smile was natural, my attitude peaceful. Xue Jin opposite me paused slightly, looked at his two attendants, then smiled again: "I heard Brother Ning was accidentally injured on his wedding day and suffered some memory loss. I was originally there that day too, but I had to leave early for something important and couldn't find time later to visit. So... did you really lose your memory? Can Brother Ning truly not remember me?"

Opposite him, I appeared somewhat embarrassed, displaying a sincere and profound apology, showing an apologetic smile: "Things from before, really... ha, Brother Xue, please forgive me, forgive me..."

Xue Jin stared at me suspiciously with a complex gaze. At this moment, at the shop entrance opposite, Su Tan'er had already rushed out, frowning.