Chapter 54 Do You Want to Be a Woman?

"The eldest brother from the Pan family came over, saying someone in the village fell ill and asked your father to go take a look. Your mother was worried and went along with him. Don't worry, they should be back soon," Old Madam Fang chimed in.

"Alright, I know. Third Aunt, making the clothes might trouble you," Fang Ning looked toward Chen, whose embroidery seemed quite decent—at least the altered clothes she made for Fang Fei were all very pretty.

Chen nodded and said softly, "Okay."

"Before making the clothes, though, there is one more thing I'd like to trouble Third Aunt with."

"It's nothing, go ahead."

Fang Ning picked out some fabric scraps. "Would it be possible to sew these scraps into little round balls about the size of your thumb?"

"Ningning, what do you need those for? Grandma knows how to make them too; Grandma will sew them for you," Old Madam Fang spoke up first. "Just let your Third Aunt focus on making the clothes. During this time, the third branch doesn't need to go to the fields; they can just stay home and do the sewing and mending."

Zhao smiled and said, "Fine, I have no objections. My embroidery isn't as good as Third Sister-in-law's anyway, so let her stay home."

Since Zhao had no objections, the men certainly wouldn't either.

Only then did Old Madam Fang look at Fang Ning.

Fang Ning explained, "I want to make a set of game pieces for Fei-fei. Originally, I thought about using wood, but wood doesn't seem quite right, so I want to use cloth to make the pieces instead."

Hearing this, Chen looked somewhat incredulous.

"Once Fei-fei is home, she can play games with her little friends."

"Ningning, are you serious?"

"Of course, I've already asked Grandpa Li the Second to make the game board."

Chen's eyes reddened slightly.

What mother wouldn't want her child to be happier?

She was just naturally more sentimental.

Seeing this, Fang Ning felt a bit embarrassed.

To be honest, the original owner often bullied this younger sister. Every time she returned to the ancestral home, she would stir up a storm, and Fang Fei was always the one left wronged in the end.

Doing this could also be considered making amends to the little sister on behalf of the original owner.

"Mom, Fourth Brother said that Chinese checkers is a lot of fun, and up to six people can play at the same time," Fang Fei told Chen happily. "And Fourth Brother even bought me a hair ornament and new fabric, saying he wants you to make me a new dress, Mom. Look, is my hair ornament pretty?"

As she spoke, Fang Fei lowered her head to show off her hair ornament to Chen.

Chen reached out and touched it.

This was the hair ornament her daughter had always wanted but never owned, and it was even prettier than the one the village chief's granddaughter wore.

The eldest branch had really changed!

"Thank you, Ningning," Chen thanked Fang Ning.

Fang Ning quickly replied, "Third Aunt, don't say that. In the past, I always bullied Fei-fei, and thinking about it now makes me quite ashamed. Please don't stand on ceremony with me."

Chen couldn't help but smile.

Old Madam Fang said, "Alright, alright, the past is in the past. From now on, as long as our big family pulls together, we'll definitely lead a good life. Third branch's wife, you aren't one for many words, but I know you used to resent the eldest branch too. Now that they know their wrongs and are changing their ways, don't take it to heart. If you still need to vent, wait until the eldest comes back later, and I'll give him a beating for you."

"There's no need for that, Mom. Things are very good as they are now. As long as Big Brother and the others have changed, we won't bring up the past anymore," Chen said softly.

"Mom, this is the fabric Fourth Brother bought me. Isn't it pretty?" Fang Fei hugged the cloth intended for her clothes and showed it to Chen.

Chen lowered her head. "Pretty. Your Fourth Brother really knows how to pick."

"Mm, Big Sister's is very pretty too. When Big Sister grows out of it, I can wear it."

Fang Fei said this quite innocently.

After all, she used to wear Fang Ling's hand-me-downs.

Yet when the members of the Fang family heard this, remembering the hard days of the past, their hearts felt somewhat heavy.

Fortunately, there was something to look forward to in their lives now; even a little hardship didn't matter.

"You won't have to wear your sister's old clothes anymore. In a little while, when Fourth Brother earns some silver, he'll buy Fei-fei new fabric to make another new dress—oh, and how about some silk flowers too?"

"Really?"

"Really!"

Fang Ning suddenly remembered that instead of silk flowers, velvet flowers might be even better.

She recalled watching videos on how to make velvet flowers; although she had never made one herself, it seemed like something worth trying, and velvet flowers didn't seem to exist in Shichuan Town either.

She would ask Si Yuheng later if there were any outside. If not, and if she could make them successfully, she could teach Chen. Having an extra livelihood skill would be wonderful for Chen!

After the fabric was distributed, Zhao went off to cook.

Meanwhile, Fang Cinian and Liang Anrong returned.

"Dad, Mom," Fang Ning hurried forward to take the things from their hands, then scurried off to pour them cups of water.

"Showing courtesy for no reason—spill it, did you do something bad today?" After drinking the water and catching his breath, Fang Cinian smiled and asked Fang Ning, "Dad is in a pretty good mood right now, so you'd better confess honestly."

Old Madam Fang hurled her shoe right at him. "Is that any way for a father to act? The child is being well-behaved, and yet you suspect her of doing bad things? Good children get ruined by fathers like you!"

Caught off guard, Fang Cinian took the sole of the shoe squarely.

Fang Ning couldn't help but sympathize with her dad!

How utterly pitiful.

He got hit just for speaking.

As for Liang Anrong, she quietly shifted her seat a little further away to avoid being implicated by her husband.

Fang Cinian: "..."

He felt like crying without tears; he had just been joking with his daughter.

Unexpectedly, his sudden substitute mother had become even more fiercely protective of her young!

Fang Cinian rubbed his head. "Mom, I was just joking with Ningning, just wanted to ask what she went to town for."

"Then speak properly," Old Madam Fang glared at him. "I want a granddaughter, not an unfilial eldest son like you."

Fang Cinian: "..."

Just like that, for no good reason, he was cast aside.

"Eldest branch's wife, if he ever dares to treat you badly, just tell me and I'll discipline him. No matter how good the medical skills are that he learned outside, he's still my son, and I can handle him!" Old Madam Fang looked at Liang Anrong.

Liang Anrong smiled and said, "Mom, A-nian treats me very well. If he ever dared otherwise, I'd be the first to complain to you."

"Hmph, you can't spoil men too much. I've told the second and third branch wives the exact same thing," Old Madam Fang remarked.

Catching a gloomy glance from her biological father, Fang Ning quickly scurried off to find Si Yuheng, who had already entered his room, to avoid bearing the brunt of her father's resentment.

Fang Ning knocked on the door.

"Come in," came a cool, detached voice.

Fang Ning pushed the door open and poked her little head in. "Young Master, may I come in?"

Si Yuheng had warned her before: if he was in his room during the day, she shouldn't wander in without a reason.

"Speak, what is it?"

Fang Ning squeezed her way inside. "Young Master, have you ever seen velvet flowers worn in a woman's hair?"

"Velvet flowers? What are those?" Si Yuheng frowned, looking Fang Ning up and down. "Are you planning on becoming a woman?"

Fang Ning: "...Just tell me whether you've seen them or not!"

"I only know of silk flowers; I've never heard of velvet flowers."

"Oh, I see! By the way, how are the raw materials for the cement coming along?"

"I've already instructed Manager Lin. They will be delivered in ten days at the latest."

Si Yuheng paused. "Anything else?"

"Nope."

"Then why aren't you getting out?"

Fang Ning raised an eyebrow. "Young Master, is it my imagination? Why do you seem to have such a big opinion of me?"