Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Did the Second Elder provoke soone in the county? Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Did the Second Elder provoke soone in the county? Qi Younian detected the envy in the third brother’s words, but he only symbolically curled his lips and wiped the sweat off his forehead, thinking to himself that those were not just nobles from the county, but exceptionally wealthy and noble people from the capital who shocked him imnsely.
Qi Yourong noticed sothing off about Qi Younian’s expression. Seeing no trace of happiness, but rather a look of weariness and indescribable discomfort, couldn’t help but feel a leap in his heart and pressed with concern, “Could it be that they have co looking for trouble with Second Brother?”
It wasn’t an impossibility. A few days ago, a young man riding a tall horse had visited Second Brother’s house, and Second Brother had casually said the visitor was inquiring about how to make Rice tofu. But then, just a few days later, a whole group of people arrived. Could it be that Second Brother had offended soone powerful in the county and they had co to his door, but he was keeping it a secret, not daring to speak plainly?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Qi Yourong beca increasingly restless. If that was the case, should he leave imdiately to avoid drawing trouble upon himself?
Just as Qi Yourong was about to find an excuse to take his leave, his ears caught the sound of Qi Yougui approaching with his two sons, Dazhu and Dagen.
The mont Qi Yougui entered, he anxiously asked, “Old Second, who ca today? They’re not here to cause trouble for our family, are they?”
Ye Xinyan couldn’t help but look skyward, thinking these two brothers are truly alike, both jumping to the sa conclusions and asking the exact sa question.
The difference was that even with the thought of trouble, the elder brother Qi Yougui still decided to visit, and he even brought his two sons, presumably to present a stronger front. However, his odd younger brother, Qi Yourong, had hurried over at the thought of a noble visit, but the mont he sensed sothing was amiss, he was ready to slip away; it seed he was on the verge of getting up and fleeing.
Qi Yourong had already risen to his feet and forced a smile, “There’s nothing to worry about, it must be that Second Brother has made friends with so nobles through his business in the county. Now that he’s in a good position, I can rest easy.”
With that, he was about to step outside.
Qi Yougui was stupefied by his younger brother’s words.
No trouble at all? All these people arrived on horseback at Old Second’s place with such a grand air, just to have a chat with him? He had heard that those people’s attire and deanor were particularly dazzling, a rare sight even in the county.
Such people would co all the way to the village just to have a chat with Old Second?
Seeing his big brother’s confusion, Qi Younian, though sowhat exhausted by dealing with these distinguished guests, still said with a smile, “It’s really nothing, they are just interested in little Jiajia’s bicycle and they ca over to have a look at it.”
“Ah?” Among so many people who’d entered the yard, only then did they notice Qi Jia and his little bicycle near the decrepit door.
Upon hearing this, Qi Yourong also halted in his tracks. Last ti it was about making Rice tofu, and this ti it changed to looking at a child’s toy? Second Brother’s lies sounded far too flimsy, didn’t they?
Qi Yougui found the bicycle to be a novelty and stepped forward to examine the small contraption the little fellow was clutching tightly.
“So many people ca just for this? What is this thing?”
The villagers flocked around, too, marveling, “This is a toy for children? But they’re nobles, why would they be interested in this?”
“It must have been quite an effort to make this bicycle? The head of the second branch of the Qi family really dotes on his children. Just a few days ago, Qi Jia was playing with toys made of folded paper. Those are expensive sheets of paper.”
Surrounded by so many people, little Qi Jia, though extrely nervous, was unwilling to let go of his bicycle, afraid that it would be snatched away like it had been by that person earlier.
Qi Younian followed and laughed, “It’s just a bit more effort, nothing of value really. This is a bicycle, children can ride it around by sitting on it. Those guests chanced upon it and ca over to see sothing new.”
“Can it really be ridden? This thing that clearly looks like an inanimate object made of wood can move?” Everyone was a bit bewildered and didn’t understand what Qi Younian ant.
Qi Yourong heard this and imdiately ca back. But it wasn’t the bicycle he was interested in, he only asked, “Second Brother, who are these people? They look wealthy with their fine clothes and high-headed horses, must be powerful and rich people, right? If so, Second Brother could take this opportunity to make connections with them, wouldn’t that be a strong backing for doing business in the county later on?”
Qi Younian shook his head and said, “They were able to co here because one of them happened to hear about our family matters while eating at a small stall. As for who they are, our status is far beneath theirs, if they don’t tell us, how could we possibly know?”
Of course, Qi Younian didn’t have the guts to tell the truth about Sixth Master’s real identity. Even Qi Yougui, his elder brother, didn’t dare to do so.
Qi Yougui took another serious look at the little fellow anxiously guarding his bike and gently said, “Jiajia, ride this bike for Great Uncle to see how it moves.”
Could such a thing really move, and even catch the fancy of nobility? Qi Yougui had no sensory understanding of it and was quite puzzled.
Qi Jia looked toward Ye Xinyan, Sister had said that when elders speak, one must respond imdiately and not be rude. But if Great Uncle saw that his bike could be ridden, would he want to take it away for his Brother Sanshun to play with?
Ye Xinyan, looking at Qi Jia’s little eyes, found it amusing and softly told him, “Ride it around for Great Uncle to see. He just wants to know if your bike is very fun to play with; he won’t take your things.”
Qi Jia still felt uneasy, his doubtful gaze turned again to Qi Younian and Nanny Jin. After receiving a kind nod and smile from them, he happily mounted the bike, planted his little feet on the pedals, and began to ride.
Ye Xinyan silently gritted her teeth, “You little brat, actually not trusting what I say, not rembering who it was that just helped save your bike. Ungrateful little guy, you need a lesson.”
Qi Jia, under the astonished and eager gaze of the villagers, rode smoothly and naturally around the yard twice, drawing a continuous stream of praise from all present.
“No wonder even the nobles from the county wanted to co see; this bike can indeed move.”
“This child is so clever, look at the way he pedals, he doesn’t look like a fool at all.”
“How would you know? This child has been blessed since being adopted by the Second Branch family of the Qi family; the old master there cherishes him so much.”
“Indeed, and so do his sister and Nanny Jin as well…”
As the villagers’ discussions about the bicycle drifted, the more Qi Yourong listened, the more uncomfortable he felt.
This simple, foolish child at his ho seed to beco more and more clever after moving to his Second Brother’s place. Even if villagers weren’t explicit about it, just from Qi Jia’s current well-being, it was obvious enough that his own family hadn’t treated the child well, which was why the child had seed slow-witted before.
The villagers had initially been curious about the guests at the second branch of the Qi family, but now they were even more drawn to Qi Jia’s miraculous toy, and without realizing it, more people gathered, including many children.
Although Qi Sanshun got along well with Qi Jia and was even more envious of Qi Jia’s mobile bike, his age was too advanced for the child’s bicycle, and the small bike couldn’t possibly seat his large fra.
Qi Sanshun felt very frustrated; why hadn’t his grandfather been able to make such a fantastic toy for him to play with before?
The other children who could talk to Qi Jia, around the sa age as Qi Sanshun, felt just as helpless, only able to enviously watch.
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