Chapter 67: Granduncle Saves the Day

Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Granduncle Saves the Day

When Deng Yuyuan arrived, Gou Ya was being pointed at and scolded by her aunt for being ungrateful.

The scrawny girl hadn’t gained much weight over the past two years, and since she was currently shooting up in height, her aunt was practically twice as wide as her.

"You never raised me. You just took the title of guardian," Gou Ya said, her back completely straight. "And you wanted me to steal money to honor you. If I really listened to you, that would truly be ungrateful."

"Nonsense!" her aunt flared up. She hadn’t told Gou Ya to steal money—at most, she just wanted to wait until Gou Ya was older and capable of working to make her contribute to the household expenses, as well as coveting the girl’s future bride price.

"I see you still haven’t learned anything good at the Knowledge Youth Institute. Before, you stole things, and now you’re a liar." Her aunt planted her hands on her hips and looked around. Seeing that everyone chose to believe Gou Ya and was glaring at her instead, she grew even more furious.

She wondered how a fool could have given birth to a daughter who knew how to play clever little tricks.

"You’d better hide your true face well and not let the educated youths see what you’re really like," she said through gritted teeth, only regretting that she hadn’t forcefully taken Gou Ya back in the beginning and severely tormented her.

If she was having a hard time, she wouldn’t let Gou Ya feel comfortable either.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Gou Ya’s thin lips trembled for a moment as she forced herself to stay calm. However, the flash of panic in her eyes was like a stone tossed into a tranquil lake, rippling away all her feigned composure. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her newly patterned clothes.

Gou Ya’s frail shoulders tensed slightly. Just as she was about to speak, Deng Yuyuan ran up to her side. Before even catching her breath, Deng Yuyuan had already placed a hand on Gou Ya’s shoulder, standing next to her in a protective stance.

Her aunt scoffed coldly. "Deng Zhiqing, this is our family business. I’m afraid it’s not your place to interfere. After all, no matter what, Gou Ya is bound to be raised by someone from the Zhang family. Our ancestors are watching from heaven."

Gou Ya had one uncle and three married aunts. It was clear that in this generation, aside from her uncle, she had nowhere else to go. And Dazhang Village wouldn’t allow an outsider like an educated youth to raise Gou Ya.

"You four siblings aren’t the only ones with the surname Zhang," Deng Yuyuan retorted fearlessly, glaring back. "Village Chief, there should be other relatives of Gou Ya in the generation above, right?"

"There are, but..." The village chief paused for a moment. "It depends on whether they are willing to raise her. I’ll find the genealogy book and take a look. Wait here for a moment."

"Thank you for your trouble," Deng Yuyuan said, nodding as she waited to the side.

Since she had taken the lead, Gou Ya’s uncle and aunt couldn’t easily interrupt the village chief and could only wait quietly on the sidelines.

This wait lasted a while. The village chief shakily took out the reading glasses he had bought for a hefty price and started searching from the first page of the genealogy book. By the time he found Gou Ya’s great-uncle, the elderly man was already hobbling over.

"What happened?" the old man asked, leaning on his walking stick.

The village chief put away the genealogy book and recounted the whole story from beginning to end.

"Gou Ya..." the old man mused, scanning his surroundings.

Deng Yuyuan gave Gou Ya a gentle push. Gou Ya jolted and immediately stepped forward.

"It’s your great-uncle," Deng Yuyuan whispered.

"Hello, Great-Uncle!"

The little girl’s crisp voice made the old man nod happily. "Hello."

"Is she the one no one wants to raise? I’ll raise her." Her great-uncle took a liking to the little girl the moment he saw how spirited she was. His two sons were already married, had children of their own, and lived separately. He and his wife weren’t so old that they couldn’t move around. Living together in the old house, their days were loving but dull.

Gou Ya was at an age where she could take care of herself, so raising her wouldn’t be much effort. Giving her some food and buying her a few clothes was enough, and she could add some liveliness to the house.

Gou Ya’s uncle spoke up, addressing him by the same title due to the old man’s immense seniority in the clan. "Great-Uncle, Gou Ya is used to petty theft. The two of you don’t have the energy to discipline her. Besides, when this girl throws a tantrum, neither my wife nor I can control her."

Her great-uncle had already heard from Tian Tian on his way over that Gou Ya was the most capable person at the Knowledge Youth Institute. She would wake up before dawn and wouldn’t rest until dark, excelling at whatever she did. Deng Yuyuan’s heart ached for her and insisted she work less. While other families always pushed their children to work, Gou Ya was the only one at the Knowledge Youth Institute who was constantly urged to rest.

Tian Tian had also mentioned that even if Gou Ya changed guardians, she could still be raised at the Knowledge Youth Institute. If the educated youths ever left, they would leave her some savings to rely on.

These words had not only shown that Gou Ya wouldn’t be a nuisance or a burden, but they had also clarified the educated youths’ stance—they would not allow Gou Ya to be treated as a free nanny just to care for the two elders.

Having lived most of his life, her great-uncle wasn’t offended by a younger person speaking so bluntly. Instead, he patted his chest and promised the youths, "You can ask any family around here about Zhang Guolin, and they’ll tell you my character is top-notch. My wife is also known as a kindhearted woman in these parts. As long as this little girl catches my eye, I’ll love her like my own granddaughter. My wife and I are still hale and hearty; raising her safely until adulthood is absolutely no problem."

As for her uncle’s accusations, her great-uncle was having none of it. "You brat, you were the most mischievous one in your family back in the day, and now you have the nerve to talk about your niece. If a child really steals, it’s mostly because you adults are starving her. Otherwise, if she had her own things, why would she need to steal?

"I’ve seen Gou Ya around the village before, and she looks completely different now compared to the past. Look at the clothes she’s wearing—they’re all good material. You don’t want to raise her, so don’t get in the way of her living a good life, understand?"

Her uncle and aunt were naturally unwilling to let this go. Dazhang Village was currently in a transitional period between old and new mindsets. Some girls could start matchmaking and get engaged as early as sixteen, while others waited until their twenties to become older unwed women.

Gou Ya had already gotten her Kui Water, which meant she would soon be able to be traded for a sum of money.

However, with the village chief and the clan elder bearing down on them from above, Deng Yuyuan refusing to back down, and that little wench Gou Ya slinging mud at them, their hands were tied.

"If you really want to raise her, that’s fine too," Deng Yuyuan said, taking a few steps back. "But whatever kind of life Gou Ya lives at the Knowledge Youth Institute, she has to live a similar life in the Zhang family. I’d like to ask all the fellow villagers here to be our witnesses."

"This... this, our two families have completely different circumstances. How can we afford to let Gou Ya live like that?" her aunt said, waving her hands dismissively.

The village chief made the final decision. "Then let Gou Ya continue to live with other elders. What is the point of us elders fighting back and forth over the guardianship of a younger generation? Isn’t it just so they can grow up safely and happily? Now that Elder Zhang is willing to help you shoulder this responsibility, it’s a beautiful thing."

Under the village chief’s witness, the two families signed and left their fingerprints on a contract. The village chief would take this contract to the town for notarization on a chosen date.

"Wait," Deng Yuyuan spoke up. "I came today with two other matters I’d like to ask of the village chief.

"The first matter is Gou Ya’s name. She is getting older, after all, and being called this name is hard on the little girl’s heart. I’d like to trouble Elder Zhang to help choose a new name for her, and then have the village chief officially change it."

Zhang Guolin nodded, and the village chief looked at Deng Yuyuan with eyes full of admiration. Gou Ya and her great-uncle hadn’t interacted much over the years, but with the bond forged by giving her a new name, they would be able to grow much closer.