Xia Yan: "Are you questioning me? Xin Niang's marriage is my family matter. Why, now you even have to interfere with my family affairs, and even decide for me?"
Zhou Yin, who was behind Xia Yan, was slightly stunned. He glanced at Mr. Xia in surprise and then lowered his eyes.
Everyone in the hall looked unhappy, including Xia Yan, who said, "Xia San's family is indeed the closest to me, and Xia Yi is your second son. He seems to be the most suitable person to adopt."
"But whether we adopt or not depends on the compatibility between my wife and I. Originally, our husband and wife were not very close to Xia Yi." Xia Yan glanced around the room and sneered: "Besides, I want to adopt
What I want is a child, not a family of ancestors for myself.”
Xia San's face was ashen and he was about to speak when Xia Yan had already stood up and stared at Clan Chief Xia and said: "In the past, their family would come to my door every once in a while and point fingers at my wife and daughter. I won't say anything about it. They even paid people to keep an eye on my family's every move.
As soon as I move, my wife and daughter at home are domineering and forceful towards my wife and daughter before I adopt the child. When the child is adopted in the future, will my home still be the home of our family?"
"Now you are even questioning Xinniang's marriage?" Xia Yan said: "Don't forget, this is my family matter, and Xinniang is my daughter!"
"Brother Yan," Clan Chief Xia hurriedly reassured him, "Xia San didn't mean that, but he was just worried that you would be deceived. After all..."
He glanced at Zhou Yin and said: "After all, he is an outsider or from another place. Who knows what kind of character he has inside?"
Xia Yan: "What kind of character he is, I know best after spending time with him day and night. What kind of character Xia Yi is, I have not been without eyesight for so many years."
Xia San was so angry that he looked down on Xia Yi at all. He wanted to say something, but the brothers on the left and right held him down and told him not to be impulsive.
Xia Yan's decision and comments were a bolt from the blue for Xia San's family, but it was not entirely a bad thing for the clan.
Originally, Xia San's family and Xia Yan were closely related by blood, both emotionally and ethically. If they wanted to adopt someone, they would have to choose someone from their family.
Xia Yi was recognized as the best candidate early on. Whether it was the clan or Xia Yi's family, everyone felt that Xia Yan would definitely adopt Xia Yi's son in the future...
As a result, Xia Yan now looks down on Xia Yi. Doesn't that mean that other people in the clan have a chance?
Clan leader Xia also thought this was a good thing, so his expression improved when he pulled Xia Yan outside. He persuaded him earnestly: "Brother Yan, since you think Xia Yi is not suitable, why not choose a younger child from the clan and raise him from an early age?
With the upbringing around you, not only your character is guaranteed, but you also have deep feelings from childhood."
Xia Yan shook his head, "Clan leader, you know that my wife and I are both in poor health and have limited energy. It will be troublesome to raise Xin Niang, let alone other children. Bringing the children will only delay others. Forget it, forget it.
Already."
Chief Xia couldn't help but glance at Zhou Yin next to him, pulled Xia Yan aside and asked in a low voice: "Brother Yan, you don't really want to marry Xin Niang, do you?"
Xia Yan also glanced at Zhou Yin, who was standing like a pine tree. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He pondered for a moment and then shook his head, "I haven't thought about marrying Xin Niang yet."
But he really wanted to marry off Xin Niang and take away most of the property.
Chief Xia said hurriedly: "Even if we want to recruit a wife, we can't choose a foreigner. He is still a foreigner who has escaped from trouble."
Since Zhou Yin became a long-term worker for the Xia family, everyone in Hongtian Village knew his origins. They heard that he was from Mianzhou and had to escape due to drought.
Xia Yan said: "What my family looks for when choosing a son-in-law is character."
"Then what if his character is not good?" Chief Xia said, "He has no relatives here to care about, who can control him?"
Xia Yan: "Thank you, patriarch, for caring about your brother's family affairs. I will consider this matter."
But he didn't look like he was considering it at all.
Chief Xia could only watch helplessly as Xia Yan left with Zhou Yin.
On the other side, Xia's mother and Xia Xin, who were surrounded by their female relatives, were not having a good time either. After they sat down, someone asked directly or tactfully about the adoption.
After asking the adopted stepmother, I asked Xia Xin about her marriage.
It seemed that it was unreasonable for her to have her haircut and not get engaged yet.
Some people directly wanted to propose marriage to her, which made Xia Xin's face change with anger.
Xia Xin stood up directly and said to Xia's mother: "Mom, I'm going out to watch dad, and I can't let him drink."
After that, he left.
The aunts and uncles in the clan couldn't help but be startled, and then got a little angry, "Brother and sister, how come Xin Niang's child becomes more rude as she grows older?"
Xia's mother's face darkened, "She is worried that her father will be harmed by drinking. This is filial piety. Why is it so rude?"
She also stood up, "I think it's getting late. You guys chat first while I go see the elders in the clan."
Everyone watched the mother and daughter leave and looked at each other, "This..."
"Have you noticed that mother and daughter are very strong this year, and they are much bolder."
"It's not just this year. Last year was different from before. We even had the guts to refuse to entertain us when we came to the door. Was it possible before?"
"Could it be that they really want to recruit Zhou Yin as their wife so that they don't have to rely on the clan in the future, so..."
"No way, Zhou Yin is a foreigner. This outsider is an outsider after all. How can he be compared to our own family?"
There was a lot of discussion among them, and Xia Xin who ran out did not go to find her father, but ran out of the village at once, and did not stop until she was out of breath.
She kicked the stone away from her feet in annoyance, because the stone was a bit big, and she felt a dull pain in her toes, and tears fell down her face.
Zhou Yin, who was chasing after her, saw her and was at a loss. He handed her his handkerchief and said, "Don't cry. Did Xia Lan bully you again? Just wait, I'll beat Xia Yi."
Let me vent your anger."
Only then did Xia Xin realize that he was following him. She pulled off the veil and turned away to wipe her tears, "You, why are you here?"
"I saw you running out of the village. I called you twice but you didn't answer. I was afraid that something would happen to you, so I followed you." Because she lowered her head, Zhou Yin couldn't see her face, so he could only lower his head with all his strength.
Looking at her face, he asked softly: "Are you being bullied?"
Xia Xin slightly raised her eyes to look at him, and when she caught his gaze, she lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze and muttered: "No."
Seeing the tears still hanging on her face, Zhou Yin couldn't help but reach out to wipe them away, and said softly: "Liar, how could you cry if you didn't? Why are you crying so sadly?"
Xia Xin was startled by his hand, took a step back, and reached out to knock his hand off.
Zhou Yin withdrew his hand, and their expressions changed slightly, and they remained silent.
Xia Xin felt that her reaction just now was not good and might have hurt Zhou Yin, so she hesitated to speak.
Zhou Yin lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, "You, do you know?"