Chapter 449 — The Adopted Heir

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Dou Huaiying saw Dou Yan and came straight to the point. "You've come about the matter of the adopted heir, haven't you?" And before Dou Yan could speak, he went on, "There's no need for you to try to talk me out of it! I've thought about it a long while. I told Wang Shuying long ago that beyond a name and a place, I had nothing to give her—and still she insisted on staying in the Song household. Now that we've come to this pass, she is certainly at fault, but I have been too stubborn as well. Yet if you ask me to forget the sins I once committed, that I cannot do.

"These past days I have looked at Yuanheng and thought of the two of you when you were small. You were like grass in the field, growing up on your own against the wind; Ming was cast off to the Xu family by me, left to fend for herself. You were both good children, taken under my knee, and yet your days held more bitterness than sweetness. Not only did I fail to teach you properly, I failed to plan a future for you—instead I burdened you so that even your marriages went crooked and roundabout because of me, and you swallowed a great deal of resentment."

Here his eyes grew somewhat moist.

"You especially—your husband's house is illustrious, your husband gentle and considerate, your child came at the proper time, lively and healthy. Looking at it fills me with delight, and makes me feel I am not entirely good for nothing.

"Wang Shuying and I were fated never to make a life together. In my early years I still thought of a divorce by mutual consent, but now... since she is unwilling, then let it be as it is. Otherwise, if we kicked up a fuss, it would cost you face, and I, as your father, would have no face to meet you.

"Your Sixth Uncle is careless in small matters but has firm judgment in great ones; your Sixth Aunt is virtuous and upright in conduct, yet never lacking in shrewdness. Dechang is nearly of age now—no longer a small child who needs an adoptive mother to look after him, or even to teach him. I, as his adoptive father, can be of no help to him, but your Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt can make decisions for him. And after I am gone, with him as the adopted heir, Wang Shuying could not possibly drag you into it.

"Our ancestors fought tooth and nail to make money—was it not so that their descendants could live good lives?

"I give up one quarter of the Western Dou property in exchange for a lifetime of peace for you. That is worth it.

"So say nothing more.

"No matter what you say, I will not change my mind!"

His attitude was utterly resolute.

Dou Yan was left speechless.

Could it be that Father wanted to adopt Twelfth Brother over precisely so that Wang Shuying would not become a trouble to her?

She could not help saying, "Father, you will surely live to a hundred, and outlive the Seventh Madam."

"On the road to dusk, there is no telling old from young," Dou Huaiying said with a smile. "Who knows who will go before whom. Better to arrange things early."

Having lived two lives, Dou Huaiying had always lived well and soundly.

Dou Yan looked at her father's full head of black hair, and suddenly felt a tightness choking her chest.

The atmosphere in the room grew somewhat grave.

The words she had thought she could never bring herself to say came out in a rush: "Father has guessed wrong this time! I did not come over the matter of your adoption at all. To raise up a line and continue one that would otherwise end—that is simply human nature. If Father thinks Twelfth Brother is good and wishes to bring him into the family, then I, as your daughter, can only be glad of it—how could I object? What I came for this time is Father's private affairs—the Seventh Madam spends long stretches living at her natal home, so Father should find someone to look after himself as well! Just as you said, Ming and I are both married, and you grow older year by year with no one at your knee. If there were someone at your side to tend you and ask after your warmth and chill, we daughters could set our minds at ease."

Dou Huaiying was dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at Dou Yan.

Dou Yan gave a slight nod.

Dou Huaiying suddenly burst out laughing.

"Our Shouyuan. Has grown up!" he sighed. "I thought you would hate me for the rest of my life!"

Now it was Dou Yan's turn to be astonished.

Was she really so obvious?

As though he had seen through her thoughts, Dou Huaiying said, "Since your mother passed away, the way you look at me has been cold—and even when you were occasionally stirred, you would only turn your face away, not wanting me to know..."

In her former life, the way she looked at her father had been even colder.

Did Father know of her hatred, then?

Dou Yan's heart was a tangle of five flavors.

She said, "I've grown up now, haven't I!"

Dou Huaiying nodded and smiled. "So you have! But you've also grown meddlesome."

Dou Yan was taken aback.

Dou Huaiying said, "I am quite well as I am. I have no wish to take a concubine, nor to find a serving woman. Now that you are grown, you should know that in this world it is hard to find a bit of ease for oneself. So do not join your Sixth Aunt in making a fuss, insisting that I must have some woman beside me to wait on me."

Father and daughter after all—talking of such things was exceedingly awkward.

Dou Yan said sheepishly, "So you knew it was Sixth Aunt..."

"Who else would it be?" Dou Huaiying laughed. "Everyone else wishes I would go on just as I am—then when the time comes they can pick someone to carry on the line."

Her father saw things so clearly that Dou Yan scarcely knew what to say.

Dou Huaiying said, "When I was small I obeyed your grandfather; when I grew up I obeyed your Fifth Uncle. Only in the matter of your marriage did I obey no one—and I found myself a fine son-in-law. This time, I will not listen to anyone else either." With that, he changed the subject and asked about Yuanheng. "When did you leave the house? Out this long, will he go hungry? I see it is getting late. Yantang is off duty tomorrow, so he should be home early today. You had best go back soon too!" He was, plainly and without mincing words, shooing her out.

Dou Yan muttered inwardly.

If Song Yantang had not known her beforehand, then judging by Father's skill at matchmaking, she would long ago have been devoured by Song Yantang!

Now it seemed that Father's way of doing things was indeed unreliable.

What was she to do?

Dou Yan told Song Yan all that had happened.

She had expected Song Yan to tease her father a little, but instead he said gravely, "Shouyuan, your father is right. All his life he has never once made a decision for himself. Now that he has finally managed to make one, you should not stand in his way—even if he decides wrongly, it is still his own decision. Disappointment, dejection, resentment, all of it is his burden to bear. You cannot keep wrapping everything up in your arms for him. You should let the old gentleman make his own choices."

Dou Yan fell into thought.

Song Yan left her to think it over alone, and, taking Yuan Heng in his arms, laughed and said, "Papa has tomorrow off—let's go see your grandfather!"

Yuan Heng gurgled with laughter, impossibly adorable.

The next day, Dou Yan went to Mao'er Alley and told Sixth Aunt about her father's decision and all of Song Zhigui's persuasions.

Lady Ji sighed with feeling. "I never thought Yantang would turn out to be such a good husband."

Dou Yan teased her Sixth Aunt. "You see—you can't judge a person by his looks."

Lady Ji was taken aback, then burst out laughing. "True enough, true enough. I let his face speak for him."

Sometimes, being too handsome is a trouble all its own.

Lady Han personally directed the little maids to bring in tea and cakes.

The two women settled into talk of children.

Dou Yong and Dou Huaide returned from the school.

Cousins meeting after a long separation naturally had their own reunion to enjoy.