After Transmigrating Into a Scummy Alpha, I Have Unlimited Krypton Gold (GL) - Chapter 18

“But with the crosshairs on her, she didn’t dare say a word.”

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Accompanying Xue Bai Guang back to the Xue family’s main residence, Xue Cheng saw that the magnificent three-courtyard estate was far more impressive than her own small house.

By the time they arrived, the main hall was already full of people, some standing, some seated. At the head of the room sat a vigorous, gray-haired old woman. Xue Cheng didn’t need to guess; this was undoubtedly the Xue family matriarch.

She led Liu Wuyuan forward to pay her respects. “Granddaughter and my wife greet you, Grandmother. I apologize for the wait.”

She knew how to play the part. Xue Cheng knew that the only person in this household who was genuinely kind to the original owner was the matriarch. At least in the book, if the original owner hadn’t been such a terror, this old woman wouldn’t have been so disappointed in her that she would eventually turn a blind eye to her fate. The original owner was always good at sweet-talking her grandmother to keep her happy, whether out of genuine respect or just to get more money. Either way, she put on a good show.

Seeing Xue Cheng bow so respectfully, the matriarch’s stern face softened into a loving smile.

“It’s good that you’ve come. You live far away; Grandmother understands.”

With the old woman’s words, even those who had been waiting impatiently and wanted to lash out at Xue Cheng now held their tongues. Everyone knew how much the matriarch doted on her legitimate eldest granddaughter, so no one was foolish enough to make a scene at that moment.

Although Xue Cheng was late, the Xue family had still saved seats for her, both as a key participant in the upcoming ceremony and as the direct, legitimate heir of this generation. Xue Cheng led Liu Wuyuan to a spot near the matriarch’s seat.

Sometimes, Xue Cheng found this traditional, feudal class system unsettling. Birth determined everything; it seemed impossible to climb the social ladder through personal effort. The small Xue family was a microcosm of society itself. There were so many talented and capable people in the clan, but because of the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate heirs, they couldn’t get good opportunities, and clan resources wouldn’t be allocated to them.

As a result, when Xue Cheng appeared, many people looked at her with hostility, and many others with disdain and mockery. When Xue Cheng looked around, she received almost no friendly glances. She sighed inwardly. The original owner was really disliked by everyone.

Just then, the Xue family matriarch at the head of the room spoke.

“Now that Xiao Cheng has arrived, let’s get down to business.”

As soon as she finished, a middle-aged male Qianyuan sitting across from Xue Cheng spoke up. “Mother, I have something to say.”

Xue Cheng didn’t recognize him, but seeing Xue Bai Guang standing behind him, she could guess that this was Xue Bai Guang’s father, the original owner’s second uncle. The original book didn’t describe this person much, but in Xue Cheng’s limited memory, she only recalled a mention that he was very opportunistic, often getting into disputes with others over clan interests.

The Xue family had some businesses, and these were managed by the children of the various branches. But it was just management; the profits were collected and redistributed by the clan. The main branch naturally received the largest share, but the original owner was so useless, and her parents were gone, so her share was currently being held by her grandmother. Of course, managing a family business came with its perks. Aside from a regular salary, there were also occasional profit-sharing dividends.

This distribution method didn’t seem entirely fair. If the main branch produced a useless heir, could they just reap the rewards? Xue Cheng found it hard to understand.

Xue Tingwei was now middle-aged, and his greatest source of pride was his capable daughter. Xue Bai Guang had been praised by her teacher as the most likely of the younger generation to pass the imperial exams. The Xue family wasn’t known for its scholars, but Xue Bai Guang was an exception. Because of her, even though Xue Tingwei himself wasn’t particularly capable, the clan had given him several businesses to manage.

But Xue Tingwei wasn’t satisfied. He felt that his daughter was so outstanding, and with a chance of becoming a high-ranking official, the clan should give his family all the benefits. Because of this, he particularly disliked his good-for-nothing niece, thinking, Why should this useless waste get to inherit everything in the future?

But the rules passed down by their ancestors were what they were. Even if he wasn’t happy, it was difficult to change the matriarch’s mind, and the other elders wouldn’t easily agree to have Xue Bai Guang inherit the family business instead. For years, Xue Tingwei had wished his useless niece would drink herself to death at a brothel, so he wouldn’t have to look at her.

The matriarch knew what he wanted to say. Before Xue Cheng had even arrived, Xue Tingwei had been muttering that Xue Cheng was not up to the task and that the important ceremony should be handed over to a more reliable person. Everyone in the family knew what he was really after, but rules were rules. Without them, there would be no order. If they allowed the second branch to overstep the main branch today, the younger generations would no longer be united and harmonious; they would no longer respect the hierarchy. Everyone would think they were the one who deserved to inherit the family business, leading to bitter infighting that would eventually cause the Xue family to fall apart.

The matriarch was well aware that Xue Cheng was useless, but for the sake of the family’s stability, she had to protect Xue Cheng’s right of inheritance. So she just said flatly, “The main business is important. Everything else can be discussed later.”

This was her way of saying she didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

But Xue Tingwei had already convinced several other elders, and he had been waiting for this moment to change the person leading the ceremony to Xue Bai Guang in front of everyone. So, even though he was afraid of his mother, he mustered his courage and continued, “The matter I want to discuss is related to the ancestral ceremony. I believe…”

He was interrupted halfway through. The matriarch frowned and said coldly, “Tingwei, you are out of line.”

As soon as she said that, Xue Tingwei knew he had angered her. But when he anxiously looked back and saw his daughter standing behind him, he felt that as a father, he had to fight for his child. So, he braved the matriarch’s thinly veiled anger and spoke his mind.

“Mother, why are you so quick to silence me? Everyone in the Xue family knows what a scoundrel Xue Cheng is. Letting her be the one to lead will not convince anyone. Even our ancestors would be angered by such a useless descendant.” He actually wanted to say that the ancestors would be so angry they’d rise from their graves to curse her, but that was too audacious. He didn’t dare go that far, even with the matriarch’s fury. Since he’d already said so much, he might as well just lay all his thoughts out in the open.

“My daughter, Bai Guang, has always been diligent and respectful. She is a better person than Xue Cheng in every way. She is also a Qianyuan. It would not be unacceptable for her to replace Xue Cheng.”

When he finished, several other elders in the room exchanged glances and then voiced their agreement. These people were the matriarch’s contemporaries. While their status wasn’t as high as the clan leader, they were not her children, so she couldn’t simply dismiss them.

The old woman rubbed her forehead, her face filled with worry. Xue Cheng saw this and actually wanted to say that she wasn’t that keen on being the leader and would be happy to let someone else do it. But with the crosshairs on her, she didn’t dare say a word.

The matriarch was playing with a string of sandalwood prayer beads in her hand. With a sigh, she said, “I know you are not pleased with Ah Cheng, but she was just young and foolish before. Now, I’ve heard that she’s been staying home for half a month, not leaving the house once.”

Then, she looked at Xue Cheng and said, “Ah Cheng, tell your uncles and aunts what you’ve been doing lately.”

People don’t change overnight. The matriarch’s standards for Xue Cheng were now so low that she just wanted her not to cause trouble.

Xue Cheng answered innocently, “I’ve been at home reading. I haven’t gone anywhere.”

As soon as she said this, Xue Tingwei scoffed. “Reading? Do you even understand a single word?”

Xue Cheng’s younger aunt, Xue Lingyu, also laughed, covering her mouth. “Brother, why say that about your niece? When Ah Cheng was a child, she loved to use books for kindling. Maybe she was only burning them after she understood them?” She wasn’t trying to help Xue Cheng at all, but rather to insult her.

Xue Cheng was speechless and didn’t bother to reply. As a junior, anything she said would be wrong. The matriarch was a little surprised to see her so quiet and well-behaved. The old Xue Cheng, with her bad temper, would have jumped up and cursed everyone after such cold mockery, and would have declared, “Whoever wants to do it can do it; I don’t care about it anyway.” But today, Xue Cheng was just sitting there quietly. It seemed the rumors that she had improved were true.

The matriarch didn’t have time to observe her further. She frowned, looking at all her children and grandchildren. Some were unhappy, some were silently watching, and a few were speaking up for Xue Cheng. She sat up straight, placed the prayer beads on the table, and extended her hand to the side. The old nanny who had served her for years immediately placed a jade scepter in her hand.

The matriarch stroked the scepter, which was carved from warm Hetian jade, and beckoned to Xue Cheng. “Ah Cheng, come here to Grandmother.”

Xue Cheng obediently walked over and half-knelt. The matriarch placed the scepter in her hands. The old woman patted Xue Cheng’s shoulder with a loving smile, but then her expression turned serious as she looked at everyone in the hall.

“The ancestral rules are what they are, and the ceremony cannot be changed. Ah Cheng is still the legitimate heir of the Xue family and has not committed any major offense. The matter of changing the leader need not be brought up again.”

Then, her gaze shifted to Xue Tingwei, and she said with a warning tone, “She was young and foolish before. It’s not too late for her to improve. As her elder, instead of protecting her, you are constantly trying to undermine your own niece. Do you not feel any shame?”