These days, Grandma Evans was positively glowing, telling everyone in Clearwater Village that her youngest son had struck it rich and she’d soon be living the high life.
"Ah, what can I say? I’m just lucky! My granddaughter’s about to become a young mistress, my youngest son’s rolling in wealth, and my grandson will be a top scholar one day. Truly, I’m the luckiest of all! Soon, I won’t be on the same level as you folks still digging in the dirt!" Grandma Evans sat at the village entrance, basking in the sun and looking down on everyone.
"So what if you’re rich? You never think to share with us, and we don’t get a scrap of your good fortune. What’s there to brag about?" Mrs. Thompson rolled her eyes.
With that, she shot Grandma Evans a glare and went home to cook.
After parading her good fortune around, Grandma Evans was flattered by a few gold-digging young wives and finally strutted home, satisfied. She fondled the gifts sent by Arthur Evans again, calculated that his family would arrive tomorrow, and called her two daughters-in-law over to discuss how to welcome Arthur Evans.
"Mom, if Uncle Arthur’s family asks about the Second Household tomorrow, what should we say?" asked Helen Parker.
Grandma Evans paused, thinking to herself that Margaret Evans and her daughter knew the inside story—tricky. After pondering, she said, "What else can we say? Just say the second son died of illness, and Margaret Evans was driven out because of her bad reputation. Make sure to distance ourselves from them. Hmph, now that our family is wealthy, we can't let Margaret Evans and her daughter benefit from us. From now on, be careful not to let them speak ill of us in front of Arthur Evans! Those two heartless wretches can't stand to see us doing well."
After Grandma Evans finished giving instructions, the two daughters-in-law went home to prepare, cleaning the house and getting their best clothes ready. Early the next morning, the whole family waited at the village entrance for the long-awaited, wealthy Arthur Evans.
The entire Evans family turned out, each dressed to impress, making quite a spectacle at the village entrance.
Some villagers covered their mouths and laughed, "Why isn’t your whole family here? Where’s the Second Household?"
Grandma Evans glared and said, "What Second Household? There’s no such thing in my family!"
By noon, a carriage slowly approached the village entrance. Grandma Evans squinted her aging eyes and saw—it was a horse-drawn carriage!
"Oh my, look! Arthur Evans is coming in a carriage!" Grandma Evans shouted to the crowd. "See how successful our Arthur is! Who else in Clearwater Village owns a carriage? There’s only one ox cart here! Look at our Arthur, that carriage is so grand!"
A few young wives immediately chimed in, flattering Grandma Evans: "Madam, you’re so lucky! Don’t forget us when you’re rich!"
Helen Parker watched the carriage, delighted, rubbing her hands and linking arms with May Parker, reminding her, "May, when you see your Uncle Arthur and Aunt, be sweet! Your uncle’s a big shot now—make him happy and you’ll get a nice dowry! When you get married, your uncle will have to prepare a proper dowry for you."
May Parker nodded. Although she thought she’d soon be marrying into the wealthy Zhang family, she figured having a rich Uncle Arthur to back her up—and get a hefty dowry—would be even better.
Arthur Evans’s nephew, Su Shimao, stood among the Evans family, dressed in his scholar’s robe, eyes glued to the carriage. Deep down, he was more excited than anyone for the arrival of his wealthy uncle.
His classmates at Green Seedling Academy always looked down on him for being poor, but once his rich Uncle Arthur arrived, he’d be able to wear fine robes and flaunt his wealth, finally joining the ranks of the elite.
But as the carriage rolled into Clearwater Village and Grandma Evans got a good look at its decorations, she frowned: This carriage looked downright shabby—no way a rich man’s carriage would be this pitiful, right? Did we get it wrong? Was Arthur Evans not in that carriage after all?