Chen Mu said irritably, "This is all your doing! That Population Growth Plan you proposed stirred everyone into a chicken-flying, dog-leaping frenzy."
"Eldest Aunt and her husband made up in Soul Fighting City and gave Second Brother another little sister. Eighth Uncle, Chen Qingrui, had another child too. With a new grandson and granddaughter, that old Grand Elder was so delighted he could barely keep his face composed."
As the younger generation gradually grew up, the followers' forms of address for the four generations of the Chen Clan slowly changed, eventually settling into a uniform system: the youngest generation were "Young Masters," the middle generation were "Masters," the generation above them were "Old Masters," and Chen Zixiu, the sole remaining elder of his generation, was respectfully addressed as "Great Master."
When addressing their elders, Chen Xiaojun's generation also gradually adopted the family's order of seniority, using titles such as Third Granduncle, Eighth Great-Uncle, and Thirteenth Great-Uncle. Their manners became increasingly formal.
Yet Chen Hong, the eldest of their grandfathers' generation, was the one exception. Rather than calling him Eldest Granduncle, they respectfully addressed him as "Grand Elder."
In truth, Chen Hong was hardly stern in his everyday dealings with the younger members of the family. He often even joked and laughed with them.
But whenever the youngsters mentioned Grand Elder Chen Hong, a trace of awe-or perhaps fear-still rose involuntarily in their hearts.
Chen Mu suddenly turned to Chen Xiaojun, looking thoughtful. "Come to think of it, haven't you felt that the Grand Elder has grown more easygoing whenever we've seen him these past few years?"
Chen Xiaojun chuckled. "The Grand Elder is ninety-nine this year. He'll be a centenarian soon."
"His temperament and emotions have become increasingly restrained. That imposing air you used to feel was probably just the