Chарtеr 14: Fаthеr Will Absolutelу Listеn to You
Нowevеr, whеn Gu Таng аrrivеd at Jаdе Dеw Hаll, she оnly saw аn еmptу roоm with nеаtly аrrаnged mеаls аnd dishеs рlасed оn the tаblе.
…Father was indeеd lying tо her!
With disарроintment in her еyes, shе rаn tо hеr own sрeсial stoоl аnd sаt dоwn.
Аfter сasually sсоорing sоme food intо hеr bоwl, she bеgan еating in small bitеs.
Вut bеfоre she hаd tаken morе than a fеw mоuthfuls, shе suddеnly hеаrd faint footsteps at the dоorwау.
Gu Таng didn’t hоld out muсh hope аnd listlesslу glanсed оver.
Yet unexpectedly, she met Shen Zuihuan’s smiling eyes.
Her own eyes instantly brightened.
A gentle smile graced Shen Zuihuan’s lips as she softly asked, “Tangtang, you’re up so early today.”
She remembered that when she was Gu Tang’s age, she had quite a fondness for sleeping in.
Looking at it this way, her daughter really was a diligent little girl.
Hearing this, Gu Tang nodded emphatically, her eyes curving into crescents as she replied, “Yes, Mother. I’m going to the academy to study later.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Zuihuan felt even more affection for her.
She quickly volunteered, “Then Mother will take you to the academy later.”
As she spoke, she sat down beside Gu\ Tang.
Reaching out, she served Gu Tang a bowl of warm, sticky lily congee and placed it in front of her.
Gu Tang happily accepted it right away.
Shen Zuihuan wasn’t in a hurry to eat herself. Instead, she asked with curiosity, “Which academy do you study at?”
Gu Tang, her mouth still full of congee, replied before she could swallow, “Guan Yun Academy!”
After a pause, she added, “Sometimes, when Grandfather has free time, he also comes to the academy to give us lectures.”
Though, given his busy political duties, he rarely comes.
Hearing this, Shen Zuihuan immediately smiled brightly.
Facing Gu Tang, she said, “Your grandfather gives excellent lectures. Your father, I, and your Uncle Wei—Uncle Wei Xianyù—all studied under him in the past.”
Gu Tang was smiling happily upon hearing the first part.
But whether Shen Zuihuan misperceived it or not,
she felt that after the latter part was spoken, the smile on Gu Tang’s face faded slightly.
Gu Tang scooped a spoonful of lily congee into her mouth and pursed her lips. “Is that so?”
Shen Zuihuan nodded.
She then asked, “…Does your father usually skip breakfast in the morning?”
The moment she heard her mother showing concern for her father, Gu Tang instantly perked up.
Tilting her tender, round little face, she said to Shen Zuihuan, “Father starts his duties early. Usually, after practicing swordplay at the training grounds, he goes directly to the military camp in the capital to eat.”
Shen Zuihuan nodded. “I see…”
Seeing her reaction, Gu Tang’s dark, shiny eyes rolled thoughtfully.
She then sighed and said, “…But with military affairs being so busy, sometimes he doesn’t even have time to eat.”
Before Shen Zuihuan could fully process it, her heart suddenly tightened, and the words spilled out: “How can that be! That’s so bad for his health.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a bit bewildered by her own reaction.
Just a couple of days ago, she still disliked him—what did it matter to her whether that annoying Gu Changce ate breakfast or not?
Shen Zuihuan placed her fair hand over her pounding heart and began frantically justifying her feelings to herself.
She thought that perhaps the twenty-one-year-old Shen Zuihuan’s fondness for him was causing her own emotions to spiral out of control.
Hearing this, seeing that her mother had taken the bait, Gu Tang lowered her head and let out two subtle, brief chuckles.She raised her face, yet it was once again a picture of gloom and sorrow.
Putting on an act, she said pitifully to Shen Zuihuan, “Isn’t it bad for his health? I tried to persuade Father before, but Mother, you know his temper—he’s never one to listen to advice.”
Shen Zuihuan deeply agreed: “He’s been stubborn since he was little.”
Gu Tang stole a glance at her out of the corner of her eye. “Exactly! No matter what I said, Father wouldn’t listen. But…” At this point, she deliberately paused.
Facing Shen Zuihuan, she spoke hesitantly, “If Mother were to say something, I think Father might actually listen.”
Shen Zuihuan quickly waved her hand. “How could that be?”
She still remembered back when Gu Changce got into a fight with a classmate at the academy. When Gu’s father found out, he hung him up and whipped him with a cane, yet Gu Changce gritted his teeth and never uttered a word of apology.
But Gu Tang wore a confident expression, reaching out her small hand to gently shake Shen Zuihuan’s arm.
Softening her voice into a pleading tone, she begged, “Mother, just give it a try! Father will definitely listen to you.”
Shen Zuihuan couldn’t stand it when she acted cute like this.
Seeing her act so sweetly, her mind grew muddled.
Before she knew it, the word “Alright” slipped from her lips.
Gu Tang, having succeeded in her scheme, instantly beamed like a flower.
She picked up the white porcelain bowl and gulped down two mouthfuls, finishing the lily porridge cleanly.
Shen Zuihuan, having just recovered from a serious illness, had little appetite in the morning. After casually eating some summer refreshments, she called it a day.
She boarded the carriage that had long been waiting outside the mansion and escorted Gu Tang to the academy.
Upon returning, she heard the maid from her courtyard say, “The Second Young Miss has arrived and is currently waiting for you in the inner chamber.”
Shen Zuihuan was taken aback for a moment before she realized.
The Second Young Miss was her younger sister, Shen Qingtang.
In the eyes of the fourteen-year-old Shen Zuihuan, her younger sister Shen Qingtang had just had a falling out with her yesterday.
She wasn’t particularly keen on seeing her now.
But Qiu Yan seemed unusually cheerful.
After the maid from the courtyard left,
Qiu Yan leaned in close and whispered into Shen Zuihuan’s ear, “A few days ago, when you fell into the water, it was the Second Young Miss who rescued you. When you see her today, you should thank her properly.”
Shen Zuihuan was stunned upon hearing this. She hadn’t expected that it was her younger sister, whom she had never gotten along with since childhood, who had saved her.
Hearing this, she suddenly felt that her earlier thoughts were truly unwarranted.
Between sisters, how could there be lasting grudges?
Thinking this, she quickly entered the inner chamber.
Before even seeing anyone, she first heard her younger sister’s somewhat spoiled voice: “Eat more, come on, have some more, silly bird.”
She kept a cage of little sparrows in her room.
Every time Shen Qingtang visited, she would feed them first.
Hearing Shen Zuihuan’s footsteps, her expression softened slightly as she scattered all the birdseed in her hand into the cage.
Turning around, she called out to Shen Zuihuan, “Sister.”