No matter how furiously Su Mingpei raged, whether he shouted or cursed, Su Shuyao remained calm and unmoved. She was holding a blue-and-white porcelain bowl, warm steam rising and softening the lines of her face, making her delicate features appear even gentler and quieter.
In contrast, Su Mingpei looked even more like a clown performing on stage.
“Su Shuyao, just don’t come begging me to take you as my master when the time comes!” Su Mingpei shouted in frustration, his face flushed red, and after throwing out these harsh words, he left angrily.
Watching his departing figure, Su Shuyao could not help but find it amusing.
Qiushuang was a little worried. She said, “Young Miss, when you speak with the Heir, try to be softer. After all, the Marquis of Weiyuan Residence will one day be inherited by the Heir. No matter what, this is your maternal home. When you marry in the future, you will still need your natal family’s support. Without their help, you might be bullied after you marry.”
Su Shuyao smiled lightly and said, “They are unreliable.”
The masters of the Marquis Residence all had their own selfishness and calculations. In her previous life, they were unreliable, and in this life, she had no intention of depending on them at all.
“But…”
“No buts. Are you going to listen to me?”
“…I will listen to you, Young Miss.”
Su Shuyao knew Qiushuang was only worried she might suffer losses. Fortunately, Qiushuang’s temperament was soft, so as long as Su Shuyao spoke a little more firmly, she would obediently follow.
Qiushuang was still young, confined within the small world of the inner residence, unable to see beyond it. When she grew older, she would understand that relying on others was always the inferior choice. Only by relying on oneself could one truly be free and in control.
“Let’s go. We will visit Aunt and see how Mingli’s essay is coming along.”
Great Scholar Li had sent a message, asking Su Shuyao to bring someone along with an essay so he could assess the basic writing skills.
Just as they reached the entrance of the alley, the servant at the gate saw Su Shuyao and immediately went inside to report, “The Young Miss has returned to the residence!”
Su Mingfeng happily rushed out like an excited young colt and said, “Little sister is back!”
Su Shuyao teased him and said, “Clearly, you are the younger one.”
Su Mingfeng rubbed his nose, his bright lively eyes blinking twice, and said, “Shuyao, can you call me Third Brother just once?”
His voice carried a hint of pleading, and his brows drooped slightly.
Mother had said that Su Shuyao’s birth date had never been accurately confirmed. She was so small back then; she must definitely be the younger one.
“I really want a younger sister!”
“No, actually our whole family wants a younger sister.”
Su Mingfeng clasped his hands, his eyes filled with a bright glow as though he were gazing upon a rare treasure. There was anticipation and also nervousness in his gaze, as if he was afraid to scare her away. Visit novelping . com for the full chapter.
No one in the Marquis of Weiyuan Residence had ever looked at her that way.
Su Shuyao’s heart gently warmed, and she softly called, “Third Brother.”
“Ah!” Su Mingfeng’s eyes lit up like a sky full of stars. He exclaimed excitedly, “Ahh! I finally have a younger sister!!!”
“Come on, little sister, everyone is waiting for you!”
A young man’s emotions were always so pure and intense.
Su Shuyao could not help but be affected by his joy and unconsciously became cheerful as well.
Aunt and Su Mingli were already waiting in the main hall. When Su Mingli saw her, he spoke gently, “Little sister is back.”
Then he turned and scolded Su Mingfeng, changing into a strict tone, “You are already sixteen, yet you still behave like this without any manners! What if you scare your little sister?”
Immersed in the joy of finally having a younger sister, Su Mingfeng did not get angry at all.
Su Shuyao stepped forward and greeted respectfully, “Mingli.”
Su Mingfeng proudly smiled, the ponytail on his head bouncing, and his crimson robe made him as dazzling as the bright sun. He said, “Little sister called me Third Brother, but she called you by your name!”
“Clearly, little sister is closer to me!”
Su Mingli cleared his throat and said, “Shuyao, you should also call me Elder Brother. Don’t let Third Brother be so pleased with himself.”
Aunt also said, “Yes, calling his name sounds too distant.”
Su Shuyao lowered her head slightly and softly called, “Elder Brother.”
Su Mingli, tall, slender, refined, and upright in bearing, slightly reddened at the tips of his ears when he heard her call him Elder Brother, and answered gently.
Su Shuyao asked, “Elder Brother, how is your essay coming along?”
“It is already completed,” Su Mingli replied. He took out the essay and handed it to her with both hands, saying, “Please help me take a look.”
Su Mingfeng shouted from the side, “Elder Brother heard that Great Scholar Li would be personally guiding his essay, so he studied hard for three days straight! His eyes are so dark they look like two pieces of charcoal! Little sister, hurry and see if he was really working hard or secretly being lazy!”
Su Mingli’s face darkened slightly, but the tips of his ears turned even redder.
Su Mingli was someone who was steady and willing to learn. His handwriting was beautiful, delicate, and elegant. It was clear that he had put in great effort.
Su Shuyao brought them along to Great Scholar Li’s residence.
Great Scholar Li had already investigated beforehand and knew that Su Shuyao was the eldest young miss of the Marquis of Weiyuan Residence. He had only been worried that the person she brought would be Su Mingpei. If she really brought Su Mingpei, he would rather bear the reputation of being ungrateful than guide him.
When he saw Su Mingli, Great Scholar Li finally let out a breath of relief.
Compared to Su Mingpei, Su Mingli was far more stable and calm, not rash at all. His foundation was solid. Although his essays were still a little immature, compared to that ridiculous Autumn Chrysanthemum Essay, it was countless times better.
While feeling relieved, Great Scholar Li also felt admiration for such talent and immediately invited them into the study to talk and guide him personally.
Su Shuyao then went to visit Li Yan.
Li Yan was still in confinement after childbirth, but her complexion was very good. Seeing Su Shuyao arrive, she even asked the wet nurse to bring the child over to show her.
“It is really too boring during confinement. Once I am done with this period, let’s go to the Princess’ flower banquet together.”
As she spoke, she handed Su Shuyao an invitation.
The Princess’ flower-viewing banquet was basically a disguised matchmaking banquet. Any respectable family in the capital would try to obtain an invitation. It was said that the Princess was also currently helping her legitimate eldest son look for a suitable match.
The Princess’ husband’s surname was Xie, from a great aristocratic family in Jiangnan. The eldest son had already been granted the title of Young Prince at a young age. Raised in Jiangnan, he was knowledgeable and talented, and the noble ladies of the capital admired him greatly.
It could be said that invitations to the Princess’ flower-viewing banquet were extremely rare. A declining household like the Marquis of Weiyuan Residence normally had no chance of receiving one.
In her previous life, Li Yan’s health was weak, and the child was also unwell. She cried almost every day during confinement and had no mood to attend anything like a flower banquet.
In this life, Li Yan’s body was healthy, the child was well, and her state of mind was also different.
Seeing this change, Su Shuyao genuinely felt happy.
The fates of everyone in the Marquis Residence would change and no longer follow the same tragic path as before.
Su Shuyao accepted the invitation and thanked her calmly. She ate a bowl of sweet brown sugar eggs and then gifted the child a longevity lock.
After leaving Great Scholar Li’s residence, Qiushuang smiled and said, “Young Miss is always calm in the Marquis Residence… no, Young Miss is calm everywhere, but once you reach Aunt’s home, you become like a child again.”
Su Shuyao truly liked this kind of change.
Right now, she was only sixteen years old. This was the age of youth and vitality. She should be like a newly sprouted bud, growing freely and happily.
In her previous life, influenced by sorrow and resentment, she had always felt suffocated when she was in the Marquis Residence, as though wrapped in deathly gloom. Only when she came to Aunt’s home did she truly feel alive again.