Bright Pearl
“Are you mistaken?”
Yu Shuwan smiled. “Mother said I could choose, and I picked this pearl because it was bright. Are you implying that I’m targeting you in front of Mother?”
“I’m not.”
Yu Guiwan choked back a sob. “I just wanted…”
“Enough with the ‘I’m not’ and ‘I just wanted.’ It’s grating on my ears.”
Yu Shuwan’s smile vanished as she looked at her expressionlessly. “Yu Guiwan, I’ve taken a liking to this thing.
It’s already a mercy that I haven’t demanded you return my life to me. You’d better not put on an act in front of me.”
With that, Yu Shuwan strode briskly toward Grandmother Yu, her face once again beaming with a smile. “Grandmother, don’t you think this Bright Pearl is beautiful?”
Su Jintang finally caught up, panting and furious. “Mother, this is the birthday gift I prepared for Guiwan. How could Shuwan snatch Guiwan’s things?”
“If I recall correctly, Shuwan and Guiwan share the same birthday, don’t they?”
Grandmother Yu didn’t even glance at Su Jintang’s abruptly changed expression. Instead, she nodded to Yu Shuwan. “Indeed, it’s of excellent quality—a pearl the size of a baby’s fist. It can be considered a treasure.”
Yu Shuwan said, “I’ve heard that pearls can be used in medicine to calm the nerves, soothe fright, improve eyesight, and clear cloudiness. Since it’s already mine, I’d like to grind it into powder for Grandmother to use.”
As soon as these words were spoken, Su Jintang blurted out, “That’s a waste of something precious!”
“It’s my possession, so I naturally have the final say.”
Yu Shuwan looked puzzled. “Mother, you showed no care for my recognition banquet, you didn’t prepare a birthday gift for me, and now you even want to control what I take from the storeroom?
Everyone here just heard you say that we could choose something we liked from the storeroom.”
Yu Guiwan hadn’t expected that since Yu Shuwan’s return, not only had she failed to suppress her, but she now couldn’t even understand Yu Shuwan’s tactics.
A surge of frustration made Yu Guiwan step forward. “Even if my sister dislikes or hates me, I accept it.
But some items in the storeroom were already designated to be gifted. This time it’s the Bright Pearl; next time it might be something else, and that wouldn’t be good.”
Since Yu Shuwan had said she would give the Bright Pearl to the old madam, there was likely no excuse to get it back.
But if she could use this opportunity to paint Yu Shuwan as ignorant of rules and make Su Jintang despise her even more, then she would have indirectly suppressed her.
After all, in the original story, the female protagonist yearned so deeply for familial affection.
After listening to Yu Guiwan’s words, Yu Shuwan nodded solemnly.
Su Jintang also seemed to have found a suitable excuse and immediately said, “Yes, I’ll have someone send the undesignated items to your courtyard later, and you can choose some more.
This Bright Pearl is truly rare. It would be such a pity to grind it into powder like this. I’ll have more supplements sent to Changhong Yuan later.”
“It seems I misunderstood your meaning, Mother.”
Yu Shuwan sighed regretfully. “So those words earlier were just to placate me, and I foolishly believed them.
But Mother, unlike you, I keep my promises. Since I’ve already decided how to use this Bright Pearl, it must be this one.”
With that, Yu Shuwan picked up a nearby stone without batting an eye and smashed it forcefully onto the Bright Pearl.
Instantly, the pearl shattered into pieces.
“You… you unfilial daughter!”
Su Jintang trembled with anger, clutching her chest.
Yu Shuwan smiled gently, “Mother, I’m helping you. Many things must be carefully planned by oneself so that others won’t have opportunities. If you don’t want to give it to me, you could have prevented me from choosing or hidden the pearls away. I must give Mother a chance to learn a lesson, so that in the future you won’t suffer greater losses.”
Ignoring the gazes of others, Yu Shuwan calmly wrapped the pearl in a handkerchief and handed it to Zhi Qiu. “Auntie, please help me keep this safe.”
After giving her instructions, Yu Shuwan deliberately blew away the fine powder that had been ground out earlier.
Yu Guiwan looked displeased. “After all, Mother is the one who gave birth to you. Aren’t these words of yours too hurtful?”
“If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten,” Yu Shuwan replied. “Then you comfort her. Isn’t that what you’re good at?”
With that, Yu Shuwan took Grandmother Yu’s arm affectionately and said, “Grandmother, let’s return to the courtyard. I loved the story you told me yesterday and would like to hear more.”
Only when they could no longer see the people behind them did Grandmother Yu speak with a hint of reproach. “If you truly liked it, could I have let them take it back? Later, I’ll have Zhi Qiu find a skilled craftsman outside to reset the pearl with gold wire for you, and have it made into a headpiece.”
“What they said is true—I am indeed from the countryside. I don’t care much for things like headpieces,” Yu Shuwan teased. “Did Grandmother think I acted impulsively just now?”
“Didn’t you?”
“Pearl powder does have these beneficial effects. Grandmother rubbed your eyes several times under the oil lamp last night. It’s worth trying,” Yu Shuwan said candidly. “No matter how beautiful these pearls are, they’re of little use. If they can bring Grandmother some relief, it is the pearl’s honor.”
She had indeed chosen this pearl deliberately. Aside from wanting to see Yu Guiwan’s composure shatter, she wanted Grandmother Yu to use it. After all, the other pearls were too small; even if ground into powder for medicinal use, they wouldn’t be very effective.
“This pearl is large. Grandmother can use it for a long time.”
Grandmother Yu looked into those clear eyes, filled with undisguised affection and reverence, and felt her heart soften. “Child, your mother may be confused, but she is still your birth mother. If you two can get along well, she will be able to protect you somewhat in the future.”
“Grandmother, I think you’re mistaken about that. ‘When someone gives me a peach, I return a plum.’ Right now, Mother only has eyes for Yu Guiwan. If I were to blindly seek her attention, it would be unfair to someone like you, who treats me so well.”
Grandmother Yu knew that Su Jintang hadn’t shown Yu Shuwan a single kind expression since her return, so Yu Shuwan’s attitude was understandable. These things could only be seen in time.
…
Back in her own courtyard, Yu Guiwan cried until her eyes were swollen. Su Jintang, who had initially been angry at Yu Shuwan’s attitude, now felt only anxiety and distress.
“Without that pearl, Mother will find you something even better,” Su Jintang said tenderly. “Even for the recognition banquet, I won’t let you lose face.”
Yu Guiwan shook her head. “I’m heartbroken that Mother was humiliated like that by my sister. I know my sister suffered greatly all these years living in my place. Even if she targets me or dislikes me, it doesn’t matter. But Mother is a good mother. How could she hold a grudge against you too?”
“Those words she spoke in front of Grandmother today—did she ever consider your dignity?”
Hearing this, Su Jintang felt even more heartbroken. “It’s difficult for you to still be thinking of your mother. Good child, rest assured, you are my only daughter.”
“If she continues to be stubborn and refuses to see reason, she cannot blame me for being heartless and unfeeling.”