Not long after Jiang Yunnan left, Su Yang returned.
He carried a scroll of rice paper in his hands, along with several rolled-up calligraphy and paintings.
Youen had already repurchased the eggs and stood waiting for him.
After he returned, the two of them went home together.
Once home, Su Yang went straight to the kitchen, while Su Yan headed to the bamboo grove, seemingly intending to make something.
No one was paying attention to her, so she was quite content to enjoy her freedom.
She lay back down on the recliner beneath the pear blossom tree.
After glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, she pulled out the liquor she had hidden in her bosom.
The reason she had insisted on going to the street with Su Yang this morning was actually to buy a jug of liquor to drink.
Since arriving in Suzhou, she hadn’t touched a single drop of alcohol.
After several days without a drink, she was truly craving it.
Seeing that Su Yang was going to the street, she couldn’t resist and said she would go with him.
It was only after reaching the street and hearing that today was the Prefect’s daughter’s wedding day that she recalled the plot from the book.
But compared to drinking, none of that mattered much.
Enjoying life was what truly mattered.
Yet, just as she pulled out the stopper, the liquor in her hand vanished into thin air.
When Youen looked up, she saw Su Ting standing beside her.
“Old rascal!” she cursed under her breath, leaping down from the recliner in one swift motion.
Su Ting sniffed the liquor jug, then raised an eyebrow and grinned, “Little thing, you’ve learned to sneak drinks now?”
“I wonder who taught me how to drink in the first place.”
Although Su Ting was a eunuch, he didn’t act like one in the slightest.
Only in front of Director Wang and His Majesty could Su Ting behave properly, pretending to be a good eunuch on the surface.
In private, he was always this irreverent.
“This Suzhou liquor smells a bit inferior to the palace’s—wonder how it tastes.”
As he spoke, he was about to take a sip.
Youen stared fixedly at the liquor in his hand and muttered, “Are you even human? Stealing my liquor?”
“What’s the big deal? Back in the Western Depot, it’s not like you never stole my drinks before.”
Though Su Ting said this, he halted the motion of bringing the jug to his lips.
Just as Youen was about to snatch the liquor back, she caught sight of Su Yan’s figure.
He must have returned from the bamboo grove.
Youen quickly put on a worried expression and said to Su Ting, “Father, I’ve told you, drinking is bad for your health. Besides, you know our family’s situation.
How can poor folks like us afford such expensive liquor? Could you please quit drinking from now on? That way, Eldest Brother and Second Brother would have one less burden.”
Su Ting was stunned, taking a long moment to process her words.
At first, he thought Youen had gone mad.
But when he noticed Su Yan approaching, he finally understood what kind of scheme she was pulling.
He didn’t refute her; instead, he cheerfully took a big gulp of the liquor right in front of her.
Seeing him about to finish the entire jug, Youen suddenly felt a hollow emptiness inside.
Great. Her morning’s anticipation—gone just like that.
Su Ting, you’re something else.
Too tired to keep fighting with Su Ting, she lay back on the recliner and covered her head with the light blue crane cloak.
Su Ting, sipping his liquor, teased her, “In the middle of summer, aren’t you afraid you’ll suffocate yourself under there?”She revealed one eye, glared at him, and said in an extremely low, fierce voice, “It’s still better than being angered to death by you.”
Su Ting wanted to say more, but just then, Su Yan suddenly approached.
He carried a unique fragrance about him, and as soon as he drew near, Youen recognized his presence.
She lifted the crane cloak covering her head, sat up, and looked toward Su Yan.
She saw him holding a goose-yellow garment, with beads of sweat still dotting his forehead.
He handed the clothing to Youen.
“Elder Brother mentioned you wanted a goose-yellow crane cloak. I bought it for you.”
Youen took the cloak, and for a moment, many words rose to her lips but remained unspoken.
Had Su Yan gone mad?
Their family was so poor they could scarcely put food on the table—where did he get the money to buy a crane cloak?
Yet, just as these words were about to escape her lips, they inexplicably transformed into a question:
“So, did you go chop bamboo to sell for money this morning?”
“Mm.” He nodded.
He truly had little money to his name; the only thing of value in their home was that bamboo grove.
This was his only option.
“Brother, why go to such lengths? Weren’t you saving that bamboo to make folding fans? You love bamboo so much, how could you…”
She abruptly swallowed the rest of her words.
She had noticed the wound on his wrist.
It must have happened when he was cutting the bamboo, accidentally injuring himself.
“Just to exchange it for this piece of clothing—it really isn’t worth it.”
As she spoke, she rushed into the house, searching for something to bandage the wound on his hand.
Just as she turned away, Su Yan spoke, his voice so soft that even Su Ting beside him couldn’t make out the words.
“Nothing is worth or not worth.”
By the time Youen ran back out, she was carrying a medicine jar in her left hand and a roll of long cloth and scissors in her right.
She wobbled over to Su Yan, had him sit in the reclining chair, and seated herself on a small stool, carefully bandaging his wound.
Throughout the entire process, Su Yan did not refuse her.
He remained quiet and did not cry out in pain, so Youen felt less pressure as she tended to him.
But just as she was nearly finished, Su Yan suddenly spoke: “Uncle, there’s a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
“Go ahead.” Su Ting instinctively felt he was about to ask something inappropriate.
He had already prepared to deceive Su Yan, but to his surprise, Su Yan pointed to the wine in his hand and asked, “Whose wine is this?”
Su Ting breathed a quiet sigh of relief inwardly, then waved his hand with a smile. “I just bought it randomly when passing by the street. I can’t remember anymore.”
How would he know whose wine it was? It wasn’t even him who bought it.
Just as he thought Su Yan’s questioning had ended, he heard Su Yan’s voice again:
“I recall there’s a daughter in the Song family who also enjoys drinking.”
At these words, Youen’s movements as she bandaged his wound paused slightly.
There’s a daughter in the Song family who also enjoys drinking.
That Song family daughter was probably none other than Song Qingqing.
She quickly composed herself, adopting an attitude of detachment as if it had nothing to do with her, and continued bandaging his wound.
Su Ting, however, grew somewhat flustered. He used drinking to mask his unease, taking three large gulps of wine before replying: “Yes, yes. Unfortunately, unfortunately, the entire Song family is no longer among the living.”
Su Yan’s gaze swept lightly over Youen’s expression before settling on Su Ting.
“My condolences, Uncle.”
He gave a slight nod, then looked down at his already bandaged hand. After thanking Youen, he walked toward the interior of the house.
Su Youen always felt that he knew something.
But she didn’t dare ask.