"..."
Old Sir Xu’s expression instantly went blank.
Three seconds later, he laughed out of sheer anger. "Did you fail language arts? Do you even know what you’re saying? What do you mean they ’fought in the middle of the street over buying her a meal’?"
"I-it’s true, Old Sir," Housekeeper Xu said, finding it just as unbelievable. "Mr. Huo and the two young masters of the Meng Family happened to pass by Sui Jin Cave during their get-together. I g-guess they assumed Miss Changying couldn’t even afford to eat, so..."
Old Sir Xu’s gaze sharpened. "Yun Xing isn’t exactly the warm-hearted type. That boy has always been cold and arrogant; even Shuyu has to defer to him. What exactly happened?!"
"Old Sir, who can possibly guess what Mr. Huo is thinking?" Housekeeper Xu smiled bitterly. "A-and, Mr. Huo even lost the fight."
"Lost?" Old Sir Xu’s voice shot up. "Don’t those two juniors from the Meng Family follow his lead? Did they really lay a hand on him?"
"T-there was also a passerby. Mr. Huo couldn’t beat him and stormed off." Housekeeper Xu kept his head down, his voice dropping to a whisper. "But he was still upset, so he ordered a banquet from Man Tingfang and had it delivered to Miss Changying’s hospital room. It’s absolutely true."
"Great. Just great." Old Madam Xu was so furious she nearly fainted. "We’ve truly brought a disaster into our home. Not only does she want to drive out Zhao Yu, but she’s also stealing Shuyu’s fiancé. In just a day and a night, she’s already turned Jianghuai upside down."
Old Sir Xu remained somewhat composed. "Yun Xing doesn’t seem like such an impulsive person. I’m afraid things aren’t that simple."
"Not simple? It’s all too simple!" Old Madam Xu took a deep breath. "I don’t even need to look to know what that wet-behind-the-ears brat is thinking! She thinks she’s the true granddaughter of the Xu Family and Shuyu isn’t, so she wants to snatch everything Shuyu has! Does she even consider if any of it rightfully belongs to her?!"
Old Sir Xu’s gaze was heavy. After a long while, he finally said, "She has no mother, and Chengli has always been busy running around outside. I suppose no one ever taught her how to conduct herself."
"Then let’s send her to Sway International as a boarding student. Out of sight, out of mind," Old Madam Xu said, clutching her chest. "With her grades, what university could she possibly get into? We’ll just have to spend money to send her abroad to pad her resume when the time comes."
"Alright, it’s been a long day. Let’s rest." Old Sir Xu waved his hand. "We still have things to take care of tomorrow."
The "things to take care of" naturally referred to changing Ming Chengli’s surname and adding him to the Xu Family genealogy book. Their son having been switched for over forty years was already a massive laughingstock. Naturally, they couldn’t let Ming Chengli continue carrying the foreign surname "Ming," turning the Xu Family into an even bigger joke.
After waking up from a good sleep, Shi Changying felt a sense of surrealism as she ate the hot steamed buns Ming Chengli had brought her. It was a heartwarming father-daughter warmth she had never experienced before.
Ming Chengli watched helplessly as thirty meat buns rapidly disappeared into Shi Changying’s mouth. He covered his face with one hand, overcome with grief. "Changying, your old man can’t afford to feed you."
Shi Changying finished the last bite of her bun and asked, "What’s that ringing?"
Ming Chengli fished out his phone. His expression slightly hardened when he saw the caller ID. "Dad is going to take a call."
Ten minutes later, he returned.
Under the affectionate gaze of the old woman in the neighboring bed, Shi Changying had just finished eating another three large steamed buns and picked her book back up.
"Changying, your grandfather wants us to go home. They plan to send you to Sway International. Do you want to go?" Ming Chengli paused. "Dad hopes you’ll go. No matter what, you have to go to school."
Shi Changying’s hand paused while turning a page. "Alright."
Four hundred years ago, she had never been to school, nor did she have the chance. The history books recorded that she was uneducated, a brute who only knew how to fight—which wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Your life is still very long; you can’t just waste it... What did you say?" Ming Chengli was startled, looking at her in disbelief. "You agreed?"
"An Emperor does not joke," Shi Changying said in a lazy tone. "Therefore, I do not make promises lightly."
Ming Chengli was moved to tears. "Changying, you’ve grown so mature!"
That touched feeling vanished without a trace the moment Shi Changying spoke again. "If I see you cry one more time, I’m going to rob a bank right now."
Ming Chengli blanked for a second, his tear-prone constitution acting up on the spot. "Changying, it’s my fault for neglecting you because of work! You can do whatever you want, but don’t break the law! What if you want to take the civil service exam in the future?"
Shi Changying was a good Emperor who asked questions when she didn’t understand something. "What is a civil service exam?"
Ming Chengli clenched his fists, his eyes resolute. "To make a contribution to Jiuzhou!"
Shi Changying replied lazily, "Not interested."
She had conquered all of Jiuzhou herself; her contributions were already massive enough. Right now, she only wanted to eat all the delicious food in the world.
"That’s fine. As long as you’re happy, Dad can rest easy." Ming Chengli draped her coat over her shoulders and instructed, "When we get back to the Xu Family later, you absolutely cannot act out. Last time, they only held back from scolding you because you were sick."
Shi Changying crossed her arms. "Depends on my mood."
"Alright, alright, Dad’s Your Majesty the Emperor." Ming Chengli didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "The car is waiting downstairs. Let’s go."
Thirty minutes later, the Old Xu Mansion came into view.
Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu had both changed into formal attire, standing on opposite sides of the ancestral hall.
The grand display made Ming Chengli feel a bit constrained, but Shi Changying walked with bold, confident strides, completely at ease.
Housekeeper Xu was thoroughly astonished. How could such a solemn scene fail to intimidate a little country girl?
"Chengli, since you are officially returning to the family, according to the rules, you need to change your surname to ’Xu’ before you can be added to the genealogy book," Old Sir Xu said in a gentle voice. "Once the ceremony is over, we’ll head to the registry office."
Shi Changying glanced at the memorial tablets above. "Are there any benefits to changing surnames and getting on the genealogy book?"
Old Sir Xu steadied his breath and said, "Once you are on the genealogy book, you are a Xu Family Member."
"Oh?" Shi Changying offered a half-smile. "As if life can be passed down through a surname. If that were the case, what would be the point of parents? Those few sheets of paper are nothing but a fake umbilical cord. Burying your head in the sand—how truly amusing."
She wondered how a bunch of modern people could be even more feudal than an ancient person like her.
Housekeeper Xu gasped, staring at Shi Changying as if he had seen a ghost, his expression filled with horror.
"Changying!" Ming Chengli hurriedly looked up and immediately shielded Shi Changying behind him, blurting out, "Dad, Changying didn’t mean it."
Old Sir Xu raised a hand to stop Old Madam Xu, who was about to fly into a rage, opting instead to reason with her. "You have a point, but if your father hadn’t been switched at birth, his surname would have naturally been Xu. Now, we are merely restoring his true name."
"True. Since ancient times, that which has been misplaced must be restored." Shi Changying lifted her chin. "Since my dad is changing his surname back to his original one, shouldn’t she change hers as well?"
Old Sir Xu and Old Madam Xu frowned simultaneously, turning their heads to follow the direction she was pointing.
Xu Zhao Yu was leaning against the wall, the lights illuminating her face, which was as pale as a sheet.