Not long after Sui Changle returned to the Jinxiu Garden with Wen Shiyi, a servant came with a report.
“Madam, Master has left the mansion in a hurry, heading toward Osmanthus Alley in the southern part of the city.”
Mother and daughter exchanged a knowing smile. Changle whispered:
“Go inform Father’s whereabouts to Wu De.”
The servant bowed and went at once.
In their past lives, the reason they had been constrained so tightly was because they trusted Sui Jingxing too much. Now, without that trust, every move he made was fully visible to them.
Wen Shiyi set down her fan and picked up a brush, writing a single word on the desk:
“Changle, you once said he has a daughter back in his hometown in Chenzhou?”
Changle nodded, squinting as memories surfaced:
“Yes. Sister Wuyou is the purest person in the world.”
Wen Shiyi raised an eyebrow, leaving her brush on the rest, and asked:
“You… like her very much?”
She hadn’t expected Changle to speak so fondly of this “Sister Wuyou.”
Changle’s gaze drifted into the distance, a faint smile tugging at her lips:
“Mother, Sister Wuyou is as beautiful as a celestial being, pure and flawless. Though she’s a bit slow, she would protect me.”
Meanwhile, Second Prince Xiao Chenrui outwardly maintained a refined and polite demeanor, but few knew his true peculiarities: he delighted in tormenting girls who were pristine and untouchably innocent.
In their past lives, Sui Jingxing, catering to the prince’s tastes, had sent Sui Wuyou into his care. Born indifferent to the outside world, she knew neither joy nor sorrow, and her eyes were as clear as a newborn’s. Yet she was exquisitely beautiful, like a painting come to life.
The prince treated her as a treasure. Each day, Wuyou returned from beatings covered in bruises. Afterwards, palace medicines and Jade Complex ointments were applied to restore her appearance.
In less than half a month at the prince’s residence, the slow-minded girl would tremble uncontrollably even at his presence.
Wen Shiyi’s expression grew cold; she had not expected the prince to have such a depraved habit. Nor had she foreseen that Sui Jingxing would stoop so low as to hand over his own flesh and blood to be mistreated.
At that moment, the Wuyou Changle spoke of as pure and flawless was in the midst of action at Woniu Mountain behind Yuliu Village.
“Changping, flank left! Changkang, flank right!”
“Faster, faster! Were you too hungry to move this morning?”
“Chang’an, Changjian, bring the sacks! Don’t let your feet get tangled; you run like rabbits when it comes to meat!”
The four Sui brothers scurried about under Wuyou’s direction, drenched in sweat.
Sui Changan hefted a sack, teeth clenched in determination:
“Sister, I’m fast, right?”
Wuyou rolled her eyes, no longer angry, tossing two rabbits into the sack:
“Faster, or I won’t play with you next time.”
Then she darted into the forest again.
Sui Changjian, arriving a moment late with a sack, wiped the sweat from his brow:
“Sister? She’s gone again?”
Sui Changan flung the sack onto his back, giving him a sharp look:
“Don’t dawdle, she said she won’t play with you next time.”
Changjian pouted—though a girl, Wuyou ran fastest and fought best. Now, she had become unbeatable in Yuliu Village.
They heard her booming voice again:
“Chang’an, Changjian, bring the sacks! Quick!”
“Coming, coming!”
Sui Changping emerged from the thicket, holding a rabbit, dust-covered. Soon after, Changkang arrived with his own catch, wiping sweat from his face, beaming:
“Little sister, look! I caught one too!”
“Good!” Wuyou nodded, waving her small hand:
“Let’s go home and have Grandma prepare something delicious.”
The four boys cheered, following her down Woniu Mountain.
At the Sui family courtyard, Grandma Sui kept peeking outside, murmuring:
“Old man, the sky’s almost dark. Why hasn’t Wuyou returned yet?”
Since her famous battle at the Shi family a few days ago, Wuyou’s reputation had spread throughout Yuliu Village.
The Shi brothers, Shi Mangan and Shi Mangkan, had been beaten badly. They had tried to come back when the house was empty, only to be humiliated by Wuyou alone—faces bruised, screaming for their parents.
Even Liu Xiaohua, chasing after to protect her son, suffered two shadowless kicks from Wuyou.
Villagers who witnessed the scene were stunned.
Grandma Sui fretted even more. In the past, Wuyou’s slowness worried them about leaving the couple unattended. Now, her ferocity made them worry she might be impossible to marry off.
As for Wuyou herself, she remained unaffected, living freely.
Why marry? To enter someone’s household, bear children, serve in-laws, toil endlessly—and possibly get beaten in the process.
She preferred being independent.
Grandpa Sui sat calmly under a pear tree, smoking, glancing at Grandma Sui:
“Don’t worry, Wuyou knows what she’s doing.”
He was relaxed. She was still young and spirited; when she matured, she would settle down.
Just then, Wuyou’s crisp voice rang from the gate:
“Grandma, we’re back!”
Her slender, agile figure followed, the five siblings tumbling into the courtyard.
Wuyou collected the sacks from Changan and Changjian:
“Go call our eldest and second uncles and have them come over to Grandma’s for dinner.”
“Right away!” They ran off, beaming.
Changping and Changkang took over the sacks to sort through the game, feeling lucky to have meat with their little sister.
Village folk occasionally attempted hunting in the mountains but rarely succeeded. Only the Xiao family father and son dared to venture deep enough to catch game.
Changping opened a sack: four rabbits huddled, trembling.
“Little sister, how many shall we kill tonight?”
“All of them. We have many mouths to feed,” Wuyou replied casually.
Grandma Sui peeked, shivering at the thought: what a prodigal child—four rabbits gone in one meal! Even the wealthy Wang family didn’t live so lavishly.
“No, just kill one to taste!” she muttered.