With things having blown up like this, Old Mrs. Su was utterly exhausted. Originally, she’d figured it was fine if the third branch got a little advantage, but now it was obvious that Er’ya had been making trouble herself—what if it dragged the third branch down with her?
She hurriedly stood up to smooth things over. “Aiyo, this child’s stubborn temper has caused an embarrassment. I’m so sorry, Brother Shanren! I’ll handle the rest as her auntie. Changping, see your third uncle home, and take a couple of eggs for Maomao and Tiedan!”
Maomao and Tiedan were Su Shanren’s granddaughter and grandson.
The old lady had it all figured out. Since the third branch couldn’t get any benefit out of this, the rest could be settled behind closed doors—no need to let outsiders watch the show.
But the moment her words fell, a thin, weak voice spoke up: “Then is Second Sister still going to the third branch?”
Old Mrs. Su shot Ling Xi a fierce glare. “This is grown folks’ business—what business is it of yours to speak!”
Ling Xi couldn’t care less whether the old woman liked her or not. She lifted her eyes and looked straight at Su Changhe, her dark, glossy eyes full of timidity and adoration.
Seeing his daughter so dependent on him, how could Su Changhe bear to disappoint her? Ignoring his mother’s frantic glances, he asked patiently, “Does little Xi want Second Sister to stay, or to go to the third branch?”
Was there even a question? Of course she should go to the third branch.
That was what she thought, but Ling Xi couldn’t say it out loud. Tears welling in her eyes, her face a picture of pitifulness, she said, “Second Sister doesn’t like Papa and Mama, and she doesn’t like little Xi either. She wants to go to the third branch.”
She looked as though she was clearly reluctant to let go, but had no choice but to compromise with reality.
Su Xinghui was so furious she could have ground her teeth to pieces, but she also knew that if she went to the third branch now, everyone would say she’d been driven out by the second branch. What reputation would she have left then?
The only option was to win the second branch’s forgiveness and let a big matter dissolve into a small one—otherwise she’d be cursed as an ingrate.
So she took Ling Xi’s hand and tearfully repented, “Little Xi, I’m sorry. It was my mistake before—I misunderstood Papa and Mama. I thought they didn’t like me, which is why I wanted to go to the third branch. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, I don’t want to leave you!”
Ling Xi squeezed her hand back, the very picture of sisterly devotion. “It’s all right, Second Sister. Even if you go to the third branch, you’ll still be my sister!”
Choked by those familiar words, Su Xinghui wanted to say more, but Su Changhe cut her off: “In that case, let’s do as Huihui says and let her go to the third branch—if your third uncle and auntie are willing.”
He picked Ling Xi up and murmured in her ear, “Little rascal.”
Ling Xi’s heart jolted. Su Changhe had seen through her act? Was he really that sharp?
“Of course. Otherwise, out of all those people back then, why would he have been the only one picked for the county transport team?” Cai Yu’s voice sounded in her Divine Sense. “In the original plot, Su Changhe had already realized the harm of hiding the truth and wanted to come clean, but the female lead aura was too strong—a flash flood left him completely paralyzed and unable to speak.”
How tragic!
Ling Xi clicked her tongue silently. Good thing she was here now—something like that would absolutely never happen again.
When Wang Guiqiu heard that she could still adopt Su Xinghui, she was overjoyed. “Willing, willing, of course we’re willing!”
After all, she only wanted to adopt Su Xinghui because the girl had such good luck—every time she went up the mountain, she came back with game. What did a good or bad reputation have to do with their third branch? As long as it didn’t stand in the way of her son eating meat, that was all that mattered!
And so, no matter how unwilling Su Xinghui was, the adoption papers were still signed. She became the daughter of the third branch, with no further ties to the second branch.
With the matter settled, Ling Xi was in the best mood in the entire old Su household—so good that she swung her feet while gulping down a whole big bowl of water.
She had cried so many tears just now; she had to make up for them.
“Are you really that happy?” Su Changhe’s voice suddenly came from behind, startling her.
But she quickly regained her composure and threw herself into his arms like a little bird. “When Dad had the allergy attack, I could barely breathe, and I thought I’d never see you all again. But Second Sister just watched me and even smiled. It was so scary!”
Even after living for hundreds of millions of years, Ling Xi could act coquettish without any pressure. After all, as a rock, she had no other strengths, but she certainly had a thick skin.
“…” Cai Yu wrinkled her nose in disgust within her Divine Sense.
“There, there, Xiao Xi, don’t be afraid. Dad’s here!” Whenever Su Changhe thought of how his daughter had been choked purple from the allergic reaction that day, while her own dearest sister just stood by and watched, his heart ached beyond words, and he held her and comforted her at length.
Before long, Yu Lian came back too. She gave Su Changhe no pleasant face, but she still took out the eggs she had hidden two days ago and made a bowl of egg-drop soup for father and daughter.
Su Changhe let go of his daughter and turned to soothing his wife—and the soothing somehow ended up with them both on the kang.
Ling Xi, watching her parents being affectionate right in front of her: “…I’m still a child, you know?”
After lying at home for a week, Ling Xi had finally recovered her health.
Well, “recovered” really just meant she no longer coughed while walking—still a long way from the original owner’s standard of “healthy.”
She had examined this body. It was congenitally weak, but nothing serious. As long as she ate well, slept well, and got angry less often, she would soon be at the level of an ordinary person.
The body from her first mission would be her starting appearance for all future missions, so even without the original owner’s plea, Ling Xi would have taken good care of it, using every means to make herself healthy.
So, picking a crisp autumn day, she shouldered a back basket and headed out.
Su Changhe and Yu Lian had both gone for the autumn harvest—the busiest time of year. In the past, the original owner could never go out without Su Xinghui accompanying her, but today was her first time traveling alone.
Passing the village chief’s house, Maomao, who was washing clothes in the yard, saw her and craned her neck. “Xiao Xi, where are you going?”
“To North Mountain.”
“Then wait for me, I’m coming too!” Without waiting for Ling Xi’s answer, she dropped the clothes, ran inside, and quickly came out carrying a basket.
Seeing her genuine smile, Ling Xi didn’t refuse, and the two walked together toward North Mountain.
Maomao’s full name was Su Xiaoqin, the same age as Su Lingxi. They were even classmates, and got along well.
Ling Xi guessed that Maomao had asked to come along today because she’d heard about the Su family affair and was worried she might run into the female lead and her little followers and get bullied.
The two walked slowly to North Mountain. From far off, they heard cheers: “Wow—Huihui, you’re amazing! Such a fat wild pheasant, and you actually knocked it out?”
“Sister Huihui, pheasant eggs! Pheasant eggs!”
Hearing what they were saying, Maomao’s face immediately darkened, and she grabbed Ling Xi’s hand. “Maybe we should go back and come again tomorrow.”
“What’s there to be afraid of? We haven’t done anything wrong. Why should we hide from them?” Ling Xi said boldly.
Watching Ling Xi stroll right up the mountain, Maomao grew anxious. “Hey? Xiao Xi! Xiao Xi!”
She had never liked Su Xinghui. She didn’t know why—she just felt that this person, much of the time, clearly didn’t want to smile yet insisted on putting on a smiling face, like the stories about people wearing layers of human-skin masks that Great-Aunt always told. It was creepy.
Yet Little Xi just loved following Su Xinghui around, thinking this big sister was wonderful in every way.
What was so wonderful about her? Every time she saw Little Xi being bullied by Wang Tieniu, she never said a word, and even told Little Xi not to hold a grudge—clearly siding with outsiders!
Little Xi had poor health and a soft temperament; anything involving her was bound to end badly.
Before, when the two were still sisters of the same family, Maomao hadn’t felt she could say anything. But now Su Xinghui had been separated out from the family, and reportedly she wasn’t even born to the old Su family—there was no way she could let Little Xi meet with her again.
Their side had so many people—what if Little Xi got taken advantage of?