Madam Guo paused mid‑step, raised her brows slightly, and asked: “What is it?”
Su Rou also turned to glare at her. What was this woman plotting now?
Su Liuyue said: “After this incident, I have reflected deeply and feel great shame over my past self. While my sisters were diligently learning the skills needed to manage a household after marriage, I was lazy and often threw tantrums because I disliked studying. As a result, I only know the most basic needlework, and I do not know at all of household management or accounting.”
Indeed, the original mistress had been like this. But Madam Guo had never guided her properly, instead indulging her, which only made her worse.
Madam Guo looked surprised, and Su Liuyue continued: “Mother said she would arrange my marriage within the next half year, so that I might wed by year’s end. I cannot help but feel uneasy. With so little time left, I don’t want to muddle through life as before. I hope Mother will allow me this chance.”
Madam Guo frowned at her. “You mean you want to relearn household management and accounting? There’s no need. After all…” She paused, a strange look flashing across her face, then smiled faintly: “In half a year, you won’t learn much anyway. Once you marry, I will assign capable people to assist you. You needn’t worry too much.”
Su Liuyue caught every nuance of her expression, her eyes glinting coldly as she smiled faintly. “Mother is right. But I still feel uneasy. I have already lost one marriage, and I fear something might go wrong with the next. I know half a year isn’t enough to master much, but even learning a little would be good. I recall that when I was young, my uncle and aunt told me that my mother’s dowry included a pastry shop. My grandfather, knowing she loved sweets, had it opened especially for her. Afterward, my mother personally managed it. That shop must have held special meaning for her. Yet I was unfilial and never thought to visit it or help manage it. Now, I would like to seek out Shopkeeper Yuan there and learn how to read accounts and keep books. After all, Mother once said that when I marry, all of her dowry will be included in mine. Sooner or later, I will have to manage that shop. This is the perfect chance to become familiar with it in advance…”
Madam Guo never expected such a request. She instinctively refused:
“Absurd! What proper young lady goes to a shopkeeper to learn bookkeeping?”
But of course, it wasn’t reasonable to hire someone solely to teach her, and for Madam Guo to teach her herself was even more impossible. Besides, why should she learn such things? Whether they would ever be useful was uncertain.
Su Liuyue, however, looked at Madam Guo with clear, steady eyes, her expression unchanged: “If Mother thinks it improper, I could simply bring the shop’s account books back and study them on my own.”
Madam Guo’s throat caught instantly. That was possible, yes—but why did she insist on using that particular shop?
Suddenly, a thought struck her. Her expression calmed, and a trace of disdain and mockery flickered in her eyes. So this girl’s talk of learning was just an excuse. What she really wanted was to reclaim part of her mother’s dowry!
Dying once had truly changed her. She had grown far more calculating.
But still, of all things, she wanted that shabby pastry shop? Truly, a leopard cannot change its spots. No matter how she pretended to change, her innate ignorance and foolishness remained.
Madam Guo sneered: “You’re worried I’ll seize your mother’s precious shop and never return it to you, is that it? Su Liuyue, Su Liuyue, after all these years as mother and daughter, I never thought this is how you see me.”
“Enough. You’re still young, so I won’t hold this against you. If you want that shop, I’ll give it to you. Later, I’ll send someone to bring you the deed.”
Hearing the weariness in Madam Guo’s tone, Su Rou immediately grew agitated. Frowning, she said disapprovingly, “Elder Sister, how could you say something that hurts Mother’s heart so much? For so many years, Mother has kindly safeguarded your birth mother’s dowry for you. Instead of being grateful, you…”
Su Liuyue ignored her and said calmly: “Mother misunderstands me. How could I think that way? I’m only anxious about my marriage.”
Madam Guo gave her a half‑smile, half‑sneer. “Very well. I’ll take it as you say. After all, children are the debts parents carry from their past lives.”
With that sarcastic remark, she turned and left.
The servants around Madam Guo immediately looked at Su Liuyue with anger and disdain. This Third Miss was still as ungrateful as ever—no wonder the Zheng family broke off the engagement.
Su Rou, now feeling satisfied, curled her lips in contempt at Su Liuyue before following her mother out.
Once they were gone, Ersi and Er’an could no longer hold back. Ersi burst out angrily: “How dare those people look at you like that! Do they forget who is the mistress here and who are the servants?”
Though Er’an was equally furious, she was always quieter and more reserved. Her eyes reddened as she said softly: “In my opinion, those people never truly saw you as their mistress. Now that this scandal has happened, they don’t even bother to pretend anymore. Madam says she’ll find you a good match, but I have a bad feeling. Even the servants now openly look down on you. Would any respectable family really be willing to accept you at a time like this?”
At first, she had been happy when Madam Guo promised to arrange a good marriage. But the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
Now, the gossip about their young mistress scorning the Zhengs and then attempting suicide had spread everywhere. The whole capital was watching her. At such a time, what good family would dare take her?
It would be better to retreat to the country estate for a year or two, wait until the scandal faded, and then seek a match. Even if her age made it harder later, it would still be better than now.
Su Liuyue gave Er’an an approving glance. This maid had finally realized the truth—no small feat.
Ersi, stunned for a moment, then caught on as well. “Madam wouldn’t… wouldn’t just marry you off casually, would she? That would mean sacrificing you for Fourth Miss’s marriage!”
If it were only to secure Su Rou’s marriage, then rushing to marry her off would make sense.
Su Liuyue gave the two maids a calming look and said: “Ersi, you’re more familiar with the people in the household. While I’m confined for the next two weeks, I want you to gather information discreetly. Remember—do it carefully, without letting anyone realize you’re deliberately asking questions.”
Ersi froze. This was truly a difficult task for her.
But Ersi had realized the seriousness of the matter. She bit her lip and nodded firmly: “Yes, Miss. Just give the orders!”
Su Liuyue had no intention of trying to lift her half‑month confinement. First, the original mistress had indeed made mistakes, and being punished with only half a month of confinement was already considered lenient. Even if she asked to shorten it, Su Weili and Madam Guo would never agree.
Second, this confinement gave her the perfect chance to lie low, let the scandal cool down, and at the same time quietly investigate what schemes those two were plotting.