Song Shiyu didn’t hesitate.
She immediately stepped forward and headed straight for the main gate of the clan academy.
“Second Miss…”
Pei Qinhai hurried to follow her.
Song Shiyu snorted coldly. “Instead of waiting at the gate, I might as well go in first and take a look. Let’s see if someone really is up to no good!”
She charged ahead fiercely.
Her speed was so fast that Pei Qinhai couldn’t help but gasp.
He couldn’t quite put into words what he was feeling in that moment.
But there was this strange sense that… the Song Shiyu in front of him might very well give him a surprise soon.
Song Shiyu barged into the clan academy and immediately grabbed someone at random, demanding:
“Have you seen Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi?”
The person she grabbed turned pale from the sudden commotion. He tried to shake her off with a wave of his sleeve, grinding his teeth as he muttered, “Let go! Men and women shouldn’t touch each other—don’t you understand this?”
She actually held on so tightly!
“Oh, oh, oh!” Song Shiyu quickly let go, but her gaze remained sharp and her voice icy. “Judging by your clothes and age, you must be some low-level helper here. I’m asking you again—where are Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi?”
“I don’t know!” Pei Changhe’s face darkened considerably.
He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet Song Shiyu had pulled on his clothes and treated him like this.
And now she wanted an answer? He wasn’t about to tell her!
Song Shiyu’s expression grew even darker. She snorted coldly, her look sharp and threatening.
“Are you going to answer or not?”
Just as Song Shiyu was about to take action, Pei Qinhai stepped forward from behind and blocked her, smiling warmly and breaking the threatening atmosphere.
He looked gently at Pei Changhe.
“Brother Changhe, this is Second Lady Song. An’an and Xixi haven’t returned yet, so naturally she’s worried.”
Seeing that it was Pei Qinhai, Pei Changhe’s earlier anger dissipated somewhat, though he was still a little annoyed.
He gave Pei Qinhai a helpless glance.
“Take care of your fiancée! I haven’t seen those two kids, but they often hang around the back gate.”
“Thank you!”
After hearing this, Pei Qinhai took Song Shiyu’s hand and headed for the back gate.
Sure enough, there they found the two children crouched behind a nearby stone mound, speaking in low voices.
Pei Jinxi said, “I told you, try not to get into conflicts with them. They’re all too much. If things get out of hand, none of us will benefit.”
Pei Jin’an snorted, “It’s not like I wanted to get into a fight with them.”
“Sis, can’t you see what they’re thinking?”
“I just know more characters than them and got praised by the teacher. That made them jealous. They came to trouble me, not the other way around. And… I tolerated all they did before. But now they’re harassing you. If I could still endure that, how could I protect you in the future?”
“Right now, Third Uncle is home alone, busy with studying and farm work. Second Lady Song isn’t entirely on our side. If she doesn’t mistreat you, that’s already good enough—I understand the situation.”
The more Pei Jinxi listened, the more uneasy she felt.
But she knew Pei Jin’an was right.
Their current situation was exactly as he described.
“But you can’t beat them,” Pei Jinxi said, grabbing Pei Jin’an and lifting his clothes slightly. “Look at your arms and legs! All bruised, everywhere injured…”
Pei Jin’an chuckled, pulling his clothes back down, his expression serious.
“Sis, don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt.”
“Just don’t tell Third Uncle.”
“I’m a man. One day I’ll have to run the household. I have to protect you, too, can’t let anyone bully you. That’s how a son of the Pei family should be!”
As they were talking, a clear voice with a hint of restraint suddenly sounded.
Pei Qinhai: “If you don’t tell me, who’s going to protect you in the future?”
Hearing this, Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi froze, their faces changing dramatically.
They gasped, quickly turning to see Third Uncle and Second Miss Song standing behind them.
Pei Qinhai’s gaze fell on the two children, his brows furrowed.
“I’ve been waiting for you at the gate for quite a while.”
“Let’s go home.”
Song Shiyu let out a sigh of relief.
Pei Qinhai had acted wisely—not pressing the matter further for the moment.
“Oh.” Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi exchanged a glance, suddenly feeling guilty.
They weren’t sure if Third Uncle had overheard their earlier conversation.
They returned home cautiously.
Pei Qinhai first closed the main gate.
Song Shiyu: “…”
Her eyes fell on the two children.
Could it be that Pei Qinhai was about to discipline them here?
The thought made her increasingly uneasy.
No way!
“You two, come inside,” Pei Qinhai said calmly, glancing at Song Shiyu as if to tell her she couldn’t follow. His expression was cold as he continued, “You stay out.”
Song Shiyu: “??? Why?”
Pei Qinhai: “This is a matter in my household.”
Song Shiyu narrowed her eyes, refusing to move. “So… you don’t consider me part of the Pei family?”
Pei Qinhai: “……”
Whether that was true or not, he didn’t reply.
He looked at Song Shiyu silently and finally, with no choice, stepped back and gave way.
Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi exchanged a glance.
It was the first time they’d seen Third Uncle yield in a matter of principle—or rather… it wasn’t about principle, just the power of speech.
If he didn’t acknowledge Song Shiyu’s status, she could leave at will. If he did acknowledge it, she had to come in.
It was technically Third Uncle’s choice, but in reality, he had little choice at all.
Finally, Pei Qinhai stepped aside: “Then come in.”
Only then did Song Shiyu enter.
Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi inexplicably felt less pressure. They usually disliked Song Shiyu meddling in household matters, but now, with her inside, they felt relieved.
“Kneel.”
As soon as Song Shiyu sat down, Pei Qinhai’s cold voice rang out.
His sharp gaze fell on Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxi.
The two children shivered and immediately knelt without hesitation.
Song Shiyu’s heart softened instantly.
She glared at Pei Qinhai. “Why are you being so fierce!”
Pei Qinhai: “……”
He rubbed his brow. “Second Miss Song, now that you’re here, try to speak less.”
Song Shiyu opened her mouth, frowning.
How could she stay silent!
She immediately said, “Let the kids speak, too. Kneeling like this won’t do.”
Pei Qinhai: “I had them kneel in the direction of their father.”
Song Shiyu: “…Oh.”
Respect for heaven, ruler, parents, and teacher—that was what they were kneeling to.
The children wouldn’t feel oppressed or rebellious now.