The original Song Shiyu had been born into a wealthy family and was always attended by maids and servant girls.
When had she ever washed clothes herself?
Because of this, she had been unwilling to do any housework here. Over the past three months, quite a pile of laundry had accumulated.
After she finally wore through all the clean clothes she had brought with her, she would occasionally order Pei Jinxu to wash them.
But Pei Jinxu was only three years old—what work could she possibly do?
Not only did this give Song Shiyu a terrible reputation, but the clothes weren’t even washed properly.
Holding a wooden basin, Song Shiyu walked to the center of the courtyard and began pumping water from the well, preparing to wash the clothes properly.
She first soaked them in hot water, then set aside some soap pods. Seeing that she still had time, she returned to the kitchen to start cooking.
She completed each task smoothly, without pause.
And her movements were remarkably efficient—nothing about her resembled a pampered noble lady.
It left Pei Qinhuai, a grown man, completely stunned.
Wasn’t the Second Miss of the Song family someone who used to know nothing except crying, making scenes, and threatening suicide?
How was it that in the blink of an eye, she could now wash clothes and cook with fire?
Cooking in a rural stove required real skill. Yet Song Shiyu, who previously seemed incapable of anything, now appeared able to do everything.
Pei Qinhuai watched with mounting confusion but found it inappropriate to ask.
Before long, Song Shiyu boiled water and prepared the meal, deftly slicing green radishes into thin shreds, seasoning them with spices and dried chili powder before setting them aside.
She cooked a pot of porridge and kneaded dough to steam large, fluffy buns.
Within half an hour, she had efficiently finished the kitchen work and went back to washing clothes.
There were too many garments to finish at once, but washing three sets a day would gradually clear the pile.
Fortunately, as a former noble lady, she hadn’t been rolling around in mud, so her clothes weren’t very dirty and were easy to clean.
By the time she finished everything, the sun had risen.
It was around mid-morning.
When Pei Jin’an and Pei Jinxu woke up and saw the spotless room, the swept courtyard, and the freshly washed clothes hanging on the drying pole, they froze in surprise.
“Come eat!”
After Pei Qinhuai called them, they snapped back to their senses, hurried to wash up, and sat down at the table.
Pei Jin’an looked utterly incredulous.
“Third Uncle… did Second Miss Song really do all this?”
Though Pei Jinxu didn’t ask out loud, her eyes were also filled with confusion.
“Yes. Second Miss Song did all of it. Eat,” Pei Qinhuai said calmly.
He picked up a chopstick full of shredded radish and placed it in his mouth.
Fresh, crisp, and well-seasoned—the taste was excellent.
Pei Jin’an: “???”
“!!! How is that possible?!”
It was indeed unbelievable! Wasn’t Second Miss Song supposed to be a lazy noble lady who refused to do any work?
Why was she suddenly willing to do all this now?
“I won’t eat! I refuse to eat anything she made!” Pei Jin’an slammed his chopsticks onto the table. A surge of anger rose inside him, though he didn’t even know why—he was simply furious.
He turned his sharp gaze toward Pei Qinhuai.
“Third Uncle! Are you really planning to let her fully enter our family and become one of us?”
Before Pei Qinhuai could speak, Pei Jinxu quickly grabbed him.
“An’an! Don’t talk nonsense!”
“Don’t make Third Uncle angry.”
“I want to listen too, and I don’t want to upset Third Uncle!” Pei Jin’an shouted. “But this matter really can’t be ignored! Don’t you know what kind of person Second Miss Song is?”
“Third Uncle, do you know what people outside say about her? They say… they say she behaves recklessly outside, entangled with all kinds of men…”
Before he could finish—
Smack!
A loud slap landed across his face.
The sound was so sharp that Song Shiyu, who had been hesitating at the doorway about whether to enter, immediately rushed in when she realized how serious things had become.
She saw Pei Qinhuai calmly lowering his sleeve and sitting back down.
His voice was as cold as winter snow—piercing and merciless.
“Seems like everything I taught you from the sages’ books has gone to waste. Go kneel at the doorway.”
Pei Jin’an bit his lower lip, anger clouding his reason.
He studied books and understood morality. He shouldn’t gossip or slander others behind their backs.
He didn’t care about being slapped by his third uncle. What hurt him was the disappointment—he had done so much, yet his third uncle remained unmoved.
“An’an! You really…”
Pei Jinxu glared at the handprint on her brother’s face.
She was furious too, but she didn’t know who she should be angry at.
She glanced hurriedly at Song Shiyu, her expression complicated, before helping Pei Jin’an outside to kneel as punishment.
“Sit. Eat.”
Pei Qinhuai looked at Song Shiyu with calm eyes.
It sounded like an order, yet not quite. He was simply telling her to eat, but Song Shiyu didn’t dare refuse.
She quickly sat down, picked up some shredded radish, swallowed several hurried bites, and gulped down the now lukewarm porridge before finally straightening her posture.
Pei Qinhuai was unquestionably the head of the household—someone not to be provoked.
Indeed, the master of the house was this strict.
Still, the two children had suffered greatly, especially Pei Jin’an, who had been slapped and humiliated.
In truth, it was all her fault.
Who told her to behave so terribly before? Now that she wanted to integrate into this family, it was naturally very difficult.
Song Shiyu thought it over carefully and decided she needed to restrain her emotions.
Since the Pei family didn’t welcome her, she would endure hardship for a few months, earn some money, and leave as soon as possible.
“I’m finished eating,” Song Shiyu said slowly. “And… don’t hold it against the children. It was my fault before. I shouldn’t have treated them so harshly. I went too far. It’s normal for them to resent me.”
Pei Qinhuai picked up some vegetables and chewed slowly.
After swallowing, he set down his bowl and chopsticks and looked at her.
“You did very well.”
Song Shiyu blinked. “Ah? What?”
“I said your cooking is very good. Well done.”
Song Shiyu: …Weren’t they talking about Pei Jin’an? How did the topic suddenly turn to her cooking?
She was completely bewildered.
Still, she quickly forced a smile. “Thank you. But Pei Jin’an…”
“I’m going back to the clan later,” Pei Qinhuai said. “This afternoon I’m going to the market to buy paper. Do you want to come?”
Song Shiyu: “!”
Opportunity!
Of course she had to go!
She cleared her throat and tried to make her smile look sweet. “Yes! Thank you for the trouble, Third Brother.”