In the next morning, Su Qingtan came to the main courtyard. He saw his father having breakfast with the first mother and second mother before he entered the door.
When the First Madam saw him coming, she gave a slight cough and smiled affectionately and said, “Tan, come and sit down. Today I ordered the kitchen specially to cook bird’s nest syrup.”
The Second Madam was a little confused. Usually, her son never came to the main courtyard for breakfast. How did Zhu Yan know that her son would come today?
Su Qingtan snorted coldly, sat down and said, “Father, I’m coming for...”
“Your first mother has told me why you are here.”
Su Huanli put down the chopsticks, looked up with a pair of dignified eyes, and interrupted, “This matter should not be announced. It’s ok to take Erya back and I’ve cooped Zipei up. That’s all.”
His father’s words made Su Qingtan incredible. “Even if the second sister comes back, she’s on such a charge. How is she going to face the others? There’s nothing wrong with her. Why?”
Su Qingtan said more and more seriously. Su Huanli became a little hesitant. “Oh,” The First Madam chimed in at once. “Tan, you can’t say that. If you involve your third sister in, how can she find someone else to marry in the future? Besides, it has been more than a month since the incident happened, and the storm has died down for a long time. Perhaps others have forgotten it. If we talk about it again, there will be someone who laughs at us.”
Madam Zhu got the point. Su Huanli became tough again and yelled at Su Qingtan, “There’s no need to talk about this! Your first mother is Erya’s mother. She doesn’t mind and you don’t need to meddle with!”
Su Qingtan felt very angry. Looking at the friendly smile on the first mother’s face, he could not help satirizing, “We all know that you are the mother of the second sister. If we didn’t know about it, I would think that the second sister was picked up from the garbage.”
First Madam’s face changed at once.
“It’s too much!”
Su Huanli patted the table and spilled the porridge. “Came here early in the morning and contradicted the elders. That’s what you’ve learned from your book?” He said angrily.
“Master, he didn’t mean it. It was because he was angry that he had failed to get the recommendation!”
Madam Cui, the Second Madam who was watching the play, hurriedly stood up and whispered, “Apologize to your father!”
Hearing his mother’s words, Su Qingtan took a deep breath. He bowed his head and said sincerely, “Father, I’m sorry. But I hope my second sister can be compensated.”
Su Huanli swung his sleeves heavily. The Second Madam mentioned the recommendation. His favoritism for the First Madam immediately dropped a lot. He nodded and said, “She can stay with you in the eastern courtyard before she gets better.”
The Second Madam turned to remind Su Qingtan, who was standing still, “Say thanks to your father!”
“Thank you, father.”
Su Qingtan knew that he could only take the second place and salute hurriedly. This matter was settled before the First Madam had time to object.
The Second Madam flashed a secret smile in her eyes when she heard the words. Although the First Madam still had a smile on her face, her expression was obviously stiff.
In the past, Madam Cui respected her so much that she dared not make a mistake. She didn’t expect that she would suddenly challenge her today.
For her, Erya was like a thorn in her heart. If she couldn’t get rid of her, she wouldn’t feel relax! Because she really picked her up from the other place.
“That bitch girl gave me so much trouble!” She said viciously.
...
When Su Qingtan came back, he stood in front of the bedroom, ashamed and afraid to go in.
“Is it eldest brother?”
The cowardly soft voice came from the room. Su Qingtan had a sour heart. Then there was a peaceful smile on his face. He pushed the door and went in, and asked loudly, “Second sister, did you have a good rest today? I brought you bird’s neat syrup.”
When he entered the room, Su Qingtan saw in surprise that Su Li was struggling to get out of bed. He hurriedly put down the food box and rushed to the edge of the bed to hold Su Li, “What are you doing? Lie down!”
“I’m going to chop the wood and draw water.” Su Li looked puzzled. “If I don’t chop the wood, Mammy Zheng will hit me.”
Su Qingtan shook his eyebrows violently and whispered, “You do not have to chop wood and draw water here. The only thing you have to do is to lie down and be healthy as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
Su Li tilted her head and huddled into the warm quilt. Her dark eyes were lit up in a flash.
Su Qingtan could not help laughing. He touched Su Li’s forehead and asked, “Second sister, you were bullied. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Mammy Zheng didn’t let me tell you.”
Su Li seemed to think of something, and there was a look of fear on her face, and she said no more.
Su Qingtan could not help sighing. “Silly girl, you are so soft and weak,” Su Qingtan said in his heart. “When I go to the Provincial Office, how can I leave you here?”
He found that his First Mother hated Erya very much. The father was busy with business, and the First Mother was in charge of all the little things in the family. After his left, the second sister was sure to be beaten and bullied again.
Somehow, Su Qingtan suddenly thought of Dr. Qi of Baicao Tang. Was it really necessary, as he said, to send the second sister to Baicao Tang? But how could it be carried out in order to get father to agree with it?
Su Qingtan shook his head slightly in dilemma. There were still a few months to go before the recommendation period. This matter should be discussed in detail. Perhaps his mother would have a way about it.
In the next morning, Su Qingtan came to the main courtyard. He saw his father having breakfast with the first mother and second mother before he entered the door.
When the First Madam saw him coming, she gave a slight cough and smiled affectionately and said, “Tan, come and sit down. Today I ordered the kitchen specially to cook bird’s nest syrup.”
The Second Madam was a little confused. Usually, her son never came to the main courtyard for breakfast. How did Zhu Yan know that her son would come today?
Su Qingtan snorted coldly, sat down and said, “Father, I’m coming for...”
“Your first mother has told me why you are here.”
Su Huanli put down the chopsticks, looked up with a pair of dignified eyes, and interrupted, “This matter should not be announced. It’s ok to take Erya back and I’ve cooped Zipei up. That’s all.”
His father’s words made Su Qingtan incredible. “Even if the second sister comes back, she’s on such a charge. How is she going to face the others? There’s nothing wrong with her. Why?”
Su Qingtan said more and more seriously. Su Huanli became a little hesitant. “Oh,” The First Madam chimed in at once. “Tan, you can’t say that. If you involve your third sister in, how can she find someone else to marry in the future? Besides, it has been more than a month since the incident happened, and the storm has died down for a long time. Perhaps others have forgotten it. If we talk about it again, there will be someone who laughs at us.”
Madam Zhu got the point. Su Huanli became tough again and yelled at Su Qingtan, “There’s no need to talk about this! Your first mother is Erya’s mother. She doesn’t mind and you don’t need to meddle with!”
Su Qingtan felt very angry. Looking at the friendly smile on the first mother’s face, he could not help satirizing, “We all know that you are the mother of the second sister. If we didn’t know about it, I would think that the second sister was picked up from the garbage.”
First Madam’s face changed at once.
“It’s too much!”
Su Huanli patted the table and spilled the porridge. “Came here early in the morning and contradicted the elders. That’s what you’ve learned from your book?” He said angrily.
“Master, he didn’t mean it. It was because he was angry that he had failed to get the recommendation!”
Madam Cui, the Second Madam who was watching the play, hurriedly stood up and whispered, “Apologize to your father!”
Hearing his mother’s words, Su Qingtan took a deep breath. He bowed his head and said sincerely, “Father, I’m sorry. But I hope my second sister can be compensated.”
Su Huanli swung his sleeves heavily. The Second Madam mentioned the recommendation. His favoritism for the First Madam immediately dropped a lot. He nodded and said, “She can stay with you in the eastern courtyard before she gets better.”
The Second Madam turned to remind Su Qingtan, who was standing still, “Say thanks to your father!”
“Thank you, father.”
Su Qingtan knew that he could only take the second place and salute hurriedly. This matter was settled before the First Madam had time to object.
The Second Madam flashed a secret smile in her eyes when she heard the words. Although the First Madam still had a smile on her face, her expression was obviously stiff.
In the past, Madam Cui respected her so much that she dared not make a mistake. She didn’t expect that she would suddenly challenge her today.
For her, Erya was like a thorn in her heart. If she couldn’t get rid of her, she wouldn’t feel relax! Because she really picked her up from the other place.
“That bitch girl gave me so much trouble!” She said viciously.
...
When Su Qingtan came back, he stood in front of the bedroom, ashamed and afraid to go in.
“Is it eldest brother?”
The cowardly soft voice came from the room. Su Qingtan had a sour heart. Then there was a peaceful smile on his face. He pushed the door and went in, and asked loudly, “Second sister, did you have a good rest today? I brought you bird’s neat syrup.”
When he entered the room, Su Qingtan saw in surprise that Su Li was struggling to get out of bed. He hurriedly put down the food box and rushed to the edge of the bed to hold Su Li, “What are you doing? Lie down!”
“I’m going to chop the wood and draw water.” Su Li looked puzzled. “If I don’t chop the wood, Mammy Zheng will hit me.”
Su Qingtan shook his eyebrows violently and whispered, “You do not have to chop wood and draw water here. The only thing you have to do is to lie down and be healthy as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
Su Li tilted her head and huddled into the warm quilt. Her dark eyes were lit up in a flash.
Su Qingtan could not help laughing. He touched Su Li’s forehead and asked, “Second sister, you were bullied. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Mammy Zheng didn’t let me tell you.”
Su Li seemed to think of something, and there was a look of fear on her face, and she said no more.
Su Qingtan could not help sighing. “Silly girl, you are so soft and weak,” Su Qingtan said in his heart. “When I go to the Provincial Office, how can I leave you here?”
He found that his First Mother hated Erya very much. The father was busy with business, and the First Mother was in charge of all the little things in the family. After his left, the second sister was sure to be beaten and bullied again.
Somehow, Su Qingtan suddenly thought of Dr. Qi of Baicao Tang. Was it really necessary, as he said, to send the second sister to Baicao Tang? But how could it be carried out in order to get father to agree with it?
Su Qingtan shook his head slightly in dilemma. There were still a few months to go before the recommendation period. This matter should be discussed in detail. Perhaps his mother would have a way about it.
