Chapter 4 The Slow-Returning Guest (Part 3) You are the little thief who stole my jade pendant. ...

Zhi Rou got up as instructed and walked to Old Madam Song. The servants had all left by this time, leaving only the masters of the Song family in the room.

"Who did you learn Mandarin from?" Old Madam Song asked her.

A childlike face, with round cheeks and high brow bones, beneath which rested a pair of bright eyes.

“I was taught by my mother from a young age. Later, a teacher from the north came to the school and I studied with him for a few months.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Song turned her gaze to Lin He, glanced at her, and then nodded slightly: "She has studied."

The Song family was a distinguished family with a century-long history of officialdom, valuing etiquette and, more importantly, talent and learning. Originally, when they heard that Song Congzhao wanted to take a countrywoman into the family, the old lady of the Song family was so angry that she fell seriously ill and refused to agree under any circumstances. Later, when she learned that the woman had a daughter, she gradually relented.

To the outside world, she said that she was a concubine whom the second son had taken as his concubine in his early years. Because of her poor health, she had returned to Luozhou with her youngest daughter to recuperate. Now that the child was older, she had brought her back to the mansion.

Although he had some excuses to deal with it, it was ultimately a hidden danger for Song Congzhao's career.

Therefore, Madam Song's attitude towards Lin He was cold and gloomy. She was quite tactful, standing in the room with her eyes lowered, not uttering a word.

To the right of the main seat stood a beautiful girl dressed in a floral brocade outfit, who looked not much older than Zhi Rou.

With a smirk, she murmured arrogantly, "Since when spending a few months in a private school counts as studying?"

The one who spoke was Song Hanjin, the third daughter of the Song family.

When Lin He and her daughter entered the house, besides the second wife, Madam Xu, Lin He was the one who annoyed them the most. Seeing that Zhi Rou had gained her grandmother's approval, her disgust was immediately written all over her face, but she only restrained herself after being given a sidelong glance by her brother.

Madam Song moved her lips slightly and softly murmured, "Zhi Rou... was that the name your aunt gave you?"

Upon hearing the word "aunt," Zhi Rou paused for a moment before pursing her lips and saying, "It's my nickname."

“To remain weak and yielding is indeed a profound statement,” Xu Yueyuan said slowly.

Zhi Rou looked in the direction of the voice and saw a woman of noble appearance sitting in a rose chair. She was in her early thirties, with black hair and fair cheeks, and her eyes and brows had a kind expression. She waved to Zhi Rou and said, "Come here, let me take a look."

Zhi Rou hesitated for a moment, glancing upwards. Old Madam Song didn't speak, unsure whether to agree or not, so she thought for a moment and then walked over to Xu Yueyuan's seat.

Xu Yueyuan was so angry at the way the girl fawned over the old lady that she almost fainted. She thought to herself that this little girl was actually quite snobbish and knew who to fawn over.

But she was ultimately just an inexperienced maid. After entering the Song family and working for the second branch of the family, how well she could make a living was entirely up to the second branch's mistress.

He chuckled inwardly, but maintained a friendly demeanor, looking her up and down: "It seems the countryside is good for people; she's quite pretty."

After saying that, she added, seemingly unintentionally, "They say daughters resemble their fathers, but I think you're different. You must have taken after Aunt Lin."

A seemingly casual remark carried immense weight; the moment it was uttered, Old Madam Song's face darkened.

I did examine her closely just now. Although her appearance was youthful, upon closer inspection, she didn't resemble Song Congzhao much. Not to mention that she was raised outside the capital from a young age, traveling all over the country. Who knows if that Aunt Lin had an affair with someone else, gave birth to her, and then lied that she was a member of the Song family?

However, Song Congzhao would never allow such an absurd thing to happen in the Song residence.

Before bringing Lin He and her daughter to the capital, all necessary checks had been conducted and all the proper channels had been cleared. Zhi Rou's identity was that of the Song family's daughter, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Xu Yueyuan said this simply to plant a thorn in the old lady's heart and to give Zhirou a warning.

She was his legal wife, and Song Congzhao would not publicly humiliate her, even if he knew her intentions, he would only glance at her.

Seeing the strange atmosphere, Madam Chen, the eldest wife, smoothed things over, greeting the younger generation as she spoke, and letting Zhirou greet them one by one. Before long, the old lady, citing illness, dismissed them, leaving without even setting out the prepared lunch, and went straight back to her room.

After the people in the main hall dispersed, Xinghui came up to greet Song Congzhao and, upon his instructions, led Zhirou to Longyue Pavilion.

"Master had someone prepare the young lady's courtyard early this morning. It's not far from Consort Lin's place. If you want to go, it's just a short walk." Seeing her sullen expression, Xinghui guessed what was wrong and comforted her from the side.

Zhi Rou glanced at her, did not deny it, and nodded. Hearing her address her as "Fourth Sister" again, she quickly suggested, "We're about the same age, why don't you just call me Zhi Rou?"

Xinghui chuckled awkwardly and didn't continue the conversation.

The Song family was a prominent and wealthy household, which had been frequently renovated and expanded during its heyday, making its mansion quite vast and deep. Zhi Rou followed her through several arched doorways, and at the other end was a white wall with overlapping latticed windows that reflected the scenery on the opposite side.

"We'll be there soon, Fourth Sister."

Xinghui raised her hand forward, and Zhirou looked in the direction she pointed. She said, "Your courtyard is next to the Third Miss's. Her name is Juexuan, and yours is Longyuexuan. The Third Miss has always disliked others entering and leaving her place, so you must be careful not to attract her attention."

"Is she fierce?" When he asked Song Hanjin about etiquette in the main hall, she gave him a few casual replies, and that was the end of their interaction.

“Fierce…not really.” Xinghui shook her head slowly, and after thinking for a while, she continued, “During festivals, the Third Miss’s courtyard receives the most reward money. But the Third Miss is a little different from you…a bit cold, and no one dares to say thank you.”

This description made Zhi Rou feel as if she were there herself. She straightened her clothes and changed the subject, asking, "Sister Xinghui, do you know what the old lady likes?"

As he spoke, he stepped onto the path and slowly walked towards a begonia-shaped gate.

Xinghui had heard her call her sister the whole way, so she didn't correct her now: "I don't know what the old lady likes, but if I had to say who makes her happy, it would be the eldest young master. The eldest young master is very learned and handsome. The old lady only smiles when she talks to him. She is usually very serious, and everyone is afraid of her."

Suddenly, a soft rustling sound was heard outside, like the sound of clothes and boots on the ground. It must be a servant passing by. The sound was gradually silenced, and Zhi Rou was led through the Begonia Gate.

Suddenly, two elegant figures appeared in their line of sight.

It was late autumn, and the delicate fragrance of flowers mingled with the golden haze in the air. The girl crossed her arms and frowned, saying, "What do you mean by paying respects to Mother? You've clearly come to laugh at our family, to mock the Song family for bringing such a boorish thing into our household."

Song Qiyu remained noncommittal, his gaze sweeping over her face for a moment before he chuckled softly, "Little sister."

Before he could finish speaking, he caught a glimpse of two people standing not far away, who appeared to be the daughters of his concubine who had just arrived yesterday.

She stood quietly by the door, her eyes seemingly curious, darting around him without any attempt to hide them.

Song Qiyu simply turned around and slowly looked over.

When their eyes met, Zhi Rou was stunned.

Before long, she realized that she had acted inappropriately, so she quickly lowered her eyes and greeted them from where she was, saying, "Brother, sister."

Song Hanjin was already furious with Wei Mingying, and now that she had run into her, she was even more itchy to bite her. However, because of her pride, she couldn't bring herself to throw a tantrum or hurl insults. She could only snort coldly, let go of Wei Mingying's hand, and turn away.

"Song Qiyu will probably do the same," Zhi Rou thought, looking at him. She unconsciously took a step back, intending to wait for him to go first before entering Longyue Pavilion herself.

This subservient behavior, when observed by Song Qiyu, made her inexplicably want to laugh. However, she managed to restrain herself, her upturned lips quickly curving back to a straight line as she passed by.

Xinghui observed her expression and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid. The eldest young master is just protective of his own, but he's not a bad person. From now on, if we avoid the third young lady, we'll be able to get along peacefully with the eldest young master."

Zhi Rou was never afraid of him. The young girl was just shy and embarrassed. Hearing her repeatedly call him "Young Master," she couldn't help but ask, "Sister Xing Hui, why do you call him Young Master?"

Just now in the main hall, Madam Chen helped her recognize people, and she remembered clearly that the eldest son of the main branch also had a son.

“Although the eldest son is from the second wife’s family, he is a year older than the eldest son’s son. According to the order of seniority, he is the eldest son.” Xinghui explained a few words, and seeing that her eyebrows relaxed and she nodded, as if her curiosity had subsided, she stopped talking.

As darkness fell, the Song residence was brightly lit. Zhi Rou left Lin He's courtyard, intending to go to the library to find two suitable books to read.

Xinghui walked beside her with a lamp in hand, noticing that she didn't speak and wondering what to say.

The entire mansion was quiet, with only faint footsteps rising and fading away.

As I passed through the small garden, the tranquility was broken by the sound of idle chatter.

"...Who would keep a concubine in such a far place, never mention it, and then suddenly bring her to the mansion after eight or nine years?"

"According to you, the one living in the south is really capable. She managed to get involved with the master even with such a grown daughter. Isn't that like a vixen descended to earth?"

"What, you want to learn some skills from that guy in the south too? You..." One person laughed and nudged his companion's shoulder, his voice gradually fading away.

Xinghui's expression changed, and she hurriedly went to look at Zhirou.

She was still young, and her emotions were written all over her face. When she heard them insult Lin He, her expression darkened, and her round cheeks tightened.

"Fourth Miss, don't worry about them. I know another way to get there," Xinghui whispered, taking out one hand to hold Zhirou's.

Unexpectedly, she grabbed his forearm and forced him to squat down, hiding behind some bushes.

Xinghui was both surprised and suspicious. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Xinghui put her index finger to her lips and then whisper, "Sister Xinghui, hide well and don't make a sound."

After saying that, she picked up two pebbles from the ground and threw them at the backs of the two men's legs.

Seeing them fall in pain, Zhi Rou lowered her head even further, a cheerful smile curving her lips as she suppressed a laugh.

Xinghui curled up beside her, stealing a glance at her. Such a satisfying revenge was truly unprecedented in the Song family.

After they had walked away, Zhi Rou clapped her hands and stood up, then pulled Xing Hui, who was deep in thought, along with her: "They're gone, we don't need to change our route."

Turning around, I saw a young man standing under the eaves.

He crossed his arms, raised his thick eyebrows slightly as he looked at people with a playful expression, then raised his lips and revealed a hearty laugh: "They left because they saw me."

Zhi Rou lightly cupped her fingers: "What did you say?"

Wei Yuanzhan looked her up and down. She was a young girl, with alert eyes, prominent eyebrows, and a delicate nose. He should have never seen her like this before, yet somehow a sense of familiarity arose within him.

“You’re the little thief who stole my jade pendant,” he said.

A note from the author:

①Peers: companions, people of equal standing.