Chapter 297 I've been tricked by my stepbrother again.
As the pockmarked woman lifted her shoes and socks, Lin Yuesha suddenly realized that her family had indeed neglected this aspect.
She always thought she treated her stepbrother very well, but there were still areas where she didn't take good care of him.
Especially for blended families like theirs, maintaining kinship is quite complicated. Since Lin Yuesha started learning needlework, she had never thought of making clothes and shoes for Xiao Qi, while her mother, Chen, had been doing embroidery to supplement the family income and had neglected this matter.
For so long, my stepbrother has been buying shoes from the market, so they probably aren't very comfortable.
As for socks, Lin Yuesha had never seen Xiao Qi take off his shoes. She guessed that they were probably patched on top of each other, which might make him a laughingstock at the academy.
Just thinking about how the green-eyed young master Qin mocked her older brother for being poor made Lin Yuesha feel terrible. It's not like her family couldn't afford it!
"Brother Yun, your suggestion is better."
Lin Yuesha agreed wholeheartedly. Brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones are all ordinary things, enough is fine. Indeed, as the pockmarked man said, it is necessary to give a gift that expresses one's feelings.
"It's nothing, just understanding what men need."
Xiao Qi narrowed his eyes, secretly pleased that he had achieved his goal. The disguise wasn't useless; it served to benefit his true self, and he didn't hesitate to use it to manipulate his own little sister.
"That……"
Lin Yuesha took a sip of tea, lowered her head, and asked with a flushed face, "Brother Yun, do you need shoes and socks?"
Her skills weren't top-notch, but she had been practicing consistently, and under the rigorous training of Hong Liu, she had become quite proficient.
Once she entered the girls' school, there were also female embroidery teachers. Lin Yuesha was determined to learn the skill well, because she thought it might come in handy in the future.
The pockmarked man remained silent, and Lin Yuesha quickly tried to cover up her words, "Well, since you're traveling alone, the shoes and socks you buy for takeout might not fit you perfectly."
It doesn't matter if the clothes are a little big, but if the shoes don't fit, they'll be quite uncomfortable to wear.
Lin Yuesha meant well and felt she should do something to repay the pockmarked face.
"No need."
Xiao Qi coldly refused and started arguing with the pockmarked man in disguise again.
His tone was a little stiff. When he looked up, he saw his little sister looking at him with a wronged expression, which gave Xiao Qi a headache.
"It's inappropriate for you to make shoes and socks for your older brother because you're family, while I'm an outsider. Do you understand?"
Xiao Qi had no choice but to soften his tone. He thought to himself that he had to send his younger sister to a girls' school to learn proper manners and give her men's shoes and socks. Only engaged couples could do this, as it was considered a private exchange.
"It's just delivering some things, is it really necessary to make such a fuss?"
Lin Yuesha muttered, "I didn't expect the pockmarked man to be such a rule-abiding person. Speaking of rules, the two of them had already been alone together; there's no way they were completely innocent."
Since he doesn't care, she won't do it!
"This jade pendant is for you."
Lin Yuesha was sulking when Xiao Qi took out a red silk pouch from his pocket and presented the jade pendant to her.
"Brother Yun, why did you give me this?"
Lin Yuesha didn't want to take it, but the jade pendant was smooth and translucent, and she couldn't help but take it and examine it carefully in her palm.
Anyone would be in a better mood upon receiving a gift, and she was no exception.
If she accepted the things from the pockmarked man, wouldn't that be considered a secret transaction? These were personal items.
"It's just a little trinket that ordinary women like."
Xiao Qi's words were quite hypocritical; he simply didn't want his younger sister to find fault.
“I ate the food you made, and I gave you the jade pendant as a return gift. This is a basic exchange of favors.”
Xiao Qi subtly shifted the focus, once again using a trick on Lin Yuesha.
Lin Yuesha nodded hesitantly, but she felt that something was wrong, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
The tea room was surrounded by the fragrance of flowers and had a quiet and peaceful environment. Lin Yuesha and Xiao Qi sat in a small pavilion, enjoying tea. Their minds were calmed down, and the unpleasantness brought by Granny Lin was forgotten.
Not long after, Bai Cha returned and prepared all the charcoal for the oven at home. She wanted to stay, but Qing Xing and Qi'er lured her away again.
It's a rare opportunity for the master and young lady to be alone, so as maids, they really shouldn't get in the way.
“You mentioned last time that you liked blueberry wine, and this is what I bought from the family who makes wine in the village.”
Xiao Qi brought out a small jar, and the two of them raised their glasses to drink together when they ate the barbecue skewers later.
"It's rare that Brother Yun still remembers."
Lin Yuesha beamed with joy. She had always wanted to buy some blueberries, but unfortunately, it wasn't the season for them. The general store sold blueberry wine, but the taste was just not right; it was too sour and astringent.
"Granny Lin also wants me to go to the capital to ruin my reputation. Once I get to the Lin residence, I'll be at Qin's mercy."
If anyone spoke up, Lin Yuesha quickly complained. Qingxing and Qi'er both had pockmarked faces; he must have powerful connections.
Lin Yuesha couldn't handle the people in the Lin family on her own. After all, when she arrived in the capital, she had no influence, was unfamiliar with the place, and couldn't find anyone to help her.
Moreover, this family is not easy to deal with. Lin Yue'e, who is two years younger than her, pushed people into the lake when she was only seven or eight years old. She kills without blinking an eye. Lin Yuesha prides herself on not being able to do that. She is not ruthless enough.
"Don't worry, none of that will happen."
Xiao Qi's voice was flat and had a calming power, which made Lin Yuesha feel inexplicably at ease.
"Once you go to the girls' school, study the rules well so that when you get to the capital, Madam Qin won't find any fault with you. She'll be furious."
Seeing that the time was right, Xiao Qi began to trick his younger sister into learning manners, otherwise Lin Yuesha's personality might have led her to outwardly comply but inwardly defy him.
"But I don't like being restricted."
Lin Yuesha sighed, slumped onto the table, and said dejectedly, "I don't want to become a wooden doll."
"It's just about learning the rules and showing them to others. Nobody cares what you're like in private."
Qin looked down on Lin Yuesha for coming from the countryside, so she had to be even more ambitious and dazzle her from the moment she appeared, making her want to find fault but unable to do so.
The pockmarked man's words convinced Lin Yuesha, who agreed that they made sense.
Her biological father is Lin Shusheng, and no matter how little her father values her, she can't escape the Lin family.
Once in the capital, Lin Yuesha planned to cause trouble, stir up trouble, and sow discord. After all, Qin Shi was heartless and her own father was a scoundrel, causing her mother Chen Shi to suffer for more than ten years. She wanted to take revenge!
"I just don't want to go to the capital this year. It would be better to go next year. My family is opening a shop, and we need to save some money."
Lin Yuesha talked about her plans, and that if her elder brother Xiao Qi passed the provincial examination, he could go to the capital to take the imperial examination next March, and the whole family could be together.
Without her parents and older brother by her side, Lin Yuesha always felt a little guilty.
The two chatted casually, and Lin Yuesha asked about the local customs and traditions of the capital. Xiao Qi answered in detail, even more so than Qingxing and Qi'er.
The capital city was bustling, and some of its markets did not have a curfew, remaining open all night to sell snacks and other miscellaneous items, much like modern night markets. There were also restaurants and eateries that stayed open all night, so there was no need to worry about going hungry at night.
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