Chapter 136 Undercurrents
Pei Xingjian stared at that familiar figure, and his heart suddenly ached. Seeing that he looked dazed, Song Yunshu whispered a reminder: "Xingjian, your grandmother is talking to you!"
Pei Xingjian suddenly came to his senses, stood up, bowed to Ji Shu, and said, "Father, Madam!"
Ji Shu nodded calmly and sat down at random. No one reminded Pei Xingjian that he should serve tea to his stepmother according to etiquette.
When Madam Pei saw that everyone had finally arrived, she was overjoyed and, with a flick of her sleeve, ordered, "Let the feast begin."
"It's rare to have everything so complete today. I haven't been this happy in a long time," the old lady said with a beaming smile.
Pei Song joked, "If you were to have another grandson, you would be even happier."
Madam Pei smiled broadly: "You little rascal, there's no need to rush things like this."
Seeing the old lady so happy, Ji Shu rarely showed an embarrassed expression. Pei Yanzhi picked up a teacup from the side, gently blew away the foam, and took a sip.
Across from him, Pei Song smiled and couldn't help but tease, "Brother, is that your sister-in-law's teacup?"
Ji Shu turned to look at the teacup in his hand. There was a bright red lipstick stain on the rim of the cup, and she immediately felt embarrassed.
He secretly rebuked himself: How shameless!
But then she remembered how he had entangled her in the carriage, sucking and biting her, and how her lips were still red and swollen. She had no choice but to apply some lip rouge to cover up the marks.
With a loud crash, everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Pei Xingjian had accidentally spilled the wine, and the aroma of wine gradually filled the air on the table.
Madam Pei glanced at Pei Xingjian and said in a low voice, "What are you all standing there for? Clean up for the young master."
The servants responded and quickly tidied it up.
Song Yunshu coldly observed the scene, finding the loving couple opposite her extremely irritating, and felt a strong urge to shatter the illusion.
She tilted her head back and downed the wine in her glass in one gulp. Pei Song, who was beside her, noticed how quickly she was drinking and asked, "What's wrong with you today? Are you too happy?"
Song Yunshu didn't even glance at him, only giving a curt reply before falling silent.
Pei Yanzhi took in everything, his eyes narrowed slightly, and then glanced at Ji Shu beside him. He saw that she was engrossed in eating and seemed oblivious to the undercurrents at the table.
My heart softened instantly. I picked up a piece of meat with my chopsticks and put it in her bowl, instructing her, "You can't just eat vegetables, you have to eat meat too."
Ji Shu turned her head to look at him, her lips glistening with oil, looking charmingly naive.
"It is not advisable to eat too much meat or fish in the evening to maintain health."
Pei Yanzhi's eyes darkened: "I have never heard of such a claim. Are you trying to deceive me again?"
Ji Shu pursed her lips, too lazy to pay him any attention.
Madam Pei, sitting at the head of the table, looked at the two of them and whispered to Granny Chang beside her, "Have you ever seen the eldest son so considerate?"
Granny Chang chuckled: "This old servant has never seen anything like it before. Even the former Madam Gu has never received such favoritism."
Seemingly realizing his slip of the tongue, he fell silent.
Madam Pei clearly didn't care. So many years had passed, and now her eldest son had a beautiful wife in his arms. In another year or two, Ji Shu would give birth to a child, and her eldest son's life would be complete.
"The Gu family? She has never been worthy of it!"
"This old servant has misspoke."
"It's alright, but seeing the affection that Dalang has for Ji Shu now, I can't help but feel emotional."
After dinner, everyone gathered together to chat.
When Madam Pei asked Ji Shu what she had done that day, she obediently replied, "I went to Yuqing Temple today to offer incense to my parents."
Madam Pei nodded knowingly and sighed, "You are pitiful too, your parents passed away early, and I heard that your maternal grandparents' family is still alive?"
He then asked Pei Yanzhi, "Is there any truth to the claim that you married their granddaughter?"
Pei Yanzhi glanced at her and replied, "I sent a message a few days ago, along with generous gifts."
Madam Pei nodded, "Of course, after all, we'll be relatives from now on."
Pei Song asked, "Sister-in-law, are you the only one in your family?"
"What other brothers and sisters do you have?"
Upon hearing this, not only Song Shi but also Pei Xingjian looked up.
Ji Shu was puzzled as to why he asked such a question. Pei Song winked at her and said, "Sister-in-law is so beautiful. Wouldn't it be a pity if you were the only one in the family?"
These words were somewhat inappropriate, but everyone knew that Pei Song was always straightforward and didn't think much of it.
Instead, Pei Xingjian suddenly spoke up: "Second Uncle, be careful what you say!"
The room fell silent suddenly, completely still.
Pei Song was the first to react, and immediately said, "Oh dear, it's all my fault for having such a big mouth. I hope you won't be offended, sister-in-law!"
Madam Pei smiled and defused the situation: "If your sister-in-law really has sisters in her family, what would you do?"
Pei Song naturally replied, "Then of course we hope that you will bring him to our Yanzhou. We should keep the good stuff in our own backyard. There are plenty of good men in Yanzhou, right, sister-in-law?" He then raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Ji Shu forced a smile, glancing at Pei Xingjian across from her. He was looking down, lost in thought.
Feeling inexplicably irritable, and having never done anything wrong, she was the one who felt restless and uneasy.
Song Yunshu glanced at Ji Shu, then looked at Pei Xingjian, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. She sensed that something was off about Xingjian after he saw Ji Shu.
This child grew up in the manor since he was a child. Others may not know his character, but she knows it very well.
Whether it was Wei Heng or any other ordinary woman, he had never given her a second glance, but now he was repeatedly lost in thought when looking at his young stepmother.
How could she not be suspicious? She looked up at Pei Yanzhi's position, wondering if he had noticed anything.
Pei Yanzhi, seemingly unaware of the undercurrents at the table, said to Ji Shu beside him, "Tea!"
Ji Shu was stunned for a moment. Soon, Shu Tong walked in with a tray. She got up to take it and was about to put it on the table when Pei Yanzhi raised his hand and bumped it, spilling the scalding hot tea.
Almost all of it was spilled on Pei Yanzhi, but Ji Shu was unharmed.
She gasped in surprise, and Pei Xingjian, hearing the sound, instinctively tried to get up. At that moment, Madam Pei asked, "What's wrong?"
The maid, Shutong, hurriedly found a handkerchief and handed it to her. Song Yunshu exclaimed in surprise, "Oh dear!"
"It's so hot, are you alright, brother?"
Pei Yanzhi glanced at Ji Shu and casually wiped the water stains from his robes. "It's alright, son will go to Mother's room to change his clothes."
Ji Shu said to Chunzhi beside her, "Quickly go to Wenxin Pavilion and fetch the Lord's clothes."
Chunzhi responded and quickly ran out.
Pei Yanzhi got up and walked halfway when he saw Ji Shu still sitting in the same spot, staring blankly at the vase not far away, looking absent-minded.
It's unclear whether this expression was due to his son opposite him or something else.
She couldn't help but feel displeased; her husband had been scalded, yet she hadn't come to serve him.
"Madam, please change my clothes!" A deep male voice suddenly rang out.
Ji Shu suddenly came to her senses, looked around, and seeing that everyone's eyes were on her, said "Okay".
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