Chapter Fifty-Eight: A Series of Losses of Control
Just then, Song Yiqiu's 'concerned' voice rang out at the perfect moment:
"What's wrong, little sister? But this box is too heavy. Do you need me to help you?"
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Song Sangyu's head.
She suddenly looked up, her gaze sweeping frantically across the room before finally settling on her playboy older brother, Song Tianhan.
At this moment, she couldn't care less about anything else. She almost stumbled to Song Tianhan, shoved the light box into his hands, and then hurriedly stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear:
"Big brother! Big brother, you have to save me this time!"
"My gift... my gift is gone, and the box is empty. What am I going to do in front of so many people? I'll be laughed at to death!"
Song Tianhan was yawning out of boredom when his sister's sudden request for help caught him off guard.
But he always doted on his younger sister, who was good at acting cute, and she was also someone who loved to show off and didn't care about the occasion.
Upon hearing that his younger sister was in trouble, his foolish and clumsy nature immediately kicked in.
He immediately patted his chest:
"Don't worry! Leave everything to your brother!"
After saying that, Song Tianhan took the empty box, turned around with feigned composure, faced the guests, and put on what he thought was a dashing and unrestrained smile, saying loudly:
"Everyone! Uncles, aunts and uncles, please be patient! It's not that my sister is deliberately keeping you in suspense, it's just that the birthday gift she prepared is too precious and rare, and the way to open it is quite special. We need to build up the atmosphere a bit, haha!"
He abruptly changed the subject, clapping his hands:
"In the meantime, why don't I, as the eldest brother, first entertain our father and perform a little show to warm up the atmosphere for everyone!"
Before anyone could react, he gave a wink to his friends who had arranged to go cockfighting and dog walking.
The men immediately understood and, laughing and joking, carried up a board covered with a red cloth.
Song Tianhan suddenly pulled off the red cloth, and there was a crooked picture of longevity made of chicken feathers of various colors pasted on the board!
The feathers were a jumble of colors, pieced together haphazardly, and even had some words misspelled, making them look incongruous and ridiculous.
Song Tianhan was quite pleased with himself and his friends began to gesticulate wildly as they tried to perform a play called "Auspicious Birthday Offering," with exaggerated movements and vulgar language, which made the equally ignorant and dissolute young men at the table burst into laughter.
However, many more guests looked embarrassed and whispered among themselves.
"This...this is outrageous..."
"The eldest son of the Song family... is truly... unique."
"A performance of rooster feather pasting at a birthday banquet? I've never heard of such a thing."
"Alas, has the Song family's reputation fallen to this level?"
"This is utterly disgraceful and unbecoming of a scholar!"
Sitting in the main seat, Song's father looked at his eldest son, who was as stupid and dull as a pig, yet still smug. He was so angry that he trembled all over and wished he could drag this unfilial son away and beat him to death on the spot!
While Song Tianhan was putting on a lively and comical performance, attracting most people's attention, Song Sangyu hurriedly lifted her skirt, lowered her head, and practically fled the banquet hall.
Once they reached a secluded spot, she immediately grabbed Liu Ye, who had followed her out, and questioned her sharply:
"Tell me! Did anyone enter my room this afternoon? Especially near that gift box!"
Liu Ye was terrified by the young lady's ferocious expression and stammered as she recalled:
"In the afternoon...aside from the maids who do the daily cleaning...oh, right! Miss Ying'er came by!"
"She said she came to ask you to go out with her, Miss. She waited for you for a while, but when you didn't come back, she said she would just sit for a bit and then left... Miss, what's wrong? What happened?"
"Ying'er?!"
Song Sangyu's mind went blank for a moment, and a surge of anger rushed to the top of her head. She gritted her teeth and cursed.
"That good-for-nothing idiot!"
She knew all too well that her foolish older brother wouldn't last long; his ridiculous performance would soon be stopped by her father's scolding.
At that time, everyone's attention will be focused on the birthday gift again.
We must find Ying'er immediately and get to the bottom of this!
Song Sangyu no longer cared about her demeanor. Lifting her skirt, with a gloomy face, she hurriedly ran towards the secluded courtyard where Ying'er was now living.
She was both anxious and angry, and had a vague feeling that this matter was probably not so simple.
Before Song Sangyu even reached Ying'er's residence, she spotted Ying'er's furtive figure on a secluded path. Ying'er seemed to be carrying an object wrapped in cloth and was hurrying towards the banquet hall.
Song Sangyu's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition instantly surged into her mind.
She cursed under her breath and immediately quickened her pace to catch up.
Inside the banquet hall, the guests were still immersed in the laughter brought by Song Tianhan's performance when a woman with disheveled clothes and a flustered expression suddenly rushed in, immediately attracting everyone's attention and arousing their curiosity.
Seeing this, Song Yiqiu immediately stepped forward, blocking Ying'er's path, her tone guiding:
"Ying'er? What are you doing here? This is the main hall of Father's birthday banquet, not a place for you. Go back now!"
As she spoke, she secretly pinched Ying'er's arm hard.
Ying'er cried out in pain, and receiving a subtle hint from Song Yiqiu's eyes, she immediately knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down her face before she could speak, and cried out towards the direction of the main seat:
"Master! Madam! Help! Second Miss is going to kill me to silence me!"
That cry was earth-shattering.
Song Haochu was initially a little embarrassed, but when he saw his beloved woman crying her heart out, claiming her life was in danger, his pitiful rationality vanished instantly. He immediately rushed over, wanting to help Ying'er up with heartache.
"Ying'er! What's wrong? Get up and tell me slowly. Don't be afraid, I'm here! How did you get here? Who wants to kill you?"
Rumors immediately began to circulate during the meal:
"Who is this? Why is she crying and sobbing at the birthday banquet?"
"Huh? This woman looks unfamiliar; she doesn't seem to be one of the maids in the manor..."
"I think I've heard... that Young Master Song has a mistress outside the home, and she's pregnant. He brought her into the manor?"
"That's right, that's right! It's her! I heard that because of this woman, the Third Young Master has stopped studying and spends his days fooling around!"
"More than that! At the last poetry gathering, wasn't it she who pushed the eldest daughter of the Song family into the water, almost causing her to drown?"
"Good heavens... how dare they keep such a woman in the manor? And even bring her to a birthday banquet?"
Enraged by this continuous farce, Mr. Song slammed his fist on the table and roared:
"What's going on now? Aren't you supposed to be confined to the ancestral hall? Who let you out? And you're still spouting nonsense here!"
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