Apologize?
Absolutely impossible!
Yuan Yuan raised his hand, pointing to the folding fan on the ground, which was so dirty and broken that it was barely visible. His eyes were slightly red: "It was him. He took my folding fan without asking and then destroyed it."
Why should I be the one apologizing, and not him?
The boy's voice trembled slightly, revealing a hint of anger.
Madam Yuan's face grew increasingly grim: "Yuan Yuan!"
At this moment, Madam Yuan gave Madam Yuan a cold look and then looked at Yuan Yuan: "Let's drop this matter!"
Since Shanglu is rarely home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, let's not spoil the fun!
It's too noisy here, take Aning downstairs!
Madam Yuan glanced at Yuan Yuan on the ground, curtsied to Old Madam Yuan, and left with a cold face, carrying the child in her arms.
The matriarch glanced at the remaining people in the courtyard: "What are you all standing there for? Disperse!"
So, those who were waiting to watch the spectacle all scattered and went back to their backyards.
In the courtyard, as soon as the person left, Madam Yuan glared at the maid in pink: "Why aren't you helping Song'er up?"
The maid then helped Yuan Song up and said sweetly, "Young master, don't cry, it breaks my heart to see you like this."
After speaking, she lightly and heavily pinched the soft flesh on Yuan Song's arm with her fingers.
Yuan Song gasped, his body going limp.
After standing up, Yuan Song said to Madam Yuan, "Grandmother, I'm covered in mud. I'll take Jiao Jiao back to her room to change first."
You're here, so you should give Third Brother a good beating!
How could the Yuan family produce such an unruly person who disrespects elders?
If outsiders found out, who knows what they would think of the Yuan family!
The matriarch nodded and looked at the pink-clad maid, Jiaojiao: "Don't keep Song'er cozy on the couch all day long, he's still growing!"
If you ruin his health, you'll be sorry!
The maidservant quickly put on a well-behaved and sensible demeanor: "Please rest assured, Madam, I know my place."
The young master knows his limits.
"Go down!" the old lady waved her hand.
Yuan Song was overjoyed, grabbed the maid, and whispered, "Hurry up! I'm about to lose my temper."
"Young master, why are you in such a hurry..."
The unpleasant jeers gradually faded away.
Yuan Yuan lowered his eyes, a hint of disgust flashing in them.
The Yuan family may appear respectable on the surface, but inside they are rotten to the core, reeking of filth...
The matriarch withdrew her gaze and looked coldly at Yuan Yuan: "What, are you addicted to kneeling? Do you need this old bone of mine to help you up personally?"
Yuan Yuan then got up.
His snow-white robe was covered in mud.
The matriarch stared coldly at his face. After a while, the coldness on her face lessened considerably: "Does your knee hurt?"
Yuan Yuan nodded truthfully: "It hurts."
The matriarch snorted coldly: "You're supposed to be her own son, yet she still dares to hit you so hard!"
Yuan Yuan lightly patted the mud off his robes and said, "Grandmother, I didn't push my elder brother."
After a moment of silence, the matriarch said coldly, "Give him whatever he wants; there's no need to argue with him."
Because of your parents, Song'er lost his father when he was young.
Always give in to him!
Yuan Yuan's throat bobbed, and he finally nodded: "Okay..."
The matriarch looked him over again: "Your face has gotten thinner. Have you been eating and resting well these past few days while you were traveling?"
Yuan Yuan replied, "Grandmother, I have grown taller."
The matriarch nodded and then said, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Your father is taking a rare day off. He is practicing calligraphy in his study. Go to his study and find him."
You and your son haven't seen each other for a long time; go and pay your respects.
Yuan Yuan bowed respectfully and said, "Grandson takes his leave."
After speaking, he walked towards Yuan Shanglu's study.
The matriarch's gaze fell on his waist, and she suddenly spoke: "A-Yuan."
In the shadows of the lamplight, Yuan Yuan stopped in his tracks: "Grandmother?"
The matriarch stood beneath the laurel wreath, her gaunt face bearing a sharp expression, yet her voice had softened considerably: "Grandmother did not intend to be harsh with you..."
However, in front of outsiders, especially in front of Song'er, he always has to be stricter with you to feel more at ease.
That way, he'll cause you less trouble.
Song'er is also a pitiful child...
Yuan Yuan pursed his thin lips, his eyes flashing slightly: "Grandmother, your grandson understands."
The matriarch nodded: "Go find your father."
Yuan Yuan then lifted his foot and left.
Two candles were lit in the study.
The lighting was somewhat dim.
Beside the desk sat a thin, middle-aged man, nearly forty years old, dressed in an indigo brocade robe.
This person was none other than Yuan Shanglu.
Yuan Shanglu stroked his beard with one hand and held a writing brush in the other, hunched over his desk, writing and drawing...
Yuan Yuan walked in slowly, without making a sound to disturb him.
Yuan Shanglu raised his head, a faint smile in his phoenix eyes: "It's been a while since I've seen you, my Yuan'er has grown taller."
Yuan Yuan quickened his pace and walked to the opposite side of the desk. His slender, dark, and bright eyes revealed a hint of joy: "Father."
Yuan Shanglu's gaze fell on his knees: "Did your mother punish you again?"
Yuan Yuan lightly patted his robe and said, "It was my son who accidentally tripped and fell."
Did you fall?
Yuan Shanglu remained noncommittal, but instead bent down and lifted an exquisite food box from under the desk, smiling as he asked, "Look, what's this?"
Seeing a small trumpet-shaped flower painted in gold on the food box, Yuan Yuan's eyes lit up slightly: "Did Auntie send me mooncakes?"
Yuan Shanglu nodded and smiled, "This Mid-Autumn Festival, the Yuan family will not be going to the palace."
The Imperial Concubine Yuan misses you and asked me to bring back some of her homemade snacks for you.
Try it, so I can give her an answer tomorrow.
"Um!"
Young Yuan Yuan straightened his robes, sat upright at the desk, opened the food box, and took out two plates of pastries.
One dish contains mooncakes shaped like intricate peonies, in a rouge color, which are particularly beautiful.
One dish contains clean, transparent, round, and adorable little rabbit mooncakes.
Yuan Shanglu asked affectionately, "Do you like it?"
Yuan Yuan smiled, his phoenix eyes crinkling, his gaze sparkling brightly: "I like it!"
Yuan Shanglu sat to one side, raised his hand, and patted his head: "If you like it, then try it. Don't let down Consort Yuan's kindness."
There are three mooncakes, just like before.
Yuan Yuan kept two of the rabbit-shaped mooncakes and set aside a peony mooncake, placing it on a plate and pushing it in front of Yuan Shanglu: "These are for Mother and Aning. Please have Father bring them to them later."
Yuan Shanglu's eyes flickered slightly: "Okay..."
Yuan Yuan picked up a peony mooncake and handed it to Yuan Shanglu: "This is for Father."
Yuan Shanglu initially wanted to decline, but upon seeing his son's bright, expectant eyes, he accepted.
The father and son sat at the desk, sharing mooncakes...
After finishing a mooncake, Yuan Shanglu handed over a heavy money bag: "Tonight, everyone from each household has come."
The mansion is in a mess; I imagine you're not happy staying here either.
There are many performances in the capital, which are lively and interesting. Your father can't accompany you, so why don't you go and have a look around and play by yourself?
Here's the money. Buy whatever you like.
Be careful, the streets are crowded.
Yuan Yuan accepted the money pouch, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face: "Thank you, Father!"
Yuan Shanglu laughed along, "You child, keeping you in the manor is like confining you!"
"No riding horses tonight!"
Yuan Yuan carefully put away the money pouch and obediently replied, "Your son understands! Your son will sneak out."
As he spoke, he turned to leave.
"Wait a minute!"
Yuan Shanglu rummaged in his pocket and pulled out two silver notes, handing them over: "Your clothes are all dirty, go buy some new ones you like."
Yuan Yuan smiled brightly and radiantly: "Thank you, Father!"
Yuan Shanglu raised his chin slightly and stroked his beard: "Aren't you going to hurry up and leave?"
After receiving the money pouch and silver notes, Yuan Yuan returned to his room, changed into a dark blue brocade robe, and, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, secretly climbed over the wall and jumped into an alley outside the house.
On Mid-Autumn Festival night, the alley was dark and quiet.
Not far away, a sound of flesh colliding with the ground could be heard—
"Bang!"
Then, a very faint groan was heard.
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