After all, Old Master Xue had been through a lot in life, he quickly regained his composure and went forward to ask, “Zi Chang (Shen Yuan Qi’s name), why have you brought Third Young Miss Yu back?”
Shen Yuan Qi stepped forward and responded, “Godfather, Xiang’er is my younger sister, so naturally she should return with me.”
There was a loud clattering sound as someone dropped the rice bowl and knocked down the chopsticks.
“What do you mean by ‘your younger sister’?”
“Xiang’er is my long-lost biological sister. It’s a long story.” Shen Yuan Qi pushed his younger sister into the hall. He sat down and briefly recounted what had happened in the past, which left the Xue family speechless. After explaining the causes and consequences, Shen Yuan Qi said, “I have brought Xiang’er back this time because I want her to return to her ancestry. I wonder what Godfather thinks of it?”
Old Master Xue had only adopted Shen Yuan Qi as his adopted son and did not ask him to change his surname. Thus, naturally, he would not interfere in his family affairs at this time.
While the two of them were talking, Yu Xiang was also discreetly looking at the people in the hall. Although Madam Xue had concealed herself well, there were occasional flashes of disgust and hidden worry in her eyes. She was probably wary of Shen Yuan Qi. It was expected since Young Master Xue failed to live up to expectations. The Xue family now solely and entirely relied on Shen Yuan Qi to support them. After a long time, there was no guarantee that he would not be greedy for their family’s huge fortune.
Young Master Xue was naturally open-minded and a smile gleamed within his eyes. On the other hand, he genuinely treated Shen Yuan Qi like a brother of different surnames. The rest of the shu[1] sons had been taught to be obedient by Madam Xue and usually dine in their own courtyard. Therefore, they were not present at this time.
The two di[2] daughters born to Madam Xue, one was twelve years old and the other was of the same age as Yu Xiang. Both of them had their heads lowered and an indiscernible expression. However, their tightly clasped hands revealed their uneasiness at the prospect of having a stranger in their home.
I am afraid that I can’t stay in the Xue family for long, and there is no guarantee that pettiness will not arise as time goes on. Yu Xiang thought to herself.
Only after Shen Yuan Qi and Old Master Xue had agreed on the matter of returning to her ancestry did Madam Xue ask the siblings (Yu Xiang and Shen Yuan Qi) to sit down for dinner. No one spoke in the hall, only the sound of chopsticks hitting the plates. Yu Xiang felt like she was eating wax and missed the days when she was together with her elder brother. In the same situation of eating together, she could use her fingertips to secretly poke his thigh and tease him to change his expression; She could pout her lips slightly and discreetly ask him for a kiss; Even if she had accidentally eaten the spiciest chillies, the tip of her tongue would taste sweetness.
Elder Brother had left, but it was as if he had taken away all the joy in her life. As Yu Xiang ate, her eyes couldn’t help brimming red.
Shen Yuan Qi sighed in his heart. He put down the chopsticks and said, “We’re done. This is Xiang’er first time here, so I’ll take her around the manor. Godfather and Mother, enjoy your meal.”
“Let Jia Yi and Jia Ying bring Miss Shen. They are all girls so it would be easy to talk to. You can stay behind. Returning to ancestry is a big matter and I need to discuss it with you. After all, Lingnan ‘has high mountains and long roads’[3], you can’t leave your official duties, so we need to find someone reliable to do it.” Master Xue said with a smile.
Shen Yuan Qi looked towards his younger sister. Seeing that she indifferently waved her hand, he stayed.
The Xue family was considered a prestigious family in Lingnan. Even though it was now on the wane, their roots were there. As the eldest di daughter of the Xue family, Xue Jia Yi had some air of nobility on her. On the other hand, the second di daughter was not as good. When she saw Yu Xiang holding the whip and fiddling with it, her face paled and she found an excuse to retire herself.
Xue Jia Yi did not ask her to stay. She led Yu Xiang around the back garden, offering to push her wheelchair when she saw the slightly flat road.
She suddenly leaned down and whispered in Yu Xiang’s ear, “Miss Yu Xiang is such a well-known person, but I never imagined that one day she would be reduced to such a state. The affairs of life are truly unpredictable.” After saying that, she beamed and looked towards Yu Xiang.
“Have I ever offended you?” Yu Xiang asked, frowning.
“No.” Xue Jia Yi shook her head. She merely and purely could not put up with Yu Xiang, and couldn’t be said to be offended. She had seen Yu Xiang once from afar, at the spring banquet hosted by the Crown Princess. She was obviously a handicapped person with a broken leg, yet she was smiling more boldly and recklessly than anyone else. When someone mentioned her name with a slightly louder voice, she would glance over with a cold and stern look and everyone would stop breathing. That scene was so quiet that one could hear if a pin had dropped.
For days after her return, she still felt her heart palpitating at the scene. However, she felt contempt after she had calmed down. She said to herself that there was nothing to be afraid of, she was just someone who used her position to bully people. Without her power and position, she was only a useless person.
Now, this thought unexpectedly had become reality. Although she bore no grudge against Yu Xiang, Xue Jia Yi still felt a sense of pleasure. Once word of this spread through the capital, there would be many people who would be pleased about it.