Xiaoi didn’t get angry and walked over with a light TAP-TAP-TAP of her footsteps to sit opposite Madam Chu.
"You actually really wish for soone to constantly co by to chat with you, don’t you? But you can’t bring yourself to say it."
"What’s it to you?" Madam Chu picked up her walking stick to hit her.
Xiaoi stepped back a few paces. "Actually, there’s no sha in feeling lonely. Everyone gets lonely and bored. But you, relying on your age, are especially good at hurting people."
Madam Chu wanted to retort but, thinking of Yunhui about to give up, she asked, "Does Fu Bing know how to embroider?"
"My sister’s first role was as an embroidery worker, so I think she can embroider."
"You have never seen her embroider?"
Xiaoi thought about it seriously and shook her head.
"She’s Fu Ya’s daughter and hasn’t learned a thing?" Or was it that Fu Ya never touched a needle again after she left Jiangnan?
The mont Madam Chu considered this possibility, her heart clenched.
"I don’t know about that, but if you want to know the answer, I can ask my sister right away."
Madam Chu ignored her.
Xiaoi didn’t feel awkward, taking out her phone to ask Fu Bing.
"Sis, the old madam is asking if you know how to embroider anything?"
Having seen the ssage, Fu Bing replied, "I know a little."
Xiaoi relayed the truth to Madam Chu.
Madam Chu didn’t speak. It seems she lacks talent too.
Even though Fu Ya personally taught her, she can only embroider a little.
It truly seems like fate intended for the Chu Family to decline.
The *Chu Family Embroidery Manual* has been passed down to my generation, and it seems there’s no one to carry it on.
Seeing that Madam Chu remained silent, Xiaoi took the initiative to ask, "Grandma, what are you thinking about?"
Madam Chu ignored her.
Xiaoi didn’t get angry and continued, "I have a small suggestion for you: you need to voice what’s on your mind. Otherwise, people who want to be close to you won’t understand what you’re thinking. If they don’t know what you’re thinking, naturally they won’t know what to say or do to make you happy."
"Shut up if you don’t understand anything!" Madam Chu snapped.
"There you go with that attitude again. You keep everything bottled up. Others aren’t mind readers, so how can they understand you? You’re my sister’s great-grandmother; my sister is a very filial person. She’s hoping to spend your birthday with you tomorrow."
Just as Madam Chu was about to open her mouth in ridicule, Xiaoi placed her hand over it. "Don’t speak just yet. I haven’t finished expressing myself. If you speak now, I can easily get sidetracked."
This action not only shocked Madam Chu but also stupefied the nurse taking care of her.
Xiaoi spoke earnestly, "Let first tell you about my sister and . My sister isn’t the person rumored to be fabricating accounts for money in her studio; she’s been wronged. All her money is currently under my na—we’re talking several hundred million now. She doesn’t have much money on her. You might think she’s buttering you up for no good reason, poised to either fawn or steal. But you could consider it another way. My sister’s mother has already passed away, and she’s lost the chance to show filial piety. She’s reaching out to you to fulfill filial duties on her mother’s behalf and to give your life sothing to look forward to.
"You’re now well into your nineties, and we wouldn’t dare guess how much ti you have left to enjoy life. All we can do is spend as much ti as possible with you, to leave you with no regrets."
Xiaoi took her hand away from Madam Chu’s mouth, gazing intently at her without blinking.
Madam Chu said coldly, "Are you done?"
"Mm-hmm." Xiaoi nodded obediently.
"Does Fu Bing really think it’s that simple? She’s very calculating and capable of easily manipulating everyone. She even ticulously calculated why she sent you to . What Fu Bing is after is definitely not that simple. Besides, Fu Chan and Fu Ning are her uncle and aunt, respectively. Did Fu Bing ever seek them out? Not only did she not, but she also got Fu Ning sent to prison. She wouldn’t dare do this to because I have sothing she needs. She doesn’t dare to take the risk; that’s why she keeps coming back to , again and again, so deferentially!"
After seriously considering Madam Chu’s words, Xiaoi thought, Listening to her, it seems my sister really might have an ulterior motive.
But I know my sister; she isn’t that kind of person.
Xiaoi argued, "Fu Ning landed herself in prison; it had nothing to do with my sister. You can’t pin that bla on my sister."
"My sister is very busy every day. If it’s not extrely urgent, she lets others handle it. Plus, she’s hardly had a day’s rest since she got out of prison; she’s always busy. She didn’t just suddenly think of you. The truth is, she knew very little about you because Aunt Fu rarely spoke of the past, so my sister didn’t even know other relatives existed. As soon as she heard about you, she ca looking for you imdiately. If you insist on believing she’s after your assets or sothing else, then I don’t know how else to explain it."
Xiaoi felt very frustrated. I’m being so sincere, practically baring my heart, yet she still thinks we’re not genuine enough!
Is it really so hard to understand wanting to show filial piety on behalf of one’s mother?
Madam Chu sat quietly in the rocking chair, looking at the tree above.
This tree resembles the ones in Yunxi Lane.
I’ve lived too long, seen too much, experienced betrayal and broken ties. My once-soft heart has gradually hardened, and it’s beco very difficult for to trust others.
This young girl is like a clear spring flowing over my rock-hard heart, but those traces are quickly blown away by the wind.
Seeing Madam Chu fall silent again, Xiaoi sighed softly.
"I’ll co to see you again tomorrow."
Madam Chu’s eyes moved. "I’m not feeling well. Have Fu Bing co tomorrow to give a checkup."
"Can my sister co today instead? She must be very worried about your health."
Madam Chu ignored her.
Xiaoi laughed dryly. "I’ll have my sister co tomorrow."
After saying this, she ran off, a little excitedly.
It seems... I’ve actually completed the task my sister gave !
The small courtyard returned to its quiet, dull, and lifeless state.
The nurse whispered persuasively, "Old Madam, maybe Fu Ying genuinely wants to see you, to take care of you. You may not know this, but she is well-liked by many, and she truly is a good person."
"She’s an actor; her greatest skill is acting."
"I have noticed that the older generation loves to rank people and their jobs, considering so work noble and so inferior. But in our eyes, a job has two purposes: one is for survival, the other is for self-fulfillnt. Any job that satisfies either of these is fine, and if a job satisfies both, it’s already very fortunate work. The ’actor’ you speak of is, in our eyes, an enviable star, soone who is praised and admired by many, able to bring energy and motivation to those who like them."
Madam Chu shot her a sidelong glance. "Even you dare to lecture ?"
The nurse was exhausted and didn’t bother to argue further.
"The sun is getting stronger. Do you want to go back inside?"
"Don’t change the subject. What right does a servant like you have to lecture ?"
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