"If the two children are willing to co with , I will take them back. If not, then they can just stay with their father."
"Ultimately, they are blood relatives, and I will not mistreat the children"—not that they will continue to receive the sa preferential treatnt as they do now.
Mrs. Su still felt it was not right and shook her head, wanting to persuade.
Old Master Su spoke first, "Co with to the study."
It seed that her stepfather was not opposed.
Indeed, although Old Master Su was a loving father who adored his daughter, the shrewdness of a businessman was also fully manifested in him.
After investing in Yuan Wen for so many years, he had not only failed to make a na for himself, but he had also not brought up his children properly.
Moreover, his appetites had grown larger, and he even seed to consider the Su Family’s wealth as sothing already in his pocket.
Many things he did not do personally but instigated his two children to do, which was really despicable.
Old Master Su, having crawled his way through the business world for so many years, was not fooled by these ghostly tricks.
He saw through them but did not speak out, as he did not want his eldest daughter’s life to beco even more difficult.
So things just couldn’t be forced.
Instead, it was this ti, when his eldest daughter ca back and spoke of this matter, that he was very surprised.
Not to say anything, but his eldest daughter appeared very shrewd, yet she was actually a simpleton inside, just like her mother, suffering from the sa weakness of being too kind-hearted.
The Lady was lucky to have t a good husband like him.
But as for his eldest daughter...
Upon entering the study, Old Master Su beca extrely serious.
"Talk to properly, what are you thinking?"
Su Li took a sip of the tea served by the servant, and couldn’t help but let out a comfortable sigh.
This was indeed the life she was supposed to have.
Why turn a perfectly good life into a difficult mode?
After all, the original owner’s father was born in this era and carried so of the thinking of this era.
No matter how much he loved his wife and daughter, deep down he still held so expectations for a son.
Watching his daughter’s actions, a flicker of heartache crossed Old Master Su’s mind.
He felt like giving himself a few slaps for making that request.
In fact, most of it was Old Master Su’s own imaginings. Su Li rely sighed a little, but to Old Master Su, it looked as if she was reluctant to eat, reluctant to dress well, living a miserable life.
Not to ntion that Su Li was not soone who liked to undervalue herself. Even the original owner had never mistreated herself.
Life at the Yuan Family couldn’t compare with the Su Family, but the original owner had money, and she could ensure a sowhat decent living.
Ignoring the unbelievable soft look in her stepfather’s eyes, Su Li finally began to speak, "Originally, we had an agreent with the Yuan Family, that the assistance of the Su Family was not unlimited but for ten years. If Yuan Wen failed to pass the exams, the Su Family would no longer provide financial assistance."
"Besides, over the years I’ve co to see clearly that Yuan Wen has only so much knowledge; getting the title of Scholar was already his limit. And yet, he still arrogantly believes he’s been ill-fated by his tis."
"If they were grateful, it would be good... but father, you don’t know, my reputation has been getting worse over the years. Providing money without pleasing anyone, everyone says I look down on my in-laws and husband. If I really despised them, why would I have married into that family?"
"To speak frankly, these past years, the Yuan Family’s standard of living has improved quite a lot compared to before I married in, but they still bla for not doing enough."
Old Master Su’s expression grew more and more grave. He had never heard his eldest daughter speak of these things.
He had misjudged, and the Yuan Family’s true nature was even worse than he had thought.
------------------------
Yuan Family
The courtyard was in total chaos, with Lao San acting out for his wife, leaping and bounding, first causing a commotion with the old lady and then with the eldest brother.
Yuan Wen had no choice but to act as if he hadn’t even heard.
He reluctantly set down the book in his hands and walked out.
After understanding the cause of the matter, he couldn’t bear to bla his own mother nor could he fault his own siblings, so naturally, he blad his wife, who had sparked this ss.
What a silly woman she was—hadn’t she always done well before?
If Mother didn’t want her to bring things back to her father’s house, she simply shouldn’t have—what could the Su Family not have that they would covet their modest possessions?
She had made Mother uncomfortable, and the two younger siblings in the house were also displeased.
The two younger brothers were probably going to resent him, their eldest brother.
How co Su Li lacked the deanor of an elder sister-in-law?
Yuan Wen decided that when his wife returned, he would have a serious talk with her.
But he might have forgotten the promises he made when he sought her hand in marriage.
Though he had forgotten, Su Li would definitely be able to remind him, helping him be a good person who kept his promises.
While the adults were in disarray, the children were not at peace either.
Yuan Jiaming and Yuan Xiaoxiao sneaked into their parents’ room.
Originally, he had asked several sisters from the second branch of the family to join them.
Da Niu and Erniu felt it wasn’t right, but the little girl just smiled and encouraged them with a few words, yet when asked to accompany them, little girl firmly refused.
She didn’t allow her two sisters to follow either.
Yuan Jiaming and Yuan Xiaoxiao had no choice but to go to their mother’s room to fetch the ingredients on their own.
Once inside, Yuan Jiaming opened a secret compartnt in the wardrobe, "The key to the cabinet is here, and the key to the small box under Mother’s bed is also here."
"Brother, there’s only one key inside," said Yuan Xiaoxiao as she peered into the secret compartnt that Yuan Jiaming had opened, surprised, "Could you be mistaken, maybe there’s only one key."
Yuan Jiaming also looked inside.
An antique golden copper key lay in the compartnt—the one for the cabinet with the ingredients—but the key for the small box under the bed, he rembered was more intricately made, yet it was not there.
Yuan Jiaming was unconcerned, saying, "It’s fine, this one is enough."
The siblings used the key to unlock the cabinet.
But as soon as it opened, they were startled.
A scent of dried herbs lingered in the cabinet, but the large cabinet was empty, bereft of anything.
"Where, where are the things? Why is there nothing?"
"Could everything have been used up?"
"That’s impossible, I just saw a lot inside two days ago."
"Then it must be..."
The siblings looked at each other, hesitantly saying, "Could Mother have anticipated us coming..."
"It’s impossible."
It was indeed impossible; there was nothing in the cabinet. It could only an that their mother had taken everything away.
The siblings returned empty-handed, dashing the hopes of the second branch’s mbers.
Feeling like they had lost face in front of their sisters, the Dragon and Phoenix twins harbored even deeper grudges against Su Li.
They could bla their mother now, but in the coming days, they would have to plead with her to get by.
In the evening, when Su Li arrived ho, she was greeted by the entire Yuan Family—large and small—sitting in the main hall as if waiting for her return.
She was at ease, smiling and greeting everyone, then lifted her foot and walked toward her room.
All eyes followed her, looking on and on, yet they spotted nothing wrong.
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