Hao Yun returned to his own courtyard and saw Su Yu sitting under the eaves, half-squinting and cooling herself, with two maidservants fanning her on either side.
Hao Yun was not surprised at all.
Due to being the ringleader who exposed the coal mine case, Su Yu had been cooped up in the courtyard without going out these days.
The little maid saw the master approaching and hurriedly moved to kneel and pay regards. Hao Yun stopped her with a gesture of silence, took the fan from one of the maids, sent them away, and gently fanned Su Yu twice, then curled his lips and asked her, "Madam, how do you find your husband’s strength?"
Hearing the man’s voice, a visible trace of disgust flashed across Su Yu’s face. She did not open her eyes and replied coldly, "Unprovoked attentiveness. What do you want this ti?"
"The Pri Minister already knows that Little Four’s beloved is Miss Song Wen."
While Hao Yun spoke, his hand, fanning Su Yu, did not stop, moving in a leisurely sway.
Having been the Su family’s live-in son-in-law for so long, he had long since honed his patience.
No matter who he was dealing with, Hao Yun was accustod to concealing all emotions with a smile.
Hearing him ntion this suddenly, a bit of panic quickly surged in Su Yu’s heart, but she didn’t want to show it in front of this scoundrel.
"What does that have to do with ?" She sat up straight and pushed him away with distaste.
Even if it was just fanning, she did not wish for him to have the slightest contact with her.
Hao Yun placed the fan aside and did not get angry, "I was just informing you. Whether it has anything to do with you or not, doesn’t it all depend on you?"
This indifferent-to-everything attitude succeeded in angering Su Yu. "Hao Yun, don’t act like you’re above it all. If I’m severely punished by the Pri Minister for this matter, I’m going to say you instigated for personal vengeance against Song Wei. Do you think you can escape the bla?"
Hao Yun blandly picked up the conversation, "I never said I wanted to stay out of it."
In Su Yu’s astonished gaze, he continued, "I know you hate , but don’t forget, we are husband and wife. Even if you don’t want to see , you’ll still have to spend the decades ahead with . You can’t possibly spend that ti and energy bickering with every day, can you?"
Su Yu said nothing.
Hao Yun cast his gaze on her cold face, "When the scandal breaks, you know to drag down with you. In your daily life, why don’t you think of as your husband?"
"Husband?" Su Yu finally couldn’t stand it, "You despicable opportunist, dare claim such a title?"
Hearing this, Hao Yun’s smile faded, veins bulging on his forehead, but he ultimately didn’t lash out, "Can’t you be normal even once when you talk to ?"
Su Yu sneered, "Are you sure you can understand human language, you beast?"
Hao Yun heard this, clenching his fist tightly. Just when Su Yu thought he was going to lose his temper, he suddenly laughed, "As long as you’re willing to be a beast’s wife, I have no particular concern."
"Shaless!" Su Yu suddenly stood up, her palm raised, only to have it caught by Hao Yun’s hand. A warning filled his eyes, "As I said, we are a couple; our wins and losses are tied. If you think your little illegitimate daughter status can overturn the heavens, then strike. Afterward, outwardly we’ll be a couple, but inwardly, I won’t care about your life or death."
His hand released, he stood there without moving, as if waiting for her to really strike.
Su Yu’s hand froze in mid-air, her gaze toward Hao Yun burning with anger, "You think threats can absolve your previous despicable acts?"
Hao Yun didn’t care, "If you want to hold onto that ssy business from that day for the rest of your life, go ahead. Excuse , for I won’t join you."
With these words, he turned to leave.
Su Yu did not stop him; after the man left, she kicked over the chair behind her.
Proud as she was, she had fallen so low as to be threatened by a beast.
These days, she often visited her birth mother, Aunt Qiu, and more frequently suggested packing up and leaving. She didn’t want to stay in that freedomless place for another mont.
However, whenever the topic of leaving arose, Aunt Qiu remained firm in her stance, resolutely refusing to go.
Su Yu couldn’t understand it and asked why her mother had willingly co to suffer in the first place. Aunt Qiu simply replied to Su Yu that she was a child of the Su family and would eventually need to acknowledge her roots, even if not now, then in the future.
Still, Su Yu couldn’t understand. If she hadn’t co to the Su family, she could still live carefree like before. The two of them could run a small business; though not as well-off as now, they wouldn’t have to worry about much, and she would still subconsciously think she was just a fatherless child. Now, instead, recognizing a father had turned her into an illegitimate daughter with no status or favor, trapped in this large estate unable to leave.
In the eyes of ordinary people, she was a well-dressed and well-fed Pri Minister’s daughter, but in reality, only she knew how her life truly was.
——
When Song Yuanbao finished school, Wen Wan had been waiting in the carriage for a long ti. He lifted the curtain and entered, sitting beside Wen Wan, feeling guilty about what he had said to Su Yaoqi earlier that day.
Wen Wan noticed sothing unusual and asked him what was wrong.
Song Yuanbao didn’t answer directly, looking at Wen Wan, "Mother, do you know that person from earlier today?"
Wen Wan realized who he was talking about and nodded, "We’ve t once."
"Just once?" If it was only once, why did that person seem so distraught upon learning the "truth"?
Moreover, it seed like he had admired Wen Wan for a long ti.
Wen Wan raised an eyebrow, "What, you don’t believe ?"
Song Yuanbao didn’t quite believe it, but he felt Wen Wan wouldn’t lie.
After thinking, he decided to speak the truth, "I told him you are my aunt."
Wen Wan rely smiled, evidently seeing nothing wrong.
In her lady’s attire, if Song Yuanbao addressed her as "mother" in front of outsiders, that would be truly startling.
"I also told him you are particularly extravagant." As Song Yuanbao said this, he subtly lifted his eyes to watch Wen Wan’s reaction, and seeing she didn’t get mad, he continued, "And I told him not to disturb you if he couldn’t make decisions for himself. As a result, he seed unable to accept it and was really frustrated at the ti.
Later, I inquired, and a classmate said he had already taken leave to go back. I was just thinking, maybe my words hit him hard."
"Could it be?" Wen Wan said, "I’m not familiar with him; I just know his identity one-sidedly. He only t once; there’s no way he’d do sothing for ."
Song Yuanbao feared she wouldn’t believe and recounted verbatim the words Su Yaoqi had spoken.
After listening, Wen Wan fell silent.
She couldn’t help but recall when she first entered school, not long in, Uncle Lin ntioned there was often a young man across from Hongwen Academy looking in this direction, as if observing her.
At that ti, because she didn’t sense any ill-intent, she hadn’t thought much of it. Now pondering over it, she could guess who the person was.
But what puzzled her was what exactly had caught Su Yaoqi’s eye about her, and at what point did she catch his attention, causing him to beco this infatuated?
"Anyway, no matter what happens, he’s bound not to dare look at you again, Mother," Song Yuanbao said.
There had been too long a gap since they last t, and today, speaking from behind the curtain without seeing him visibly, Wen Wan had almost forgotten what that young man looked like, only vaguely feeling he was overly innocent.
However, she didn’t want to waste ti on unimportant people, turned to Song Yuanbao, "Today was your first day at school, how was it?"
"Everything went smoothly," Song Yuanbao replied, "The Imperial College isn’t quite what I imagined."
Wen Wan, intrigued, asked him, "What did you imagine it would be, and how was reality different?"
"In my imagination, the Imperial College should be a sacred and solemn institution, with scholars being extrely solemn, yet in reality, the scholars were all quite amiable, and the classmates I t were also pleasant."
"So, you are satisfied with the Imperial College?"
"It’s the country’s top academic institution, a place students dream of entering. Having waited more than half a year for the opportunity to enter, I’m certainly satisfied!" His tone conveyed his love for the new environnt.
Wen Wan smiled along with him, "Since you are satisfied, henceforth focus on your studies inside and strive to achieve success as your father did."
Having previously learned from the lessons of arrogance, Song Yuanbao dared not boast and nodded repeatedly, indicating his commitnt to doing his best.
The carriage was only halfway when Wen Wan suddenly felt a bad premonition and imdiately instructed Uncle Lin to stop.
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