CHAPTER 85: CHAPTER 85: FATHER (1)

Lady shook her head, sighed with a regretful expression, "You don’t understand!" She said, "That day the Countess had her eyes on you, and even said she wanted to ask me for you to become her third daughter-in-law, but after that incident, she changed her mind and chose your third sister instead."

Xiqiu raised her head in surprise, incredulously asking, "She fancied me?"

Lady nodded, "Yes! But it’s too late to talk about it now." She tapped Xiqiu’s forehead with disappointment, "Child, you have a bad fortune too!"

Xiqiu was stunned, gripping her handkerchief tightly, her face looking uncomfortable!

Lady took a sip of tea with a hint of satisfaction in her eyes, "However, I still need to discuss this marriage proposal with your father, it hasn’t been settled yet!"

Xiqiu said nothing, as if she was lost in endless regret and remorse, sitting silently on the embroidered stool, oblivious until the other three young ladies came in and she continued to stare blankly.

Tong Xiyan nudged Xiqiu, "Sixth Sister, what’s wrong? Why do you look so unwell?" She reached out to touch Xiqiu’s forehead, only withdrawing her hand after confirming she wasn’t ill.

Xiqiu came back to her senses, forcing a smile, "It’s nothing!" She glanced deeply at Tong Xiyang, "Hello, Third Sister!" Meanwhile, Tong Xiyu also saluted her.

All of this was noticed by Lady, and any lingering doubts and concerns she had about Xiqiu were dispelled.

If it was intentional, how could there be such a shock? When Nanny Fang spoke that day, she said, Sixth Girl is just a concubine’s daughter, if she had the chance to enter the Wujin Bo Mansion, how could she be unwilling. Now it seems that Nanny Fang was just too suspicious.

Tong Xiyang spoke even less than before and had lost a lot of weight, sitting quietly and obediently beside them.

They spent the whole afternoon talking with Lady until Nanny Qian lifted the curtain at the door saying, "First Master and First Young Master have returned."

Lady was the first to stand up, and Xiqiu and the others followed her out according to their birth order to greet them.

Xiqiu kept her head down, spotting a sea blue official robe and black official boots stepping through the door, the room was instantly filled with a subdued and oppressive atmosphere.

First Master came in but didn’t stop, going straight into the bedroom, followed by Lady, while Tong Shen Zhi stood waiting in the main hall like the other young ladies.

Soon, First Master and Lady walked out one after the other, First Master had changed out of his official robe into a navy blue casual robe, and sat in the main seat, with Lady sitting opposite him on his left hand side over the table.

The young ladies all greeted First Master.

"Please be seated!" A strange voice sounded above Xiqiu’s head, and Tong Shen Zhi was the first to sit down, followed by Xiqiu and the others who took their seats on the embroidered stools that had been prepared according to their birth order.

Xiqiu sat, quickly glancing at First Master out of the corner of her eye, then paused; she had seen him from afar three years ago, back then he was dignified and confident, looking merely in his early twenties, but in just three years, he seemed to have aged ten years, with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, yet his demeanor was much steadier than before, especially his eyes which were calm as a deep well, hiding countless experiences and changes.

First Master sat high and looked over each of his children, he said to Tong Xiyang, "Has your chess improved, Third Girl?"

Tong Xiyang’s eyes brightened, she stood up and replied, "In response to Father, I’ve been studying a book on chess strategies these days, but there are still some parts I don’t understand." First Master nodded slightly, "Playing chess is inherently like that, even those with high skills don’t dare claim invincibility, I recall a Grand Scholar from the previous dynasty who devised a chess problem, which remains unsolved even after hundreds of years!"

Tong Xiyang nodded slightly, looking very enlightened.

First Master said, "Girls should learn some needlework too, it can ease your mother’s worries in your spare time." After saying this, he looked at Tong Xiyan with a hint of a smile, "Your poetry is much more structured than before, but it still lacks some depth, you can read Lu Baizhang’s seven-word verse or new lyrics when you have time." He was referring to the poem Tong Xiyan had attached in her letter a few months ago.

Tong Xiyan blushed and nodded obediently, "I understand, Father, I will study them carefully."

Xiqiu listened quietly, secretly surprised; she hadn’t expected that despite the First Master’s apparent indifference to household affairs, he knew so much about the children’s hobbies and skills, it seemed he wasn’t as cold and unfeeling as his exterior suggested.

Just as she was thinking this, First Master’s gaze fell on her.

"The Taoist robe sent over last time, your mother said you made it?"

Xiqiu hung her head, obediently replying, "It was made by me." Then she suddenly remembered something and looked up, "But was the size wrong?"

First Master smiled and shook his head, "No! It was well-made."

Lady’s eyes moved, thinking there was a subtle change in First Master since his return, as if his attitude towards Xiqiu had improved a lot.

Thinking this, she looked towards Xiqiu to see her blushing, seemingly flustered by First Master’s sudden change in attitude.

She smiled slightly, then heard Tong Shen Zhi’s calm voice, "Sixth Sister’s needlework is indeed excellent!" He subconsciously smoothed his cloud brocade spring shirt.

Everyone looked at Tong Shen Zhi in unison, for he rarely spoke, and such direct praise was unheard of!

For the attention from others, Tong Shen Zhi continued to drink tea without a change in expression, calm like a meditating monk.

First Master’s eyes flickered, then he looked at Xiqiu, "If there’s anything you don’t know, you can ask your mother, her needlework was excellent back in the day!"

Lady’s face lit up with a smile.

With guidance from a skilled person, Lady’s embroidery was surely not lacking, Xiqiu’s face showed longing, she replied, "Yes! But I am foolish, unable to match even a fraction of Mother’s skills."

Lady pursed her lips and laughed, "This girl, she knows how to speak today." Although First Master was expressionless, his gaze was much softer than before, as a legitimate mother could get along so well with a concubine’s daughter, he naturally was pleased to see it, he nodded slightly at Xiqiu.

Xiqiu blushed, hanging her head, First Master’s peripheral vision caught sight of her half-turned body, sitting upright with an elegant posture, the pink and white overcoat made her less aggressive like Capital’s girls, and more like the gentle and refined girls from Jiangnan, thinking this reminded him of Madam Xia’s image, gentle and soft like water, making people feel comfortable...

But that seemed to be a long time ago, he didn’t even remember when he last saw Madam Xia.

"Father!" Tong Xiyan called several times, but First Master was unresponsive, holding his teacup, raising her voice, First Master raised an eyebrow, looked at her and lightly replied, "Hmm?" All the emotions from just a moment ago disappeared without a trace, as if they had never existed.