Have You Written Your Will Today?
Chapter 139: Acting Like a Father

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Acting Like a Father

Madam Cui Xuan found the situation quite perplexing.

She stared intently without shifting her gaze in the slightest.

"Ah Si."

"I thought I would be welcoming another daughter-in-law, but it seems like I have gained another granddaughter instead."

She raised her hand, both annoyed and amused.

"Just look! He really knows how to discipline. He’s not even married or a father yet, but he already acts the part."

Qiao Si was also puzzled, but she couldn’t help laughing after hearing Madam Cui Xuan’s remarks. She thought for a moment: "My younger uncle has always been the best with children."

"Indeed, he is good with children. Whenever Rong gets even the slightest hurt, he’s the most anxious in the entire household. If it weren’t for him bringing Ni Kang, Rong might have..."

She naturally refrained from dwelling on the painful memories.

Madam Cui Xuan’s eyes softened.

"Well, since Miss Shen is unharmed, let’s head back. Better not to run into her, girls are after all easily embarrassed."

"Yes."

Qiao Si assisted Madam Cui Xuan on the way back.

Upon returning to the room, it wasn’t long before a maid came forward to report: "Madam, Miss Shen requests an audience."

Madam Cui Xuan, sitting in the principal seat, said: "The Marquis has not arrived."

Maid: "The Marquis has not been seen."

Madam Cui Xuan was puzzled: "What about Rong?"

Maid: "The little princess has gone back to practice her calligraphy."

That was indeed a rare sign of progress.

Madam Cui Xuan suppressed her confusion: "Quickly, invite her in."

The maid withdrew, and soon respectfully parted the curtain.

Shen Hua bowed as she entered, a wave of warmth surging over, brushing her frozen fingertips. Shen Hua took off her dirtied mink fur and handed it to the maid before she slowly advanced inward.

The grace of a noble family girl was obviously absent in Shen Hua, but she still walked beautifully.

With a slender waist, she moved in small, delicate steps, her skirt embroidered with pristine snow-white plum blossoms—neither plain nor flamboyant, just right, gently swaying with her movements.

Her makeup was light, bright without losing delicacy.

In her hair was merely a golden hairpin, and from her earlobes dangled jade earrings. The waistband in the crescent moon color, embroidered with subtle patterns, accentuated her fine waist. Around her waist hung several strands of hand-woven tassels. Her accessories were few but extraordinary.

Madam Cui Xuan inwardly nodded with approval.

Qiao Si looked at her sister-in-law with an expression filled with goodwill.

Shen Hua stepped forward with a slight bow, her movements as fluid as a passing cloud and flowing water. She had naturally adopted the role.

"Health to my cousin-in-law, Madam."

"Prosperity to my sister-in-law, Zhuang’an."

Shen Hua’s eyes twinkled like stars, glossy and bright.

Madam Cui Xuan: "..."

Qiao Si: "..."

Both momentarily flashed looks of bewilderment, almost mistaking her for a true relative.

Madam Cui Xuan quickly collected herself: "There’s no need for such courtesy, come sit down."

Even if there’s nothing significant between Shen Hua and Cui Yun, she still had advice to offer.

"Looking at your complexion, it seems quite good, Ni Kang’s medical skills are indisputable. Settle down here and recuperate, I have a thousand-year-old ginseng that I’ll send over to you later."

"If anyone in the West Garden dares to bully you, just tell me."

Shen Hua was rather reserved: "No one will bully me."

Madam Cui Xuan obviously didn’t believe her. The aggrieved and pouting look Shen Hua had in front of Cui Yun earlier was still fresh in her memory.

How could such an innocent, guileless girl deal with Wu Shaoyin?

She was probably so intimidated by Wu Shaoyin’s few tears that she thought she had made a mistake, too scared to even squeak.

After a moment of thought, she said: "That Miss Wu has high ambitions, if there’s any quarrel, don’t keep your grievances bottled up. I’m already aware of what happened today and will certainly give her a hint later on. If I’m not around, you seek out Ah Si; if Ah Si is not there, you can also turn to Yun."

Shen Hua honestly said, "Miss Wu is quite nice. She made quite the stunning entrance."

Shen Hua: "The way she cries, it really gets to me."

Cui Xuan: ?

The girl spoke earnestly, "If she would come over to my courtyard and cry every day upon waking, that would be truly wonderful."

Cui Xuan: ??

Qiao Si followed suit with silence.

After a while, she softly called, "Miss Shen."

"I wonder how you and my younger uncle came to know each other?"

Shen Hua blinked, "Did my cousin-in-law forget? We are related by marriage, after all."

Cui Xuan: "..."

Qiao Si: "..."

Shen Hua, without any coyness, took out a small box from the sleeve. Her fingertips deftly clicked open the lock. There were two handkerchiefs, made from the same material she usually used.

It was the most exquisite Double-Sided Embroidery.

The patterns on both were consistent, but the color schemes varied greatly, presenting vastly different artistic conceptions.

One suited the dignified and noble Cui Xuan, the other fitted the gentle and unadorned Qiao Si.

They utilized the uniform rolling needle technique, the branching stitch used at the fork of branches and leaves, showing the tightly pressed veins and wrinkles.

Both sides had stitches that did not interfere with each other. Although the colors on both sides were different, even the stamen and the dewdrops on the petals were full and lifelike. Delicate and pure.

It was hard to tell how long it would take to complete such a pair of handkerchiefs.

Even Cui Xuan was stunned by their beauty.

"You shouldn’t have gone to such expense, child; as your elders, we should be the ones giving you a token of our first meeting."

It wasn’t an expense, they were from her own embroidery workshop.

Shen Hua: "The one for my aunt through marriage, you should keep it. And when you give me a token of our meeting, I certainly won’t refuse."

Qiao Si exclaimed in surprise, "This is really beautiful."

"Mother-in-law, do you still remember the handkerchief used by the Duchess Chengbo the last time?"

How could Cui Xuan forget?

Before the Duchess Chengbo found out about her daughter-in-law’s indiscretions, she was very boastful and made a show of the splendor in public, let alone in front of her.

Looking at Shen Hua, whose eyes and brows were curved, Cui Xuan did not mind discussing the affairs of the Marquis Mansion with her. After all, she would have to know sooner or later.

"That’s just her way; holding the handkerchief her daughter-in-law gave her, showing it off excessively, as if she wishes everyone in Quansheng to know her pride as a mother-in-law."

The greater the pride before, the more awkward the situation now.

"She said that it was the Commandery Princess who placed a private order with the Shen Family’s Embroidery Workshop in Fengzhou under her name, and it took a full year to embroider that handkerchief."

At this, Shen Hua suddenly became more spirited.

She looked straight at Cui Xuan.

Seeing her so concerned about the affairs of the Marquis Mansion, Cui Xuan couldn’t help but feel a bit more satisfied.

It was only natural for the Marquis Mansion to be united in spirit!

Shen Hua thought that Cui Xuan would continue speaking, as she was indeed concerned about the embroidery workshop.

But Cui Xuan changed the subject abruptly.

"She always wants to compare with me, but I think what you’ve given is even better than hers."

Qiao Si laughed: "Mother-in-law speaks the truth."

With a sigh, Cui Xuan said, "The Marquis Mansion was built up by Yun single-handedly. Initially, it was the Emperor who supported us, mindful of the Cui family’s loyal and valiant service, while most outsiders were just waiting for a joke."

"When Yun was serving as the Minister of Ministry of Justice, it was Marquis Chengbo who opposed him the fiercest. The civil and military officials were mostly silent, simply thinking he was not qualified. Fortunately, he managed to shut up these doubters with his capabilities."

"Yun is my son, loyal as a subject, filial as a son, and surely he will be no less excellent as a husband in the future."

Her gaze was fixed on Shen Hua as she spoke.

Feeling the need to respond and remembering Cui Yun’s recent distaste, Shen Hua said, "My cousin exemplifies the role of a son among thousands."

Cui Xuan was very pleased with this reply.

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