The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 335: Defend the Eight Front Teeth (9)_1

Chapter 335: Chapter 335: Defend the Eight Front Teeth (9)_1

Lady Zhu felt some urgency upon hearing this. That little wretch Pei Qin had already made a marriage arrangement with Zhao Junchao, but she still mixed with other men. If something happened and the Zhao family called off the marriage demanding compensation, it would be troublesome. It seemed necessary to warn that little wretch to be more decorous and not follow her depraved mother’s footsteps; otherwise, her family might end up having to clean up the mess and bear the shame.

Lady Chen reminded her in a low voice that they couldn’t slip up now, as it would cause a huge commotion. Moreover, Young Master Shen from the Magistrate’s family, who had a distinguished scholarly reputation, was still here and would definitely stand on the side of that little wretch.

Lady Zhu had no choice but to hold back.

However, Sun Xiujin could not. Shen Songming had been in town for several days without showing any sign of leaving, constantly cooing with Pei Qin day after day. She plucked a handful of fresh baby bok choy and, carrying a basket, came to find Pei Qin.

Pei Qin was helping Shen Songming with accounting, which she found most annoying. Luckily, there were only a few account books to review. She also wanted to see how these people fabricated their false accounts.

Shen Songming brought over pear juice and said, "Boss! Have a bowl of pear juice to moisten your throat first!"

Pei Qian looked at Sun Xiujin standing stiffly in the courtyard with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Sun Xiujin had never imagined that Young Master Shen, a Magistrate’s son, would stoop so low as to serve pear juice to Pei Qin with such attentiveness.

"It’s too sweet!" Pei Qin tasted it and didn’t like it, tossing it aside.

"But it’s the sweetness that moistens the throat! Don’t you have a slight cough?" Shen Songming urged her to drink more.

Pei Qin rolled her eyes at him and, seeing Sun Xiujin and Pei Qian in the courtyard, greeted them.

Sun Xiujin’s face turned a bit pale as she felt a choke in her heart.

Pei Qian said with a smile, "My elder sister is checking the accounts with Brother Songming!"

Sun Xiujin lifted the basket in her hand, "The baby bok choy has grown; I brought some for you to eat."

Pei Qian took it and, with a smile, invited her to drink tea in the main room.

Sun Xiujin glanced at her – she had never been so amiable toward her before.

Once inside, Sun Xiujin noticed a sophisticated decorative piece on a long table against the back wall, ticking away and obviously valuable. Grasping her hands tighter, she forced a smile and asked, "What’s this strange thing? It looks so peculiar" – aware that Pei Qin could never afford such an expensive and delicate piece.

Pei Qian cheerfully explained, "This is called a mantel clock! It tells the time! Look at the time markings; when it reaches the hour, it will chime by itself, also known as a Self-striking Clock. It was brought over from the capital Jingcheng by Brother Songming."

Sun Xiujin looked closely and indeed saw the time clearly marked, "A Self-striking Clock... there’s actually such a thing!"

Pei Qian, wanting to show off, brought out a musical box next, "This is called a musical box. Once you wind it up, music will start playing!" Swiftly winding it up, the musical box began to rotate and the tinkling music started to play.

Sun Xiujin watched in amazement but felt a surge of unwillingness. Such fine items, yet they were gifted to Pei Qin – was she worthy? Just a village girl from the countryside, with a father who didn’t care about her and a mother who had passed away, becoming the eldest daughter of a widowed family. Even if she had been rewarded for growing sweet potatoes, she wasn’t qualified to be Young Master Shen’s concubine, was she?

"Such amazing items are unheard of for us; Young Master Shen is indeed generous to have given them to Pei Qin!" Sun Xiujin’s eyes held a resentful and envious gaze as she looked at Shen Songming.

Shen Songming had known of her from before and found she wasn’t his type; he truly had no interest in pursuing her, "If you like it, you can buy one for your home when they become popular!"

Pei Qian barely held back a laugh. A mantel clock cost hundreds of taels of silver, which would exceed the entire household assets of the Sun Lizheng family, not even enough to buy a shell of one.

"Young Master Shen jests. We common folk can’t afford such luxuries! It would also cause us to live in fear if we had one at home; afraid of attracting thieves," Sun Xiujin said, stretching a forced smile.

"Well, thieves wouldn’t dare target our house! My elder sister knows martial arts, and Brother Songming has sent us a Protector. If any thieves do come, we’ll make sure they rot in prison!" Pei Qian spoke with bolstered confidence, their family now had money, land, connections, and support!

She had thought those siblings... Sun Xiujin pinched her own hand and didn’t stay longer, soon leaving.

Pei Qin glanced at the triumphant Pei Qian, "That’s enough out of you! You need to learn to be more lovable in the future!"

Seeing her continue to focus on the accounts, Pei Qian hummed silently and carried the musical box back into the inner room.

Shen Songming, on the contrary, felt that Pei Qin had grown in intelligence; although she sometimes took people down with her cunning wiles till they were bloodied, she generally disdained to trap anyone. Having Pei Qian, who was more shrewd, by her side was actually safer.

Pei Qian saw he didn’t say anything but smiled at her, and seizing an opportunity while he was out, she pulled him aside to ask quietly, "Brother Songming! You don’t like that Sun Xiujin, do you?"

"Of course not," Shen Songming nodded.

Pei Qian smiled, satisfied. Let Sun Xiujin be envious and green with jealousy! Brother Songming didn’t like her one bit!

Yet Sun Xiujin was filled with jealousy and resentment, unwilling to give up and contemplating a gamble. If she succeeded, even as a concubine, she would be part of the Official Family and, if she bore a son, her days of glory and wealth would come!