Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Qin Xiaowu: I Carry Too Much

Chapter 45: Qin Xiaowu: I Carry Too Much

"After Qin Liuxi left, Madame Wang saw Qin Mingchun on the verge of tears and, unusually, smiled."

"Your eldest sister is right. Being handsome as a child doesn't guarantee the same when you're older. A man should have talents," she said, patting Qin Mingchun's head. "Keep practicing. I'll visit your grandmother."

"Qin Mingchun respectfully watched her leave, then sat back down, rubbing his sore wrists – his hands really ached."

"Don't listen to your mother and elder sister. Who says you'll grow up less handsome? They're just teasing you," Wan Yi's mother said, looking at him. "You're not like your sister. You've inherited the beauty of me and your father. I'm so beautiful, how can you not be when you grow up?"

Qin Mingchun's eyes brightened, "Auntie, are you encouraging me to stop writing? If elder sister beats me, you'll have to protect me!"

"Wan Yi's mother instantly backed down, 'You're a man. You have to bear pain and hardship yourself. How can you rely on me, your delicate auntie?'"

"She dared not provoke Qin Liuxi. Though she might be naive, her intuition as a woman told her that Qin Liuxi was not to be trifled with."

"Avoiding harm and seeking benefit is human nature, and she, Wan Wanrou, knew this well."

"Besides, even though Qin Liuxi didn’t show much, who knows if she harbors resentment against her."

Aunt Wan jolted awake and said, "You should stick to writing. Your sister seems quite unfathomable. If she really hits you, I can't save you. At most, I can apply some ointment for you."

Qin Mingchun: "!"

He seemed too young to bear so much!

In the main courtyard.

Old Lady Qin, after taking her medicine with Wang's help, leaned against the bed head and asked, "Did she really say that?"

"Would a daughter-in-law lie?" Wang sat down, her face full of emotion, "This child has grown a delicate heart, withstands hardships, and remains composed."

"She doesn’t resemble the Wan family in appearance, fortunately, her intelligence and cunning don't either," commented Old Lady Qin.

Wang said, "It seems the master of Qingping Guan has been teaching her like her own daughter. Xi'er said she has formally entered Taoism, but their sect still permits marriage."

In Wang’s view, the grace and demeanor of Qin Liuxi surpassed all other Qin girls, especially her intelligence. Raised outside the family, she turned out exceptionally well, unlike the mediocre daughters and sons at home.

Old Lady Qin said, "If the Qin family hadn't fallen, and she was under your name, she could have been matched with a decent family. But now..."

Wang's eyes flickered, "In our dynasty, it’s not rare for women to marry late. She just reached marriageable age, so there’s no hurry. Maybe the lords will return by then."

Old Lady Qin fell silent, tears brimming in her eyes, but she held them back, "She's right. The Qin family is still in a precarious position. We must keep a low profile. Make sure they don’t go out unnecessarily."

"Hmm."

"She’s clever, but her attitude is also..." Old Lady Qin pursed her lips, leaving her sentence unfinished.

Distant, polite, seemingly untroubled on the surface, in reality, Qin Liuxi and the others seemed separated by a line, not close but with hidden barriers in their hearts.

Wang glanced at her face, "Mother, she grew up alone in the old house. It's understandable that she harbors resentment. We shouldn’t demand more from her."

Old Lady Qin looked over, and seeing her unflinching gaze, dropped the topic, "Autumn is approaching, it must be getting cold in the northwest. I wonder how far Uncle Hong and the others have gone. No matter where, they need to be taken care of. Send Li Daguai to the Ding family in Bali Hutong. Say I wish to visit their old lady for a chat."