Chapter 78 – You Teddy Bear, Only Daring to Bully Your Sister

Chapter 78 - You Teddy Bear, Only Daring to Bully Your Sister

Zheng Jinyu blinked her innocent eyes. "Mother gave it to me. Is that not allowed?"

"Y-you…" Zheng Hongxu sputtered in anger. "Just because she gives it to you, you take it? Do you know that everything in this house is accounted for and belongs to all of us siblings, not just you alone? You now hold more shops than even our eldest brother, yet you still have the nerve to act innocent."

Damn it, what does he mean by acting innocent? I am innocent!

Seeing Zheng Hongxu on the verge of exploding, Zheng Jinyu felt particularly delighted.

It was said that women in ancient times had no right to inherit family assets, but that wasn't entirely true. A dowry was essentially the inheritance that parents bestowed upon their daughters.

Of course, how much one received also depended on how well the parents treated their children.

The dowries given by wealthy families were often enough to ensure their daughters would never want for food or clothing for the rest of their lives. Even without spending a single penny from their husbands' wealth, they could still live comfortably.

So, Zheng Hongxu was essentially disputing the family's assets with her at this moment.

"I didn't know, Third Brother. Mother gave it to me, so I accepted it. Don't be angry. If you don't like it, I can return it to Mother, or perhaps she can give it to you instead? Come, let's go talk to Mother together."

"Be quiet and don't touch me," Zheng Hongxu erupted, pushing away Zheng Jinyu's hand that was reaching for his sleeve. "You want to go find Mother together? I think you're just going to complain to her."

Zheng Jinyu sneered. Just as she had thought, he was a bully who feared the strong and picked on the weak. Faced with injustice, he didn't dare to confront either Lady Zheng or Old Master Zheng; instead, he only knew how to bully her.

No longer bothering to hide her disdain, Zheng Jinyu taunted, "So what do you want? Should I just give it to you secretly, without telling Mother?"

Zheng Hongxu was rendered speechless.

"Who wants your things?"

Of course, this wasn't an appropriate solution, and he knew it wasn't. But after learning about the matter, he couldn't help feeling upset and wanted to vent his frustration by scolding Zheng Jinyu.

"Not interested," Zheng Jinyu said before turning to leave. After a few steps, she paused and turned back, saying, "Third Brother, if you want something, strive for it yourself. Taking it from your sister doesn't count as skill."

Zheng Hongxu felt deeply embarrassed by her words and became even more enraged.

"What are you talking about, you country bumpkin? Ever since you came back, there hasn't been a moment of peace in this family. You've taken my courtyard, our family's assets, the shops, Father and Mother's affection, displaced Jinxiu, and snatched Jinxiu's husband. At such a young age, you already know how to seduce men. Tell me, is there anything in this world that you can't snatch? Why are you so malicious?"

Furious at Zheng Jinyu's provocation, he lost his composure and spoke loudly without suppressing his voice.

The act of yelling allowed him to vent the pent-up frustration in his heart, leaving him feeling incredibly relieved.

Zheng Jinyu looked at him with a mocking smile, as if she was reveling in his misfortune.

Zheng Hongxu wore an expression of astonishment. It took him several breaths before he fully realized the situation.

He glanced around and noticed several servants scurrying away in the distance, not just one.

His heart sank, and he instantly knew that he was in deep trouble.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before he was summoned by Lady Zheng.

More than one servant had witnessed his outburst and reported it to Lady Zheng in vivid detail.

Recalling how Zheng Jinyu had said something similar twice recently, Lady Zheng finally understood the reason behind her repetition.

She cared not for the opinions of outsiders; all she wished was for her family to comprehend.

Did her kin truly understand?

The wretch kneeling below certainly didn't grasp a thing.

"Third Son, you have truly disappointed your mother. Why did you speak to your sister like that?"

"I... I just momentarily lost my wits and spoke out of turn. Mother, I didn't mean it."

Madam Zheng slammed her hand on the table in anger. "Do you take me for a senile old woman? Do you think I would believe such nonsense?"

Zheng Hongxu, aware that his loose tongue had landed him in trouble, kept his head down and dared not utter a sound.

With tears streaming down her face, Madam Zheng lamented, "All the hardships she's endured—do you know that it's our fault? As her elder brother, why didn't you look after her back then?"

"I..." Zheng Hongxu helplessly replied, "Mother, I was only two years old at that time."

Madam Zheng was immersed in her sorrow, heedless of his age.

"Your father was preoccupied with his return to the capital, I was in labor and unconscious, unable to look after your sister. It was up to the three of you to watch over her, and yet, a mistake like this happened without your knowledge. What use are you, then?"

Zheng Hongxu: "..."

"How do you intend to make up for all the suffering you've caused her?"

Zheng Hongxu felt that she was being unreasonable. He had already explained that he was only two years old at the time – what could a two-year-old have possibly done? How could it be his fault?

"Mother, I've given her my courtyard as compensation, isn't that enough?"

"Well, if you've given her your courtyard, will you still mention it in the future?"

"I... Am I supposed to wait here for that question?"

Deflated, Zheng Hongxu replied, "I won't bring up the matter of the courtyard again."

"Very well, then let me ask you this: Why did the Princess Chen change?"

"That... ."

"Speak," Lady Zheng demanded sternly.

Zheng Hongxu, with a forced bravado, replied, "It's because Jinxiu isn't of our bloodline. The Imperial Princess values lineage."

Lady Zheng huffed. "So you did know? Yet you accused Jinyu of seducing Prince Chen and stealing Jinxiu's husband."

Defeated, Zheng Hongxu said, "Mother, I was wrong. I spoke without thinking."

"Since you acknowledge your mistake, go kneel in the ancestral hall. Copy the family genealogy ten times before you leave."

"Ahh?" Zheng Hongxu looked at his mother with a pale face.

Lady Zheng gave him a cold glance. "What? Is that too little for you?"

"No, Mother, it's just that...the family genealogy..."

"Then hurry up!" Lady Zheng interrupted him.

Zheng Hongxu bit his lip, leaving reluctantly with resentment.

The Zheng family's lineage extends for centuries; transcribing their genealogy once would take days, and ten times over, it would consume an entire month.

After copying for more than a month straight, can one's hand still feel like their own?

...

Zheng Jinyu was aware that Zheng Hongxu had been punished to copy the family genealogy, and she wouldn't have to lay eyes on this irritating person for over a month. It was truly delightful.

At present, she is diligently learning household management, business dealings, and accounting from Madam Zheng with utmost seriousness.

Teaching a sharp student brings joy to a teacher. After tutoring Zheng Jinyu for a few days, Madam Zheng finally understood the delight Mr. Ji had found in teaching.

During their leisure chats at night with Old Master Zheng, she couldn't help but heap praise upon her.

"Before, when Ji Ning mentioned her intelligence, I just took it as a compliment. Now I realize how clever Jinyu truly is. Such intricate account books, yet she grasps them after only one explanation and calculates even more precisely than I. After a few days, she even offers her own suggestions and develops a simpler accounting method. Ji Ning called her a genius, and now I understand what that means. Ah! It's such a shame she's a daughter. If she were a son, her accomplishments would surely surpass yours, Old Master."

"Your praise for her has reached the heavens."

"I speak the truth. Do you think perhaps Heaven is envious of her talents, that's why she had to endure those hardships in her early years?"

Old Master Zheng stroked his beard and said, "Heaven bestows great tasks upon individuals, first testing their will, exhausting their muscles, and hungering their flesh. Jinyu, perhaps she is destined for great fortune in the future."