Chapter 25: The Scene Longed For by the Liu Mother and Daughter

Chapter 25: The Scene Longed For by the Liu Mother and Daughter

As the shadow on the window vanished, the demonic trace in the man's eyes receded back into the depths of his soul. His murmuring tone turned serene, now imbued with an unforgiving divine detachment.

"Su Youyue, you'd better deceive me for life. Otherwise..."

The man didn't finish his sentence.

The candlelight extinguished, and the window grew dark.

He gave one last, deep look before turning and disappearing into the pitch-black night.

In the stillness of midnight, the wind subsided. In contrast, the Su Family's secondary residence buzzed with the heated conversation between Lady Liu and her daughter.

"Qian'er, that little tramp Su Youyue must have gone mad. How could she change so abruptly? It's one thing to vie for the household authority and dowry, but to speak ill of you in public... Qiiaoer, that good-for-nothing girl, deserves to die for her incompetence!"

The thought of losing the hard-won household authority due to a single mistake inflamed Lady Liu's anger, piercing her heart, liver, and lungs with pain.

Su Qian knitted her willow-like brows tightly. "I feel like she's become an entirely different person. She broke off the engagement and doesn't seem the least bit upset. It's as if her past affection for Lu Song was all an act."

She couldn't believe that Su Youyue had agreed to the annulment and even lashed out at the Lu family in the temple. Even if her grandmother and the servants in Fushou Garden told her so, she still found it hard to accept.

In the past, whenever Lu Song attended banquets, Su Youyue would trail behind him in her wheelchair. She had even treated a discarded piece of calligraphy by Lu Song as a treasure. Not to mention when Lu Song publicly humiliated her in front of Princess San, refusing to see her, yet she still tried to grab his sleeve and stop him from leaving...

The contrast was too stark. If not for the fact that no one would willingly impersonate a cripple, Su Qian would have suspected that someone was posing as Su Youyue.

Moreover, she seemed to have become smarter. She knew about their tampering with her dowry and that they were spreading rumors about her being a calamity star. What was more terrifying was that she had truly become ruthless and heartless. Qiaoer was a living person who had served her for over a decade, yet she ordered her to be beaten to death without a second thought. Su Qian was well aware that the tales of Su Youyue's cruelty and coldness were all fabricated by her and her mother; they were not true.

"Mother, do you think Su Youyue might be possessed by some evil spirit?" Su Qian asked with a frown.

Madame Liu was startled but quickly reassured herself, "If she really is possessed, we don't have to be afraid. You're a lucky star, destined to suppress her ill-fated star!"

Seemingly recalling something, Su Qian spoke with a mix of pride and resentment, "Mother, you're right. I am a lucky star, born to overshadow her calamity star. But Father is truly biased towards her. Knowing that she will manage the household, he even praised her diligence, not caring what others might say about our Su family entrusting a calamity star with such responsibilities."

"Your father is indeed biased. It's only because Lady Lu died young that we have a place in this household. If not, where would we, mother and daughter, stand? That Lady Lu was also a demonic woman, just like that little slut, Su Youyue!"

Confused as to why her mother was still holding a grudge against someone long deceased, Su Qian smiled, "Mother, let's just sit back and watch the show."

Su Youyue was utterly inexperienced in managing the household. Ignoring the fact that she had never touched an account book before, every bit of the household chores required running around. Which servant would submit to her? She'd probably be weeping bitterly with her crippled legs within days, regretting her rivalry, only to obediently return the keys to Madam Elder.

Madam Elder still wished to live for a few more years. As you're the only concubine in the mansion, you'll have to wait for her to beg you to take over. She'll have to return the keys just as she took them away."

The image of Su Youyue begging Madam Elder to resume her managerial duties filled Second Madam Liu with glee. Her brows danced with delight as she vented her spite, "Yes, I'll assign a few people to 'take care' of that little vixen. When she's driven the household into chaos, she'll have no choice but to seek my help."

"Qian'er, just wait for the upcoming plum blossom banquet. By then, you must find a worthy husband..."

Both mother and daughter were in high spirits, eagerly anticipating Su Youyue's inevitable failure. The next day, they found excuses to leave the house, thus missing the astonishment on everyone's faces at Fu Shou Garden when Su Youyue grasped the accounts in just two hours and even pointed out several errors made by Second Madam Liu. Old Madam Su praised her granddaughter as a prodigy sent from heaven.

As for matters related to food and provisions, Su Youyue could discuss them almost as well as Madam Elder, leaving the latter with nothing more to teach. The other matrons standing by were amazed.

"The young lady is so insightful!"

Fortunately, Su Youyue had a ready explanation. She had managed the jade dew beauty cream shop with great success, so handling accounts was a piece of cake. Besides, she had learned much from various books during her idle hours due to her mobility issues.

Thus, after just over an hour of teaching, Old Madam Su, who had initially planned to personally instruct her for a month, handed her the keys to the household management. With these, Su Youyue was to start managing immediately, seeking advice whenever she encountered difficulties.

As for the dowry, it was something that would eventually be hers anyway. With the recent incident of a thief within the family, the old madam, in a straightforward move, handed her the keys to the storeroom, allowing her to manage it herself.

Su Youyue bid farewell to the Fushou Courtyard, handed over her responsibilities with the butler, instructing the managers to report to her own quarters in the future. She then returned to her own courtyard.

Having managed the affairs of a household with over a hundred people, a dozen shops, and several factories established for in-house formulations in her previous life, handling the matters of the marquis's residence now came to her as easily as breathing.

More important matters demanded her attention beyond the trivialities of the inner quarters. Since Lu Wen had set his sights on the shops she had carefully chosen in her previous life, she decided not to compete with him over them. She would let him focus on managing those shops he believed would bring fortune.

She intended to choose new premises, but before that, she had a grand gesture in store for the Lu family and Yun Niang and her son, Lu Wen.

"Chunya, come here, I have something to entrust you with..."

This girl Chunya was more astute than Jin'er, yet more conscientious than Qiaoer. Now, she had been promoted by Su Youyue to become a first-class maid, and her loyalty to her mistress grew accordingly.

Seeing that her young miss was about to assign her a task, Chunya immediately understood that it must be something of great importance to her mistress. If she carried it out well, there would surely be a generous reward!

Huddling close to Su Youyue, as she listened to her smiling words, Chunya's eyes widened in disbelief...