You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 67

Song Xuwan took a deep breath. The pleasant atmosphere had been completely ruined. She quickly said, “It’s getting late. Let’s return to the manor.”

On the way back, Liyue sat quietly in the carriage, stealing glances at Song Xuwan several times before finally summoning the courage to speak. “Madam, perhaps I should return to the Annex?”

This was hardly a child’s fault, especially one as well-behaved and sensible as Liyue. Song Xuwan felt her sympathy overflowing. After all, this was Min Rongxue’s daughter!

Well, consider it my good deed for the day, she thought.

She patted Liyue’s shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with you. Master has always thought Ningning was lazy and disapproved of her playing around. He’s scolded her more than once for it. Don’t take today’s incident to heart. I’ve already planned where we can go to have fun. You mustn’t return to the Annex. Ningning wants to go out and play properly too.”

Ningning, realizing she had spoken too harshly at the restaurant, quickly apologized. “Sister Liyue, I wasn’t angry at you. I was angry at Father for always criticizing me. Ugh, I can’t explain it well, but I like being with you, and you know that, right?”

“Since Mother left you here, we can play together, study together, and even sleep together. I’ve been so excited! If you leave, I’ll chase you back to the Annex!”

The conversation in the restaurant had simply flowed naturally. Since Ningning was still a child, Liyue, acting like an elder sister, quickly let go of her initial annoyance. By the time they disembarked from the carriage, the two girls were already planning where to go play.

Zhou Minghai, who dismounted from the carriage behind them, watched the two young girls chatting and laughing ahead. He suddenly regretted whether he had been too strict with his daughter, causing her to be unhappy whenever she saw him.

His daughter clearly lacked the potential to become a talented scholar. Was it truly right to force her to study so diligently?

He glanced at Song Xuwan—beautiful but lacking scholarly talent. The Song family had never pressured her to study, yet she seemed to be living a fulfilling life.

Perhaps, in this era, whether a woman was a talented scholar truly didn’t matter much. After all, women couldn’t hold official positions.

Enough, he thought. I’ll just be stricter with my son from now on. As long as my father and elder brother can maintain the family’s standing, Ningning’s future will be secure.

The next morning, Song Xuwan surveyed the newly dressed Ningning and then glanced at Liyue’s plain attire. Her brow furrowed. “Today, we’ll start by visiting the ready-made clothing shops.”

She hadn’t kept a single bolt of the fine fabrics she had previously gifted to Min Rongxue, leaving Liyue without any decent clothes. There wasn’t time to have new ones made at home, so buying ready-made garments was the best option.

At the clothing shop, Song Xuwan began having Liyue and Ningning try on clothes one by one. Initially, Liyue refused to wear the brightly colored garments, but after seeing how beautiful Ningning looked in them and with Song Xuwan’s encouragement, she gradually started trying them on too.

Before long, Liyue was happily trying on every color—red, pink, green, purple—reluctant to part with any of them. Song Xuwan smiled approvingly from the side. “See? This is how a child should truly look.”

Nanny Yun and Baizhi nodded in agreement. “Madam Min was far too rigid, dressing Young Miss Ji like a widow.”

Back home, Zhou Minghai watched the maids carry in the boxes and instinctively felt they had bought too much. But when he saw Liyue, transformed and radiant, almost unrecognizable from her former self, he wisely kept his mouth shut. After all, the clothes came from Song Xuwan’s dowry shops, not the Zhou family’s ancestral wealth.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Zhou Minghai remarked. “Madam’s taste has always been impeccable.”

Song Xuwan was surprised. How could he now find Liyue’s bright clothes pleasing?

Could it be that Zhou Minghai only disliked her wearing such colors?

Song Xuwan immediately brushed aside the faint disappointment in her heart. Zhou Minghai’s words held no weight; she would never let his words hurt her again.

Having clothes wasn’t enough. The next day, Song Xuwan took Liyue and Ningning to the Exquisite Pavilion for another full day of fittings.

Though Liyue knew nothing of jewelry, her instincts told her it was expensive. She stubbornly refused to take anything. Finally, Song Xuwan relented with a smile. “Alright, you’re eleven now. Choose eleven pieces as a belated birthday gift from me.”

Only after Ningning’s persistent persuasion did Liyue reluctantly accept a few inexpensive earrings and bracelets.

The little girl remained firm in her principles. Song Xuwan couldn’t bear it and picked out several pearl hairpins, headbands, and necklaces, saying with a smile, “These aren’t for you. Take them back for Ningning. You can borrow them for a few days.”

On the third day, when a girl in a pale yellow gauze dress, a jade-inlaid gold necklace around her neck, and pearl headbands adorning her double-bunned hair appeared before Zhou Minghai, he blurted out, “Which family’s guest is this?”

“It’s Liyue from Madam Min’s household, Master. Are your eyes failing you?”

Zhou Minghai’s eyes widened as he stared at Liyue, his expression comical. After a moment, he chuckled, “So Madam has done Liyue’s makeup! Her skin looks fairer, her complexion brighter—no wonder I didn’t recognize her.”

Liyue’s cheeks flushed crimson at the compliment. She retreated to a corner, whispering animatedly with Ningning.

Zhou Minghai studied her more intently, then sighed, “Truly, clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. Dressed so beautifully, where are you planning to go today?”

“We’re visiting relatives today, taking Liyue to make new friends,” Song Xuwan replied, lifting her chin proudly as she led Liyue and Ningning back to her family home. Zhou Minghai, left alone with nothing to do, decided to take a stroll to Fuyun Temple.

At the Song Residence, Song Xuwan brought Liyue to pay her respects to Old Madam Song. The old woman, fond of children, kept Liyue talking for ages and even gifted her a pair of pure gold bracelets. Encouraged by Song Xuwan, Liyue accepted the gifts gracefully.

“Ningning, take your Liyue-jie to play with your cousin. I need to have a private word with Old Madam.”

Song Xuwan hadn’t come with any urgent business today, only to inquire about the Sterility Potion. She wanted to ask her second brother, Song Zhili, if he had found it yet.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Old Madam Song, Song Xuwan remarked, “I haven’t seen my two sisters-in-law. I’ll go greet them.”

Before she could finish, Eldest Madam Qin and Second Madam Tan arrived together. Eldest Madam Qin smiled warmly, “Now that you’re home, how could we let you come to us for greetings?”

“Exactly,” Second Madam Tan added. “We heard you were here and rushed over immediately to see you and ease our longing.”

The group chuckled at Tan’s words. After a few more polite exchanges, Tan asked, “I saw a little girl with Ningning earlier. Whose child is that?”

Song Xuwan explained that Min Rongxue’s family was staying at the Annex, under Zhou Minghai’s daily care. She smiled, “That’s Prince Guangyang’s posthumous child.”

This led to a discussion about the Palace Coup years ago. Song Xuwan asked curiously, “Mother, I heard the Late Emperor had no sons and chose a virtuous heir from the imperial clan. Prince Guangyang was the most favored candidate. Why would he suddenly rebel?”