Chapter 166: Little Sisters, Holding Hands
Chapter 166: Little Sisters, Holding Hands
He Shuran held back for a long moment, her face turning purple as she struggled to find the right words. Finally, her tongue broke free from its seal, and she softly uttered a few words: "Su Su is beautiful."
What she had wanted to say was, "Su Su, you are also beautiful."
However, somewhere in between, a word mysteriously disappeared.
This left He Shuran feeling annoyed and unsure of what to do, so she stood there helplessly.
Su Su couldn't help but feel proud when she was complimented for her looks.
Being a child, she didn't know how to express her pride, and she had originally wanted to imitate her pretty sister, Qi Qi, by puffing out her little belly and raising her small head.
However, upon realizing that she was still holding Shuran's hand, Su Su abandoned that idea and thought of other ways to express her joy.
Smile?
Shouldn't she smile more when she's happy?
Le Le had said the same thing, too.
With these thoughts in mind, Su Su narrowed her eyes, flashed her pearly whites, and broke into a silly smile: "Hehe."
When Su Su smiled, she looked absolutely adorable.
He Shuran felt that this smile of Su Su's resembled that of a happy Tanuki—a creature that seemed to be enjoying being teased, curling up its body, waving its limbs in the air, revealing its cute little belly, and tilting its head to one side as if inviting its owner to continue playing with it.
He Shuran wasn't sure if her description was accurate, but she felt that if a comparison had to be made, Su Su was even cuter than a Tanuki!
He Shuran had always wanted to keep a Tanuki as a pet.
Unfortunately, due to her frail health, she would easily feel breathless if she spent too much time with one.
Because of this, there weren't any furry creatures in their mansion, let alone a Tanuki.
Even her grandmother had sent away the Tanuki she had raised for several years to be taken care of by someone else.
For this reason, her grandmother had quietly shed tears on more than one occasion.
Now, looking at the adorable Su Su before her, He Shuran felt that the regret she had felt from not being able to keep a Tanuki had lessened significantly.
Moreover, Su Su was even cuter than a Tanuki, and most importantly, Su Su loved her and could even speak!
With these thoughts in mind, He Shuran held Su Su's hand tightly but also controlled her strength so that she wouldn't hurt her little sister.
The two sisters stood there without saying a word, and Princess Qi and Madam He didn't rush them either; they just smiled as they watched the girls.
In the end, He Shuran felt a little embarrassed from being stared at, so she gently shook Su Su's hand and said, "Sister, let's go have some drinks."
It wouldn't be very polite to keep the adults waiting.
For this reason, He Shuran even suppressed her embarrassment and spoke softly but bravely, taking the initiative to express herself for once.
Madam He watched from the side, feeling a mix of sourness and sweetness in her heart.
She turned away and quietly wiped away her tears, not wanting the children to see them, but soon turned back around.
Princess Qi saw through her but pretended not to notice.
However, the look in her eyes as she gazed at Su Su became increasingly appreciative and loving.
Recalling how Su Su had been like when she first arrived at the mansion—a pitiful little girl who only dared to hide behind Xiao Liu and didn't dare to look around—Princess Qi felt that the child had made obvious progress. Now, she even knew to take the initiative to hold the hands of sisters she liked.
Princess Qi felt that this was already very good.
She had never expected Su Su to become an extremely sociable person anyway; she herself wasn't like that, so why would she force others to be like that?
All she wished for this child was to have close friends in her youth and to find a good husband in the future.
She didn't desire great wealth or nobility; she only wished for peace and contentment.
Soon, the two children went hand in hand to have their drinks for the day.
The Princess Consort Qi and Madam He sat down, chatting casually while watching the children.
Before long, Haitang returned with news, hesitating at the doorway, unsure if she should enter.
Upon seeing Haitang, Princess Consort Qi nodded slightly, signaling for her to come in. Haitang quietly entered and reported, "It was the fifth young master of the Tang Manor. He caught a small snake and threw it at the fourth young miss, causing her to scream in fright. The monks are currently helping to catch the snake."
Princess Consort Qi: "..."
Madam He: "..."
Hearing this, Princess Consort Qi was both surprised and speechless, but she felt that it wasn't a big deal.
As long as they didn't provoke their side, what happened within their manor was their own business.
Moreover, she had brought Su Su here to stay for a few days before returning to the capital. There was no fixed schedule, and if necessary, they could even leave tonight.
In comparison, Madam He, who intended to stay for a longer period, was more concerned.
Previously, she had only heard that the fifth young master of the Tang Manor was quite mischievous.
As their manors had little interaction, she was unaware of the specifics.
Now, witnessing this incident, she was left speechless and worried.
Thinking that they would all be staying in this area of the temple for the next few days and that similar incidents might occur from time to time, Madam He felt like turning back.
She had brought her child to the temple to pray for blessings and to relax in the peaceful environment.
She hadn't come here for excitement!!!
Unfortunately, the Tang Manor held a high position and influence, and they couldn't afford to offend them.
Madam He's face showed her emotions, and not wanting Princess Consort Qi to misunderstand, she could only smile bitterly and say, "I apologize for the disturbance, Your Highness. I'm truly..."
She wanted to explain, but there was nowhere to start.
Princess Consort Qi understood her predicament.
Seeing Madam He on the verge of tears, she gently comforted her, "It's alright. Buddha understands your sincerity in coming here every year and won't mind the occasional inconvenience."
Her words implied that if Madam He felt uncomfortable, it wouldn't be an issue to leave early.
After all, they could always come back at a later time.
Madam He could only smile bitterly and nod in response, "You're right."
Seeing her mother's bitter smile, He Shuran also felt sad.
She thought that all of this was because of her weak health.
The doctors had said that she might not live a long life.
Although He Shuran was young, she understood that not being able to stand meant not living long.
Every spring, her health deteriorated, causing breathing difficulties. Sometimes, she would even suffocate to the point of fainting.
Because of this, her mother brought her to Lanruo Temple every year to soak in the divine light.
Not only that, they had also brought along a female physician on this trip, just in case something unexpected happened.
He Shuran knew that her mother loved her and that everyone in the family cherished her.
However, she didn't want to be a burden to them.
She didn't want to see them living in constant worry, counting the days every spring, only breathing a sigh of relief once the season passed, rejoicing that she had lived another year.
But He Shuran also didn't want to die.
She thought of how good her mother was and how wonderful her family and the world were...
She couldn't bear to leave them.
With these thoughts in mind, the young girl couldn't help but grip Su Su's hand tightly, tears falling one after another.
Su Su had originally wanted to tell her sister about the fragrant five-spiced cake she had smelled earlier.
However, before she could say anything, she saw that her sister was crying.
Su Su immediately panicked!
(End of Chapter)
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