https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-173-Fighting-Against-the-Heavens-is-Endless-Fun/12606884/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-175-He-Furen-Descends-the-Mountain/12606886/
Chapter 174: Cousin Song Kuan
Chapter 174: Cousin Song Kuan
Once the Queen of Qi had calmed down, she pulled Su Su by the hand and corrected Zhou Shi, "Su Su, this is your aunt."
How could she just blurt out 'aunt'?
This is clearly an aunt-in-law.
At the mention of 'aunt-in-law', Su Su's face turned pale.
She instinctively shrunk back, wishing she could bury herself in the Queen's skirt.
Seeing Su Su like this, Zhou Shi was startled.
She had been about to say that she had just spoken without thinking and that she didn't mean to deny Su Su.
But seeing Su Su's reaction, Zhou Shi was at a loss.
What was going on?
She looked at the Queen, then at Su Su, who was hiding behind her hat, confusion written all over her face.
The Queen also realized what the issue was...
'Aunt-in-law' was not a pleasant term in Su Su's experience.
Or rather, the people from before had been so awful that even this title had been tainted.
Thinking of this, the Queen cursed those people in her mind once again before calming down.
She gently stroked Su Su's hand and said with a smile, "This child has had a difficult past."
Zhou Shi could already tell that the girl was thin and frail, a clear sign that her life hadn't been easy.
Zhou Shi guessed that there must be some story behind this, so she didn't say much, only looking at Su Su with concern.
The Queen soothed the little girl, gently explaining, "Su Su, this aunt-in-law is different from the previous one. This aunt-in-law is very gentle, and she can even paint pretty flowers for you."
Zhou Shi was quite skilled at painting and often drew small flowers and plants to entertain the children in the mansion.
Feng Xuan Rui still had several of those paintings in his possession.
Hearing this, Zhou Shi understood a little better. She smiled and lowered her voice, "Su Su, your new aunt-in-law is different from the previous one. They are not the same at all."
Su Su knew that these were two different people.
Moreover, she hadn't sensed any ill intent from Zhou Shi.
However, the abuse and beatings she had endured at the hands of her previous aunt-in-law were deeply engraved in her mind.
Now, even the mere mention of the corresponding title filled her with fear, causing her to flinch and dodge.
After listening to the Queen and the new aunt-in-law's explanations, Su Su slowly emerged from behind the Queen's skirt. She dared not lift her head, and with anxious movements, she carefully stepped out and stood there, her body trembling.
She wanted to be a polite child.
Even though she was terrified.
Seeing the child like this, the Queen felt heartache, and Zhou Shi, as a mother herself, naturally felt the same.
Zhou Shi thought for a moment, and an idea came to her. She smiled and said, "Su Su, I am your second aunt-in-law. I'm different from the previous aunt-in-law, aren't I?"
Su Su froze at these words.
She looked up in confusion and saw the second aunt-in-law smiling gently and lovingly.
This was indeed different from the previous aunt-in-law, who would only beat and scold her with a ferocious look on her face.
Su Su thought that the second aunt-in-law was a good person.
She...
Seemed a little less afraid.
With these thoughts in mind, Su Su slowly lowered her gaze, her voice muffled and trembling slightly, "Second aunt-in-law, I'm Su Su."
Seeing that the little girl was still afraid, Zhou Shi felt like cursing the previous aunt-in-law.
What kind of person was the previous aunt-in-law?
What despicable things had she done to scare a child so badly that even hearing those two words would frighten her?
Damn it!
She's just a child. What does she know?
Is it really worth it? Zhou Shi thought. If it weren't for the inappropriate setting, she would have rolled up her sleeves and picked a fight.
However, not wanting to scare the child further, Zhou Shi suppressed her anger, her voice gentle as she spoke to Su Su.
Zhou Shi's gentle demeanor, along with Song Kuan's occasional curious questions, helped ease Qi Wangfei's worries.
With no malicious intent and only gentleness surrounding her, Su Su slowly overcame her fear, even daring to lift her head and boldly observe her second aunt and new cousin.
Yes, Su Su had gained not just a second aunt, but also a new cousin.
Song Kuan, eight years old, was Feng Xuan Rui's young cousin and Su Su's new cousin.
Though young, he didn't share Feng Xuan Rui's mischievous nature, instead possessing the gentle demeanor of jade. When speaking to Su Su, he would also stoop slightly, trying to meet her gaze as much as possible.
Zhou Shi and Song Kuan both did their best to comfort Su Su, and slowly, her fears subsided.
However, being outdoors was not ideal for a lengthy conversation. Soon enough, the two adults led the children back to Qi Wangfei's residence.
Seeing how Su Su had warmed up to Song Kuan, Qi Wangfei felt relieved and entrusted the child to her young cousin's care, asking him to keep an eye on Su Su as they played.
Though young, Song Kuan was mature beyond his years. While he had no experience caring for a younger sister, he rarely played with his two young cousins in the manor.
Now, with this adorable little companion who obediently followed his lead and even looked at him with admiration, Song Kuan felt a mix of embarrassment and pride.
He couldn't help but show off, sometimes folding paper for Su Su or leading her on a grasshopper chase...
However, mindful of his mother's instructions to stay within the vicinity, Song Kuan refrained from wandering too far with Su Su.
Even so, the two children enjoyed themselves immensely.
Watching the two kids grow comfortable with each other and play happily, Qi Wangfei gradually relaxed.
Seeing that Su Su had settled in, Qi Wangfei finally felt at ease and handed the child over to him, asking her young cousin to keep an eye on Su Su as they played.
"What's the story with this child?" Zhou Shi asked, seeing how the children had grown comfortable with each other and wanting to understand the situation better. "You only sent a message to the manor saying you intended to adopt a child, without providing any details. Father and Mother are both concerned, and with Xiao Liu just returning, they didn't want to trouble you and add to your burdens."
There was no blame in her tone, as Zhou Shi was only in her twenties and tended to be forthright with her family. "Hearing that you were at the temple, Mother sent me over to take a look."
Qi Wangfei understood the need to explain the situation to her family. "Let's stay one more night here. Tomorrow, I'll take Su Su down the mountain and back to the manor to visit Father and Mother. We can discuss Su Su's matter then."
With many ears around, it was difficult to speak freely.
Qi Wangfei shared the same concern, nodding gently. "I'll take her to visit Father and Mother first, and then we can discuss this further. It's not something I'm comfortable discussing here, with so many people around."
Zhou Shi acknowledged her concerns with a slight nod. Her thoughts turned to another matter, and she asked, "I heard Xiao Liu fell off his horse and injured his leg during his trip south. Is he doing better now? When you sent the message to the manor, you only reported the good news and not the worries. Mother was so anxious that she almost visited the manor the other day. Fortunately, she heard that you had an audience with the Emperor, so she held back."
Yesterday, she had intended to visit. But then she heard that her daughter had brought the newly adopted child to Lanruo Temple.
"Song Kuan is only eight years old, but he's quite mature for his age. I'll leave the children to play for a bit. Let's talk more about Xiao Liu."
(End of Chapter)
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