Su Qingtian's return brought joy and excitement not only to the court but also to the Su family.
Favored by His Majesty, Su Qingtian was conferred the rank of First Grade, bringing honor to his ancestors. Everyone wished to draw closer and bask in his reflected glory.
The next day, he reported for duty at the palace. That same day, the main Su family hosted a banquet to celebrate his reinstatement.
At the main family mansion, everyone was present except for Su Qing.
Humiliated by the events of the previous day, he refused to dine with the family.
With some time left before the feast, the three children were playing in the garden.
Su Siqi was rarely seen, so Su Siyuan usually spent the most time with Su Yunmo.
Today, Su Sizhuo was also present, though he mostly read a book nearby, not participating in the game.
Truthfully, Su Yunmo would have preferred not to join if she could. Games like playing house were quite beneath her dignity.
"Momo, you be the daddy, and I'll be the mommy," Su Siyuan assigned their roles.
Holding a handkerchief, he flicked it, blinked his eyelashes, and blew a kiss, "Alright, the meal is finished. Husband, you should go to court now."
Su Yunmo glanced at the 'court attire' pushed towards her, sighing inwardly. With a face full of feigned happiness, she said in a childish voice, "Then, my dear wife, your husband must depart."
She got up and walked away. Su Siyuan chased after her, standing at the 'doorway' with a tender gaze, "Husband, you must come back early~ I'll be waiting for you~"
Su Yunmo was greatly perplexed. Didn't the couple know to shield their children from their private conversations?
They were practically becoming experts at this.
Turning a corner, Su Yunmo pulled off the burlap 'court attire' and rubbed her temples with a headache.
When would she finally grow up?
"What if I bully you? Who can you complain to? Your mother is dead, and your father hasn't returned for so long, he must be dead too."
"My father isn't dead, he's just gone to earn money, and he'll be back soon!"
Su Yunmo looked up and saw two people under the pavilion.
One was Su Yinyin, and the other she didn't recognize, but she was certainly a child from the main Su family.
At the welcoming banquet hosted by her mother last time, the unfamiliar Su family children were only from the second branch, the third uncle. Her third uncle had gone out on business, leaving behind only an orphan, Su Xiayue.
Su Xiayue's mother had died when she was two years old.
Her circumstances were so similar to her own.
"Come on, there hasn't been a letter in so many years. Even if he's not dead, he must have abandoned you. My mother said because your mother was ugly and you're stupid, my third uncle left home because he didn't want to see you."
Su Yinyin cast a disdainful look from above.
Su Xiayue's eyes reddened, and she clenched her fists tightly, "You're talking nonsense! Father didn't abandon us!"
She lunged at Su Yinyin but was blocked by a maid behind Su Yinyin.
The maid raised her hand and slapped her, "You ill-bred wench, do you think you can get close to my young lady?"
Su Xiayue was knocked to the ground and rolled down the pavilion steps, unable to get up for a long time.
At this height, a blow to the head could be life-threatening.
Su Yunmo frowned fiercely and hurried over.
Su Yinyin sat on the pavilion's bench, issuing orders, "Throw her into the outskirts. Anyone who dares to provoke me must be taught a lesson."
The maid stepped down from the pavilion. Before she could touch Su Xiayue, her hand was grabbed. The sensation was familiar. Looking up, she indeed saw Su Yunmo.
"Ah..." As the scream began, Su Yunmo raised her hand and flung the maid away, who landed with a splash into the lake.
Su Yinyin stood up in shock and then jumped up in a huff, "It's you again! You little bastard, how dare you keep ruining my plans? This is outrageous!"
Su Yunmo ignored her and pulled Su Xiayue up from the ground. After a careful examination, she found only minor abrasions and felt relieved.
"Thank you," Su Xiayue's expression was a little nervous, yet also confused.
She didn't recognize this girl. Why was she saving her?
Su Yunmo noticed that the child had large, bright eyes but looked unwell, with sunken cheeks, a result of long-term malnutrition.
She pulled Su Xiayue up from the ground and took a step forward, standing in front of her. She looked up at Su Yinyin, "Can't you do anything besides bullying people?"
"This is my home, I can do whatever I want!" Su Yinyin glared at them, breathing heavily.
Because Su Yunmo had caused her to get hurt and lose face repeatedly recently, she hated this beggar!
"Then have fun at home." Su Yunmo really had no interest in bickering with such young children. She pulled Su Xiayue and prepared to leave.
This was seen as ignorance by Su Yinyin, who felt greatly insulted, "Stop right there!"
She picked up a teapot and hurled it at them.
The water in the teapot was scalding hot.
Su Xiayue gasped.
A red glint flashed in Su Yunmo's eyes. She waved her hand.
The flying teapot immediately changed direction and smashed onto Su Yinyin.
"Ahhh!" She immediately sat down on the ground, screaming and desperately tearing at her clothes, rolling around.
Dou Ying came from a distance and saw this. She quickly ran to the pavilion and pulled Su Yinyin up, "Yinyin, what's wrong?!"
"Mother, Mother, it hurts so much, woo woo..." Su Yinyin cried out loudly, pulling at her clothes.
Her left shoulder down to her chest was reddened and blistered.
"Oh dear, how did this happen! Someone, quickly, someone, go call a doctor!" Dou Ying was sweating profusely, shouting at the top of her lungs.
Su Xiayue knew they had caused trouble and instinctively leaned behind Su Yunmo, trembling slightly.
Judging by her reaction, this was likely not the first time she had been scolded.
Su Qingtian returned from court and, hearing the commotion at the pavilion, was the first to arrive. Upon seeing the injured Su Yinyin, he asked, "What happened?"
Dou Ying, feeling distressed, did not care who the other person was and began to scold them directly.
"How dare you ask? It's all your good daughter!"
"How could children use such vicious methods as to splash hot water on Yinyin? If anything happened to Yinyin, I will not let your entire family off!"
Su Xiayue trembled and peeked out, trying to explain, "No, it was Su Yinyin bullying me, she was protecting..."
"Bullying you? What are you to be worth my daughter bullying? To put it plainly, you two little brats colluded and attacked my daughter!"
Dou Ying gritted her teeth, wishing she could kill them.
"It's more important to treat the child," Su Qingtian called out to Xitian.
Xitian walked up to the pavilion from behind, picked up Su Yinyin, and strode away to find a doctor.
Dou Ying's anger was still simmering in her chest. She did not follow them. "Fourth Brother, if you don't give me an explanation for this, I will not rest."
Su Qingtian furrowed his brows, turned to look at Su Yunmo, and said coldly, "Kneel down and apologize to your second aunt."
Su Yunmo straightened her back, "I have no reason to kneel. I did nothing wrong."
Even though he was her father, he couldn't be so unreasonable.
Dou Ying sneered, "Your mouth is quite hard. You're just like your dead mother. Fourth Brother, you've really given birth to a good daughter."
Mentioning Wu Qian, Su Qingtian's expression immediately soured.
To him, that incident was a lifelong stain. He didn't have a good impression of that woman, and her daughter was no good either.
Su Qingtian's face darkened. He walked over, placed his hand on Su Yunmo's shoulder, and pressed down hard, "Kneel!"