Chapter 277: Chapter 277 Too Tender
Madam Shen led Mrs. Tang to see Old Madam Shen.
Seeing Mrs. Tang, Old Madam Shen looked her over from head to toe, and then from toe to head.
Even Third Madam Shen felt embarrassed; that look was all too familiar to her.
Back when she married into the family, Old Madam Shen looked at her the same way.
"Mother," called Third Madam Shen.
Old Madam Shen chuckled.
Mrs. Tang stepped forward to greet the Old Madam, receiving a few compliments from her.
Third Madam Shen and Madam Shen exchanged a glance.
Isn’t this the typical scene where the Old Madam appraises a daughter-in-law?
But this is Dongxiang Marquis’s wife.
Madam Shen felt a bit uneasy.
Could it be the Old Madam is considering a mother-in-law for her daughter?
Following Third Madam Shen, Madam Shen interrupted Old Madam Shen once again.
She instructed the maid, "Go and call Young Master Su."
As the maid went to find Young Master Su, he was busy collecting bird eggs from a tree.
Below, Young Master Shen and Miss Shen looked up at him with both envy and worry.
The maid’s heart leaped, "Young Master Su, be careful, your mother is here."
"Finally, my mother is here," Young Master Su said, overjoyed.
He cradled the bird’s nest in his arms and cautiously climbed down the ladder.
The maid even gave him a hand.
Young Master Su felt rather choked.
At Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, climbing trees...
Forget the maid holding a ladder, there wasn’t even a ladder.
He often sat in a tree tearing his brocade robe, tying knots, and then descending on his own, so at a young age, he had learned to carry a small dagger with him.
Once down from the ladder, Young Master Su handed the bird’s nest to Miss Shen and dashed away like the wind.
He ran into the house without pausing for breath.
"Mother, I’ve missed you so much," Young Master Su exclaimed, wanting to throw himself into Mrs. Tang’s arms.
"Stay still, I’m holding tea," Mrs. Tang replied.
"...."
Young Master Su quietly closed his outstretched arms.
He heard the laughter of the maids and servants all around.
Young Master Su felt his face falling with embarrassment.
Young Master Shen followed in.
He felt that Young Master Su wasn’t entirely truthful with him.
He said his father wasn’t real, but his mother was.
Clearly, even this mother isn’t real.
What mother would prioritize tea over hugging her son?
No love from father or mother, no wonder his grandparents treat him well, he just can’t bear to leave.
Young Master Shen felt a bit sorry for Young Master Su.
Mrs. Tang put down the teacup and looked at him, "Willing to leave with me now?"
"A bit reluctant, but staying at someone else’s house and causing trouble isn’t good," Young Master Su replied.
"You actually know about causing trouble for others?" Mrs. Tang chuckled.
"Just staying one night at Jibei Marquis Mansion and you’ve grown in awareness; perhaps I should let you stay here longer?" Mrs. Tang asked.
Young Master Su, "...."
The shoulders of others at Jibei Marquis Mansion shook with laughter.
Young Master Su obediently didn’t argue back.
Just joking.
His mother’s temper isn’t that mild either.
His father is irretrievable, if his mother left too, would he have to depend on his big brother to come to get him?
The big brother can’t even protect himself.
His pitiful look really evoked tenderness.
First unable to bear it was Old Madam.
Mrs. Tang sat for a quarter-hour before taking her leave.
Su Yang obediently followed behind.
"You forgot your gift," Young Master Shen reminded.
Su Yang turned back to retrieve the gift.
Mrs. Tang didn’t assist.
The maid didn’t assist either.
Su Yang carried it alone, the abundance of things accentuating his pitifulness.
Old Madam said with concern, "Yangyang is so small, isn’t this too harsh on him?"
Mrs. Tang smiled and said, "His father seizes power like a king, and the court has sent troops repeatedly to besiege him; no one knows which day we might die at the end of our enemies’ arrows."
"Being stern with him, just in case one day both his father and I aren’t around, he will be able to survive on his own."
"Mother, it’s one thing to fool me, but is it really okay to fool an elder who’s spent a lifetime like this?" Young Master Su said.
Mrs. Tang, "...."
Old Madam, "...."
"What did you say?"
"Mother didn’t hear clearly, say it again," Mrs. Tang smiled gently.
Young Master Su tightened the straps on the gift on his back.
His slight frame suddenly emanated an astonishing presence.
Everyone’s minds flashed back to yesterday when Young Master Su confronted Marquis Dongxiang, full of anticipation in their hearts.
Then Young Master Su sniffed, teary-eyed, "Mother, please stop talking; you’re moving me to tears."
Everyone, "..."
Su Yang gave a look to Young Master Shen.
Young Master Shen quickly said, "I’ll see him out."
Once they were outside, Young Master Shen wiped his sweat, "Is this how you usually talk with your parents?"
"Yes," Young Master Su replied.
"Don’t you get beaten?" Young Master Shen asked.
"I do get beaten."
"Then why do you still say it?" Young Master Shen said.
"Even if I don’t say it, I still get beaten. Usually, I only get beaten once a day," Young Master Su said.
Young Master Shen, "..."
Young Master Su looked up at the sky in melancholy.
"On one hand, they want you to tell the truth, but sometimes they force you to lie. Being a son is really hard."
"..."
"But it doesn’t matter. A real man can endure ups and downs. No matter what, you have to live tenaciously," Young Master Su said with a firm expression.
"..."
At the entrance of Jibei Marquis Mansion, Young Master Su and Young Master Shen reluctantly said goodbye to each other.
After Mrs. Tang got on the carriage, he waved his hand and said, "I’m heading back now. Come find me to play when you’re free."
Young Master Shen nodded.
Young Master Su climbed into the carriage and looked eagerly at Mrs. Tang.
Mrs. Tang ignored him.
The journey was silent.
Upon returning to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, Young Master Su went directly to find Su Chong.
"Big Brother, do you know how Dad and Mom plan to deal with me?" Young Master Su asked.
"I didn’t hear that they were going to beat you," Su Chong said.
"Really not?" Young Master Su was skeptical.
"I’m not lying to you," Su Chong said.
"How could that be?" Young Master Su muttered.
He spent the whole day feeling anxious.
Knowing you’re going to get beaten but not knowing when is really uncomfortable.
If you can’t avoid it, you’d rather get it over with sooner.
By evening, when Marquis Dongxiang came back, Young Master Su’s heart was pounding wildly.
But Marquis Dongxiang didn’t mention beating him either.
Of course, he wasn’t foolish enough to ask directly.
After dinner, Marquis Dongxiang said, "The fact that you kicked Marquis Jibei so hard he was sore all over, you need to fix your bad sleeping habits."
"Huh?" Young Master Su was a bit confused.
Marquis Dongxiang frowned.
"I will definitely change!" Young Master Su quickly said.
"How do you plan to change?" Mrs. Tang served him chicken soup.
This question stumped him.
Who can control their actions while asleep?
"I’ll help you change," Marquis Dongxiang said.
Young Master Su looked at him suspiciously.
When he finished bathing and was getting ready for bed, he found that his luxurious soft bed had turned into two benches and a door plank.
On the side was a thick rope.
Young Master Su looked at Marquis Dongxiang in protest, "How can I sleep in such a small space?"
"After being tied up for ten days to half a month, you’ll naturally settle down," Marquis Dongxiang said.
"I don’t want that!" Young Master Su said.
He sat on the bed, "Any other method is fine, but you can’t tie me up!"
"Are you sure?" Marquis Dongxiang asked.
"A man of his word!" Young Master Su said, puffing out his chest.
"Alright, Dad respects your choice," Marquis Dongxiang said.
Young Master Su felt a sense of joy in his heart.
His dad must be worried that he won’t want him anymore.
That’s why he’s being agreeable now.
If this had happened earlier, it would’ve been great.
Soon—
He discovered he was still too naive.
Marquis Dongxiang ordered people to bring eight pots of cacti and placed them on either side of the bed.
Young Master Su looked terrified.
Marquis Dongxiang said, "Don’t even think about moving them."
"I’ll have someone watching outside. If you move them, once you fall asleep, they’ll move them back."
Young Master Su, "..."
"Just sleep well," Marquis Dongxiang said with a smile.
"..."
Sleep well?
How can he sleep well like this?!
Cacti are his nemesis!
After Marquis Dongxiang left, Young Master Su held the rope and looked at the servant, "You tie me up."
The servant laughed, "Young Master, you’ll have to find a way yourself."
Young Master Su, "..."