Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Officer Qiao was present as well.
Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan walked in and greeted them politely.
Officer Qiao and his wife were not at all interested in their presents. The maids took them away the moment they accepted them.
Officer Qiao nodded at them and behaved as if he had given them the biggest favor. "Take a seat.'
"Thanks, Father-in-law."
Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan sat down. Qiao Xuan had her eyes lowered and uttered no sound.
Officer Qiao frowned and looked disgusted by how Qiao Xuan behaved.
This was the concubine's daughter he hated the most. She was timid, weak and quiet. She was not open-minded like Wei, nor was she lovely like Kou. She was not at all interesting for anyone to hang out with.
She simply wasn't pleasing to look at.
But Officer Qiao had not thought about what made Qiao Xuan become so. Her mother, who was alive in the past, had been bullied by his wife all the time. What could a concubine's daughter like her do to survive?
After a few words, Concubine Du said with a smile, "Second Miss, you are still so shy, even in front of your own family! But as I look at you, I find that you seem prettier than before… is it because of the good living in the countryside?" Qiao Kou chuckled inwardly, and threw an ironic look at Qiao Xuan.
Qiao Xuan subconsciously cringed and said nothing. She reminded herself that next time, she needed to wear makeup that made her look sad and weak, not pretty.
Seeing her slightly-changed look, Qiao Kou believed that she was feeling very embarrassed. Thus she became even happier and proudly raised her eyebrows. Officer Qiao said nothing as he glanced at Qiao Xuan. He turned to Shao
Yunduan. "You are a Cultivated Talent, right?"
Shao Yunduan replied to this fact politely. "Yes, Father-in-law."
Officer Qiao nodded and asked again. "Do you plan to participate in the examination next year?"
For one moment, everyone turned to look at Shao Yunduan.
Apart from Qiao Xuan, no one, including Officer Qiao, intended to let Shao Yunduan take part in the examination or expected him to pass it.
Shao Yunduan forced out the answer. "Yes…
Officer Qiao snorted and said nothing more.
He had lost interest already.
He did not think that this man would pass the examination anyway, just by looking at how unconfident he was.
Madame Qiao and Concubine Du were both quite delighted seeing this.
Madame Qiao smiled. "If you are not that sure, you don't have to take the examination next year. It is such a waste of money for your poor family, right? You are still young, you can spend one more decade preparing and then trying it, isn't that better?"
"You are right!" Concubine Du added. "You need to know that you are not only the son of the Shao Family, but the Old Master's son-in-law, if you don't make it through, you are going to be a humiliation for our family too. I don't think you need to try it now!"
"I heard that you need to be very well prepared to pass the examination. The chance is one out of 100. Honestly, you are too young to pass it!"
Officer Qiao looked serious as he nodded. "They are right. If you are not confident, you don't have to take the examination at all. What a waste of money and also a cause of humiliation, right?"
Qiao Xuan threw a sneaky look at Shao Yunduan, who turned to gaze at her too.
He lowered his head and indicated that she need not get worried..