Tang Shunyan didn’t expect so many companions to follow; he simply wanted to play alone with his milk sisters, but to his surprise, so many companions were in tow. Well, they could follow if they wanted to!
These people wouldn’t really cause him trouble, but trailing behind them was Meng Zhaojun, the little girl who gave him the biggest headache.
Why had she followed as well?
Would she give his guests trouble in his courtyard again? Scolding or getting angry at her was useless; it only made her more presumptuous, constantly clinging to him.
Tang Shunyan sighed silently in his heart; his young face bore an expression of helplessness. He dared not offend Meng Zhaojun too harshly—perhaps he didn’t want the children’s squabbles to cause a rift between the two families.
Even at his young age, he understood some things: there were people he could afford to offend, and others he couldn’t!
Tang Shunyan introduced the Tang Family estate to the five Ye sisters, describing every place they walked past or every tree and pot plant he recognized and understood.
It wasn’t to show off his erudition in front of the Ye sisters; he simply wanted to do it.
The five Ye sisters were all from the countryside, visiting the county for the first time.
Ye Luoqi, aged ten, had never seen such a luxurious residence. At ten years old, this was her first visit to the county, and it was only today that she had seen such beautiful and seemingly expensive flowers at a wealthy family’s home.
None of the other sisters had been to the county before; their naivety was like Grandmother entering the Grand View Garden, all due to their family background.
Previously, they had no money, and their father was often busy, while their mother was occupied with household chores.
The most they had followed their parents to was a relative’s house, which required their grandparents’ permission to visit.
In the last two years, their family’s situation had improved somewhat and they had grown; yet they had neither visited the county on their own nor accompanied their family for fun.
Although Ye Shiqi was only about two years old, she had seen more than her sisters.
But as for the flowers and plants of ancient times or the precious varieties in wealthy families described in books, she genuinely couldn’t recognize a single one.
Listening to Tang Shunyan, the young boy, the five sisters felt he was very learned, a true product of a wealthy family with much more experience than them, who came from a peasant background.
Tang Shunyan continued introducing things to the five sisters while the boys and girls trailing behind them did not interject. It must be said that they, too, were children of wealthy families, but they probably hadn’t paid much attention to the plants and trees, and they truly didn’t recognize those in the courtyard.
It wasn’t their first visit to the Tangs’, but they were usually too engrossed in playing to have been introduced to any particular flower or the history behind any tree.
As Tang Shunyan spoke with authority, his playmates felt that their companion, usually one of the gang, had a better memory and was far more attentive than they were!
When it came to the flora of the Tang estate, Meng Zhaojun was also paying attention, every time she visited, she’d pass through the garden.
They both chased butterflies in the garden; yet as a girl, she hadn’t known the names of the plants and trees here.
To her, external things were just that—unimportant. What she cared about was the attitude of the boy before her, the boy’s attitude toward her.
Whenever she came to the Tangs’, Tang Shunyan’s helpless demeanor upon seeing her would secretly fill her with satisfaction.
The prouder she had been before, the sadder and more distressed she was now.
Tang Shunyan’s attitude towards her differed greatly from how he treated the five sisters.
At the thought, Meng Zhaojun involuntarily bit her lip. Had it not been for her forced emotional control, she might have run up and scolded them.
Suppressing her emotions was just to avoid tarnishing her reputation before so many people; the pride she had once taken for granted now made her forbearance excruciatingly difficult.
Observing the innocent five sisters, she couldn’t help but stare at Ye Shiqi. Was this little girl as simple as she appeared on the surface?
Did she truly not know anything about these flowers and trees? Did she really not understand the splendor of wealthy homes?
Or was it that, prior to her rebirth, she too had been a girl from a commoner’s family?
Meng Zhaojun despised girls born into commoner families who, without striving, wished to become Cinderellas, showing a facade of gentleness and vulnerability, but in reality were nothing but deceitful temptresses.
Anger brewed inside Meng Zhaojun, and it was now apparent on her face. Her contorted expression caused the boys and girls following alongside her to keep their distance, clueless about what had upset Miss Meng so much.