Xiqiu smiled and said, "No, I just noticed that you don’t look very well. Are you tired from making clothes?" I heard Madam Mei is ill, and Doctor Hu was called to prescribe medicine. Tong Xiyu even went to the study personally, but the First Master is always busy outside, and even when he returns, it’s late, so they haven’t met after several attempts.
"Not tired." Tong Xiyu shyly smiled and said, "I used to watch others do it, but now that I’m threading the needle myself, I realize that needlework isn’t easy." Tong Xiyan glanced at Tong Xiyu and said, "Of course, what did you think? Sixth Sister’s shoes, clothes, and pockets are all painstakingly made stitch by stitch. That’s why I resolutely refuse to learn such laborious things."
It’s not uncommon for women to not know needlework, but it’s not unheard of either, so after Lady forced Tong Xiyan to learn and saw her lack of interest, she had Nanny Duan teach her some basics but did not impose further.
"Fourth Miss, Sixth Miss, Eighth Miss!" Daihe came over with a smile, greeted the three in turn, and said, "The Lady and the two nannies have finished talking, and they want you to go in now."
"Okay!" Tong Xiyan stood up and walked to the doorway, smiling as she said, "I came with an empty stomach this morning, hoping to get a free breakfast here with Mother, but I ended up sitting hungry until now." As soon as she finished speaking, she entered the room.
Daihe personally held the curtain open, and Xiqiu and Tong Xiyu smiled and greeted her as they went inside. They immediately saw Lady sitting high on the kang. Today, she was wearing a lake-blue overcoat with double gold motifs of fortune and longevity. Her face showed some fatigue, likely because of the many affairs in the mansion and the tasks for the First Master’s return, keeping her extremely busy.
Laiwang’s wife and Nanny Qian did not leave, each standing to the side. Nanny Fang was smiling at Tong Xiyan, and Daihe hurriedly brought a few stools to the foot of the kang, then retreated.
"Mother." Xiqiu and Tong Xiyu both greeted Lady, who casually nodded, reached out to pull Tong Xiyan to sit by her side, and sternly asked, "Why didn’t you have breakfast? If you’re hungry, why didn’t you ask Daihe to bring you some snacks to tide you over?"
Tong Xiyan smiled and said, "I ate too much last night and didn’t feel like eating this morning!" Lady tapped her and scolded, "Nonsense!" She then turned to Nanny Fang and said, "Go get Fourth Miss’s breakfast; let her eat here."
Nanny Fang responded with a smile, "I’ll go to the kitchen and bring a plate of crystal dumplings. Didn’t you say this morning how delicious they were? Let Fourth Miss have a taste, maybe it’ll whet her appetite." Lady nodded in satisfaction, "Go!" She then turned back to glare at Tong Xiyan.
Laiwang’s wife playfully joined in with a smile, "The way I see it, Fourth Miss came with an empty stomach because she knows how much the Lady dotes on her..." She laughed again, "It’s really because the Lady is so good to the young misses."
Tong Xiyan leaned against Lady with a smile, and Lady hugged her back, saying, "You’re already so grown-up and still not sensible. What will we do with you!"
"Fourth Miss is very well-mannered, knowledgeable, and even among the Capital’s beauties. I don’t think there’s any worry for the Lady. People have their fates. Fourth Miss is blessed, and even after marriage, she might be fed by her husband spoon by spoon every day." Nanny Qian said with a laugh, then turned to Laiwang’s wife, "What do you think, Laiwang’s wife?"
Laiwang’s wife replied, "That’s exactly right!"
Lady pretended to glare angrily at them but was secretly pleased. Tong Xiyan blushed and remained silent, but she looked for help when she saw Nanny Fang returning, "Nanny, why were you so slow? I’m still hungry."
The whole room laughed because of Tong Xiyan.
Tong Xiyu sat quietly, while Xiqiu wore a faint smile. Lady glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, smirked internally, and turned to chat with Laiwang’s wife and Nanny Qian, clearly not planning to pay attention to the two concubines’ daughters.
Xiqiu felt helpless inside. Lady’s attitude towards her had changed significantly from before. She wasn’t sure if Lady knew First Master casually visited Madam Xia’s room every night. If she did and still treated herself , Xiqiu would be secretly pleased.
Despite things reaching this point, she had no regrets. Madam Xia and Tong Minzhi were the closest people to her, unconditionally good to her. Even if it meant offending Lady, she’d still do it given another chance!
After Tong Xiyan finished eating, Laiwang’s wife and Nanny Qian took their leave. Lady leaned on the kang, closed her weary eyes, and Nanny Fang quietly slipped out, leaving the room momentarily silent. Tong Xiyan glanced at Xiqiu and snuggled up to Lady, just about to say something, when Lady spoke first, "How is the clothing coming along? There’s not much time left, you must hurry."
Tong Xiyan swallowed her words and replied, following Lady’s lead, "Only half a day’s work left. Just waiting for the crabapple flowers from Sixth Sister to be applied."
Lady nodded slightly, without asking Xiqiu as usual. Xiqiu remained expressionless, not waiting for Lady’s inquiry but actively speaking, "I only have a few crabapple flowers left to make. It was almost done, but the last couple of days, I’ve been rushing to make a cloak for Big Sister, which delayed me a bit!"
Lady suddenly opened her eyes! It’s nearly summer, and she’s making a cloak now? She’s not an embroideress; why work off-season? She asked nonchalantly, "Your Big Sister’s cloak? Why rush to make it now?"
Xiqiu lowered her face, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks, and softly said, "It’s not Big Sister’s cloak!"
Could it be for Brother-in-law?
Lady sat up, her eyes reflecting a complicated and dark emotion.
Tong Xiyan glanced at Lady, quickly hopped off the kang, sat beside Xiqiu, and pinched her arm, asking, "Not Big Sister’s cloak?" She feared Xiqiu might say something inappropriate, so she frantically blinked, "Regardless of who it’s for, you’re too busy to think about making a cloak!"
However, Xiqiu seemed oblivious to Tong Xiyan’s expression, keeping her head down as her face turned more flushed. She murmured, "I was afraid it would be a joke, so I didn’t even tell the maid by my side. I got up at night to make it secretly..."
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Tong Xiyu even held her breath... It’s not improper for a sister to make clothes for her brother-in-law, but doing it secretly conveyed another implication.
Lady raised her eyebrows, looking kindly at Xiqiu, "Oh? You’ve put yourself out there; how did you think of making a cloak?" Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on NoveI★Fire.net
No more questions about who it’s for!
Xiqiu’s eyes flashed; she looked up at Lady and said, "A few days ago, I had a dream. In the dream, Big Sister brought my nephew to visit Mother. The child ran around the mansion, his laughter crisp and sweet, and he was quite charming, fair and chubby. He ran up to me and called me Sixth Aunt. My heart melted, and I couldn’t help but ask him what he liked or wanted. He said he really liked puppies and wanted a puppy cloak..."