Shen Miao retracted her gaze and heard Shen Qiu say, “Sister, you’re getting better and better looking!”
“Brat.” Shen Xin kicked Shen Qiu. “What are you talking about? Your sister always looks good.”
Luo Xueyan also smiled and walked to Shen Miao’s side. She held her hand and said, “Our Jiaojiao is already a big girl.”
Everyone in the hall looked at Shen Miao, their eyes filled with confusion. A year ago, Shen Miao was still a silly girl who liked putting gold and silver on her. Now, she was wearing a simple purple dress in addition to a cloak that was the color of a peony with exquisite flowers embroidered on it. She only chose to decorate her hair with a single hairpin, which surprisingly gave her a gorgeous noble aura. Her facial features were delicate and clear. For some reason, people found the girl unapproachable and inviolable.
All the women in the room had a surging feel of inferiority when compared to her.
A trace of jealousy flashed across Shen Yue’s eyes. She didn’t expect that Shen Miao, who was the most inferior to her in this mansion, could actually steal her thunder without her knowing. Shen Yue was most confident in her scholarly elegance and beauty, but today, when she saw Shen Miao, she actually felt ashamed. She looked up at Chen Ruoqiu, hoping to see some disdain for Shen Miao in her mother’s eyes. However, she also saw a trace of seriousness in Chen Ruoqiu’s eyes, which made her heart skip a beat.
Concubine Wan sighed in her heart and subconsciously tightened her grip on Shen Dongling. She did not have any other thoughts. She only felt that Shen Miao really lived up to her identity as the legitimate daughter of the first branch. No matter how smart her daughter was, she was still incomparable to Shen Miao in terms of nobleness.
The men in the room did not have too strong a reaction. Other than Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, Shen Gui and Shen Wan only frowned. As for Shen Yuan, he stared at Shen Miao with a deep gaze, thinking about something.
Chen Ruoqiu was the first to speak. “Since everyone is here, let’s set off now.”
Old Madam Shen was old, so such a journey was not suitable for her. In the Shen family, only Old Madam Shen, Shen Yuanbai, Ren Wanyun, and the concubines of the second branch were left. The rest all went to the street to participate in the Jade Rabbit Festival. In the past, they would chat and laugh along the way. However, this year, because Shen Miao was almost burnt to ashes in the ancestral hall, Shen Xin and Shen Qiu deliberately estranged themselves from the other two branches and only talked to Luo Xueyan.
The guards of the Shen family followed behind. In fact, every year, in order to protect the safety of the people and prevent bandits from causing trouble when the streets got too crowded, the capital would send many guards to patrol the streets, so it was considered safe to stroll around.
Shen Xin did not speak to Shen Gui and Shen Wan, so Shen Gui and Shen Wan did not ask for a snub. The two of them only chatted with each other. Shen Yue used to chat very happily with Shen Qing and Shen Miao because with Shen Miao around as a contrast, she would appear much smarter. Now, Shen Miao ignored her, so Shen Yue could only talk to Shen Dongling. Seeing that Shen Yue was willing to be close to her daughter, Concubine Wan was naturally overjoyed. However, Shen Dongling did not seem to be very enthusiastic about talking with Shen Yue. Instead, she looked a little sheepish. After a while, Shen Yue lost interest.
As the group walked on the street, the atmosphere was strangely awkward.