The Lucky Heiress

“That’s not bad at all. At least it’s not a bullock cart,” Wei Ruo chuckled.

Not being reduced to a bullock cart doesn’t necessarily mean she is being overly adored by Yun Shi. It could be because Yunshi can’t afford to lose face.

“Ruoruo, this is a necessary evil. The Xie Family is no ordinary family. Moreover, Qingwan is going to see the famous female scholar Wang Caiwei, Yun Shi said to Wei Ruo, furrowing her brow in thought.

“Hmm, you make a strong point. I totally agree,” Wei Ruo nodded in agreement.

“You agree?” Yun Shi looked at Wei Ruo in surprise, thinking she was being sarcastic, but her breezy demeanor didn’t seem like she was.

“Absolutely. Whoever has to travel farther to the high-ranking Xie Family to learn from the more talented Mr. Wang gets to ride in the old, good carriage. The one who stays behind gets the new, but more shabby one. Makes perfect sense,” Wei Ruo said.

Yun Shi furrowed her brow, not sure how to respond to Wei Ruo’s words.

Wei Ruo quickly added, “Your decision isn’t based on the fact that Wei Qingwan is going to the Xie Family and I’m going to the magistrate’s office, right? It’s purely because the Xie Family is located farther away and their status is higher than ours, right?”

“Of course, that’s the case,” Yun Shi immediately replied.

“Well then, I have no objections. My mother is considering the objective factors and treating us fairly; naturally, I won’t object,” Wei Ruo replied.

Wei Ruo’s words were reasonable and polite, though it made Mrs. Yun feel vague unease.

###

“Sister, I prepared a gift for you!” Yilin excitedly ran into Wangmei Garden.

“A gift?”

“Yes, to celebrate you going to the Xie family for classes and to study under the famous female scholar!” Yilin said with a full-faced smile.

Yilin proudly introduced his gift, “I bought you a set of brushes, ink, paper and inkstone, all from the newly opened Four Treasure House!”

“Isn’t their paper very expensive and hard to buy?” Qingwan looked surprised.

“Yes, but it’s okay, your little brother has some money stored away!” Yilin answered with a cheeky grin.

“Yilin, you are so good to me!” Qingwan murmured tenderly, overwhelmed with emotion.

“You’re my sister, if I don’t treat you well, who will I treat well?”

Qingwan hesitated, “But we also have elder sister who’s going to study at the magistrate’s office. I’m not sure how well equipped she is.”

“I really don’t care about her. Her business has nothing to do with me!”

“I should check on her. If she lacks anything, I can share with her some of mine. After all, she is our elder sister. She may not care about us, but we, as younger siblings, should care about her.’

Saying this, Qingwan walked towards her room and came back with a handful of stationery.

“Sis, I’ll accompany you! I’m afraid she might bully you,” Yilin followed.

“Thank you, Yilin, I will be fine. Even in the residence, elder sister wouldn’t dare to bully me.”

“Just because you’re kind to her doesn’t mean she will be the same to you! We must not be too optimistic!” Yilin was firm.

Anyway, today, if his sister wanted to visit Wei Qingruo, he would accompany her!

“Alright, in that case, you can come along. But once you see elder sister, don t say those things to her again. Big brother will be mad at you.”

“I know, as long as she doesn’t harm you in any way, I definitely won’t take the initiative to provoke her today,” Yilin promised Qingwan.

Upon arriving at Tingsong Garden, Wei Ruo was busy fertilizing the seedlings of sweet potato, loofah, pumpkin, and gourd that she had planted in the courtyard.

The seedlings had already grown lush and green, climbing halfway up the wall. “Sister,” Qingwan intruded, walking up to Wei Ruo, “Sister, you’ll be attending classes at the magistrate’s office in a few days. I’ve prepared some stationery for you, and I hope they’ll come in useful.”

Wei Ruo glanced at the items in Qingwan’s hand, “I don’t need these things you’ve prepared. Take them back and use them yourself.

Qingwan was taken aback, and said, “Sister, you can rest assured, these are all new items, never used.”

“I don’t need them,” Wei Ruo turned her down again.

Qingwan, feeling rejected, hung her head sadly.

Seeing this, Yilin promptly said, “My sister is offering you these things out of kindness. Why are you being so difficult?”

Wei Ruo laughed, “What’s the matter? Is it wrong of me to ask her to take them back because I won’t use them?”

“How could you not need what my sister offers you? It’s clear you’re just trying to embarrass my sister!” Yilin accused.

“Really? I don’t know if I need them or not, but you do?”

“You’re going to study soon! Stationery is a must-have!” Yilin said heatedly.

“So, what’s your point then? What necessary connection does this have to what I said about not needing the items Qingwan intended to give me?” Wei Ruo retorted.

“You’re deliberately pretending to be confused! You’re so annoying!” Yilin snapped.

Qingwan intervened, “Yilin, don’t be angry. It’s my fault. I didn’t choose the right gift. Don’t be mad at sister.”

“What are you talking about? Where did you go wrong? Clearly, it’s her!” Seeing that Qingwan took all the blame on herself made Yilin angrier.

His sister was always considerate towards Wei Qingruo, yet this bane of Wei Qingruo was continually dissing her and making things difficult for his sister! Whether it was because the commotion was too loud and a servant overheard and reported to Yun Shi, or Yun Shi by chance wanted to visit Wei Ruo, was unknown.

The moment Yun Shi stepped into Tingsong Garden, she happened to hear the quarrel between Yilin and Wei Ruo, and Qingwan was trying to mediate.

“What a commotion you’re making! This is a disgrace!” Yun Shi reprimanded sternly.

At Yun Shi’s appearance, the noise immediately stopped.

Yun Shi looked at them and said, “What happened? Why all this ruckus?

“Mother…” Yilin looked at Yun Shi with a pout, clearly wronged.

Wei Ruo looked on calmly.

“Wanwan, you explain what happened.” Yun Shi directed Qingwan to explain. “Mother, please calm down. It’s my fault. I prepared some gifts for sister, thinking she could use them when she goes to the magistrate’s office to study. But I didn’t prepare carefully, and sister didn’t like them. Yilin acted impulsively and started arguing with sister,” Qingwan explained.

After listening to Qingwan, Yun Shi glanced at the stationery in Qingwan s hands.

Then she asked Wei Ruo with a furrowed brow, “You’re going to study at the magistrate’s office, what’s the problem with Wanwan giving you stationery? Why aren’t you satisfied with the gifts she prepared for you?”

“I didn’t say I was unsatisfied. What I did say was that I can’t use the items, and asked my sister to keep them for her own use,” Wei Ruo slowly answered Yun Shi’s question looking at Qingwan, “Isn’t that right, Sister Qingwan?”

“Yes…” Qingwan nodded.

“So you’re saying you’re not happy with the gifts she prepared for you when you told her to take them back,” Yilin quickly jumped in..