Chapter 008: Insight

In the end, Shen Lingcheng still grasped her hand and examined it. He noticed that not only were her fingers severely swollen, but even the palms were swollen to a considerable extent. He spoke gently, "How could you be so careless?"

Shen Changle immediately glanced at the old lady, fearing that she might take offense at this remark and develop a dislike for Shen Ruhuan, as family values in large clans emphasize brotherly respect and harmony. However, the old lady not only did not get angry but instead smiled warmly, indicating that Shen Jin's status in her eyes is not as significant as one might think.

"After the gentleman praised you, did you bring it before your sister to show off?" At this moment, as a pleasant and deep male voice sounded, Shen Changle's body suddenly sat up straight, her eyes fixed intently on the doorway

"Look at Father." At this moment, Shen Changle came to her senses, feeling a twinge of regret in her heart. She wondered if it was because she had been reborn that her temperament had become somewhat childish, as she found herself staring blankly at her own father.

Shen Ruanan noticed that she was silent and couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. He reached out and gave her a gentle push, saying: "Changle, why don't you ask me what I did today?"

When Shen Lingcheng entered, there were not many people in the courtyard. It was only when he reached the main room that he noticed faint voices coming from the adjacent room

"It was merely a careless burn on my finger, and it is of no consequence." Aunt An immediately shook her head, and after speaking, she unconsciously bit her lip. Her inherent beauty, combined with such a pitiful appearance, naturally stirred the protective instincts within Shen Lingcheng.

Shen Changle pouted and shook her head, saying: "I am not hungry; I am worried that the old lady might be hungry."

"Yes, yes, yes, our Changle is truly considerate." The old lady did not expose this little fellow, but still had a maid beside her bring a piece of cake for her. At this time, Shen Lingcheng and his two sons had not yet arrived, so it was not yet time to eat. However, the child could not help but feel hungry, so she was allowed to have a piece of cake to tide her over.

For the first time in her two lifetimes, Shen Changle felt this close to Shen Ruhui, and she immediately became shy and speechless. After all, she was not a three-year-old girl at heart. Moreover, Shen Ruhui's voice, which was half-smiling and half-serious, made her even more embarrassed, unable to lift her head.

After a while, the old lady grew tired, and only then did Shen Lingcheng take his leave. As he stepped out of the courtyard, the heat that rushed at him felt as if he had entered a steamer. A young servant carrying a lantern walked ahead, and when they reached the garden, the lanterns by the trees were lit, casting a layer of orange-yellow gauze over the entire garden.

At this moment, Shen Changle said beside her: "Grandmother, when will we have our meal?"

Indeed, as the saying goes, a dragon has nine offspring, each differing from the other. Naturally, some possess exceptional talents, such as her eldest brother, Shen Ruhui, whom their father named after a renowned minister, indicating his high hopes for his firstborn. As for her second brother, ever since she became aware of her surroundings, he not only lagged behind their eldest brother in studies but also frequently caused trouble outside, which often led to their father's anger.

The old lady, seeing that they had all arrived, instructed the maid to quickly set the table. Before long, the dining table was ready. Shen Lingcheng wanted to support the old lady, so he placed Shen Changle on the ground. However, as soon as her feet touched the floor, she was picked up again. Shen Ruhui held her, weighed her in his arms for a moment, and softly said: "Heavier."

Shen Lingcheng did not pay much attention to it; instead, he comforted her for a while and even sent a servant to the storeroom to fetch a special ointment for treating burns, which was a royal medicine. Aunt An, who was Shen Lingcheng's maid and had previously managed the storeroom, naturally understood the value of this ointment and immediately knelt down to express her gratitude.

"What, you don't know?" Shen Lingcheng's tone was somewhat unfriendly as he asked again

Shen Ruanan had always been disciplined by this elder brother, so when Shen Changle looked over, Shen Ruanan pouted and did not dare to speak further. Indeed, there is always a higher mountain; even someone as reckless as her second brother can only be kept in check by her eldest brother.

He looked at Shen Changle with bright, sparkling eyes, his face carrying an indescribable sense of anticipation. Shen Changle found it somewhat strange, but still obediently spoke: "I went to see Fifth Younger Sister. Father and Grandmother went today as well, along with Third Aunt."

"My lord," Aunt An called out somewhat awkwardly, and then added with a hint of playful reproach, "so ugly."

In the past, Shen Jin had often boasted in front of her that among all the granddaughters, the old lady favored her the most. Of course, this was largely due to her constant flattery towards the old lady. Previously, Shen Changle had looked down on this, but now reflecting on it, this family is all about blood ties, yet human hearts are inevitably biased; after all, everyone tends to favor those who frequently show filial piety towards them.

The old lady nodded, clearly very satisfied. Now that Shen Changle had a courtyard of her own, it was evident that, being so small, she could not manage everything by herself. Therefore, the daily upkeep of the courtyard still relied on Aunt Shun, Granny Xu, and several maidservants. Thus, the old lady naturally feared that the servants might overstep their bounds and ultimately bully their master. Consequently, aside from Lin's courtyard, Shen Changle's courtyard was the place she cared about the most.

Before he could finish his sentence, he received a slap on the back of his head. Shen Ruhui glanced at him and said, "Shut up"

Upon hearing the words "burn injury," Shen Lingcheng immediately snorted and glanced at the book. The injury on Auntie An's hand was on her fingers and palm; if it were a burn, it should have affected the back of her hand.

Fortunately, Aunt Shun is a person of great caution and meticulousness, handling matters appropriately and never daring to show the slightest disrespect to her master

However, as soon as she had just half-squatted, she was supported up by Shen Lingcheng

Shen Changle looked at him with a face that seemed to say, "Hurry up and ask me, you should quickly ask me." Only then did she come to her senses, realizing that her second brother was not actually interested in asking her anything, but was merely trying to show off. So she casually asked, "Then, Second Brother, what did you do today?"

The old lady praised, and the servant humbly replied, "I do not deserve such compliments. Previously, when the young lady was ill, it was our failure as servants to provide proper care." Aunt Shun naturally did not dare to take credit for this; she squatted down, her face full of deference as she spoke.

Due to Aunt An giving birth to a daughter, the Lin family, in order to demonstrate their fairness and generosity, specifically arranged for her to have a separate courtyard. Meanwhile, the other concubines and maids still reside in the same courtyard.

Shen Fu is the steward beside Shen Lingcheng and also the chief steward of the front courtyard. Although he does not manage the affairs of the back courtyard, he is still aware of the slightest movements there. As for Aunt An's injury, he is naturally well-informed. However, since this involves the Lin family, he is momentarily at a loss for words on how to broach the subject

"Sir, are we returning to the front courtyard?" the steward Shen Fu asked softly beside him

After a while, the bamboo curtain at the door was lifted, and a person dressed in a light blue robe, adorned with a collar and a name tag, rushed in. Upon seeing the elderly lady and Shen Changle sitting on the kang, he smiled before even speaking. After he paid his respects to the elderly lady, he moved over to the kang, sat sideways at the edge, and reached out to pinch Shen Changle's cheek.

Shen Changle pouted in dissatisfaction as she looked at him, and only then did Shen Ruhan smile and plead, "Changle, what have you done today?"

After the two conversed for a while longer, Shen Lingcheng finally took his leave

At this moment, she couldn't help but think of another person. Aside from her father, that person was the most handsome she had ever seen. However, the sharpness in that person's brow was too intense, unlike her father's calm and forgiving demeanor.

As soon as she said this, the maids and servants nearby all lowered their heads and laughed, even the old lady reached out and tapped her forehead, teasing her: "You little rascal, even when you are hungry, you still insist on pushing it onto others. You truly are a clever one"

At this moment, Shen Lingcheng looked up at the lakeside, where lotus flowers were in full bloom, and the lotus leaves stretched endlessly, almost covering half of the lake's surface. A faint fragrance of lotus flowers wafted through the air. For some reason, he suddenly thought of Aunt An from the daytime, her shy demeanor as she lowered her head, which was not inferior to these lotus flowers.

Although it was said that Shen Ruhan was merely showing off in front of his younger sister, seeing the little girl give him such respect made him feel somewhat embarrassed. He chuckled a couple of times and humbly replied, "Not at all, it's just that the teacher said my reading is fairly good."

After sitting down at the table, Shen Changle still had her head lowered

After waiting a while, Aunt An cautiously glanced at him, biting her lip and softly said: "Given my current condition, I fear I cannot serve the master."

The so-called ten years of hard study in a cold window is merely because the Shen family is a family of officials and scholars, thus there is no need for such arduous study. However, Shen Lingcheng has always held scholars in high regard, so not only does he devote himself wholeheartedly to his studies, but he also ensures that his two sons do not fall behind in their education.

"It is not hot," Shen Changle said cheerfully while looking at the old lady

Shen Lingcheng paid his respects to his mother and then noticed the little girl on the kang, dressed in a delicate pink skirt. Her pair of bright, large eyes resembled freshly picked purple grapes, glistening and round. Seeing that the little girl was slightly agape, seemingly in a daze, he picked her up and humorously asked, "What is Chang Le looking at?"

Shen Changle looked at his joyful expression and, feeling a bit jealous, asked: "Second Brother, do you also want to see Fifth Sister?"

Shen Changle couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this, for in her memory, her second brother had never shown any fondness for studying. She knew that both of her brothers were currently studying at the academy in Guangping Prefecture. However, Shen Lingcheng was also aware that there were many students at the academy, so he had invited a tutor to their home specifically to teach Shen Ruhui. Last year, Shen Ruhuan had already started his studies, so when he mentioned hiring a tutor, it was likely similar to what her elder brother had done, hiring someone to teach him at home.

After dinner, Shen Lingcheng ordered Aunt Shun to carry Shen Changle back, and the two young masters followed along. Shen Lingcheng stayed in the courtyard and chatted with the old lady for a while

Even though they had met several times before, seeing such a father now still left Shen Changle somewhat stunned. No wonder that in the future, her elder brother would grow into such a handsome figure; it turns out that her father was this good-looking in his youth.

In the past, Shen Changle had secretly complained about her second brother's lack of ambition, but looking back now, it seems that her second brother is not as unreasonable as she thought. He simply has a different temperament from the eldest brother. He has gotten into trouble several times, but it was merely in defense of the oppressed. On one occasion, he encountered the son of the Duke of Fuping who was harassing a common woman, and in a moment of anger, he took action. Unfortunately, the son of the Duke was quite inept and ended up with a broken leg after just a few blows from him, which led to the family seeking retribution, and thus their father had no choice but to punish the second brother.

Because Lin had a setback with the picture book, Shen Changle was quite pleased. Even when she entered the old lady's courtyard, a clear smile was still on her face, and her originally round eyes were now curved into a crescent shape due to her laughter

As soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, Shen Lingcheng's expression darkened, and he asked, "Shen Fu, do you know how Aunt An got this injury on her hand?"

Shen Fu did not know how the master found out, so he recounted everything in detail. However, he naturally did not dare to name names, only mentioning that Aunt An had come out from the lady's courtyard and seemed to have burned her hand.

Standing beside him was a young boy, whose height had yet to reach his father's chest. Dressed in a brocade robe, the air of nobility surrounding him commanded respect. Moreover, although he was still just a youth, he was already strikingly handsome, with his features gradually becoming more defined. With his sword-like brows and starry eyes, it was evident that he would not fall short of his father in the future

She is still young, so she usually dines with her elders. Previously, the old lady was worried that Lin might secretly mistreat her precious granddaughter, so she had Shen Changle dine with her. Upon seeing this, Lin naturally did not object, as she was also afraid that something might happen to Shen Changle under her care. Not only would it be difficult to explain to Shen Lingcheng and the old lady, but it would also be hard to account for it to the Zhang family.

Aunt An cautiously raised her head and noticed that Shen Lingcheng was staring at her fingers, so she carefully hid her fingers behind her back and said, "I pay my respects to the master."

"It is entirely my fault; I poured the hot tea and ended up scalding myself," said Aunt An, while the maid beside her appeared to be hesitating to speak.

The elderly lady, noticing that she now spoke clearly and coherently, praised Aunt Shun beside her: "You have served the third young lady well; each of you will receive a reward later."

"Get up." Shen Lingcheng stepped forward and helped her up. Seeing that she kept her head down, with a look of distress on her face, he asked with some concern, "How did you hurt your hand?"

"A little girl, who would want to see her?" Shen Ruhan waved her hand, displaying an air of indifference.

As soon as Shen Changle entered the room, she greeted the elderly lady. Upon seeing her, the elderly lady smiled and waved, saying: "Changle, come up quickly, it is still hot outside, isn't it?"

The young lady has already gone to bed. Shall I have someone carry her over for the master to see? Auntie An, seeing that he took the initiative to mention Shen Yue, was momentarily filled with joy and decided to have someone bring her over.

Upon entering the room, a faint scent of sandalwood wafted through the air. By the window, there was a heated bed, currently adorned with a layer of ivory-white cooling mat, which is said to be a tribute, originally bestowed by the late emperor to the elder and the library. This mat is woven from thin strips of ivory, and the value of such precious ivory, along with the craftsmanship required to create such a large piece, is undoubtedly significant. At this moment, the elderly lady was reclining on the heated bed, supported by a pillow featuring auspicious and prosperous floral designs. On the bed, there was also a small black lacquered table inlaid with mother-of-pearl, upon which rested celadon cups, bowls, and saucers.

Shen Lingcheng immediately said: "Since she is asleep, do not bring her over, lest she be disturbed and wake up."

"Shame, shame, shame." As soon as Shen Ruanan saw her father and elder brother approaching, Shen Changle immediately addressed her, saying this with a sour tone

Shen Changle saw the old lady smile, cupping her chubby face with both hands, and obediently said: "Granddaughter is afraid that the old lady is hungry"

"Second brother, you are truly impressive, your studies are excellent." Shen Changle extended her two chubby little hands to cheer on her second brother.

Then Shen Lingcheng comforted her for a while and casually asked, "Yue'er, have you been well these days?"

"Father said he would hire a tutor for me." Shen Ru'an straightened her chest, looking quite pleased with herself

"Aunt, please bear with it a little longer. If you do not change the dressing regularly, I fear you may end up with a scar on your hand in the future." A clear female voice rang out, followed by a faint, almost imperceptible moan.

The old lady turned her head and asked her with a smile, "What’s the matter, Le Jie'er, are you hungry?"

He reached out to grasp her hand, "Come, let me take a look."

When Shen Lingcheng lifted the curtain and entered, the people inside finally realized someone had come in. Upon seeing him, Aunt An immediately stood up and was about to kneel down. Shen Lingcheng frowned as he looked at her hands, which were originally slender and delicate but now appeared red and swollen, smeared with ointment, making them truly horrifying.

"I didn't strangle her." To everyone's surprise, Shen Ruhan not only failed to recognize her mistake but also stubbornly defended herself.

The door curtain was once again lifted, and Shen Lingcheng, dressed in a stone blue silk robe, stepped in, followed by a handsome young boy. Shen Lingcheng, needless to say, had already gained a reputation for his good looks throughout the capital at a young age. Although he had experienced the vicissitudes of life, his features remained exceptionally handsome, and coupled with the elegance that had been refined over the years, he was truly captivating to behold.

Although Shen Changle has now become a baby doll, she has indeed grown older at heart and is not willing to let others pinch her face. Previously, when Shen Lingcheng pinched her face, she merely pretended to be a child. Now that Shen Ruhan has taken her turn, she straightens her face and says very seriously: "Second Brother, please do not pinch me"

"Go to Aunt An's courtyard," Shen Lingcheng said, then lifted his foot and walked forward

He is indeed unaware that the Lin family now harbors such a malicious intent