Chapter 6: Five Fruit Soup

Pei Hexin understood that this child had been spoiled by the hands of women since a young age, and now, being away from family and friends, missing those in the capital, it was inevitable that he would have a bit of a bad temper. With this thought, his heart softened instead, and he waved his hand, saying: "Alright, let's take a break for now, and we will go back to studying tomorrow." He calmed his expression and gently said, "In a few days, I will take you to see your aunt, and we will also apologize to the young lady of the Shen family."

Pei Jiulang bit his lip and left with a pale face

"Brother Pei, you jest," Master Shen said, cupping his hands in salute. He glanced at the sky and added, "It is getting late; I will take the two children back first."

Pei He comforted her a few more times: "This is not a unique copy; one can simply buy another. There is no need for Second Mistress to take it too seriously." He placed Shen Caiwei on the ground, gently patting her head with his large palm, resembling a benevolent elder.

Pei Jiulang bit his lip and remained silent

When these individuals were sent, they were instructed to take good care of Jiu Lang. Therefore, they panicked upon hearing that Jiu Lang was missing. At this moment, reflecting on it, they truly feel foolish.

Upon returning home, Shen Caiwei and the others were sent back to copy books. Shen Sanye, who had just been putting on a stern face to reprimand others, was nearly pulled by Pei Shi by the ear and complained to for quite a while.

She, like Shen Caiheng, was also pampered. Even in her previous life, towards the end, it was mostly her manager who coaxed her, and there were many instances where she shamelessly refused to admit her mistakes. It was rare for her to sincerely apologize to someone like this, and as the words left her mouth, she felt quite embarrassed inside

"Aunt, there are other matters to attend to." Shen Caiwei replied politely, then walked over with the book, raising her head solemnly to look at Pei Hebo: "Uncle Pei, I accidentally got the book you lent me wet."

Shen Caiwei's face turned red, yet her heart felt much more relaxed because of Pei He’s smile. She bit her lip but couldn't help revealing a hint of a smile.

Pei He made a statement, and Pei Jiulang, being at home, was naturally summoned quickly by everyone

Pei Jiulang had no intention of lying and straightforwardly stated the matter

Pei He raised his eyes to look at him, his expression solemn: "Speak, what trouble have you caused today?" Ever since taking on Pei Jiulang, this phrase had become the opening line of their daily conversations. Pei He occasionally felt a pang of sadness at the thought, as if he owed him something.

Pei He appeared completely unconcerned: "Am I not even capable of being the master of a cat?" He lowered his gaze to Pei Jiulang, his eyes as calm and still as a deep abyss, rarely showing such tranquility. "Your mothers sent you to follow me to Songjiang so that you could attend the Yuren Academy and study diligently, not to cause trouble. At present, the literary affairs of the world are flourishing, and talented individuals are emerging in Songjiang. Being able to study here is a blessing for you."

"How did you two come here?" Master Shen San took a sip of tea, glanced at the two people approaching, and asked. His gaze lingered on the wet hem of Shen Caiwei's clothes and the book she held in her hand, and he felt a flicker of understanding.

"One should not speak of another's faults in public." Shen Caiwei said earnestly, "In this matter, both Pei Jiulang and I share equal responsibility. If I were to drag Pei Jiu into this, he would not be present to defend himself, and it would surely be a blow to Mr. Pei's reputation. It is better for me to take the blame first. If Mr. Pei understands the situation, a simple inquiry will clarify everything. This way, everyone can maintain their dignity."

Pei He let out a sigh and closed his eyes, saying, "Call Jiulang up." Upon serious reflection, it could very well be that rascal who caused the trouble, making one want to give him a good beating

"Father." Pei Jiulang respectfully performed a bow. He treated Pei He with the same indifference as he did Shen Caiwei.

Pei He stood inside the room, watching as Pei Jiulang was about to leave. He gently spoke, "Tomorrow, have someone return your 'Snowball' to you."

Pei Jiulang nodded stiffly and silently withdrew.

Pei Jiulang suddenly turned his head to look at Pei He, his eyes seeming to ignite with fire: "That was given to me by my aunt!" He deliberately emphasized the word "aunt," clearly referring to the Princess of Ruyang.

Old Liu was already so frightened that she prostrated herself on the ground, repeatedly bowing her head: "It was the old servant who was momentarily confused due to being busy." She did not dare to be perfunctory in front of Pei He, and honestly said, "It was truly because the Ninth Young Master was momentarily out of sight, and everyone below was worried, which caused me to panic in haste."

He was taken aback for a moment after hearing Shen Caiwei's childish apology, and then he burst into hearty laughter as he picked her up: "To recognize one's mistakes and correct them is a great virtue. At such a young age, you already know to humbly admit your faults; it truly makes one see you in a new light." He gently tapped his forehead against Shen Caiwei's delicate forehead, deliberately ignoring the bright red birthmark, and laughed with great joy.

There is joy for some and sorrow for others; in contrast to the bleak and harsh circumstances faced by the Pei family, Shen Caiwei is evidently in a more cheerful mood. Shen Caiheng, this girl, is not one to lie; as soon as they got into the carriage and were away from outsiders, she immediately revealed everything about Shen Caiwei.

Pei He listened and felt an itch in his hands, eager to roll up his sleeves and give a beating first before anything else. He angrily exclaimed: "Nonsense! Even a little girl knows that one cannot shirk responsibility, yet you are even worse than a young girl?"

Shen Caiwei, feeling a deep sense of guilt, hung her head and stood there obediently, listening to the reprimand

Shen Caiwei stated that she was sincerely apologizing for her mistake, and indeed, she was genuinely acknowledging her error. Coincidentally, Liu Mama, who was assigned to take care of them, had not yet returned, so she took Shen Caihan's hand and went together to seek out Pei He to apologize.

Shen Caiwei secretly gave a thumbs up to Shen San Ye in her heart—well said! It is not the lack of resources that is troubling, but the inequity; having someone else copying the book alongside her feels truly exhilarating!

Pei He turned his gaze away, placing his hands behind his back: "Do not think that just because you cause a little trouble, I will send you back. You are a man, so do not act coyly like a woman; it is better for you to focus on your studies."

At this moment, Master Shen also stood up and said gently, "This won't do. Second Madam has soaked Brother Pei's book; how can we ask Brother Pei to buy another one himself? I will have someone send a copy over when I return."

However, with Pei He’s demeanor, although he cherishes books, he would not be angry with a young girl like Shen Caiwei

Master Shen coughed uncomfortably and, avoiding the sharpness of the topic, changed the subject: "Didn’t you have this five-fruit soup in the morning?"

He walked to the door and heard Pei He sighing behind him

Pei He looked at this situation and felt a headache—this was simply a calamity accumulated from a previous life. He waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright, you go back to the study and read. Reading cultivates understanding, reading enlightens the mind, so you should also learn to be more sensible."

She looked at Pei Heqing's thin face and slightly sharp long eyebrows, feeling a bit uneasy in her heart, but still mustered the courage to sincerely apologize: "I am sorry"

After a moment of silence, Master Shen raised his head to ask Shen Caiwei: "If that is the case, why do you not speak clearly?"

Pei Jiulang gave him a salute and then left with a cold expression

Master Shen San leisurely added, "San Niang also needs to copy."

The two little girls, who could barely manage to step over the threshold, suddenly ran over, startling the two people who were chatting over tea

As the saying goes, "Teach the wife by the pillow, instruct the children in the hall," Master Shen's single remark was already quite gracious. Although Pei He did not take it to heart, as the head of the family, he naturally had to express his stance, even if only in form.

Master Shen smiled and kindly explained: "You two sisters should share both blessings and hardships together. Since Second Sister has made a mistake, Third Sister should naturally bear the consequences as well"

Shen Caiwei immediately made a苦 face, pouting and remaining silent

"Since it is a monster created by Jiulang, why must they still be asked to copy books?" Pei said, putting down the translucent jade bowl with cloud patterns in her hand, and reproached in a delicate voice.

Master Shen casually glanced at the bowl of five-fruit soup. This dish does not require any rare ingredients; it is made by simmering red dates, longan flesh, and goji berries in water, then cooling it to a warm temperature. After that, chopped snow pear and banana are added along with an appropriate amount of rock sugar. The chopped snow pear and banana further highlight the vibrant colors of the red dates and goji berries, greatly stimulating one's appetite

"Second Sister makes a valid point and has done well," Master Shen San raised his eyes to assess the seemingly mature Shen Caiwei and the somewhat confused Shen Caiheng. After offering a compliment, he continued, "Then I will only punish you to copy the family rules once, and also copy the Book of Songs for me."

Shen Caiheng was suddenly startled and hurriedly tugged at Shen Sanye's clothing, unable to articulate anything clearly.

Shen Caiheng followed with a pained expression; unable to think of any suitable words, she could only tug at the cord hanging from her waist in a fit of frustration, doing so intermittently.

After seeing off the guests, Pei He immediately summoned the servant Liu Mama and asked nonchalantly, "Did I not instruct you to properly attend to the young ladies of the Shen family? Fortunately, this time it was only a book that was damaged. If anything were to happen to the two young ladies of the Shen family, could you bear the consequences?"

Ah! This time, Shen Caiheng was left speechless; this matter had nothing to do with her at all

Pei He joked with a smile, "I heard that your family has the Han version of the 'Book of Songs' unearthed in Fuyang, which is quite unique. I must say, I have benefited from this."

Pei casually picked up a white jade hammer and tapped it on the other person's shoulder, emphasizing with a firm tone: "Don't try to change the subject!"

Saying this, he glanced again at Shen Caiwei and Shen Caiheng, who was pretending to be a wooden man, and with a stern expression said: "You two are always so reckless. If it happens again, don't even think about going out next time."

Pei He offered a few words of advice before personally rising to see off Master Shen San and the two children in a considerate manner

Jiu Lang, you should also be more understanding. You were born into a first-class noble family in this world. If you seek nothing else, you can naturally live a life of ease under the legacy of your ancestors. However, as a man in this world, how can it be enough to live merely like this?

Although Pei Jiulang knew he was in the wrong, the pride of a youth at this age was inherently strong, and being called out like this only made him stubbornly silent.

Pei He was somewhat surprised, but his question was a bit different: "What about Liu Mama, who takes care of you?"

Indeed, as the saying goes, "After three days apart, one should look at each other with fresh eyes." My wife, upon becoming angry, knows very well what it means to "change the subject." Mr. Shen could only respond earnestly: "You often use Second Madam as a point of reference to motivate Third Madam. Over time, Third Madam must have developed some inner conflict. This time, I have asked Third Madam to share the punishment, so she will understand that Second Madam also makes mistakes, and she is helping to share the burden for Second Madam. In this way, she will feel relieved, and her relationship with Second Madam will improve significantly."

Pei Jiulang's face turned bright red. His complexion was originally almost pale and tender, and with this flush, it appeared a rosy hue, resembling a drop of blood. For a moment, he looked both pitiable and endearing.