Chapter 8: Almond Tea

Shen Caiheng saw Shen Caiwei moving to the front and hurriedly ran up as well. She was the best at acting cute, standing on tiptoe to lift the almond tea from the table and offering it, saying in a childish voice: "Grandmother, have some tea"

Pei glanced at her concerned sister-in-law, feeling a pang in her heart, nearly bringing tears to her eyes, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words—among the three girls in the family, the eldest sister was renowned for her talent, and the second sister was diligent and studious, yet how was it that she alone relied on her wits to be lazy and unruly? She had lived a life of ease, only to stumble greatly in her daughter's upbringing.

If it is said that Shen Caiwei writes five large characters daily due to the beauty mirror, then Shen Caiheng, following the custom, is also supposed to write three sheets each day. However, Shen Caiheng, being delicate in nature and fond of playing little tricks, often secretly asks the maid beside her to help write one or two sheets. Logically, such behavior should have been discovered quickly, but aside from a period when Madam Pei was strict, she usually did not pay much attention, allowing Shen Caiheng to unknowingly indulge in laziness for such a long time.

Shen Caiheng raised her head, turned her dark, grape-like eyes, leaned in to hug the arm of Old Madam Shen, and pouted as she complained: "Grandmother, Father punished me and Second Sister to copy books yesterday..." She elongated her voice, blinked her eyes, and looked pitiful, "My hands were so sore from copying yesterday."

Shen Caiheng, feeling the piercing gaze of Pei, blushed and stammered an apology, saying, "Grandmother, it was my fault." She paused, not daring to look back at Pei, and continued in a soft voice, "I will practice my calligraphy diligently from now on and will not be lazy again."

Upon seeing her daughter in this state, Pei was immediately aware of the situation. Her heart sank, and she raised her eyes to look at Shen Caiheng, her usually gentle gaze turning sharp.

Shen Caiwei could not help but smile in response. She properly performed a bow and then threw herself into the arms of Old Madam Shen, acting coyly: "Grandmother, I miss you so much..." Among the three granddaughters, Old Madam Shen was most fond of Shen Caiwei. Out of pity for her losing her mother at a young age and with her father far away in the capital, Old Madam Shen often found excuses to send things to Shen Caiwei, even remembering to think of her when it came to snacks. Human hearts are naturally tender; as time went by, Shen Caiwei became very close to her grandmother.

On the morning of the second day, Shen Caiwei accompanied Madam Pei to pay respects to Old Madam Shen.

At this point, the Song family could no longer hold back—after all, it is said that one cannot refuse the gifts of the elders

Old Madam Shen suppressed a smile as she took the tea, reaching out to pull Shen Caihan, who was standing to the side, into her embrace. She laughed and said, "You two are truly the treasures of our family, growing right at the tip of my heart. If I don't see you for a day, my heart feels restless."

Shen Caifan reacted swiftly, stepping forward to bow to the old matriarch Shen. She was a product of standard lady-like etiquette—her movements graceful, her smile discreet, and her voice as clear as the first melt of snow: "Grandmother, thank you for your kindness."

Yan Hui nodded slightly, understanding the situation, and turned around to take the tray from the little girl behind her, lifting it up.

The snow-white jade she gave birth to is adorable, resembling a child mimicking an adult, which is most endearing.

Madam Shen observed her granddaughter, who was moving about in her arms like a monkey, and couldn't help but reveal a faint smile. She gently pointed at the girl's nose, which was as white as jade, and softly said: "You little rascal, your mouth is as sweet as honey."

Madam Shen glanced at the three wooden boxes on the tray, smiled slightly, and then turned to her eldest granddaughter, who stood quietly like a crystal of ice and snow, seemingly with a hint of nostalgia: "Time passes quickly... Soon, your aunt will be taking her entrance exam for the girls' school, and your second and third aunts will also be starting school. As your grandmother, I was sorting through the storeroom the other day and thought it would be good to prepare some things for you."

Shen Caiwei quickly pulled Shen Caiheng along and said: "Thank you, Grandmother"

Song Shi stepped forward and advised, "Mother, what are you saying? As an elder, your good intentions are enough. For those little girls, overly precious items are of no use. If they were to lose their fortune, that would not be good. " She spoke in a consistently logical manner, and her attitude was very sincere, making it impossible for others not to believe in her genuine intentions. "If Mother truly wishes to reward them, it would be better to have them serve by your side for a few days. If they can learn even a little from you, that would be the children's blessing."

"Who would laugh at a family member?" Lady Shen waved her hand nonchalantly, the intricate patterns on her forehead's longevity symbol clearly visible under the light. The wrinkles on her face still faintly bore the kindness and tolerance bestowed by the years. She suddenly turned to ask Shen Caiwei, "Second Mother also copied a book yesterday, but did she find her hand sore?"

Shen Caiwei knew that although the old lady Shen appeared amiable, she was quite calculating in her heart. As the Shen family came from a scholarly background, the old lady Shen placed great importance on the education of the younger generation. At this moment, she did not care whether she was undermining Shen Caihan, and quickly shook her head, saying, "Not yet, I only copied a small section yesterday." Her eyes twinkled, like dew sliding off flower petals, exuding an indescribable charm and liveliness, as she added, "Anyway, my little uncle hasn't set a deadline, so I can take my time to copy it..."

At this moment, cousin Shen Caifan was already standing there with Song. She had simply styled her hair into a bun, adorned with thumb-sized pearls that resembled flowers. She wore a plum blossom jacket in lotus pink, embroidered with white threads and yellow stamens, paired with a pleated skirt featuring a dark green cloud and wild goose pattern.

Pei gritted her teeth, and one could almost hear the creaking sound. If it weren't for her daughter still hiding in the embrace of Old Madam Shen, she would have likely called her over for a thorough scolding. Even so, she couldn't help but feel exasperated, saying, "This child is so inconsiderate! I didn't force her to write five sheets like the Second Madam; she is actually being so lazy and deceptive." Enduring hardships is the path to becoming a superior person, and even Pei herself had learned this lesson diligently. Yet, she still couldn't help but feel exasperated, saying, "This child is so inconsiderate! I didn't force her to write five sheets like the Second Madam; she is actually being so lazy and deceptive." Enduring hardships is the path to becoming a superior person, and even Pei herself had learned this lesson diligently. How could she know that her daughter couldn't even manage to write three large characters each day without slacking off?

"You little monkey, it seems you won't finish copying even by next year." Old Madam Shen couldn't help but chuckle. She held Shen Caiwei and laughed for a while, then raised her hand to ruffle her hair before turning to look at Shen Caiheng: "Third Miss said yesterday that her hand was sore after copying for a while; it seems she hasn't practiced her calligraphy enough in the past... Not to mention the eldest lady, even the second lady is now copying five large characters every day."

Last night, Pei had already heard Master Shen's explanation and understood his intentions. At this moment, upon hearing Shen Caiheng's complaint, she couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed and hurriedly scolded, "Third Miss!" Then she turned to Old Madam Shen and said, "This child is being thoughtless, causing her mother to be embarrassed."

Indeed, it is a piece of jade from san m.hetushu .com .com. One piece of sheep fat jade, as white as lard, with a radiant glow; one piece of Hetian red jade, with faint patterns, forming the character for "fortune"; one piece of emerald, as green as droplets on a leaf, vibrant and lustrous.

Madam Shen raised the corners of her lips, reached out to hold Song's hand, gently patted the back of her hand, and then said: "It's nothing, I can still manage these things. They have reached an age where they should have a few pieces of valuable jewelry." Before Song could respond, she continued, "It's not anything precious, just three selected pieces of jade. The lady has never liked gold and silver, but has always favored jade and stones; as a grandmother, I should have given a few pieces long ago. It's not anything precious, just three selected pieces of jade. The lady has never liked gold and silver, but has always favored jade and stones; as a grandmother, I should have given a few pieces long ago. The second and third daughters are also at the age for schooling, and wearing a good piece of jade on their collar would give them the elegance of a scholarly family."

Madam Shen slowly revealed a smile and interjected, "I understand that you are impatient with these trivial matters, and with your sister-in-law around, you are even less inclined to get involved. However, these two children have reached the age for schooling, which is a crucial time. As their mother and aunt, you should pay more attention to this matter." After finishing her words, she seemed to recall something and glanced up at the young maid Yan Hui beside her.

Pei seldom received such direct admonitions from others. Today, she was further agitated by her daughter's laziness, feeling a throbbing in her temples and dizziness in her head. Suppressing her anger, she lowered her head, bit her lip, and still bowed slightly, saying: "It is the daughter-in-law's laziness that has failed to manage San Niang well, causing mother to worry." She pressed her lips together, her eyes flickering, her lips as red as peach blossoms, as if she had made a great resolution, "In the future, the daughter-in-law will certainly discipline San Niang well, so please rest assured, mother."

Upon witnessing this scene, Song Shi could only step forward to mediate, saying: "It is natural for children to be playful. Second and Third Young Ladies are about to start their studies, so they will certainly understand the importance of things. In the future, if you do not push her, she will likely want to practice her calligraphy on her own." She then reassured Pei Shi, saying, "Moreover, Third Young Lady has always been clever; I find her handwriting quite good."

Madam Shen, upon seeing the expression on Mrs. Pei's face, immediately understood her thoughts and let out a quiet sigh. She released her grip and looked at her two granddaughters, who stood before her like budding flowers in early spring, her expression softening. In a gentle tone, she said, "Mrs. Pei, do not be upset. Since you wish to live a peaceful life and do not want to concern yourself with worldly matters, why then should you be angry now?" The implication was that Shen Caihen's situation was also due to Mrs. Pei's lack of discipline.

Her voice was gentle, her tone flat, and there was not a hint of reproach to be heard. However, Shen Caiheng beside her flushed red, feeling somewhat uneasy as she lowered her head to look at her own toes—she felt a bit guilty.

Ah, this is more like it. At her age, Old Madam Shen finds more joy in giving things to children than in receiving them. She personally got up to open the three boxes.

Although she spoke with a hint of shyness, there was still a touch of childlike cleverness and cunning in her demeanor, yet her eyes reflected an air of innocence and naivety. The adults in the room found it quite amusing.

This cousin neither possesses the dignified demeanor of Aunt Song nor the aloofness of Uncle. She has an oval face, long and delicate eyebrows, and a pair of bright black eyes, which further accentuate her translucent skin. She resembles a plum blossom yet to bloom, pure as ice and snow, exuding an innate coolness and pride. Upon seeing Shen Caiwei and Shen Caihan enter through the door, she revealed a rare smile, akin to the first thaw of ice and snow.