Chapter 5: Rose Dew

This remark seemed to have touched a sensitive nerve in Pei Jiulang, as his expression suddenly darkened. He simply let out a cold laugh and said, "Do as you wish, you ugly creature"

These two individuals share a kindred spirit and are both well-educated scholars; when they converse, they find great resonance with each other, making it difficult for a third person to interject.

Although bullying children is quite shameful, the behavior of unruly children is extremely annoying, and not bullying them can be quite uncomfortable for oneself. Moreover, given Pei Jiulang's appearance, it is quite possible that he could easily convince others with just a few words.

After a cup of tea, Master Shen San set down his teacup with a sense of lingering enjoyment. He noticed the two girls below, each sporting a pair of topknots, staring at him with wide eyes, looking somewhat bewildered. He couldn't help but smile and said, "I was so busy talking with Brother Pei that I completely forgot about the two of you!"

Shen Caiwei felt as if she had swallowed a mouthful of bitterness at the thought of being punished with copying the family instructions upon her return. It is true that she loves reading, but this does not include the convoluted and troublesome family instructions of the Shen family. Although the family instructions are only a few hundred words when compiled, each word is precious, yet the original document still weighs as much as a small booklet. She is only six years old now, lacking in strength, and still needs to practice her writing. If she were to copy the family instructions, it would likely take a very long time.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, looking down at Shen Caiwei with a condescending gaze, deliberately elongating the last three words, conveying an indescribable sense of light disdain and mockery, as if ridiculing the saying "ugly people often cause trouble"

Seeing the other party about to leave with the cat, Shen Caiwei, in a rush, quickly jumped down from the Luohan couch and ran over, exclaiming, "Wait!"

Due to his upbringing, he spoke in a very polite manner, but to Shen Caiwei's ears, it sounded quite harsh

Liu Momo was also somewhat uneasy about Shen Caiheng and Shen Caiwei. She approached and said to them: "Some matters have arisen at the back, and this old servant needs to go take a look. You two young ladies should sit for a while and absolutely must not wander about." She was unable to set her mind at ease and repeated several times, "Do not wander about."

The rose essence is more precious than the rose broth we usually consume at home, as it is a rare item. The small bottle is adorned with a pale yellow label, which only someone of Pei He's background could so easily present.

This was akin to adding fuel to the fire. Shen Caiwei was so exasperated that she couldn't help but glare at the other person, her cheeks puffed up in anger: "Why are you being so unreasonable!"

Shen Caiheng was originally a child with a temper; sometimes she would just fidget while sitting. Shen Caiwei, as if to soothe her, stuffed a piece of rose pastry into her mouth and then lowered her head to continue reading. She was engrossed in her reading and was just about to reach out for a sip of rose dew when she suddenly heard someone outside the window call out: "Xuetuan'er"

When she spoke, her voice was soft and delicate, almost like she was being coy; even when she was angry, she was still quite adorable. Pei Jiulang watched as this unfamiliar little girl became so angry that her cheeks flushed, resembling a snowball that was pouting in a huff. He found it increasingly amusing, yet still deliberately maintained a stern expression to tease her, saying: "My father has always cherished his books; you have made the book wet, so you should first think about how to make amends."

What she just said was merely a threat to the other party. Even without mentioning how low it is to shirk responsibility, those within the family know their own affairs. Whenever Shen Caihen tells a lie, she stutters and cannot provide false testimony; it would be a blessing if she doesn't hold anyone back. It would be better for her to honestly admit her mistakes.

The maid who fetched the book spoke for a while before politely withdrawing, leaving only Liu Mama to attend by the side. However, it was unclear what had happened, as a little maid came in shortly after and, after a brief conversation, called Liu Mama away.

Shen Caiwei exercised little, and as she ran along the way, her cheeks inevitably flushed a tender pink. This little girl, dressed in a dark green spring shirt adorned with scattered golden and silver patterns, had a vibrant color that was as clear and transparent as morning dew, making her appear like a flower bud just beginning to show its color, lively and charming. However, the small birthmark visible on her right eye diminished her otherwise vibrant appearance by four parts out of ten.

Pei He couldn't help but laugh, and as he laughed, he began to sigh: "Girls are indeed better; a book and a plate of snacks can easily win them over. My child, that little troublemaker, truly makes one worry to no end." After all, he was the host, and being attentive, he added a reminder: "Have someone bring over two cups of rose dew; this drink is sweet and somewhat fragrant, it should be palatable, and the girl will likely enjoy it."

Shen Caiwei was slightly shorter than Pei Jiulang. She reached out and grabbed his sleeve, gently saying: "Your cat startled me just now, causing me to wet my book. You must accompany me to apologize to Uncle Pei."

Shen Caiwei felt a surge of anger rising from the depths of her heart, and in her exasperation, she smiled, the dimple at the corner of her lips appearing faintly: "Well then, I will go tell Uncle Pei that you are the one who got this book wet." She deliberately raised her eyes to look at Pei Jiulang and said word by word, "In any case, you have no witnesses, and I have a younger sister. I wonder who Uncle Pei will believe!"

Master Shen San smiled and added, "Bring a book for Second Madam, and serve a plate of snacks to Third Madam"

Without waiting for Shen Caiwei, whose eyes were ablaze with anger, to say anything, he decisively rolled up his sleeves and, holding the cat, walked away directly. With his tall stature and long legs, he moved quickly, and in the blink of an eye, he had vanished from sight

Shen Caiwei held her breath for a moment, and after a long while, she gritted her teeth and replied: "Of course I will go and admit my mistake"

Shen Caiwei swallowed her anger, but in her heart, she had drawn a big cross over Pei Jiulang.

The old lady gently placed Shen Caiheng and Shen Caiwei onto the Huanghuali wood-carved Luohan couch near the window. She arranged the snacks and the brewed rose dew on the narrow waist table and said softly: "The second young lady and the third young lady should wait a moment; the third master will return to take you back once he has spoken well."

It seems that he is indeed the owner of this cat, and he is likely the ninth son of the Pei family who came from the capital along with Pei He.

Although he is still a little brat, he lacks any gentlemanly demeanor and even bullies little girls. If given the chance, she will definitely make him understand what it means to "offend a scoundrel rather than offend a woman"

The girl who brought the book appeared to be only in her teens, with delicate features and dressed in a garment of autumn fragrance color, her figure graceful. She was evidently accustomed to serving in Pei He's study, and when she smiled, her eyes sparkled, evoking a softness akin to the warmth of spring river waters: "Miss Er is probably about to start her studies, right? The 'Book of Songs' will certainly be part of the curriculum, so why not take a look at it now."

The cat was born exceptionally well, landing on the ground like a snowball, without a hint of mixed color. Its pair of eyes was a brilliant green, resembling fine jade, and it was not afraid of people; it turned around and ran back towards the door.

Pei He heard the strings and understood the elegant intention, so he turned his head and instructed someone, saying: "Take Second Miss and Third Miss to the outer room to sit for a while"

Shen Caiwei had not suffered such a loss for a long time, and she glared at the cat that could be considered the "culprit"

Shen Caiwei's gaze involuntarily followed the cat as it turned, eventually landing on the young man standing at the door

Pei Jiulang unconsciously pressed his lips together, making the contours of his face appear even sharper. Although he maintained a calm demeanor, for some reason, he suddenly felt an urge to touch this girl's head as if he were caressing a snowball.

Shen Caiwei understood that Pei He had just moved in and did not like too many people attending to him, so she was concerned that there might not be enough hands during critical moments. She nodded empathetically and said in a childish voice, "Mm, we won't wander around."

Shen Caiwei felt somewhat uneasy, but she still spoke first to comfort Shen Caiheng: "It's alright, I will go and apologize to Uncle Pei." Although she said this, she felt quite uncertain inside. Looking at Pei He’s demeanor, he seemed to cherish books greatly; if he truly was someone who valued books above all else, she would have caused a significant disaster, and even if she returned, she would not escape punishment.

Even if she were to explain the reason, the phrase "scared by the cat" sounds like a child's excuse to evade responsibility, which is rather off-putting. Furthermore, there are no witnesses from the Pei family present here.

Shen Caiheng, who only knows how to speak after the fact, slowly approached and, with a hint of sisterly concern, asked, "What should we do?" She was genuinely worried about Shen Caiwei.

The boy was approximately seven or eight years old. Although his features had not yet lost their childishness, his straight nose already revealed a hint of sharpness, exuding a rare youthful vigor. Generally speaking, girls develop earlier than boys, so he should not have been much taller. However, it seems he had practiced martial arts, as he was somewhat taller than his peers. Dressed in a lake blue robe adorned with golden cloud patterns, he stood at the doorway, truly embodying a sense of elegance akin to that of pine and jade.

Shen Caiwei politely expressed her gratitude to *Tu* and then began to read the Book of Songs slowly. This was a required subject for her studies, and she had naturally read it at home as well. However, at this moment, as she read it with a calm mind, she could not help but be drawn into the poetic world, experiencing a sensation akin to mild intoxication, as if savoring fine wine

Then someone took a copy of the Book of Songs from the study—naturally, a scholar of Pei He’s caliber would have an abundance of books in his residence, but there were not many suitable for a young girl like Shen Caiwei. Thus, they could only bring a copy of the Book of Songs.

Upon hearing that something had happened, Shen Caiheng immediately relaxed her brow and obediently followed the old woman, being as well-behaved as she could be. Shen Caiwei thought that she could read for a while, so she also went along.

Pei Jiulang was inherently eccentric and rarely paid attention to those he did not know. He initially did not intend to acknowledge Shen Caiwei, but seeing the little girl running behind, panting heavily, he had no choice but to stop and truly wait for her.

The future is long, just wait and see

Shen Caiheng was taken aback, her mouth agape as she said, "Where did this cat come from..." She quickly regained her composure and exclaimed, "Second sister, this book belongs to Uncle Pei. If it gets wet, we will definitely be scolded. What should we do?"

Pei Jiulang did not expect the other party to say this. He fixed his gaze on Shen Caiwei for a moment, and with an unchanged expression, said: "What does this have to do with me?" He continued earnestly, "It was you who got the book wet; how can you blame Xue Tuan'er and me for it?"

With Pei Jiulang following behind, it is possible that she might even escape punishment

A snow-white cat unexpectedly darted in through the window, as swift as a flash of lightning. Shen Caiwei was unable to steady the cup in her hand for a moment, causing it to tilt and drench the Book of Songs she was holding.

Liu Momo, feeling anxious, hurriedly ran out after receiving the news