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Lotus Flower
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Lingxin was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the first thing her father would ask after coming back was actually this matter. Hesitating for a moment, she still let the servant girl go report, and then directly entered.
She really missed her father too much, not wanting to wait another moment longer.
Yu Bocheng at this time was still dressed in the fourth rank official gown of the Ministry of Works, sitting upright across from Yu old madam, his expression stern. The old madam further wasn’t her usual affectionate and gentle look, just faintly glancing at Su-shi on the other side. Su-shi although was also sitting, she no longer had her usual virtuous and dignified look, actually appearing dejected, yet not daring to make excuses.
“Grandmother, father, madam.” Yu Lingxin elegantly greeted, and at the same time, fervently gazed towards her father, her eyes somewhat heating up.
Father was still that tall and handsome look. Although he was a civil official of the Ministry of Works, but because he held an on-field position, needing to go out on assignments from time to time, his skin got tanned a bit dark. But, it was precisely because of this, he was even more vigorous and valiant looking than ordinary civil officials.
Especially the Yu Bocheng of this period, currently at the prime of his official career. Even though at this moment, his expression was solemn, carrying anger, but the vitality in his eyes and brows was worlds apart from that dispirited look where half his hair had turned white after getting sentenced to exile following the fall of the family clan that Yu Lingxin saw in the previous lifetime when finally meeting again for the last time.
“Ling’er?” Seeing his daughter, Yu Bocheng’s expression finally softened a little, and shortly after, directly got up, going before Yu Lingxin and examining her. Seeing her dressed in bright colors, also not having any fearful or terrified look on her face, he finally relaxed, softly asking, “Are you well? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Have you been sleeping well these days?”
Yu Lingxin was originally thinking of what to say or do first when meeting her father again. Was it explaining to him the previous incident, or secretly hint at some plans for the future, or perhaps have everything all tossed aside, first making some clothes and food for her father, and nicely bond for a few days?
However, when really seeing her father again, and hearing her father’s caring words, all her thoughts inside seemingly all froze in an instant, just having one thought left in her mind: ‘Finally seeing father again, this is father, this is father!’
All of a sudden, her eyes teared up, calling out “Daddy!”, and just directly ran into Yu Bocheng’s arms crying.
Yu Bocheng was startled. Although he loved this eldest daughter the most, he nevertheless was also used to seeing Yu Lingxin’s soft and timid look, very rarely seeing her being intimate. At this time, Yu Lingxin suddenly running into his arms and loudly crying like this, Yu Bocheng instantly just heartached like having gotten stabbed in the heart, and at the same time, as he lightly patted Yu Lingxin’s back, he angrily turned towards Su-shi, “You even dare say that you didn’t wrong Ling’er!”
Su-shi practically blanked. The lamenting words that she originally wanted to use to explain herself all stuck in her throat. However, the grievances that filled her heart nevertheless was about to overflow, “This….This…..This, eldest miss, where do these words come from? Where have I dared to wrong the eldest miss in the slightest? Eldest miss has always been perfectly fine normally. Her food, clothing, and living conditions, going in and out, what isn’t the best? Especially, especially lately, the old madam has also looked after her. How come just started crying like this? Eldest miss, you’re really wronging me, this step-mother, to death like this!”
At the end, Su-shi’s own eyes also reddened, and really started crying.
Yu Lingxin actually wasn’t really feeling wronged. But, in her father’s warm and firm embrace, the various hardships and regrets of the past life and this life, the different complicated feelings overlapping, for a moment, even if she wanted to stop her tears, she was unable to.
Forcibly trying to stop it, yet she was somewhat impatient, thus just started hiccuping.
Yu old madam hurriedly called Wen mama and Shuangye to bring over water and a handkerchief while she patted Yu Lingxin’s back to smooth her breathing, and at the same time, also got angry at Su-shi, “Ling girl has suffered a lot these days, even if unrelated to you, can she not cry to her father? Never mind that you’re a mother, even if just as an elder, seeing Ling girl this sad, do you not know to ask what’s wrong?!”
Su-shi immediately choked, hurriedly getting up, “Mother, you’re right, it’s my oversight.” She paused for a moment, her tears still running, “But mother, you should also consider for me. It’s hard being a stepmother to begin with, unable to hold too tightly or too loosely. Towards the eldest miss’s matters, it’s not good for me to meddle, but also not good for me to ignore. On normal days, when the master is in the manor, it’s still fine, but in the sixth month, the master was away. I originally didn’t have any confidence to begin with, yet at this time, as soon as the master returns, unknown as to what he heard from others, he just immediately say that I mistreated the eldest miss, and that I’m not virtuous. Mother, think of all these years how I took care of the eldest miss, did I ever mistreat her? I also feel wronged!”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Lingxin at this time had already gradually adjusted her breathing and also stopped her tears, directly leaning against the old madam, sitting onto the heatable brick bed. Just, her gaze was still fondly glued to her father.
As for what Su-shi said, she all didn’t take to heart. In this moment, seeing her father again, Yu Lingxin suddenly felt that it all didn’t matter.
Su-shi was indeed steady in conduct the great majority of the times. Aside from secretly cooperating with Qi-shi, she didn’t have any other malicious acts. At least, at present, she still didn’t.
Yu Lingxin right now just wants to nicely make up the father-daughter relationship she lost in the last lifetime with her father. In the future, if able to live in peace without crossing the borders with Su-shi, then she can also accept.
“What grievances do you have?” Yu old madam’s anger seemingly had eased a little, yet Yu Bocheng was completely unmoved, “Do you know, the matter regarding Ling’er’s horse carriage, it has already become a laughingstock among my colleagues!”
Once these words came out, from Yu old madam, down to Yu Lingxin, everyone was all shocked. Su-shi’s tears also somewhat stopped.
Yu Lingxin’s horse carriage breaking down when visiting the Chang’de Count Manor, and because of this, fell into a dispute with her birth mother Qi-shi……..
This truly was a very small matter. Moreover, the main parties of this incident was clearly the Kou family madam, Qi-shi, as well as Yu Lingxin, this young lady of the boudoir. How can it be this serious?
Even Yu old madam was all somewhat confused, “It’s this serious?”
Yu Lingxin’s thoughts however rapidly spun. That day, there were actually quite a few guests coming and going from the Chang’de Count Manor, and because she’d argued with Qi-shi for too long, the location also near the second gate, the people that saw were actually quite a few. Besides, this kind of matter more or less can be considered a bit of a gossip material. Even if the people that didn’t witness it that day were to hear about it later on, it also wasn’t strange.
At this time, Yu Bocheng also sighed, briefly explaining a few words. Turns out, among his colleagues in the Ministry of Works, he has always been at odds with an official with the surname Lin. Madam Lin had indirect relations with the Qi family, so that day, she had also gone to the Chang’de Count Manor, fully witnessing the argument between Qi-shi and Yu Lingxin.
As a result, when returning to the capital today, he first went to the Ministry of Works to give his work report. After reporting and about to leave, that official Lin just mocked him in front of the colleagues that he wasn’t upright, not strict in governing the family.
Because the matter had already happened, regardless whether Su-shi had intentionally damaged the carriage to facilitate the matter, or unintentionally had an oversight, giving the original wife’s di daughter a problematic carriage, he was all unable to escape from the words ‘not strict in governing the family’.
Understanding this layer, Yu old madam’s complexion wasn’t pretty either.
And Su-shi just immediately changed in attitude, using the handkerchief to cover her face as she sorrowfully sobbed, “Master saying it like this, then everything is all this wife’s fault. This wife has nothing to say. Just, also asking you to consider, every time you go on a business trip, it’ll just be for a month or two. At home, this wife both misses, yet also need to take care of the children. Even if there are places that are somewhat dissatisfactory, how can you bear letting this wife lose face like this in front of mother and eldest miss……….”
Su-shi’s tone was very soft, so it wasn’t good for Yu Bocheng to continue scolding. Moreover, what she said was also right. After all, she was the main wife in charge of the household. Never mind in front of the old madam, if he sweeps Su-shi’s face too much in front of Yu Lingxin, afraid it will be awkward in the future.
“Eldest one’s wife, the Kou family’s intentions, you really don’t know?” Yu old madam however didn’t buy her words, “These last two days, I let Wen mama carefully ask around. Previously, when the people from the Kou family frequently came, that servant girl called Caiyun actually just had them taken to Lianyi Residence without reporting. Lately, the Kou family has further been messing around like crazy. You’re just looking after the child like this?”
When Su-shi heard these words, she just cried even harder, “Old madam, please, even if the eldest miss really stays a few days with Madam Kou, what harm can there be? I’d also heard that the Kou family’s master might leave the capital, so just felt that Madam Kou will want to spend more time with the eldest miss. This is also the thought of a mother. Madam Kou may be short-tempered, but some things, whether it’s appropriate or not, how am I able to say anything. Old madam, master, it’s fine if you say I’m thinking too much, or care too little, but to say that I’m trying to deliberately harm the eldest miss, I will really be wronged to death!”
These words of ‘helping the mother-daughter pair’ really was very reasonable. For a moment, even Yu old madam’s expression somewhat softened. Yu Bocheng further wavered, even faintly blaming himself somewhat, feeling that today, having the anger from losing face in front of his colleagues vented out on his wife was a bit overboard.
As for Yu Lingxin, from beginning to end, she didn’t say a single word to Su-shi. She understood very well. Unless having experienced the past life, otherwise, in this life time, regardless of what she does, Su-shi can all use this excuse to escape from the blame.
Because most importantly, in this situation, the person that wanted to screw her over the most was precisely her own mother. Su-shi, as the stepmother, as long as she firmly insists that she doesn’t know anything, then regardless of whether or not her actions were appropriate, from a moral standpoint, it all wasn’t a problem.
And precisely at this time, a young boy’s clear voice sounded from the outside, “Sister Shuangzhi, since eldest uncle has returned, then I should go in to greet!”
Inside the central room, the atmosphere just happened to be somewhat awkward. Yu Bocheng dryly coughed, and then raised his voice, “Is it Zhengshan?” Quickly come in.”
Yu Lingxin counted the days, and just furrowed her brow.
Yu Zhengshan was her deceased third uncle’s son, just a month younger than her. Because his mother had also passed away from illness, he has been raised before the old madam since childhood. Although they were just tang[1] siblings, but because they grew up together, their relationship was no different from actual siblings.
Just, at present, Yu Zhengshan should be studying in the west district’s Qingyang Academy, normally also eating and living in the academy, having a day of break every month on the fifteenth and thirtieth. Today was the first of the seventh month. Yu Zhengshan shouldn’t be on break today. Moreover, yesterday, when the Yu Manor’s carriage went to Qingyang Academy to pick him up, Yu Zhengshan said that he had an appointment with his classmate, so didn’t come home. How come he suddenly returned at this time?
Yu old madam also missed this grandson of hers, so took the opportunity to smooth the current situation, letting Su-shi first go to the inner room to wash her face, and at the same time, let Yu Zhengshan come in to chat.
Who knew that just as Su-shi set foot in the inner room, they just heard Yu Zhengshan blurt out as he walked in, “Eldest uncle, why are you sending eldest sister to the Kou family?”
[1] In chinese culture, cousins with the same surname are considered tang siblings and are addressed like brother and sister.
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yep, this confirms it.
he Also got a rebirth/second chance…
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻