CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 134: QUARRELING AT FIRST SIGHT

Xu Shu managed to invite Doctor Li from the Imperial Hospital; Song Wei was extremely grateful, "For this matter, I owe you one. I’ll repay you in the future."

"Isn’t it a bit early to say that now?" Xu Shu raised an eyebrow, "Wait until sister-in-law can actually speak, then it won’t be too late to thank me. We’re not pressed for time."

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and glanced at Song Wei, "But there’s something I’d like to chat with you about."

"What is it? Tell me."

Xu Shu tilted his head towards the door curtain, ensuring Song Fang wasn’t eavesdropping outside, then cleared his throat, "Can you tell your sister to be a bit more courteous to me? I have no quarrel with her, yet every time she sees me, it’s like she’s seeing an enemy. She won’t be satisfied until she jabs at me. Not to mention, are all the girls from your place like this..."

"Like what?" Song Fang just happened to walk in, responding with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, her gaze cold.

"..."

Xu Shu wasn’t expecting Song Fang to suddenly arrive and quickly added, "Good-looking, like you!"

"Really? Just outside, I didn’t know who said I was tacky, only thinking about money every day, completely falling into the money pit. Never heard them say I was good-looking!"

"Who said that sort of thing? I disagree." Xu Shu looked indignant, "Loving money is good! It shows you know how to live and can manage a household. Look, what a fine girl, fresh and lovely; how is that tacky? Who can’t speak well?"

"Exactly! Who knows which blind fool just said such words out loud? I don’t even want to acknowledge them."

As Song Fang spoke, she went to the table to grab the anti-frost balm and sat beside Xu Shu, opening the lid and starting to apply it.

Seeing her focused on her hand, Xu Shu, with a dark face, kept winking fiercely at Song Wei across from him, eyes almost twitching, before Song Wei reluctantly paid him attention, saying to Song Fang, "Mr. Xu helped a lot today. Tonight, I’m going to keep him for dinner; little sister, make a few more dishes."

Previously, Wen Wan heard Song Fang and Xu Shu arguing outside.

Knowing her sister-in-law wasn’t fond of Xu Shu and felt uneasy with him present, she nudged Song Wei, indicating she’d cook dinner to save the trouble for her sister-in-law.

"No, I’ll just head back!" Xu Shu wasn’t willing to stick around with this stubborn, unreasonable country girl, "Our family dinner is lavish! We eat whatever we want, no one manages us."

Song Fang, aware of his hidden sarcasm, retorted defiantly, "As if anyone is eager to manage you."

A couple of words in, clearly on the verge of bickering again.

Concerned Xu Shu might say something provocative leading to an irreparable brawl, Song Wei promptly intervened, "How about you go back first; we’ll meet at the Imperial College’s gate tomorrow."

"Alright." Xu Shu stood up, "See you tomorrow."

After speaking, he lifted the curtain and walked out.

Song Wei got up to see him off.

As they reached the outer gate, Song Wei patted Xu Shu’s shoulder, "A towering man doesn’t need to be at odds with a girl."

"It’s not me going against her; clearly, it’s she..."

As Xu Shu started to speak, his voice weakened, "Never mind, never mind, after all, she’s your sister; you’ll naturally take her side."

"Do you know where you went wrong?" Song Wei asked.

"I..." Xu Shu was tongue-tied.

Wrong? He made a mistake? What a joke!

"Your mistake was trying to reason with a woman."

Xu Shu paused getting into his carriage, turned to glare at Song Wei, "So she’s wrong, and I can’t reason with her?"

"It’s not just her; it’s the same with all women," Song Wei said, "If you hold back a few words, nothing will happen."

Xu Shu looked shocked as if he’d seen a ghost, "Are women really that difficult to deal with?"

Song Wei chuckled, shaking his head, "Hurry home, it’s getting late."

——

Watching as Xu Shu’s carriage drove off into the distance, Song Wei then turned back inside.

Wen Wan had gone to the kitchen to cook, while Song Fang was using tongs to add charcoal to the brazier, humming a tune, looking quite pleased.

Seeing Song Wei enter, Song Fang looked up, "Has that annoying fellow left?"

Song Wei corrected her, "Regarding your sister-in-law’s matter, Xu Shu did a lot of work; he’s a benefactor to our family. You shouldn’t pick on him every time; he bears no ill will towards you."

Song Fang pursed her lips, "He has no ill will towards me, but he does towards you, third brother!"

"How so?"

"Think about it, you’ve only known each other a few days, why would he buy food every morning and wait at the gate of the Imperial College for you? Isn’t there a saying ’showing zeal without cause is either treachery or theft’? I think Xu Shu is both sly and cunning, probably with intentions even more malicious than Hao Yun. It’s better for third brother not to deal with him too much to avoid future regret."

Song Wei smiled faintly, "So that’s why you always pick fights with him?"

"Who’s fighting with him? I don’t even care to acknowledge him."

Song Wei was about to say something, but Song Fang switched topics first, "Forget the bothersome guy now that he’s gone. Third brother, tell me about that Hongwen Academy! It’s truly an official school for girls? Girls in the Capital can really attend school?"

Song Wei sat down, patiently explaining to her, "The Capital is different from our countryside. Daughters of official families must learn to read and write. Some families directly hire a tutor, while others send their girls to Hongwen Academy.

I heard Hongwen Academy is not much worse than the Imperial College. It’s just that the subjects for girls are different."

"What do they learn at Hongwen Academy then?" Song Fang was full of curiosity.

"Besides reading, they seem to learn about embroidery, tea preparation, incense burning, and flower arranging."

What Song Wei described was completely different from everything Song Fang had encountered in her previous ten years, separated by a vast distance. She couldn’t imagine how the daughters of Capital’s wealthy families, free from worries about clothing and food, spent their days surrounded by servants going to high-class schools like Hongwen Academy.