After Qin Liu Xi left, Wang Shi smiled at Qin Mingchun, who seemed on the verge of tears.
"Your elder sister is right. While handsome in youth, one cannot rely solely on looks as a man grows older," she said, gently patting Qin Mingchun's head. "You must excel in some form of talent."
Qin Mingchun respectfully watched her depart, then returned to his seat, rubbing his wrists. His hands were truly sore.
"Don't listen to your mother and elder sister. There's no such thing as becoming disfigured as you grow older. They're just scaring you," Wan Yiniang scoffed, eyeing him. "You don't resemble your sister. You've inherited the beauty of both your father and me. If I'm this beautiful, how could you turn out otherwise?"
Qin Mingchun's eyes lit up. "Auntie, are you trying to persuade me not to write anymore? If my elder sister beats me, you have to protect me!"
Wan Yiniang hesitated for a moment and then said, "You're a man. If you suffer, you must bear it yourself. How can you rely on Auntie? Auntie is delicate."
She didn't dare provoke Qin Liu Xi. Although she was foolish, her feminine intuition told her that Qin Liu Xi, as a daughter, was not to be trifled with.
Avoiding danger is human instinct, and Wan Yiniang, too, was well versed in this art.
Furthermore, although Qin Liu Xi didn't show it, who knows if she resents her?
Wan Yiniang shivered and said, "You should keep writing. Your sister seems quite mysterious. If she really beats you, I won't be able to help you, but I can at least apply some medicine."
Qin Mingchun: "!"
At such a young age, it seems like he's carrying too much!
---
In the main courtyard, under Wang Shi's care, Old Madam Qin drank her medicine and leaned against the head of the bed. "Did she really say that?"
"Would the daughter-in-law lie?" Wang Shi sat down, her face full of emotion. "This child unexpectedly has such a keen mind and can handle things calmly."
"Her appearance didn't take after Wan Shi, thankfully, and her mind isn't like hers either," Old Madam Qin remarked.
"It seems that the master of Qingping Taoist Temple has been teaching her as if she were half his daughter," Wang Shi said thoughtfully. "Qin Liu Xi mentioned that she has formally entered the Taoist path, but their sect also allows marriage."
In her view, Qin Liu Xi's demeanor far surpassed the girls of the Qin family, especially her intelligence. Those raised outside were unexpectedly outstanding, while the girls and boys at home, alas, couldn't compare.
"If the Qin family hadn't fallen, and she was under your name, she could have been matched with a decent family. But now..." Old Madam Qin's eyes flickered with tears, but she forced herself to hold back. "She's right. The Qin family is still in a precarious position and needs to keep a low profile. You must restrain them from going out."
"Mm."
"Her mind is sharp, but her attitude..." Old Madam Qin pursed her lips, not finishing her sentence.
There was a sense of distance, formality. On the surface, it seemed as if Qin Liu Xi and they were fine, but in reality, there was a barrier between them.
Wang Shi observed her expression and said, "Mother, this child grew up alone in the old house. It's no wonder she harbors grievances. We shouldn't force her too much."
Old Madam Qin looked over, seeing her unflinching gaze, and didn't continue with the topic. "Autumn is approaching. It's probably getting cold in the northwest. I don't know where Bo Hong and the others have gone, but wherever they are, we need to take care of them. Let Li Dagui go to the Ding family in Balihutong and tell them I want to visit their old lady. Let's have a chat between old sisters."