Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 352: Disposal arrangement

It was not Fang Qing’s place to criticize her in-laws and it was not like her in-laws had never tried to teach their daughter.
It was just that their daughter was so spoiled, how would it be easy to convince her? They couldn’t bear to worry about it but after so long, the matter had finally arrived.

Fang Qing did not go out, only letting Su Jing go to speak to Madam Su alone.

Madam Su’s expression was a bit ugly when she heard about it but the first thing she asked was: “Did Xin’er go meet that Yuhe county’s Lian girl at a disadvantage? Min Zhi didn’t help outsiders bully Xin’er, right?”

As for Cui Shao Xi being in love with Lian Fang Zhou and wanting to marry her, she didn’t believe a word of it! However, she felt that it was likely that Min Zhi had deliberately caused such a misunderstanding to stop her daughter from pestering him.
Ah, in fact, it was okay for her daughter’s hopes to die.
Perhaps now she could obediently listen to her parent’s words and marry someone!

Angry, Su Jing he exclaimed: “Mother, what are you talking about! This is Xin’er you are talking about!”

“You little bastard,” Madam Su gave her son a fierce look: “Of course I know my daughter but how can I not ask? I can’t bear her being wronged even a little bit! That Miss Lian, I know she has suffered and we are in the wrong.
As long as she didn’t hurt Xin’er, I will ask the housekeeper to bring her some silver coins as compensation and say a few good things! That cotton, if Xin’er dislikes it, it’s it fine to destroy it, right? Is this such a big thing? Let’s just pay for it! Before, she ruined those exotic, rare begonias of that family and it cost a few taels of silver.
Could the cotton be worth more than that?”

“…” Su Jing He was awed by Madam Su and said, half whispered: “Good, Mother! Everyone says that I am unreasonable but compared to you, Mother, I am nothing! No wonder you are my mother!”

Madam Su didn’t find this funny at all.
Frowning, she said: “What’s wrong with what I said? Didn’t I say I would compensate her for what my daughter did wrong? I know Miss Lian is your wife’s distant cousin.
For your wife’s face, it’s okay to give a little more! If you let your sister’s heart break, she might not be able to recover!”

Su Jing He felt that he couldn’t communicate with his mother at all so he decided to put it aside, otherwise he would never be able to continue explaining the matter clearly.
Sternly, he said: “In any case, this matter was clearly instigated by someone to take advantage of Xin’er! Xin’er is pure natured and liked Min Zhi, who knows what that person wants to do! So insidious! Hmph, dare to use my sister, I will not forgive him!”

Madam Su heard this and immediately felt annoyed: “Really bold! Our Su family is still here but those people still dare to use Xin’er! Ask someone to find that person and give them a good lesson for me!”

“This is natural!” Su Jing He said, feeling relieved.
He took the opportunity to say: “Now, things are still not clear.
I am worried that the person will try to use Xin’er again.
For the next few days, Mother, you have to ask people to watch closely.
Xin’er is not allowed to go out! This will prevent her from being used again.”

Su Jing He emphasized this a few more times and then left.

He immediately left for Xiuyuan to find Cui Shao Xi to ask him about Fang Qing’s guesses.

However, Cui Shao Xi had nothing to add and decisively shook his head no.
After confirming this, Su Jing He went home.

When he returned, he sat with Fang Qing thoughtfully for a while.
Eventually, Fang Qing said: “If it hadn’t been said in the letter, Xin’er would have never known that Fang Zhou planted cotton, let alone thought of destroying it.
Could it be that the true target is the cotton?”

Although Shuangliu county and Yuhe county were neighbors, there was still some distance between them.
Usually, Fang Qing was busy minding her own businesses as well as taking care of her husband and son, she didn’t have much time or energy to care about irrelevant matters.
But after deliberating about it, she really couldn’t think of anything more important.

She smiled and said: “Forget it! When I go to see Fang Zhou tomorrow, I will find out!”

“I will go with you,” Su Jing He said, “I want to see it too!”

Fang Qing disagreed: “Next time, she said.
“It’s better for you to keep watch over Xin’er at home! Besides, if you go, there are some things that I can’t say to Fang Zhou.”

Su Jing He thought about this and then said: “Oh.”

His eyes flashed and he turned a gossipy smile on Fang Qing: “You say, do you really think Min Zhi has fallen in love with your cousin, Fang Zhou?”

Fang Qing raised an eyebrow and stared at him, saying lightly: “What do you mean by this?”

“Nothing! Don’t be nervous!” Su Jing He shook his head, smiling: “Even if it’s true, this is Min Zhi’s freedom! I will not bother your cousin because of Xin’er!”

Fang Qing’s expression relaxed.
She shook her head: “Fang Zhou will never agree to be with Min Zhi, anyways.
Don’t talk nonsense!”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Su Jing He said smugly: “Aren’t we also married now? It’s good timing, maybe they have a fate together!”

“…” Fang Qing thought: I’d admire your mind as your wife but…

“I said it definitely won’t happen so it won’t!” Fang Qing glared at him when she say that he wanted to say more.
“I know how you like to compete with Min Zhi!”

“…” Su Jing He hadn’t had his sore spot poked like this for a long time.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t find a word to say.
After half a moment, he snorted dully and said: “Didn’t you say not to mention the past?”

~-~

The news of Su Xin’er leaving in tears soon reached Zhao Ru Jun’s ears.
Her expression was as dark as the ocean and her pretty face was like frost.
Xi Que, who had been foolish enough to report the news, shuddered and stood back with her hands held behind her, not daring to move.

The sunlight on the blue brick floor outside the window was bright and dazzling.
In contrast, everything in the room looked gloomy and cold.
Even Zhao Ru Jun’s face was filled with shadows.

Xi Que glanced at her and then quickly lowered her head.
She couldn’t help but secretly wonder in her heart: when did she start to be like this? The young lady was no longer as elegant and beautiful as before.
She had always seemed so calm and confidence when she acted; everything had been under her control.
There had always been a flower-like smile at the corner of her mouth, as if she had been born high beyond reach!

Not like now, when her whole body seemed to radiate hostility so that it was daunting to approach.

“What a stupid thing, almost like a pig!” Zhao Ru Jun shook her fist, unable to help cursing: “Even her childhood sweetheart has been hooked away by others but in the end, she can’t even avenge herself! Instead, she only knows how to get angry and cry! Is it possible the power of the Su family is only for decoration!?”

Xi Que moved her mouth but thought better and closed it.

TN: More and more, SJH reminds me of the male lead in a harlequin romance novel where in his own novel, he’s the baddest guy around, but in the next novel, he’s a doting husband and/or father, cheerful encouraging his charming rogue friends to fall in love too.