Chapter 104
"Thank you for your concern, sister. That boy of mine—what could possibly happen to him? Honestly, he seems completely fine. It’s us who... well, we were terrified." Lin Ziyi sighed, feeling a little embarrassed.
After all, she had cried herself sick over her troublesome son, nearly fainting from worry. First, he ran away from home, and then he got kidnapped! The whole ordeal had been utterly harrowing.
Thankfully, the kidnappers hadn’t meant him any real harm—otherwise, she didn’t know how she’d go on living. But the little rascal, upon returning, kept babbling about some "uncle who could fly." If she weren’t afraid he’d run off again, she’d have given him another beating right then and there.
At the thought, Lin Ziyi heaved another long sigh.
"Elder Sister Lin, is something troubling you?" Li Zhiwei had noticed Lin Ziyi sighing repeatedly since she arrived.
Being one of the few women in the capital she could confide in, Li Zhiwei couldn’t help but ask.
"Oh, it’s nothing, nothing." Lin Ziyi forced a smile. How could she admit to Li Zhiwei that her son was the source of her frustration?
Though, truthfully, he was a handful. Now, she couldn’t even scold or punish him—she just had to endure the irritation.
"Mother, you wanted to see me?" Wei Herui stepped into the courtyard, eyeing Lin Ziyi warily, half-expecting another thrashing.
But his father and mother had both promised not to hit him anymore.
And he, in turn, had sworn never to run away again!
He still wanted to find that flying uncle, but he didn’t dare wander off recklessly now.
"Wei Herui!" Xu Qingshi, who had been standing quietly beside Li Zhiwei, finally spoke up. He hadn’t interrupted the adults’ conversation—after all, their topics were dreadfully dull.
"Xu Qingshi!" Wei Herui was surprised to see him here.
Where was the flying uncle?
"Xu Qingshi, take me to that amazing flying uncle right now!" Wei Herui grabbed Xu Qingshi’s hand excitedly.
"What flying uncle? I have no idea what you’re talking about." Xu Qingshi eyed Wei Herui skeptically.
Hadn’t he been kidnapped by those villains? Did they swap his brain while they were at it?
He looked... not particularly bright right now.
"Herui, come greet your Aunt Li properly!" Lin Ziyi rubbed her temples but quickly motioned for Wei Herui to pay his respects.
After all, Li Zhiwei had come specifically to see him.
"Greetings, Aunt Li!" Wei Herui bowed obediently, thinking to himself that Xu Qingshi’s stepmother was quite pretty.
But was she strict?
Would she chase Xu Qingshi around with a feather duster like his own mother did?
"So this is Young Master Wei! What a well-mannered child. I’ve heard you’re exceptionally talented in reading and writing—Qingshi could learn a lot from you." Li Zhiwei praised him warmly.
She then took a set of fine writing materials from Qinghua, along with The Elementary Learning and Selected Ancient Essays (recommended by Xu Qingshi), and an illustrated version of the Four Books and Five Classics (suggested by a servant), and handed them to Wei Herui with a smile.
"A small gift for our first meeting. I hope you like it."
Wei Herui stared at the items in horror.
What was all this?
He hated reading and writing!
Why was Xu Qingshi’s stepmother giving him these things? And those thick books—what was he supposed to do with them?
No, thank you!
Xu Qingshi, standing nearby, stifled a laugh at Wei Herui’s dismayed expression.
Served him right!
"Child, take the gifts from your Aunt Li! Sister Li, you’ve chosen so thoughtfully!" Lin Ziyi urged Wei Herui to accept them.
Tears welling in his eyes, Wei Herui reluctantly took the items, his heart sinking.
Xu Qingshi’s stepmother was just as annoying as Xu Qingshi himself! Giving him writing tools and books—ugh!
He hated Xu Qingshi. And now, he hated Xu Qingshi’s stepmother too.
"Young Master Wei, do you... not like these?" Li Zhiwei studied his expression—there wasn’t a trace of joy in it.
She glanced suspiciously at Xu Qingshi, who was barely holding back laughter.
Had this little rascal tricked her?
"Of course he likes them! My Herui adores reading and writing. Sister Li, your gifts are absolutely perfect!" Lin Ziyi declared without hesitation.
Wei Herui gaped at his mother in disbelief.
Mother, what are you saying?!
Since when have I ever liked calligraphy or reading?!
I don’t!
"Young Master Wei is such a good boy. Qingshi, you should learn from him, understand?" Li Zhiwei instructed Xu Qingshi.
"Yes, Mother!" Xu Qingshi groaned inwardly.
Revenge had been sweet, but now he was getting dragged into studying too?
Desperate to escape, Xu Qingshi quickly grabbed Wei Herui’s arm.
"Wei Herui, I’ve never been to your estate before. Why don’t you show me around?"
If he stayed any longer, his mother might assign him more "educational" tasks.
He was just a child—he wanted to play, not study!
"Look how well these two get along!" Li Zhiwei remarked fondly as she watched them leave.
Lin Ziyi burst out laughing.
Those two had always been at each other’s throats before.
"Sister Lin, did I say something wrong?" Li Zhiwei asked, puzzled.
"Sister Li, forgive my bluntness, but children are fickle. One moment they’re enemies, the next they’re best friends. These two have never gotten along—I suspect the young master here tricked you."
Lin Ziyi couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory of her son’s devastated expression while holding those books.
She’d been searching for a way to discipline him, and Li Zhiwei had unwittingly provided the perfect solution.
Now, her frustration melted away. Just imagining Wei Herui’s miserable face as he struggled through calligraphy and reading filled her with delight.
"So... Young Master Wei doesn’t actually enjoy writing or reading?" Li Zhiwei finally pieced it together from Wei Herui’s reaction.
"Sister, whether he likes it or not doesn’t matter—I like it. Your gift was exactly what I needed!" Lin Ziyi said cheerfully.
Li Zhiwei was at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, at the palace gates, Li Tianyou was about to leave when—
"Father-in-law, wait!"
Xu Heming hurried after him, calling out.
