Liu Ziyuan’s resentment deepened. His chest felt so tight that he simply turned his head away—only to meet Song Anhao’s fixed, watchful gaze.
“Have you finished The Chronicle of Grievances, Volume Three?”
Liu Ziyuan choked up and shook his head wearily.
These past few days, every time he saw Ruoxi writing those tales full of schemes, intrigues, and lingering romance, he had felt irritated. How could he possibly be in the mood to write his own storybooks?
“Not much of it. The Chronicle of Grievances, Volume Two is still selling, isn’t it?”
Song Anhao glared at him in disappointment.
“How can you be less diligent than your own sister? A proper man must take responsibility. This simply won’t do.”
Being rebuked for lacking responsibility by a child more than ten years his junior made Liu Ziyuan’s expression stiffen. Somewhat embarrassed, he lowered his head to avoid Song Anhao’s gaze.
“I’ve been feeling a little troubled these past few days. I’ll get back to writing when I return.”
Remembering Liu Ziyuan’s attitude toward Liu Ruoxi writing storybooks, Song Anhao simply shut his mouth.
He still did not understand why Liu Ziyuan objected so strongly to his sister writing fiction.
He could write himself, yet would not allow his sister to do the same. It was not as though writing storybooks was anything shameful.
Watching Liu Ziyuan suffer this setback, Liu Ruoxi pressed her lips together to hide a smile.
Whenever he saw her writing, her brother always had to lecture her. It was only fair to tease him a little.
She withdrew her gaze and looked once more at Song Jinzhao, her heart beginning to pound.
She wondered whether this storybook would meet the County Princess’s standards.
Cup after cup of tea was replaced on the table. The dishes had gone cold by the time Song Jinzhao finally looked up.
Liu Ruoxi clasped her hands into fists, her eyes filled with nervousness, afraid of hearing anything unfavorable.
Song Jinzhao set down the manuscript.
Turning toward Liu Ruoxi, she smiled and praised her. “It’s as good as your previous book. I especially like the ending.”
Liu Ruoxi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Really?”
She had been afraid that her ideas were too unconventional and that people would condemn her for putting them into writing.
Song Jinzhao nodded. “Your readers are women. Writing it this way is what will make it memorable.”
A woman killing her husband and then taking power in the name of her young son—such a course of action would certainly strike many women of this era as shocking and unbelievable.
Yet after the shock came reflection. Perhaps it might even change something.
Hearing that Song Jinzhao’s praise was sincere, Song Anhao eagerly picked up the manuscript and began to read.
After a few pages, it was much the same as before.
He quickly flipped to the final chapter. After finishing it, his brows furrowed.
He understood what had happened, but not why.
There was something rather strange about this storybook. He would have to examine it again when it was being printed.
“I’ll take it to the bookshop today and have someone proofread it. If there are no problems, it will be typeset soon.”
The storybook his elder sister liked could not possibly be wrong. Would this one make another fortune?
Seeing that both Song Jinzhao and Song Anhao were pleased, Liu Ziyuan let out a long, deep sigh.
Since he could not stop her, he could only minimize the consequences.
Gathering his courage, he said to Song Jinzhao, “County Princess, my sister is not yet married. If people learn that she writes such things, it would harm her reputation. I ask that the County Princess and Second Young Master Song please keep this secret and not let others know that my sister is the author of these storybooks.”
Song Jinzhao’s gaze paused before she looked at Liu Ruoxi, as if asking: What do you think?
Liu Ruoxi took a deep breath. The heavy stone in her heart finally fell away.
As long as she could continue writing, this condition was entirely acceptable.
“Let’s do as my brother says. Staying mysterious is rather nice, too.”
The stories she wrote were set either in the inner households of official families or within the grand estates of immensely wealthy clans.
If people learned that the author was merely an unmarried young woman with neither wealth nor status, they would inevitably feel disappointed.
Someone who had intended to buy the books might change their mind after finding out.
Since the person concerned agreed, Song Jinzhao had no objection.
“It is better if no one knows. Otherwise, people might come knocking every day, asking endless questions. That would only be a nuisance.”
Liu Ruoxi immediately nodded. “If people came to visit every day, I would never be able to settle down and write.”
It was as though a switch had been flipped in Liu Ziyuan’s mind; he instantly lifted his head.
Now that the family had money to prepare his sister’s dowry, it was time to find a matchmaker and make some proper inquiries.
