Madam Cui is the niece of Old Madam Cui. Although they are only cousins, this relationship has ensured a harmonious relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Old Madam Cui was already at the age where she could enjoy playing with her grandchildren. She was kind and gentle, and because she favored Cui Ling, she rarely had such moments. Therefore, Madam Cui was inevitably uneasy, worried that she had offended her mother-in-law without realizing it.
"Mother—" Madam Cui called out again.
Old Madam Cui sighed, "You're always so impatient. Don't you always have me here?"
Hearing her tone, Madam Cui immediately realized it wasn't her fault, and she relaxed, smiling, "Mother is right. With you as my pillar of support, what do I have to panic about?"
Old Madam Cui said calmly, "Let's go, let's go listen to Master Hong'en's lecture first."
"Yes."
Meanwhile, Yanran casually asked, while stroking Jiaojiao's back, "Cui Xiaoqiu, why doesn't your grandmother like me?"
Cui Xiaoqiu asked, "Why do you say that?"
Yanran glanced at him, blinked, and then waved her hand, saying, "Let's not talk about this anymore."
"Why?"
Yanran suddenly became a little angry. "Because you lied."
She's not stupid.
She's met so many people with her mother and aunt; can't she distinguish between goodwill and malice, like and dislike?
Cui Xiaoqiu's question, "Why?" was clearly intended to make things difficult for her.
Yanran didn't believe it; Cui Xiaoqiu hadn't sensed it.
That was his own grandmother; didn't he know her better than anyone else?
But whether she likes it or not, what does it have to do with her?
It's not like she'll lose a piece of her flesh.
She was just curious and asked, but instead of answering, she kept asking "why, why?" She was just wasting her good intentions!
Cui Xiaoqiu remained silent for a while, then said, "Don't be angry. I'll go back and ask Grandma tonight."
In fact, after he persuaded his grandmother yesterday, he heard her instruct the head maid, Yushu, to bring some snacks and toys that young girls like, which were obviously prepared for Yanran.
Yushu will not forget, nor dare she forget.
So it wasn't that the things weren't prepared; it's just that Grandma changed her mind and didn't intend to take them out.
But why?
Grandmother already knew that Yanran was the daughter of the Prince of Jin, but she didn't say anything.
Why did your attitude suddenly change so drastically after we met today?
Cui Xiaoqiu was completely baffled.
But he did lie, because he also sensed his grandmother's rejection of Yanran.
Yanran muttered, "I don't really care about myself. There are plenty of people who don't like me, so one or two more won't make a difference. But when I think about how my mother always smiled at you, but didn't get any reciprocation, it makes me really angry."
Is this on behalf of the princess who feels wronged? Cui Xiaoqiu was both amused and exasperated.
"It might not be because of you," he explained, "Because I can't think of a reason. Don't worry, I'll definitely find out."
"There's no point in asking, it's like I'm trying too hard to please her." Yanran waved her hand. "Let's not talk about that, I forgot."
Anyway, she was just playing with Cui Xiaoqiu, and it didn't involve any adults.
However, Yanran now feels that her mother did the right thing and did not rashly approach the Cui Family.
The Cui Family family is really hard to get along with.
Seeing that Yanran was unhappy, Cui Xiaoqiu felt a lump in her throat. After a long while, she finally said, "Shall we walk further inside?"
Yanran stood up and patted the dirt off her back. "Okay."
Yushu, who had been ordered by her young master to stand at a distance, quickly followed the two as they got up to leave, saying, "Young master, would you like to come with me to the front to get a peace charm?"
"No need," Cui Xiaoqiu said coldly. "You may leave."
He's not stupid.
He could tell that his grandmother was unhappy, and that the servants were also trying to treat her differently based on who she was dealing with.
Yanran, however, was "clear about her grudges" and didn't hold a grudge against Cui Xiaoqiu. She tugged at his sleeve and said, "Let's go, let's ignore her."
Cui Xiaoqiu, what kind of people are she surrounded by!
Because she doesn't want to please anyone, she won't be hurt by other people's attitudes.
Seeing Yanran's attitude, Cui Xiaoqiu breathed a sigh of relief and said as she followed her, "You're not going to stop playing with me, are you?"
"No," Yanran said.
"That's good. I noticed you were angry earlier."
"It's alright now. Fortunately, my family and yours aren't related. My mother is of higher status than your grandmother, so I don't have to deal with her cold attitude."
Cui Xiaoqiu: "..."
"Let's go." Yanran quickly forgot about her unhappiness. "There are wild jujubes and wild grapes on the back hill. My brother has brought me some before!"
"Is it tasty?"
"Sour jujubes are delicious, grapes aren't so good, but they're excellent for making wine. My mother made a lot; I'll ask for some for you to try later."
"That's not necessary."
Yanran said nonchalantly, "Don't worry, my mother is very magnanimous."
Unlike the women of the Cui Family, hmph!
Jiaojiao followed the two little people slowly, her huge body moving silently through the forest.
"Cui Xiaoqiu, look at the snail!"
"That bird is so beautiful."
"And there are hawthorn trees too! I'll pick some to take home later!"
Yanran's chattering voice rang out from time to time, and sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the two little ones and the big one.
The two found the sour jujubes first. Yanran rolled up her sleeves and, while picking at them, instructed Cui Xiaoqiu, "There are thorns, don't touch them, let me do it."
Cui Xiaoqiu was both amused and exasperated.
"I'm just physically weak, not clumsy." He pulled Yanran along. "Let me do it."
As she spoke, Yanran had already picked a handful of sour dates and stuffed them into his hand. "No, no, no, you sit over there and eat while I wait. If you get pricked, there will be a huge commotion when we get back."
Cui Xiaoqiu wanted to say something in her defense, but she didn't say anything. She just took the jujubes, wrapped them in a handkerchief, put them on the ground, and came forward to help.
Yanran picked and ate as she went, biting into the sour jujubes until they were crunchy, and urged him to try some, "They won't poison you."
Cui Xiaoqiu then tried one.
Yanran even forced one into Jiaojiao's mouth.
Jiaojiao resisted, but her objections were in vain. She chewed it, the sound of the pit being crushed was unusually clear, and then swallowed it.
Yanran: "... Silly Jiaojiao! Don't just sit around while you're out. Go catch a deer and we'll roast it, how about that?"
Jiaojiao remained unmoved.
Cui Xiaoqiu whispered a reminder to Yanran: "Buddhism forbids killing."
"I didn't kill her," Yanran said matter-of-factly. "It was Jiaojiao."
The problem is, we haven't even solved it yet!
"It's not a good idea," Cui Xiaoqiu said. "Master Hong'en will be unhappy if he finds out."
"Then forget it. I'll have my father take us hunting another day."
Cui Xiaoqiu expectantly, "When?"
Yanran looked at him, completely bewildered. "What are you so happy about? I'm not taking you. I was saying it's just me and my brother."
His family doesn't like him hanging out with her, so how could she be so tactless as to invite him hunting?
Cui Xiaoqiu immediately felt dejected.
"When I come back from hunting," Yanran comforted him again, "I'll give you all my game, okay?"
Cui Xiaoqiu smiled and nodded, "Okay. I've never been hunting before. Tell me what it's like later."
Yanran was immediately filled with sympathy for him.
But before he could speak, a guard not far away suddenly shouted, "Who's there!"