Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 445 - 409: A Sister-in-Law Just Like a Mother
Yu Xiaolian gave an apple to Su Jinghua to eat on the warm bed while she called Cao Gen over to ask about Su Jingchen.
"What did he prepare before the exam? Is everything ready?"
Yu Xiaolian was supposed to help Su Jingchen prepare for the exam, but she got locked in the Examination Hall for creating questions and couldn’t even send a family letter due to its strictness.
Yu Xiaolian originally wanted to bring some cookies and fruits for Su Jingchen, considering this exam lasts nine days, all held in a small cubicle where everything happens—eating, drinking, and other personal needs. Even healthy people would struggle with nine days of that, so Yu Xiaolian was quite concerned for Su Jingchen.
Cao Gen quickly took out a letter from his sleeve, "Madam, the Master left this letter for you before he left, saying you shouldn’t worry about him!"
Yu Xiaolian took the letter and read it, seeing that Su Jingchen had meticulously accounted for all recent events and the items he prepared for the exam.
At the end, he mentioned that Li Wenyuan had visited their home.
Since passing the Scholar exam three years ago, Li Wenyuan came to the Capital to participate in more exams, but three years ago his exam ranking was very low, leaving him as a standby official in the Capital with no real position, so he remains in the Capital for now.
After reading the letter, Yu Xiaolian called Zhao Sanyan and instructed her to take a trip to the market and buy some pastries for her to visit Mrs. Wu tomorrow.
After instructing Zhao Sanyan, Yu Xiaolian took off her shoes and climbed onto the warm bed, teasing Su Jinghua, "Is the fruit tasty?"
Su Jinghua’s cheeks were puffed up, "Tasty, it’s so nice having Sis here. I asked Mrs. Dai to buy fruit, and she couldn’t find any at all. She doesn’t even know where fruit is sold, how foolish she is."
Yu Xiaolian smiled, "It’s hard to find fruit on the street in this cold winter, you can’t blame Mrs. Dai for that."
"Then where did you buy it, Sis?" Su Jinghua asked innocently.
Yu Xiaolian giggled, "I bought it through someone too, though where exactly they got it, I don’t know. These days fresh fruits kept in cellars are expensive and cost Sis a lot of money!"
Su Jinghua paused in her apple-biting, "If it’s so expensive... I’ll just eat half, and give you the other half, Sis!"
Yu Xiaolian gently patted Su Jinghua’s head, "Jinghua, our family has money. Don’t be stingy about eating fruit. You can eat as much as you like.
By the way, you’re six years old now, isn’t it time we find a lady teacher to teach you to read?"
Su Jinghua hesitantly asked, "Aren’t you a lady teacher, Sis? Can’t you teach me?"
Yu Xiaolian thought for a moment and said, "Sis is very strict. If you want Sis to teach you, you must not cry, okay?"
Perhaps because Su Jingchen and Su Jingyue can’t grow close to this sister born to the Yao family, though Su Jinghua is young, she sensitively feels their indifference. As a result, Su Jinghua is very timid and cries for no reason.
Yu Xiaolian was genuinely worried that she might inadvertently make Su Jinghua cry by raising her voice, then it would seem like she’s being harsh on her sister-in-law.
"Sis, I won’t cry, I promise I won’t cry. Please, Sis, teach me yourself!" Su Jinghua clutched that half an apple, but tears were already welling up in her eyes.
Yu Xiaolian sighed and embraced Su Jinghua, "Jinghua, your brothers are reserved and not talkative, but deep down, they truly care for you. Sis also likes you; you’re the only young lady of the Su Family. Don’t cry easily, don’t feel inferior, don’t be timid. Remember, no matter what happens, your brothers and sister-in-law are behind you, supporting you!
Unbeknownst to Yu Xiaolian, she felt a sudden pang of sympathy for Su Jinghua. Since Su Dafu died, Su Jingchen became the head of the household. Though he never shorted Su Jinghua of her necessities, he genuinely gave no affection to Su Jinghua.
The Su brothers raised Su Jinghua more out of a sense of brotherly duty, detached from any emotional connection.
Previously, Yu Xiaolian didn’t find anything wrong with Su Jingchen and Su Jingyue’s approach, but now, at this moment, Yu Xiaolian found Su Jinghua quite pitiful.
It seems, she must have a good talk with Su Jingchen when he returns.
"Sis!" Su Jinghua couldn’t hold it in any longer and started sobbing in Yu Xiaolian’s arms.
Yu Xiaolian softly comforted, "Stop crying, or else you’ll not be pretty anymore.
If you stop, while your elder brother isn’t home, you can sleep in my room, how about that?"
Su Jinghua quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve, incredulously asking, "Really?"
If Brother doesn’t return, does that mean she can always stay with Sis?
Sis’s embrace was so soft and fragrant, she liked it a lot.
"Of course it’s true!" Yu Xiaolian said, raising Su Jinghua’s chin and wiping her tears away, "Hua’er, what do you want to eat tonight? I’ll have Mrs. Dai cook something you love, alright?"
Su Jinghua was young after all and was quickly distracted by Yu Xiaolian, tilting her head in thought for dishes.
"I want shrimp steamed egg!" She remembered Sis loved that dish best; she couldn’t go wrong with that.
"Oh, Hua’er likes the same dish as Sis!" Yu Xiaolian laughed, giving Su Jinghua a big kiss on the cheek.
After dinner, Yu Xiaolian lit a candle in the room; she disliked the smell of kerosene lamps, so she’d been using candles all these years.
Su Jinghua took off her outer clothes, wearing white innerwear, and slipped into the bed Yu Xiaolian had made, "Sis, can you move the table in the middle? I want to be closer to you, is that okay?"
Seeing Su Jinghua’s cautious expression, Yu Xiaolian couldn’t bring herself to refuse, "Then I’ll move the table, you pull the bedding closer to me!"
Yu Xiaolian moved the small table and removed the candlestick on it. She used to read a bit before sleeping, but not tonight. Yu Xiaolian blew out the candle.
After lying down with Su Jinghua, Yu Xiaolian soon noticed Su Jinghua’s little feet sliding into her quilt, and Yu Xiaolian smiled gently, using her leg to cover Su Jinghua’s cold little feet.
"Sleep now!"
In the darkness, Su Jinghua’s eyes welled up with tears again, but she held back from making any sound.
Sis was so good, just like her real mother!
Though she had never seen her own mother, she wasn’t afraid, for she had a Sis!
The next morning, Su Jinghua found herself waking in Sister’s arms, and her eyes curved in a smile, "Sis, how did I end up in your quilt?"
Yu Xiaolian lovingly tapped Su Jinghua’s little nose, "You were like a little worm last night, wriggling and wriggling until you got into my quilt!"
