Chapter 298: Chapter 298

Wen Wan was unsure about this matter; her original intention was naturally not to reveal her identity in front of Su Yaoqi.

No matter how young and innocent he may be, he is still a member of the Su Family. Frequent contact could inevitably lead to unnecessary trouble.

However, Wen Wan did not immediately refuse Song Yuanbao. She said, "Why don’t you ask your father first?"

In terms of the bigger picture, she did not consider herself as thorough as men, so it was better not to make decisions on her own.

Song Yuanbao nodded and turned back to the East Wing.

Song Wei had already finished feeding Jinbao porridge and was carefully wiping the little one’s mouth with a handkerchief.

After Song Yuanbao entered, he didn’t hesitate and repeated what he had previously discussed with Wen Wan.

Song Wei was silent for a moment after listening, then asked him, "When is he coming?"

Song Wei gave a light hum, "It’s coincidental that your mother and I will both be home tomorrow. Let him come!"

The father’s agreement came so readily, the son instead was puzzled and scratched his head, "Aren’t you worried, Dad?"

Song Wei looked at him with a smile, "Worried about what?"

"Su Yaoqi is, after all, a member of the Su Family."

Although Song Yuanbao wasn’t entirely sure what the term "Su Family" really implied, he knew it was a sensitive term, and those included were all sensitive individuals.

On one hand, he hoped Su Yaoqi would give up on his mother; on the other hand, he didn’t want his parents to have too many conflicts with the Su Family.

Thinking of this, Song Yuanbao felt discouraged, "Maybe it’s better to forget it. I’ll go explain it to him clearly."

"Never mind," said Song Wei. "Just let him come."

After washing clothes, Wen Wan returned to the East Wing, wiping her hands as she asked Song Wei, who was holding their son behind her, "Did Yuanbao tell you about Su Yaoqi?"

Song Wei nodded, "He did."

"What did you say to him?"

"It’s no harm to let him come to see you."

Wen Wan was momentarily surprised and turned her head, "You really said that?"

Although she was puzzled, upon reconsideration, knowing how cautious her husband was, he must have his reasons for making such an unexpected decision.

Wen Wan sat down, speaking to him in the most ordinary and comforting tone of voice between husband and wife, "Does my husband have any thoughts?"

Song Wei said, "I let Wei Qian investigate in secret. He told me that Su Yaoqi is a child raised outside the stained vat by the Su Family. In other words, Su Xiang does not wish him to get involved in family conflicts. With this premise, if Su Yaoqi becomes enamored of you and Su Xiang finds out, he won’t let it slide."

Song Wei did not tell Wen Wan that Wei Qian also said Su Xiang had already taken action once long ago when he first discovered that Su Yaoqi had lost his appetite over a girl and hadn’t gone to the Imperial College for several days.

Enraged, Su Xiang arranged for many people to investigate Wen Wan’s background.

But due to the Eldest Princess’s intervention, all those people ended up dead.

Consequently, to retaliate against the Eldest Princess, Su Xiang had the truth about the Da Huan Mountain Coal Mine revealed.

This indicates that the root of all these tragedies was Su Yaoqi being out of Su Xiang’s sight, falling for a woman unknown even to Su Xiang.

It also shows Su Xiang’s strong desire for control over his youngest son.

Su Yaoqi is at an age prone to rebellion, and he may not understand reasoning.

Regarding Wanwan, it’s still necessary to let him see the truth for himself, so that he can dispel such thoughts early on.

Wen Wan carefully considered Song Wei’s words and found them quite reasonable.

When she looked at the man again, a warmth naturally rose in her heart.

Indeed, every time she thought she had matured enough in her thinking, he always saw further than she did.

Perhaps precisely because he was twelve years her senior.

In these twelve years that she could never catch up with, he had already tasted the so-called various flavors of life before her, and used his own experiences to teach her how to cope, how to handle things with the right approach and mindset to better protect herself.

There are many more capable people in this world than Song Wei, but Wen Wan could only feel that unique sense of safety from him, even if destiny had dictated him to be an unsafe man.

Su Yaoqi came to the Song family the next afternoon.

Due to their son’s illness, both Song Wei and his wife had taken leave and stayed home.

Song Yuanbao first took Su Yaoqi to the front hall and personally made tea for him.

Su Yaoqi, holding the teacup, was a young man usually protected too closely by his father, and now couldn’t help but show signs of nervousness in this unfamiliar environment.

Song Yuanbao said to him, "I have already sent someone to inform the back courtyard. Just wait a little longer."

Su Yaoqi, pulling his thoughts back, softly asked, "Is that girl really your aunt?"

Song Yuanbao raised his eyebrows slightly, "You’ll know when you see her."

Such an ambiguous answer undoubtedly made him more anxious. Updates are released by novel-fire.ɴet

Even before meeting her, Su Yaoqi’s heart was already unsettled.

After taking medicine at night and sleeping for a few hours, Jinbao’s fever subsided greatly. He woke up early today, and Wen Wan played with him for quite some time. After feeding him medicine again after lunch, the little guy is now sleeping soundly in the cradle.

Song Yuanbao came in and said that Su Yaoqi had arrived.

Wen Wan pulled the thin blanket over Jinbao and turned around, "Did you tell your dad?"

"Just did." Song Yuanbao nodded, "Dad wants you to go to the front hall."

Wen Wan instructed him, "Go invite your grandmother to watch Jinbao for a while. I’ll change my clothes and then go see the guests."

After Song Yuanbao left, Wen Wan quickly went behind the screen to change into a light and thin dress. Once Granny Song came in, she whispered a few instructions and then stepped out.

Song Wei did not leave first; he waited for her outside the hanging flower gate.

At a glance at the man’s straight back, Wen Wan smiled, "Have you thought about what to say to that child?"

The word "child" seemed to place her in the position of an elder.

Clearly, she herself was still a young person whose mind was not yet fully mature.

Song Wei’s eyes held a hint of laughter, but he didn’t expose her. Instead, he asked back, "Shouldn’t he be the one to think about what to say to me first?"

Wen Wan was taken aback, looking a bit embarrassed, "That seems to be the case."

The couple entered the front hall one after the other.

Su Yaoqi was intently gazing at a certain spot outside the door, when suddenly a beautiful figure entered his sight, the girl he had long dreamed of... oh no, she wasn’t a girl. Her hair was tied up high, clearly dressed as a married woman.

Su Yaoqi was so shocked that he dropped the teacup in his hand to the ground without realizing it.

Those eyes were fixed on Wen Wan.

He saw her with a smile, following a tall man inside, walking leisurely and calmly.

And the man she was following was the one who had gone to Hongwen Academy to fetch her, the one he had thought was her family uncle.

A bold suspicion suddenly arose in his heart, and in an instant, the joy of seeing her vanished.

Su Yaoqi’s disappointment was obvious.

Song Yuanbao’s soft call completely shattered the last bit of hope in his heart.

Countless emotions surged, overwhelming for a mere seventeen-year-old.

He suddenly lowered his head, biting his lip without saying a word.

"Earlier I was busy taking care of the child, making the fourth young master wait." After Song Wei sat down, he politely greeted Su Yaoqi.

The calm and steady voice instantly pulled out the unbridgeable distance between youth and maturity.

Su Yaoqi looked down at Song Yuanbao, who was crouching on the ground picking up pieces of the teacup for him. His heart twisted in pain, his eyes slightly red.

He felt deceived, yet he couldn’t lay the blame on anyone.

"Yuanbao, go get our family’s best tea leaves and make a fresh pot for the fourth young master." Wen Wan wanted an excuse to send Yuanbao away.

Song Yuanbao responded and was about to go out.

Su Yaoqi suddenly stopped him, "No, no need, I’m not thirsty."

Wen Wan said, "It’s the fourth young master’s first visit to our home, we mustn’t neglect you."

Su Yaoqi followed the sound and looked over.

The face was still the one he was familiar with, one he had dreamt of many times.

But now she sat beside another man, talking and laughing.

He suddenly recalled that day outside the Hongwen Academy gate, when he asked her who her man was, and she said it was family.

A lifelong companion is also family.

And back then, he naively asked if he was her family uncle.

Thinking about these things, a layer of loneliness appeared on Su Yaoqi’s face.

He hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Miss... oh no, you... have you been married for some time?"

Wen Wan nodded, "Because it was inconvenient, I could only disguise as a girl to enter Hongwen Academy." She spoke with an apologetic smile, "If there was any misunderstanding for the fourth young master, please forgive me."

It was more than a misunderstanding.

Su Yaoqi inwardly gave a bitter smile, his expression bleak.

He didn’t even know how to deal with these misplaced feelings in the future.

Even if as Song Hao said, his family aunt sought vanity.

But she was married, an undeniable and unacceptable fact for him.

It was silent in the front hall for a long while before Song Wei slowly opened his mouth, "The fourth young master is a sophomore student, right?"

Su Yaoqi softly answered, nodding.

Song Wei said, "Yuanbao just started, and I’ve heard he’s close with you. If there’s anything he doesn’t understand, I hope the fourth young master will kindly instruct him."

"Uncle... Mr. Song is too polite." Su Yaoqi forced a smile, briefly glanced at Wen Wan by his side, before quickly looking away, his emotions stirred intensively.

Song Wei seemed satisfied with his response and continued, "While you’re young, it’s time to focus on studying and learning, striving to excel early to relieve your father’s worries."

This was a subtle reminder for him not to harbor inappropriate thoughts at a young age.

Su Yaoqi lowered his head, unable to distinguish whether he felt regret or shame at this moment.

As he left the Song family, Su Yaoqi stood outside the main gate, looked back once, then softly asked Song Yuanbao, "Is she your mother?"

"She’s my second mother." Song Yuanbao truthfully replied.

As if pierced by another stab, Su Yaoqi clutched his chest, grudgingly bid farewell to Song Yuanbao, and quickly got into the carriage to drive away.

Song Yuanbao watched the carriage leaving, clicking his tongue and shaking his head, "That child, he’s probably going to be finished."