Chapter 559 - You Displeased Me (1/2)
Su Qingsang and Su Peizhen looked less like sisters than enemies.
Liu Tongjia looked at Su Qingsang. Then she turned her gaze on Su Peizhen and studied her carefully this time.
Before coming to visit, Su Peizhen had asked Huo Yifan some questions about the Huo family.
Huo Yifan had given her some information on Huo Mingguang, Huo Mingliang, Huo Mingmei, and their families.
He hadn’t gone into much detail however. For example, he neglected to mention to Su Peizhen that Liu Tongjia disliked Su Qingsang.
Su Peizhen figured that out regardless. She observed Liu Tongjia and Su Qingsang’s interactions from the moment that she’d entered the house.
By now, she not only knew that Liu Tongjia didn’t like Su Qingsang, she was also almost certain that Nian Chunya didn’t like her.
For the first time since stepping into the house, she smiled in genuine amusement.
‘Su Qingsang, do you think it’s easy to be the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family?’ she thought to herself. ‘You are far too naïve.’
The elders remained quiet, and the younger ones were all thinking about different things.
As the family dinner began, there was a strange, tense atmosphere.
Su Peizhen knew that Old Master Huo was the true decision-maker of the family.
She avoided mentioning a word about her true parentage after she had sat down. Instead, she started an engaging conversation between herself and Old Master Huo to break the ice.
Although Old Master Huo liked Su Qingsang, it didn’t mean he was unmoved by Su Peizhen’s situation.
The two of them had switched places. Su Peizhen had been a princess in her family. Then, without warning, she had become the illegitimate daughter.
Not many could cope with a change of that magnitude. Su Peizhen had shown her discontent to a slight degree at first, but after that she never mentioned it again. In Old Master Huo’s eyes, her earlier display had been due to honest emotion.
After all, it was impossible for her to pretend that nothing had changed.
She also knew that it would be inappropriate for her to harp on it repeatedly. She’d managed to hold her tongue just fine.
Huo Yifan had been paying attention to Old Master Huo’s facial expressions this whole time. He was surprised by how Su Peizhen had been able to earn Old Master Huo’s favor and was proud of it.
‘See, Huo Jinyao, you’re not the only one who can pick a nice girl. I can do that too,’ he thought to himself.
Nian Chunya hadn’t thought much of Su Peizhen from the start. However, she eased her scornfulness toward her upon seeing that the girl was managing to earn Old Master Huo’s approbation at least for the time being.
Unlike the others, Huo Yiyang knew about Su Peizhen’s past. He was impressed by her admirable change in attitude.
His brother possessed a keen eye indeed. He had found himself a girl who turned out to be Su Qingsang’s sister.
The dinner had been particularly quiet with Su Qingsang, Huo Jinyao, and all the others watching Su Peizhen as she carried on talking to Old Master Huo.
Su Peizhen had lived with Old Master Li since she was a baby. It was child’s play for her to earn the favor of an elder.
At first, Old Master Huo had only pitied the girl. Over the course of the dinner however, his empathy for her grew much stronger.
It grew dark as the dinner drew to an end. Instead of rushing to leave, Su Peizhen invited Old Master Huo to play a game of chess with her.
“I often used to play chess with my grandpa,” she explained.
Su Qingsang sat beside Huo Jinyao and they watched Su Peizhen as she played against Old Master Huo. Su Peizhen was an accomplished player. Soon after the game had started, Old Master Huo began to take it seriously.
He started to approve of Su Peizhen even more.
Sensing Old Master Huo’s change of attitude toward Su Peizhen, Su Qingsang was not quite jealous but she did grow introspective.
Li Qianxue truly loved Su Peizhen. Although she had spoiled the girl, she did her best to raise her to have all the hallmarks of a society lady.
The girl had learned music, art, chess-playing. She had been coached in interpersonal interactions and business practices. These were all the lessons that Su Qingsang had missed out on, and there was no way for her to catch up.
Li Qianxue had raised Su Peizhen into such a woman with dedication over a period of twenty years. However, Su Peizhen had turned out to be an ungrateful daughter.
Su Qingsang had experienced several complicated and unfamiliar emotions that lingered on even after they left the family house and got into the car.
They decided to take their leave early while Su Peizhen continued her game of chess with Old Master Huo.
“Are you unhappy?” Huo Jinyao asked Su Qingsang.
He had noticed her pensive expression immediately. “Do you not like the idea of Su Peizhen joining the family?”
Su Peizhen had gotten a lot of attention that day. She had played chess with Old Master Huo, losing the first round, playing to a draw in the second round. In the third round she had actually won. That accomplishment had undoubtedly elevated her in the esteem of Old Master Huo.
“Qingsang, don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen, even if she were really to get together with Huo Yifan.”
Huo Jinyao was Old Master Huo’s favorite grandson, not Huo Yifan. As long as he was still in the family Huo Yifan would never be able to surpass him, and Su Peizhen would consequently never be able to rise above Su Qingsang.
That night was the first time that Su Peizhen had met their family. Old Master Huo had treated her and Huo Yifan politely. That was reasonable.
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
Su Qingsang shook her head saying, “Grandpa can go and meet with his friends and great-granduncle when he feels lonely. Still, he always wishes that we would go and visit him more often. He likes Su Peizhen and I’m happy for him.”
“But today, she…”
“There’s no need to rush to set everything straight tonight. I know what she wants. She would like nothing more than to ruin my reputation and my father’s. She hates our father now. But I can’t just let her ruin his reputation.”