Chapter 140: The Su Family Banquet (2)

Su Nanxing, fearing that Tao Ming might be taken advantage of, reached out to shield her behind him. No sooner had he stood firm than Su Yanfeng walked in, leading Qiao Ruowei by the hand.

The two took one look at the scene at the table, and Su Yanfeng asked in a low, stern voice, "What happened here?"

Su Xi looked aggrieved. "Father, I just wanted to play with the seventeenth sister-in-law. Who knew she would react so strongly?"

Tao Ming poked her head out from behind Su Nanxing. "I'm a petty person; I can't handle such games."

Qiao Ruowei’s face tightened. She scolded, "Fifteen, go change your clothes at once."

Su Xi called out "Mother," but seeing Qiao Ruowei’s icy expression, she had no choice but to leave with her maid.

Once Su Xi was gone, Qiao Ruowei said in a gentle, pleasant tone, "Mingming, I’ve spoiled that girl, Fifteen. Please don't take it to heart."

Tao Ming thought to herself that she wouldn't bother arguing with a fool, so she smiled with an air of innocence. "Aunt, I'll be sure to play with her next time."

Su Yanfeng stroked his beard. "My lady, let us take our seats."

The four maids standing behind Tao Ming, seeing that the situation had calmed down, knelt to wipe up the spilled water. Tao Ming pulled them back up. "Just tend to me; there are others to handle the floor."

The four maids straightened up, trembling. Seeing this, the nearby housemaids quickly rushed over to dry the floor. Only then did Qiao Ruowei walk over and take the head seat.

Tao Ming watched as Qiao Ruowei sat down. Spotting three empty chairs together, she walked over and took the middle one.

Su Nanxing placed Ruanruan and Nuonuo on either side of Tao Ming, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "Wife, I don't care who they are—if you’re unhappy, just hit back. Your husband has your back."

Tao Ming shot him a sidelong glance and laughed. "You make me sound like a bully."

Seeing the two whispering to each other, Qiao Ruowei said softly, "Seventeenth, are you afraid that Mother might eat Mingming?"

Su Nanxing finally sat up straight and acted coyly toward Qiao Ruowei. "Mother, it took me so much blood, sweat, and tears to win Mingming over."

Ruanruan asked in confusion, "Papa, I don't think that's how you use that idiom."

Nuonuo instantly became the "insider." "Think about it, what is Papa doing every morning and night?"

Ruanruan had a sudden epiphany. "Papa is always coaxing Mama."

Tao Ming reached out and pinched the two little ones' mouths, saying fiercely, "Are you two looking to have your faces squeezed by a big monster?"

...

Once Su Xi returned and took her seat, Su Yanfeng finally spoke. "This is a family dinner; there is no need to be so restrained."

Everyone echoed his sentiment. Tao Ming stared at the various steamed, boiled, and blanched dishes on the table, feeling a deep longing for braised pork, boiled meat, Dongpo pork, and twice-cooked pork...

Su Yanfeng took the first bite, and only then did the others pick up their chopsticks.

Tao Ming had little interest. She picked out what Ruanruan and Nuonuo could eat and placed it in their bowls, while she herself ate very little.

Seeing Tao Ming barely touching her food, Qiao Ruowei smiled. "Mingming, is the food not to your liking?"

Su Xi gave a light scoff. "Perhaps she has never tasted such delicacies and doesn't know where to begin."

Tao Ming glanced at Su Xi, thinking that this person seemed even more foolish than Su Fang. Was her head filled with water?

Su Nanxing stood up and walked over to Su Xi in a few strides. "Say that again."

Su Xi looked up, her face full of anger. "Seventeenth brother, was I wrong?"

Qiao Ruowei sat quietly, her eyes darting toward Tao Ming.

Tao Ming rolled her eyes internally and said gently, "Nanxing, I feel a bit unwell. I want to go back and lie down."

"Where do you feel unwell?" Su Nanxing became nervous, stepping to Tao Ming's side to touch her forehead.

"I just have no appetite. I can't eat." Tao Ming simply didn't want to sit at the same table as a fool; it was ruining her appetite.

Su Nanxing’s eyes lit up. "Wife, are you pregnant? I remember you couldn't eat when you were pregnant with Ruanruan."

"Really?" Tao Ming’s first instinct was to check her phone for her period log, but she realized she had lent it to Wen Youfang.

Su Nanxing reached out to take Tao Ming’s pulse. After a moment, he switched wrists, his brows slightly furrowed. "It might be too early to tell." He then helped move her chair. "Let's go, let's go back and lie down. Better safe than sorry."

Tao Ming stood up obediently. Seeing her leave, the two little ones also put down their training chopsticks and slid off their chairs.

Tao Ming offered an apologetic smile. "Uncle, Aunt, let's eat together again next time."

Su Yanfeng’s expression was not very pleasant; he gave a grunt and said nothing more.

Su Nanxing picked up the two children, and Tao Ming followed him out of the room with a light step. The four maids followed closely behind, their hearts filled with worry.

Once they were out of the courtyard gate, Tao Ming whispered, "Was that your fifteenth sister?"

"Yes. The other one was the tenth sister, Su Feng."

"This is my first time meeting her. Where does all that resentment come from?"

"She has a secret crush on Qiao Qingqing." Although Su Nanxing didn't like Qiao Qingqing, he had to admit that the guy was popular with women.

"What a massive misunderstanding!" No wonder she was so full of spite; the root of it was right there!

Not long after Tao Ming left, a matron was welcomed into the inner courtyard. Shortly after, a young maid hurried to Zhiwei Courtyard and said to Siqi, who was guarding the door, "Sister Siqi, Matron Wu, who serves Princess Qingyao, is here to see the Mistress, the Tenth Young Lady, and the Fifteenth Young Lady. She is already waiting in the flower hall of Weixiang Courtyard."

Upon receiving the message, Siqi went inside and whispered it to Qiao Ruowei.

Qiao Ruowei had already set down her chopsticks. Hearing this, she glanced at Su Feng and Su Xi, stood up, walked to Su Yanfeng’s side, and said softly, "My lord, we have guests in the courtyard. I will go receive them first."

Su Yanfeng looked at the Su family sons sitting together, noting their distracted expressions, and said, "Everyone is dismissed. Fourth and Fifth, come with me."

Qiao Ruowei led Su Feng and Su Xi back to Weixiang Courtyard. Upon entering the flower hall, they saw Matron Wu stand up and bow. "This servant pays respects to Madame Su, the Tenth Young Lady, and the Fifteenth Young Lady."

Qiao Ruowei smiled kindly. "Matron Wu, no need for such formalities. Does Princess Qingyao have some business?"

Qiao Ruowei then walked over to the main seat and sat down, with Su Feng and Su Xi standing on either side of her.

Matron Wu produced an invitation and handed it to Siqi. "In reply to Madame Su, Princess Qingyao is hosting a Lotus Appreciation Banquet at the Sixth Prince's mansion tomorrow and specifically invites the two young ladies to attend."

Siqi delivered the invitation to Qiao Ruowei. Qiao Ruowei did not open it but placed it casually on the table. "Does Matron Wu know who else has been invited?"

Matron Wu replied respectfully, "Invitations have been sent to the unmarried daughters of the Chen, Jin, Ding, Xing, Xin, Nie, Xie, and Hu families."

Qiao Ruowei gave a soft "Hmm," then finally picked up the invitation to look at it. She asked casually, "Was an invitation sent to the Qin estate?"

Matron Wu’s expression did not change. "The daughter of the Fifth Master of the Qin family is currently in seclusion. An invitation was only sent to Miss Tao."

Qiao Ruowei naturally knew that Qiao Qingyao had invited Tao Ming, but she pretended to be just finding out and asked, "Miss Tao?"

"Tao Ming, the daughter of the Thirteenth Master of the Qin family."

Su Xi said with disdain, "I have no idea what the seventeenth brother sees in her!"

Not wishing to reprimand her children in front of an outsider, Qiao Ruowei said to Matron Wu, "Please tell Qingyao that Feng’er and Xi’er will certainly attend tomorrow."

Matron Wu bowed and took her leave. On her way out, she asked Siqi, who was walking with her, "It is rumored that Miss Tao is as beautiful as a peach blossom. Is that true or false?"

Siqi smiled. "The seventeenth young mistress is currently at the Su estate. If Matron Wu is curious, I could take you to catch a glimpse."

Hearing this, Matron Wu couldn't help but look down on Tao Ming. To have received the betrothal gifts this morning and already be running to the Su family now—how shameless. She replied, "I shall see for myself tomorrow; there is no rush for now."