“Since your friend is here, you guys can chat.” Shen Qiu coughed lightly. “I’m going out to talk to Father.”
After Shen Qiu left, Feng Anning whispered, “Why is your brother so fierce? He scared me to death just now.”
Fierce… Shen Miao couldn’t be bothered to explain and said, “That’s right. He kills people like flies.”
Feng Anning quickly patted her chest and said, “Fortunately, I admitted my mistake early. I won’t dare to rush in like this next time.”
…
Soon, it was time for the Shen family’s banquet to start.
The men and women sat separately. The women were all in the banquet hall of Rongjing Hall, and the men were received by Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Shen Xin wasn’t into this so-called family banquet, and nor was he into socializing with the officials. He sat in an inconspicuous spot and drank alone.
There were not many men who came, and they were all civil officials who were on good terms with Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Therefore, looking across the dining hall, it was as if Shen Xin and Shen Qiu had been deliberately ignored. Shen Qiu was not unhappy at all because of this, and he ate happily.
In the women’s section on the other side, the ones who were ignored were naturally Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao. Since the noble ladies were Chen Ruoqiu’s friends, they naturally had to give Chen Ruoqiu more face. They couldn’t ridicule Shen Miao in front of Luo Xueyan, but they could ignore them. Therefore, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were asked all kinds of questions by the ladies. Even Jing Chuchu and Shen Dongling had someone to talk to. Only Shen Miao was deliberately ignored.
Luo Xueyan was a little angry. If it were the old Shen Miao, she would also be angry too. However, it was different now. No matter what those ladies said, Shen Miao ate and drank indifferently. Her every move carried a dignified and noble aura, making people feel that it was not that those people deliberately ignored her, but that Shen Miao disdained to talk to these people.
Madam Yi smiled and said, “I heard that Suzhou is endowed with beauties. I didn’t believe it at first, but now that I see Old Madam’s grandniece, I am convinced. You can’t find such a beautiful girl in the capital.”
At the banquet, Old Madam Shen showed how much she valued Jing Chuchu. Although the ladies did not know why, they were not stupid. Since Old Madam Shen thought highly of Jing Chuchu, there was no harm in praising her.
Jing Chuchu blushed and lowered her head without saying anything. Old Madam Shen smiled. “Madam Yi, I don’t agree. Miss Yi is also very pretty. I like her.”
Yi Peilan smiled and thanked Old Madam Shen for her praise. She became even more curious about Jing Chuchu and asked Shen Yue in a low voice, “Old Madam seems to like your cousin a lot.”
Shen Yue nodded vaguely, feeling a little puzzled as well.
Shen Dongling sat in the corner of the banquet quietly and looked like a nobody. Even so, Shen Dongling did not show a trace of resentment. She just ate the food in her bowl, looking exactly like a well-behaved and unloved illegitimate daughter.
Old Madam Shen instructed Jing Chuchu to eat more while praising her like she was the best girl anyone could ask fo
