Shen Qingrang sneezed several times without reason, his earlobes itching unbearably. While scratching them with one hand, he listened with growing impatience to the Princess Consort’s endless chatter beside his ear.

“You’re getting older now, you really should settle down, study properly, and build up your abilities. Even if you can’t do that, at least accompany your father more often in his activities to learn some useful skills. For a man, learning about governance and economics is the proper path. How can you spend all day only thinking about eating, drinking, and making merry?” He Shi cupped his face in her hands to examine whether his ears had developed chilblains that were causing the itching, while sighing with heartfelt concern. “I know you don’t like hearing any of this, but Mother has no choice—it’s all for your own good. If it were up to me alone, naturally I’d let you do as you pleased. But what kind of person is your father—don’t you know? He most despises those good-for-nothing wastrels full of useless learning. If you continue being so reckless, be careful that your father doesn’t thrash you!”

These past days, the eldest young master Shen Qingyun had followed Shen Xiaohai in accomplishing several tasks—he had gone to collect the land rents from the family’s estates, keeping meticulous ledgers and organizing everything methodically. Even the normally exacting Shen Xiaohai had praised him quite a bit.

Originally, Shen Qingyun had already enjoyed the advantage of being the eldest son, earning the particular favor of Old Master and Old Madam Shen. Now that he had settled down and started handling affairs properly, he appeared even more capable and respectable. Although He Shi understood the difference between legitimate and concubine-born sons, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable about it.

Shen Qingrang shook his head, unwilling to listen any further. He climbed up from He Shi’s lap and took a sip of hot tea, quite impatiently: “It’s not like I haven’t listened to you. Don’t you just want me to go apologize? Next time I see Song Sixth Miss, I’ll do exactly as you say!”

He wasn’t entirely a worthless fool, nor was he as indifferent to Shen Qingyun as he appeared on the surface—the angry words Shen Xiaohai had spoken in his fury last time still echoed in his mind, constantly making him panic.

If he truly was a hopeless case, someone like Shen Xiaohai would genuinely carry out replacing him as heir apparent. But he absolutely didn’t want to be replaced, much less live eating off his elder brother and sister-in-law’s good graces.

Although inwardly he was very unwilling to bow his head to that Song Sixth Miss who had driven away Little Eight, reason ultimately told him he had no choice but to do so.

He Shi lightly patted the back of his head, finally showing some semblance of a smile: “As long as you understand. During this period, because of Princess Shijia’s affair, most families in the capital are on edge. Although we’ve fortunately escaped trouble, we still need to keep our tails between our legs. Otherwise we would have already gone to the Earl’s residence to pay our respects long ago. Next month we’ll finally have the chance when they host the full-month celebration for their great-grandson—you must not cause any trouble.”

Speaking of this, He Shi couldn’t help but feel somewhat worried again: “That being said, you did offend their Sixth Miss rather severely last time. I wonder if she’ll still acknowledge you. Your father specifically and repeatedly instructed you to continue playing with her as before. But if she refuses to acknowledge you anymore…”

Shen Qingrang was quite dismissive, scoffing at his mother’s concern with considerable disdain: “What are you worried about, Mother? That Song Sixth Miss girl is just a clingy little tail, isn’t she just like the dogs we keep at home? Wave at her a bit and she’ll definitely come rushing over to you.”

He seemed to have forgotten that Song Chuyi hadn’t followed behind him even once this entire past year.

But He Shi remembered. Not only did she remember this, she also remembered the look Song Chuyi had given Shen Qingrang back then—it was clearly one of profound loathing, wishing him dead.

She couldn’t help but shiver, then secretly laughed at herself for being paranoid. It was just a quarrel between children, after all. Why had she become so suspicious?

“I hope your beckoning will still summon her this time.” She stroked Shen Qingrang’s head with a much more relaxed smile than before. “Speaking of which, if you could actually marry her in the future, it would be your good fortune. Her uncle just got promoted to Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Insignia and concurrently Vice Minister of Works—do you know what an excellent position that is? Her other uncle was also promoted to Vice Minister of War and concurrently appointed as Supreme Commander of the Three Border Regions—that’s genuine power! She herself is doted upon by these uncles and aunts, and is the precious pearl in the palm of the Earl’s residence’s Old Master and Old Madam. How many people are lining up? If not for her young age, those coming to propose marriage would probably trample down the Earl’s residence’s threshold. Yet you still find fault with this and that. I advise you to behave yourself. Apart from princesses and commandery princesses, where else would you find someone with such excellent conditions?”

But Song Sixth Miss just isn’t as considerate and understanding as Song Chuning—willful, domineering, and annoying, relying on being favored to act arrogantly. Shen Qingrang snorted: “She’s just relying on her status. Without that status, who would care about her?”

He Shi furrowed her brow and gave him another hard slap: “Talking to you is like playing a lute to a cow! What’s wrong with her having that status? How many people have all sorts of other advantages but lack precisely this one advantage! What about being cultured, sensible, and understanding like your eldest sister-in-law? Isn’t she still unable to hold her head up before your elder brother because her natal family isn’t prominent? You’re still young and completely don’t understand the intricacies of marriage.”

She paused, then laughed self-deprecatingly: “Besides, how could you possibly be in a position to disdain her? When your father inherits the marquisate, our family will become a marquis residence. By the time it falls to you, you’ll only be an earl. Our family can’t compare to their Earl’s residence which has non-reducing hereditary succession. When the time comes, with neither real power nor the title, what do you think you’ll be able to find? She might not even consider you worthy!”

In terms of status and position, Song Chuyi had both the prestigious Cui clan that had been a renowned family for a hundred years behind her, and the non-reducing hereditary succession of the Changning Earl’s residence as her backing—naturally she wasn’t lacking. But in terms of feelings and childhood friendship…

Shen Qingrang stiffened his neck somewhat defiantly, snorting loudly with his nostrils pointed skyward: “I don’t know whether others would consider me worthy or not, but Song Sixth Miss is just a dog I’m raising in my courtyard. No matter when she loses her temper, as soon as I treat her slightly better, she comes running back. Since you think this about her is good and that about her is good, I’ll just coax her back, won’t I?”

He Shi wanted exactly this promise from him, instantly transforming anger into joy: “If you’d said this earlier, wouldn’t I have been spared saying all those unpleasant things? You just had to provoke me into lecturing you—what kind of habit is that? I know you don’t like Song Sixth Miss, but marrying a wife isn’t about whether you like her or not. Your father and I have also gotten along steadily like this, haven’t we? Besides, if you’re happy, just keep a few more people by your side to serve you.”

Shen Qingrang vaguely felt something was off about what his mother was saying. He also knew that although marriage need not necessarily follow one’s heart, it shouldn’t be quite like what his mother described. But there was one point he agreed with—if he didn’t like her, he could just marry her and set her aside. As for the one he liked, she certainly couldn’t just be kept by his side to serve. The one he liked should be treasured in the palm of his hand, possessing all the very best things.