I'm a humble concubine. My acting skills are off the charts. You can check my performance.

There is a huge ginkgo tree in Shou'an Hall. It is as thick as a man's embrace, with dense branches and twigs. When the wind blows, the slightly yellow ginkgo leaves rustle. There are also a dozen orioles raised in the yard, singing in time.

Sitting on the host's seat was an old lady with white hair. She wore several kingfisher hairpins and an emerald headband on her forehead with a lotus pattern made of rice-sized pearls and gold beads.

With soft pillows and fragrant tea, the eldest lady and Zhao Fangjin had already sat down in the main room to drink tea together. Zhao Fangjin moved closer, leaning in the old lady's arms, with the old lady constantly stroking the back of her hand. The meaning of closeness was self-evident.

Zhao Fangyu was the last one in the crowd to come in. Together with Zhao Fangwei and Zhao Fangyun, they knelt in front of the hall to pay their respects to the old lady.

The eldest lady smiled and stretched out a finger, pointing at the oldest Zhao Fangwei and said, "This is the second girl. You have been worshipping Buddha for many years. You never thought that the second girl has grown up so big, right?"

The old lady also smiled and said she didn't expect it, but she still held Zhao Fangjin's hand tightly.

Zhao Fangwei was not discouraged. The smile on her face became more sincere and she bowed her head to kowtow to the old lady sitting at the top.

Zhao Fangyun was similar to Zhao Fangyu. She had never met the old lady before. So she just did whatever Zhao Fangwei did.

"I felt really ashamed for not being able to pay my respects to grandma last night. In the past few years when grandma was not at home, I personally embroidered a piece of the Heart Sutra to pray for grandma."

The full text of the Heart Sutra consists of 260 words. No wonder the embroidery Zhao Fangwei brought was not big.

Zhao Fangyu laughed at her own caution again in her heart. How could what she showed be special?

There is a reason why the ancients were precocious. A ten-year-old girl was able to embroider a Heart Sutra to show her goodwill to an old lady who she knew didn't like her. Just the ability to endure anger was something that Zhao Fangyu asked herself if she could do.

Sure enough, the old lady sitting at the top of the table exclaimed in surprise, and an old lady came over and took the embroidery.

Zhao Fangjin helped to spread it out, and it turned out to be a Heart Sutra with a dark background and each word embroidered with gold thread.

Each character is as small as a bean, feels smooth to the touch, and has a clean edge. People would believe it even if you said it was written with gold paint.

The old lady nodded emphatically, asked someone to give Zhao Fangwei a set of red and blue gemstone headpieces, and praised her, "What a thoughtful child."

Seeing that the chiefs were all looking at Zhao Fangwei's embroidery, Zhao Fangyun silently made faces at Zhao Fangyu beside him.

Zhao Fangyu was not annoyed. After all, people without brains would always be punished by this cannibalistic society.

"Second sister's embroidery skills are becoming more and more sophisticated." After praising Zhao Fangwei, Zhao Fangjin turned around and caught Zhao Fangyun who was making a face at Zhao Fangyu!

Zhao Fangyun's body became stiff!

Zhao Fangwei held Zhao Fangyun down and looked at Zhao Fangjin pleadingly. In the end, Zhao Fangjin did not report Zhao Fangyun's behavior.

The eldest lady chuckled and introduced Zhao Fangyu to the old lady.

"This is incredible. She can use an abacus faster than the old accountant. Whenever she has time, she goes to her room. She is either studying ink or sorting documents in her father's study. I rarely see this busy little girl in a day."

Zhao Fangyu immediately looked up and smiled, comparing his performance to Zhao Fangwei's just now, and bowed his head.

Mother Song, who was beside the old lady, was the first to react. She looked at Zhao Fangyu who had already raised his head with some surprise.

Because of Mother Song's surprise, the old lady looked at her for a while longer, and the more she looked, the more familiar she looked.

"Does the old lady think the fourth girl looks familiar?"

A look of nostalgia flashed in Mother Song's eyes. The old lady frowned and looked at Zhao Fangyu. There was no other emotion mixed in the inquiry in her eyes. In an instant, the old lady seemed to be much softer.

After a moment, the old lady pointed a skinny finger at the eldest lady, and the intimacy in her words was self-evident: "You idiot, she looks like me!"

The eldest lady smiled at Madam Cui while holding the teacup, then sat beside her and said, "It is said that daughters resemble their fathers, but the fourth girl is more like her mother."

"It is Fourth Girl's blessing to be somewhat like her mother."

Zhao Fangyu also bowed her head and said, "Last night, my grandmother came back, but I was still lost in my dreams. I really shouldn't have done that."

"Grandma has been worshipping Buddha and traveling a long way. I am unable to relieve her fatigue. This is the incense I made myself to calm her nerves. I added some sandalwood to dispel wind and regulate the stomach. I just hope that when grandma returns home, she will have a good sleep and good health."

The old lady at the top looked at Zhao Fangwei on the left, then at Zhao Fangyu on the right, and could not help but lean back and hug Zhao Fangjin in her arms again.

"You really know how to take care of children."

The eldest lady was obviously closer to the old lady. When she heard the old lady's praise, she actually revealed a hint of coquettishness that Zhao Fangyu had never seen before!

"You can't leave now that mother is back. Otherwise, when she comes back next time, Jin'er might be married."

Zhao Fangjin shyly hid in the old lady's arms. The old lady hugged Zhao Fangjin tightly in her arms, and the three of them enjoyed the family happiness to the fullest.

Zhao Fangyu, who was still kneeling below, seemed like a transparent person.

Zhao Fangyu remained silent, taking in everything. It was obvious that the old lady had a very good relationship with the first lady. It was probably because of this good relationship that she looked down on them, the illegitimate children.

However, the old lady likes Qingping Courtyard better than Pingbo Courtyard or Yuelanxuan. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the old lady is an ally. It's just that this friendly range is not open to her for the time being.

"Since your father values you, you should help him in the study from now on."

Zhao Fangyu had a hunch that the old lady didn't want him to come to Shou'an Hall, so he immediately bowed his head to thank the old lady for her teachings, and then thought of other ways.

It is obviously not feasible to please the old lady. The old lady values legitimate children over illegitimate children. It is difficult for her to win the old lady's favor, even if she has a face that can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Chunshao ran back to get the spices, and she managed to get them in time. Zhao Fangyu felt that he did a good job as he did not make any mistakes on the first day, and was not outdone by Zhao Fangwei who was well prepared.

Zhao Fangyu had just left when Zhao Fanglan came late in an apricot-colored jacket and skirt.

As soon as she entered the room, her knees went weak and she fell to the ground as if she couldn't hold on! Fortunately, there was a maid beside her to support her. The maid was very strong and managed to pull Zhao Fanglan back at this critical moment!

Zhao Fanglan raised her head and saw a thin layer of sweat on her forehead in the slightly cool weather.

Against the backdrop of the delicate apricot-colored clothes, the pale face actually looked a bit like one who was terminally ill!

The eldest lady and the old lady frowned at the same time. Zhao Fangyu took two steps back without leaving a trace.

Zhao Fanglan helped the maid to stand up with difficulty, covered her lips and coughed twice, then knelt down again.

Everyone could see that she had come with bad intentions, especially Zhao Fangjin and Mother Cui, whose brows were already furrowed.

Zhao Fanglan's voice was hoarse as she panted after every word. The sound of her breathing seemed like that of a bellows used in the kitchen, beating each time and making frighteningly loud noise.

She did not complain about her discomfort, but only said that she was late and asked her grandmother not to blame her.

Zhao Fangyu: "..."

As expected, things have to be done in one day to be satisfying.

There are actually people who are so ignorant as to flatter the eldest lady in front of the old lady. No wonder Zhao Fangwei never takes Zhao Fanglan out to play.

That’s right!