Chapter 174: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
**Chapter 174: Cousin Song Kuan**
After Qi Wangfei calmed down, she held Suisui's hand and corrected Zhou's statement: "Suisui, this lady is your aunt." How could she simply refer to her as 'auntie'?
Upon hearing the term "aunt," Suisui's face turned pale immediately. She instinctively shrank back, wishing she could bury herself in Qi Wangfei's skirt.
Seeing Suisui's reaction, Zhou Shi was startled. She had meant no offense; she had simply reacted without thinking, and it wasn’t her intention to undermine Suisui's feelings.
Zhou Shi was puzzled. What had happened? She looked at Qi Wangfei, then at Suisui, whose little hat peeked out.
Qi Wangfei realized that for Suisui, "aunt" wasn't a pleasant term. Past experiences had left a bad impression, tainting even the simplest of words.
Fuming internally at those who had caused this, Qi Wangfei gently patted Suisui's hand and said, “This child has endured hardships in the past.”
Zhou Shi noticed that the little girl was thin and clearly had not lived an easy life. Understanding the situation, Zhou chose to remain silent, but worry lingered in her gaze as she looked at Suisui.
As Qi Wangfei comforted the girl, she softly explained, “Suisui, this aunt is different from the previous one. She is gentle and can draw beautiful flowers for you.” Zhou Shi was skilled in painting and often created little drawings to amuse the children in the household.
When Zhou Shi heard this, she understood. She lowered her voice, smiling gently, “Suisui, this new aunt is different from the previous one, not at all the same.”
Suisui knew this was a different person. Moreover, she did not sense any malice from Zhou Shi.
However, the memories of her past abuse were deeply ingrained in her mind. The mere mention of "aunt" would trigger fear, causing her to flinch.
After listening to both Qi Wangfei and the new aunt’s reassurances, Suisui slowly emerged from behind Qi Wangfei’s skirt. She dared not look up, nervously shifting her feet and cautiously stepping forward, trembling slightly as she stood up straight. She thought to herself that she wanted to be a polite child, despite her overwhelming fear.
Seeing her fear, both Qi Wangfei and Zhou shi felt heartbroken.
Zhou shi couldn’t help but curse those from the past. What kind of person had the previous aunt been? What wicked deeds had she committed to scare a child so deeply? That a mere word could frighten her to this extent?
This was just a child; what did she understand? Was it really necessary to frighten her this way?
Zhou shi thought, if the situation allowed, she might even roll up her sleeves and confront the culprits.
Still, not wanting to scare Suisui further, Zhou shi held her temper and spoke gently to the girl.
With Zhou shi’s calm demeanor and Song Kuan’s occasional curious questions, Qi Wangfei continued to comfort Suisui. Gradually, without any ill intentions surrounding her, Suisui began to feel more at ease. She even lifted her head and looked at her new aunt and cousin.
Yes, not only did Suisui have a new aunt, but she also gained a new cousin.
Song Kuan, eight years old, was the younger cousin of Feng Xuanrui and Suisui’s new cousin. Despite his young age, he was calm and collected, unlike the mischievous Feng Xuanrui. When he spoke to Suisui, he would bend down slightly to meet her gaze, ensuring she felt comfortable.
Both Zhou shi and Song Kuan took great care of Suisui’s feelings, and slowly, she stopped being afraid.
The adults quickly led the children back to Qi Wangfei's residence, as the area wasn’t suitable for conversation.
Seeing Suisui and Song Kuan getting along, Qi Wangfei felt relieved to leave Suisui in his care while they played together.
Though young, Song Kuan was quite mature. He was entrusted with the task of keeping Suisui entertained without wandering far, which eased Qi Wangfei's worries.
Song Kuan had not taken care of a younger sister before. He had two younger female cousins, but they were too young to play with much. Now, having a lovely little girl following him, listening to him, and occasionally looking at him with admiration made him feel a bit bashful yet proud.
He couldn’t help but show off, tossing things for Suisui to catch and leading her to catch grasshoppers…
Even so, since his mother had instructed him to stay close, he couldn’t lead her too far away.
Nonetheless, the two children were having a great time together.
As Qi Wangfei observed the children bonding, her mood lightened.
Seeing her relax, Zhou finally asked, “What exactly is the situation with this child? You sent word saying you wanted to take in a child but didn’t provide any details. Father and Mother have been worried, and they were concerned about disturbing you after Xiao Liu returned. They’ve been hesitant to intrude on your time.”
Zhou sighed as she spoke, “As soon as they heard you were at the temple, my mother sent me over to check on you.”
Her tone carried no blame; Zhou shi was under thirty and spoke her mind. She didn’t intend any malice.
Qi Wangfei understood that she needed to clarify the situation regarding Suisui with her family. However, it was inconvenient to relay messages.
After pondering, she replied, “Let’s stay here for one more night. Tomorrow, I’ll take Suisui back down the mountain to see Father and Mother, and then we can discuss Suisui’s situation.”
It wasn’t suitable to talk about such matters in public; the risk of eavesdropping was too high.
Zhou shi nodded in understanding, then asked, “I heard that Xiao Liu injured his leg while southward; is he doing well now? You’ve only reported good news to the family, which has worried Mother. Just a few days ago, she was thinking about visiting, but then we heard you entered the palace, so she held back her urge.”
Just yesterday, she had wanted to come over, but hearing that her daughter had taken in a new child and gone to Lan Ruo Temple had deterred her.
Madam Song had been anxious at home, unable to keep pace with her daughter’s decisions.
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