The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits
Chapter 491 - 495: Unrivaled in the World (Seven)

Chapter 491: Chapter 495: Unrivaled in the World (Seven)

Su Li was so delighted it was nauseating, "Even grandmother thinks it looks good? I think so too. Mother should tailor my clothes like this from now on. All the new dresses in my wardrobe have been compensated to my sister. I haven’t........"

Su Li had not finished speaking when Old Master Su grandly gestured with his hand, "Do it, let your mother make it for you. Tomorrow, I’ll have the embroidery lady come over to take your measurements."

"Sure, since you like it, then have your mother make several more for you."

Old Master Su was not unaware of Mrs. Su’s surreptitious actions, but as long as they were minor, he tended to turn a blind eye.

Seeing Mrs. Su’s expression, he took this opportunity to make her feel troubled, completely unaware of the value of the Floral Skirt Su Li was wearing.

He, an unsophisticated old man, even after spending so many years amidst luxury, still did not fully understand the intricacies of noble household customs.

Mrs. Su wanted to explain, but to her surprise, even Old Master Su spoke up, forcing her to swallow her words with difficulty.

Out of respect for the sacrifices his mother had made for him when he was younger, Old Master Su always held Old Master Su in high regard. Merely echoing Old Master Su’s words, Old Master Su could not have imagined that the price of a single skirt could be so outrageously high.

Seeing Mrs. Su’s reluctant demeanor, Old Master Su instantly misunderstood and her face turned stern. Looking at the table full of food she loved, she lost her appetite.

"Ah, she’s not her own child after all. She can’t bear to make even a skirt for Ah Lee, and yet she always claims how much she loves Ah Lee."

"Grandmother...."

"Grandmother...."

Su Qingqing and Su Zhi were shocked and leaped to their feet.

Especially Su Qingqing, hearing Old Master Su speak so of her mother, she was both angry and enraged.

Such cutting words, if they were to spread, would make it unbearable for her mother to face anyone.

No sooner had the words been spoken than Old Master Su immediately regretted them, but upon seeing his granddaughter’s annoyed expression, he too became angry.

No matter how you look at it, these grandchildren always sided with their own mother.

Those harmonious grandparent-grandchild relationships now had a rift among them.

Old Master Su turned to see his eldest grandson’s worried gaze, and his uneasy heart suddenly softened.

The eldest grandson was always the best, indeed, a legitimate son and grandson were different from the others.

If in the past Old Master Su valued his eldest grandson because of his own son’s esteem, now, feeling hurt by his two grandchildren, Old Master Su felt even more genuine affection for Su Yao.

Old Master Su also felt his mother had gone too far, yet he gave his wife a look, signaling her to apologize to Old Master Su.

Mrs. Su felt extremely wronged. Despite her stern and unquestioned authority in the household, it only extended to minor matters. With an assertive mother-in-law towering over her, how could her days be at ease?

No matter how humiliated, Mrs. Su still softly bowed her head, admitting her fault.

"Mother has misunderstood. I am not unwilling, it’s just that the Floral Skirt Ah Lee is wearing was personally handled by the steward of the embroidery house, and it might not be easy to employ her services again now."

Feigning weakness, Su Li coughed a few times with a handkerchief, "Mother, I am not picky. It will do if an ordinary embroidery lady from the embroidery house makes it."

Old Master Su made a final decision, "Then it is settled, let the other embroidery ladies embroider it."

Uncharacteristically, the usually content Su Yao actually spoke up, "Does big sister mean to make a request to us? Mother... this expense need not come from the public funds, consider it a gift from me to big sister..."

Old Master Su objected, "Don’t talk nonsense. Such a trivial amount of money does not need your contribution. Madam..."

Old Master Su’s ensuing call bore a hint of sternness.

Mrs. Su’s mouth tasted as bitter as if she had eaten coptis, yet she couldn’t let it show on her face, her head hung low to prevent her eyes from inadvertently revealing her resentful feelings.

"What the Old Master said is true. The household doesn’t lack this little money, so there’s no need for Brother Yao to say such things. Aren’t you just making me feel uncomfortable for no reason?"

Su Yao bowed and apologized, "It’s my fault."

Su Li found an empty seat to sit down with a lazy grace, her eyes lively as they flitted from one person to another, clearly unbothered.

As one act finished, another began. The undercurrents between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law kept the audience eager to applause.

After toying with the corners of her eyes, Su Li cast a provocative glance at an infuriated Su Qingqing. The Floral Skirt, stained by medicine and now augmented with a few butterflies by Huang Ying’s skilled hands, seemed livelier than ever.

A subtle "click" was heard, but only by the sharp-eared Su Li, unnoticed by all others.

Several of the perfectly manicured nails on the fingers Su Qingqing was stirring with broke completely.

The pain that shoots up from the fingernails made Su Qingqing’s face twist in agony.

She blamed all of today’s humiliation on Su Li and could not help herself as she stood up and said, "Wasn’t the Floral Skirt dirtied? How could Sister be so impatient as to wear it still?"

With an annoyed cover of her mouth, Su Qingqing lamented, "I thought Sister... If Sister really liked this skirt, you could have just told me, and no matter how much I liked it, I would have given it to you."

Su Qingqing’s words directly painted Su Li’s actions as intentional.

Did Su Li care? She did not.

Su Qingqing was right; she did it on purpose, even the act of hurriedly changing into the altered Floral Skirt that afternoon was meant to irritate others.

With crescent-shaped eyes, Su Li nodded approvingly at Su Qingqing.

Her gaze held a single message: You’re quite clever, spot on, just like that.

Su Qingqing: "....." She felt like vomiting blood.

She was clueless as to how her naive, foolish elder sister, raised ignorant by their mother, had become so slippery like an eel today, shamelessly brazen.

It was truly an unsightly spectacle.

Mrs. Su immediately scolded Su Qingqing, "How can you speak to your elder sister like that?"

Then, turning to Su Li, she added, "Ah Lee, pay her no mind. Qingqing is just a bit emotional. She’s been looking forward to that skirt for days, and I only just allowed her to have it tailored."

Su Li responded, "Oh, and didn’t I compensate by giving my sister several lovely new skirts? They were all ones mother made for me, which I didn’t even want to wear because they were so pretty."

"Exchanging one for several, why is my sister still haggling with me?"

Su Li put on an expression that seemed to say, ’how petty of you,’ almost angering Su Qingqing to the point of fainting.

Su Qingqing wanted to grab Su Li by the neck and shout: Who wants your lousy dresses? She had been forced to accept them.

Seeing that a meal had barely started before it turned chaotic, Old Master Su directly interrupted the quarrel, "Enough, let’s eat."

"Cough cough... My health isn’t good, so younger brother and sister, let’s not quibble with me," Su Li said weakly.

Old Master Su merely looked at Su Li deeply, his expression unreadable, the faint untethered shadows in his eyes frightening.

The remainder of the meal proceeded in silence.

Nobody seemed in the mood to speak; even the dishes on the table tasted bland except to Su Li, who ate leisurely, unaffected, while the others barely touched their food.

"The chef who cooked this meal is not up to par; find another," Mrs. Su said.

"Yes, mother."