HBWMA -Chapter 69 Setting Rules

Fu Sui’er’s gaze gradually grew more and more resolute.

Before, Fu Jiaming had also spoken to her like this, sincerely and emotionally. He said he couldn’t bear to part with her mother and her, that he wanted the family to stay together forever and that he would always be good to her.

Back then, she had asked Fu Jiaming the same question: “What do I need to do?”

Fu Jiaming told her, “Later, sneak to the back mountain and hide there for one night. That way Mom will get scared, and she’ll agree to whatever you say.”

In the same situation, Jiang Huashan told her that she didn’t need to do anything at all—just grow up properly.

Although Fu Sui’er was rebellious, she wasn’t truly unreasonable.

She lowered her head and looked at the mess of comic books scattered on the floor, the corners of her lips lifting into a very faint smile.

Try to become better?

The future was full of promise.

Considering the long and tiring journey, Great-Grandma Wu specially had lunch sent to their room.

Fu Sui’er had woken up very early and hadn’t slept at all during the trip. After getting the answer she wanted, she finally felt relieved. After lunch, sleepiness hit her, and she collapsed straight onto the bed and fell asleep.

Returning to this old place, Jiang Huashan’s laziness didn’t work on her anymore either. After lunch, she took the little poor thing and went out for a walk around the estate.

She had truly hated this place before—finding nothing about it pleasing to the eye. But now, with a different state of mind, she suddenly realized the old mansion wasn’t only the dark, heavy place in her memories.

The central courtyard was open on all sides, sunlight pouring down freely. Green plants stood upright, and wherever the light fell, the shadows scattered.

The cicadas here were even louder than in the Shen residence, and summer felt even more intense.

Jiang Huashan stood in the courtyard for a long time. For a moment, it felt as if time and space had been separated. She seemed to see a twelve-year-old child standing across from her, looking back.

That child had countless invisible strings tied to her back—confused, resentful, numb—staring up at the sky above.

The sun quickly set, and red clouds lit up the horizon.

Fu Sui’er slept deeply. When she woke up, Jiang Huashan was sitting by the window reading her comics.

“You’re awake? Great-Grandma said we should go to the main hall for dinner. Let’s go,” Jiang Huashan said, stretching her neck as she stood up.

“Okay.” Fu Sui’er rubbed her stomach and got out of bed to follow.

The main hall was brightly lit, and the aroma of food could be smelled from far away. Jiang Huashan sniffed—there seemed to be Huai City soup dumplings too. Fu Sui’er swallowed unconsciously; she hadn’t felt hungry before, but the smell suddenly made her hungry.

“Great-Grandma,” they greeted.

Great-Grandma Wu wasn’t sitting in the main seat. Seeing them enter, she smiled and nodded. “Sit down.”

Jiang Huashan hesitated for a moment and sat on the left side of the elder. Fu Sui’er, without thinking, sat right next to Jiang Huashan. Jiang Huashan shot her a look, and she pouted, reluctantly moving to sit on the elder’s right side instead.

“Are you hungry? Eat,” Great-Grandma Wu said.

“Mm.” Fu Sui’er picked up her chopsticks and placed a soup dumpling into Jiang Huashan’s bowl. “This smells really good.”

Jiang Huashan: “……”

Great-Grandma Wu chuckled. “If you like it, then eat more. Make yourselves at home.”

“Then I won’t be polite, Great-Grandma.”

With every bite of something she found tasty, Fu Sui’er would casually add more food to Jiang Huashan’s bowl, behaving completely without restraint.

Jiang Huashan looked slightly disgusted on the surface—but still silently ate everything in her bowl.

The old madam ate very little, only occasionally picking up her chopsticks.

Before long, Fu Sui’er was already full. She patted her round belly and said, “So full, so full. I didn’t expect the food at the old residence to taste even better than the dishes at Shen Manor.”

The old madam took a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her mouth. Fu Sui’er froze for a moment at the sight—what era was this? Who still uses a handkerchief nowadays?

“You’re done eating?” the old madam asked.

Fu Sui’er stood up. “I’m done, Great-Grandma. I’m stuffed.”

Jiang Huashan casually pulled out a tissue.

The old madam’s expression suddenly darkened. Her tone turned stern. “It is an ancestral rule not to discipline children during meals. Since you’ve finished eating, stay and listen to the rules.”

Fu Sui’er was startled by the sudden change in her expression and looked at Jiang Huashan in confusion. Jiang Huashan calmly wiped her mouth. As expected—what was coming would come sooner or later.

The old madam said, “Since the old master has entrusted you to me, I must live up to that trust. I originally didn’t want to set rules on your first day, but that meal just now was entirely improper. It shows how neglected your upbringing has been.”

Fu Sui’er replied unhappily, “Wasn’t it fine just now? How was it not proper?”

The old madam placed her hands neatly on her lap and lifted her chin slightly as she looked at Fu Sui’er. “Dinner is at six o’clock. I informed you at five. You arrived at six-thirty. What family dinner allows the younger generation to make the elders wait?”

Fu Sui’er retorted, “That’s because I fell asleep! Besides, we didn’t make you wait—you could’ve eaten if you were hungry!”

The old madam shook her head again. “This is a family dinner.”

Fu Sui’er still refused to accept it. “So what if it’s a family dinner? I eat like this at the Fu family too, and my grandfather never says anything. What right do you have to lecture me?!”

The old madam replied calmly, “The Fu family is the Fu family. The Shen family is the Shen family. If no one in the Fu family teaches you, then I, your great-grandmother, must.”

Fu Sui’er could no longer listen and said irritably, “Fine! If you can’t stand it, then don’t eat with us in the future. I’ll eat in my room. I don’t want to see your face anyway.”

The old madam frowned. “The lunch earlier was an exception out of consideration for your hardship. With the family elders present, there is no such thing as everyone eating separately. From now on, dinner is at six sharp, and you must be seated ten minutes early. Your etiquette at today’s meal was also unacceptable. Starting tomorrow, I will teach you properly.”

“Who asked you to teach us? This is such outdated, feudal thinking!”

Bang—

Something about those words seemed to strike a nerve. The old madam slammed her hand heavily on the table in sudden fury.

Fu Sui’er jumped in fright, her face full of shock.

“Regardless of the era, ancestral traditions must not be discarded! A person must not forget their roots!”

“You—!”

Fu Sui’er was about to argue back when Jiang Huashan shoved a soup bun into her mouth.

“Great-Grandma, we understand. We’ll pay attention next time,” Jiang Huashan said calmly.

The old madam’s anger eased slightly. Her gaze shifted to Jiang Huashan.

“Starting tomorrow, you two will wake up at seven every day. I’ve already seen your academic records. The Shen family doesn’t expect you to be exceptionally brilliant, but you cannot be illiterate. A tutor has already been arranged. Classes begin tomorrow.”

Fu Sui’er chewed the bun in frustration and rolled her eyes. So it’s tutoring now? Calling it “a teacher” makes it sound so formal.

Jiang Huashan nodded. “Understood.”

Later, after she married Shen Lanxi, she finally understood that being the daughter-in-law of a prestigious wealthy family was not so easy. She often embarrassed herself because of etiquette and manners, and those people even mocked Shen Zhuang for her shortcomings—saying he must dislike Shen Lanxi enough to give him such a foolish and disgraceful wife.

Of course, her willingness to learn now had nothing to do with still clinging to the position of Young Madam of the Shen family.

It was because, during today’s visit to the garden, she suddenly understood something.

The future is decided by the present. At the very least, she already had control over each present moment.

So why not go and meet a better version of herself in the future?