Chapter 70 - Xiao Hua's Gossip

The next day, Shen Xiao told Shen Ziqiao that Old Madam agreed to give the dowry back for her to handle.

Shen Ziqiao felt as if a pie had dropped down from the sky.

Next, Shen Xiao told her the condition.

“...Father, this is making things difficult for me.” Shen Ziqiao wanted to cry. This pie wasn’t that easy to bite on.

It wasn’t simple being a wealthy second generation!

“Jiao Jiao, Old Madam is just doing this for you. She wants you to have the ability to manage your mother’s dowry, after all.” Shen Xiao explained for his old mother. He really didn’t want his daughter to think that his mother was coveting after her dowry.

The reason sounded dignified, but it was actually barely enough to pass by.

“I understand.” Shen Ziqiao didn’t refuse. The more Old Madam Shen was being hard on her, the more she wanted to snatch back Pan Family’s dowry and infuriate that old woman.

Shen Xiao glanced at his daughter, realizing that Jiao Jiao had grown up whilst he didn’t know. He glanced at her delicate brows and noticed that she looked very similar to Pan Madam.

However, their personalities were the polar opposites.

Pan Madam was steady and reserved, generous and elegant. Meanwhile, Jiao Jiao...was just playful and unruly.

“You need to remember to not put on an attitude just like you did in the past. You have to calmly ponder over everything and face the situation unflustered.” Shen Xiao said in a deep voice.

“Yes, father.” Shen Ziqiao answered seriously.

Shen Xiao wanted to continue talking, but realized that he didn’t have anything else to say. He felt as if his daughter had been quite distant from him after he came back. She didn’t act cute or spoiled like she did in the past.

Shen Ziqiao did want to act cute, but she wasn’t really thirteen years old. How could she act like a spoiled child? As long as she knew that Shen Xiao adored her, it was okay.

The daughter and father were speechless for a moment. They were both racking their brains trying to come up with a topic.

A servant outside the room reported that the Eldest Miss of Rongan Residence had arrived.

It was Luo Zhaohua...

Shen Ziqiao became delighted. She was the one that had a servant invite Luo Zhaohua over. Who should she find if she wanted to know gossip? Obviously her best friend.

“Go ahead.” Shen Xiao sighed, wondering how much of his words his daughter took in. He hoped that she wouldn’t disappoint him.

“Father, then I’ll be heading over.” Shen Ziqiao eagerly left the steady.

Shen Xiao waved his hands and Shen Ziqiao vanished like a trace of smoke.

Luo Zhaohua was already waiting for her in Qiao Xin Courtyard. Seeing that Shen Ziqiao ran over without a care for her image, the corner of her eyes twitched. She helplessly shook her head. “Can’t you walk slowly?”

“I’m just anxious to see you!” Shen Ziqiao replied confidently.

“Tch. You have such a glib tongue.” Luo Zhaohua reached over and pinched Shen Ziqiao’s face. The two girls laughed with each other as they walked in.

Shen Ziqiao indicated for Hong Yu to guard the door as she pulled Luo Zhaohua to gossip in the room.

“...You’re saying that Old Madam Qi is indifferent to Xiao Gu because she married Duke An?” Shen Ziqiao was shocked. Normally, don’t old madams like marrying their nieces or sister’s daughters over to their sons?”

Luo Zhaohua lowered her voice. “No one else knows about this. I secretly heard this from my mother. I heard that Duke An had a woman outside. The late Madam Qi didn’t know about it. Just as Duke An planned on sending the woman away, Xiao Gu told this to the late Madam Qi. Then, the woman brought her child over to find him… The late Madam Qi died due to excess anger. Under a fit of rage, Duke An sent that woman away. Decades passed away and he hadn’t seen her since.”

The...gossip was too much to take in!

“You heard this from your mother?” Shen Ziqiao was very suspicious of this. After all, why would Princess Nihong mention this in front of Luo Zhaohua?

Luo Zhaohua giggled. “Decades have passed by. I’ve only heard a few people mention this. Didn’t you want to know about it? I specially went to ask the mama by my mother’s side, and got some information after using both gentle methods and force.”

“Then does Qi Zheng know that his mother was angered to death?” Shen Ziqiao recalled Qi Zheng’s indifference and handsome face. Maybe this had to do with why he pretended to be stupid.

“He doesn’t know. After all, wasn’t he stupid? Plus, no one really knew about this in the Qi Family. Those that knew were sent away by Duke An. Old Madam Qi probably wouldn’t tell this to Qi Zheng. As for Xiao Gu...she definitely wouldn’t. If Qi Zheng knew, would she still be able to stay in the Qi Family?” He’d hate Duke An to death .

Shen Ziqiao thought of Duke An’s elegant and refined look. She shook her head and sighed. “I really couldn’t tell.”

“I heard that Old Madam Qi scolded Xiao Gu badly because of this. However, she still recognized her as her niece. Later on, Xiao Gu seduced Duke An… and he was forced to marry her. That was why Old Madam Qi refused to let her come to her courtyard anymore.” Luo Zhaohua said in a hushed tone. Speaking of seducing, her face flushed.

In order to make inquiries about this, she had put in a lot of effort.

Shen Ziqiao shook her head. “Xiao Gu is as expected, not a good person.”

Luo Zhaohua asked, “How did you offend her?”

“How would I know?!” Shen Ziqiao sighed in resentment. “She probably just doesn’t like me.”

It actually had to do with Qi Zheng. However, she couldn’t talk about it. Although she was annoyed that Qi Zheng used her, she didn’t have the courage to tell Zhaohua that he was pretending to be stupid.

She wasn’t courageous enough.

“Don’t have me make inquiries about this in the future. If my mother finds out, she’d beat me to death.” Luo Zhaohua said in a proper manner.

Shen Ziqiao glanced at her and said, “Enough. You actually want to know about it too.”

Although Luo Zhaohua was a legitimate young unmarried yes, she was definitely a gossiper.

“Psh. I’m not like you.” Luo Zhaohua firmly denied. She tossed a marinated piece of plum into her mouth and asked unclearly, “I heard that General Shen is back now. Did you get grounded again?”

“Old Madam wants me to manage the household.” Shen Ziqiao faintly said.

Spat! Luo Zhaohua almost spit her saliva. “How badly did you anger Old Madam? Letting you manage the household? Then Shen Family will be in chaos.”

She clearly looked down on her! Shen Ziqiao glared at her unhappily. “Why would the household become in chaos just because I’m managing the household?”

“Jiao Jiao, it isn’t because I’m looking down on you. Don’t mention how you never managed the household before, but you haven’t even learned how to, did you? When had the Old Madam taught you this? Do you know how to read the account book? You don’t know anything.”

The original Shen Ziqiao might not know how to. But she couldn’t say the same about herself. “I have my mother’s people helping me.”

Luo Zhaohua was stunned. “Madam Shen’s people? Didn’t you hate them a lot in the past?”

“It’s because I was insensible in the past.” Luo Zhaohua seems to know a lot about the original body. She needs to be careful in case Zhaohua sees through her.

“If you don’t understand something, just ask me. I’ve learned how to manage the household with my mother for a year or so now.” Luo Zhaohua offered.

Shen Ziqiao’s hearted warmed up a bit. Different from Sheng Peiyin who was just using her, Luo Zhaohua genuinely treated her well. This was her best friend, ah.