Chapter 14: My Little Sister Is So Smart

Qian Yuemai wasn’t happy.

“Mother,” she whined, “can’t you give me a little more? Four hundred cash coins is just too stingy.”

Her mother-in-law was such a skinflint.

Grandma Su shot Qian Yuemai a sharp glance.

“If you think it’s too little, then don’t take it. A pound of coarse grain costs only five cash. Go ahead—figure out how much grain four hundred coins can buy.”

Qian Yuemai: ……

Could you really count it like that?

There was *fifteen taels* of silver sitting right on the table!

Su Erhu glared at his wife—the one always stirring up trouble—and snapped, “You’re always making a fuss! For years now, we’ve been working our fingers to the bone, and we still can’t save up four hundred cash coins!”

Not even close. Every year, we’re in debt.

Qian Yuemai knew deep down that her mother-in-law giving her four hundred coins as personal money was already generous. In most families, a mother-in-law wouldn’t hand over that kind of sum to her daughter-in-law.

But then again—there was comparison.

If it weren’t for the fifteen taels of silver on the table, she wouldn’t have felt shortchanged at all.

Xiao Tangbao blinked big, innocent eyes, convinced this second sister was nothing but a thorn in the family’s side.

As a full member of this household, she felt it was her duty to give the woman another nudge.

So—

“Waaah… waaah… waaah…”

Xiao Tangbao stared straight at Qian Yuemai and let out another ear-splitting cry.

Old tricks? Sure. But if they worked, why not use them?

One cry from Xiao Tangbao, and the entire Su household went into panic mode.

Everyone scrambled—except Qian Yuemai.

“What’s wrong? What happened to Tangbao?”

“Is my little sister okay?”

“What’s going on with the little auntie?”

Grandma Su had been through this once before, so she kept her cool better than the others.

“Erhu’s wife—get out!” she barked, pointing toward the door.

Qian Yuemai: ……

Again? Why was it always her?

What did she have to do with any of this?

No matter whether she was involved or not, when Grandma said go, she went.

Fuming, Qian Yuemai snatched up the pile of cash coins on the table and stormed out.

The moment she stepped outside, Xiao Tangbao’s crying stopped dead.

Qian Yuemai: ……

She stood there, seething with injustice.

She didn’t believe this nonsense.

Could it really be that this little brat was crying *because of her*?

Without hesitation, she yanked back the curtain and walked back in.

Xiao Tangbao: “Waaah… waaah…”

Qian Yuemai: ……

Every single person in the room turned their gaze toward her—eyes blazing with silent accusation.

It was almost tangible.

“I—I—” Qian Yuemai stammered, completely flustered.

“You admit it—you must’ve pinched your sister!” Su Erhu narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his wife.

“I didn’t!” Qian Yuemai cried, wounded.

“Second sister,” piped up Su Liuhu, the youngest, blunt as ever, “you must’ve been bullying her behind everyone’s back. Otherwise, why would she cry every time she sees you?”

Qian Yuemai nearly fell backward in frustration.

She felt like she had a thousand mouths, and still couldn’t explain herself.

Especially when she saw her father-in-law—usually uninvolved in family squabbles—now staring at her with cold disapproval.

That tipped the scale.

“I—I said I didn’t! I swear I didn’t!”

Her voice trembled with anger. She spun around and stormed out again.

Grandma Su frowned slightly. “Erhu, go check on her. She’s carrying a child—don’t let her bump into anything.”

“Got it.” Su Erhu nodded and hurried after her.

After all, she was his wife. Even if he was annoyed, he couldn’t help but worry.

***

The next morning, breakfast hadn’t even finished when the Su household exploded into chaos.

The villagers of Da Liushu Village weren’t rich. They rarely spent money on meat, and dared not hunt in the mountains.

Now that there was pork—real, fresh pork—how could they resist dragging their whole families along?

And secretly, they admired the Su family’s generosity.

In most homes, no one would dare leave half a wild boar to stew. Even half a boar weighed over two hundred pounds.

“Brother Su, congratulations!”

“Haha—same to you!”

“Old Brother Su, your baby shower’s a real showstopper!”

“Haha—it’s just a joyous occasion, nothing fancy. We’re all here to celebrate together!”

Old Su stood proudly at the front gate, face glowing red with pride, greeting guests with a bow and formal words.

He sounded like a scholar, so dignified, so ceremonial.

If there were two stone lions guarding the entrance, it’d look like a noble family welcoming a bride.

Funny thing? The Su family never threw such a grand celebration when they married off their own son.

Inside the courtyard, laughter rang out, children ran wild—louder than during New Year’s.

Even sleepy little Tangbao was roused from her nap.

She gave a delicate little yawn, blinking sleepily open her eyes.

Then—right in front of her—a giant face loomed.

“Little sister,” said the boy, grinning with a mouth full of white teeth, “I’m your fifth brother.”

A young man still soft around the edges, clearly not quite grown yet.

Tangbao: ……

More relatives showing up?

“Goo goo ga ga…” she cooed politely.

She was a well-mannered child. Since he introduced himself, she had to respond.

“Mother,” Su Wuhu exclaimed in surprise, “is she saying hello to me?”

Grandma Su smiled warmly at her little girl.

“Yes—she’s saying ‘Hello, Fifth Brother.’”

She translated perfectly, capturing the meaning without missing a beat.

Tangbao thought: *My mom’s brilliant!*

She didn’t even understand her own babbling—yet Mom could decipher it like it was fluent Mandarin.

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“She’s so smart,” Su Wuhu marveled.

“Of course she is,” Grandma Su replied, puffing up with pride—just like Old Su used to.

Proud as a peacock in front of her son, forgetting to be humble.

Tangbao: ……

Where exactly did you get the idea I’m smart?

But… you’re right.
This little one *is* smart.

“Mom,” Su Wuhu asked, eyes wide with wonder, “can I hold her?”

“Here, like this,” Grandma Su said, carefully lifting Tangbao and placing her gently into her older brother’s arms.

Su Wuhu froze—so afraid he’d break something fragile.

He’d held babies before—little Liuhu, Dapeng, and Erpang when they were tiny.

But holding his *own* little sister? That was different.

Seeing Su Wuhu so tense, Tangbao tried to calm him. She opened her mouth and said, “Goo goo ga ga…”

“Mother,” Su Wuhu asked eagerly, “what’s she saying now?”

Grandma Su: ……

How would she know?

But she couldn’t let her son think she didn’t understand her own daughter, could she?

“She’s telling you not to be nervous,” she said, guessing correctly—again.

Tangbao’s eyes widened.

Did she just… hear her thoughts?

She stared at Grandma Su, round eyes full of wonder.

Grandma Su felt a strange flutter in her chest—like her daughter somehow understood her.

No way. Too smart.

This was unsettling.

What should she do?

Tangbao had no idea she’d just scared her mother half to death. She turned her head, studying the handsome young man in front of her.

This fifth brother… smelled faintly of ink.

Was he… studying at school?

But could the Su family afford to send a son to school?