Overdo

Weiyi sat down and said, "I don't know why, but I become lazy as soon as I return home. Two winters ago, I went skiing every day in Switzerland with my classmates. Even when my legs went stiff, I didn't feel tired." Susu, drenched in sweat, felt refreshed as the warm breeze blew against her face. She saw cherry blossoms fluttering all around, falling like rain, covering the ground like a thin layer of pink snow. The scene was so beautiful that she couldn't help but sigh softly. Just then, someone called her name: "Susu."

She turned her head, both surprised and delighted. "Mulan."

Mulan also wore an expression of pleasant surprise, saying, "So it really is you." Xu Changning, who was behind her, stepped forward and greeted with a smile, "Eldest Miss, Third Young Madam, Fourth Miss. What a pleasant surprise to see the three of you out for a stroll today."

Jin Rui smiled at him and said, "Changning, about what you promised me last time at Ruyi Lou?" Changning replied with a smile, "How could I delay when Eldest Miss gives an order? I took care of it first thing in the morning." He didn't introduce Mulan, and Jin Rui and Weiyi didn't ask. Instead, Susu said, "Eldest Sister, Fourth Sister, this is my friend Fang Mulan."

Jin Rui and Weiyi both nodded at Mulan with a smile. Mulan said to Susu, "I saw your wedding photos in the newspaper. You looked so beautiful."

Susu didn't know how to respond, so she smiled and asked, "What about you? When will you and Young Master Xu treat us to a wedding banquet?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Mulan glance at Xu Changning, while Xu Changning coughed and asked, "Third Young Master left yesterday, didn't he?"

Susu deeply regretted her thoughtless remark and quickly replied, "Yes, he departed yesterday. He must have arrived by now." Just then, Weiyi beside her complained of hunger, and the attendants opened the food basket. Susu hadn't expected it to be so well-prepared. Inside were delicate Western pastries, and when coffee was poured from the thermos, it was still steaming hot. After the five of them had coffee, they walked down the mountain together. Seeing Jin Rui and Weiyi walking ahead, Mulan quietly said to Susu, "You've lost weight."

Susu replied, "Really? I hadn't noticed." But Mulan said, "It's just that as Third Young Master's wife, you shine even more brilliantly. I almost didn't recognize you earlier." Susu smiled, "You're just teasing me." Mulan noticed the string of pearls coiled into an elegant three-strand soft bracelet on Susu's wrist. Though the pearls weren't large, each was perfectly round, uniform in size, and emitted a soft, gentle luster in the sunlight. She couldn't help but remark, "These pearls are exquisite. They must be southern pearls." Susu glanced down at them and said, "I'm not sure if they're southern pearls. Mother gave them to me, so I wear them daily." Mulan said, "Since Madam gave them to you, they must be of the finest quality, undoubtedly southern pearls."

By now, it was nearly noon, and the number of visitors had dwindled. Mulan glanced back at the attendant following at a distance and suddenly said, "Mr. Zhang treated everyone to dinner again recently." Susu made a noncommittal sound and asked, "Has the Dance Troupe started rehearsing a new production? Is everyone doing well?" Mulan smiled, "Everyone at the dinner spoke of you with great envy." Then she asked, "The Murong family held a Western-style wedding—such a grand event—yet you didn't host a large banquet for relatives and friends?"Susu said, "It's Father's wish, and Mother agrees. Western-style weddings are simpler—when Father and Mother married, they also had a Western-style ceremony. The elders don’t want anything extravagant, but somehow the newspapers still got wind of it." Mulan smiled, "For such a big event, the newspapers would naturally make a fuss." As they chatted, they walked to the roadside. Jin Rui and Weiyi were already waiting by the car. Susu felt rather embarrassed and hurried over, saying, "I was so caught up in talking that I walked so slowly."

Jin Rui said, "We just arrived too." The aide-de-camp had already opened the car door. Jin Rui got in first and nodded to Chang Ning from afar, saying, "Come over for tea sometime." Since Jin Rui had entered the car, Weiyi would only get in afterward, so Susu quickly bid farewell to Mulan. The three of them got into the car, while the aide-de-camp took the car behind. The two vehicles sped down the mountain as swiftly as ever.

Upon returning home, Weiyi complained that her feet hurt and immediately curled up on the sofa in the small sitting room. Jin Rui teased her, "So young, and yet so fragile." A maid approached Susu and said, "Third Young Mistress, the Third Young Master has called several times." Susu was startled and asked, "Did he say what it was about?" The maid replied, "He didn’t say anything, only asked that you call him as soon as you returned." Susu asked, "What’s his phone number?" The maid hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, "The Third Young Master didn’t say."

Jin Rui laughed and said, "Why go to all that trouble?" She picked up the phone and said to the operator, "Connect me to Pumen, and find the Third Young Master." Then she handed the receiver to Susu, "See, you don’t need to know the number." The operator promptly connected to Pumen, and the operator there, upon hearing it was a call from the Shuangqiao Official Residence, immediately put it through to Murong Qingyi’s line.

Hearing him ask, "Susu?" she quickly replied, "It’s me. You called several times—is there something urgent?" He said, "Nothing urgent, I just arrived, so I called to let you know." Susu asked, "Was the journey alright?" He replied, "It was fine. They said you went out with Eldest Sister and Fourth Sister—where did you go?" She answered, "We went to see the cherry blossoms." He then said, "You should go out more often. Staying cooped up at home isn’t good for your health. You mentioned a headache yesterday—did you call a doctor?" Susu said softly, "It was just a chill, and I’m better today."

From the other end of the sofa, Jin Rui laughed, "I can’t stand these two—all this fuss just to exchange a few idle words. Take your time chatting. Weiyi, let’s go." Weiyi winked at Susu and said with mock seriousness, "Third Sister-in-law, if you have any intimate words, better not say them—the operators on both ends can hear everything."

Susu, embarrassed by their teasing, said to Murong Qingyi, "Is there anything else? I’ll hang up then." Murong Qingyi understood her meaning and said, "I’ll call you again tonight."Susu hung up the phone and turned to find that Jin Rui and her sister had already left. She then asked the maid, "Has Madam returned?" The maid replied, "Yes, she's in the greenhouse." Susu quickly said, "I'll go see Mother." As she walked toward the greenhouse, she could hear the lively chatter and laughter from afar—Madam Murong was entertaining female guests there. She entered and called out, "Mother." Madam Murong smiled and nodded, asking, "I heard you went out to see the cherry blossoms? You should do that more often. Young people ought to be lively." Susu responded, "Yes."

Mrs. Guo interjected from the side, "Madam dotes on her so much, truly treating her as her own." Madam Murong took Susu's hand and said with a smile, "This child is the most endearing—so obedient, far better than my third son, I must say." Mrs. Kang laughed, "Madam loves the crow for the sake of the nest." Madam Murong replied, "I'm not just saying this to be polite. My third son doesn't give me as much peace of mind as Susu does." Just then, Jin Rui walked in and said cheerfully, "Mother, you're just being partial—your own children and daughter-in-law always seem the best to you." Madam Murong said, "I suppose I am biased. Mrs. Kang's daughters-in-law are all quite outstanding as well."

Mrs. Kang smiled and said, "Compared to the Third Young Mistress, they are like heaven and earth, crows and phoenixes—how could they even be mentioned in the same breath?" Jin Rui, aware that Mrs. Kang held some resentment over the Minxian incident, said to Susu, "The French tutor has arrived and is waiting for you." Hearing this, Susu turned to Madam Murong and said, "Mother, I'll take my leave then." After Madam Murong nodded, Susu addressed the guests, "Ladies, please make yourselves comfortable." The female guests all slightly rose and said, "Third Young Mistress, please don't mind us."

After afternoon tea was served, the guests departed one by one. Jin Rui and Madam Murong remained seated in the greenhouse, chatting. Jin Rui said, "That Mrs. Kang is truly unpleasant, always making pointed remarks." Madam Murong replied, "After all, our third son did offend her." She added, "You always say I'm biased, but I think you're biased too. People say that elder and younger sisters-in-law are the hardest to deal with, but they haven't met you and Weiyi. I know you sisters usually don't meddle in others' affairs, yet you're so protective of Susu."

Jin Rui said, "Susu is truly sensible and obedient. It's surprising that someone of her background shows not a hint of frivolity. Third Brother made the right choice—and I'm mostly doing this for him. He's so infatuated with Susu, it's almost worrying."