Chapter Seventy-Six: The Su Brothers

Tao Ming vaguely heard someone calling out, but with Su Nanxing covering her eyes—and incidentally, her ears as well—she couldn’t quite catch what was being said.

Su Nanxing’s gaze grew dark. How had she failed to see how untrustworthy that person was before? The Yao family must be struck from the ranks of Wei Shui.

Tao Ming tried to pry Su Nanxing’s hand away, but Su Nanxing whispered softly, “Don’t open your eyes yet, turn around.”

Obediently, Tao Ming turned, and Su Nanxing pressed her head to his chest. “Open your eyes only when I tell you to.”

Tao Ming nodded, feeling a bit ticklish as she nestled against Su Nanxing’s chest.

Su Nanxing swiftly carried her away. Only once they’d entered Dongchang Tower did he set her down. “You can open your eyes now.”

Tao Ming opened her eyes to find herself standing before a door, a small plaque above it bearing the inscription “Listening Wind Pavilion.”

As he pushed open the door, Su Nanxing said, “Things were a bit chaotic just now. Let me give you a proper introduction this time.”

Tao Ming shook her head to clear her mind, inadvertently shaking loose a hairpin that clattered to her feet.

The moment the door opened, the young masters of the Su family inside the Listening Wind Pavilion were greeted by the sight of Tao Ming bent over, bottom in the air, picking up her hairpin.

Su Nanxing noticed his brothers’ startled expressions, glanced back at Tao Ming, and only smiled without saying a word.

Tao Ming picked up her hairpin and put it away, entirely unfazed by her actions.

Seeing the door open, she entered with a smile. “Hello, everyone.”

By the time Tao Ming had straightened up, the Su brothers had already composed their expressions, though they seemed uncertain how to respond. Su Pang, the nineteenth brother, was the first to speak: “Sister-in-law, you truly are one of a kind, quite distinctive.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Tao Ming replied.

Su Pang had expected her to say something modest so he could continue the awkward conversation, but Tao Ming didn’t play by the rules, leaving him momentarily at a loss for words.

Su Nanxing glanced around, not seeing his father, and asked in surprise, “Where’s Father?”

Su Pang let out a sigh of relief. “Father went to the Moon Viewing Pavilion where the Qin family is staying, to dote on Ruan Ruan.”

Su Nanxing thought to himself that Ruan Ruan’s charm was truly unrivaled.

He began introducing everyone to Tao Ming, one by one: “This is Fourth Brother Su Luo, Fifth Brother Su Hong, Eighth Brother Su Cang, Twelfth Brother Su Ze, Nineteenth Brother Su Pang, Twentieth Brother Su Jian, and Twenty-Second Brother Su Pei.”

Tao Ming greeted each in turn, her confusion growing. Su Nanxing’s name clearly didn’t follow the same pattern as the others—could he have been adopted?

She studied their faces closely. Three of them bore some resemblance to Su Nanxing, while the other four were clearly more like Su Yanfeng.

She concluded that the three were likely Su Nanxing’s full brothers.

Su Nanxing continued, “My mother gave birth to twenty-two children in all—seven sons, and the rest are daughters. Unlike other families, the Su family doesn’t separate the boys and girls in the order of birth; everyone is ranked by age together.”

Upon hearing this, Tao Ming marveled inwardly—the women of Wei Shui were truly formidable, bearing children as if it were nothing!

She admired them, but was certain she’d never have so many herself.

Everyone settled in to chat. Su Nanxing pulled Tao Ming to sit beside Su Ze. “Of all my brothers, only Twelfth Brother and I are married. Once we return to the Su Manor, you should spend more time with Twelfth Sister-in-law. After all, some matters are best understood by women.”

Tao Ming extended her right hand. “Twelfth Brother, I’ll be relying on Twelfth Sister-in-law’s guidance from now on.”

Su Ze looked at her proffered hand. “What does this mean?”

Tao Ming withdrew her hand awkwardly. “I forgot for a moment—that’s a custom from another world.”

Su Jian leaned over. “Sister-in-law, are all the girls from your world as interesting as you?”

The others turned their attention to her as well.

Tao Ming smiled gently. “There are hundreds of people, each unique, so naturally there are all kinds.”

Su Jian looked a little disappointed. Tao Ming went on, “However, the customs in my world are far more progressive than in Wei Shui. Women can go out to study, earn money, and support their families. So in general, girls there are more lively than those in Wei Shui.”

Su Jian’s eyes lit up. “I’d like to visit your world someday.”

Su Nanxing, feigning annoyance, said, “If you want to go, go—but stop staring at my wife!”

Su Jian grinned ingratiatingly at Su Nanxing. “Seventeenth Brother, if you ever go to that other world again, you must bring me along.”

Su Nanxing retorted, “The Su family’s formation is right there, it’s not as if you can’t find it.”

Su Jian pulled a long face. “Ever since you returned, Mother destroyed the formation. Didn’t you know?”

Su Nanxing was stumped; apparently, that was his own fault.

Tao Ming hastened to smooth things over. “If there’s ever a chance, I’ll take you.”

Su Jian finally brightened.

Su Pang and Su Pei crowded over. “Sister-in-law, take us too!”

Tao Ming was surprised. “Why do you all want to go?”

“We’re all unmarried!”

Tao Ming was even more surprised. “Aren’t there plenty of girls in Wei Shui?”

Su Pang curled his lip. “There are, but most are not much different from the one just struck down by divine punishment.”

At these words, the room fell instantly silent.

Tao Ming’s mood sank. Su Nanxing shot Su Pang a glare, reassuring Tao Ming, “It truly isn’t your fault. Even if you hadn’t been here today, she would have made trouble one way or another.”

Su Pang chimed in carefully, “Sister-in-law, we all saw clearly what happened earlier. It had nothing to do with you—it was all Seventeenth Brother’s doing.”

Su Nanxing wished he could sew Su Pang’s mouth shut—why did he always have to bring up the worst topics?

Tao Ming saw everyone looking at her and knew this was no time for sentimentality. She forced a smile. “I just can’t accept that a young woman in her prime could perish right before my eyes.”

Su Pang added, “You get used to it after a while. There isn’t a single wealthy family without their share of ugly secrets.”

Now the other Su brothers all wished they could sew Su Pang’s mouth shut.

Su Pang looked around in surprise. “Why are you all looking at me?”

Tao Ming sighed. “You’ve a long road to marriage ahead.”

Su Pang frowned slightly. “Why do you say that?”

Tao Ming pointed at Su Nanxing. “Learn from him—he’s a master at winning over women.”

Su Nanxing protested, “My feelings are completely genuine!”

Su Pang scoffed. “I can’t stand the way he is, just like Father, henpecked by Mother all day long.”

Su Nanxing retorted, “I’d like to see how you act when you meet the girl of your dreams.”

Su Pang hesitated, then looked at Tao Ming. “If she were like Sister-in-law…”

Su Nanxing cut him off angrily. “Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re my brother!”

Su Pang quickly corrected himself. “Someone like Mother would do!”

At that moment, Su Pang didn’t yet know that when he fell in love, he wouldn’t care in the least whether she was as beautiful as his mother.

Tao Ming found herself deeply curious about Su Nanxing’s mother and wished she could meet her future mother-in-law right then and there to study her carefully.

Fourth Brother Su Luo glanced at the time. “Who will fetch Father home?”

Su Nanxing looked at Tao Ming expectantly. “Wife, will you come back to the Su Manor with me?”

Tao Ming shook her head. “I’d like to visit my parents first—I heard they’re still bedridden, recovering from their injuries.”

Su Nanxing was disappointed, though not surprised. He said, “Then I’ll go with you. I should pay my respects to my father- and mother-in-law as well.”

Tao Ming hesitated. “That’s not necessary. Go home and get some rest.”

Su Nanxing looked aggrieved. “Wife, if you’re not by my side, I can’t sleep at all!”

The Su brothers silently commented to themselves: Father, your tricks—Seventeenth Brother has not only inherited them, but surpassed you!