The Fragile Supporting Lady Is Too Clingy - Chapter 14

Li Shuyu finally got a taste of ancient teaching methods.

Staring at the countless calligraphy practice sheets in the study, she couldn’t help but despair inwardly, there was no way she could finish them all. Absolutely no way.

Compared to her rough, wild, and downright ugly handwriting, Li Qiuyue’s strokes beside her were far more delicate and refined.

She listened attentively and wrote with care, her small, floral-style script not exceptionally beautiful but neat and proper.

Li Shuyu glanced at the other girl’s work and felt even more ashamed. Look at how well she writes! And what am I scribbling? Utterly embarrassing.

Yet, Song Xiwu was quite satisfied with the young mistress’s performance today. From the moment they entered the study, she had nodded approvingly five or six times.

“Mastering calligraphy isn’t achieved overnight, Third Young Miss. You may take your time and practice at your own pace.”

In her opinion, Li Shuyu’s handwriting had already improved compared to its previous chaotic state. At least some semblance of form could now be discerned. Besides, one didn’t necessarily have to excel in small, regular script, cursive writing had its own merits.

Time always dragged on during lessons. By the time an hour had sluggishly passed, Song Xiwu finally called for a stop.

With a gentle tone, she said, “Young Miss has only just recovered from illness. The Marquis specifically instructed not to overexert you. We shall end here for today.”

Li Shuyu’s narrow phoenix eyes widened in relief. She had thought they wouldn’t be dismissed until all those practice sheets were completed.

Turns out, whether in modern times or ancient, she still hated studying!

“Thank you for your guidance, Teacher. Let me see you out.”

Li Shuyu was practically itching to leave.

Song Xiwu felt that this young mistress had grown more sensible after her illness. Though inwardly pleased, she declined the offer.

“Please, stay. There’s no need to see me off. The practice sheets I’ve given you, feel free to work on them in your spare time. Just don’t neglect your studies.”

With that, she departed gracefully on her own.

Li Shuyu slumped into her chair, utterly drained. But when she looked up, her second sister was still diligently practicing, brush in hand.

She straightened up and deliberately leaned closer to Li Qiuyue, her breath warm against the other girl’s ear. “Second Sister, do you enjoy calligraphy this much?”

The downward stroke Li Qiuyue was about to make faltered, and a drop of ink splattered, darkening the paper abruptly.

Her voice was soft, tinged with an indescribable sorrow. “I’m not like you. You’re the legitimate daughter of an aristocratic family these lessons come easily to you. Even if I wanted to learn, Father would never hire a tutor for me. Today, only because you allowed it, did I get this chance. I want to make the most of it.”

Such fine paper, brushes, and ink, without Li Shuyu, she might never have had the privilege of using them in her lifetime.

The young woman lowered her head as she spoke, a few strands of jet-black hair falling against her snow-white neck.

It effortlessly stirred Li Shuyu’s pity. I’m the worst, she thought. Here I am, complaining about studying, while so many others don’t even have the chance to learn.

Hastily, she said, “Since Second Sister enjoys studying, why not join me for lessons from now on? It’s boring learning alone anyway.”

Li Qiuyue was stunned. The tutor for the legitimate daughters had been specially hired by their father, exclusively for Li Shuyu. Even the eldest legitimate son, Li Shaoning, couldn’t sit in on a single lesson. And now, she was being invited to join?

Truthfully, she was tempted. But…

The girl’s eyes flickered with conflict before she ultimately shook her head. “Father has arranged separate tutors for us illegitimate daughters lessons in music and the like. I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay.”

Li Shuyu was even more surprised. So they were taught different things? She had assumed everyone learned the same.

The books she loathed to read were things some could never even dream of studying from birth.

This stirred even more tenderness in Li Shuyu’s heart. She reached out to hold the girl’s wrist resting beside her and said earnestly, “It’s alright. If you want to learn, I can teach you after class!”

Li Shuyu had never thought herself capable of such kindness. Someone who usually avoided studying was now willing to learn. all for Li Qiuyue’s sake.

The supporting female character’s eyes shimmered faintly, yet she remained wary of Li Shuyu’s past tendency to bully others.

Perhaps she wasn’t being sincere. Perhaps this was just another way to tease her, to watch her hopes crumble.

But what if it was true?

The young girl tightened her grip on the white jade brush holder and decided to trust Li Shuyu one more time.

From the day before yesterday until now, she had treated her with nothing but kindness and gentleness.

Li Qiuyue met Li Shuyu’s gaze and nodded softly, her voice light and sweet, “Mm, then I’ll thank Third Sister in advance…”

Afraid she might doubt her sincerity, Li Shuyu thumped her chest in assurance, “I’ll pay close attention in class and teach you properly afterward!”

The reputation of the third young miss of Pingyang Marquisate as an idle, unlearned girl was quite well-known. Li Qiuyue was skeptical, but she didn’t show it, nodding obediently instead, appearing utterly endearing.

Song Xiwu had brought many calligraphy models, allowing them to pick their favorites to practice. She set aside the more delicate scripts for the supporting female character and took the remaining ones for herself.

The girl practiced diligently as well. The evening glow filtered through the paper window, casting a warm light on their profiles, a rare moment of serene beauty.

When Haitang entered to serve tea, she was so stunned by the scene that she was momentarily speechless.

The young miss had always despised the marquisate’s illegitimate daughters, keeping company only with the eldest and seventh young masters. The maids, following her lead, had treated the illegitimate young misses with cold indifference.

But now…

It seemed the young miss had changed.

Haitang looked at the solitary cup of tea in her hand, silently retreated, and brewed two more before reentering to serve them.

Li Qiuyue hadn’t fully recovered from her illness, and after practicing calligraphy all afternoon, her arms ached. She lowered her eyes, quietly rubbing her sore elbows again and again.

“Tired?”

“Mm, a little.”

“Let me help you.”

Just as she had eased the soreness and was about to lower her hand, Li Shuyu took over, gently massaging it for her.

Li Qiuyue instinctively tried to pull her hand back but couldn’t. Realizing this, she left it in Li Shuyu’s palm, letting her continue the soothing motions.

Her wrist, strained from writing, was now enveloped in warm hands, kneaded with care.

For some reason, Li Qiuyue’s cheeks flushed pink. She turned her head away, not daring to look at her.

Only after a long while did Li Shuyu finally release her hand. The two spent another night together, eating and resting side by side.

By the next day, a new tutor had arrived. Li Shuyu suddenly realized the situation was more complicated than she’d thought. She had assumed the original host only needed to practice calligraphy, but today’s tutor was here to teach policy essays and even the “ways of governance” enough to make one’s head spin.

According to Second Sister, this tutor was a renowned scholar of their time, highly respected. Yet their father had invited him to teach the original host.

How could such a distinguished tutor’s guidance still result in the original host’s reputation as a good-for-nothing?

As Li Shuyu pondered this, she glanced up and caught the scholar sneaking a look at her. only for his face to twist into an expression of sheer agony. Suddenly, she understood.

The original host and these tutors had despised each other, so she never learned a thing.

Li Shuyu wasn’t fond of studying either, but she hated being called a fool. Besides, she had promised the supporting female character she’d study hard.

Li Qiuyue was still too weak for music or dance lessons, so today, she had begged the tutor to let the girl learn alongside her.

The teacher had very low expectations of her, just listening attentively was enough. If she didn’t understand something, she could ask a few more times, but skipping class was out of the question.

Li Shuyu:

Just how much had the original owner hated studying?

Skipping class was naturally something she couldn’t bring herself to do. If nothing else, she hadn’t even fully figured out the layout of Pingyang Marquis’s estate yet!

This time, the teacher assigned to her was named Zheng Qiu, who had once been the dean of the Great Yan’s top academy. After retiring in his old age, he unexpectedly ended up being invited by the Marquis to tutor her.

It was enough to shave ten years off his life.

Though strict, Teacher Zheng Qiu was quite skilled in teaching. Li Shuyu had little exposure to ancient knowledge, but she managed to grasp about half of it. For the parts she didn’t understand, asking a few more times usually cleared things up.

The female supporting character seemed smarter than her, nodding along the entire time without ever asking questions. When Li Shuyu quietly asked if she had understood, she was met with a strange look. “What’s there not to understand?”

Great. She was the only underperforming student.

With Pingyang Marquis’s estate providing good food, comfortable living, and excellent physicians, even a mere cold was completely cured after a few more days.

One morning, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, Li Shuyu was still buried in bed, fast asleep, when suddenly someone stepped on her calf. Startled, she bolted upright, her phoenix eyes wide as she stared at the timid woman crouching at the foot of the bed.

Li Qiuyue, seeing her displeased expression, shrank back fearfully, her voice soft and trembling, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I didn’t mean to.”