The Fragile Supporting Lady Is Too Clingy - Chapter 16

The seventh young master of Pingyang Hou’s residence was the most clingy to his elder sister. Even if she had just scolded him, he would still stick to her like glue. Having just been forced to pinch his nose and apologize to Li Qiuyue, he now climbed onto his sister’s lap, burying his chubby little body there, refusing to budge.

Li Shaojin was a little chubby boy. soft, plump, and delightful to hold. Li Shuyu couldn’t be bothered to shoo him away.

She couldn’t help but think: If the original host hadn’t treated the female antagonist so poorly, wouldn’t she have lived a very happy life?

Doting adoptive parents and elder brother, an adorable and clingy younger brother, and even a biological father seated on the highest throne of the empire.

Had the original host lived just a little longer, her father would have already begun preparations to restore her status as a princess.

She would have been the most beloved princess in the novel.

Hmm… But as Li Shuyu considered the original host’s temperament, she thought it might be better if she didn’t become a princess. The power of a princess was too great and she hated the female lead she adored!

If the original host had become a princess, she wouldn’t have just bullied the villainess.

How many more people would have suffered because of her?

Ah, never mind.

Li Shuyu shook her head, then suddenly realized her legs had gone completely numb. She jostled her knee and asked the little chubby boy sitting on her lap, “Can you sit by yourself for a while?”

The little boy was busy playing with his jade pendant. Hearing this, he lifted his chin and refused without hesitation, “No! You haven’t held me in days.”

The child had an air of arrogance about him, exactly like the infuriating demeanor of the original host in the novel.

Li Shuyu had no choice but to keep holding him. Then another thought crossed her mind: I’m also sisters with the female antagonist I’ve never held her before. Why should the younger brother get what the elder sister doesn’t?

This isn’t fair.

Lady Wen sat at the head of the room, casually saying a few words before dismissing the concubines and lesser wives of the household. Finally, she turned her gaze to Li Shaojin, who was still glued to his sister’s lap, and beckoned him gently, “Jin’er, your sister has only just recovered from a serious illness. Don’t pester her come here. You still have to study later. Let your sister go back and rest.”

Li Shaojin frowned hesitantly before hopping off Li Shuyu’s lap. Worried, he asked, “Is Jiejie still not well? Should we call for another physician?”

The original host had so many people who cared about her

Li Shuyu felt a pang of envy but kept her expression neutral. She tightened her grip on Li Qiuyue’s slender, delicate fingers and calmly replied, “No need. I’m almost fully recovered I just need more rest.”

“Then you should go rest right away! I’ll come find you in the afternoon.”

The child seemed genuinely eager to be close to his sister. If it had been the original host, she definitely wouldn’t have refused. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, Li Shuyu had no choice but to nod. However, she added, “You can come, but no noise. Jiejie still has lessons to attend.”

After all, she had promised the female antagonist that she would teach her after finishing her own studies!

She couldn’t afford to be distracted.

Li Shaojin was one of the rare members of the Li family who actually enjoyed studying. His eyes lit up at the mention of lessons. “Jin’er studies too! Jin’er will study with Jiejie!”

Alright, alright so he’s actually a studious child.

“Fine. Then, Mother, Second Sister and I will take our leave now.”

Her second sister had remained silent the entire time. Li Shuyu wondered if she was upset.

Hand in hand, Li Shuyu and Li Qiuyue walked out of the main courtyard. Outside, a few of their younger siblings, whom they had just met, hadn’t gone far. They kept glancing back as they walked, their timid expressions mirroring the female antagonist’s though they seemed a bit livelier, clearly bolder than her.

“Should we go say hello to them?”

Li Shuyu tilted her head to ask her second sister.

“I’ll follow whatever Third Sister decides.”

She was always like this never making any decisions, always deferring to Li Shuyu.

“Mmm, but my memory isn’t great. It’s been so long since I’ve seen them that I hardly remember them ”

She clung to Li Qiuyue, softly whining as she rubbed her arm against her again and again.

Li Qiuyue was flustered by the contact, biting her lower lip in a moment of panic.

After a pause, she finally spoke in a small voice, “Which one don’t you remember? I’ll tell you.”

An awkward tension filled the air. Li Shuyu said, ” I don’t really remember any of them.”

Li Qiuyue: “…”

A trace of helplessness flickered visibly across her face before she tugged at Li Shuyu and explained, “The one wearing the pink hairpin is Fourth Sister Li Luolan. The one standing farther away is Sixth Sister Li Anyu. Next to Fourth Sister is Fifth Brother Li Shaoqing, they’re twins. The child Sixth Sister is holding is Eighth Brother Li Shaokang, her full brother, who’s only three this year.”

A string of names and introductions spilled out, leaving Li Shuyu’s head spinning. She had been told, but it was as if she hadn’t , how could she possibly remember so many people and such complicated relationships?

The young mistress turned to Li Qiuyue again with a pleading look.

Li Qiuyue had no choice but to relent. “I’ll remind you when you can’t recall.”

At this moment, the two of them appeared inseparable at least in the eyes of the other half-siblings.

Li Shaoqing frowned. “Since when did Third Sister get so close to Second Sister? Did you hear anything about it?”

He was asking his own sister, Li Luolan.

She promptly rolled her eyes at him.

“How should I know? I’m not a mind reader. How would we, as the illegitimate children, know what goes on in the main household?”

Li Shaoqing fumed, secretly glaring at Li Qiuyue as she approached.

Weren’t they all just unwanted illegitimate children? When did she alone manage to climb so high?

Yes, climb high the lives of illegitimate sons and daughters hinged entirely on the favor of the main wife. Displeasing the main household could affect everything from marriage prospects to career opportunities, while good relations meant smoother paths ahead.

Li Qiuyue, sensitive by nature, naturally sensed the hostility in their gazes. She paused slightly, lowering her head without tattling or speaking.

Before Li Shuyu could get closer, the group stepped forward to greet her. “Third Sister.”

Having been called younger sister by the antagonist for days, it felt strange to suddenly be addressed as elder sister by so many.

“Mmm, what are you all doing here?”

The young mistress’s palms were sweating, something only Li Qiuyue, who was holding her hand, noticed.

Li Qiuyue was surprised, unsure why she was nervous enough to sweat, but she said nothing. Silence was her habit.

Among the half-sisters, Li Luolan was the boldest and most lively. Though she had lost face earlier, she had already brushed it off and now spoke cheerfully, “We were waiting for you, Third Sister. We heard you were ill are you feeling better now?”

“My illness has long since passed. Thank you for your concern, younger sister.”

After speaking, Li Shuyu nervously glanced at Li Qiuyue, who inexplicably understood. Obediently leaning close, she whispered into her ear, “This is Fourth Sister Li Luolan.”

Her warm breath brushed against Li Shuyu’s ear, making her freeze for no reason. The tips of her ears tinged faintly red, and her gaze grew restless, unable to meet Li Qiuyue’s eyes.

Li Luolan felt somewhat uncomfortable with the intimate posture of the two, yet she smiled even more warmly on the surface. “Third Sister, I recently found a popular storybook from Yanjing that’s all the rage these days. Would you like to read it with me?”

With the chubby little one coming in the afternoon, it was already bothersome enough. Better not invite her over, having to deal with two people in one day would exhaust her to death.

Li Shuyu curved her lips into a faint smile and politely declined, “I still have many storybooks in my courtyard that I haven’t finished reading yet, so I’ll pass on the new ones for now.”

She was about to say a few words and leave with Li Qiuyue when a tiny sob suddenly reached her ears.

Turning in confusion, she found herself face-to-face with a flustered young girl trying to soothe a child.

The girl looked utterly helpless, patting the child’s back repeatedly to stop his crying.

Li Shuyu glanced at Li Qiuyue, who, as if understanding, lowered her voice again and said, “This is Sixth Sister Li Anyu, holding Eighth Brother, Li Shaokang.”

Third Sister’s memory is really this bad? No wonder she doesn’t remember how much she used to dislike me.

Li Shuyu watched the red-faced child, who was desperately trying to climb onto the girl’s neck, and couldn’t resist poking his chubby, soft cheek with her finger. The poke stunned the child, who stared at her blankly, forgetting to cry. His eyes were red and watery, his arms still tightly wrapped around Li Anyu’s neck, it was oddly amusing.

Unable to suppress a laugh, Li Shuyu asked, “What’s Eighth Brother crying about?”

Li Anyu, both embarrassed and anxious, pressed a hand to the back of Li Shaokang’s head and whispered, ” he wants to go home.”

But their mother had told them to wait here for Third Sister and keep her company for a while.

The young girl felt a pang of grievance. Third Sister didn’t like them at all. If they approached her, they might even get scolded.

Unaware of her thoughts, Li Shuyu simply found the teary-eyed child amusing. She reached out to poke him again, and this time the dazed little one finally reacted, his eyes widening in fear as he leaned back desperately, before bursting into loud wails.

Shocked by how easily he cried, Li Shuyu froze on the spot. Then, as if guilty of wrongdoing, she hastily withdrew her mischievous finger and hid it behind her back. Shooting a sheepish glance at Li Qiuyue, she said awkwardly, “This… this child cries so easily! Second Sister, please help me soothe him. I’m terrible at comforting little ones.”

Li Qiuyue: …

You made him cry, and now you want me to fix it?