Although the eldest madam did not manage the household, there were not only sisters-in-law at home—even the second and third masters felt intimidated in her presence, let alone a child like Evan Sullivan.

He knelt down with a mournful face, drooping his head as he said, “I just complained to Mama Xiang a couple of times, saying that great-grandfather treats Chad even better than me, his eldest grandson. Mama Xiang told me she would find someone to teach that bastard a lesson. I really didn’t mean for him to be abducted, nor did I know Mama Xiang would dare to have such thoughts. I truly didn’t know…”

“Absurd! Is this the kind of thing you can complain about to the servants? Do you realize that if word got out, your reputation would be utterly ruined for life? Do you think the old master didn’t notice anything? He said he was sending someone to the Yingtian Prefecture office for questioning, but in fact, he instructed his disciples to beat the person to death and be done with it. Otherwise, do you think you’d still be sitting here safe and sound?”

“If I hadn’t taken down Xiang Yuanniang, and she blabbed even half a word outside, what do you think would have happened to you?”

Evan Sullivan was scolded by the eldest madam until he curled up into a ball, crying his heart out. “I was just upset. I can only stay in great-grandfather’s Hè Míng Pavilion for a short while each day, but he gets to hang around there all the time, messing with those old books and toys…”

“If you’re upset, then show some real ability.” Only then did the eldest madam pull Evan Sullivan up, wiped his tears with a handkerchief, and said word by word, “Show me your hand!”

Seeing the eldest madam’s stern face, but her right hand gripping a long ruler, Evan Sullivan immediately turned pale, but still obediently stretched out his left hand.

At first, he had a bit of a heroic, “ready to die” attitude, but after five burning strikes, the excruciating pain became unbearable and he couldn’t help but pull his hand back. The eldest madam, however, grabbed his wrist and forced him to take twenty more strikes. In the end, his palm was swollen as high as a steamed bun.

The intense pain and humiliation made him curl up even tighter, sobbing and sniffling. Even after the eldest madam wiped his face clean with a handkerchief, he still couldn’t stop sobbing.

“If you ever again harbor resentment over some trivial matter, I’ll just beat you to death myself, to save the Yue family from disgrace! If you want to outshine Chad Sullivan, it’s simple. In a few days, when you go to study with Mr. Carter, show me your real skills—recognizing characters at three, reciting poems at four, writing at five—let Chad Sullivan see for himself!”

At such a young age, Evan Sullivan could never have come up with such a vicious idea on his own, but Mama Xiang probably wasn’t just showing off her scheming either—there must be something more behind this!

Why would the fourth branch’s extra adopted son have anything to do with the main branch? She didn’t care if Chad Sullivan would get a share of the inheritance in the future!

To think she’d use someone from the main branch as a pawn—she would definitely drag that black-hearted wretch out into the open!

Chapter 9: Warm Face Pressed Against a Cold Butt

“Should I wear this apricot-red one, or this dark purple one?”

Watching Lauren Smith rummage through chests and cabinets, practically laying out all her clothes across the soft couch, Chad Sullivan was both amused and exasperated.

Lauren Smith didn’t notice Chad Sullivan’s helpless expression and kept holding up outfits against him one by one, only to sigh regretfully at the end.

“It’s just a pity that the old master always specifically instructed that the young master’s clothes be made in bright reds and greens, sapphire blues and rose purples—there are hardly any understated colors. That set you wore to the back gate the other day was just too shabby…”

These past two days, Lauren Smith’s mood was as bright and cheerful as the spring sunshine. The old master had personally said she could stay for another two years, and then choose her own husband—treatment no one else in the household could hope for.

“If you keep trying, I’ll turn into a clothes rack…” Chad Sullivan grumbled, then made a final decision, “No need to choose, that one—the bright red one!”

Lauren Smith was stunned. But in the end, she couldn’t overrule Chad Sullivan, even though she still felt it was highly inappropriate to wear bright red to a teacher-apprentice ceremony, all the way until she saw Chad Sullivan off.

But Chad Sullivan felt his choice was perfectly appropriate. Especially when he saw Evan Sullivan dressed in a proper bamboo-green, cross-collared robe with a pair of neat black cloth shoes, he felt even more so.

Anyway, he didn’t expect to succeed right away today, so why not make a splash?

For the first time in seven years, he formally stepped out of the Yue residence. After getting into the carriage, he paid no attention to the quiet, reserved nephew beside him. The sky outside was a clear, inviting blue, the bustle of the streets was music to his ears, the sound of hooves and wheels was delightful, and even the ragged peddlers and porters glimpsed through the curtains looked pleasing to the eye.

All these years, if it hadn’t been for the spacious Hè Míng Pavilion to while away the time with books, and a cunning old grandfather to chat with, he would have gone mad from being cooped up!

Perhaps the old master was still worried about the “robber” incident at home, so today he had Ethan Sullivan lead a few servants to escort the two of them to Mr. Carter’s residence, and then wait at the Ministry of Revenue.

Therefore, when Chad Sullivan saw that silent, tall, thin middle-aged man through the gap in the curtain, he felt a sense of real reliability.

Originally, a family elder should have accompanied them today, but the old master said not to let outsiders think the Yue family’s sons couldn’t do without adults, so he simply let Chad Sullivan bring Evan Sullivan himself.