My Royal Stepbrother's Obsession - Chapter 8 - Petty Mind

Wen Xingluo lowered her gaze, staring at the tip of her embroidered shoes. “My handwriting isn’t pretty, but yours is, Heir Apparent.”

Xie Guanlan replied, “But I just heard you say-”

Wen Xingluo remained unfazed, “Heir Apparent, you misheard.”

Xie Shian looked at her with admiration. To lie so effortlessly in front of his elder brother, his sister truly was a talent!

Xie Guanlan slowly curved his lips into a smile, “So, you really wish for me to help you write the Longevity Benediction?”

Wen Xingluo braced herself, “I do hope so.”

Xie Guanlan regrettably said, “But I’m quite busy with official duties lately, I’m afraid I won’t have time to help you.”

Wen Xingluo: “…”

This person is like he’s got some kind of ailment. Knowing full well she didn’t plan to ask him to write it, yet he insisted on refusing her verbally before he was satisfied. Petty mind.

Anyway, she would be going to the academy tomorrow, and Wen Xingluo remembered there were a few Young Ladies from noble families whose handwriting was quite beautiful. She planned to ask if they could help write a Longevity Benediction.

The next day.

As Wen Xingluo and Xie Shian’s carriage arrived at the academy’s entrance, they heard a commotion.

Getting off the carriage, Xie Shian said sarcastically, “Wen Xingluo, which brother of yours is it this time?”

The ones causing the commotion were Wen Rufeng and Wen Yueyin. They had come to White Crane Academy to report in, wearing brand new clothes, excitedly arriving, only to be stopped outside by the academy’s servants.

Wen Xingluo approached, “Elder brother, sister.”

Wen Rufeng’s eyes lit up upon seeing her, “You’re just in time! These servants insist we’re not students here and won’t let us in! Quickly, explain to them!”

Wen Yueyin was holding newly bought brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Surrounding them were students watching the spectacle, either wealthy Young Masters or Young Ladies from official families, whispering as if mocking them.

She glanced at Wen Xingluo’s White Crane Academy uniform, her expression not looking good. In her past life, she was the rightful one to enter the academy, while Wen Xingluo wasn’t even fit to be her maid. But in this life, things were reversed. She had to rely on Wen Xingluo to enter White Crane Academy.

However, thinking that in three years, her father would be appointed as first rank Minister, her brothers would all achieve great success, helping her become Crown Princess, while Wen Xingluo could only hastily marry a petty official, Wen Yueyin felt less troubled.

Wen Rufeng saw Wen Xingluo silent and couldn’t help but scold, “Xingluo, say something! Didn’t elder brother teach you to be confident outside? Have you forgotten? Look at your sister, how confident and likable she is! Why can’t you be more like her?”

Wen Xingluo lowered her head, softly saying, “I’m sorry.”

Wen Rufeng was stunned, “What?”

Wen Xingluo clutched her clothes tightly, choking up, “Actually, grandmother didn’t let you come to White Crane Academy to study, I lied to you…”

Wen Rufeng’s eyes widened in shock.

Wen Xingluo cried, trembling, “Because elder brother kept forcing me to give my study opportunity to sister, but I couldn’t bear it… At home, sister could learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, while I could only wash clothes and cook for her. I couldn’t even recognize all the characters… But elder brother, I really wanted to improve, so I made up a lie. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

She covered her face, crying as she ran into the academy.

Wen Rufeng stood dumbfounded.

The surrounding students came to their senses, unable to resist gossiping:

“Really? Both are sisters, yet one is treated as a Young Lady and the other as a maid. How can someone be so biased?”

“If you ask me, you can’t blame Wen Xingluo for this! What’s wrong with looking out for herself? She’s not a saint! If it were me, I wouldn’t give up such an opportunity either!”

“Can’t achieve anything on their own, yet force their sister to give up her chance for the elder sister. How shameless!”

“…”

Criticism came from all sides.

The once glorious Talented Tanhua, now just an eighteen or nineteen-year-old youth, Wen Rufeng’s face turned red with shame and anger, unable to stand still, hurriedly pulling Wen Yueyin away in embarrassment.

After running quite a distance, he angrily said, “Wen Xingluo is too outrageous!”

Wen Yueyin gasped heavily, her eyes red, “It’s all my fault… If it weren’t for me, elder brother wouldn’t have suffered such humiliation.”

“Can’t rely on Wen Xingluo, I think we need to ask mother for help regarding our studies.” Wen Rufeng clenched his fists, “I’ve heard mother is quite favored by the Prince of Zhenbei. As long as she speaks a few good words to the Prince, he will surely be willing to send us to White Crane Academy!”

The siblings worked hard and finally secured the opportunity to enter White Crane Academy.

When Wen Rufeng escorted Wen Yueyin to the girls’ class, Wen Xingluo was talking to the girl with the prettiest handwriting in class.

The girl hesitated, “Xingluo, it’s not that I don’t want to help you write the Longevity Benediction, it’s just that my handwriting is only passable in our class. If used as a birthday gift, it’s far from qualified. There are so many calligraphy masters in the world, my writing would only be a laughingstock.”

Wen Xingluo looked at her writing. The girl’s handwriting was delicate and beautiful, but compared to Xie Guanlan’s writing she had seen, it was indeed far inferior and too immature, not suitable for presenting to the Imperial Consort on her sixtieth birthday.

“Wen Xingluo!”

A cold voice suddenly came from behind.

Wen Xingluo turned to look.

Wen Rufeng said with a stern face, “You wouldn’t be preparing a birthday gift for me, would you? After the way you toyed with me and Yueyin the other day, do you really think I’d invite you to my birthday?”

Wen Xingluo then remembered next month was also Wen Rufeng’s birthday. In her past life, she would carefully prepare a gift for him a month in advance, but in this life, she had forgotten. However, it seemed there was no need to prepare one anymore.

Wen Yueyin softly said, “Xingluo, you should apologize to elder brother. If you end up not being able to attend his birthday, you’ll be crying again.”

“I-”

Wen Xingluo was about to explain she was preparing a birthday gift for the Prince’s Manor’s Imperial Consort when Wen Rufeng interrupted her with a cold snort, “Even if she cries to death in front of me, I won’t soften my heart! Someone so selfish doesn’t deserve to be my sister!”

With that, he turned and left.

Wen Xingluo raised an eyebrow. Not bothering with him, she returned to her seat to review her lessons.

In the afternoon, there was a newly added riding and archery class. Wen Xingluo changed into riding attire and went to the stables two quarters early. She wanted to see her horse.

In her past life, she never had the chance to ride a horse. Seeing her sister ride home proudly, she couldn’t help but yearn for it, begging her third brother, Wen Rulei, to teach her. But her third brother scolded her for being shallow. He also said his horse was his exclusive mount, and she would dirty it by riding.

But he forgot that even his saddle and stirrups were cleaned by her personally.

Wen Xingluo tightened her grip.

This life was different; she didn’t have to toil for her father and brothers anymore. She had the chance to learn many interesting things.

Arriving at the stables, she happened to pass by a stable boy.

She found her horse, a snow-white mare, lowering its head to eat fodder. She watched contentedly for a long time before the girls from her class finally arrived.

The stable boys led the horses, following the students to the academy’s training ground.

A familiar voice leisurely came, “I was invited by the headmaster to teach your riding and archery class.”

Wen Xingluo withdrew her gaze from the white mare, surprised to see the young man riding over.

Xie Guanlan?