Chapter 72 - 71 He Dislikes Women Who Lie the Most
Shen Yinning asked, "Who is this child?"
Haitang, her face full of indignation, replied, "This is the child you sent to study under the tutelage of Old Master Yu last month. The old master disliked calling him ’Doggie,’ so he specially gave him the name Bai Heming. Seeing that he was still young, Old Master Yu permitted him to return home once every fortnight. The last time he came back, he specially picked a bouquet of wildflowers for you. He ran to our courtyard intending to kowtow and thank you, but you happened to be away at the Shen Garden that day."
Shen Yinning quietly observed the child.
About three or four years old, he was plainly dressed, covered in mud from being bullied, yet clutching tightly onto a bouquet of small wildflowers.
He cried pitifully, "I’m not lying! I really became a student of Master Yu, wuwuwu!"
Unable to stand the sight, Shen Yinning stepped forward. "What is this commotion?"
Bai Heming’s eyes lit up as he saw Shen Yinning.
He weakly crawled to her feet. "Madam... Madam..."
The child, still so young and already enduring such torment, could no longer hold on and fainted with tears in his eyes.
Shen Yinning instructed Haitang, "Take him to my courtyard and call for a doctor to examine him."
"Hold it!" Yin Shanshan interjected with displeasure. "Elder Sister, do you not know? Brother Hong and Brother Hui rummaged through this little scoundrel’s bundle and found brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. How could a child born to a servant afford such expensive items? He must have stolen them! Beginning as a thief while still so young, not to mention lying through his teeth about studying under Old Master Yu, claiming the writing tools were a gift from the old man—it’s downright laughable! Since my husband tasked me with managing the household, I naturally have to mete out proper punishment! I only gave him two strokes with the rod and let Brother Hong and Brother Hui play ’riding the dog’ on him as a minor lesson; it’s not as if he would die from it! Why are you being so soft-hearted? If you interfere with my running of the household, I might as well give up on managing it altogether!"