The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 41: People are different, and their natures and behaviors are different

"After the gathering of scholars, I will go with you." Shang Mingshu also wanted to visit the West Lake in Hangzhou.

Shang Wenshu moved her lips, and finally it turned into a gentle smile.

She knew that Shang Mingshu wanted to go, and her father couldn't stop her but was also worried about her. In the end, he had to take them with him personally, and someone had to stay at home to look after them.

Seeing Shang Wenshu's intention, Shang Mingshu said, "Eldest sister, when you and I were young, Dad was away from home all year round, but Xiangmingzhai was getting better and better day by day."

Shang Wenshu puts herself in the position of the eldest sister, likes to be a peacemaker, and always puts the overall situation first. To this end, she will tolerate and compromise.

Shang Mingshu admired and was annoyed by this.

Admiration comes from the fact that this is a quality that she herself does not have, or at least it is a quality that the world considers to be beautiful.

The annoyance came from the fact that she didn't like Shang Wenshu taking on too much and trapping herself. She always felt that many things would be irreversible without her.

"Xiang Ming Zhai back then couldn't be compared to today, and the clan members were all dedicated to helping Dad." Shang Wenshu had her concerns.

When they were young, Xiangmingzhai and even the entire Shang family were thriving. People in the clan did not know that Shang Jinliang would be childless in the future, and the Shang family was not as wealthy and powerful as it is now, attracting envy from others. If there were occasional accidents, people in the clan would help wholeheartedly. With two mothers making decisions one after another, Shang Jinliang had no worries when he was away from home.

Now, the clan leader has mentioned several times that Shang Jinliang should adopt his nephew from the next room. Xiao Yu refused to compromise, and Shang Jinliang was unwilling to do so. He made excuses several times, and this matter caused unpleasantness among the clan members.

If their entire family left Huizhou, they would probably cause trouble right after they left.

Shang Mingshu frowned. Before she could speak, Shang Zishu couldn't help but say, "Are all the people in the clan so ambitious? Why don't you ask Dad first? If Dad agrees, he will definitely arrange everything for our family to travel. You are always like this. You clearly have something in your heart, but you say it but don't mean it.

Whether you say one thing and mean another, you always act like you're giving in, as if you're the only one in the family, Shang Wenshu, who's taking the overall situation into consideration. Du Qing is waiting for you to sacrifice yourself for us! Are you trying to make us all feel indebted to you?

"Second sister, you might as well stab me in the heart by saying this!" Shang Wenshu's eyes turned red and her breathing became rapid. She tried hard to hold back her tears. "Yes, I do want to go with you, but I'm not greedy for the scenery of Xihang. I just feel a little regretful that I can't be with you. I know what I want in my heart. Even if Dad agrees, I will still be unable to leave home. Then you will say that I am gloomy and pretentious all day long!"
I am just like that. I am not as carefree as you, nor as insightful as Third Sister. Is this a grave sin? Do you have to criticize me like this? "

As she spoke, Shang Wenshu's tears rolled down like beads from a broken string, and finally she couldn't help but turned around and ran away.

The sisters often quarreled with each other. Shang Zishu watched Shang Wenshu run away crying, and was at a loss for what to do. Her face was full of regret: "She... I..."

"Second sister, I'll go and take a look." Shang Mingshu squeezed Shang Zishu's hand and followed Shang Wenshu.

Shang Zishu bit her lip, leaned against the pillar and hesitated for a while, then followed.

Shang Wenshu ran back to her own yard. Her personal maid stepped aside when she saw that it was Shang Mingshu. When she returned to her boudoir, she was no longer the eldest sister, no longer the headmaster of Xiangmingzhai. She was herself. She threw herself on the couch and burst into tears.

Shang Mingshu stood outside the house, listening to the crying coming from inside. She did not rush in, letting Shang Wenshu vent her feelings. The crying inside the house gradually stopped, and Shang Wenshu's hoarse voice came: "Suanbao, get some water, I need to wash."

Suanbao had already prepared it. Shang Mingshu handed the fan and handkerchief to He Sui and personally carried the copper basin into the house. Shang Wenshu looked up and saw Shang Mingshu. She hurriedly stood up, then remembered that her eyes were red and swollen. She lowered her head uncomfortably and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief: "Where is Suanbao? How dare you be lazy and let the master carry the basin!"

"I asked them to wait outside." Shang Mingshu put the copper basin next to the dressing table and pulled Shang Wenshu to sit down. Shang Wenshu saw her reaching out to twist the handkerchief and was about to get up, but Shang Mingshu pressed her down, wrung the handkerchief dry, and gently wiped away the tears for Shang Wenshu.

Shang Wenshu was already feeling aggrieved and sad. As the warm, soft handkerchief carefully brushed across her cheek, her sister's tenderness made her tears well up once again. Realizing that this was inappropriate, and unable to hide it, she decided to give up and choked out, "Third sister, am I really that annoying?"

"Eldest sister, is there anyone in the world who is loved by everyone? Everyone has their shortcomings." Shang Mingshu's eyes were as bright as hot springs, and her gaze was warm. "You have it, I have it, and my second sister has it too. Everyone is different, and their natures and paths are different. People often love their own appearance and spirit, and then hate the differences in others. My second sister said she hates you, but she only hates the differences between your nature and hers. Doesn't my eldest sister hate the differences between you and my second sister?"

When asked this by Shang Mingshu, Shang Wenshu pursed her lips embarrassedly.

She hated Shang Zishu the most because she was sharp-tongued, unforgiving, and always hurtful with her words.

Shang Mingshu spoke Shang Wenshu's inner thoughts: "The eldest sister hates the second sister's sharp tongue."

Speechless in rebuttal, Shang Wenshu could only mutter: "Aren't you disgusted?"

After saying that, he realized that Shang Zishu would never say anything bad to Shang Mingshu, and said dejectedly: "She won't poke you in the heart, you don't know how much it hurts."

Shang Mingshu knew that Shang Zishu was standing outside the door at this moment, but she still held Shang Wenshu's hand: "I hate it too, even if my second sister doesn't say harsh words to me. Similarly, I don't like your inconsistent words and deeds, my eldest sister."

Shang Wenshu stared at Shang Mingshu in astonishment with tearful eyes.

Shang Mingshu's expression remained unchanged. "I hate you, but it's not your fault, nor is it my fault. As I just said, no one is perfect, and everyone loves themselves the way they are. I hate you, but it's just two things that are different from me. But can I expect everyone in this world to be like me? My disgust doesn't mean that you two sisters are annoying people, it doesn't mean that I don't like you two sisters, and it doesn't mean that I can't tolerate you two sisters.

Don’t you think I have any annoying qualities in the eyes of my two sisters? Do you think that because I have something that they don’t like, they won’t love and tolerate me?”

Shang Wenshu understood the truth, and the depression in her heart dissipated. She stopped crying and let her sister wipe her eyes and apply a hot handkerchief to them. "I have thought about it carefully. Third sister, there is nothing annoying about you. Second sister must think so too."

"Sister, do you know why?" Shang Mingshu slowly curled her lips.

"Why?"

"First, you two sisters are kind and care about me. You forgive me out of love. Even if I did something wrong, you would turn a blind eye." Shang Mingshu spoke honestly, "Second,... I'm good at pretending."

"Pfft." Shang Wenshu burst into laughter and scolded her, "How could anyone talk about themselves like that?"

"Every word comes from the heart." Shang Mingshu said sincerely.

See how good she is at pretending? No one believes her even when she tells the truth.

(End of this chapter)