The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1054: Chapter 1031: Prestige Amid Chaos 99

Sure, here is the translation:

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This year’s festivities are colder than previous years, and there’s more abundant rainfall here in Southern Yi.

Fortunately, Xiao Yuan has been focusing on infrastructure for the past two years, building plenty of reservoirs and ensuring river channels are unobstructed in the several prefectures of Southern Yi. Even when it rains heavily, there’s no need to fear.

Nanyi Prefecture has been bustling during this festival, with the Prefecture City organizing a lantern festival. Anning went out of her way to invite several troupes to perform in various prefectures, bringing much joy to the people there.

At New Year’s Eve, Xiao Yuan and Anning stayed home, spending the night with their children. It was a lively family affair, and they had a pretty enjoyable time.

On New Year’s Day, the couple took their children to pay their respects to the Old Master. Upon returning, many people visited them to offer New Year greetings.

Anning, along with several young ladies, received many female relatives, and it wasn’t until dusk that she could take a break.

On the second day of New Year, Xiao Yuan and Anning visited the Mei family.

Anning didn’t have her own family, so she used to spend the second day of New Year at home. Now that the Mei family had moved here, Anning regarded them as her maternal family and often visited them.

A group of over ten people took carriages or rode horses to the Mei family’s doorstep.

The Mei family received an early heads-up that Xiao Yuan and Anning were coming. Mei Boqing, along with Mei Zhiyuan and others, waited at the gate.

Seeing Xiao Yuan and Anning, Mei Boqing led them inside with a smile.

He took Xiao Yuan and other men like Xiao Song to the front courtyard, while Anning led the ladies to the back courtyard.

Mrs. Mei hadn’t been feeling well these past few days, possibly due to the continuous rainy weather that made her feel uncomfortable. Moreover, she wasn’t used to the environment in Nanyi Prefecture and had fallen ill.

Mrs. Bai, Mrs. Mei’s daughter-in-law, received Anning.

Mrs. Bai instructed the kitchen to prepare a feast, and when Anning and the others arrived, she invited Anning and Xiao Hui to sit. She stayed beside them, chatting and laughing.

In the front courtyard, Mei Boqing also arranged a banquet.

As soon as they sat down, Su Yu came over with her maidservant carrying a few plates of snacks.

Seeing Su Yu, Mei Boqing’s expression turned somewhat sour.

Xiao Song, however, was delighted to see Su Yu, restraining himself from speaking to her.

”My grand-aunt asked me to check if anything’s missing.”

Su Yu softly spoke, slightly bowing, revealing a delicate and fair neck.

She was deliberately dressed up today, wearing a silver-red dress embroidered with camellia flowers. Her eyebrows were penciled, and her face was powdered, even her clothes were scented. This kind of embellishment made her appear alluring, quite seductive.

Holding the snacks, she purposely walked over to Xiao Yuan’s side, placing the snacks onto the table.

Once finished, Su Yu stepped back. However, possibly due to the long dress, she stumbled after taking a couple of steps.

”Ah.”

Su Yu exclaimed softly as she fell towards Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan’s reflexes were quicker than hers, and nobody knew how he did it, but as Su Yu fell, Xiao Yuan had already moved away.

Su Yu ended up falling clumsily in front of everyone, making a rather pitiful sight.

”Wu...”

Her knees hurt from the fall, and while getting up, tears welled up in her eyes.

Yet Xiao Yuan remained unfazed: ”Miss Su, please be careful.”

Su Yu stood up and bowed to Xiao Yuan: ”Thank you.”

Xiao Song, seated to Xiao Yuan’s right, witnessed everything clearly, and in that moment, he felt somewhat sad.

Only then did he realize why Xiao Hui repeatedly stopped him from confessing his feelings for Su Yu to Anning, always advising him not to rush the proposal.

It turned out Su Yu never had her eye on him, and he was clearly being self-delusional.

At the same time, Xiao Song was somewhat angered.

He wasn’t a fool. Over the years, following Xiao Yuan, he experienced and learned a lot. He had the capability to journey from Southern Yi to Yangzhou and safely escort all members of the Mei family to Southern Yi. This proved his strategic mind and skills.

However, when it came to Su Yu, he let his enthusiasm and youthful crush cloud his judgment, single-mindedly wanting to propose to her.

But now, upon calming down, those matters became clear.

Reflecting on the journey to Southern Yi, Su Yu approached him several times, always inquiring about Xiao Yuan. Though it seemed she was conversing with him, her demeanor was cold, revealing her target from the start wasn’t him.

After understanding all this, Xiao Song turned away, no longer looking at Su Yu.

On the opposite side, Xiao Ying’s face had already fallen.

Mei Boqing suppressed the anger in his eyes and said to the maid: ”Quickly help your lady back, I think she hurt her leg in the fall. Let her return and rest well, no need to leave her room these days, recuperation is what she needs.”

The maid was startled upon hearing this and hastily led Su Yu out.

At the Mei Mansion, the banquet didn’t seem enjoyable. Upon returning home, Anning arranged another feast, allowing the children to eat heartily.

Xiao Hui and the others soon learned from Xiao Song and Xiao Ying about the incident in the front courtyard.

Xiao Yin approached Anning: ”Mother, that Su Yu is too detestable. She actually, she actually has her eyes on Father, we cannot let her stay here.”

Anning guided Xiao Yin to sit: ”No need to rush, your grand-master is aware, she certainly won’t allow any chaos caused by her.”

”Then, Mother, do you really swallow this insult?”

Xiao Yin, for one, couldn’t bear this.

She felt fortunate to have such wonderful parents in her lives, wishing only for the family to be harmonious and serene, unable to accept anyone’s intrusion.

Anning gently said: ”A mere Su Yu means nothing, but for now we must swallow this insult.”

”Mother?”

Xiao Yin was puzzled.

Anning smiled: ”Wanting to kill a rat is easy, but when you want to kill it, you might accidentally damage the jade bottle.”

Xiao Yin then understood.

Anning was mindful of the Mei family.

Su Yu naturally wasn’t anything significant, merely an orphan who can be dealt with at will.

However, Su Yu is ultimately Mrs. Mei’s grand-niece, a girl raised by Mrs. Mei herself. If anything bad were to happen to her, Mrs. Mei certainly would be heartbroken.

Anning respects Mei Boqing and Mrs. Mei, unwilling to make them uncomfortable. Thus, she can only swallow this resentment for now.

She only hopes Mrs. Mei can properly reprimand Su Yu, making her abandon her inappropriate thoughts. Otherwise, future interactions between the two families might become awkward.

While Xiao Yin and the others were angry, Mrs. Mei certainly wasn’t feeling well either.

Initially, Mrs. Mei assumed Su Yu was ambitious, wanting to marry Xiao Ying, thinking Xiao Ying was still young and Anning wasn’t in a hurry to arrange a marriage for him. The matter could be delayed, until Su Yu matured and abandoned such ideas.

Yet, today’s incident revealed Su Yu’s true intentions.

She not only set her sights on Xiao Ying but on Xiao Yuan, aspiring to entice Xiao Yuan.

Upon knowing this, Mrs. Mei felt both ashamed and angry.

She was ashamed that the girl she raised harbored such shameful thoughts, and enraged that Su Yu was completely ignoring the Mei family’s reputation and dignity, as a respected lady shamelessly attempting to become a concubine, behaving like a brothel woman seducing a man.

Already unwell, such anger naturally left her feeling more discomfort.

She coughed for a long time and drank several glasses of water to calm down.

”Bring that ingrate to me.”

Mrs. Mei directed the maid at the door.

Soon Su Yu was summoned inside.

Mrs. Mei dismissed the attendants, leaving Su Yu alone in the room.

”Oh, you’ve done well.”

Her face already looked unwell, now appearing even more menacing.

”Grand-aunt.”

Su Yu felt a bit uneasy, cautiously approaching, intending to assist Mrs. Mei.

When Su Yu neared, a slap flew, causing Su Yu’s face to turn aside: ”You’ve disgraced the Su family’s reputation and dignity.”

Su Yu’s swollen and reddened face couldn’t hold back streams of tears: ”Grand-aunt, I can’t help it. I just like him, even if it means being a concubine. I want to be with him, grand-aunt, you’ve always cared for me, help me. Speak to Third Madam, maybe she’ll accept me.”