Hearing this, Song Ruotang understood that Song Zhen and Nie Rong were here to mooch off her.
"My husband is an honest and upright official. The genuine item from the Peach Box Pavilion was bought with money he had saved for a long time. I'm afraid I can't help Father," Song Ruotang sighed, looking helpless.
Song Zhen frowned instantly. "Useless thing! I married you off back then to support our Song family. Now that the Song family is in trouble, you can't do a thing. What's the use of having you as my daughter?"
Song Ruotang stood in front of him, looking aggrieved. "Father, when you married me off as a concubine, you should have known that a concubine has no power to support her natal family. Unlike my elder sister, I'm not the main wife, so I can't even manage the household finances."
"You!" Song Zhen choked on his words and couldn't say anything. Nie Rong bit her lower lip. She also wanted to say something, but seeing a group of maids passing by the corridor, carrying bowls and chopsticks, she coughed lightly.
"Um, Song Ruotang, it's lunchtime now, isn't it?" Nie Rong twisted her handkerchief in her hands. "You haven't had lunch yet, have you?"
Song Ruotang turned slightly and saw the maids going to the hall to set the table. She smiled faintly. She had eaten a lot of pastries while making tea by the stove just now, so she wasn't really hungry.
"Daughter has already eaten. Mother, why do you ask?" Song Ruotang looked puzzled.
Song Zhen snorted. "It's snowing so heavily. We've been outside for so long, and you didn't even come out to greet us. Instead, you've been feasting inside!"
Song Zhen roared at Song Ruotang in a commanding tone. "Hurry up and set the table for us!"
Song Ruotang was a bit surprised. "No wonder Father and Mother came at noon. It turns out you came for lunch. Daughter didn't understand your intention."
These words made Song Zhen lose face. Nie Rong blushed with embarrassment and tried to make up an excuse. "I just saw those maids carrying bowls and chopsticks. I thought you hadn't eaten, so I asked."
"I see. Thank you for your concern, Mother," Song Ruotang replied with a smile, but she still stood there without inviting them in for lunch.
Seeing this, Song Zhen became even more impatient. "What? You won't invite us in? Is this how you treat your guests?"
Only then did Song Ruotang say, "Elder sister once disliked our house for being too small. Daughter thought Father and Mother also looked down on it, so I didn't dare to invite you in."
The flesh on Song Zhen's face twitched a few times. It was obvious that he was trying hard not to lose his temper. Nie Rong softened her tone. "That was your elder sister being ignorant. We won't dislike your small house today."
Song Ruotang was a bit surprised. Nie Rong was quite good at talking at this moment. She must be up to something.
But since the conversation had reached this point, Song Ruotang couldn't let them stand in the yard. So she stepped aside and led them to the corridor.
"What do you mean? We're your parents! You want us to sit here?" Song Zhen looked at the few chairs in the corridor, his face full of anger. He couldn't hold back his temper any longer.
Song Ruotang looked puzzled. "Daughter was making tea by the stove here just now. I thought Father and Mother had been freezing outside for so long, so it would be nice to come here to warm up by the fire. What's the problem?"
"You!" Song Zhen pointed at her again. "This is simply improper! As expected, you've grown up outside. You have no manners at all! You even want your parents to sit in the corridor."
"Manners?" Song Ruotang chuckled. "Father mentioned the manor. I just remembered that when I was working there, I starved and froze in winter. I didn't even have the privilege of warming up by the fire in the corridor like today."
Song Zhen's face changed several times. He wanted to defend himself, but Nie Rong tugged at his sleeve. He swallowed the words that were about to come out and reluctantly sat down on the chair, lifting his robe.
A flash of mockery passed through Song Ruotang's eyes. Nie Rong looked at the small table in front of her. There wasn't even a plate of pastries. She couldn't help but feel a bit angry. "You're making tea, but there aren't even any pastries? You're from an official family. You shouldn't be so stingy, should you?"
Nie Rong seemed really angry about the lack of pastries. Song Ruotang looked innocent. "Daughter has already eaten. I don't need any more desserts. Mother is so angry. Do you want to eat pastries?"
Song Ruotang's words made Nie Rong blush. She twisted her handkerchief and stubbornly said, "I'm angry about your way of treating guests, not because I want to eat..."
Growl—
Before she could finish her sentence, her stomach growled loudly. Since no one was talking, the sound was especially clear.
The maids waiting around covered their mouths and snickered. As if hearing the laughter, Nie Rong's stomach growled even louder.
Song Zhen looked at Nie Rong in disappointment. The latter blushed deeply. She clenched her handkerchief and stammered, "I... I have a stomachache..."
"In that case, Father should accompany Mother to the clinic first. Don't delay," Song Ruotang frowned, looking worried.
Nie Rong and Song Zhen were both frozen in place. They glanced at each other. Nie Rong then looked at Song Ruotang. "It's not very serious. There's no need to go to the clinic."
Song Ruotang still looked reluctant, but she still kindly poured them tea.
As soon as Song Zhen smelled the tea, his eyes widened instantly. Just as Song Wanying had said, Song Ruotang was living a very comfortable life in this mansion.
Song Ruotang saw Nie Rong gulp down the tea. The maids around were also mocking her for drinking so rudely. Then she turned to Xiaotao. "Go and get a plate of pastries."
Xiaoxi nodded. Hearing this, Nie Rong showed a smile on her face. She silently stroked her stomach. It seemed that there would finally be something to fill her stomach.
But after waiting for a long time, Xiaoxi didn't show up. Song Zhen couldn't bear it anymore. It seemed that it would be difficult to get something to eat here. So he directly said, "We're not here for anything else. You give us some money, and we won't pursue your mistakes."
Song Ruotang slightly raised her eyebrows. Song Zhen's words were really shameless. She hadn't done anything wrong, but he was going to pursue her mistakes.
"Father, how much money do you want?" Song Ruotang raised her hand and took a sip of tea. Her voice showed no emotion.
Song Zhen looked proud, as if he wasn't here to ask for money but to collect a debt. "Not much. Just give me five thousand taels for now. You know that the expenses at home are high, and Aying also needs money."
Mentioning Song Wanying, a look of pity appeared on Song Zhen's face. "This amount of money is not even enough. You should save more money usually. The Song Mansion is your home. After all, you're from the Song family. You should invest your money in your own family."
Song Ruotang sneered. How could Song Zhen say such words? Back then, they had thrown her, a newborn baby, into the manor and instructed others to beat and torture her. Now that she was married, they came to ask her for money and said that she was a member of the Song family.