Walking along the cobblestone path for a bit, Tang Yanqi saw the bonsai Mrs. Zhang mentioned. It was meticulously pruned, and one of them wasn't in a traditional flower pot but had a stone base, which indeed was quite eye-catching.
"Yanxi."
Tang Yanqi quietly admired it for a moment when a voice came from behind. Turning around, she saw Mrs. Sheng approaching with a small bowl of cut fruit: "These are freshly cut fruits from the kitchen, have a taste, they're very sweet."
"Thank you, Mom."
Tang Yanqi smiled as she took it. Mrs. Sheng turned to leave but suddenly twisted her foot. Tang Yanqi instinctively reached out to support her, dropping the small bowl in her hand, causing Mrs. Sheng to lose her balance. Being frail herself, both fell to the ground. At the same time, there was a loud crash by Tang Yanqi's ear as the bonsai that was originally on the shelf fell to the ground due to her collision.
The moment before, it was a delicate and beautiful bonsai, but now it had turned into a mess. Tang Yanqi was stunned for a moment, then someone heard the commotion and ran over: "Madam, Young Madam, what happened?"
Mrs. Sheng staggered to her feet: "Waving her hand, it's nothing... Oh dear, how did this bonsai break? Oh no, oh no, this was dad's favorite."
Tang Yanqi hung her head, her brows slightly furrowed. Mrs. Sheng came over and held her hand: "Forget it, it's already broken. Yanxi, this was Grandpa's favorite. If he gets angry later, don't take it to heart."
Tang Yanqi looked at Mrs. Sheng thoughtfully, remained silent for two seconds, and nodded.
They returned inside, where Sheng Jianan and Mr. Sheng were discussing something, both with smiles on their faces. When they came in, especially seeing Tang Yanqi's serious expression, Mr. Sheng was the first to speak: "Yanxi, what happened?"
"Grandpa, I..."
Tang Yanqi hadn't yet spoken when Mrs. Sheng interrupted: "Dad, Yanxi accidentally broke a bonsai that Jiayu gave you. Sigh, it's all my fault. I initially went to give Yanxi some fruit but twisted my foot, causing Yanxi to accidentally break it while supporting me."
Tang Yanqi was somewhat surprised. Jiayu? Sheng Jiayu, Sheng Jianan's half-sister.
Was the bonsai a gift from her?
Mr. Sheng's expression changed slightly. Clearly, he was a bit displeased, and Tang Yanqi lowered her head and sincerely apologized: "Grandpa, I'm sorry."
Mr. Sheng sighed: "It's okay, as long as no one is hurt."
Although Mr. Sheng didn't blame her, Tang Yanqi knew the old man was surely still a bit uncomfortable.
She didn't say much else and remained quiet during the meal, but what concerned Tang Yanqi more was Mrs. Sheng.
When Mrs. Sheng twisted her foot and fell earlier, it was normal for her to support her, but as someone involved, Tang Yanqi clearly felt that Mrs. Sheng pushed her slightly.
Upon careful reflection, the place where she stood was a distance away from the bonsai. Normally, a fall wouldn't have caused her to hit the bonsai stand, but it was precisely the push from Mrs. Sheng that caused her to veer.
Also, when Mrs. Sheng explained to Mr. Sheng just now, at first listen, it seemed she was defending her, and she did speak the truth. However, it was obvious that her narrative portrayed her as a considerate person.
To those unaware of the details, the most direct impression was of her, as a mother-in-law, defending her daughter-in-law, taking the blame for something that was clearly the daughter-in-law's fault.