“Yes.” Ning’er glanced at Wu Sheyue, then carried the pile of things and followed Caihe ahead.
Once they were alone, Wu Sheyue said to Wu Lixiang, “If you have something to say, say it.”
Wu Lixiang wore a sincere smile. “When the maids were there just now, I was too embarrassed to say it. Before, I always thought your mind was muddled—that you couldn’t tell good people from bad, and that you wouldn’t remember me anyway—so I neglected our relationship. Now I know you’re all right and can remember me, I truly feel so happy.”
She shyly smoothed the loose hair by her ear. “Mm… I don’t know how to properly apologize to you. Earlier, I saw that you liked these earrings. Why don’t I give them to you? Please don’t mind that I’ve worn them before.”
“That doesn’t seem appropriate.”
Wu Sheyue recognized the material. Hollow silver balls containing good jadeite beads—and more importantly, the craftsmanship was excellent. And she’s giving them away for nothing?
“What’s inappropriate about it?” Wu Lixiang hurriedly removed them. “They aren’t anything valuable, and I don’t have anything better to offer. Third Sister, don’t refuse, or I’ll feel bad.” As she spoke, she took Wu Sheyue’s hand and pressed the earrings into her palm.
Truthfully, Wu Lixiang’s heart ached terribly. These were the best earrings she’d managed to get. But… there was nothing else she could do. She comforted herself: It’s fine. I’ll get them back later.
Wu Sheyue bounced the small earrings in her hand. Does this little girl think I don’t know quality goods? “All right, then. Even if they’re cheap things, they’re still a token of my sister’s kindness. I don’t remember the past anymore, so from now on, we should get along well.”
Cheap? The moment that word left Wu Sheyue’s mouth, Wu Lixiang’s face went white. Wu Sheyue, however, smiled. Giving a costly gift only to have it treated like trash—that must feel awful.
“Heh… hehe. Sister, there’s no need to be polite.”
“I shouldn’t take them for nothing either. Later, I’ll have Ning’er choose something from the box Grandmother gave me and send it over.”
That made Wu Lixiang feel a little better. At least it recovered some of the loss. She hoped Wu Sheyue would fail to recognize value and give her something expensive.
Wu Sheyue walked off to find Ning’er. Wu Lixiang stayed in place, waiting for Caihe.
Caihe turned her head every few steps as she walked back. Looking at Wu Sheyue’s back in astonishment, she asked, “Miss… you really gave them to her?”
“Mm…” Wu Lixiang stomped angrily. “It’s fine! Grandmother often says you have to give before you can get. Besides, I’ll definitely get something better later!”
Seeing her young lady unhappy, Caihe complained with displeasure, “Miss, she was truly arrogant just now. She wouldn’t even let us carry anything—as if we’d snatch it and run.”
Wu Lixiang snorted. She’d already been holding in anger back at Grandmother’s place, and she still remembered being scolded by Father the previous day.
“Think about what Wu Sheyue used to be. Whether it was me or Wu Jinghua, we could do whatever we wanted to her. She was like a mouse! Why does she get to stand above me overnight? She even dared act like that in front of Grandmother… I just wanted a few things, and she stopped me. It’s outrageous. If I don’t teach her a lesson, I won’t be able to swallow this anger.”
Caihe comforted her repeatedly. “Miss, calm down. Don’t make yourself ill with anger. Someone like that isn’t worth it.”
Wu Sheyue and Ning’er walked back together. Holding the earrings in her hand, Wu Sheyue couldn’t help laughing. “That Wu Lixiang really is interesting. Wu Jinghua is stupid, and Wu Lixiang is petty. Every day brings a new discovery.”
Ning’er had already been wondering about it. Hearing Wu Sheyue bring it up, she cautiously asked, “Miss, just now… what did Fourth Miss say to you?”
“She gave me a gift.” Wu Sheyue opened her palm and showed Ning’er.
Ning’er asked in astonishment, “This… Miss, didn’t you say Fourth Miss got these from somewhere else?”
Wu Sheyue tossed the earrings up and caught them again, unconcerned. “Yes. I used these to irritate her in front of Grandmother just now, and she turned around and secretly gave them to me. What do you think that means?”
“This… Ning’er can’t figure it out. But in the past, Fourth Miss also… also mocked you often. Please don’t be too softhearted, Miss.”
“My heart is harder than yours. Pawn these when you have time.” As she spoke, Wu Sheyue placed the earrings on top of the box in Ning’er’s arms.
Afraid the items would fall, Ning’er quickly freed one hand to hold them. “Pawn them?”
“What else? Do you dare keep them and use them?”
Images flashed through Ning’er’s mind. She shivered all over. Better to pawn them. From now on, listening to Miss was always the right thing to do.
“If it were before, I would have thought Miss was being too careful. But now, Ning’er thinks your caution is necessary. They’re too cruel… clearly, we never provoked them.” Remembering the past, Ning’er shook her head and sighed. “Before Miss recovered, those people used their fists and hit hard—and that could all be seen. Now that Miss is clever, they play dirty behind the scenes, and you can’t even find the trick. There are some things Ning’er alone truly could never have thought of… In comparison, the Old Madam seems a little better.”
The Old Madam seems better?
Wu Sheyue patted Ning’er’s head. “Today at the Old Madam’s place, you should have been able to tell what Wu Lixiang wanted, right?”
“Yes. Ning’er could tell Fourth Miss wanted things.”
“If you and I could both tell, do you think the Old Madam, at her age, couldn’t tell?”
“She…” Ning’er choked. She had never thought of that.
“Since the Old Madam could see what kind of person Wu Lixiang was, did you see her think badly of her? This grandmother of mine doesn’t care who suffers or who disobeys. What she wants is for the Chancellor’s residence’s children to be calculating little foxes, every one of them. The better a girl is at scheming, the more she has inherited the Old Madam’s teachings. At the same time, she wants those children to love her like fools. That’s why she was so happy when I looked ignorant and unreasonable.”
Ning’er’s hands tightened around the things she held. A chill rose in her heart.
“I guessed that since the bracelet and earrings clashed so badly with Wu Lixiang, they had to be rather inappropriate items. I won the bet, so the Old Madam became displeased. So I’ll remind you one last time: there are no good people in the Chancellor’s residence. If you keep thinking that way, you won’t even know how you die.”
Wu Sheyue’s tone was flat, but Ning’er clearly heard the sternness in it. Realizing this, she immediately promised, “I… I understand, Miss. Don’t be angry. I won’t think that way again.”
“I’m not angry.” I’m only afraid you’ll keep being naive.
Ning’er nervously clenched her fingers. She knew Miss cared about her. She remembered Miss saying that among all the devils and demons in the Chancellor’s residence, she trusted only Ning’er. Miss was telling her so many heartfelt things—all for her own good.
“Miss, from now on, you can leave anything to Ning’er. Ning’er absolutely won’t think like that again.”
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