Soon, the two groups came face to face.

“Sister Shuying!”

Yun Jingshu smiled before speaking, her voice particularly sweet.

“Miss Yun.”

But Qin Shuying spoke indifferently, the very form of address keeping people at a thousand li distance.

Yun Jingshu was stunned for a moment, then said, “Sister, are you blaming me for not helping you on Princess Fu’an’s boat? I’m truly sorry about that. But you saw what happened then—if you hadn’t been discourteous first and offended the princess, I wouldn’t have suggested any punishment. Even so, remembering our old friendship, I only suggested having you copy the Women’s Precepts. I have little influence and only this small bit of dignity beside Her Highness Princess. Sister, please don’t hold this against me!”

She spoke pitifully, her large misty eyes blinking as if she had been bullied by Qin Shuying. Yet every word was accusing Qin Shuying of impropriety.

Qin Shuying didn’t interrupt her performance, watching coldly until she finished, then smiled indifferently. “Miss Yun worries too much. I won’t hold it against you.”

Yun Jingshu smiled brightly and stepped forward to take Qin Shuying’s hand, saying, “Now this is the good sister I know. Sister, you’re young and don’t understand some things yet. Her Highness Princess is the sovereign, and we are subjects. When the sovereign demands a subject’s death, the subject has no choice but to die. What more when it’s just having Nanny Cao provide some guidance? To receive Nanny Cao’s instruction is something countless boudoir ladies pray for but cannot obtain. Sister, you’ll understand this in the future.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Naturally so.”

Qin Shuying replied perfunctorily, “Miss Yun has such an orchid heart and virtuous nature. To serve so closely beside the princess is truly an example for us women.”

“Good sister, you’re being too formal. Princess Fu’an and I hit it off immediately. That the princess allows me at her side and has her nanny instruct me—these are all my good fortune.”

Qin Shuying withdrew her hand. “Since that’s the case, I won’t disturb Miss Yun from serving the princess.”

How could Yun Jingshu let her leave? When Qin Shuying pulled her hand away, she tried to grab it again, but Qin Shuying now exercised daily and had extraordinary strength—Yun Jingshu was no match for her.

Seeing that Qin Shuying was about to leave, Yun Jingshu’s expression changed. She almost half-embraced Qin Shuying, saying, “Sister, since we’ve met, I naturally must show some care for you. Come with me. Speaking of which, since Uncle and Aunt passed away, we’ve been apart for four years. We really should grow closer. I have so much to tell you!”

Qin Shuying looked at her with a half-smile.

Where was she trying to drag her?

Under Qin Shuying’s mocking gaze, Yun Jingshu felt her whole body heating up, but she gritted her teeth and maintained her affectionate smile.

Qin Lulu had already seen through the situation and snorted with laughter. “My third uncle and third aunt only had Seventh Sister as their daughter. Where does this person come from, insisting on being my third uncle and aunt’s daughter? Calling her ‘sister’ so affectionately—even I, her actual cousin, am not as close to her as you are!”

Yun Jingshu’s smile remained unchanged as she said, “This must be Fifth Miss from your household? Fifth Sister, my father was originally Uncle Qin’s colleague. Shuying and I are handkerchief friends who often played together mischievously. I’ve always called Shuying ‘sister,’ and today upon meeting, though four years have passed, I still feel we’re as intimate as before.”

Qin Lulu laughed coldly. “If you put it that way, I don’t understand—if you’re so intimate, why haven’t I seen you write a single letter to Seventh Sister these past years?”

Yun Jingshu said, “Speaking of this, it’s all my fault. There was a misunderstanding between my sister and me. When she left, she was still angry with me. I was young and headstrong then, thinking that with time, perhaps she would no longer be stubborn and would stop being angry. Who knew she would still be angry to this day?”

Suddenly, Lin Zilan burst out laughing, doubling over with mirth.

Qin Lulu asked curiously, “Sister Lin, what are you laughing at?”

Lin Zilan pointed in the direction behind Yun Jingshu and said, “Just now I saw a black bird fly by. A nearby oriole asked it, ‘Black bird, black bird, how do you fly south?’ The black bird flew into a rage and said, ‘You blind thing, I’m clearly a white bird! How dare you call me a black bird?’ Tell me, isn’t this hilarious?”

Qin Yue covered her lips and laughed. “Truly hilarious! Clearly black but insisting it’s white, thinking everyone else is blind!”

Qin Lulu caught on and laughed. “Hilarious, hilarious! Seventh Sister, don’t you think it’s funny?”

Qin Shuying was also amused by these girls and chuckled. “You’re all truly mischievous! Everything that needed to be said has been said. Well then, Miss Yun, we’re going different ways. Let’s part here.”

Yun Jingshu’s face alternated between red and white. She was also a daughter of a high official’s family. Having already swallowed her pride to plead with Qin Shuying was humiliating enough, but to be mocked by these girls as well—her nose stung with the indescribable hurt.

It was all Qin Shuying, this troublemaker!

Though Yun Jingshu’s hatred didn’t diminish, her smile grew even brighter on the surface, though somewhat twisted and stiff. “Sister Shuying, didn’t we just agree you’d come talk with me? Come, let’s go first.”

Qin Shuying’s eyes were deep and unfathomable as she said with a half-smile, “Is this the etiquette Nanny Cao taught you? I had no idea that pulling and tugging, pestering endlessly, had become fashionable in the capital. Truly eye-opening.”

How could Yun Jingshu not hear the mockery in Qin Shuying’s words? But she was determined to accomplish this task today and couldn’t care about such things. Just as she was thinking how to respond, she glimpsed several people walking along the path from the corner of her eye.

Yun Jingshu’s eyes darted, and she grasped Qin Shuying’s arm with both hands, covering her face and crying—a picture of pear blossoms in rain, pitiful to behold. “Sister, you, you truly don’t recognize a good heart… How can you say such things? We’re handkerchief friends at the very least. Everything I do is for your own good…”

The several madams and young ladies passing by looked at them strangely and slowed their steps.

Ziteng stood by the roadside, sighed helplessly, and explained to those madams and young ladies, “This Miss Yun was originally good friends with my young miss. Yesterday, my young miss received a reward from Princess Fu’an, and Miss Yun said she wanted to share one of the bracelets. My young miss said that since it was a gift from the princess, she dared not give it away casually to others. But look, Miss Yun is holding my young miss’s arm and won’t let go.”

The several madams and young ladies looked at each other. Though they didn’t quite believe Ziteng’s words, it was indeed fact that Miss Yun was gripping Qin Shuying’s arm.

Ziteng continued, “Miss Yun, you want the bracelet, and my young miss already agreed to give you one, but this was bestowed by Princess Fu’an. You insist on having it—isn’t this forcing someone into a difficult position? When Miss doesn’t give it to you, you actually cry? Ai! You, you really are…”

She appeared unable to continue, shaking her head.