A delicate young miss of an Earl’s estate actually didn’t care about her grandmother and father’s affection.

“Then what do you care about?” Li Shi was somewhat stunned and blurted out without thinking.

Song Chuning raised her head and smiled faintly at her: “What I care about is the feeling when their cherished treasures are smashed to pieces.”

Li Shi and Nanny Yu exchanged glances, both unable to process this.

“Mother, what you did before was quite good. Since they dote on her, then you should indulge her even more. Indulge her to like what she likes, to hate what she hates. Indulge her until she’s lawless, indulge her until she’s arrogant and domineering, indulge her until she doesn’t know the height of heaven or depth of earth.”

“When the time comes, naturally others will deal with her—you won’t need to dirty your own hands at all. When she’s fallen into ruin, when she’s disgraced, when she thinks she still has you, Father, and Grandmother behind her, then viciously step on her, without leaving any room, grinding her into the mud. Isn’t that quite amusing?”

This time not only Nanny Yu, but even Li Shi couldn’t help but feel a chill of shock. She pushed Song Chuning away and cried out: “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

She truly wanted to swear to heaven that although she herself didn’t favor Song Chuyi and even hated her, she had never thought of forcibly instilling such thoughts into Song Chuning.

Because she had suffered enough from being cautious and treading on thin ice, she always hoped her daughter could be carefree and happy as a legitimate young miss of the Earl’s estate. Noble and graceful, innocent and charming, preferably not touching even the slightest bit of anything unclean.

But she never imagined that her daughter’s thoughts would be this terrifying. Even she, an adult, felt her hair stand on end hearing it—yes, she herself wasn’t a good person either, but she could honestly say that apart from harboring such deep hatred toward Lady Cui and the children Lady Cui left behind, she would never harbor such profound malice toward others. Even toward those sisters who had bullied her in her natal family, she wouldn’t be this vicious!

Li Shi also keenly detected from Song Chuning’s words her dissatisfaction and disgust toward Old Madam Song and even toward Song Yi. When she mentioned Song Yi and Old Madam Song, her tone was even indifferent.

She sorted through her tangled thoughts, afraid of frightening Song Chuning. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile: “How can you say such things? You must have misunderstood Mother’s meaning.”

“I didn’t!” Song Chuning stubbornly flung away Li Shi’s hand, her face showing a trace of impatience: “Mother, don’t lie to me. How you treat Song Chuyi on the surface and how much you gnash your teeth at her underneath—I can see it all. I’m not blind or deaf! As for Grandmother and Father… since they don’t like me, naturally I don’t like them either.”

Li Shi finally realized something was wrong. Song Chuning had always appeared charmingly naive, adorably innocent, and delightfully charming in front of people, but unexpectedly this was what she thought inside.

And she was only a five-year-old little girl!

She stared wide-eyed at Song Chuning, momentarily at a loss for what to do, and could only wave her hand to have someone take her away.

Nanny Yu tiptoed forward to help massage her temples.

“Miss being this precocious isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You’ll have less to worry about in the future, won’t you?”

Li Shi shook her head, the worry in her eyes deepening: “That’s exactly why I’m more worried! How old is she? Usually she’s been pampered and spoiled—a precious young lady with both parents alive, a young miss of the Earl’s estate. Who would dare give her hardship to endure? Even though her grandmother and father are indeed somewhat biased, she still has me, her mother, caring for her meticulously. How did she develop such a strange temperament? Listen to what she just said—how alarming. Where does she resemble a little girl who hasn’t experienced any setbacks? She’s clearly…”

She couldn’t find appropriate words to describe it and let out another deep sigh.

Nanny Yu didn’t dare say more about this matter. After thinking, she asked: “Madam, should we call Huang Yao over to inquire about the situation?”

These words reminded Li Shi. She narrowed her eyes and hooked up a mocking smile: “I almost forgot about this. Later, find time to summon her.”

When Song Chuyi was being punished, Huang Yao and Qing Tao had been sent back to Second Household’s courtyard by people from Old Madam’s quarters. After Qing Tao returned, she silently followed beside Nanny Yu with a face full of deep grievances.

But Huang Yao cheerfully cracked half a jin of melon seeds, feeling quite pleased.

So she thought this Sixth Miss had become clever—turns out she’s just a firecracker that explodes at the slightest touch! Before, she had worried needlessly for so long!

But then again, when Sixth Miss bit Fifth Madam, that bite was truly vicious. She clicked her tongue twice, then happily spat out melon seed shells and pulled out her handkerchief to leisurely wipe her mouth.

She had clearly seen Fifth Madam’s wailing and crying when leaving, and Old Madam’s livid expression too. This time Song Chuyi wouldn’t die but would at least shed a layer of skin, and she’d also offended the famously shrewish Fifth Madam. Thinking that Second Madam might give generous rewards when pleased, her eyes shone brightly.

But this pleasant dream hadn’t lasted long before it was immediately shattered with a crash.

Song Chuyi was personally escorted back by Nanny Huang from Old Madam’s side!

She followed step by step behind Qing Tao. Nanny Wang kept making eye signals at her but she didn’t notice at all.

How could everything suddenly change for no reason?!

Luyi and Hong Yu were worried sick. They discussed with Nanny Xu about going to Ningde Courtyard to investigate, but then remembered Song Chuyi’s instructions and Nanny Wang in the courtyard, and ultimately suppressed their worry, not daring to act rashly.

Seeing Song Chuyi return completely unharmed, the three finally felt their hearts settle back into their chests.

Nanny Xu couldn’t even speak properly. After several deep breaths that didn’t help, as soon as she opened her mouth, her crying tone came out: “Miss! You truly frightened me to death!”

Song Chuyi’s complexion was still somewhat haggard as when she left in the morning, with a ring of dark circles under her eyes, but her spirits were visibly much better. She smiled as Nanny Xu looked her over from left to right. After Nanny Xu finished, she laughed: “There now, Nanny, don’t I look perfectly fine?”

Nanny Xu’s loss of composure was only momentary. Hearing Song Chuyi’s words, she immediately recovered and turned to pull out a smile for Nanny Huang: “I forgot to invite Elder Sister inside for tea—how remiss of me.”

When Lady Cui was alive, she had an extremely good relationship with Old Madam, and Nanny Huang thus had some friendship with Nanny Xu.

At these words, she laughed: “What’s our relationship? Why care about such empty formalities? Quickly take people to clean and tidy up, see what things Sixth Miss needs to bring. Tomorrow prepare to move!”

Move?!

Nanny Xu was thunderstruck. The first thought that surfaced in her mind was actually an ominous one—could Old Madam truly be so angry this time that she wanted to send Song Chuyi back to the Cui family in Jinzhong?

But she immediately rejected this speculation. Returning to Jinzhong was even more impossible. Could it be that Song Chuyi was being sent to some country estate?

Thinking this through, her heart turned to ashes.