Early the next morning, Nanny Xu came over with Yulan to ask if Song Chuyi had finished washing up—Old Madam was waiting for her to come have breakfast.

Since she was newly arrived, Old Madam worried Song Chuyi might not be accustomed to things.

Song Chuyi had already been forced by Nanny Xu to apply pearl and white jade cream. Hearing this, she quickly said: “I’m ready, I’m ready.”

Yulan smiled as she swept her gaze around the people in her room, her eyes lingering noticeably longer on Huang Yao than on the others.

Song Chuyi understood in her heart but showed nothing on her face, still asking happily: “Isn’t Grandmother going to attend a banquet at the Loyal and Righteous General’s Manor today?”

Yulan looked her up and down, seeing her dressed in a rouge-colored cross-collar fitted jacket with a frost-colored long skirt underneath, her waist tied with a blue palace sash bearing a twisted double-fish jade pendant—dressed both festively and solemnly. Her eyes revealed some amazement as she nodded with a smile: “Sixth Miss is truly a natural beauty who looks good in anything. Precisely because we’re attending the banquet today, Old Madam sent me over to help you select clothes. But now it seems, where would I need to choose? Our Sixth Miss’s own choice couldn’t be better!”

In just a few short days, the attitude toward Song Chuyi from top to bottom in Ningde Courtyard had changed dramatically. Qing Tao had become increasingly meek and obedient, only seeking to pass her days peacefully.

But Huang Yao was different. She felt Song Chuyi treated her specially, and the panic caused by yesterday’s inkstone incident had dissipated with Yushu’s promise. Hearing now that Song Chuyi was actually going to the banquet together, she couldn’t help but exclaim: “Didn’t they say only Fourth Miss and Fifth Miss were going? How is even our Sixth Miss going?”

Yulan glanced at her imperceptibly but didn’t take up her words, pretending not to hear as she smiled and pulled Song Chuyi to her feet: “Old Madam probably can’t wait any longer!”

All along the covered walkway, junior maids were feeding birds, chattering noisily and lively. Seeing her approach, they all swarmed forward competing to lift the curtain for her.

Old Madam Song had just finished washing up. Seeing her arrive, she smiled and pulled her to sit before her: “Did you sleep well last night? Did those clearing snow early in the morning frighten you?”

Song Chuyi quickly replied: “Not at all. By the time I woke up, they had only just started using the hooked poles to clear the snow.”

Old Madam Song nodded, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Qing Tao and Huang Yao who had come with her, saying: “These two maids always accompany you. I presume they’re your favorites?”

Having been singled out, both Qing Tao and Huang Yao perked up.

Song Chuyi smiled: “They’ve both followed me for quite some time. One manages my hairpins and jewelry, the other manages my clothes. Both are good.”

Managing hairpins and jewelry—Old Madam Song’s gaze suddenly sharpened, but then she acted as if nothing had happened and called for Yulan to serve breakfast.

Just as they finished eating, First Madam had already arrived with Eldest Young Madam to pay respects. Shortly after, Second Madam and the others all came as well, and Ningde Courtyard instantly became lively.

Old Madam looked at Song Chumi and Song Chubin and felt like frowning.

Song Chumi was acceptable—today she wore a bamboo-green cross-collar jacket paired with a jade-colored gauze skirt, neither ostentatiously showy nor lacking in dignity. But Song Chubin was dressed rather garishly, in a bright red ink-splashed magnolia jacket with a matching pleated skirt below, her hair piled full of pearls and kingfisher ornaments, her walking hairpins still swaying about.

But Song Chubin had an extremely irresponsible mother after all, so such oversights were inevitable. Old Madam Song thought for a moment, then smiled at the sisters: “In the side room we’re keeping several pots of narcissus that have just bloomed. If you girls like them, take some pots back to raise.”

She also gave Yulan a meaningful look.

Yulan quickly smiled and led the several young misses into the side room to look around.

Song Chubin sensed Old Madam Song’s dissatisfaction when looking at her. She couldn’t help but glance at her wet nurse in panic.

But Yulan had already called for junior maids to bring up preserved fruits, dried fruit, and several kinds of pastries, while smiling at Song Chubin: “Fifth Miss, we have a shoe pattern with embroidery that isn’t drawn very well. When you have time, could you take a look at it for us?”

Fifth Madam was unreliable and bitterly sarcastic. Song Chubin had been raised from childhood to be timid and lacking in opinion. Hearing this, she quickly nodded: “Today I just gave my wet nurse…”

But then she said no more, shrinking back as she glanced at her wet nurse before being led out by Yulan.

Song Chuyi turned her head to glance at Song Chubin’s wet nurse. If she remembered correctly, in the previous life Song Chubin had not successfully married—her wet nurse had conspired with the estate manager’s son outside to steal Song Chubin’s intimate clothing.

Song Chubin had been unable to clear her name. Before Old Madam Song could take a position, she had hanged herself with a white silk sash in her room.

Song Chubin’s wet nurse happened to be observing her as well—this Sixth Miss was indeed different now. When she looked at people, her eyes were clear and bright. Unless necessary, she barely spoke… Fifth Madam’s losses at her hands weren’t entirely due to bad luck after all.

She thought for a moment, then smiled and moved closer to refill Song Chuyi’s tea: “Sixth Miss just moved. Are you settling in comfortably?”

Song Chumi and Song Chuyi’s maids had only shown their faces when paying respects before going out to wait. Only Song Chubin had brought her wet nurse into the side room, which was due to her intimacy with her nurse. With Song Chubin having such a mother, Old Madam Song tacitly permitted her wet nurse to closely attend to her.

Because of this, this wet nurse, Nanny Qiu, had some standing before the various madams and young misses.

Song Chuyi smiled broadly: “Thank you for Nanny’s concern. Old Madam treats me very well, and I’m settling in comfortably.”

Nanny Qiu solicitously leaned closer, looked Song Chuyi up and down again, and asked in puzzlement: “Why isn’t Miss wearing the agate-inlaid pearl bracelet that our Young Master gave you?”

The matter of Song Jie giving her a gift had only happened last night, yet Nanny Qiu knew about it—and even knew specifically what it was!

Associating this with the nanny’s aggressive nature, alarm bells rang loudly in Song Chuyi’s heart. Without showing any emotion, she shook her head: “I returned too late last night. Everything is being kept by Nanny, and I haven’t opened it to look yet. How did Nanny know it was an agate-inlaid pearl bracelet?”

Nanny Qiu froze for a moment, then quickly smiled: “Third Young Master didn’t know what to give and specially came to ask our Miss. I just happened to overhear a few words.”

Song Chuyi asked no more questions, simply nodding and turning to speak with Song Chumi.

Before long, Yulan also brought Song Chubin back. At that time, Song Chubin’s clothes hadn’t changed, but the jewelry on her head had been reduced considerably. Her hairstyle had also been redone into a simpler reverse-coiled bun, making her appear more charming and neat—more than one level above her earlier appearance.

When Yulan had taken Song Chubin out earlier, she must have gone to help her redo her hair and makeup.

Everyone in the room noticed this and turned to look at Song Chubin, seeming somewhat surprised.

Song Chuyi noticed that when Song Chubin looked toward Nanny Qiu, her eyes clearly showed some unease and fear.