As soon as Ren Yaoyin’s words fell, Ren Yaohua sneered coldly: “I originally thought fourth younger sister was a rare person of understanding, who wouldn’t be like certain shallow-minded women who spend all day gossiping and stirring up trouble. It seems I overestimated you today.”

Ren Yaohua’s words stunned both Ren Yaoqi and Ren Yaoyin.

Speaking of the relationships among the Ren family sisters, if one were to calculate carefully, the relationship between Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoyin was much better than that between Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoqi, this pair of sisters born of the same mother. Although Ren Yaohua’s temperament wasn’t easy to get along with, she and Ren Yaoyin had both been raised under Old Madam Ren’s care, and Ren Yaoyin wasn’t difficult to get along with either. Ren Yaohua’s attitude toward Ren Yaoyin was still quite good.

So not only Ren Yaoyin, but even Ren Yaoqi herself hadn’t expected that Ren Yaohua would speak so coldly to Ren Yaoyin over these words.

However, Ren Yaoyin was a person of steady temperament after all, and quickly smiled: “Third elder sister, you’ve misunderstood me—”

Ren Yaohua coldly interrupted: “There’s no misunderstanding or misunderstanding. I’m scolding you not because you shouldn’t warn your sisters, but because you’re just following hearsay and echoing others’ words. You don’t think to stop those gossipers from ruining your sister’s reputation outside, but instead follow their words to come before us and bestow your so-called good intentions. That day, when the Second Young Master Yun came over, Ren Yaoqi and I were sitting together in the carriage. We never even lifted the curtain, and Second Young Master Yun merely casually caught a servant woman accompanying the carriage to ask questions, asking whether grandmother and the others were frightened. After all, having stayed at our residence for some days, this was basic courtesy. Yet just now you spoke at length, repeatedly implying suspicions about some connection between Ren Yaoqi and Yun Wenfang. Fourth younger sister, are you calling our parents incompetent at teaching daughters to my face, or are you saying I, as an elder sister, can’t manage my younger sister properly?”

Ren Yaohua’s cold voice and stern expression carried considerable authority.

Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but glance at her, only to be glared at fiercely by Ren Yaohua, with the implication of settling accounts with her later. Ren Yaoqi wondered how she had never noticed before that Ren Yaohua could lie with her eyes wide open.

However, despite being glared at, Ren Yaoqi still felt some warmth in her heart. Regardless of whether Ren Yaohua was doing this for her reputation or for their parents’ face, Ren Yaohua was indeed protecting her.

Ren Yaoyin lowered her eyelids, concealing the embarrassment of being questioned, then smiled helplessly: “If third elder sister puts it that way, then it truly is my fault. How about I apologize to the fifth younger sister and you?” Knowing that no matter how she defended herself, Ren Yaohua wouldn’t listen, and with Ren Yaohua’s temperament, it would certainly end unpleasantly, Ren Yaoyin saved all explanations and directly apologized.

Only then did Ren Yaohua’s expression soften slightly.

Ren Yaoyin looked toward Ren Yaoqi again, hesitating as if wanting to speak but stopping herself. Finally, she sighed: “Forget it, fifth younger sister, just pretend I said nothing. This time I was indeed rash. Elder sister apologizes to you.” With these words, Ren Yaoyin curtsied to Ren Yaoqi.

Ren Yaoqi quickly grabbed Ren Yaoyin’s arm, forcing a smile: “Fourth elder sister, you mustn’t do this.”

Ren Yaoyin shook her head, gently patted Ren Yaoqi’s hand, cast an apologetic glance at Ren Yaohua, then turned and left with her maids and servants.

As soon as Ren Yaoyin left, Ren Yaohua also turned to go.

Ren Yaoqi hurried to catch up: “Third elder sister.”

Ren Yaohua’s steps halted. She tried to restrain herself, but finally couldn’t hold back and turned around with a face full of anger, pointing at Ren Yaoqi and scolding: “What did I tell you before? To stay away from that person and not provoke him! Do you think he’s some precious treasure worth scrambling for? Do you think those people at home who are stuffed with nothing better to do are vegetarians? Don’t end up getting nothing while bringing trouble upon yourself! Then you’ll have plenty to cry about! This time it’s because that day there were only our serving people around, so even if they wanted to spread rumors, they had no basis. But if there’s a next time, who knows what unpleasant things might come out!”

Although Ren Yaoqi very much wanted to cry injustice, seeing Ren Yaohua in the height of anger, she swallowed her words and stood there obediently listening to the lecture.

Only after Ren Yaohua had vented her anger did Ren Yaoqi say somewhat aggrievedly: “Third elder sister, I’ve already tried my best to avoid him. But he insists on coming to my door to cause trouble for me. What can I do?” Two lifetimes of experience told Ren Yaoqi that showing weakness before Ren Yaohua was wiser than confrontation—appropriate displays of vulnerability were extremely necessary.

Ren Yaohua snorted: “You ask me what to do? If you hadn’t provoked him, how would he have noticed you?”

Ren Yaoqi looked dejected: “I don’t know. Last time, didn’t I ask you whether I’d ever met him before? You said no.”

Ren Yaohua stared coldly at Ren Yaoqi for a long while, finding that she didn’t seem to be lying. After a moment of silence, she said, “Stay away from him in the future. If you encounter him, take a detour, and don’t be alone!” Although her tone still wasn’t good, it wasn’t as aggressive as before.

Ren Yaoqi quickly agreed. Ren Yaohua pressed her lips together, then turned toward Ziwei Courtyard.

When the two were almost at Ziwei Courtyard, Ren Yaohua stopped: “What was Ren Yaoyin trying to do by saying all that today?” Although she had scolded Ren Yaoyin today, she didn’t believe Ren Yaoyin was the type who liked to gossip.

Of course, Ren Yaoqi also didn’t think Ren Yaoyin was such a shallow person.

“Could it be that Ren Yaoyin also has feelings for Yun Wenfang?” Ren Yaohua frowned as she muttered to herself, but before finishing the sentence, she denied it herself, shaking her head: “No, that’s not right. I’ve seen Ren Yaoyin interact with Yun Wenfang several times at Ronghua Garden. She neither pushed forward like the other sisters nor paid him excessive attention. Second Young Master Yun probably doesn’t even remember that our Ren family has someone like her.”

Ren Yaoqi recalled several occasions when they had encountered Yun Wenfang at Ronghua Garden, and she also couldn’t see anything amiss with Ren Yaoyin. So Ren Yaoqi’s thoughts went further.

“Fourth elder sister… has she ever met the Yun family’s eldest young master?” Ren Yaoqi asked thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaohua turned back: “The Yun family’s eldest young master? Yun Wenting?” Yun Wenting had quite a reputation in Yanbei and was the ideal husband dreamed of by many boudoir ladies.

Ren Yaoqi nodded.

Ren Yaohua frowned: “What does this have to do with the Yun family’s eldest young master? She mentioned Yun Wenfang.”

Ren Yaoqi tilted her head in thought, then said: “What if one day the Yun family wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Ren family—would the Yun family have both their young masters marry Ren family daughters?”

“How is that possible?” Ren Yaohua glared at Ren Yaoqi.

What she called impossible wasn’t that the Ren family had no possibility of forming a marriage alliance with the Yun family. After all, such things were unpredictable—back when the Yun family looked down on the Su family, they still had a Yun family daughter marry into the Su family. Who knew if such a thing might happen a second time?

What Ren Yaohua called impossible was that the Yun family would never have both Yun young masters marry Ren family daughters. When great families formed marriage alliances, they were joining two surnames in friendship—no one married daughters from the same family one after another.

“You mean—” Ren Yaohua quickly caught on, saying somewhat dazedly, “You’re saying Ren Yaoyin has her eye on Yun Wenting, and she’s afraid that if Yun Wenfang takes a fancy to you and convinces the Yun family elders to marry you into the family, then she would have no chance at all?”

Ren Yaoqi recalled Ren Yaoyin’s choice in her previous life and nodded. She didn’t know how Ren Yaoyin had become Yun Wenting’s concubine in that previous life, but Ren Yaoyin hadn’t been without alternatives. At least Eldest Madam’s natal family had sent people to fetch Ren Yaoyin, but Ren Yaoyin hadn’t returned to her maternal grandfather’s family. Just now, although Ren Yaoyin rarely mentioned Yun Wenting, when she occasionally brought him up, her tone was slightly different.

The Ren family wanted to form a marriage alliance with Old Madam Ren’s natal Qiu family, and the Ren family elders favored Ren Yaoyin as the candidate. Ren Yaoqi remembered that once, Ren Yaoyin had inexplicably said some things to her, with the underlying meaning being for her to get close to Qiu Yun.

At the time, Ren Yaoqi didn’t know what Ren Yaoyin was up to, but thinking about it now, it should have been because she was unwilling to marry into the Qiu family, so she was mobilizing the Ren family sisters to take her place.

Ren Yaohua habitually furrowed her brows and thought for a moment: “So… it’s not impossible. When Ren Yaoyin and I accompanied our grandmother to Yunyang City before, we encountered people from the Yun family and also met Miss Yun and Eldest Young Master Yun. The year before last, during Old Master Lin’s birthday, Ren Yaoyin sprained her ankle in the Lin family’s large garden and happened to encounter Eldest Young Master Yun. It was Eldest Young Master Yun who sent his servant to fetch a physician. They must have had contact then.”

Speaking of this, Ren Yaohua sneered: “I wondered why she suddenly changed her bodhisattva nature—turns out she couldn’t keep her composure! She behaves improperly herself, but wants to blame others’ heads. Indeed, barking dogs don’t bite—those who usually don’t make noise are the deadly ones when they turn vicious.”

Seeing her anger, Ren Yaoqi quickly said: “These are just our speculations. We don’t yet know what the truth is.”

Ren Yaohua glanced at Ren Yaoqi: “I think we’re pretty close to the mark. Aren’t you usually accurate with your guesses? Why are you suddenly being modest?”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t think this was Ren Yaohua praising her, and could only remain speechless.

When it came to a woman’s virtue and reputation, she didn’t feel comfortable speaking carelessly. Of course, facing the angry Ren Yaohua, she didn’t dare say this.

Ren Yaohua didn’t notice Ren Yaoqi’s expression and said harshly, “Every single one of them won’t let people have peace of mind.”

Ren Yaoqi didn’t have much feeling about this—she had long been mentally prepared for what kind of people her sisters were.

“But no matter how she schemes, if Second Young Master Xiao doesn’t marry Yun Qiuchen, the Yun family will find ways to marry the Princess into their family. As for whether it’s Second Young Master Yun or Eldest Young Master Yun… for the Yanbei Prince’s mansion, a son-in-law who can’t lead troops would be more reassuring, right? Does she have the ability to ensure that Second Young Master Xiao marries the Princess? She can only throw her weight around at home!” Ren Yaohua wasn’t stupid either—after thinking it through, she couldn’t help but speak mockingly.