“You — you—” Yan Qin was so furious her face had gone crimson. She was used to having the upper hand against someone who swallowed every insult without a word, and now, faced with a sudden rebuttal, she found herself so choked she couldn’t get a single sentence out.

Yan Qin’s gaze swept sideways, and she suddenly spotted the Western dress on the table. Its beautiful color made her eyes light up instantly.

“Father actually bought you clothes again. He’s so shamelessly biased.” Yan Qin scooped up the dress along with its box and cradled them triumphantly against her chest, striking a haughty pose. “I’ll let today’s matter go, for the sake of this dress. But let me warn you — in this household, without Father, you aren’t worth even a dog. Father can protect you for a while, but can he protect you for the rest of your life? You had better watch yourself, or you’ll have plenty to suffer.”

Murong was both agitated and furious, and nearly stepped forward to stop her — but a look from Yan Qing held her back.

Not until Yan Qin swept out with her maidservant in tow, smug and triumphant, did Murong and Jing Zhi both sink to their knees at once.

“Miss, it was Jing Zhi’s fault. Jing Zhi has caused trouble for you.” Jing Zhi’s eyes were red-rimmed, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Miss. I’m so sorry.”

If she had only kept her mouth shut instead of venting her feelings carelessly, none of this disaster would have come upon them. Yan Qin held grudges — she would certainly pin the blame on their young miss, and who knew what schemes she would devise in the days ahead.

Yan Qing shook her head and sighed softly. “Both of you, get up.”

The two maidservants refused to rise.

If their young miss had not been standing up for them, she would never have made an enemy of Fifth Miss. By the look of it, Yan Qin was absolutely furious — she would almost certainly go running to Madam Yan to report everything, and in the end, it would be their miss who suffered.

“What is this — you two won’t even listen to me now?” Yan Qing’s expression grew serious. “Jing Zhi, Murong — listen to me carefully. As long as you are willing to stay by my side, I, Yan Qing, will not allow anyone to do as they please with you. I have no great power, but I do have a father who loves me. As long as I still hold a place in the Yan household, you will not need to bow and scrape before anyone. And if the day comes when Father is no longer here to shield us — well, there is no need to despair. The world is wide. We will simply find another path.”

Murong and Jing Zhi listened, and beyond being moved, they were stunned.

The girl before them — who had once been too afraid to make a sound in front of Fifth Miss — was now standing up for them without reservation. And more than that, her words seemed to be telling them: even if Master Yan stopped protecting her someday, she would still find a way to give them peace of mind.

“Miss.” Both of them lifted their tear-reddened eyes, mouths open, not knowing what to say.

“All right, get up.” Yan Qing held out her hands to them. “Don’t go dropping to your knees at every little thing. What era do we think we’re living in? A man’s knees are worth their weight in gold — and so are a woman’s.”

The two of them wiped their tears and rose together. From the moment they had come to serve Sixth Miss, they had never held their heads as high as they did today.

Yan Qing knew how much these two maidservants had suffered under the girl whose body she now inhabited — they had endured no small amount of abuse. Yet they had remained steadfast and loyal, dutifully serving Sixth Miss even with resentment in their hearts.

Now that she had taken up this baton, she had the duty and the responsibility to protect them well.

“Miss, are we really just going to let Fifth Miss walk off with the dress? Should we tell the master?” Jing Zhi was reluctant to let it go — such a beautiful dress, and it would have looked wonderful on their young miss.

Yan Qing gazed out the window, her eyes carrying a depth that was difficult to read. “Things only reveal whether they fit when they’re actually worn, don’t they?”

*PS: Update complete.*

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