“Alright.”

It just so happened that she also wanted to say a few words to Elder Brother Mu.

Yan Shiyao was somewhat uneasy — the whole way there she held tightly to Yan Yunning’s hand and wouldn’t let go.

Rounding past the pavilion, the two stopped in front of Xiaoshi’s guest room door. Yan Yunning pushed open the wooden door. Yan Shiyao saw that Mu Shiqing was not inside and visibly relaxed.

“Sister Ningning, Sister Yaoyao.” Xiaoshi was exceptionally excited to see them.

“Xiaoshi, why did you tell Elder Brother Mu in charge that I let go of your hand?” Yan Shiyao’s voice trembled slightly. “Xiaoshi, we have only known each other for a few days — have I ever wronged you?”

Xiaoshi tilted her head, her expression innocent. “Sister Yaoyao, if you hadn’t let go of me, how would I have fallen into the water?”

Yan Shiyao frowned. Could it be that Xiaoshi had genuinely misunderstood and believed she had let go?

Yan Yunning smiled stiffly. “Miss Xiaoshi, Elder Brother Mu…”

“Sister Ningning.” Xiaoshi suddenly cut her off. “I don’t like you calling my brother Elder Brother Mu. Sister Ningning, follow Sister Yaoyao’s way of calling him — call him Elder Brother Mu in charge, alright?”

Yan Yunning: “?”

“Brother is my brother, not yours.” Xiaoshi heard footsteps at the doorway and, with eyes brimming with tears, swayed and crumpled to the floor.

Yan Shiyao shut her eyes. Here we go again. She had actually thought Xiaoshi had simply misunderstood and believed she had let go of her hand — but it was plainly deliberate. She had likely known Yan Shiyao from before, or Yan Shiyao had inadvertently offended her at some point in the past, and now she was here to cause her grief!

Yan Yunning hurriedly rummaged through her pouch and pulled out the pomegranate juice Xuan Yanyu had given her that morning. She unscrewed the lid, tipped her head back, and drank it all down.

“Brother.” Xiaoshi saw Mu Shiqing enter and began dabbing her eyes pitifully.

“What’s the matter now?” Mu Shiqing suppressed his irritation and helped her up off the ground.

He couldn’t explain it, but every time he saw her crying, he felt an inexplicable revulsion.

He shouldn’t feel this way — she was his sister, and he ought to treat her well.

Xiaoshi’s lashes fluttered. “Brother, do you dislike Xiaoshi too? Like Sister Yaoyao and Sister Ningning — have you all come to bully Xiaoshi?”

Yan Yunning rolled her eyes.

“No.” Mu Shiqing replied perfunctorily.

Xiaoshi’s tears slid down her cheeks. She forced a small smile. “Brother, take me home, please. Xiaoshi doesn’t want to be here anymore. Sister Yaoyao caused me to fall into the water, and Sister Ningning pushed Xiaoshi to the ground on Sister Yaoyao’s behalf.”

“What do you mean Ningning pushed you?” Yan Shiyao glared at her coldly. “What exactly are you trying to do?”

If she was going to frame her, fine — but why drag Ningning into it?

Could it be that Xiaoshi was someone their father had offended??

“Brother, take me… take me home.” Xiaoshi shrank back in apparent fright. “Sister Ningning and Sister Yaoyao are going to bully Xiaoshi.”

Having listened long enough, Yan Yunning stepped forward a few paces. The young woman clutched her abdomen and let out a muffled groan — then deliberately spat every drop of pomegranate juice from her mouth straight onto Xiaoshi’s face.

She clearly saw it — the murderous intent that Xiaoshi hastily concealed within her eyes.

“Ningning.” An image flashed through Yan Shiyao’s mind — Yan Yunning’s blood splattered across her face — and her whole body began to tremble uncontrollably.

No, no! It won’t happen! Xuan Yanyu isn’t here — how could anything happen to Ningning?

Mu Shiqing forgot about Xiaoshi entirely. He steadied Yan Yunning, his voice carrying a slight tremor. “Ningning… Brother will take you to the physician. Don’t be afraid…”

Yan Yunning pressed his hand down and said with feigned weakness, “Elder Brother Mu… no wait, Xiaoshi just said I should call you Elder Brother Mu in charge.”

She raised her hand with visible effort and rummaged through her pouch, producing a tiger-head shoe. “Elder… Elder Brother Mu in charge, this is what I prepared for yours and Elder Sister Wen’s child. Please take it.”

Mu Shiqing leaned closer and wiped the pomegranate juice from the corner of her mouth with his fingertip. The tension in his expression eased.

This wretched girl had given him a fright.

Yan Yunning swallowed and said weakly, “Elder Brother Mu in charge, all of this… all of this was caused by your sister.”

Since Xiaoshi wanted to frame her, she would insist to the end that Xiaoshi had caused her to vomit blood. With Xuan Yanyu here, Elder Brother Mu couldn’t do a thing to her or her elder sister.

“Thud.” Yan Shiyao, clutching her head, lost control and fainted to the ground.

Yan Yunning abandoned the act entirely. She crouched down and helped Yan Shiyao up, pressing on her philtrum. “Elder Sister?”

What on earth had made her faint like that out of nowhere?

“Brother, it’s pomegranate juice — it’s very sweet.” Xiaoshi blinked up at Mu Shiqing with confusion. “Brother, how did Sister Ningning almost faint and then suddenly be fine? Xiaoshi didn’t hurt her — Sister Ningning is lying.”

Mu Shiqing glanced at her.

……

Yan Shiyao had fainted. Qi Qingchen refused to let Xiaoshi off, trading barbs with Mu Shiqing. The entire Yuanjing Manor descended into chaos.

An’nian and Jiang Zhijing were both nursing tremendous headaches.

“Chief Mu, the second young miss Yan Shiyao has yet to regain consciousness, and this Prince also demands an explanation from you.” Qi Qingchen held the upper hand.

Mu Shiqing replied coolly, “Third Highness, what does Yan Shiyao’s failure to regain consciousness have to do with me?”

“And what does Xiaoshi falling into the water have to do with Yan Shiyao?” Qi Qingchen was equally unyielding.

“I personally witnessed Yan Shiyao release Xiaoshi’s hand.” Mu Shiqing spoke unhurriedly. “And I also personally witnessed Yan Shiyao faint — it has absolutely nothing to do with Xiaoshi. As the physician himself diagnosed — she suffered a severe fright.”

Qi Qingchen’s tone hardened. “Yan Shiyao suffered a severe fright inside Xiaoshi’s guest room — either it’s connected to you, or it’s connected to Xiaoshi.”

It was not going to be connected to Yan Yunning.

Mu Shiqing narrowed his eyes. He suspected it was connected to that wretched girl Ningning — Yan Shiyao had most likely been frightened by her.

“Chief Mu, how about no one pursues the matter further?”

Mu Shiqing slowly furrowed his brow. Both sides had their version of events, and pursuing it further would serve no purpose.

“Indeed, Chief Mu — perhaps let it go.” Jiang Zhijing stepped in to smooth things over.

Mu Shiqing followed his lead and nodded.

……

Yan Shiyao’s guest room.

Jiang Yanche was draped over the edge of the bed, whispering, “Auntie, why hasn’t Auntie Yaoyao woken up yet?”

“Little Yanche, come here.”

Yan Yunning took the mandarin orange segments Xuan Yanyu had peeled and fed them to the little one who came running over.

Jiang Yanche noticed that Yan Yunning had taken them from Xuan Yanyu’s hand, and scrunched up his little brow as he swallowed the segment that was already in his mouth.

Papa had said not to waste food — otherwise he absolutely would not eat anything peeled by a brother he didn’t like!

“Want another piece?” Yan Yunning held out another segment.

“No.” The little one turned his small head away, arms folded across his chest in a little huff.

“Coax him — he’s still upset with you.” Yan Yunning nudged the man beside her with her elbow.

Xuan Yanyu picked up a peeled mandarin orange segment and fed it to her, then looked down at Jiang Yanche and said in a perfunctory, coaxing-a-child sort of way, “Don’t be upset anymore.”

Yan Yunning: “?”

“Coaxed.” The man smiled faintly.

Yan Yunning gave up expecting anything of him. Someone of his standing, lowering himself to meekly coax another — that was probably never going to happen in this lifetime.

“Little Yanche.” Yan Yunning lifted him into her lap so he was facing Xuan Yanyu, then lowered her head and whispered to him, “Brother made you angry — go ahead and hit him.”

When Yan Shiyao finally came to, what she saw was Yan Yunning swinging little Yanche’s small hand at Xuan Yanyu, the latter playing along with their antics without a trace of annoyance.