Old Madam Song had lived for fifty-seven years and had developed a discerning eye—of course she could tell that Song Chuyi wasn’t lying.
She had almost no moment of hesitation before immediately defining this matter as ghosts and spirits using Song Chuyi to warn their Song family. Just like when Duke Chengguo’s family met with annihilation, Wang Jin, the younger sister of current Fifth Madam Wang Shi, had cried incessantly every day, saying she dreamed that Duke Chengguo’s estate had caught fire and everyone had died… Not long after, Duke Chengguo’s estate truly perished in a sea of flames.
Thinking of that scene, Old Madam Song felt lingering fear. She coughed heavily several times and made a decisive decision on the spot: “Little Yi, starting tomorrow, why don’t you move here to keep Grandmother company?”
In her previous life, no matter how much Old Madam Song doted on Song Chuyi, she had never called her by her pet name. In both her previous and present lives, this was the first time.
Nanny Huang’s eyes widened—ever since Eldest Miss Song Chuchen, Old Madam Song had never again personally raised a girl. Was Old Madam Song now actually intending to personally raise Sixth Miss?
Song Chuyi nestled in Old Madam Song’s embrace. Hearing this, she seemed extremely surprised. Only after a long while did she kneel down in astonishment to kowtow to Old Madam Song, and for the first time, joyful laughter finally appeared in her eyes.
She clearly knew that Huang Yao had instigated her to meddle in Fifth Household’s affairs with ill intentions, yet she still went—naturally not merely because of her hatred toward Fifth Madam. She knew too well the pain of being stabbed with a soft knife. In her previous life, Shen Qingrang and Song Chuning had done nothing else beneficial, but they had profoundly taught her one principle.
If you hate someone, pamper them, praise them, lift them to the highest place, then without the slightest mercy, at their happiest moment, cruelly cast them down. A dull knife cutting flesh, one cut after another, making them wish for death yet unable to die—that was the most ruthless method.
In her previous life, she had been harmed so miserably by these tactics. That heart-gouging, flesh-cutting pain made her toss and turn day and night, unable to eat or sleep peacefully. In this life, she wanted all those who had harmed her to taste this suffering.
Therefore, even knowing that Huang Yao was inciting her to meddle in Fifth Household’s affairs to make her a laughingstock and offend Fifth Madam, she still went.
She was no longer that ignorant person from Wu, and knew that every action required careful consideration—she wasn’t afraid of offending Fifth Madam anyway. In Fifth Madam’s eyes, the Song family was a wolf’s den with not a single good person inside, including Song Jie, Song Chuyou, and Song Chubin whom she herself had borne.
She wanted to use this opportunity to properly explain her transformation to Old Madam Song. After all, no matter how much a person gained enlightenment, they couldn’t possibly differ from their past self to the extent of heaven and earth.
What she would need to do in the future went far beyond this. She couldn’t rely on Song Yi, nor could she rely on him, so she could only seek a protective umbrella from higher up. She felt she had found the right person.
Thus, on that very same day, Li Shi’s mood in Second Household’s main courtyard plummeted from heaven to hell.
She sat on her daybed heavy with rage. Even her daughter in her arms couldn’t calm her down.
“Didn’t they say today’s matter caused a huge uproar?! She even bit Wang Shi!” Li Shi’s beautiful eyebrows were now almost knitted together. Her usually well-maintained eyes rarely showed bloodshot traces: “How is it that I didn’t know our famous Earl Changning’s estate raises girls this way? Hitting and cursing elders, yet it can be lightly brushed aside. Old Madam’s heart is actually that biased!”
Hearing this, Nanny Yu’s eyebrows jumped repeatedly. Afraid that Song Yi might suddenly return, she hurriedly rushed forward to cover her mouth: “Aiya! My dear lady, we just talked about your rashness. How can you not change this temperament? Can such words be spoken carelessly? If word gets out, how will you face Old Madam tomorrow?”
Song Chuning nestled in Li Shi’s embrace. Seeing that Nanny Yu clearly couldn’t persuade Li Shi, she smiled softly and raised her hand to rub Li Shi’s chest: “Mother, please don’t be angry anymore.”
Only then did Li Shi realize that Song Chuning was still in the room.
She actually didn’t want her daughter to learn these dark and underhanded methods. Her daughter only needed to be open and aboveboard, filled with sunshine, and be the legitimate young lady of the Earl’s estate.
“…Mother isn’t angry.” Li Shi gave Nanny Yu a look and waved her hand somewhat wearily: “Mother still has some matters here. Why don’t you return with Nanny first?”
Song Chuning leaned against Li Shi without moving. Seeing Nanny Yu turn to go call her wet nurse, she smiled and said: “Mother, please don’t send me away… I can see that Sixth Sister has indeed become somewhat different.”
Nanny Yu hesitated and stopped without moving.
But Li Shi became somewhat angry. She raised her hand and poked her daughter’s forehead, scolding: “However she is, what does it have to do with you? Don’t play too closely with her! Don’t involve yourself in these matters. After spring begins, your First Mother will engage tutors for your Fourth Sister and Fifth Sister. You’ll also go learn with them then. Go back for now.”
“Mother’s words make no sense.” The jade-doll-like porcelain doll blinked her eyes, revealing a smile obviously unsuited to her age: “You yourself like Sixth Sister so much, yet you won’t allow me to be close to her. In outsiders’ eyes, wouldn’t this appear to be merely putting on a show?”
Good heavens! Nanny Yu silently called upon Buddha in her heart, truly alarmed. These two young ladies of Second Household, though young in age, had no less than ten thousand schemes. They were even more capable than those thirteen or fourteen-year-olds in Third and Fifth Households. It was truly frightening.
Li Shi naturally wouldn’t be surprised by her daughter’s scheming. She touched her daughter’s head with infinite affection: “How is that the same? You are one thing, and she is another. How can you lower yourself to compare with her?”
She had been married for five years and only just gave birth to Song Chuning, this one daughter. Naturally she was precious beyond measure, wishing to present everything good before her.
Song Chuning reached up to clasp Li Shi’s neck, resting her head against her chest with a smile: “Why shouldn’t I compare? Of course I must compare. Otherwise, before Old Madam and Father, won’t I forever be a head shorter than her?”
She smiled cheerfully, her tone extremely calm, yet Li Shi inexplicably shivered.
“What nonsense?!” Coming to her senses, she scolded her daughter: “What do you mean ‘lower than her’? She’s merely the eldest daughter of a deceased wife. Is she worth your comparison?”
Song Chuning showed no anger at being scolded. She even laughed aloud with a snort.
“Because her mother died, both Father and Grandmother treat her well. Just this one point alone, I can never catch up no matter how hard I try.” Song Chuning reached out to hold Li Shi’s hand: “Because she has no mother, Father and Grandmother always feel she’ll suffer grievances. No matter how well you treat her on the surface, Mother, they’ll think it’s not enough and naturally won’t have the heart to spare attention for me.”
Li Shi felt somewhat heartsick.
She had been married for over five years now. Old Madam Song was always indifferent toward her. Though she treated Song Chuning, whom she had borne, fairly well, it was only fairly well—truly incomparable to how she treated Song Chuyi.
“Ning’er…” She opened her mouth hoarsely, coughing several times wanting to explain something.
But Song Chuning had already spoken first: “But it’s nothing really. In this world, there’s originally no method to force someone to like anyone. Besides, I don’t care about these things anyway.”