Madam Chen said, “Second Master, you’ve misunderstood. It was young master Xuan who took it to play and broke it, not Yining.” In truth, Chen was also somewhat puzzled, as Xuan was still very young and shouldn’t have been able to reach the tourmaline bracelet. She didn’t elaborate further after saying this.
Luo Chengzhang frowned. “Is that so? Yining, you mustn’t do wrong and then shirk responsibility… Xuan is still little; he doesn’t understand.”
Yining inwardly scoffed. With a father like this, no wonder the young Yining had been forced into such a state.
She turned her small face away, still feeling a wave of discomfort in her heart. Perhaps it was the lingering feelings of young Yining, but an urge to cry persisted. Yining said softly, “Since Father doesn’t believe what I say, you should ask others. I won’t say anything more.”
Xuezhi quickly came over, holding Xuan. She also felt that her young mistress Yining had been wronged. Bowing, she said, “Second Master, please don’t blame the Seventh Miss. This truly has nothing to do with her. It was the young master who broke the tourmaline bracelet. His maid went to fetch the Sixth Miss because of this. Our Seventh Miss was just taking an afternoon nap here. She saw the young master crying and told this servant to comfort him. It had nothing to do with the young miss! The tourmaline beads were scattered everywhere, and it was the young miss who picked them up.”
Hearing this, Xuan suddenly began to wail loudly, “Xuan didn’t break anything! Xuan didn’t break it! It was Seventh Sister who broke it!”
Luo Chengzhang’s expression darkened upon hearing his young son say this. His tone grew stern, “Then why is Xuan saying this?”
Seeing the situation, Madam Chen realized that who broke the item wasn’t important. If Luo Chengzhang pursued the children’s responsibility, it might create distance between the two families. She hurriedly advised, “Second Master, let it go. It’s just a tourmaline bracelet. Look how upset you’ve made Xuan.”
Yining’s small hands clenched. Hearing the child’s shrill cries made her very uncomfortable.
Lin Hairu pulled Yining into her arms, staring at Luo Chengzhang as she said, “My lord, Yining may be mischievous at times, but when have you ever known her to lie? Yining has never stooped to lying. If you don’t believe her, I do. I know my Meimei wouldn’t lie.”
Although Yining had lived two lives, she hadn’t felt upset at first. But upon hearing Lin Hairu’s words, her nose began to tingle with emotion.
This stepmother of young Yining’s might not be the cleverest, but she truly cared for her. Yining tugged at Lin Hairu’s sleeve, pressing her lips tightly together. No matter what she said now, she’d be suspected of bullying her brother. She couldn’t speak carelessly.
At this moment, Songzhi arrives with Luo Yixiu, followed by Xuan’s head maid bringing Luo Yilien.
As soon as Luo Yixiu approached and heard what was being said, she immediately scoffed coldly, “Earlier, Xuan was crying and insisting on playing with the tourmaline bracelet. I didn’t give it to him. I didn’t realize until I left that I had placed it on the high table. It seems someone must have given it to Xuan to play with, and he broke it. Who dares to falsely accuse Yining? Xuan is usually pampered by Concubine Qiao, getting whatever he wants. How many things has he broken before?”
Luo Yilien’s face paled as she took in the situation. Earlier, she had seen the bracelet on the small table, and when Xuan wanted it, she had casually given it to him.
How could she have known it was so valuable?
But hearing Luo Yixiu speak about her brother this way, how could she stand by and do nothing? She said gently, “Fifth Sister, Xuan is still young. He doesn’t understand. You shouldn’t be too harsh on him.”
Luo Yixiu sneered even more, “Doesn’t understand? He’s only three years old and already dares to lie and falsely accuse Yining! What did his head maid tell you when she came to fetch you earlier? Didn’t she say he had broken the bracelet? I wanted to ask you too—I said this item was valuable, yet you still dared to let him play with it?”
Chen Lan pulled Luo Yixiu back, scolding her, “How can you speak like this!”
Seeing Yining wronged because of her, Luo Yixiu’s eyes reddened, and she said stubbornly, “I will speak this way! What does it matter that he’s young? Should we indulge him just because he’s young? Should we allow him to lie just because he’s young?”
Hearing this, Luo Chengzhang quickly said to Chen Lan, “Elder Sister-in-law, don’t stop Yixiu. She’s right.” He immediately called Xuan’s head maid forward and asked, “Tell me truthfully, did Xuan break the item?”
The maid, frightened, spoke with a dry, trembling voice, “Yes… it was the young master who broke it. The young master was scared and cried. The Seventh Miss… she told Sister Xuezhi to comfort the young master and stop his crying. This servant then went to fetch the Sixth Miss.”
Luo Chengzhang took a deep breath, his expression worsening. Breaking the item was a small matter—a tourmaline bracelet, no matter how expensive, could be replaced. What he couldn’t accept was Xuan lying! He was only three years old, yet lies flowed so easily from his mouth!
He pulled up the continuously crying Xuan, making him stand properly, and asked sternly, “Did you break it? If you lie again, I will punish you.”
Xuan cried pitifully, “Father, Xuan is scared! Xuan is afraid, Xuan didn’t break anything…”
Seeing her brother cry like this, Luo Yilien’s heart ached. She knelt and pleaded, “Father, Xuan is young. He doesn’t understand!”
This time, Luo Chengzhang remained unmoved. Lying was a serious matter. A child’s character could be seen from age three, and Xuan should be able to distinguish right from wrong by now, especially as a boy. He sat down and said coldly, “You didn’t take good care of your brother, so you share the responsibility. Get up! Don’t kneel at every turn.”
Yilien cried heartbrokenly, her frail body shaking with sobs.
Luo Chengzhang turned away, unable to bear the sight, only to see his young daughter standing nearby, staring at him. Her eyes were defiant and red, but not a single tear had fallen. He felt as if his heart had been stabbed.
This child, who had endured so much of his mistreatment, hadn’t cried even once.
His heart hardened further. He pointed at a nearby maid and said, “Help the Sixth Miss up. Take Xuan back to Concubine Qiao. Don’t disgrace us further here. I’ll deal with his punishment when I return!”
At this moment, Old Madam Luo arrived. A quick-witted little maid had gone to fetch her earlier. As she entered, her face was gloomy, and everyone bowed in greeting. Old Madam Luo walked up to Luo Chengzhang and gave him a cold look. Thinking of Madam Liu still waiting, she held back her anger, took a deep breath, and said, “You’ve become muddle-headed now. Enough, I won’t interfere in anything. Xuezhi, take Mei’er back. I’ll return after seeing Madam Liu out.”
Xuezhi, with tears in her eyes, approached Luo Chengzhang, bowed, and said, “This servant has attended to the young miss for five years and has always known her to be good at heart. Since her illness, she has become even more well-behaved and obedient. This servant was pleased to see it. Yet, to think that the Second Master would still doubt her like this… This servant truly feels distressed. The young miss has become so obedient.”
Luo Chengzhang remained silent, his guilt mounting until it nearly overwhelmed him. He reached out to embrace Yining, trying to console her, “Yining, let Father take you back. Come, let Father hold you.”
Yining turned away, the resentment of young Yining finally bursting forth. Tears streamed down her face as she clung tightly to Lin Hairu, crying so hard she could barely breathe, “Father is not good. I don’t want him to hold me. I don’t want him.”
She sobbed brokenly.
His young daughter’s rejection stunned Luo Chengzhang, leaving a dull ache in his heart. The way she looked at him was filled with sadness and distrust. Such rejection, she didn’t even want him to hold her anymore…
“Meimei…” Luo Chengzhang’s voice deepened, almost dejected. “You… you.”
“My lord, I’m taking Meimei back now,” Lin Hairu said, struggling to contain her heartache. She held Yining even tighter and walked out of the flower hall without looking back. Xuezhi and the others followed immediately, none of them sparing a glance at Luo Chengzhang.