As they were speaking, Ouyang Ke lifted the curtain and entered, smiling as she said, “Grandmother, I hope you’re well. Sister, you arrived so early. It seems I am the one who is late.” As she spoke, she quietly took a seat beside Ouyang Nuan. “Sister is truly Grandmother’s cherished one, always running over so diligently.”

Ouyang Nuan casually smoothed her sleeve and unhurriedly replied, “Grandmother is getting old, and as the younger generation, it is only natural for us to serve by her side. I know you care for Mother dearly. Just now, you must have been accompanying her, which is why you arrived late. Don’t worry, Grandmother won’t blame you.”

Ouyang Ke’s breath hitched slightly, but Ouyang Nuan only smiled and effortlessly changed the subject, mentioning that the venison newly acquired by the household was delicious and that she would send some to Old Madam Li later. She then brought up a newly obtained embroidery piece of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, suggesting that she and Ouyang Ke admire it together. “When we were children, you often played with us siblings, but as we grew older, we somehow became distant. The Ouyang family has few siblings, so we should be closer.”

By now, Ouyang Ke had already calmed her anger and put on a pleasant smile. “Sister is right. I almost forgot that I promised to send you some Yingshan Yunwu tea. Since you mentioned it, I’ll have someone deliver it to you later.”

Ouyang Nuan smiled warmly. “Then I must thank you, Ke’er.”

Old Madam Li nodded in satisfaction. “This is how sisters should be— harmonious and considerate. Seeing you two getting along so well puts my heart at ease.”

As they left, Ouyang Nuan walked out first. Ouyang Ke assumed she had already departed, but upon stepping outside, she found Ouyang Nuan standing in the corridor with a smile. “Ke’er, how about walking together?”

Ouyang Ke looked into Ouyang Nuan’s eyes which were filled with warmth and amusement, yet for some reason, unease crept into her heart.

On the way, Ouyang Nuan chatted with Ouyang Ke in a friendly manner, but Ouyang Ke barely paid attention, only responding absentmindedly. As they passed the garden, a figure suddenly rushed out from behind the rockery. Ouyang Ke, lost in thought, failed to notice what was happening and was knocked over with a startled cry. She fell backward in a disheveled heap, her hairpins and ornaments scattering.

Ouyang Nuan immediately stepped forward to help her up as the gathered servants panicked, throwing the garden into chaos. Ouyang Ke, now standing, wore a furious expression. Her head maid, Qiuyue, rushed forward and slapped the young maid responsible for the accident hard. “How dare you?! Are you blind?! How could you bump into the second miss?!”

The young maid lifted her head, fresh red handprints on her cheek, looking like a frightened rabbit with tears welling in her eyes. “T-this servant didn’t do it on purpose! Please forgive me, Second Miss!”

Ouyang Ke, not one to let things slide, was just about to lash out when Ouyang Nuan suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Baihe! It’s you?”

Baihe, teary-eyed and full of regret, cried, “Eldest Miss, the young master has returned. Nanny Fang sent me to fetch you, but I was in such a hurry that I tripped and accidentally bumped into Second Miss. Please, have mercy!”

Ouyang Ke wished she could kick the clumsy maid over. Upon hearing that she was from Ouyang Nuan’s courtyard, her anger flared even more. Just as she was about to explode, Ouyang Nuan spoke lightly, “If you had run into someone else, you’d have been beaten for sure. But you’re in luck, Ke’er has the softest heart. She never scolds her servants, let alone punishes them harshly. She is known for her kindness and gentleness. Hurry and kneel to thank her for her grace.”

Ouyang Ke nearly choked in fury, her face turning red with suppressed rage. Baihe obediently fell to her knees and knocked her forehead against the ground twice. “Thank you, Second Miss, for your kindness!”

The mistress and servant pair played their roles perfectly, and what should have been a grave offense was effortlessly brushed aside. Ouyang Ke’s face shifted between pale and livid, but with so many people present, she couldn’t openly vent her anger. Instead, she dug her nails into Qiuyue’s arm, making her flinch.

Ouyang Nuan turned, her expression darkening as she snapped at the surrounding servants, “What are you all standing around for? Hurry and escort the second miss back to rest.”

Ouyang Ke cast a venomous glare at Baihe, as if imprinting her face in her memory. Baihe shuddered and quickly lowered her head. With no other choice, Ouyang Ke was forced to let herself be supported away.

Ouyang Nuan watched Ouyang Ke leave, then glanced at Baihe, who appeared timid and apprehensive, and suddenly chuckled. She told Baihe, “Get up, you did very well.”

Baihe was merely a third-rank maid, someone Lin Wanru usually wouldn’t bother to win over. With a meager salary and no favor, Baihe suffered constant bullying from Xiao Tao. Now that Ouyang Nuan finally had use for her, Baihe naturally had to put on a convincing act. Hearing Ouyang Nuan’s praise, Baihe scrambled up from the ground, her face beaming. The previous look of dejection and regret vanished in an instant.

At that moment, Hongyu, who had been trailing behind, quickly caught up and discreetly made a hand gesture to Ouyang Nuan. From her sleeve, she revealed an item. It was a golden phoenix hairpin, shining brilliantly.

Ouyang Nuan’s smile deepened……

When Ouyang Nuan returned, Ouyang Jue was indeed waiting in the courtyard. He must have just come back from the academy, as there were still traces of ink on his sleeve. Seeing his sister return, his face lit up with joy. “Sister, where did you go?”

“Nowhere special, just paying respects to Grandmother.” Ouyang Nuan smiled slightly at her younger brother, but this time, even her eyes carried warmth.

Ouyang Jue glanced toward the curtain at the doorway before lowering his voice and asking, “Sister, did Grandmother keep you back to say something important?”

Lately, aside from dealing with Lin Wanru and her daughter, all of Ouyang Nuan’s attention had been on her younger brother. However, she gradually realized that, perhaps due to losing their mother at a young age and lacking protection, this child had developed an extreme and impatient personality. If he did not undergo rigorous tempering, he would likely suffer great losses in the future. Her smile faded as she stared at his youthful yet restless face and said indifferently, “What important words could there be? Do you really think that just because Old Madam Lin has fallen out of Grandmother’s favor and been forced to relinquish her authority over household affairs, we will benefit from it?”

“Of course! She never should have taken Mother’s place in the first place!”

Ouyang Jue was, after all, still a child. Ouyang Nuan took a deep breath and then sneered. “Mother’s place? Since she passed away, Old Madam Lin, as Father’s second wife, naturally took over. Old Madam Lin has managed the household for ten years and the entire estate is already under her control. While it is said that a child should not criticize their father’s faults, Father’s nature makes it easy for her to win him back. Give it half a month at most, and do you truly believe this is an opportunity for us to seize power? Furthermore, even if Grandmother has stripped Old Madam Lin of authority, do you think she would hand it over to me? You and I may be a di son and daughter, but with our mother gone, who in this household would genuinely support us?”

A barrage of questions left Ouyang Jue completely stunned. He sat there rigidly for a long while before stubbornly retorting, “Sister, how can you say that? You are the eldest di daughter of this household, Father’s own flesh and blood—”

“Eldest di daughter?” Ouyang Nuan scoffed. “That sounds good in name only. Let me tell you the truth— this family can have plenty of grandchildren, so in Grandmother’s eyes, I am less valuable than Concubine Li whom she can easily control. As for Father, he only listens to Old Madam Lin. If she had already given birth to a son, do you really think your position as the eldest di son would still be secure?”

As Ouyang Jue listened, his eyes filled with increasing shock, even tinged with confusion and helplessness. Ouyang Nuan lowered her voice, “You must understand, with our mother gone, we have no one to rely on in this household. You are still young. Even if we seize power, can we really hold onto it for long?”

Ouyang Jue’s face slowly fell into dejection. “But Grandmother seems to have that intention……”

“Grandmother only wants to take back some authority from Old Madam Lin and put her in her place.” Recalling Old Madam Li’s behavior earlier today, Ouyang Nuan had already come to a conclusion. She continued, “Jue’er, you are too young. If you were a few years older or had already made a name for yourself, I would have a way to firmly grasp control of Ouyang Manor. But right now, if you blindly step into the power struggle between Old Madam Lin and Grandmother without understanding the situation, you will likely suffer more losses than gains. Listen to me, do not show anything on your face. Do what you are supposed to do as usual. The more you hate her, the more you must smile at her. No matter how vicious she is, she is still your stepmother in name. If people see you gloating over her misfortune, just the charge of being unfilial alone could doom you beyond redemption!”

Ouyang Jue stared blankly at his sister, astonished that she could say so much in one breath. Ouyang Nuan gently brushed a hand over his temple and said softly, “Jue’er, if you cannot endure small grievances, you will ruin great plans. I promise you, once we endure this for now, we will take them down one by one!”