Chapter 34: Standing Up for Aunt Wei

Inside the back room, tension crackled like drawn swords—no one noticed Yaoyao’s presence.

Except for Yaowen, who was cowering timidly in a corner, keeping out of the conversation.

Although Yaowen was also the old madam’s grandson, she paid far less attention to him compared to Yaowu.

If not for introductions clarifying their birth order, anyone would have mistaken Yaowen for the younger brother and Yaowu for the elder.

Even the Marquis of Chengming and Wei shi had nearly made the same mistake at first.

After all, Yaowu’s waist was almost as wide as his shoulders—he didn’t look the slightest bit weak or sickly.

By contrast, Yaowen—who was about the same age—was a whole head shorter and much thinner.

He had inherited none of the stocky and plump features of Xie Erlang and his wife.

Yaowen’s brown eyes stared fixedly at Yaoyao.

Back in the main hall, when he had only half-raised his hand, a cold and piercing gaze had made his entire body go weak.

But now, with only Yaoyao nearby, he felt slightly braver and tentatively called her name, “Yaoyao?”

Yaoyao heard the unfamiliar, soft voice calling her and immediately turned her head. Meeting Yaowen’s gaze, she looked confused. “You… are calling me?”

Yaowen nodded and extended a slender finger to beckon her. “Come a little closer. I have something to tell you.”

Yaoyao found it strange—this was their first meeting, what could he possibly want to say?

But she didn’t detect any of the malice in Yaowen’s eyes that she had sensed in Yaowu’s, so she cautiously took one step toward him.

Still, Yaoyao kept a safe distance, not fully trusting him.

Now that she was closer, Yaowen could see her even more clearly.

Her face was like a freshly peeled egg—smooth and fair, the kind that made people want to take a bite.

But the moment he remembered that scorching cold stare from earlier, he quickly dismissed that thought.

Yaoyao tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes blinking like stars in the sky, flickering with light. “What is it you want?”

Yaoyao wasn’t particularly interested in Yaowen, but out of politeness, she patiently waited for him to speak.

Yaowen looked slightly surprised and accidentally bit his tongue, letting out a soft hiss, “I-I know how my brother was poisoned… It wasn’t Eldest Aunt’s fault.”

As he spoke, Yaowen deliberately lowered his voice and nervously glanced toward Xie Erlang and his wife.

Seeing they weren’t paying attention to him, he secretly let out a breath of relief.

“Eldest Aunt was falsely accused.”

Worried Yaoyao hadn’t understood, he added another sentence.

Because he was still young and not as assertive as Yaowu—easier to manipulate—the old madam often didn’t bother avoiding sensitive discussions around him.

So he knew why Wei shi was being blamed, and also what the old madam’s real intentions were in stirring up this drama.

He just didn’t dare speak out in front of so many people.

After finally mustering the courage to tell Yaoyao, her reaction was entirely different from what he expected.

He thought she’d be shocked or angry—after all, children her age wore their emotions on their faces.

But instead, she simply raised her chin, and in her childish voice, said calmly, “Of course I know Aunt Wei was framed.”

This time, it was Yaowen who was surprised. “How do you know?”

Before Yaoyao could answer, another cold male voice cut in at his ear, “It’s none of your business.”

Xie Yixing approached with a stony face and naturally stepped between the two, cutting them off.

Though Xie Yixing was not tall compared to boys his age—due to his picky eating habits—he still stood a head taller than Yaowen.

Back home, Yaowen had often heard the family talk about Xie Yixing.

Not only was he Yaowen and Yaowu’s older cousin, he was also the heir to the Marquis of Chengming estate—the Shizi.

Yaowen didn’t really understand what a “Shizi” was or how it made him different from them.

But the servants had told him that it meant Xie Yixing had a kind of power that he himself could never have in this lifetime.

This cousin of his was born with a golden spoon in his mouth—flawless, like a perfect piece of jade.

Meanwhile, he was just another Xie family son—ignored by his grandmother, and even his own parents barely paid him any attention.

He wasn’t charming or clever like Yaowu, who could make their grandmother laugh. He also didn’t know how to obey their parents’ every whim and earn their approval.

No matter what he did, it was always wrong, always doubted.

Xie Yixing’s dark eyes flicked slightly as he sized Yaowen up from head to toe.

Seeing Yaowen shrink his neck and unable to say a word in return, Xie Yixing confirmed he posed no threat, and the coldness in his eyes faded slightly.

Yaoyao continued to tilt her head up to look at Xie Yixing’s profile, her eyes lighting up.

Her chubby little hand instinctively grabbed his wrist, her pearly teeth clenched. “Persimmon Brother, they’re bullying Aunt Wei. Yaoyao’s mad! Let’s go help her, okay?”

Xie Yixing raised a finger and gently wrapped Yaoyao’s chubby hand in his palm.

Though his gaze was lowered, his voice remained as gentle as ever. “Alright, let’s help her.”

He had already heard everything clearly from behind the screen—every word.

But he hadn’t stepped in right away.

It wasn’t until Yaoyao took a step inside that he reached out—only to grab at empty air.

Though she had run fast, she hadn’t gotten far. By the time he entered the room, he saw Yaowen waving at her.

Yaowen, pressured by Xie Yixing’s stare, couldn’t utter a word and could only use his eyes to signal that he meant no harm.

Xie Yixing ignored his attempt at friendliness and led Yaoyao toward the bedside.

As the acting head of the household, everything in the marquis’s estate fell under his jurisdiction.

If his grandmother was unhappy with his decisions and wanted to cause trouble on his turf, he needed an explanation.

But since Yaoyao was impatient by nature, the moment she heard them targeting Wei shi, she had rushed in to stand up for her—so Xie Yixing had no choice but to adjust his plans to follow her lead.

As Xie Yixing led Yaoyao back into the room, the old madam—who had been wiping her tears—reached out, intending to embrace her eldest grandson.

But Xie Yixing dodged her touch in disgust.

Even the light brush of her fingertips against the edge of his sleeve made him uncomfortable.

If not for having business to attend to, he would’ve immediately gone back to the Rui Courtyard to bathe and change clothes.

Looking at the tear tracks on her face, Xie Yixing remained unmoved, his brow furrowing.

A cold gleam flashed in his eyes—so full of ruthlessness and chill that the old madam shuddered instinctively.

“Xing ge’er, your mother and father are trying to force your grandmother to her death!”

“You must stand up for your grandmother!”

Letting a child “stand up” for her—how shameless could she be?

Clearly, the old madam didn’t believe what the Marquis of Chengming and Wei shi had said. She assumed their claim that the household was under Xie Yixing’s authority was just an excuse to fool her and the others.

Yaowu had already gone all-in—if they still couldn’t win this, it would be indefensible.

The old madam, confident in her scheme, had a hint of smugness at the corners of her mouth.

But the very next moment, her smile froze completely.

Without a word, Xie Yixing took Yaoyao by the hand and walked over to Wei shi.

He reluctantly let go of Yaoyao’s chubby little hand.

Under Yaoyao’s expectant gaze, he looked toward the doctor’s opened medical kit.

When the estate doctor met his icy, indifferent gaze, he didn’t dare say a word.

Seeing the young heir’s eyes resting on his medical pouch, the doctor immediately closed it and offered it up with both hands, cautiously asking:

“Shizi… what do you need this for?”