Chapter 74: Stating Her Name

Yaoyao widened her eyes in confusion.

Did she just say something wrong? Why did Nanny tell the pretty older sister to pretend she hadn’t heard it?

The pretty older sister was a new friend she’d just made. Her mother had told her to be generous when making new friends—that was the best way to make more of them.

Yaoyao liked making friends, so she shared her most treasured things with the pretty older sister. Was that wrong?

She thought it made perfect sense.

She liked Persimmon Brother the most. In the marquis’ manor, he ranked number one in her heart.

She especially loved resting her head on his arm to fall asleep each night.

Persimmon Brother bathed every day, and the jasmine scent on him made her sleep soundly.

Even though the pretty older sister had applied a thin layer of powder, Yaoyao noticed faint dark circles under her eyes.

Her mother said that having purplish-blue under your eyes meant you hadn’t slept well.

Her second brother often stayed up late reading storybooks. Every time he had dark circles, it meant he’d been hiding under the covers reading all night.

The pretty older sister had dark circles just like her second brother—could it be that she also stayed up late reading under the covers?

That’s why Yaoyao thought maybe the pretty older sister should try sleeping like her—nestled in Persimmon Brother’s arms, breathing in his sweet scent. Maybe then she’d sleep better.

But her suggestion hadn’t been accepted, so she gave up on that idea for now.

She’d have to come up with another way to help the pretty older sister sleep earlier.

At that moment, Xu Sanning was already flustered by Yaoyao’s innocent words and didn’t even notice the little girl’s thoughtful gaze.

Yaoyao had been watching her closely the whole time and found that Xu Sanning was different from her second brother in a few more ways.

Though her second brother stayed up late reading, he still looked energetic and healthy.

But the pretty older sister’s complexion looked a little yellowish.

Her mother had said a sallow complexion meant poor nutrition. And poor nutrition meant not eating enough.

But how could someone not eat enough?

How would they grow?

Yaoyao wanted to reach for a pastry from her pocket to feed Xu Sanning again, but remembering that Xu Sanning had said she didn’t like sweets, she began to think about what else she might offer instead.

By the time the two of them reached the pitch-pot area, the noble young ladies who saw Xu Sanning immediately stepped several paces back.

Before Xu Sanning could greet them, the girls swarmed together like a flock of birds, eyeing her and Yaoyao with mocking disdain.

One girl in an orange skirt sneered, “Miss Xu, you’re already up and about? We thought with your build, you’d be out cold for at least a whole day and night!”

Another girl chimed in quickly, “Now that you mention it, I almost forgot. Miss Xu fainted for more than just a day and a night last time.”

Xu Sanning’s face darkened immediately.

They were referring to a banquet held by the Princess last year.

At that time, her weight had been creeping past her grandmother’s strict limits, and she feared being punished. So she tried fasting for several days to lose the weight.

She hadn’t expected to faint from hunger at the Princess’s residence.

She was unconscious for two days and a night before waking up.

But as soon as she came to, her grandmother punished her by making her kneel in the ancestral hall.

The reason? Bringing shame upon the family by embarrassing herself in public.

She knelt for seven days and copied the family rules daily.

Xu Sanning looked at the two girls who had just mocked her. They used to be close friends, but everything changed after that incident—when she fainted and was personally carried back by the young master of the Princess’s residence, and the Princess had even asked the Imperial Physician to treat her.

After that, those two completely turned against her.

She had thought that by lying low at home, not mingling with outsiders, and reflecting, their anger would eventually fade.

But clearly, they still hadn’t forgiven her.

Xu Sanning had no romantic interest in the young master. Though she was still young, she was certain she’d never like him.

Her grandmother always said she was born to serve the royal family. Even if she didn’t become the Crown Princess, she’d definitely marry a prince.

That went for all her sisters as well.

Xu Sanning wanted to avoid those girls and take Yaoyao to the farthest pitch-pot stand, but she was blocked.

“You? You couldn’t even lift a twig last time, and now you want to play pitch-pot? Are you trying to fake an accident?”

Flushed with embarrassment, Xu Sanning muttered, “I can lift it.”

Last time was truly a one-off incident. Before coming to the palace this time, she’d already eaten something and wouldn’t faint from hunger again.

But the group didn’t believe her and tried to chase her away.

“We’re not as ‘precious’ as you, Miss Xu. If you faint again and the Empress holds us all accountable, then what?”

Yaoyao listened to their snide comments and caught the hint of embarrassment on Xu Sanning’s face.

Just as Xu Sanning opened her mouth to suggest they find a quieter spot, Yaoyao let go of her hand, put her chubby little fists on her hips, and said seriously, “If you don’t want to play with the pretty older sister, just say so. Why bother going in circles and being mean?”

Although some of the noble girls had also picked up on the exclusion, only Yaoyao said it out loud so directly.

Most others weren’t taking sides at all—just enjoying the drama.

The girl in the orange top turned red with anger, her triangle-shaped eyes glaring furiously at Yaoyao.

Suddenly remembering something, her expression turned cold. “Aren’t you the maid following the Marquis of Chengming’s heir around?”

She didn’t recall any noble daughter from the Chengming Marquis’s household.

Yaoyao wasn’t offended that she’d been called Persimmon Brother’s maid. She was one of Persimmon Brother’s people—being connected to him was good enough.

So she nodded.

The girl sneered again. “A mere servant dares to speak to me like that? Do you even know who I am?”

One of her hangers-on quickly answered, “She’s from the Xue family.”

Xue family?

Yaoyao tilted her head—didn’t ring a bell.

Seeing her unmoved, Xue Ziyuan furrowed her brows deeper. “You’re a servant in the capital and you don’t know the Xue family?”

“Do I have to?”

Yaoyao blinked and firmly countered, “Is the Xue family that impressive? More powerful than the uncle who owns this big courtyard?”

She still didn’t know who that uncle was, or what an emperor or empress really meant.

But she understood that this massive, seemingly endless courtyard belonged to the uncle and auntie from earlier.

Her mother had taught her: when visiting someone’s home, you should be polite and respectful. That’s how people would like you.

This sister named Xue surely couldn’t be the owner of this place too?

As soon as Yaoyao said this, the entire crowd fell silent.

Especially Xu Sanning, who clutched her chest nervously as if she might faint.

Across from them, Xue Ziyuan’s arrogant expression instantly turned to panic.

This wretched little girl was going to get her killed!

She had only meant to intimidate her a bit by stating her family name—yet this girl just sent her straight to death’s door!