“I won’t apologize!”
Yun Xuesheng’s gaze was resolute. “I did nothing wrong!”
In her past life, they had exploited her fear of losing them, using this method to hurt her again and again, forcing her to yield.
In this life, those who had never cared about her—she would rather be without them!
“Yun Xuesheng, how dare you speak to me like that!”
Yun Sumu could hardly believe his ears. He stared at Yun Xuesheng in disbelief. What had gotten into her today?
“Third Brother, Sister must still be angry with me, that’s why she’s treating you this way.”
Yun Man spoke in a soft, gentle voice. She tugged at Yun Sumu’s sleeve and said timidly, “Please don’t be angry with Sister. Don’t let this hurt the bond between you two siblings.”
As she spoke, Yun Man’s eyes reddened. She hung her head in a dejected manner, looking utterly heartbroken.
This tore at Yun Sumu’s heart. He fumbled for his handkerchief and wiped Yun Man’s tears, saying, “Don’t cry, Manman. We’re siblings now too. Don’t say things like that.”
“In my heart, I’ve long considered you my own sister.”
“Really?”
A surge of joy welled up in Yun Man’s eyes, and she immediately broke into a smile through her tears. “Third Brother wouldn’t lie to me, would he?”
“When have I ever lied to you?”
Yun Sumu ruffled Yun Man’s hair affectionately.
At that moment, Yun Man suddenly turned her head and shot Yun Xuesheng a provocative smirk, then put on a pitiful expression. “But… but Sister will be unhappy. I don’t want to make Sister unhappy.”
From an angle Yun Sumu couldn’t see, Yun Man mouthed something silently at Yun Xuesheng.
Heh. Yun Xuesheng actually dared to hit her? Then she would make Yun Xuesheng taste what it felt like to lose everything.
She knew best how to push Yun Xuesheng to the brink of collapse and make everyone despise her.
Yun Xuesheng cared most about her brothers. Before, when they had been kind to her, Yun Xuesheng would look at her with wary eyes.
Now, she would show Yun Xuesheng exactly how she would, little by little, steal away her brothers’ love.
And Yun Xuesheng had clearly read Yun Man’s lips. It was a single phrase: Just wait!
Wait for what?
For Yun Sumu to coax her the way he coaxed Yun Man?
She never hoped for things that wouldn’t happen.
Yun Xuesheng turned to leave.
But to Yun Sumu, this looked like Yun Xuesheng was jealous of him doting on Yun Man.
“Stop right there.”
Yun Sumu’s voice was cold. “Manman is our own sister now. Who are you putting on this act for?”
“Yun Xuesheng, your heart grows narrower by the day. You can’t even tolerate Manman.”
“Fine, I can’t tolerate her!”
Yun Xuesheng could no longer hold back. She spun around and said in an icy tone, “She takes my things—she wants to take everything from me! Why should I let her run wild on my turf?!”
“Enough! Yun Xuesheng, look at yourself. Do you act like a big sister at all?”
Yun Sumu couldn’t help but scold her. “What has Manman taken from you? Can’t you, as the older sister, just give in a little?”
“Give in, give in—doesn’t she have things of her own?”
Yun Xuesheng glared fiercely at Yun Man. “The jewelry Mother left me—she took it all!”
“I didn’t!”
Yun Man grabbed Yun Sumu’s arm. “Third Brother, I didn’t take Sister’s jewelry.”
“I know, Manman.”
Yun Sumu patted Yun Man’s head to calm her, then raised his eyes to Yun Xuesheng with disappointment. “I gave those pieces to Manman. How could you slander Manman like that?”
“How dare you move my things without permission? Those are mine—Mother left them to me!”
“So what? Since they were left by Mother, I have the right to decide what to do with them.”
Yun Sumu said it with complete self-righteousness.
Yun Xuesheng’s hands trembled with rage. “Mother left those to me specifically as my dowry! They’re not yours!”
“Sister, I don’t want those things. Please don’t fight. Don’t hurt your relationship with Third Brother because of me.”
“Wahhh!”
Yun Man’s tears fell in streams, her expression utterly pitiful. Yun Sumu’s heart ached again. “For a few trinkets, you’d disregard sisterly affection? Yun Xuesheng, you’ve disappointed me greatly.”
Yun Xuesheng watched the two of them coldly, finding the whole scene utterly ridiculous.
“What are you standing there staring at? Can’t you see Manman is crying? Apologize now.”
“I told you—I won’t apologize!”
There wasn’t a flicker of emotion on Yun Xuesheng’s face. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”
“Stop. Manman’s health is weak. Go to Baicaotang and get her some warming tonics. Then I won’t hold this against you.”
Hold this against her?
Yun Xuesheng laughed in disbelief. She had never seen someone favor a stepsister over their own flesh and blood.
She wanted to refuse, but then she remembered what Yun Hong had said to her earlier.
If she stormed off in front of everyone, she’d just be letting those two off easy.
These two wanted her to give things to Yun Man, did they?
Perfect—she could go to Baicaotang.
“Fine!”
Yun Xuesheng’s expression suddenly changed. She smiled ingratiatingly at the two of them. “Then let’s go!”
With that, she turned and headed toward Baicaotang.
Behind her, Yun Sumu watched Yun Xuesheng’s demeanor and felt that something was off. Hadn’t she been quite assertive just a moment ago?
Yet this manner of hers gave him no room to find fault—this was exactly how Yun Xuesheng had always been.
When they arrived at Baicaotang, Yun Xuesheng instructed the shopkeeper to bring out all the finest goods for Yun Man to choose from, then unhurriedly made her way upstairs.
“Yun Xuesheng, what are you doing?”
“There are tools for processing medicinal herbs upstairs. I’m going up to take a look. Third Brother, please make yourself at home.”
Hearing that Yun Xuesheng was buying such things, Yun Sumu furrowed his brow. “You’re getting into that again? Don’t forget your station.”
Her station?
Ha, the Yun family was nothing more than a fallen count’s household—what station was there left to remember?
“Third Brother should just tend to his own affairs.”
With that, she quickened her pace.
On the second floor, Yun Xuesheng selected some tools for processing medicinal herbs and handed the shopkeeper the list she had prepared.
“These herbs, I’d trouble you to have someone weigh and wrap them for me. And these tools as well—please deliver them all to Chengen Bo Fu.”
“Of course, miss. Rest assured, I’ll see to it for you.”
“That’s good. I trust you, shopkeeper.”
Yun Xuesheng gave a grateful smile. She glanced toward a curtain on the left and consulted with the shopkeeper, “I wonder if you might allow me to use your back door?”