Zhaodi rolled her eyes, then suddenly covered her mouth in shock.
“Song Li… y-you don’t have some special identity, do you?”
Song Hailan clenched his fists so tightly that his fingers cracked.
Song Haiming lowered his eyes in thought. He was already planning to find a chance to take that annoying Zhaodi away so the family could finally talk properly.
Seeing their expressions, Zhaodi secretly felt pleased.
Looks like everyone has noticed something.
Song Li resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
[What special identity? Don’t you already know?]
[You’re just like Zhu Bajie climbing over a wall—blaming someone else after causing the trouble yourself.]
“Zhaodi, fighting isn’t allowed at the charity hall. You’ll be kicked out if you fight. Did you forget?”
“And I already told you before that I know how to fight. I learned it when I was a beggar.”
“You have no idea how fiercely we fought over just half a cornbread bun.”
“If I couldn’t fight, I would have starved to death long ago.”
Song Li blinked innocently.
A trace of pity flashed across Song Yihuan’s eyes. She firmly patted Song Li’s shoulder.
“Stay with your big sister from now on. I’ll make sure you enjoy good food every day!”
Song Hailan quickly squeezed between them.
Stay with you? So she can learn how to keep handsome lovers too?
“What does that have to do with you? Can’t I afford to support my own sister?”
Song Yannian sighed inwardly.
Ah… I’m jealous of these youngsters. At my age, if I acted like that, people would laugh at me.
Zhaodi had wanted to throw dirt on Song Li, but instead she had accidentally made everyone pity her even more.
She was so angry she felt like vomiting.
Forcing a smile, she said knowingly,
“Oh… no wonder your fighting style is so…”
She didn’t finish the sentence, but everyone knew what she meant.
Dirty.
Cheap.
Low-class.
Song Li simply smiled without saying anything.
The calmer she acted, the more everyone pitied her.
Those techniques had been learned while surviving at death’s doorstep.
What decent young girl would ever learn such tricks willingly?
Song Hailan felt a sharp pain in his heart. He had so much he wanted to say, but with Zhaodi present, he didn’t know how to begin.
Song Yihuan stepped in first, wrapping an arm warmly around Song Li’s shoulders.
“Little sister, don’t feel discouraged. Your fighting style may not be honorable, but on the battlefield, it’s either you die or I die. Gentlemen end up as nothing more than firewood. Only those willing to do whatever it takes survive to the end. I like your fighting style very much.”
After speaking, she removed two dark blue throwing darts hidden beneath the leather shoulder guard she wore.
They were obviously coated with poison.
“See? I also carry hidden weapons with me in case of emergencies.”
Song Li grinned.
As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Song family, Song Yihuan had openly revealed one of her own secrets just to comfort her, even without knowing Song Li was actually her sister.
She really is such a gentle big sister…
Song Li also took out a small pouch of lime powder from her sleeve.
“Miss Song, I’m not putting myself down. These are the things that have kept me alive. No matter when, I’ll always be grateful for them.”
Song Yihuan nodded approvingly.
She tied both the leather shoulder guard and the poisoned darts onto Song Li.
The shoulder guard had hidden compartments that held the darts securely, so they wouldn’t fall out or accidentally injure the wearer.
“Miss Song…”
Song Li widened her eyes.
She hadn’t expected Song Yihuan to actually give them to her.
“We get along so well. They’re yours now.”
Song Li’s cheeks turned slightly red.
She handed her pouch of lime powder to Song Yihuan in return.
[Ahhh! I got a gift from my big sister! I’m so happy!]
[This gift is exactly what I wanted!]
[Big Sister is so gentle!]
[I’m just too poor right now. Once I get my monthly allowance, I’ll make her a few practical weapons.]
Listening to Song Li’s excited fangirl thoughts, Song Yihuan suddenly had the urge to give her everything she owned.
Song Hailan’s eyes also lit up.
He immediately removed the hidden weapon bracer from his wrist, fastened it onto Song Li’s arm, and taught her how to fire the concealed projectiles inside.
“It may be a little big, but it’ll work for now. Later I’ll have a smaller one specially made for you.”
Song Haiming removed the white jade hairpin from his own hair and placed it into Song Li’s hair.
“There’s a hidden mechanism inside. Figure it out when you get home.”
His hair was tied with a ribbon, so it wouldn’t come loose.
Song Li immediately returned her simple wooden hairpin to him.
Song Haiming happily put it into his own hair.
For some reason, he felt unusually happy, and even his annoyance at dealing with Zhaodi completely disappeared.
Song Hailan thought bitterly,
Why am I the only one who didn’t get anything in return?
Didn’t Little Sister notice that my hands are empty?
Meanwhile, Song Li was overjoyed.
[Looks like my brothers and sister all have a good impression of me. They all gave me gifts.]
[When they finally learn that I’m their real sister, they probably won’t have a hard time accepting me.]
Standing nearby, Song Yannian stared with wide eyes.
He looked down at the only hidden weapon he had on him…
His belt.
If I take it off now… they’ll probably think I’m some kind of pervert.
Should I take it off… or not?
But I really want a return gift from Song Li!
Why didn’t I bring more hidden weapons when I left home today?!
He regretted it deeply.
But someone regretted things even more than he did.
Zhaodi.
She nearly ground her teeth to pieces.
Why?
Why does Song Li so easily receive everyone’s love and sympathy?
Then what am I, the legitimate daughter, supposed to be?
Shouldn’t all these hidden weapons be given to me to keep me safe?
Wasn’t the whole point of finding their daughter to cherish her even more?
Why are they ignoring me to care about an outsider?
Just then, Song Yihuan turned toward Song Yannian.
“Father, I feel like Song Li and I were meant to meet. I want to become sworn sisters with her. Since today is such a good day, why not do it today? Please be our witness.”
Among noble families, becoming sworn siblings required the family’s approval.
Song Yihuan wasn’t just asking Song Yannian to witness it.
She was asking for his permission.
Song Yannian stroked his beard thoughtfully.
He seemed hesitant.
Zhaodi’s heart was in her throat.
Don’t agree!
Please don’t agree!
Absolutely don’t agree!!
I’m already the Second Miss of the Song family! Why won’t Song Yihuan even look at me? Why does she insist on getting close to Song Li instead?
Is this whole family really so alike?
The room became completely silent.
A pin could have been heard dropping.
“Father!”
Song Hailan suddenly broke the silence, making Zhaodi jump.
“Song Li’s dog once saved my life. I’d also like to become Song Li’s sworn brother.”
Zhaodi was speechless.
Go to hell!
If a dog saved your life, then go become sworn brothers with the dog!
“Little Cousin, what’s wrong? You don’t look well. Didn’t you sleep last night?”
Song Haiming walked over beside her.
“Why don’t you go back and get some rest?”
Her heart turned cold.
Real heartbreak wasn’t loud arguments.
Except for this adopted stepson, no one else even cared about her.
“Cousin, I’m fine.”
She forced a gentle smile.
No matter what, she was determined to watch this ridiculous scene to the end.
Song Yannian thought seriously for three full minutes.
To Zhaodi, those three minutes felt like being roasted over a fire.
Finally, he nodded.
“Very well. Since all of you like Song Li so much, I’ll grant your wishes.”
“We’ll choose an auspicious day later, and the three of you can become sworn siblings together.”
It was like a bolt of lightning had struck.
Zhaodi’s mind exploded with a loud buzz.
Her fingernails dug so deeply into her palms that they almost broke the skin.
Deep inside, she felt that something important was slipping farther and farther away from her.
…
[Ding! Luck Value has reached 10%.]
[You may now nurture one low-level spirit pet and receive one Skill Book.]
[A: Fly]
[B: Wasp]
[C: Butterfly]
[Please choose your spirit pet.]
Besides the Fly left over from before, there was now a new combination called “Attract Bees and Butterflies.”
Song Li didn’t choose immediately.
Instead, she analyzed why her Luck Value had increased.
The previous 5% probably came from Song Yannian, Song Haiming, Song Hailan, Old Zhuang, and Deputy General Liang.
The extra 5% that suddenly appeared now was probably because of Song Yihuan and Yang Yuyao.
So women are worth much more than men.
Looks like I need to win over more women in the future.
She opened the information for the Wasp.
Attack: 80
Health: 5
Loyalty: 70
Intelligence: 70
Skill: Deadly Sting
Each wasp injects 2 units of poison when it stings. When a single target accumulates 100 units of poison, there is a risk of death. After stinging, the wasp dies immediately.
So…
Fifty wasps could potentially sting a person to death.
What a terrifying killing weapon!
She then opened the Butterfly.
Attack: 0.1
Health: 10
Loyalty: 80
Intelligence: 50
Skill: Bride of Dreams
As long as butterflies are fluttering around you, your Charm instantly rises to 100%.