The one who arrived was her half-sister, Su Yuner.
A trace of disgust flashed across Su Yaoyao’s eyes.
She quickly pulled another outer robe from the wardrobe and draped it over herself. Although she had stopped binding her chest, now was not the time to completely reveal her hand.
Su Yuner walked in with a small covered bowl in her hands, smiling sweetly.
But the moment her gaze landed on Su Yaoyao, her smile froze.
Su Yaoyao was only casually wearing an outer robe, her long hair still uncombed. Yet that figure…
Without the tight layers of chest bindings, even through the clothing one could see the breathtaking curves.
Especially that waist—so slender it looked as if it might snap with a single bend.
It was the simplest attire possible, almost careless, yet somehow… it carried an indescribable lazy allure.
Su Yuner’s fingers tightened around the tray. That familiar sour discomfort rose again in her chest.
How did this useless fool suddenly seem as if she had shed a dusty shell overnight, revealing a dazzling light inside?
And that figure… hadn’t she been binding her chest and starving herself every day?
But she quickly adjusted her expression and returned to her usual weak, gentle demeanor.
“Sister, it’s good that you’re awake. I worried about you all night. I had the kitchen prepare this ginseng soup especially for you—it’s very nourishing.”
She placed the bowl on the table. Her gaze casually swept across the discarded chest binding cloth on the floor. A trace of contempt flickered in her eyes, though her tone sounded even more “concerned.”
“Why did you remove… that? Are you feeling unwell again? Or is it…”
She covered her mouth and lowered her voice.
“…because of what the Second Prince said yesterday? Are you feeling upset?”
She waited for Su Yaoyao to react the way she usually did—lowering her head, wringing her fingers, or reddening her eyes.
But Su Yaoyao simply lifted her gaze, looked at her, and smiled.
The smile was faint, carrying a hint of amusement Su Yuner couldn’t understand.
“Little sister must have spent quite some time brewing this ginseng soup, right?” Su Yaoyao didn’t answer her question. Instead, she pointed at the bowl. “The soup looks clear. Did you use good ginseng whiskers?”
Su Yuner froze for a moment, then nodded instinctively.
“Yes, yes—top-quality old ginseng whiskers…”
“What a pity.” Su Yaoyao sighed and shook her head.
“The broth may look clear, but the ginseng used is the lowest-grade scraps. Yet you brought it out thinking it’s top-quality… sigh. Well, it’s not really your fault. I suppose you’ve never seen truly good ingredients.”
Su Yuner’s face instantly turned pale.
“You—!”
But she immediately steadied her expression.
“Sister! I… I meant well…”
“Yes, yes, good intentions~” Su Yaoyao nodded calmly.
Just then, a young maid entered carrying lunch.
Simple dishes were placed on the table: a bowl of watery soup with a few floating vegetable leaves, and two hard, grayish coarse-grain buns.
The moment Chun Tao saw the food, her expression darkened.
This was even worse than what Miss usually ate.
Su Yaoyao laughed in disbelief.
“Auntie is truly thoughtful.” She looked up at Su Yuner, whose face still hadn’t fully recovered.
“I’m still recovering from illness, yet this is what I’m fed? Even the rough servant women in this household would probably find these buns too hard to chew.”
Su Yuner forced a smile.
“Sister misunderstands. Auntie thought that after yesterday’s… shock, you might not have much appetite. Besides, haven’t you always wanted to slim down to please the Second Prince?”
“Please him?” Su Yaoyao interrupted, placing her chopsticks down with a sharp snap.
Su Yuner’s heart skipped.
“I didn’t realize the legitimate daughter of the Marquis’ residence had become so destitute that she can’t even afford a proper meal.”
Su Yaoyao stood up. She was taller than Su Yuner, and looking down at her now created an invisible pressure.
“Chun Tao.”
“Yes, Miss!”
“Go inform the kitchen.” Su Yaoyao spoke slowly and clearly. “Have them prepare medicinal cuisine for me from my mother’s shops. Don’t worry about the cost. Abalone, ginseng, shark fin—whatever is best, use it. From today onward, my three daily meals will all be medicinal dishes.”
Chun Tao answered loudly, “Yes! I’ll go right away!”
“You—!” Su Yuner was both shocked and angry.
“Sister, how can you be so extravagant? Managing the household is not easy for Auntie, and you—”
“Not easy, so the legitimate daughter is treated like a beggar?” Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow. “Or are you saying I’m not qualified to use the dowry my mother left me?”
Su Yuner felt as if her tail had been stepped on. Her legitimate sister had never dared speak to her like this before.
“Sister, what nonsense are you saying? Auntie manages the household fairly—”
“Fairly?” Su Yaoyao laughed coldly.
“Then the jade bracelet on your wrist looks quite nice. And that gold hairpin in your hair—is it newly made? I wonder… whose money paid for it?”
Instinctively, Su Yuner covered the bracelet on her wrist. Her face completely changed.
The bracelet and hairpin had indeed been given to her by her mother a few days ago—both taken from the wealthy dowry shops left behind by Su Yaoyao’s mother.
“I… I…”
“No need to explain.” Su Yaoyao waved a hand and sat down again, her posture relaxed.
“After all, she is your mother. But I’m curious—if Father found out that not only my mother’s dowry, but even his official salary was being ‘lovingly’ sent to your uncle’s gambling table, what would he think?”
Su Yuner felt as though she’d been struck by lightning. She looked up at Su Yaoyao in terror.
How did she know about her uncle’s gambling? Her mother had hidden that secret carefully!
Su Yaoyao looked at her deathly pale face and sneered inwardly.
The original owner’s memories didn’t contain this information, but Su Yaoyao in her previous life had navigated the social elite—reading people and analyzing situations was second nature.
Lady Liu was only a concubine, yet she lived extravagantly and even supported her natal family. Where else could the money have come from?
“Sister… what are you talking about? My uncle…” Su Yuner tried to argue.
“Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know very well.” Su Yaoyao stopped looking at her and returned to the dressing table, idly playing with a plain silver hairpin.
“Oh, by the way, tell Auntie something when you return.”
“I’ve already come of age. The inventory list of my mother’s dowry and the keys to the storage rooms—have her send them to me within the next couple of days. If she finds it troublesome…”
She paused and looked at Su Yuner’s suddenly pale face before continuing slowly.
“I wouldn’t mind asking my grandmother from my mother’s side to handle it personally. Oh right—I remember Auntie was originally just a maid sent as part of Grandmother’s dowry back then, wasn’t she?”
Su Yuner’s mind buzzed.
“You—!”
“What’s wrong? Is there some problem with my mother’s dowry?”
Su Yuner bit her lip and forced herself to say, “N-no such thing… I won’t disturb you any longer, Sister.”
She turned to leave, but stopped and looked back.
“Sister, the palace banquet in three days… His Highness the Crown Prince will also be present. With your condition, you should… restrain yourself a little, lest you offend someone important.”
With that, she hurried away.
Su Yaoyao watched her retreating figure and curved her lips slightly.
Offend someone important?
What she feared most was not offending them enough.
Chun Tao watched the second young lady practically flee in panic and burst into laughter. The resentment she had held in for years finally felt a little relieved.
“Miss, you were amazing!” Her eyes sparkled.
But Su Yaoyao didn’t look particularly pleased.
“This is only the beginning. That mother and daughter… who knows what else they have waiting for me.”
She glanced at the ginseng soup Su Yuner had brought.
“The ginseng is low quality, but the ‘other ingredients’ inside are quite potent. Pour it away.”
No wonder the original owner had always seemed weak and lethargic. Not only had she been starved—she had also been fed these filthy things.
As for the original owner’s mother…
What a coincidence.
In her previous life, Su Yaoyao had once pursued the heir of a famous traditional Chinese medicine family.
Their “exchanges”…
had been quite thorough.