As expected, Xiao Ruqiong didn’t ask about Anzhou’s scenery. Instead, she pressed impatiently, “Sixth Sister, I heard you broke off your engagement?”
Xiao Yunzhu: “Yes.”
Xiao Ruqiong looked concerned. “Why? Didn’t you say before that the He family treated you very well?”
Xiao Yunzhu showed regret. “It couldn’t be helped. When Grandmother asked the master to check our compatibility, he found that Third Cousin and I were mutually harmful, unfavorable for marriage. So we had to annul it.”
Xiao Ruqiong didn’t believe it. “But when you were first engaged, wasn’t the compatibility already checked?”
She suspected something must have gone wrong on He Baoyan’s side. Unfortunately, the servants who accompanied the main branch to Anzhou kept their mouths shut. Even when she sent her maids to probe indirectly, she couldn’t get the truth.
Xiao Yunzhu: “Perhaps the earlier reading wasn’t accurate.”
If Xiao Ruqiong knew that He Baoyan had gotten another woman pregnant and even came to her asking for her blessing, she would surely laugh herself silly.
For the sake of her Fourth Sister’s dignity, Xiao Yunzhu thought it best not to say.
Unable to get the answers she wanted, Xiao Ruqiong tapped her lightly, half-chiding: “We’re sisters, yet you tell us nothing, treating us like outsiders!”
Xiao Yunzhu played along. “What are you saying, Fourth Sister? We’re closer than anyone. Though cousins, we’re like real sisters.”
Indeed, she and her Fourth Sister had once been as close as true siblings.
After her father and brother died, and rumors spread that her birth chart brought misfortune to kin, she was consumed by guilt and cried constantly. It was Fourth Sister who told her it wasn’t her fault, that it was an unforeseen accident, and that she must stop blaming herself—she should live bravely, carrying her father and brother’s hopes.
At that time, such warm comfort was like salvation. Naturally, she was deeply grateful and dependent on her Fourth Sister, following her like a beam of light.
Later, her mother could no longer bear it and told her: the rumor of her birth chart harming kin was fabricated by Xiao Ruqiong, spread deliberately to steal the Old Madam’s affection. That day, she first realized the cruelty of human hearts.
Xiao Ruqiong was only a year older than her, just a seven-year-old girl then, yet capable of such a scheme!
If her mother hadn’t used thunderous means to crush the rumor, she might have been rejected by her aunt right then, and afterward would never have found a good marriage.
All are flesh and blood mortals—who wouldn’t fear someone said to bring misfortune to kin?
And this matter could not be pursued further. With just one phrase, “a child’s thoughtless words,” the second branch could explain everything away.
If she and her mother refused to let it go and made a scene, they would appear aggressive, and the rumor of her birth chart harming kin would spread even wider. It would be like killing eight hundred enemies while harming three thousand of oneself.
This bitter loss, she could only swallow. But from that time on, she never suffered at Xiao Ruqiong’s hands again. On the contrary, she learned much and gained much.
In a sense, Xiao Ruqiong was her teacher.
Yet Xiao Ruqiong never knew how much she had inadvertently helped her. If she did, she would probably be so furious she’d grab a knife to cut her.
Xiao Yunzhu’s lips curved faintly as she chatted idly, pouring tea for Xiao Ruqiong with her own hands.
Xiao Ruqiong, sipping her tea, still refused to give up. She laughed, “Sixth Sister, you’re so beautiful—how could Third Cousin bear to break off the engagement?”
She truly couldn’t stand Xiao Yunzhu. When Elder Uncle Xiao Yun was alive, he treated Xiao Yunzhu like a pearl in his palm—afraid she would melt if held in his mouth, afraid she would break if held in his hand. When naming her, he deliberately avoided the “Ru” character shared by her sisters, choosing the unique “Yun” instead.
No matter how special or clever she herself behaved, Elder Uncle’s dearest was always Xiao Yunzhu, not her. It was as if he couldn’t see that she was the true future of the Xiao family.
The most precious daughter of the Xiao family was not her, but Xiao Yunzhu.
When Elder Uncle and her two cousins died, and Elder Aunt was devastated and neglected her daughter, she outwardly showed sympathy but inwardly rejoiced, thinking Xiao Yunzhu would become a pitiful orphan. She was even willing to play the good sister then. But it didn’t happen.
Xiao Yunzhu raised herself well—neither humble nor arrogant, always proper in conduct. That sight infuriated her. “You, a fallen young lady with no father or brothers—what are you pretending at?”
Xiao Yunzhu said seriously, “What does it matter whether he could bear it or not? The engagement was arranged by our parents and matchmakers. Now the annulment is also the elders’ decision. Neither Third Cousin nor I had any say.”
Xiao Ruqiong smiled sweetly, “I was only speaking casually—look how flustered you are!”
Third Sister Xiao Ruxiu added, “Sixth Sister, Fourth Sister is only concerned for you.”
Xiao Yunzhu looked moved. “Thank you, Fourth Sister!”
Xiao Ruqiong took her hand. “We’re sisters—no need for thanks! It’s good the engagement was broken. If you had married to Anzhou, we’d hardly see each other again.”
Xiao Yunzhu: “That’s true.”
Xiao Ruqiong comforted her, “Don’t worry. With your family background and beauty, you’ll surely find someone better in the capital.”
Xiao Yunzhu replied obediently, “I’ll follow Mother’s arrangements.”
Xiao Ruqiong laughed. “Indeed. Elder Aunt will surely find you a fine match.”
But in her heart, she sneered: Do you still think you’re the daughter of Marquis Xingyuan, with talented young men lining up for you to choose? No—now you’re just a dependent relative living off my family.
Xiao Yunzhu shifted the topic. “Fourth Sister, how is Heir Xu?”
Heir Xu referred to Xiao Ruqiong’s fiancé, Xu Hengce, heir of Duke Ning.
Xiao Ruqiong cared about her lifelong marriage, and she cared about Xiao Ruqiong’s as well. That was the nature of their “plastic sisterhood.” Although she didn’t know what “plastic” meant, she could tell it wasn’t something good—otherwise Xiao Ruqiong wouldn’t have used it to describe the Zhang sisters next door.
The Zhang sisters were not born of the same mother; outwardly affectionate, but privately unable to bear each other’s success.
Xiao Ruqiong’s face darkened. “Still the same.”
Xiao Yunzhu squeezed her hand sympathetically. “Fourth Sister, don’t worry too much. Heir Xu will surely recover!”
Xiao Ruqiong: “I’ll borrow your good words.”
Mentioning Xu Hengce left her irritated, so she rose to take her leave.
Xiao Yunzhu casually tried to keep her.
Fifth Sister Xiao Ruwen frowned. “Sixth Sister, Fourth Sister doesn’t have time to sit with you. Tomorrow, Princess Rong’an has invited her to go boating, so she must go back and choose her clothes and jewelry.”
Xiao Yunzhu: “Then please, go ahead!” She thought to herself: this little attendant is quite dutiful.
Xiao Ruqiong apologized. “Sixth Sister, I’ll come talk with you when I have time.”
Xiao Yunzhu: “All right!”
All along, Xiao Ruqiong’s favorite pastime was to flaunt herself before her—showing off whatever rewards or praise she had received from princes and princesses. Sometimes she said it herself, sometimes her sisters did it for her.
Xiao Yunzhu could only play along, putting on a look of envy. She had her maids bring out the gifts prepared for them, smiling as she accompanied them to the door.
Third Sister Xiao Ruxiu lagged a few steps behind and whispered, “You really know how to touch a sore spot. Why bring up what makes Fourth Sister sad?”
Xiao Yunzhu thought: I can’t see that she’s all that sad. She blinked innocently and said, “Thank you for the reminder, Third Sister. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Xiao Ruxiu smiled at her, then quickly caught up with Xiao Ruqiong.
In truth, she preferred this Sixth Sister of the main branch and disliked the ostentatious Fourth Sister. But she had no choice—her marriage prospects lay in the hands of her stepmother, Madam Huang, and even the size of her dowry depended entirely on Madam Huang’s will.