Old Lady Song, after taking her medicine with Yushu's help, frowned slightly and asked, "Did she go to the ancestral hall?"

  Nanny Huang showed a bit of sorrow on her face and nodded, "Yes, she knelt in the ancestral hall for half a day and cried for half a day. Even this old servant felt sad watching her."

  Old Lady Song pondered for a long time.

  The second son's first wife was an excellent match, coming from a prestigious family known for their literary and schorly achievements. She had a kind heart and a gentle temperament, and within three years of marriage, she had given birth to a son and a daughter.

  To marry Cui Shi, the old marquis himself had to personally request the matchmaker...

  Unfortunately, she had a short life. After a difficult childbirth with Song Yan, she passed away.

  Over the years, out of respect for Cui Shi, Old Madam Song had always shown extra favor to Song Chuyi and her brother, Song Yan. But who would have thought that this sixth girl, despite her clever appearance, was heartless.

  She couldn't tell who treated her well and who didn't.

  As time went on, Old Madam Song's patience wore thin.

  No matter how deep her feelings for Cui Shi were, they couldn't withstand such wear and tear.

  After all, the current second madam, Li Shi, was also her daughter-in-w, and the children she bore were also the descendants of the Song family.

  Now, hearing that Song Chuyi had cried in front of Cui Shi's memorial tablet, Old Madam Song was surprised.

  Just now, when the third household made a fuss, Song Chuyi didn't argue loudly even though she was in the right. Song Chumi, being older, shouldn't have hit the younger one, especially since it caused her to fall ill and almost lose her life. If it had been a month ago, the first thing Song Chuyi would have done upon waking up would have been to rush to Ningde Courtyard and make a scene.

  After falling ill, had her temperament changed as well?

  "Jieyi, do you think the sixth girl has changed?" Old Lady Song asked casually, watching a few maids in the corridor.

  Jieyi was Nanny Huang's given name.

  She thought for a moment and nodded, "She has changed a bit. Sixth Miss has a good heart, but she is a bit impulsive. If she can change that impulsive nature, it would be a good thing."

  After all, she carried Cui Shi's bloodline and had a beautiful appearance. Although she was only seven, she was round and chubby, but her features were delicate, and her smile was like a crescent moon, making people feel happy just looking at her.

  In the Great Zhou Dynasty, because there had once been a female emperor, the status of girls was not low. Before marriage, they were cherished in their natal families, growing up with great respect and affection.

  Because Song Chuyi was Cui Shi's daughter and had lost her mother at a young age, she was even more favored by the old dy, spoiled to the point of being unruly—constantly jealous and causing trouble, annoying everyone.

  The old dy pitied her but didn't want to raise a rude and reckless girl.

  In such a noble and prosperous family, rules were paramount, and family traditions were more important than anything.

  Thinking of the people Song Chuyi had offended recently, Old Lady Song squinted her eyes and said lightly, "Let's wait and see."

  She hoped the sixth girl had truly become sensible, otherwise...

  Old Lady Song's thoughts were almost predictable to Song Chuyi.

  In her previous life, she had been blinded by infatuation, her mind entirely focused on a man, ignoring family honor and her younger brother.

  Now, living a second life, she realized that nothing would always be hers. If she didn't cherish it, she would lose it sooner or ter.

  For example, the old dy's protection and her father's love.

  These were things she hadn't valued in her previous life until she got married and realized how important support from her natal family and dowry were.

  She didn't know why she had the chance to live again, but since she did, she wanted to live well and get everything she hadn't in her previous life.

  And the first step was to find a reliable backer.

  Her stepmother Li Shi was definitely not an option. In her previous life, it was Li Shi and Song Chuning's sweet words that had destroyed her. And her father couldn't be entirely relied upon—there was some truth to the saying that with a stepmother comes a stepfather.

  She was his daughter, but so was Song Chuning.

  She remembered that when she was sick, Song Yi had been worried, but she couldn't forget that Li Shi had meticulously ruined her right under his nose.

  As her thoughts raced, she had already entered the main courtyard of the second household.

  The second household now lived in a small courtyard with two entrances. The front was Song Yi's study, and the main house at the back was Li Shi's residence. The side courtyards housed her and Song Chuning.

  Nanny Xu had been waiting for her at the door, and seeing her return, she breathed a sigh of relief, pulled her to check her temperature, and then smiled, "Let's go back and change into warmer clothes, then go pay respects to the madam."

  Song Chuyi nodded, catching a glimpse of Qingtao and Hongyu coming out to greet her, but Huang Yao, who usually followed her, was nowhere to be seen.

  She smirked slightly, changed her clothes, and headed to the main house.

  Li Shi was reclining on a couch, drinking tea, with several concubines sitting on chairs covered with half-worn gray squirrel fur, chatting and ughing. She was wearing a stone-blue jacket and a lic skirt, with two round, bright green pearls hanging from her ears, looking very elegant and noble.

  Song Chuyi took a deep breath and went to pay her respects to Li Shi.

  Before she could bow, Li Shi had already sat up and quickly called her to rise. Her maid, Su Zhi, had already come down to help Song Chuyi up, smiling, "You look much better today."

  Li Shi smiled and beckoned her to sit beside her, personally straightening her colr, and after looking her over, said, "You do look much better." She then admonished, "You mustn't be reckless in the future. Falling ill is no fun, is it?"

  Without waiting for Song Chuyi to speak, she continued to advise, "This time, both you and your eighth sister were wrong. She shouldn't have cried and lost her composure, and she shouldn't have incited you to offend your fourth sister. You, too, should have come to me first instead of fighting with your fourth sister."

  This was completely different from what she had said in the previous life.

  The concubines stopped smiling, not daring to speak.

  Song Chuyi's temper was unpredictable, so they all kept quiet.

  The room suddenly fell silent.

  Seeing that Song Chuyi didn't retort, Li Shi became suspicious but didn't show it, smiling, "Why aren't you speaking? Do you think mother is wrong?"

  Song Chuyi thought she was still too inexperienced. Li Shi was clearly a shrewd person, knowing exactly what to say to achieve the best effect. If she had made a scene in the old dy's room this morning, Li Shi would have, as in the previous life, gone along with her, praising her loyalty and making her thoroughly offend the third household and disappoint the old dy.

  But this time, since she hadn't made a scene, Li Shi said the opposite to reassure her.

  Li Shi didn't hear a word from Song Chuyi for a long time but didn't get angry. Instead, she sighed with a low ugh, "You're such a silly child. I'm saying this for your own good, but you're upset with me. If your father knew, he would bme me for not teaching you well. When will you stop worrying me?"

  She then smiled at Su Wen, "Go pack the cloud cakes and jade dumplings made this morning for the sixth miss to take back."

  Su Wen smiled and complied, carefully watching Song Chuyi's expression. Seeing nothing unusual, she said, "These cloud cakes were made by the madam herself. There were only a few ptes, and besides sending some to the old dy and the other madams, there's only this pte left, specially reserved for you. Even the eighth miss didn't get any."

  Li Shi always put on a good show, treating the children of the first wife with more affection than her own, eventually earning a reputation for virtue and becoming a model for noblewomen in the capital.

  But only Song Chuyi understood that this kindness was like arsenic wrapped in honey.

  After speaking, Li Shi instructed Su Xin to take Song Chuyi to the east wing to py.

  The east wing was where Song Chuning lived. Though small, it had everything it needed. A small corridor connected Li Shi's main courtyard, with osmanthus trees pnted on both sides, filling the air with fragrance every August.

  As soon as they entered, Song Chuning rushed over and hugged Song Chuyi tightly, compining, "Sixth Sister, why didn't you tell me you were better? If you had told me and Mother, we could have invited you to pay respects together."

  If they truly cared, would they need to be told? Living in the same house, how could they not know if she was well or not? Li Shi had taken Song Chuning to pay respects early, just to avoid any potential conflict between the third household and Song Chuyi.

  "I only started feeling better this morning," Song Chuyi said with a smile, looking at the delicate and lovely Song Chuning, still holding her hand affectionately. "Nanny Xu asked around and found out that Mother and you had already gone to pay respects. We went ter, but you had already returned."

  "Third Aunt kept saying bad things about you to Grandmother. Mother argued with her and got scolded by Grandmother," Song Chuning said, pouting like a little dumpling. "Mother was angry, so she took me and left early."

  At just five years old, Song Chuning spoke clearly and logically, like a little oriole, her voice soft and pleasant.

  In her previous life, Song Chuyi at ten wasn't as articute as Song Chuning at five.

  Although in her previous life, Song Chuning cimed to hate her because she had taken Shen Qingrang, Song Chuyi felt it wasn't that simple.

  They were as close as real sisters, even closer. Song Chuyi, with her bad temper, always granted Song Chuning's wishes.

  If Song Chuning had mentioned, even once, that she liked Shen Qingrang or had feelings for him, Song Chuyi wouldn't have continued to pursue him so stubbornly.

  But instead of stopping her, they let her rush headlong into disaster...