Chapter 5: The Concubine's Daughter, Lan Xi

Two women entered together. The woman in pink exuded a sense of gentleness and fragility in her features, while the other woman in purple appeared slightly more mature, her dignified and noble bearing suggesting she came from a prestigious family at a glance.

The woman in pink stepped forward and sat by the edge of the Cloud Bed, her brow filled with worry. "Eldest Sister, you're finally awake. I was worried to death."

Liuyun tilted her head up slightly, gazing intently at Lanxi, her sister—her second sister, Mu Lanxi, who was always gentle, lovely, and well-mannered. She had to admit that Lanxi was beautiful, a beauty that evoked pity. With just a touch of makeup, she was like a lotus flower emerging from water, untouched by dust, delicate and moving.

In the past, Liuyun had rarely paid much attention to Lanxi. In her eyes, there was only the high-and-mighty status of a legitimate daughter, and a concubine's daughter like Lanxi, no matter how beautiful, was nothing more than a waste. Thinking of it now, she began to understand the resentment in Lanxi's heart. She could clearly have been as dazzling as a bright pearl, yet because of her status as a concubine's daughter, she was buried in the sand. And Liuyun was the pile of sand obstructing her light; only by removing her could Lanxi become the center of everyone's attention.

"What is Eldest Sister looking at?" Stared at by such an intense gaze from Liuyun, Lanxi bit her lip and took a step back. A flash of timidity crossed her eyes, calculated to perfection—not a bit too much hypocrisy, nor a bit too little. Had Liuyun not known her true face, she truly would have been deceived once again by such a natural and authentic expression.

She remembered that day, when Lanxi had also worn this face of fragility and fear, as if she were the one who had been startled by falling into the water. Liuyun had made a huge scene, claiming Lanxi had pushed her in. Lanxi had been so frightened she fell to her knees and was even kicked harshly by Liuyun, her forehead striking the corner of a table and bleeding profusely. It was at that moment that her father and the Second Madam entered together, and in their panic, they rushed Lanxi to a physician. It was from that day onward that her father began to loathe her from the bottom of his heart.

Thinking back now, this entire performance was likely planned long ago. Whether it was playing along with a scheme or walking straight into a pre-set trap, she had fallen for it. She had become a turtle in a jar, the unloved daughter of the Mu household, and a tyrannical, cruel Eldest Miss.

"Liuyun, what's wrong?" The woman in purple beside Lanxi stepped forward, sitting cautiously by the bedside. She took Liuyun's hand and frowned deeply. "Why is your hand so cold? Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?"

This was Liuyun's cousin, Ji Yanran. The Ji family held a significant position in the capital, and the Mu family's influence was inseparable from the backing provided by the Ji family. Liuyun's mother was Yanran's aunt, Ji Mengxian. This eldest Miss of the Ji family had once been the number one talented woman in the Kingdom of Ling; born of a prestigious family, her talents were even praised by the Emperor. Later, she married down into the Mu family, which shocked all the noble young masters in the capital. No one expected such a peerless beauty to marry a merchant. However, after the Mu family married the daughter of such a high official, they truly began to thrive, becoming the wealthiest family in Linyang City.

Ji Yanran's father was a high-ranking official of the first rank in the capital. As the legitimate daughter of Lord Ji, she was extremely noble. She would occasionally come to Linyang City for short stays and was as close to Liuyun as sisters. However, their relationship had grown increasingly distant later on; Yanran often felt a sense of frustration at Liuyun's failure to live up to her potential, and eventually, she stopped coming to Linyang City to deal with her affairs altogether.

Thinking of this, Liuyun bit her lip, and everything from the past flooded into her mind. She had originally been a woman loved by her father and pampered by her cousin, but it was because of the instigation of Lanxi and the Second Madam that she had ended up abandoned by everyone. Since she had now been given the chance to be reborn, she would never make the same mistakes again.

"Wanqing, go fetch a physician, quickly." Seeing Liuyun's dazed expression, Ji Yanran's frown deepened, and she hurriedly commanded the maid beside her. Upon receiving the order, Wanqing immediately ran outside.

Only then did Liuyun slowly turn her head to look at Ji Yanran. Seeing the extreme anxiety in her eyes, a sudden surge of warmth rose in her heart. Her cousin Yanran truly worried about her; at least at this moment, she truly cared.

She suppressed the complexity in her eyes, her rims turning slightly red as she looked at Ji Yanran, appearing as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.

"What is it? Did someone bully you? Tell your cousin, and I will get justice for you." Although she knew Liuyun was not the type to be bullied, seeing this girl—who was usually so haughty and arrogant—with red eyes still made Ji Yanran feel an indescribable heartache. Liuyun had lost her biological mother when she was young; though Ji Yanran didn't say it aloud, she still felt for her. She always believed that Liuyun's spoiled and willful nature was merely a protective layer, and that she was still the same kind and innocent girl from before.

"Cousin..." Liuyun pursed her lips and finally threw herself into Yanran's arms, sobbing. She began to mumble, "Cousin, I thought I was going to be like Mother. I was so scared. I was standing perfectly fine, and then suddenly I was pushed into the lake. I thought... I thought..."

Seeing her crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, Yanran hurriedly patted her back gently to help her breathe, but a look of deep thought appeared in her eyes. She knew Liuyun's temperament very well; although this girl was willful and capricious, she was extremely simple-minded. Likely because she had been too well-protected, she lacked any sense of guard against anyone, especially... those closest to her.

At this thought, Yanran's gaze swept imperceptibly toward Lanxi standing to the side. Seeing her calm expression, Yanran sneered inwardly. They were both fourteen, yet Lanxi seemed much more sensible than Liuyun. However, she had forgotten that sometimes, trying too hard to cover something up or overdoing it can just as easily expose one's tracks. Lanxi's composure was precisely what indicated something was wrong.

"Alright, alright, it's fine now. Cousin is here, don't be afraid." Ji Yanran was six years older than Liuyun, and as the legitimate daughter of a high official in the capital, she possessed a convincing air of calm in her every movement. She coaxed Liuyun gently, sighing inwardly that no matter how willful or unruly a temperament, there were still moments of fear and terror.

Sensing Yanran's scrutiny, Lanxi's heart jolted. She had no time to wonder why Liuyun had become so timid; her current concern was Yanran's suspicion. This cousin of hers was no simple character. The renowned Eldest Miss Ji of the capital was exceptionally talented and brilliantly intelligent. Lanxi immediately formed a plan in her mind: she had to dispel her cousin's suspicion. This cousin held an extraordinary position in Master Mu's heart. Because they were both legitimate daughters, Lanxi always felt that Yanran's gaze toward her carried a hint of disdain and pity. She could only endure it in silence; Ji Yanran was someone even harder to offend than Liuyun.

"How did Liuyun fall into the lake?" As expected, Ji Yanran asked about the matter, her gaze shooting straight toward Lanxi. "I heard you were with Liuyun?"

"Yes, Lanxi was with Eldest Sister. At the time, Eldest Sister said Young Master Shen had arrived, so Lanxi was looking at the long corridor on the opposite side of the lake. By the time Lanxi snapped out of it, Sister had already fallen into the lake." A pair of clear eyes paired with sincere words made her appear quite candid.

However, such candor did not earn Ji Yanran's approval. Unlike Liuyun, she was not a woman raised in a secluded boudoir. Her father had allowed her to study and read alongside her brothers, never neglecting her because she was a girl; instead, he pampered her even more, never placing restrictions on what she wished to learn.

Two years ago, she married Xu Yao, the only son of the Minister of Justice, and the two shared a very good relationship. Xu Yao was usually busy with official duties and was highly appreciated by the Emperor, often having to leave the capital for work for one or two months at a time. Ji Yanran would frequently accompany Xu Yao to take care of his daily life. At first, Mother Xu had some complaints, but after seeing that Yanran indeed took excellent care of Xu Yao—to the point where he rarely even suffered minor illnesses—she finally felt at ease.

This time, Xu Yao had come to Linyang City on business, and Yanran also wanted to visit Liuyun and Master Mu, so she had come along.

"Liuyun, is that so?" Yanran let go, looking at Liuyun's pale little face, which was now tear-stained like a little cat. She shook her head helplessly, picking up a silk handkerchief to wipe her tears while teasing, "You're almost at the age of coming-of-age, yet you still cry like a child. If people see you, they'll mock you."

"Cousin isn't 'people'." Liuyun pouted and blinked coquettishly. Her somewhat silly appearance made Yanran smile slightly, but Liuyun immediately withdrew her smile, turning her head to look at Lanxi without saying a word, a flash of anger in her eyes.

Lanxi's heart shuddered. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched into tight fists as she suppressed her emotions to make her face appear normal. However, Liuyun's next sentence caused the peace she had so painstakingly constructed to suddenly shatter.

"Lanxi, why did you push me?" A domineering accusation, without a hint of hesitation, as if she hadn't considered even for a moment how severe such an accusation was.