Anyway, her family members doted on her the most. Every time she cried, they would protect her. Even if it was her fault, the blame would ultimately fall on others.
If these outsiders dared to speak ill of her on behalf of that little mute, she would surely make the little mute suffer even more when they got home!
A child's voice was naturally shrill. The little boy let out a “wow” at the top of his lungs. Before the others could react, the sudden outburst made their ears throb.
He acted as if he had suffered a great injustice, with tears streaming down like a gurgling brook.
It was lunchtime, and the Qunying Tower was filled with diners. The little boy's wailing instantly echoed through the building, attracting the curious glances of those around them.
Ye Xi had just helped up the little girl when she heard the little boy's howl. The girl instinctively trembled and shrank behind Ye Xi.
[Oh no, little brother is crying again. I'll be scolded and punished later.]
It was a very clear and melodious voice, like the tweet of a warbler in a secluded valley. Ye Xi looked down at the little girl who was clinging to her in fear, feeling a dull ache in her heart.
“Xiaobao, Xiaobao...”
An anxious female voice came from afar.
“What's wrong, Xiaobao? Who bullied you? Come here, let mother take a look...”
As she spoke, a slightly plump young woman in gorgeous clothes and bejeweled headdress rushed over. Behind her were an older and more imposing woman in her forties and another haggard - looking woman in her twenties, also dressed as a married woman.
All of them looked anxious and soon arrived at the scene.
[Ah, Aunt Zhou and grandmother are here. I'm going to be scolded. I'm definitely going to be scolded...]
The little girl's frightened voice grew more panicked.
Knowing that those who would support him had come, the little boy cried even louder. He buried his head in the arms of the plump young woman and wailed:
“Mother, wuwu... Xiaobao just wanted to save the ice - cream for mother and grandmother to taste first. But... but elder sister quickly finished her own and then came to snatch... snatch mine...”
“Wawaa — I... I didn't want to give it to her, so she pushed me. And... and she went to them...” The little boy pointed at Ye Xi and the others, tears and snot streaming down his face. “She played the victim to them and framed me. They... they all bullied me, wuwu —”
Ye Xi and the others couldn't help but marvel at his performance.
The way he shifted the blame and cried so breathlessly, on the verge of fainting, made him a promising candidate for a theater troupe.
The young woman's face immediately darkened. She sized up Ye Xi and the others from head to toe.
Seeing that they were dressed in fine clothes, especially Ye Xi, who had an air of nobility and unparalleled beauty, she knew that they were probably not ordinary girls. So she just gave them a fierce glare and then turned to scold the little girl behind Ye Xi:
“Lian Yi, you're the elder sister. How can you be so unreasonable!”
“Hurry up and apologize to your little brother. What are you hiding behind others for!? People who know will think it's just a quarrel between children. Those who don't know might think that the people in the Ministry of Personnel Shangshu's mansion can't even raise a child properly!”
The last sentence was obviously a veiled insult. She also took the opportunity to reveal her family background, hinting that Ye Xi and the others should not interfere if they were not powerful enough.
[No, I didn't. Little brother is lying. Little brother is lying!]
Lian Yi cried and shook her head desperately. Her small mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.
The other young woman who came later immediately looked extremely uncomfortable. Probably because there were many people around, she didn't say anything. She just pushed forward a few steps, forced a smile at Ye Xi, and said:
“I'm sorry to trouble you, miss. Lian Yi, come to mother.”
Saying so, she squatted down and reached out her hand to Lian Yi.
[Wuwu... mother...]
Lian Yi quickly rushed into the woman's arms, not daring to raise her head.
“Alright, Xiaobao,” Zhou Zhanlan, the wife of the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was the last to arrive because of her age. She lovingly stroked Luo Linrui's head and coaxed gently:
“Don't cry, don't cry. Our dear Xiaobao has been wronged~ Come on, grandmother will go back and stand up for you. I'll buy you a lot of ice - cream, okay.”
Saying so, her eyes turned sharp. She directly ignored Ye Xi and the others and glared at Lian Yi and her mother:
“Don't you see there are so many people here? We came out for a pleasant meal, but you had to ruin it like this! Hurry up and take this girl back!”
She was so biased that Ye Xi and the others couldn't help but roll their eyes. No wonder Lian Yi was so afraid.
Su Xin gently stroked Lian Yi's little face. She endured it and replied “Yes”, then argued:
“Mother, Lian Yi has always been a non - competitive and non - greedy child. There must be a misunderstanding about the ice - cream.”
Zhou Zhanlan looked furious and scolded:
“Don't I know if there's a misunderstanding? You've spoiled this girl so that she's lazy and greedy. Considering there are many people here, I didn't want to say anything to you, but you still want to cover for her.”
“Didn't you hear what I just said? Hurry up and do it!”
“Madam Shangshu,” Ye Xi finally couldn't bear it and spoke up after seeing the look of forbearance and shrinkage on Lian Yi and her mother's faces.
“We all saw what happened just now. It was your grandson who snatched the ice - cream first and then pushed someone.”
“Lian Yi didn't do anything. We're all standing here. Madam, you could actually ask us for verification first to find out the truth before making a conclusion.”
“Insolence!”
An old maid beside Zhou Zhanlan immediately scowled and shouted:
“How dare an ignorant young girl talk to our madam like this? Which family's miss are you? You don't know the least bit of propriety. Are the tutors in your mansion just for show?”
Different from Zhou Qingqing, who had some scruples, Nanny Wang had been with Zhou Zhanlan since she was a child. Zhou Zhanlan had relied on her heavily even before she got married. Later, as a dowry maid, she followed Zhou Zhanlan from the Shen State Duke's mansion to the Luo family, the family of the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and helped Zhou Zhanlan manage the household. No one in the Luo family dared to show her disrespect. Her status was more noble than that of many less - respectable young ladies from wealthy families.
Moreover, she had seen countless unmarried young ladies like Ye Xi. They were nothing but vain women who relied on their good looks. Having been flattered by young gentlemen on a daily basis, they thought that others should give way to them wherever they went.
She hated such coquettish women the most and was good at dealing with these self - important young ladies.
But Nanny Wang didn't know that the girl she met today was Ye Xi, who had even plotted to send the people from her madam's maternal family to prison.
So as soon as her words, which she thought would scare them off, fell, Ye Xi immediately retorted:
“The master is speaking, but the servant dares to interrupt. It seems that the rules in the Ministry of Personnel Shangshu's mansion are really well - taught.”
“You...”
Nanny Wang was so angry that her face turned red.
“Nanny Wang,”
Zhou Zhanlan spoke up in time. Her already serious face became even more solemn.
“Don't waste your breath on such a person who doesn't know the rules.”
Saying so, she shot a cold look at Ye Xi:
“Among all the noble young ladies in the capital, I've never seen someone like you. Where did you come from, girl? You're so rude!”
“How dare you interfere in other people's family affairs!?”