The carriage came to a steady halt, and the light from outside filtered through the gaps in the curtains, falling upon Song Youyi’s face.
She pursed her lips and slowly sat up straight.
The fleeting moment of blurred emotion had already faded, replaced by the face of a well-bred noble lady—pale, sickly, and pitiful.
She looked down at herself. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, and her skirt was somewhat wrinkled. She raised her hands and began to tidy them.
She re-covered the parts that were slightly exposed and tied her waistbelt, her movements elegant and composed, as if she were grooming herself before a mirror in her private chambers.
Then she adjusted the collar of her inner garment, ensuring every inch was proper.
She pulled her outer robe back together. The moon-white fabric draped smoothly, concealing everything that had just occurred.
Lastly, she tended to the hem of her skirt.
She looked down at the small dark patch between her legs, her brow furrowing slightly.
She gently brushed her fingers over the spot as if trying to smooth it away.
She looked up and said softly, “My leg has cramped. Let Xia Ling support me, and call Xia Shuang over to help Brother.”
Xia Ling’s expression changed slightly.
‘Is she trying to get some time alone with me? What does she want to do?’
She looked up, meeting Song Youyi’s gaze.
Those eyes were staring directly at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips, while her calf remained resting on Xia Ling’s lap, unmoving.
“Help me put on my shoes,” Song Youyi commanded indifferently.
This was not an intentional attempt to make things difficult for her, but rather a slight reminder of her place.
She was well aware of her brother’s attitude toward these two maids; he treated them practically like sisters.
How could she allow that? In the entire Song family, she was the only one allowed to be Song Ning’s sister.
No one else was permitted to surpass her position in Song Ning’s heart.
Xia Ling lowered her head silently and took hold of the small feet wrapped in white socks.
The ankles were slender, the feet petite, and the socks snowy white.
She bent down, preparing to help her put on her shoes.
She knew she was nothing in front of Song Youyi.
One was the Second Young Lady of the Song family, while she was merely a servant.
Not everyone would treat the two sisters the way Song Ning did.
Just then, a hand reached over and accurately flicked Song Youyi’s head.
“Do you really need someone else to help you with something like putting on shoes?” Song Ning’s voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Put them on yourself.”
Song Youyi clutched the spot where she had been flicked and pouted.
“Brother! Who exactly is your sister here?”
She hugged Song Ning’s arm and shook it a few times as if acting spoiled.
Seeing that Song Ning’s expression remained calm and unmoved, she could only curl her lip, take the shoes herself, and bend over to put them on.
Xia Ling watched from the side with mixed emotions. It seemed the cramp in her leg wasn’t that serious after all, so there was likely no need for her to be supported, right?
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Light flooded in, causing everyone’s eyes to squint slightly, except for Song Ning’s.
Xia Shuang was already standing outside the carriage. Dressed in a green dress with a sword held in her arms, her face was devoid of expression.
She reached out, supporting Song Ning’s arm and steadily leading him down from the carriage.
Xia Ling supported Song Youyi as they followed behind.
They had arrived at the Qi Mansion.
The main gates were wide open, and several maids in green stood at the entrance. Seeing the carriage stop, they immediately came forward to welcome them.
Leading them was a female steward who appeared to be in her forties. She wore a dark brown dress and had a kind face, though her eyes betrayed a certain shrewdness.
“Young Master Song!” She stepped forward with a smile and bowed. “We have finally been looking forward to your arrival. When Madam learned that you were coming to deliver the reply card today, she started waiting in the mansion early. She’s been talking about how much she misses you every day.”
Song Ning stood firmly with Xia Shuang’s support and gave a slight smile upon hearing this.
“I am grateful for Auntie Qi’s concern.”
“And what of Qi Chuyao? Is she free today?”
The female steward’s smile stiffened slightly.
She instinctively glanced at Xia Shuang standing beside Song Ning. Those cold eyes were staring at her, especially with the sword strapped to her back.
A chill ran down her spine, and she hurriedly laughed.
“She’s home, she’s home. She is currently inside waiting for the Young Master.”
Song Ning gave a light hum of acknowledgment and walked into the mansion, supported by Xia Shuang.
Behind them, Xia Ling and Song Youyi followed slowly.
The two walked side by side along the corridor, growing further and further away from Song Ning ahead.
The sunlight slanted in from under the eaves, falling upon them.
One wore a pink dress, while the other wore white.
Xia Ling’s pink dress was a pale shade, like peach blossoms in March, making her look charming and lovely.
Her features were beautiful, and her eyes were watery and bright, though they were currently lowered, not daring to look around.
Song Youyi wore a plain white dress with a thin white cloak over it. Standing in the sunlight, she looked like a sickly white lotus.
Her face was pale, and her lips lacked color, yet her eyes were dark and shining.
The two walked together—one vibrant and one frail—yet both were so beautiful that it was hard to look away.
“My brother said he treats you like a sister,” Song Youyi began, her voice soft and carrying a smile.
“Are you his sister?”
Xia Ling’s footsteps faltered.
She hesitated for a moment and then quickly shook her head.
“I am not. I am only a servant.”
Song Youyi laughed softly and covered her mouth as she coughed twice.
“Don’t be so afraid.” She patted Xia Ling’s hand. “If my brother says you are a sister, then you are a sister.”
“I’ll have to rely on you all to take care of my brother in the future.”
Xia Ling was stunned.
For a moment, she couldn’t figure out what Song Youyi truly meant.
Her intuition told her that Song Youyi actually disliked the “sister” label.
Yet, the meaning behind her words was difficult to discern.
“You know which words should be said and which shouldn’t, right?” Song Youyi patted the back of her hand as a reminder.
Xia Ling immediately recalled the scene she had witnessed in the carriage earlier.
The dim carriage, the oblivious Young Master.
The Second Young Lady sitting in the corner with her clothes in disarray, her skirt messy, revealing her fair calves.
Xia Ling’s throat tightened.
“I…” She opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.
“No matter how much my brother likes you and Xia Shuang,” Song Youyi’s voice was gentle.
“I will always be Brother’s sister. In the future, Brother will also have to rely on me and my Eldest Sister.”
She shook Xia Ling’s arm and smiled.
“When my mother grows old, within the Song Mansion, my Eldest Sister will handle external affairs, while I will handle the internal ones.”
“I hope you can understand this logic.”
Her face was filled with smiles, her pale features possessing a sickly beauty. She looked harmless, like a pure white lotus flower.
Xia Ling kept her head down and remained silent.
This was an obvious truth. Song Youyi would inevitably manage the internal affairs, and the Eldest Sister, who was currently training at the Frontier, would sooner or later be transferred back to the Capital City to manage affairs both inside and outside the court.
Song Youyi was now desperate to win over this maid by her brother’s side.
As for the other stone-faced girl who practiced her sword every day, she truly didn’t know how to approach her.
As long as she secured Xia Ling, there would be many things she could do in the future, especially regarding her brother who couldn’t see anything.
In every scene, in every place, as long as she hid well enough, her brother would never know where she was.
She could spy on her brother without reservation, no matter what he was doing, no matter what it was…
Even if he was bathing, even if…
But Xia Ling did not answer for a long while.
Song Youyi smiled and patted her back, her expression unchanging.
“No rush, no rush. You can tell me after you’ve thought it through.”
Her tone was gentle, like an older sister speaking to a younger one.
Xia Ling’s heart was in turmoil as she kept her head down and walked forward silently.
Ahead, Song Ning, supported by Xia Shuang, followed the steward through one gate after another.
The steward spoke incessantly along the way, praising Young Master Song’s refined speech, his outstanding temperament, and how he truly lived up to being the future Principal Husband of the Qi family.
Song Ning only responded indifferently, occasionally asking a few questions about Mother Qi’s recent well-being.
As they reached a certain courtyard, the steward stopped.
“We’ve arrived.” She turned around with a smile and called out toward the inside, “Eldest Young Lady! Young Master Song is here!”
A figure was standing at the entrance of the courtyard.
That figure had been pushed out by someone.
She stood still, tidied her collar, and looked up at the slowly approaching Song Ning.
It was Qi Chuyao.
Today, she wore a pale green dress, her hair swept up high to reveal a smooth forehead and a pair of beautiful eyes.
Those eyes were exceptionally fine, the corners slightly upturned, carrying a hint of sharpness and a touch of arrogance.
She stood there, watching Song Ning walk toward her.
Those white eyes, that handsome face, and those moon-white robes.
She curled her lip.
“Eldest Young Lady,” the steward greeted her enthusiastically. “Young Master Song has arrived.”
Qi Chuyao gave a faint nod.
Her gaze fell upon Song Ning, scanning him from head to toe before looking away toward something else.
The expression on her face was indifferent, carrying a hint of reluctance, as if to say:
‘Who wants to see you? It’s only because my mother insisted.’
Supported by Xia Shuang, Song Ning walked up to her and stopped.
He couldn’t see her, only sensing her direction and tilting his head slightly toward her.
“Miss Qi,” he spoke softly, his tone gentle.
Qi Chuyao looked at him, her lips pursed.
“Mm,” she grunted through her nose.
She looked away once more, staring off into the distance.