Chapter 819: Comparison
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Little Youyao wanted to ask Yu Jianjia why her father thought that she was the one who had pushed Yu Jianjia.
She knew that there would be no outcome and she would even continue to anger her father.
However, Little Youyao did not want to be wronged. She did not want everyone to think that she was a vicious person. She did not give up. Even if she b.u.mped into the south wall and bled, she had to ask for an explanation.
Even though this was actually meaningless.
However, she had been a stubborn child since she was young. Other than wheedling and pretending to be obedient to her grandmother, who doted on her, she had never yielded to Yu Zongzheng.
A child who was not favored would stand up for themselves and hit their head until it bled. At the very least, others would not look down on them.
Alternatively, they would suffer grievances and endure them, becoming so humble that they would be trampled on.
Her mother was the first wife’s daughter, and she was the eldest daughter of the first wife in the residence. Why should she be humble, weak, and trampled on?
Little Youyao ran to the main courtyard alone.
However, outside a small courtyard in the main courtyard, she heard Madam Yang talking to Nanny Li. “Has the Master come out of An Shou Hall?”
Nanny Li hurriedly said, “He just came out not long ago. Now, he’s back in the study to deal with official matters. I heard from the servants of An Shou Hall that the Eldest Master reprimanded Eldest Miss fiercely. His voice could be heard clearly from afar. Fortunately, Old Madam Yu is still unconscious. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be willing.”
She imitated the Eldest Master’s tone and repeated what Yu Zongzheng had said about Yu Youyao.
Yang Shuwan was amused by her strange tone. She covered her mouth with her handkerchief and giggled, gloating. “Is there really nothing I can do about her with Old Madam Yu’s protection? She’s just a bereaved eldest daughter. There are many ways to deal with her, but she’s still a little useful. Let Yu Qingning cause trouble with her. The two of them fight and cause trouble all day, making our Jia Jia look like she’s obedient, sensible, smart, and pleasant. Now that she’s the most outstanding sister in the family, it’s inevitable that Master will dote on her more.”
There were many young misses in wealthy families. Who was good and who was bad were all compared.
Nanny Li agreed deeply. “Madam is still the smartest.”
Yang Shuwan sighed slightly. “Jia Jia is a good child. It’s a pity that she’s burdened by me, her mother. I have to plan more for her in case her reputation and future are implicated by her body in the future.”
It was also because she had gotten pregnant before marriage that Jia Jia had developed a weak illness. In order to delay the delivery, she had drunk too much pregnancy-preserving medicine.
Who would like a sickly child who was weak as a fetus?
This sick child still needed a lot of expensive medicinal herbs to recuperate. As time pa.s.sed, it was inevitable that she would be despised, and the servants would inevitably gossip.
There were too many people in the residence, so it was inevitable that there would be gossip. The reputation of the young misses first spread from the residence.
Nanny Li smiled and said, “Now that Master dotes on Third Miss and dislikes Eldest Miss. The people the servants gossip about have also changed to Eldest Miss. Outsiders only know that Third Miss’s body is a little weak. In a few more years, Third Miss’s health will be better and better. She will definitely have a good future.”
Although Old Madam Yu was an elder, the Eldest Master was the head of the family. The servants were used to going with the flow. Third Miss was doted on, so naturally, no one dared to gossip about her. With Eldest Miss as a foil, her good reputation would belong to Third Miss.
Yang Shuwan seemed to have thought of something and frowned again. “By the way, I heard that the female teacher who taught the sisters often praised Yu Youyao.”
At the age of three, the young misses had to learn the rules and learn how to read characters. At the age of five, they had to learn how to read pa.s.sages and write. At the age of seven, they had to learn how to behave.
Nanny Li nodded. “She did praise her a few times.”
She did not dare to say anything else.
Yang Shuwan sneered. “What do you mean by having a mother and being raised by no mother? How dare you compete with my Jia Jia for the limelight in every way? Don’t you know whose hands your life is in? Tomorrow, go and teach the female teacher a lesson. Tell her that our Eldest Miss is used to being pampered by Old Madam Yu and has a spoiled, domineering, and mischievous temper. Tell the female teacher to take more care of her. Don’t alarm Old Madam Yu and make her worry.”
She deliberately emphasized the word “take care”, her tone revealing a terrifying coldness.
Little Youyao, who was hiding behind the archway, shivered and suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes widening in shock.
Little Youyao understood.
She was arrogant, mischievous, stupid, and uneducated. Little Youyao, who could complement Yu Jianjia, was what Madam Yang wanted to see. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have let her off.
Little Youyao did not even dare to breathe loudly. She did not know how long she had waited, but there was completely no sound in the small courtyard. Only then did Little Youyao run back to An Shou Hall in a panic and rush into her grandmother’s house to look for her.
However, she saw her grandmother lying on the bed with a pale face. The room was filled with the bitter smell of medicine.
Little Youyao was stunned.
Her grandmother had always been smart. How could she not know that Madam Yang had ill intentions towards her?
But so what if she knew?
Her grandmother was sick in bed, and Madam Yang was in charge of the family. Her father was biased towards Madam Yang, and even the commotion in An Shou Hall could be heard by Madam Yang word for word. It was obvious that Madam Yang was also in An Shou Hall.
Madam Yang had given birth to a legitimate son. As long as there was nothing wrong on the surface, her father would protect Madam Yang, and her grandmother could not do anything to Madam Yang.
Just like today, when her grandmother was unconscious, Yu Zongzheng dared to brazenly enter An Shou Hall and scold her.
There was always something her grandmother couldn’t protect her from.
Furthermore!
Her grandmother was already so sick. She couldn’t let her grandmother worry anymore.
Only when her grandmother’s health recovered would she have something to rely on.
She had to learn to protect herself.
Little Youyao clenched her fists and thought to herself, “Little Youyao, Little Youyao, don’t even think about using your studies to please your father in the future. It’s useless. Only by doing as Madam Yang wants and complementing Yu Jianjia will she not take you seriously.”
She lowered her head, and large tears fell to the ground.
Little Youyao had learned to pretend to be crazy.
She did not dare to work hard in cla.s.s because she knew that Madam Yang had bribed the female teacher. Once she showed any signs of working hard, the female teacher would definitely think of ways to torture her.
Madam Yang would also instigate her father to cause trouble for her.
However, she did not study hard all day and was worried that she would anger her grandmother, so she studied again and deliberately tried to please her grandmother.
Her grandmother liked her chubby appearance, so she tried her best to eat half a bowl of rice.
Her grandmother liked it when she pretended to be obedient, so she tried her best to do it.
She pretended to be ignorant, so that her grandmother wouldn’t think that she was insensible and stupid. Instead, she would start learning later than others.
In this world, there was a saying that n.o.bles matured late. Many elders felt that it was not a big deal for children to develop their knowledge late.
Once they got the hang of it, they would be smarter than anyone else.