Power Up, Artist Yang!

Staring at the younger girl— Xiaoyi— Yujia pulled away, attempting to keep a calm, collected image when in reality, on the inside, she was somewhat hyperventilating and dying on the inside.

"Xiaoyi," Yujia stated, "I"m feeling a bit tired now and would like to have some time to myself." She rubbed her temples, soothing the headache that was becoming worse by the minute, especially after learning of her engagement to the old master of the Yu family.

Xiaoyi, with her wide eyes, nodded, standing up. "Alright then, big sister. Do call for me if you need someone to talk to."

With that, Xiaoyi headed for the exit. At the front of Yujia"s room, she ran into Hui"er, who was walking in with a steaming bowl of hangover soup on a tray. Yujia"s eyes narrowed as she realized that Hui"er instantly stiffened, appearing uncomfortable while greeting Xiaoyi. Xiaoyi, however, didn"t have much change in her expression, nodding at Hui"er before leaving.

Once Xiaoyi left, Hui"er, who walked next to Yujia, instantly relaxed, taking a deep breath. "Miss, I have your hangover soup!" She smiled at Yujia, carefully setting the tray down and handing it over.

Gratefully, Yujia took the bowl from her hands, dipping a spoon into the rich broth. As she blew on the soup resting inside the spoon, Yujia asked with a careless att.i.tude, "Hui"er, why do you appear so uncomfortable around Xiaoyi?"

Hui"er freezes, backing away a step. "Miss, if I were you, I would stay away from her. There"s something off about the Fifth Miss."

"How so?" Yujia takes a sip of the simmering soup, enjoying the savory taste. "I think that Xiaoyi is actually quite nice."

"Miss, don"t you understand? You"re the Fourth Miss. Why would anyone treat you with kindness if they didn"t have ulterior motives?"

This time, it"s Yujia"s turn to freeze. Slowly, she sets the bowl of soup down. "Hui"er, explain yourself."

"Isn"t it all about your birth, Miss? Everyone in the household looks down on us because your mother… was never… really married with the old master, not even given the t.i.tle of a concubine."

Yujia blinks.

Perhaps it was because of the fact that learning that her engagement with some old man was already too shocking that made this new piece of information she gathered less surprising. She already accepted the fact that her transmigration definitely wasn"t the most ideal, novel-worthy story.

Nevertheless, how was she supposed to know that the Fourth Miss was stuck in such a position? Again, Yujia held too much trust in these novels where whoever transmigrated always landed in such a positive scenario as a princess or a rich merchant"s actually legitimate daughter. And even if they did land in the body of someone who was negatively viewed by everyone in their society, they always had wonderful skills to aid them in their survival. Why was Yang Yujia the only one to have such terrible luck to not only be a b.a.s.t.a.r.d child but also betrothed to some man old enough to be her father?

Pausing for a few moments, Yujia asks Hui"er to clarify. "Are you saying… that I"m an illegitimate child?"

Instantly, Hui"er kneels down in fear. "Miss, I"m not trying to offend you. Please don"t get angry. I"m just stating the obvious facts that everyone knows."

Puzzled at her maid"s behaviors, Yujia rushes over and beckons Hui"er to stand back up. "Silly, why are you acting this way? I"m just asking."

"Ah, Miss, I always thought you were sensitive about this topic! Whenever I brought it up in the past, you would always become angry. I thought that… you would dislike it if I talked about it again."

Yujia begins pitying the previous owner of the body. From what she"s seen and heard about this society so far, she a.s.sumed that it must"ve been tough for her to keep herself going in this world when she was illegitimate. Still, for the previous Yang Yujia to become so angry that her own personal maid feared her anger…

"Hui"er, am I someone who gets angry so easily?"

"No, Miss, not at all!" Hui"er widens her eyes and shakes her head rapidly. "Miss, you"re the kindest person in this villa! No one is as tolerant and patient as you. Even when the household would not provide you with medicine when you were the sickest, you warned me not to fight with them and suffered on your own! Miss, I would never think of you as someone who has trouble controlling their anger. But, it"s only this one topic that always irritates you…"

"I see now." Yujia nods knowingly, taking another sip of her hangover soup. Sounds like the previous Yang Yujia was a total pushover, probably a personality trait that developed because of the fact that she was illegitimate. "So, Hui"er… about Xiaoyi— we seemed to get a little off track there."

"Oh, Hui"er just doesn"t understand the purpose of Fifth Miss trying to get so close to you." Hui"er frowns. "None of the other three misses would ever treat you with kindness… and Fifth Miss always ignored you until two years ago. Even you told me before that you wouldn"t ever trust Fifth Miss."

"That"s probably just the previous Yujia having trust issues…" Yujia snorts on the inside while she drinks another spoon of soup. Xiaoyi seemed genuine and considerate, as sweet as Hui"er. For now, she"ll just treat Xiaoyi as Xiaoyi treats her.

"Besides, Fifth Miss is the one who"s courting the Yu family"s young master… I"m sure she"s just trying to rub the fact that she"s getting a better deal than you in your face!"

Say what?

In the midst of drinking another spoon of soup, Yujia chokes and soup sprays out of her mouth. Hui"er jumps, quickly grabbing a towel on the side and wiping the sides of Yujia"s mouth.

"Miss, are you alright? Did Hui"er say something wrong again?" Worriedly, Hui"er blabbers, taking the bowl of soup away from the choking Yang Yujia.

Yujia keeps coughing, but she shakes her head. "N—no… Hui"er— you"re— fine… I"m just a little shocked to hear that."

How messed up was this entire situation? Yang Yujia was marrying the old master of the Yu family as a concubine while the same Yu family"s young master was courting her younger sister? If all the marriage ceremonies played out as planned, wouldn"t that make Yujia a generation higher than Xiaoyi? And how disgusting was it for there to be a double marriage within these families?

"Perhaps it was normal within these time periods. Right, Yujia, that must be normal in this "Xiang" Dynasty!" Yujia attempted to a.s.sure herself while at the same time, she was still somewhat appalled at how unfair the entire situation was. If only she transmigrated into the body of Yang Xiaoyi— that may have made her life much better.

After Yujia"s coughs subsided, she turns back to Hui"er. "Hui"er, is it true that I"m marrying the old master of the Yu family? My memory is all fuzzy right now from drinking so much last night."

Hui"er agrees sadly. "Yes, Miss, you are. In fact, the reason why you were drinking in the first place was because you were in despair that the Old Master created such a arrangement for his own business advancement!"

"Oh, the previous Yang Yujia, I relate, I relate. If I were to get into a marriage arrangement like this— which I have— I would drink all my worries away as well…"

"Well then, Hui"er," Yujia sat up straighter, sharp determination reflected through her eyes, "I suppose it"s a good time to let my father— the Old Master— know that this Fourth Miss will not, can not, and must not marry into the Yu family."