142 Sobbing
Yu Shuangbai was stunned by her words.
Yu Youyao was also a little angry. âYou cried the moment you rushed into my room just now. How would I know what grievances you had suffered and what anger you had suffered? How would I dare to coax you? I would have coaxed you badly and made you sad instead. Isnât it better if you cried yourself and let your emotions out?â
âIâ¦â Seeing that she was angry, Yu Shuangbai was a little helpless and forgot to cry.
Yu Youyao glared at her. âYou said that Iâm learning all sorts of things and donât want to play with you, but Iâve lost my mother since I was young, and even though I have a stepmother, I still canât escape the reputation of being the eldest daughter of a widowed wife. Grandmother pitied me, so she found Nanny Xu to enter the residence and asked me to learn more rules and things so that I can accumulate some reputation. Otherwise, in the future, someone outside will use the words âthe eldest daughter of a bereaved wifeâ to criticize me and implicate the reputation of the residence. Grandmother is thinking for me, so how can I let her down? I have to learn well.â
At this point, her expression darkened. âI canât compare to you. You have Second Aunt and Second Uncle. Even if youâre wronged and angry, you still have some backing. If I donât learn well, even my father wonât let me off easily.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Yu Shuangbaiâs face was filled with shame. Previously, when Eldest Uncle slapped Yu Youyao, everyone in the Jade Courtyard had kept quiet about it. However, all the masters in the residence knew about this.
Not to mention anything else, even when she had broken her fatherâs inkstone and stained it, her father had not scolded her. He had only told her not to be rash in the future.
âItâs not like you donât know what kind of person I am. Who would want to learn this and that all day long? I wake up earlier than a chicken and sleep later than a cat. Iâm busy all day, like a spinning top. However, I envy you. Second Aunt helps you with everything. Even if sheâs a little strict with you usually, itâs for your own good. She canât really force you to do anything.â
Yu Shuangbai lowered her head and thought about how during this period of time, she did not know what was wrong with her mother. For the first time, she was being strict with her. She kept watching her learn the rules and needlework.
In the first few days, she could still tolerate it a little.
However, if she was forced too hard, she wasnât able to take it anymore.
Seeing that she couldnât learn things well and wasnât motivated to continue learning. Her mother scolded her, âYouâre already a young lady, but you still donât know any rules all day. In the future, when you leave the house, wonât you be a joke? Look at your eldest sister. Do you think sheâs playing around like you? In just three months, sheâs learned the rules well, and even learned how to embroider. The medicinal tea that was sent over previously was also made by her. Now that sheâs a little older, she can help manage the house. Canât you learn from your eldest sister?â
When Chu Chu heard this, she did not feel anything.
However, she had been saying it every day, which made her angry.
Hence, she did not hold back her anger and quarreled with her mother.
After the argument, she felt aggrieved. Thinking about Yu Youyaoâs recent changes, she couldnât help but let her imagination run wild. Somehow, she ended up in the Jade Courtyard.
At this moment, Chun Xiao brought over a copper basin.
Yu Youyao picked up her handkerchief and helped Yu Shuangbai wipe her face clean. Seeing the tears on her face, she felt both heartache and amusement. âYouâre already so old, yet youâre still crying. Arenât you ashamed?â
Yu Shuangbai was stunned and let her be.
Xia Tao took the sheep cream used by Miss.
After crying for a long time, Yu Shuangâs white face was tense and uncomfortable. Yu Youyao took a jade spoon and scooped out some cream paste. She made circles with the bottom of the spoon and carefully pushed the paste to spread it evenly.
Yu Youyao used sheepâs milk to make the sheepâs cream. It took a lot of effort to make it. In the first few days, she had given her a few boxes and said, âSpring is hot, and the sheepâs cream is warm and moisturizing.â
She knew that Yu Youyao always gave her things that she had personally made.
Yu Shuangbaiâs mouth was dry from crying, and Dong Mei happened to bring over a cup of medicinal tea.
She had cried hard just now and felt hungry, so Nanny Xu also brought over a few exquisite and delicious snacks.
Qiu Xing also silently washed a pot of cherries and placed them in front of her.
These big cherries had been found outside a few days ago. Yu Youyao did not know where they had come from, but from what she heard, they had ordered a lot of big cherries early in the morning. Everyone in the residence had a small plate of them. They were finally stocked with cherries. Even some of the capable servants could have a taste.
However, Yu Youyao had secretly given her another small plate.
As soon as she arrived at the Jade Courtyard, everyone in the courtyard surrounded her. This was because Yu Youyao sincerely treated her as a sister, so the maidservants treated her like their master.
Yu Shuangbaiâs eyes turned red. Thinking of what she had said previously, she felt very vexed. She lowered her head and grabbed Yu Youyaoâs sleeve anxiously. âI was just saying it out of anger. I wasnât serious. Iâve always treated you as my best sister. You canât anger me.â
Yu Youyao felt a lump in her throat. She deliberately looked angry and did not say anything.
Yu Shuangbai panicked. She squatted in front of Yu Youyao and winked at her. âGood sister, itâs my fault this time. I was spouting nonsense. Please be magnanimous and forgive me this time. Iâm willing to do anything.â
Yu Youyao chuckled. âYouâre so hot tempered. Who would dare to make you work like a slave? If Second Aunt finds out, her heart will ache. You canât do this next timeâ¦â
With her smile, the sisters finally made up.
When Nanny Liu saw this, she couldnât help but heave a sigh of relief.
Everyone in the house had left. Yu Shuangbai held her medicinal tea and began to complain about her mother. She talked about how crazy she had been recently, forcing her to learn the rules and learn needlework.
Yu Youyao did not say anything and just listened.
Yu Shuangbai spat out a mouthful of bitterness and finally felt a little better. âTell me, is my mother too much?â
However, Yu Youyao knew very well what Second Aunt was feeling. âAmong the sisters, Third Sister is very outstanding in every aspect. She has already gained a reputation for being kind and polite outside. Even if Fourth Sister is a little rash, she still has some good embroidery skills. Fifth Sister is good at poetry. Weâre all sisters, so itâs inevitable that there will be differences in strength.â
Yu Shuangbai was suddenly stunned. She had never thought of this before, and her mother had probably cared about her pride and never mentioned it. Now that Yu Youyao had hit the nail on the head, she felt mixed emotions.
The room immediately fell silent.
After a long while, Yu Shuangbai felt a lump in her throat. âBut I donât like to do needlework. My mother has been forcing me.â
Knowing that Yu Shuangbai had figured it out, Yu Youyao heaved a sigh of relief. âIf you donât like needlework, just tell Second Aunt. Sheâs not unreasonable.â
Yu Shuangbai held her face in her hands in distress. After crying for a while, her carefree face finally had the worry of growing up. âBut, if I donât learn needlework, I donât know what to learn. You also know that I can barely understand my studies, and Iâm not good at playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. No matter what I learn, Iâm not good enough.â