The First Lady suddenly looked up at the young girl in front of her. Her face was still pale, but her black eyes were extremely bright.
"What did you just call me?"
"Mother!"
The First Lady was stunned for a moment. After reacting, she happily grabbed her hand.
"My dear child, why are your hands so cold... Danfeng, quickly fetch a cape for the Second Miss..."
Nanny Qiu was also quite satisfied with Jiang Sihe's change of address at this moment. Although the First Lady didn't mind, it still sounded awkward if she always addressed her as "First Lady."
Hearing this, Danfeng hurriedly went to fetch the cape. The First Lady grabbed Jiang Sihe's arm. "Let mother help you back to bed..."
When Danfeng brought the cape over, the First Lady took a look at it. "What kind of fabric is this?"
"Replying to the Lady, this was a cape made when the Second Branch was making clothes for the Eldest Miss some days ago. The Eldest Miss didn't choose it, and this maid found it in the storeroom..."
Hearing this, the First Lady immediately frowned and shook her head. "Jinlan, go and fetch my piece of Moonlight Brocade to make a new cape for the Second Miss..."
"Yes!"
Jinlan hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Everyone else, including Nanny Qiu, couldn't help but be surprised. That Moonlight Brocade was a reward from the palace that the First Lady's mother had received some days ago. There was only one piece, which was sent to the Lady. How could the Lady just give the whole piece to the Second Miss to make a cape...
"Your task now is to take good care of your body. Look at this little face, it's too thin, and there's not much flesh on your body. This won't do..."
As the First Lady said these words, her fingers gently stroked the calloused palm of Jiang Sihe's hand, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
How did Concubine Ruan raise her daughter? How could such a delicate and charming young girl be raised so coarsely by her?
"Nanny Qiu, give that bottle of peach blossom lotion to Danfeng and ask her to apply it to the Second Miss's hands every morning and evening for nourishment!"
Nanny Qiu responded and turned around to fetch the lotion.
"Mother, actually, there's no need. I..."
"Silly child, you're still young and naturally don't understand the importance of nourishment. A woman's hands are her second face and need to be carefully nurtured..."
Jiang Sihe couldn't refuse and had to accept the First Lady's kindness.
The First Lady glanced around the room, thought for a moment, and then waved for Jinsu to come over.
"One Danfeng is not enough to serve the Second Miss. See which maid in our courtyard is more careful and transfer her to serve the Second Miss..."
Danfeng's fingers paused as she was tying the ribbon of the cape for Jiang Sihe.
Jiang Sihe noticed her thoughts and slightly lowered the look in her eyes.
Jinsu thought for a moment and said, "Danfeng is two years older than the Second Miss and is more steady. Then let Xiuyue, who is the same age as the Second Miss, come. She has a lively and lovely personality, and I think the Second Miss will like her!"
"Xiuyue..." The First Lady frowned and thought. Xiuyue was the granddaughter of a nanny the First Lady had brought from the Minister's Mansion. Although she was young, she was thoughtful in her work and indeed had a more lively personality.
"Then let Danfeng and Xiuyue serve the Second Miss personally, and choose a few more little maids to serve inside and outside the room for her..."
"Yes, Lady. This maid will personally select them tomorrow!"
The First Lady nodded. "After you've selected them, let the Second Miss meet them herself to see if she's satisfied..."
"Thank you, Mother. You've taken so much trouble for me!"
The repeated calls of "Mother" made the First Lady, who had been longing for a child for many years, feel extremely happy. Her gaze on Jiang Sihe became even softer.
...
Later in the day, Nanny Qiu brought two bottles of lotion.
Danfeng was very considerate. After taking the lotion from Nanny Qiu, she said to Jiang Sihe, "Second Miss, since you're taking medicine now, this maid will ask the doctor tomorrow. We'll use the lotion when it's okay..."
Although Jiang Sihe didn't do much during the whole day, it still took a lot of her energy. Lying on the carved bed made of golden-thread nanmu, touching the smooth and embroidered thin quilt, and looking at the moon-white gauze curtain hanging on the bed, she felt a bit dazed. Was all this real?
She would no longer be that poor little girl who had to worry about how to fill her stomach every day.
...
Early the next morning, just as the sky was getting bright, Jiang Sihe heard someone whispering outside the bed curtain.
"Xiuyue, the Miss is still asleep..."
Danfeng's voice was very low, for fear of waking up the mistress in the bed.
"Then I'll go and decoct the medicine for the Miss!"
This voice was a bit unfamiliar. Jiang Sihe guessed it should be Xiuyue, the one the First Lady had mentioned last night.
"Danfeng, is that Xiuyue coming?"
Jiang Sihe also wanted to meet Xiuyue, so she directly asked softly.
"Is the Second Miss awake?"
The bed curtain was lifted from the outside. The morning light shone in, and Jiang Sihe was dazzled by the light. She slightly squinted her eyes.
Danfeng noticed this and quickly moved her body to block the ray of light.
"This maid, Xiuyue, pays respects to the Second Miss!"
The clear voice was very nice. Jiang Sihe's eyes got used to the outside light, and she looked over.
The little maid in front of her was very cute, with a pair of smiling eyes that seemed to carry a bit of a smile even when she wasn't speaking. She indeed looked lively and charming.
"You don't need to be so formal. Get up quickly!"
Seeing Xiuyue kneeling on the ground, Jiang Sihe quickly told her to get up.
Danfeng had already helped Jiang Sihe sit up and carefully put a cape on her.
Although it was already summer, the morning wind still carried a bit of coolness.
Jiang Sihe smiled and nodded at Danfeng.
"Second Miss, you're really beautiful..."
Xiuyue couldn't help but murmur as she got up.
Danfeng couldn't help but glance at Xiuyue, and Xiuyue immediately realized that she had broken the rules.
Jiang Sihe just pursed her lips and smiled. She had a plain face and looked rather pale, yet this little maid still praised her for being beautiful.
"Miss, this maid was rude just now. This maid just thinks that the Miss's beauty is different from that of other young ladies..."
Jiang Sihe couldn't help but ask her, "How is it different?"
"It's just a kind of serene beauty that the Second Miss shouldn't have at her age..."
Jiang Sihe was stunned. This little maid's words reminded her that she was indeed a bit too mature for her age. It seemed that she needed to pay attention to this in the future.
She gave a charming smile. "If I put on some makeup, will I be even more beautiful..."
Her childish words made the two maids couldn't help but laugh.
"Of course. When the Second Miss recovers from her injury, this maid will do your makeup and make you the most beautiful girl in the capital..."
After chatting with them for a while, she felt that she was gradually regaining some of the innocence that should belong to her age.
The days of recuperating from her injury in Chunhua Pavilion were the quietest days for Jiang Sihe. She was served by maids every morning and evening, and all her food, clothing, and daily necessities were of the highest quality. She also used the lotion to nourish her hands every morning and evening.
The calluses on her hands, which were left from doing rough work in the villa all year round, gradually disappeared, and her fingers became slender and fair.
...
At this time, in the villa, Jiang Jingshu was left with all the work because her elder sister was away.
In the morning, she tried her best to draw a bucket of water from the well in the courtyard. But before she could hold it steady, the blisters on her palm hurt so much that she let go, and the water she had just drawn splashed back into the well with a plop.
Jiang Jingshu spread out her fingers and looked at the bleeding blisters. She couldn't help but suck in a breath of air.
It hurt so much. These things should have been her elder sister's job. They fell on her because her elder sister was greedy for wealth and glory and lost her true self. That's why she had to do these things...