When the carriage of the eldest mistress of the Jiang family stopped at the gate of the He Mansion, the servants had already come forward to greet them.
"The eldest mistress of the Jiang family is here. Our old lady was just talking about you!"
The woman standing outside was the nanny beside the old lady of the He Mansion. She looked shrewd and knew exactly who to flatter.
The eldest mistress got off the carriage first, and Jiang Sihe followed suit. She looked up at the nanny.
The nanny was dressed in a dark - gray cross - collared robe with hidden patterns, and the lining was of the same color scheme, but all made of the finest fabrics.
Jiang Sihe guessed that the current head of the inner courtyard of the He Mansion should be the old lady mentioned by this nanny.
The nanny also sized up Jiang Sihe and stepped forward with a beaming smile and bowed.
"Surely this is the second young lady of your mansion. You're so incredibly beautiful!"
She spoke smoothly and was good at sizing people up. She must hold a high position in the mansion.
Jiang Sihe stepped forward and nodded with a smile.
"Nanny, you're overpraising me!"
The eldest mistress also said with a smile, "Nanny Xu, stop praising her. She's a naughty girl and can't compare with the young ladies of your mansion!"
It was just a polite remark, and Nanny Xu replied with a smile, "Our young ladies have been feeling bored. The second young lady's arrival will be just the thing to keep them company!"
After the polite exchange, the eldest mistress led Jiang Sihe into the gate. As soon as they entered, they heard a quarrel at the door and looked back.
Only then did they remember that Jiang Jingshu was still behind, and it was she who was arguing with Nanny Chang.
"Miss, our He Mansion is hosting a banquet today. Please avoid this place if you're not related!"
Jiang Jingshu was so angry that her face turned white. She pointed at Nanny Xu and snorted, "You dog - eyed thing! I'm a young lady of the Jiang Mansion..."
"A young lady of the Jiang Mansion?" Nanny Xu was stunned for a moment. Why didn't this young lady of the Jiang Mansion come with the eldest mistress of the Jiang family? Instead, she came in such a shabby carriage. Maybe she was just a poor relative trying to get some benefits.
Seeing this, Jiang Sihe said with a soft smile, "Mother, please wait for me a moment!"
Then she lifted her skirt and walked down the steps towards Jiang Jingshu.
"Nanny, she is indeed my younger sister. But my sister has high - minded principles. She thinks only by taking such a carriage can her character be set off. I'm really sorry for making you laugh!"
Jiang Sihe returned the words that Jiang Jingshu had deliberately used to slander her in front of Lady Mei that day.
She was very vengeful. Originally, after being reborn, she just wanted to live a good life of her own, but Jiang Jingshu just had to show off in front of her. Every time Jiang Jingshu did something, she would return it twice.
"My sister also loves simple things. Later, the mansion should arrange things according to my sister's preferences. Otherwise, she will surely be unhappy!"
After saying that, she looked at Jiang Jingshu with a smile and asked, "Sister, am I right?"
Jiang Jingshu's face turned pale, and she stiffened her neck. "You don't need to be so sarcastic. I love tranquility and simplicity and dislike luxurious clothing and delicacies. You're vain, so don't question me!"
Jiang Sihe looked at Nanny Xu with a smile. "You see, sister has made it so clear. I hope you can satisfy her preferences. On behalf of my sister, I'd like to say thank you for your trouble, nanny!"
Nanny Xu was as shrewd as a fox. She understood the hidden meaning in their conversation with just a few words and bowed to Jiang Sihe with a smile.
"The second young lady is too polite. This servant will surely take good care of the fourth young lady's preferences!"
Jiang Jingshu didn't understand the hidden meaning of their conversation. She snorted and thought to herself.
She's just trying to win people's hearts again. She only knows these tricks.
"Please go in, two young ladies!"
Jiang Sihe left first and caught up with the eldest mistress in front.
Jiang Jingshu had learned her lesson from being blocked outside just now, so she quickly followed the eldest mistress.
"What did you do? You're smiling so happily?"
"I learned a new phrase, 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth'. I just went to put it into practice!"
After saying that, she winked at the eldest mistress.
The eldest mistress smiled helplessly. This child was becoming more and more naughty.
"It's good that you've returned the favor. As long as you feel happy!"
Jiang Sihe gave a coquettish smile and took the eldest mistress's arm. "If one day in the future, I'm not as good as you think, will you still treat me like this?"
She thought that since Pei Yanchao had noticed the abnormality that night, the matter of her deliberately saving the eldest mistress would be exposed sooner or later. She wanted to test it out.
Would her mother not mind this matter?
"What silly things are you saying? What do you mean 'not as good'?"
Jiang Sihe thought for a while and tentatively asked, "If I hadn't saved you that night, would you still have adopted me?"
The eldest mistress was also stunned by her assumption. The opportunity for her and Jiang Sihe to become mother and daughter was that night's rescue. If it hadn't been for that night, she really wouldn't have noticed her!
Seeing the eldest mistress's suddenly solemn face, Jiang Sihe's heart skipped a beat.
Look, the eldest mistress really minded. If she knew that all this was her plan, she would surely think her scheming. She had already enjoyed her mother's love and didn't want to lose it...
Then she would be a bit selfish and not let the eldest mistress know. She would find a way to make Pei Yanchao keep his mouth shut, even if it meant paying some price...
"Mother, I was just daydreaming. Let's go quickly... It seems that's the garden of the He Mansion up ahead!"
Jiang Sihe interrupted the eldest mistress's thoughts and walked quickly into the garden where the banquet was set with her arm in arm.
The back garden of the He Mansion was exquisitely built. There was a round platform on one side, which should be the place for the dancers from the Music Bureau later.
"A He... Why are you here?"
She had been so focused on the eldest mistress just now that she didn't notice Pei Xueji standing on the other side of the garden.
Pei Xueji had already run over. The eldest mistress smiled when she saw Pei Xueji.
"Miss Pei, you're here too!"
Pei Xueji restrained herself a bit in front of the eldest mistress and obediently bowed to her.
"Madam Jiang!"
After bowing, she winked at Jiang Sihe. Jiang Sihe found it funny.
"Since Miss Pei is here to find you, go and play together. I'll go over there and have a few words with the old lady!"
"Shall I go with you to pay respects to the old lady?"
The eldest mistress saw at a glance that Pei Xueji had something to say to Jiang Sihe. She said with a smile, "Go and play first. Come and pay your respects to the old lady later!"
Jiang Sihe also saw that Pei Xueji had something on her mind and nodded.
Jiang Jingshu recognized Pei Xueji as soon as she saw her coming. The incident at the academy that day had made her extremely afraid of people with Pei Xueji's personality, so she had already hidden away.
Jiang Sihe couldn't help but want to laugh. It seemed there was someone who could control Jiang Jingshu!
"A He, I'll take you to see something interesting!"
Jiang Sihe frowned. "What's so interesting? We're in someone else's mansion. We can't act recklessly!"
As she spoke, Pei Xueji had already pulled her into a small path.
"I'm familiar with the He Mansion... You won't be discovered if you follow me!"
"We still shouldn't be so rude in someone else's mansion..."
Jiang Sihe still wanted to persuade Pei Xueji, but Pei Xueji seemed not to listen at all.
"This is a once - in - a - lifetime thing. If you don't accompany me to watch it, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!"
"What thing is it that's once - in - a - lifetime?"