The person who had been hit no longer felt as much pain in their eyes, but they still held one hand over them.
"You brat, you hit me just so we could play together? Fine, then you strip Su Yinyin's clothes first. If you don't, we'll strip you!"
The little dumpling looked at Su Yinyin.
Su Yinyin's entire body tensed. "Don't come near me."
She had witnessed Su Yunmo's abilities. Before, when she brought people with her, they couldn't defeat Su Yunmo, and now they certainly couldn't.
"Su Siyuan's matter wasn't my fault. I truly knew nothing at the time."
Su Yinyin didn't know if Su Yunmo had just happened to pass by, or if these people were her doing, sent to avenge her third brother.
The little dumpling stuffed the flower branch in her hand into Su Yinyin's embrace. "Hold this for me for a bit."
With something thrust into her arms, Su Yinyin froze, looking at Su Yunmo in terror, unsure of what she was about to do.
The little dumpling stretched her limbs and walked towards the boy who had been hit.
"What are you coming over here for?" he asked, stunned and confused.
The little dumpling stopped beside him, then suddenly tilted her head and smiled, revealing six clean, small white teeth. Her bright, large eyes narrowed into slits, looking adorably cute.
The person opposite her was suddenly flabbergasted, feeling his heart skip a beat.
The next second, Su Yunmo kicked him.
"Ah!" The boy immediately let out a miserable cry and fell back onto the ground.
Su Yunmo quickly bent down, grabbed his pants, and yanked them backward with force.
"What are you doing! It's her you're supposed to strip, not me!" he instinctively clamped his legs shut.
*Riiip!*
His pants were torn in half, exposing a large portion of his buttocks.
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
Su Yinyin's mouth also fell open in surprise.
"Get lost, get lost!" The boy, his face flushed with shame, couldn't care about anything else. He covered himself with his upper robe and fled.
Su Yunmo tilted her head up and looked at the group of people opposite her. "What? Do you need me to play games with you too?"
The few people exchanged glances and quickly scattered and ran.
Su Yunmo brushed the dirt off her hands and spat. "What trash."
The quality of the boys born to this batch of officials was truly not high.
Su Yinyin looked at her, gritting her teeth, and said with a complex expression, "Why did you save me?"
Su Yunmo walked over, took back the flower branch, and held it. "I didn't save you. I just couldn't stand hearing people speak ill of my third brother behind his back."
Su Yinyin wasn't foolish. She knew Su Yunmo was deflecting. "Even if you saved me, I won't thank you. I ended up like this all because of you!"
She was supposed to be the high and mighty Miss Su family, but now she couldn't even dare to go out. This was all their fault!
Su Yunmo looked at her calmly, stating a fact. "Putting aside what happened before, this time, don't you truly know who harmed you?"
Su Yinyin's body stiffened, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Su Yunmo turned her back to her. "The ones who hurt you the most are always the people closest to you. Others never get the chance to betray you."
The little dumpling left her with those words and walked away.
Su Yinyin watched her retreating figure, clenching her fists tighter and tighter.
Mother, did you really just bring me out to relax today?
Ye Ningyuan watched Su Yunmo disappear from sight, a thought arising in her mind. She walked over.
"What she said is right. Some people are family, and some people who stay by your side only bring pain."
Su Yinyin cautiously pulled her hand back. "Who are you?"
Ye Ningyuan: "Who I am is not important. What's important is that I can help you escape your current predicament."
"Help me? What do I need to do?" Su Yinyin was somewhat skeptical.
Mother wouldn't help her seek justice. Now everyone was mocking her about this matter, and she was all alone.
Ye Ningyuan leaned down and whispered a few words in her ear.
Su Yinyin recoiled in shock. "How can that be!"
No matter what, that person was her own second brother!
"You truly care about your brother, don't you? It's a pity no one cares about you." Ye Ningyuan gave a sarcastic smile, took two steps back, and waved her hand. "Whatever you want."
Seeing that she truly wasn't going to pester her anymore and was leaving gracefully, Su Yinyin suddenly felt a sense of emptiness.
Dou Ying emerged from another flower bed and strode over to Su Yinyin, pinching her ear.
"You wretched girl, how dare you offend her? Do you know who that was? That's the county princess newly bestowed by His Majesty!"
The county princess spoke to her, and she actually responded so indifferently. She was truly becoming more and more ill-mannered.
"It hurts, Mother, let go. I didn't offend her." Su Yinyin hugged her wrist, her heart filled with surprise.
She knew the name Ye Ningyuan. Her father was Marquis Yunyi, and her status was even more noble than Su Yunmo's, who was now the legitimate daughter.
But she had never met her before. Why would she come to help her?
Dou Ying released her grip. "You're still making excuses. I saw it clearly just now. The county princess said something to you, and you disagreed, didn't you?"
"Are you stupid? At this time, no matter what she says, you should agree first."
Opportunities to connect with a county princess were rare.
Su Yinyin's heart skipped a beat. "Mother, you say you saw clearly? Were you hiding in the shadows the whole time?"
If that was the case, was she watching from the side when those people were bullying her?
Dou Ying's eyes flickered away, but she quickly grabbed her wrist again, putting on a maternal expression. "Yinyin, Mother is doing all this for your own good."
"Your reputation is already ruined. If you don't find a decent noble young man to get engaged to now, in a few years, no one will want a withered flower like you."
The words 'withered flower' completely enraged Su Yinyin.
She broke free from Dou Ying like a madwoman and desperately hit her. "Why did I end up like this? It's all because of you! Because of Su Xingzhe!"
"You lied to me for him, gave me medicine, and even plotted against me and Su Siyuan. How can there be a mother like you in this world? You ruined me!"
*Slap!*
Dou Ying raised her hand and slapped her, her face flushed with anger. "How dare you! Who gave you permission to speak to your mother like this! You were born to me, and I decide how to arrange your affairs!"
She was already so disobedient at such a young age. What would she be like when she grew older!
Su Yinyin felt utterly disheartened by the slap. She covered her face and lowered her head, almost grinding her teeth to dust.
She clenched her fists tightly, the hatred in her eyes gradually accumulating.
Why did she have to bear all this? Why was she born into such a family?
Ye Ningyuan was right. She cared about them, so who would care about her!
Dou Ying, unaware of the change in her daughter's thoughts at that moment, grabbed her ear.
"I don't have time to discipline you. Before the flower viewing banquet ends, you hurry and get to know a few more noble young gentlemen."
Su Yinyin was dragged by her into the crowd, her steps faltering, her will to resist gone.
Dou Ying continued to nag, "I'm doing all this for your own good. You must remember my kindness. If you marry well in the future, don't forget your mother's efforts for you."
The nagging voice gradually faded, but it never stopped.