"For years, though I haven't found you, I never thought of transferring my feelings for you to anyone else," Zhen Lingrong said earnestly.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at her suspiciously, "Then what's the deal with those two outside?"
Zhen Lingrong smiled helplessly, "You know, in my position, it's normal for people to try every means to get close to me for benefits. Xi He grew up with me since she was little and never had any bad intentions. But after she brought that child back, she changed a lot. I couldn't be bothered with her, but I didn't expect her to spread rumors outside. The stories became more and more exaggerated, and she even started being called Gu Gu when she went out."
"At first, she was a little restrained, probably afraid I would get angry or that I would clarify things. But later, when she saw that I never said anything, she became more and more daring and less and less restrained."
"Over time, except for the people in Changqiu Hall who knew what was going on, outsiders preferred to believe those rumors."
Shen Xiaoyan never expected that the truth was like this.
Even at this moment, she remembered Zhen Lingrong's indifferent attitude towards Xi He when they first met.
Even though she had other things on her mind at the time and didn't pay much attention to it.
Thinking about it now, if Zhen Lingrong really felt differently about Xi He, why would she speak to her like that?
"Then what are those people outside doing now? Putting on a play?"
Shen Xiaoyan's tone had become lighthearted now, and she looked at the few people arguing outside with interest.
This small courtyard must have had some kind of barrier, as people from outside couldn't get in at all.
She couldn't hear what Xi He and the others were saying, but she could see their intense actions and excited expressions.
Zhen Lingrong glanced outside, a beautiful curve forming at the corner of her lips.
"Do you want to go out and take a look, Yan'er?"
As Zhen Lingrong spoke, her eyes were full of cunning, and Shen Xiaoyan was somewhat mesmerized.
Some people always said she and Zhen Lingrong looked alike, but she didn't feel that way at all right now.
At least, Zhen Lingrong's beauty wasn't just skin deep; it was also the result of time and experience, a kind of aura.
In her every frown and smile, one could be instantly captivated.
Zhen Lingrong's beauty made Shen Xiaoyan even more curious about what kind of person Zheng Wen Zhen was to have captured Zhen Lingrong's heart.
Shen Xiaoming didn't look very much like Zhen Lingrong, so perhaps he looked like Zheng Wen Zhen?
Shen Xiaoyan thought for a moment, then dismissed the idea.
Zhen Lingrong didn't remember who Zheng Wen Zhen was now, so even if she wanted to see him, it was impossible.
While Shen Xiaoyan was lost in thought, Zhen Lingrong had already walked to the door and turned back to beckon her, Shen Xiaoming, and Zheng Wei to go together.
The three of them followed her into the courtyard. Zhen Lingrong waved her hand lightly, and they heard Xi He's comforting voice.
"The Hall Master's children are back, so they naturally want to talk properly. You should go back with your mother first. Can't you come back later? Besides, the bond you have with the Hall Master is something that can't be compared to others."
Shen Xiaoyan clearly saw that Xi He glanced in their direction when she said this.
It seemed that she already knew Zhen Lingrong had removed the barrier, and she was deliberately saying this for her and Shen Xiaoming to hear.
Shen Xiaoyan scoffed, but unfortunately, she was destined to be disappointed.
Shen Xiaoyan and Shen Xiaoming both looked at Xi He expressionlessly, not arguing with Zhen Lingrong because of her words.
Xi He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed and a little strange.
Based on her understanding of Shen Xiaoyan, she should be someone who would rather have nothing than settle for less.
She didn't have a good impression of Zhen Lingrong at all before coming.
They hadn't been inside for long, and in just a few words, what kind of feelings could be cultivated?
With her saying this now, shouldn't Shen Xiaoyan be angry and just leave?
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the fleeting disappointment in Xi He's eyes and couldn't help but mock her inwardly.
Disappointed already?
"Xi He, you've been in Changqiu Hall your whole life, don't you know the rules? Who gave you the courage to be so rowdy here?"
Xi He looked at Zhen Lingrong when she heard this and saw that Zhen Lingrong's face was cold.
"Hall Master, I..." Xi He wanted to explain.
Zhen Lingrong's face became even more displeased, "I just said you were ill-mannered, and now you're even more so. You're speaking in the first person to me, the Hall Master. Don't you know your own status?"
Xi He was completely stunned by this.
What was her status?
She was Zhen Lingrong's maid.
But being called Gu Gu by outsiders, she had automatically forgotten this status!
Now that Zhen Lingrong had so explicitly stated it, she didn't know how she felt.
"Since there's nothing else, hurry up and leave," Zhen Lingrong said, about to turn and leave.
Seeing Zhen Lingrong about to leave, Xi He became anxious.
Disregarding the insult Zhen Lingrong had just given her, she pleaded loudly, "Elder Zong, these two children miss you and insisted on seeing you. I couldn't stop them at all. For the sake of the children's filial piety, please..."
"Please what?" Zhen Lingrong asked coldly.
Xi He, seeing that she had stopped and turned around, let out a sigh of relief and continued, "It would be good to talk to them!"
As she spoke, she looked at the man and woman with heartache.
Shen Xiaoyan followed her gaze and finally saw the appearance of the two.
She had already heard their ages, which were about the same as hers and Shen Xiaoming's.
Both of them looked very much like Xi He, and it was clear at a glance that they were Xi He's children.
The girl was fine, at most like a white flower.
But the boy was something else.
Imagine a delicate-looking boy looking at you with tears in his eyes.
Shen Xiaoyan shivered, feeling a chill.
The siblings seemed to sense Shen Xiaoyan's gaze and looked at her.
The woman just looked at Shen Xiaoyan coldly and didn't speak. The boy, perhaps because he was young, immediately ran towards Shen Xiaoyan.
"It's all because of you, you slut. If it weren't for you, why wouldn't the Hall Master see us?"
Hearing his accusation, Shen Xiaoyan almost burst out laughing.
This person was truly drunk!
She and Shen Xiaoming came to find their own mother, was that wrong?
Did she and Shen Xiaoming have to call these two impostors "mother"?
Wasn't this just a comedian sent by monkeys?
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the boy and couldn't be bothered to retort.
Zhen Lingrong suddenly turned to look at the boy, her eyes sharp as knives, "Xi Yin, do you dare to say that again?"
Xi Yin had never seen Zhen Lingrong like this before. He immediately shrunk his neck and looked back at his sister for help.
Zhen Lingrong followed his gaze and said coldly, "Xi Jin, did you teach him to say that?"
Shen Xiaoyan couldn't help but chuckle when she heard this.
Shen Xiaoming, on the other hand, directly sneered, "They're all grown up, and they still need to be taught how to speak? Are they not smart?"
Xi Yin immediately exploded when he heard this, his eyes wide as he glared at Shen Xiaoming, "What nonsense are you spouting, you little bastard? Who's not smart?"
Hearing Xi Yin, Xi He immediately knew it was bad and rushed forward to pull Xi Yin, but it was too late.
With a crisp "slap," Xi Yin's face received a resounding slap.
Judging by Xi Yin's immediately puffed-up cheeks, the force of this slap was definitely not small.
Xi Yin was completely stunned.
After a long while, he covered half of his face that had been slapped and looked at Shen Xiaoming in disbelief.
"Good. You little bastard, how dare you hit me? Who gave you the courage?" Xi Yin cursed at Shen Xiaoming.
After cursing, he turned to look at Zhen Lingrong, his eyes filled with tearful accusations, "Hall Master, you saw it too. This ill-mannered bastard dared to hit me. I was raised by you, and him hitting me means he completely disregards you!"
Shen Xiaoyan found his act incredibly amusing.
Before she could say anything, she felt Zheng Wei lean into her ear.
Zheng Wei whispered, "Don't you think he's putting on a show?"
Shen Xiaoyan looked at Zheng Wei in surprise. Young man, who would have thought, you've hit the nail on the head!
Shen Xiaoyan instantly felt a sense of pride.
Who would have thought that she could train Zheng Wei so successfully?
See, his language skills were so fluent, one would think he was also a transmigrator.
Shen Xiaoyan still answered Zheng Wei's question objectively, "He's not just putting on a show, he's also brainless."
It wasn't that Shen Xiaoyan was belittling Xi Yin, but this child was too brainless.
From Zhen Lingrong's attitude towards Xi He just now, it was clear that Zhen Lingrong didn't like Xi He very much. As Xi He's children, Xi Yin and Xi Jin were also not favored.
But Xi Yin not only didn't realize this, but he was also complaining to Zhen Lingrong and blaming Shen Xiaoming.
He called her a slut again and again. Was he not afraid that Zhen Lingrong would slap him to death in anger?
Just thinking about Xi Yin's level of brainlessness, Shen Xiaoyan felt relieved.
With such brainlessness, expecting him to think of these things was asking too much.
Xi He, on the other hand, didn't dare to waste a single moment. She quickly ran to Xi Yin's side, pulled Xi Yin behind her, and looked at Zhen Lingrong defensively. Her words were still respectful and cautious.
"Hall Master, Xi Yin is young and ignorant. He has always regarded you as extremely important. Please don't be angry with him now; he's too upset, which is why he spoke without thinking. I beg you, Hall Master, to be magnanimous and not bicker with him. I will educate him properly when we go back."
Xi He then turned sternly to Xi Yin behind her and reprimanded him in a cold voice, "You, child, even if you miss the Hall Master, even if you want to be close to the Hall Master, you can't speak carelessly out of fear. The Hall Master used to dote on you, but now that the Hall Master's children are here, you naturally have to be in the back. How long have you accompanied the Hall Master? Does it matter if it's just for this moment?"
Hearing Xi He's every word, Zhen Lingrong couldn't help but laugh.
What was she saying? Was she trying to curry favor?
She was trying to curry favor with her in front of Shen Xiaoyan and her siblings, and then trying to curry favor with Shen Xiaoyan and her siblings in front of her.
How could she be so sure that she would react as she expected?