Ji Lian hadn’t reached the point of daring to betray her sister, disrespecting the servant who held affection for her.
So, she merely moved her throat as if parched, diverting her gaze from the pure and flawless face of Sherya.
“Have you had your breakfast?”
She hurriedly asked.
“…”
Sherya obediently nodded.
Soon, she felt her body being lifted gently.
Ji Lian had returned her to the ground.
The girl’s silver hair scattered and swayed, reflecting an especially dazzling and dreamy radiance in the morning sunlight.
“Well… I have something to attend to; I’ll be leaving now.”
“Lily Ji, take care of Sherya.”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
Lily Ji was extremely excited. Being called by Lady Ji Lian was a very honorable thing for her, especially considering that Ji Lian had just heroically saved her and Sherya from the bullying of other maids!
Satisfied with Lily Ji’s response, Ji Lian nodded.
Then, she turned away and walked towards the exit of the dining room.
However, midway, as if remembering something, Ji Lian turned back to face Sherya, whose eyes were still filled with reluctance, and spoke gently.
“If you encounter any trouble with the maids again.”
“Don’t worry, Sherya.”
“I’ll be there.”
“I will…” Ji Lian’s voice paused, “protect you.”
Though Sherya knew it was a lie, her expression still flickered for a moment.
Undeniably, Ji Lian did rescue her from the hands of those maids.
Yet, once trust shatters, it’s like a broken mirror that’s hard to mend.
No matter how you piece it together, the cuts on your fingers remain, and the scattered shards persist.
Moreover, can the reconstructed mirror truly be considered the same as it once was?
So, Sherya let out a bitter, ironic laugh deep within her heart.
At this point, what grand promises are there to make?
Ji Lian, if we’re talking about deceit.
You’re quite skilled at it.
……………
“Come in.”
In the vast royal court, only Ji Yu Su was seen working at her desk.
Soon, another figure joined her—none other than the respectful and submissive housekeeper, Chen Jing.
“Apologies for the interruption, Lady.”
“What is it?”
“A small matter… regarding a dispute in the servants’ dining room.”
“It’s related to your sister, Ji Lian.”
Perhaps Chen Jing intended to subtly lower Ji Lian’s image in front of Ji Yu Su, but what she didn’t realize was that Ji Yu Su was indifferent to her sister and didn’t concern herself with her actions.
Sometimes, indifference can be a greater injury than scorn and disdain.
Ji Yu Su simply waved her hand, signaling Chen Jing not to trouble her with such trivial matters.
She was busy wrapping up the final governmental affairs before transferring the family’s authority in Fericis to the other aristocratic relatives later today.
Next, Ji Yu Su would board the steam train, returning to the capital to prepare for the enrollment process at the academy.
Sherya would also join her at that time, registered as her personal maid.
The thought of it brought a particularly content feeling.
The head maid’s expression stiffened, but knowing Ji Yu Su, she assumed the Lady was merely indifferent to the matter and had nothing to do with Ji Lian.
She should have remained silent and respectfully excused herself.
However, perhaps thinking about her maids being insulted by that lowly illegitimate daughter, and Ji Lian not having to pay any price for it, the head maid’s heart sank.
Then, she suddenly thought of something, her pupils slightly contracting.
Summoning the courage, she described what she had witnessed before Ji Yu Su.
“I also saw Ji Lian holding a small elf in her arms.”
It sounded like an innocent remark, but it created a significant ripple in Ji Yu Su’s heart, freezing her hand that held the pen.
From the perspective of the head maid, however, Ji Yu Su’s expression remained unchanged.
So, she assumed she had miscalculated and mistakenly believed that the eldest lady might show some interest in the elf slave—perhaps not favoring her greatly, but at least paying a bit more attention during this somewhat intriguing period.
Looking back, it seemed quite ridiculous.
Who would give birth to a tool for venting desires…
—”Stop.”
The sudden, icy command made the head maid, who had chosen to quietly step back, shudder violently.
Even her breath couldn’t help but freeze.
“…Yes, Lady, please instruct!”
“I want to know everything you’re aware of.”
The head maid dared not delay, quickly and respectfully explaining the causes and consequences of the incident to the most esteemed Lady in the Ji family.
However, driven by human nature’s inherent selfishness, she downplayed the fact that the maids insulted the elf girl, describing it as a mere “joke” they played on her.
Yet, she vividly depicted how Ji Lian embraced the delicate elf slave, holding her slender waist, caressing her legs…
Even to the extent of feeding her, using chopsticks to pick up a succulent and dripping cherry, placing it in the cherry-like mouth of the elf girl.
Half truth, half fabrication—between reality and illusion, who could discern the authenticity?
Only right and wrong stood starkly clear.
In any case, the head maid understood the art of playing with fire.
But the principle of “a sister’s slave cannot be used” seemed to be beyond the comprehension of Lady Ji Lian.
Or perhaps, was the charm of that delicate elf too irresistible?
This thought flickered through the head maid’s mind but was dismissed as baseless nonsense.
When everything was recounted, the head maid daringly raised her gaze and glanced at the expression on the eldest lady’s face.
“…”
As usual, there was no expression, making it impossible to discern the thoughts of the superior or even attempt to gain favor.
However, the same posture, if exhibited by Ji Lian, would only make the head maid feel that she was being scorned.
Not to mention flattery and fawning attempts.
The head maid only saw the eldest lady’s emotionless face, completely oblivious to the… pen that had shattered at Ji Yu Su’s fingertips.
In the crimson depths of the young girl’s eyes, there seemed to be a fierce blaze of jealousy, flickering and never extinguishing.
“I don’t care who bullied Sherya.”
“I want them to disappear from my sight forever.”
The girl’s icy words sent a shiver through the head maid’s heart.
She hadn’t anticipated that the eldest lady’s possessiveness towards the elf slave would be so intense!
This had inadvertently harmed the maids who she had intended to stand up for!
How miscalculated…
At this point, she could only pay them their wages and dismiss them from the Ji family, never to be employed again.
Leaving the Ji family was undoubtedly a massive blow to them, especially since they were originally noble young ladies.
It was almost like severing their life paths.
However, for the head maid, this wasn’t entirely a bad thing.
Her subordinates were unfortunate, having provoked someone they shouldn’t have.
And wasn’t it the same for Lady Ji Lian?
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