"Is it? Well, let’s go have a look at how pretty she cries," said Yang Ruxin as she patted each of the three little girls’ heads before heading inside.
Inside, Yang Ruyu, on hearing Yang Ruxin’s return, stood up abruptly like a frightened animal, looking worriedly at Xun Hui with tears still hanging on her cheeks, presenting a pitiful sight.
"Don’t be afraid, Xinxin has a sharp tongue but a soft heart," Xun Hui sighed. She couldn’t understand why Xinxin was so cold-hearted towards Daya and Ruyu; they were just children, after all. What to do?
Yang Ruyu lowered her head but the corners of her mouth curled into a cold smirk. Sharp-tongued but soft-hearted? That would be ideal.
"Oh my, has Sleeping Beauty awoken?" Yang Ruxin said mockingly as she looked at Yang Ruyu, "Which prince kissed you awake?"
"Big cousin?" Yang Ruyu’s face showed shock as she abruptly looked up, eyes wide with surprise at Yang Ruxin, "What... what are you talking about?" she said with a wounded expression.
Xun Hui frowned too: "Xinxin, what kind of way is that to talk?"
Yang Ruxin didn’t even bother responding to Xun Hui but instead walked up to Yang Ruyu: "Now that you’re awake, please go back..."
"Big cousin, I know you don’t like me, but..." Yang Ruyu’s tears started to fall in earnest as she turned to Xun Hui, "Auntie, please help me..."
"Acting!" Sanni couldn’t help but snort, though under her breath, everyone heard it. "Ruyu, you have a father, a mother, brothers, and doting grandparents. If something truly happened, anyone would be stronger than us for you to turn to. Have you ever considered my mother, your aunt?" she said and rolled her eyes.
Yang Ruxin sent Sanni an approving look. This girl was really something when it mattered.
"Sanni..."
"I’m not Sanni; I’m Yang Ruhao," Sanni quickly corrected, interrupting Yang Ruyu, "I’m not the Yang Sanni you could bully at will anymore."
Yang Ruyu’s face turned pale for a moment: "I know I was naive before, but, you all know what my parents are like now. My mother is determined to divorce my father, and he is now staying at his in-laws’ house. No one is looking after me..." As she spoke, her tears fell even more fiercely, "I thought my younger aunt was sincere towards me, but she only treated me like a servant, and the people from my granny’s side... they’re no good... They let Tian Jialiang into my bed, and that Tian Geng spied on me when I went to the toilet... If I hadn’t noticed in time and fought back with all I had, by now..." she broke down into sobs.
"How could they do such a thing?" Xun Hui paled, "Aren’t they all family? This... how is one supposed to live like this?"
Yang Ruxin couldn’t help but snicker at Xun Hui, What on earth was her mother thinking? So easily swayed. She complained in her mind but didn’t want to follow Yang Ruyu’s narrative: "Mother, they say it takes two hands to clap. How many years has younger aunt been with the Tian Family? Isn’t she a woman too? How come no one has ever heard of someone climbing into her bed?"
"Big... cousin, what... what do you mean?" Yang Ruyu’s heart sank.
"I mean exactly what I said," Yang Ruxin said innocently, spreading her hands, "Isn’t cousin Ruyu always boasting about how beautiful she is? Weren’t you flirting with Young Master Qi’s younger brother outside? Perhaps..."