"Second Auntie, I’m not criticizing you, but you clearly have a good heart. Why do you always have to behave so high and mighty..."
Emmm... Is this the right way to use this term?
Whatever, they say the Princess was exactly high and mighty in the past, so it must be fitting to describe Second Auntie!
Lian Qiao: "..."
"You uncultured little girl, don’t make me slap you! It’s ’high and... pfft! High and mighty! You’ve led me astray!"
In the past, Qiao’er would have been scared of this threat.
But after spending a few days in Lian Qiao’s courtyard, she found that this Second Auntie isn’t as frightening as Wu’er described, always threatening to beat or kill.
She just has a sharp tongue, a quick temper, but her heart is genuinely kind.
When she saw her staying up late watching the young doctor, she’d worry about her lack of rest and scold her to go to sleep.
When she saw her eating cold leftovers, she’d say it was stuff even pigs wouldn’t eat, and tell her to get some hot food...
These small incidents have happened too often these past few days. From fearing her and hating her in the beginning, she now isn’t scared at all.
Second Auntie is just a paper tiger!
As for liking her, well, not really...
Her heart has already been conquered by the Little Princess! No one else can fit in her heart anymore, not even the charming doctor!
He’s devious, always trying to steal that potion! The Princess clearly instructed that it can only be applied to Second Auntie’s face, yet he tries to trick her by saying that doctors have the heart of a parent and need a drop to benefit the people of Bianliao.
Did he think she’s an idiot?
Alright, she almost fell for it...
But remembering the Princess’s instructions, she cleverly avoided being deceived~
"Second Auntie, go on, our Princess is busy, tomorrow’s New Year, she still has to prepare delicious food for us!"
Qiao’er was just speaking when the door suddenly opened from the inside.
There she was, the graceful and increasingly beautiful Little Princess after a few days, standing before them.
She was only wearing a plain moon-white dress, her long black hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin, without any makeup, yet her skin was crystal clear as fine mutton fat jade.
No, no, no!
Even more delicate and white than mutton fat jade, with a face so smooth you couldn’t even see pores, just like a hard-boiled egg white.
So soft-looking, it made people want to touch it.
Lian Qiao licked her lips, almost drooling.
Yun Chunnuan: "..."
Could it be that Lian Qiao, like Qiao’er, is a face-loving fanatic?
Does beauty equate to righteousness?
Can conflicts be resolved through beauty?
"Do you need something?"
She carefully scrutinized Lian Qiao’s face, though it was not fully healed, there were faint pink marks, but to recover like this within a few days was already remarkable.
Looking at her recovery, if it doesn’t get better, she’ll drop a Blood Bead into beauty soap, give her a piece, and washing her face daily should completely heal it.
"Here, for you!" Lian Qiao handed over a red Jade Pendant shyly.
Before Yun Chunnuan could refuse, Lian Qiao pulled the little hand she longed to touch and forced it into her palm.
"What are you doing? I don’t want..." Yun Chunnuan tried to give it back.
But she heard a quiet "Thank you."
Yun Chunnuan was puzzled.
Because of her, Lian Qiao was disfigured and poisoned, she indeed walked around the Ghost Gate...
She thought Lian Qiao had recovered, got some strength, and came to seek revenge.
But not only did that not happen, why was she thanking her?
Though her face was healed thanks to the Blood Beads, Lian Qiao didn’t know that!
So, thankful for what?
"Thankful for what? The potion is..."
"Aiya! Just take it, I don’t have anything of value, this is something I snatched from my father when I was the Princess, it’s not a treasure. Alright, I’m leaving, no need to see me out!"
She came quickly and left quickly.
Said a thank you, gave a gift, and hurriedly ran away.
Yun Chunnuan watched the shadow in a red dress, her lips slightly curving, full of relief.
Thankfully, she’s fine.
Such a lively and bright woman should live freely and unrestrained, if burdened with scars, she would spend her life in agony.
And she would feel guilty all her life.
Yun Chunnuan unfolded her palm and looked at the Jade Pendant Lian Qiao had given.
Blood red, as if blood had dripped inside and merged with this piece of beautiful jade.
"Wow! That’s Second Auntie’s cherished treasure! She actually gave it to the Princess?"
"Hmm?" Yun Chunnuan was puzzled.
"In the past, Nalan admired this Blood Jade and wanted it from Second Auntie, but Second Auntie wouldn’t give it no matter what, so Nalan tried to take it by force, they even fought over this! When the General returned, Nalan complained, and the General reprimanded them both, neither benefited."