Yueyao followed Nanny Zheng for half the day before they reached the outer part of a courtyard, which was in a state of disrepair.
The main gate was peeling, and the surrounding walls revealed colorful traces of decay. If it weren't for Nanny Zheng deliberately leading her in, she would not have known such a place existed.
Upon pushing the door and entering, fortunately, the courtyard was clean. However, there were no trees in the courtyard, which could not compare to her own.
Just as Yueyao had relaxed, she heard a frantic voice coming from the house, "How many times have I told you to stay quietly in the room and not go anywhere else? You didn't listen and ran out, getting yourself all dirty, now I have to clean you up again."
Yueyao's expression tightened. Whether in Jiangnan or here, no one had ever shouted in front of her . Yueyao walked into the room and saw an old nanny, about thirty years old, furiously scolding a frail child dressed in blue.
The little boy hung his head, his face covered with tears and snot, yet he made no sound. Only his shoulders trembled as he struggled to suppress his sobs. It was a pitiful sight.
Seeing this, the nanny grew even angrier, "Did you hear what I said, you fool? Speak up. Say you won't dare to do it again." She raised her hand, as if to strike the child.
Watching her about to strike, Yueyao coldly said, "Who do you think you are, how dare you?"
She had not expected Tingzheng's life to be this miserable. A maid and an old nanny dared to scold and even to hit him. What kind of sister was she?
The nanny turned her head and, seeing Yueyao's frosty face, was terrified out of her wits and fell to her knees, "Third Young Lady, spare my life, spare my life. I was only trying to scare the young master, I've never laid a finger on him. Please, Young Lady, have mercy, have mercy on me."
Yueyao coldly asked, "Where is Maternal Aunt You? Where is she?" Given her behavior just now, it wouldn't be too much to beat her to death.
The terrified nanny stammered, "I do not know, servant doesn't know. Maternal Aunt You went out early in the morning and hasn't come back yet." If this got out to the Old Master and Madam, she had no way out but to hope that Yueyao would let her off.
Yueyao didn't even glance at her and walked to Brother Zheng's side. His face was a mess of tears and snot. His clothes were stained with something unknown, dirty and graying in patches. His hands were also blackened. He looked like a wild child.
Yueyao carefully examined Brother Zheng. He was skinny and bony, hardly any flesh on his frame. Though he was already five years old, he appeared only three or four years old.
Seeing this, Yueyao's heart ached. In her previous life, she hadn't cared much for this half-brother. How could she have known he lived such a difficult life? Alas, Yueyao blamed herself. Looking at what happened in her previous life, it was clear that Maternal Aunt You hadn't cared for him at all. Otherwise, why would she have delayed calling the doctor, resulting in his death from fever?
Yueyao took Brother Zheng's hand; the air was warm in August, yet his hand was ice cold. Suddenly feeling a chill, Yueyao lifted his sleeve and his shirt. Thankfully, there were no scars. These people, audacious as they were, had not dared to actually hit Brother Zheng.
The old nanny watched Yueyao's stern gaze and kept kowtowing and begging for mercy. Yueyao turned her head, "Nanny Zheng, when a servant dares to bully a master, how should she be punished?"
Nanny Zheng coldly said, "Twenty strokes of the cane and sell the entire family off."
The nanny collapsed to the ground, then immediately began wailing like a slaughtered pig, "Young Lady, spare my life, spare my life!"
Yueyao seemed as though she hadn't heard her. She had seen through these people long ago. When they held the upper hand, they would even disregard their masters. To them, being kind meant being naive and easy to bully.
At this moment, Brother Zheng, seeing Yueyao, had hope in his eyes, but also fear. Finally, he mustered great courage, took hold of Yueyao's sleeve, and called her, "Sister."
Yueyao's body shuddered, thinking she had heard wrong, she unconsciously asked again, "What did you just call me?" In Yueyao's memory, she had never seen Brother Zheng. Why then did Brother Zheng know she was his elder sister?
Brother Zheng's mouth opened for a while, but he didn't speak again.
Hua Lei feared Yueyao would lose patience and disregard Young Master Zheng again, swiftly standing aside and coaxing, "Young Master Zheng, Third Young Lady is asking you a question. You should tell the young lady everything you want to say."
Only then did Brother Zheng softly call out again, "Sister."
Yueyao asked in astonishment, "How do you know I am your sister?"
Brother Zheng's voice was like that of a mosquito, "I have seen Sister before; Sister even gave me candy to eat." After speaking, he lowered his head again.
Yueyao was very perplexed, she had no recollection of this.
As Yueyao pondered still, Hua Lei whispered into Yueyao's ear, "Young lady, I was the one who brought the candy. The young master also saw you on the boat." In fact, Hua Lei had been silently taking good care of Tingzheng.
Yueyao glanced at Hua Lei then bitterly smiled. What kind of sister was she truly, worse even than a maid.
Hua Lei, unaware of Yueyao's thoughts, instead comforted her, "Young lady, although Young Master Tingzheng is not very bright, he is definitely not a fool." Hua Lei worried Yueyao would think ill of Tingzheng for being foolish, having suddenly changed her mind. Although everyone said Tingzheng was a fool, Hua Lei believed he was not truly foolish, just less intelligent than average. Blood relatives are closer than cousins. For the young lady now, other than the Old Madam, Tingzheng was the most reliable.
Yueyao could see from Tingzheng's earlier words that her brother was a bit silly, but he was absolutely not a fool. Otherwise, he would not have remembered her for so long. "Brother Zheng, tell sister, was the candy tasty?"
Brother Zheng looked at Yueyao, and speaking from his heart, said, "Sister, I am very hungry." Perhaps the memory of the candy was profound, or perhaps because they were siblings, connected by blood, even more so a combination of both. Brother Zheng trusted Yueyao and wanted to be close to her.
When Yueyao heard Tingzheng say he was hungry, she suddenly became furious. She shouted harshly, "Are you not being fed every day? Is the household embezzling Brother Zheng's monthly allowance of silver?"
Hua Lei was somewhat stunned. The young lady had never lost her temper so greatly. In Hua Lei's memory, the young lady had always been quiet and gentle, never speaking loudly; but now she seemed completely changed, strangely unfamiliar. Could a single dream have altered the young lady this much?
Hua Lei quickly dismissed these messy thoughts; the young lady might have changed, but she had changed for the better. Thoughts of anything else were discarded.
The old nanny knelt on the ground, crying, "Young lady, even if servant had the gall, I wouldn't dare to skim off Young Master's monthly allowance of silver. It was Maternal Aunt You, the silver was always managed by Maternal Aunt You." Adding another crime would likely not just result in the family being sold, but the entire family beaten to death. At this moment, she could only push the blame onto Maternal Aunt You.
Yueyao contained her anger, no longer scolding the old nanny. Scolding her more would be of no use. She took her own handkerchief and wiped the tears and snot from Tingzheng's face. A once clean, white handkerchief was now completely soiled.
Hua Lei stared dazedly at Yueyao. The young lady was known for being impeccably clean, never allowing others to touch her belongings, much less to come into contact with such filth. The young lady had truly changed, changed for the better. Madam in heaven knowing her words had completely transformed the young lady, would certainly be very gratified.
Yueyao addressed the nanny groveling on the ground, who had cried so much she could no longer make a sound, "Where are the clothes?" These clothes definitely won't do. A new outfit was needed.
The old nanny had been crying too loudly, and now she couldn't utter a single word.