All Hail Cousin Brother

277 Denunciation

“It turned out that she had also been admiring the flowers with the young misses of the various families and gotten to know Seventh Miss Cao. She also thought that since Seventh Miss Cao was from the main family, she would have to introduce her to Eldest Sister. Cough, I didn’t know that Seventh Miss Cao had taken a fancy to Nanny Xu, who followed in front of Eldest Sister, and was dissatisfied with her. Cough, she actually made things difficult for Eldest Sister on the spot. I’m sorry that Eldest Sister has suffered.”

Yu Jianjia’s gentle words were hoarse and sad. From time to time, she would cough a little. Occasionally, she would glance at Yu Youyao with an innocent gaze.

She had already sprained her ankle, and there was still a trace of pain between her slightly furrowed eyebrows. Her face was pale, revealing her illness vividly.

With just a few words, she had cleared her name.

Song Wanhui had seen Yu Jianjia, Cao Yingxue, and Lu Mingyao talking together in the Thousand Gold Building. Yu Jianjia had known Cao Yingxue for a long time, and the two of them had an extraordinary relationship.

Cao Yingxue did not hide her hostility towards her. She did not believe that Yu Jianjia had nothing to do with this.

Yu Youyao chuckled. “Third Sister is just being kind. There’s no need to blame yourself.”

These words did not reassure Yu Jianjia. She lowered her head and carefully considered her words. “Big Sister’s reputation was almost ruined at the Flower Festival, but as her younger sister, I sprained my ankle and couldn’t help at all. I feel that I’ve let Big Sister down.” At this point, she looked at Yu Youyao sincerely, her eyes filled with tears. “Big Sister, please forgive me.”

She was kind and innocent. Even if she made a little mistake, no one could say anything else.

After all, she was also innocent!

She did not know that Cao Yingxue was hostile to Eldest Sister. She was an innocent party and wanted to help her. However, she had sprained her ankle and did not have the energy to help her. She felt guilty that she had not helped Eldest Sister, but she had already apologized. As her Eldest Sister, how could she hold it against her younger sister?

This was Yu Jianjia’s thought.

From the moment she stepped into An Shou Hall, everything she had said, every expression, and every move she had made had been carefully planned.

Every word and sentence was sarcastic and meaningful. She played the role of an innocent victim vividly and disguised every strand of her hair.

Even her grandmother could not tell what kind of deep and terrifying scheme was hidden under Yu Jianjia’s weak and innocent expression.

“Third Sister, you’re being too serious.” Yu Youyao met her teary eyes and looked pitiful. “Third Sister sprained her ankle because of me. I should be the one apologizing.”

Yu Jianjia calmed down and quickly said, “Big Sister, don’t say that. It’s also because I’m weak and disappointing. How can I blame you?”

“I’m relieved that Third Sister doesn’t blame me.” Yu Youyao heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.

For some reason, when Yu Jianjia saw the faint smile on her face, she suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness.

As expected!

Seeing Yu Youyao smile, Yu Jianjia heard her suddenly change the topic. “However, I have a few words to ask Third Sister.”

Yu Jianjia’s uneasy heart suddenly rose to her throat, and her throat itched again. She couldn’t help but cover her mouth and cough lightly.

Yu Youyao did not care if she responded or not. She chuckled and said, “At the Flower Festival, Third Sister was originally kind enough to help me out. That’s why you apologized to Seventh Miss Cao in front of all the young misses. As your elder sister, I should thank you. However, Third Sister said that I had offended Seventh Miss Cao. I don’t understand how I had offended her.”

When Old Madam Yu heard this, she looked at Yu Jianjia.

Yu Jianjia was still covering her mouth and coughing, unable to speak for a moment.

Yang Shuwan quickly handed over a cup of warm tea and helped to explain, “Jia Jia has a gentle personality. Perhaps she saw that Eldest Miss had a conflict with Seventh Miss Cao and was worried that Eldest Miss would suffer, so she mediated the conflict. She wanted to settle the matter out of goodwill.”

Yu Youyao stared at Yu Jianjia with a burning gaze. “Mother, you’re right. Third Sister was just being kind, so she introduced me to Seventh Miss Cao. Seventh Miss Cao wanted me to recite poetry with her, does this mean I should have considered Third Sister and not rejected her? However, I’m not proficient in poetry, and Third Sister knows about it. In order not to dampen everyone’s spirits, I rejected her politely. I didn’t expect to anger Seventh Miss Cao and for her to criticize me in public.”

Yu Jianjia closed her eyes. Even her breathing was cold. She couldn’t remain silent anymore. “Big Sister, I’m also…”

Yu Youyao continued in a gentle voice, “I know. Third Sister had good intentions. She wanted to calm the matter down because she was worried about me, so I can understand why she apologized to Seventh Miss Cao on my behalf. However, Seventh Miss Cao forced me to recite poetry. It was rude of her to insult me for losing my mother. She was the one in the wrong. Why should Third Sister apologize on my behalf? Why did Third Sister say that I had offended Seventh Miss Cao?”

Old Madam Yu suddenly tightened her grip on her prayer beads when she heard Yao Yao saying that she had good intentions. Even she felt a chill down her spine.

She wasn’t sure if it was out of kindness, but whether a person was kind or not was never measured by the starting point. Instead, it depended on the outcome of this person’s words and actions.

Even if she had done something bad out of kindness, it couldn’t be said that she had done it out of kindness. Cao Yingxue had used the words “bereaved eldest daughter” to attack Yao Yao. Instead of defending her big sister, Yu Jianjia was anxious to apologize on her sister’s behalf.

What kind of apology was this?

Wasn’t she rushing to give Yao Yao’s face, upbringing, and reputation to Cao Yingxue to step on?

Fortunately, Yao Yao was quick-witted. Otherwise, her reputation would have been ruined.

Did her granddaughter not know what was wrong from right or…

Old Madam Yu’s gaze suddenly turned sharp as she stared fixedly at Yu Jianjia.

Sensing the sharp gaze on her head, Yu Jianjia’s heart skipped a beat, and she almost couldn’t breathe. She knew that her grandmother suspected her.

She believed that every move and word of hers in the Marquis of Changxing’s Residence had been carefully planned and flawless. However, she had never expected that it would be ruined by Yu Youyao’s words.

Yu Jianjia panicked and opened her mouth to explain, “Big Sister, I didn’t mean anything else…”

Yu Youyao was still smiling. “Third Sister had good intentions. You’re gentle and kind. As you’re on good terms with Seventh Miss Cao, you can’t bear to see me get into a conflict with her. However, Third Sister has apologized and given Seventh Miss Cao enough face. Have you thought about how I should respond as your eldest sister?”