The chirping of early summer cicadas clung clingingly to the sycamore trees in the west wing of the General's Mansion. Shen Ruorou lay on her dressing table, listening to the servants' deliberately suppressed laughter outside the window, feeling every sound like a needle piercing her eardrums. She hadn't left her room for three days since being publicly humiliated by the Seventh Prince, Xiao Yu. Her hair was draped in a messy bun over her shoulders, and she was still wearing the nightgown she'd worn the day before. Her face, reflected in the mirror, was sallow and swollen, a trace of her former pride gone.

"Miss, the eldest lady is here." The maid Xiaolian timidly lifted the door curtain, her voice as soft as a mosquito.

Shen Ruorou raised her head suddenly, a trace of panic flashed in her eyes, and then turned into resentment: "What is she doing here? Let her go!"

Before she finished speaking, Shen Weiwan had already walked in, her skirt lifted. Her moon-white skirt was spotless, with only a jade hairpin slanting in her hair, which made her skin look whiter than snow. Behind her, Chuntao was holding a food box, her lips tightly pursed, obviously trying not to laugh.

"What happened to cousin?" Shen Weiwan feigned surprise as she looked around the messy room, where the broken bronze mirror was scattered on the floor. "I heard you were in a bad mood recently, so I asked the kitchen to stew some rock sugar and snow pears to visit you."

Shen Ruorou looked at her "concerned" look and trembled with anger: "Chen Weiwan! Stop being so hypocritical! Are you here to laugh at me?"

"Look at what my cousin said," Shen Weiwan put the food box on the table and opened it slowly, "We are sisters, so I naturally care about you." She scooped up a spoonful of snow pear, blew on it before handing it over, "I heard that you went to block the Seventh Prince a few days ago?"

Shen Ruorou's expression suddenly changed. She waved her hand away, and the pear soup spilled onto the tablecloth, leaving dark stains. "What do you care?"

"How can I ignore it?" Shen Weiwan took out a handkerchief and wiped her fingertips, her tone innocent, "After all, His Highness is my future husband. My cousin is so enthusiastic, I have to remind you a few words."

"You!" Shen Ruoruo was so angry that she couldn't speak, and her nails dug deep into her palms.

"Don't be discouraged, cousin," Shen Weiwan tilted her head, her eyes shining like stars, "I heard from His Highness that the powder on your face that day was thicker than the prison wall." She deliberately moved closer and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Next time you go, remember to try it without makeup? His Highness might like a fresh and natural look."

Chuntao finally couldn't help it and burst out laughing, then quickly lowered her head and pretended to adjust her skirt.

Shen Ruorou's face turned from white to red, and then from red to blue. Her hand, which was pointing at Shen Weiwan, was shaking: "Shen Weiwan! Don't be so proud!"

"Why am I so proud?" Shen Weiwan blinked, "I'm doing this for my cousin's good. By the way," she seemed to suddenly remember something and pointed at Shen Ruorou's hand, "next time you go to see His Highness, remember to wash these hands clean."

"What do you mean?" Shen Ruoruo asked sternly.

"It's nothing," Shen Weiwan shrugged. "It's just a reminder to my cousin not to put your stealing hands in front of His Highness, so as not to scare him. After all," she dragged out her words, "His Highness said that he has no interest in 'talented women' who steal."

"You're looking for death!" Shen Ruoruo screamed, grabbed the teacup on the table and threw it at Shen Weiwan.

Shen Weiwan was well prepared and dodged easily by leaning sideways. The teacup hit the door frame with a clang, and broken porcelain pieces splashed all over the floor. She patted her chest and said aggrievedly, "How could my cousin do that? I came here to comfort you with good intentions, but you..."

"Comfort? I think you are here to laugh at me!" Chen Ruoruo pounced on her like a mad tiger, but was stopped by Chuntao with quick eyes and hands.

"Second Miss, please respect yourself!" Chun Tao stood in front of Shen Weiwan. "Our young lady is kind and well-intentioned. How can you treat her like this?"

"Good intentions? She clearly came here to laugh at me!" Shen Ruoruo struggled, her hair completely undone, with a few strands of hair sticking to her sweaty cheeks. "Chen Weiwan! You vicious woman! One day I will make you die a miserable death!"

"Oh my," Shen Weiwan covered her mouth, but there was no fear in her eyes, "Cousin, did I hit the nail on the head? Yes, after all, not everyone can be like cousin, stealing and being caught by a dog, copying poems and being exposed on the spot, and even flirting with the prince and being scolded as 'powder thicker than the wall'."

With every word, Shen Ruorou's face turned paler. She looked at Shen Weiwan's smiling face and felt that it was the most vicious mockery in the world.

"Get out! Get out!" Shen Ruoruo pointed at the door, her voice hoarse.

"Okay, okay, I'll go now," Chen Weiwan waved her hand and walked towards the door with Chuntao. When she reached the threshold, she turned back and said, "By the way, cousin," she smiled brightly, "next time you see His Highness, remember to go without makeup! Maybe His Highness will like your 'natural and unpretentious' look!"

After saying this, she no longer looked at Shen Ruorou's ashen face, and leisurely left the west wing.

After they had walked quite a distance, Chuntao could no longer suppress her laughter: "Miss, what you just said was really mean! The Second Miss's face turned green with anger!"

The smile on Shen Weiwan's lips had not faded: "To deal with such people, you have to use this method. Doesn't she care about face? I will tear her face to pieces."

As they were talking, they met the old butler hurried over: "Miss, the Seventh Prince has arrived and is waiting in the main hall."

Shen Weiwan raised her eyebrows: "Oh? Why is he here?"

"I don't know either," the old housekeeper said, wiping her sweat. "His Highness came and asked where you were, as if there was something urgent."

Shen Weiwan's heart moved, and she said to Chuntao: "Let's go to the main hall and take a look."

In the main hall, Xiao Yu was playing with the teacup on the table. When he saw Shen Weiwan come in, he immediately put down the teacup and stood up: "Miss Shen, I heard that you went to 'comfort' your cousin?"

Shen Weiwan blinked: "Your Highness is really well-informed."

"I also heard," Xiao Yu took a step closer, a smile in his eyes, "you want her to remember to be without makeup next time she sees me?"

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