Chapter 2: Mind Reading

In Zhaoyun Courtyard, Mrs. Pei lowered her eyes and ignored Mrs. Zhao who had just been scolded by her.

"Where are they?"

"Madam, the two girls are on their way here."

As soon as the maid's voice stopped, Zhao said hurriedly: "Mother, Xinlan is still sick and can't be exposed to the wind."

"You also know that they are still sick? If they are sick, why do you let Xinran go to your room so that she can get some fresh air?"

"This……"

Zhao thought how could this be the same.

Although Lu Xinran is her biological child, she has not been around him for so many years. His rude temper makes her feel disgusted when she sees him.

Pei sighed silently and asked someone to prepare hot tea and snacks, waiting for the two of them to enter the yard.

Several of Zhao's sisters-in-law were sitting below her, all with smiles on their faces, waiting to see the excitement.

When Lu Xinran entered the room, he saw that it was full of people, including girls from all branches, both legitimate and illegitimate, and boys who had not yet started elementary school.

Everyone gathered around Old Madam Pei, leaving only one seat next to her tacitly.

Lu Xinran raised her eyebrows, knowing that the seat was not reserved for her. After entering and greeting, she found a seat and sat down at random.

Instead, Lu Xinlan stood in the room somewhat awkwardly, and bowed in response to Pei's concerned gaze.

"Grandmother, mother, Xin Lan has been very anxious these days. I don't want to stay in the mansion and take away my sister's love. Xin Lan wants to..."

"What do you want! Who dares to let you go?!"

Before Lu Xinran could finish his words, Zhao had already glared at him with fiery eyes.

Lu Xinran, who had just sat down and was also a little confused after hearing these words, looked up and met Zhao's anger.

[She doesn't think I forced her to say this, does she?]

A voice suddenly rang in the ears of several people. The voice was exactly the same as Lu Xinran's, but she clearly did not make any sound. What was going on?

As everyone was puzzled, the sudden sound rang in their ears again.

[She is crazy! Since you don't like me, why did you bring me back, just to let me see your expressions and then warn me not to covet everything of Lu Xinlan? ]

Zhao was shocked and bewildered, her face flushed, and she was obviously very angry about what he said.

If she wasn't rude and disrespectful, why would she give her such a cold shoulder?

As if knowing what she was thinking, the voice appeared again.

[It's so funny. You think I'm vulgar and rude. You don't even look at how I live in the countryside. I get up early every day to do endless farm work. I don't have enough food to eat and clothes to wear. In such a place, you still want me to be gentle, generous, and well-educated? Why don't you just dream? ]

The third wife, Mrs. Feng, was about to laugh out loud. She lowered her head and pressed the corners of her lips tightly with a handkerchief, for fear that she would laugh out loud accidentally.

Zhao was so angry that her cheeks were hot. She stared at Lu Xinran. Lu Xinran met her gaze with an innocent look on his face.

[Why are you so angry? You don't really think I'm forcing her to leave, do you? You really think highly of me. I am nothing in this Shangshu Mansion. Even the servants in the courtyard are stuffed in from various rooms. Oh, Lu Xinlan was also stuffed in. Who would believe her if she said she wanted to leave? Who knows if she is retreating to advance...]

As soon as this thought came to mind, several people in the room coughed awkwardly.

Although they didn't know what was going on, they all guessed that this was Lu Xinran's inner voice, but they didn't know why they heard it.

Pei, who was sitting at the top of the table, showed no sign of surprise and spoke to interrupt her muttering.

"Xinlan, why do you think like that? You know we won't let you leave, and you're only making your mother sad by saying this."

Lu Xinlan clenched his hands in his sleeves, and without looking at Zhao's expression, he leaned over and bowed to Pei again.

"Grandma, I have stolen my sister's blessings all these years. Now that my sister has returned home, I cannot stay and take away her love."

"Nonsense, what do you mean by dividing it? No one can take it away from you."

Zhao couldn't bear to listen any longer, so she stood up, walked quickly to Lu Xinlan's side, and grabbed her wrist.

"Don't talk nonsense. In my heart, you will always be my daughter. No one can compare to you."

As she spoke, she did not forget to glance at Lu Xinran, who rolled his eyes speechlessly.

[She must be really ill. Who would want such a stupid mother's love? If I hadn't stayed in Beijing to watch the show, I wouldn't have stayed here to suffer.]

Being scolded again!

It has long been said that she grew up in the countryside and is extremely vulgar and not presentable. Now she is openly insulting her biological mother in her heart. How can she like such a character!

Lu Xinran was stared at by her and always felt that the flaming look in her eyes was a little strange.

[Are you planning to kick me out? Hiss, Lu Xinlan didn't mean that just now! As expected of the heroine, she is so scheming that she can make the stupid Zhao achieve her goal with just one simple sentence.]

Pei at the head couldn't stand it any longer. It was such a mess.

What heroine, what scheming, what stupid Zhao...

How could anyone say that about their biological mother?

Pei looked at Lu Xinran who was curled up obediently in the corner, and sighed in her heart that this child was angry.

Yes, they have ignored her feelings during this period, thinking that finding her and raising her well is treating her well.

I forgot that the servants in this mansion love to flatter the powerful and look down on the weak. I don’t know how much gossip this girl has heard and how much injustice she has suffered.

As a mother, Zhao should have supported her, but she hated her own daughter more than anyone else.

Thinking of this, Pei couldn't help but sigh again.

At this moment, the sisters-in-law of Mrs. Kong and Mrs. Feng all lowered their eyelids, pretending that everything in the room had nothing to do with them.

Zhao was almost driven to lose his mind by the word "stupid".

This daughter is really her unlucky one!

For the first time, Lu Xinlan felt helpless. It was obviously not her intention, so why did her sister look at her like that?

She took Zhao's hand and helped her sit back on the chair, then spoke again, trying to divert everyone's attention to what she had just said.

"Grandma, Xin Lan is thinking about his family in the countryside. Now that his sister has returned home, it's time for Xin Lan to go back and fulfill his filial duties."

[What filial piety? She is pretending not to know that her biological parents are dead. She is really scheming and has great acting skills. I almost got fooled by her.]

Lu Xinlan: “……?!!”

She closed her eyes helplessly, realizing that she couldn't explain it clearly.

Zhao's wife pulled her to her side like a guard, "Just stay in the mansion with peace of mind. Mother still has those words that belong to you, and no one can take them away from you."

Lu Xinran continued to roll her eyes. How on earth could she, as a biological mother, give birth to a son who was the top student in high school at the age of only 20?

When did she say she wanted to steal the heroine's favor and limelight?

Brain damage is a disease and needs to be treated.

Pei had already rubbed her brows. She had been able to do her job properly for decades, and she hadn't felt powerless for a long time.

"Xinran, Xinlan, I called you here today because there is some light on the matter of your exchange back then."