Chapter 7: If the overt approach doesn't work, then try a softer one.
As soon as Xiao Lingxi entered the room, she threw herself into Liu's arms as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Startled by her display of force, Madam Liu quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Lingxi grabbed her mother's hand, her voice urgent and aggrieved: "Mother! It's Su Xiaoyu! And my eldest brother! Please transfer Su Xiaoyu away quickly, she's a 'troublemaker' if she stays by my side!"
Liu was taken aback: "What's wrong with Su Xiaoyu? Hasn't she always been helping you with chores and studying with you?"
"No! She has impure intentions. She's seducing my elder brother. He comes to my courtyard not to test me, but to see her! He even uses me to bring her food every time! Mother, you must transfer her away quickly. This cunning girl can't stay by my side!"
Xiao Lingxi finished speaking in one breath, then looked expectantly at Madam Liu, waiting for her to uphold justice.
However, upon hearing this, the worry on Liu's face faded, and instead, she revealed an expression that was both funny and exasperated.
She stretched out her finger and tapped her daughter's forehead in an annoyed manner.
"What nonsense are you spouting!"
"That girl Su Xiaoyu? She seduced your older brother? You've been reading too many romance novels and you're obsessed!"
"Mother?!"
Xiao Lingxi panicked, "I'm telling the truth! My brother really..."
"Really what?" Madam Liu interrupted her: "I'm asking you, besides being interested in food, has Su Xiaoyu ever ever overstepped her bounds in any way towards your elder brother? Has she ever dressed up deliberately? Has she ever tried to get close to your elder brother?"
Xiao Lingxi was speechless for a moment after being asked the question!
Upon careful reflection, it seems there really isn't one.
Every time that guy sees his older brother, he wants to curl up into a ball. Apart from being obsessed with his food, he seems... really nothing unusual.
Seeing that she was speechless, Liu continued, "What kind of person is your elder brother? He is deep and has high standards, otherwise he wouldn't still be single at 24!"
"What kind of beauties hasn't he seen? What could he possibly want with a little girl who hasn't even grown up yet and only knows how to eat and be lazy all day?"
Madam Liu shook her head, finding her daughter's idea utterly absurd. "I think your eldest brother did this because he saw that the girl was a bit clever and greedy, so he used this method to both train you and make her pay more attention to you and serve you more diligently. This is called using both kindness and severity, the way to manage subordinates. You should learn from this!"
The more Liu talked, the more she felt that her analysis made sense. Finally, she came to a conclusion and glared at her daughter.
"I think you just don't want to learn the rules properly, so you're making up these lies to fool me, hoping I'll transfer Su Xiaoyu away so you can continue to slack off, isn't that right?"
Xiao Lingxi: "!!!"
She opened her mouth, but seeing her mother's "I've seen through you" expression, she felt a lump in her throat, almost causing internal injury.
no?
She was clearly telling the truth, so how did it all become an excuse for her to avoid studying when her mother heard it?
“Mother! I didn’t! I’m telling the truth!” she struggled in vain.
"Alright, alright," Madam Liu waved her hand impatiently. "Stop making a scene here. Go back and study hard. Your elder brother will test you tomorrow. If you still can't answer, see how I punish you. Now get out!"
In the end, Xiao Lingxi's attempt to "complain" failed, and she was humiliated when Liu Shi ruthlessly "invited" her out.
Looking at the bright sun overhead, she felt dizzy and her heart was filled with unbearable frustration.
The complaint failed, but the older brother's 'torture' would continue; Su Xiaoyu, the culprit, was still living a life of luxury right under her nose...
Xiao Lingxi realized with grief and indignation that she seemed to be the "silliest" one in this family!
"Aaaaaah!!! I'm so angry!" Xiao Lingxi couldn't help but swing her fist at the air, startling the passing maid who quickly ducked away.
"No, I can't just let this go!"
Her chest heaved, her eyes filled with resentment and anger.
"Miss, please calm down."
The head maid, Zisu, advised her, "I think the young master does treat Su Xiaoyu a little differently. Since confronting him directly won't work, and the madam doesn't believe us, why don't we... go along with the young master's wishes and treat Xiaoyu a little better? Maybe the young master will notice and be pleased, and he might be more lenient with your studies, Miss."
"What? You want me, the legitimate daughter of the Yongning Marquis's mansion, to lower myself to fawn over a stupid and clumsy girl?!" Xiao Lingxi pointed to her nose, her face full of disbelief and humiliation.
"Zisu! Have you lost your mind? This is utterly upside down! Who is the master and who is the servant! Can't you tell the difference?"
Zisu shrank back after being scolded, not daring to utter another word.
Xiao Lingxi grew angrier as she spoke: "If I try to please her, what will everyone in this mansion think of me? What will become of my reputation? How will I manage the other servants in the future?"
Expect her to be kind and gentle to Su Xiaoyu? Absolutely not!
Thinking of something, Xiao Lingxi suddenly stopped, a hint of smugness and cunning flashing in her eyes.
"If the direct approach doesn't work, can't I try a 'softer' method?"
"Didn't you think she was clever and just shove her in here to appease me? Fine! Then I'll 'make good use of' her!"
The more she thought about it, the more brilliant the plan seemed. She instructed Zisu, "Go and call Su Xiaoyu over!"
A moment later, Su Xiaoyu came over anxiously.
Xiao Lingxi sat upright, adopting the air of a master, but her tone was unusually 'peaceful'.
“Su Xiaoyu, now that you’ve come to my courtyard, you can’t keep doing this kind of rough work. I’ve seen that you’ve been quite well-behaved these past few days. How about this, from today onwards, you’ll stay by my side and serve me with my writing materials, and also…”
She paused, then emphasized, "Learn some manners, cultivate your character."
Su Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat.
Learn the rules?
To cultivate one's character?
Before she could respond, Xiao Lingxi immediately gestured to Zisu to teach Su Xiaoyu "rules".
Zisu stepped forward and answered in a neat and orderly manner:
"First, when serving closely, one must pay attention to demeanor. When serving the Second Miss, one must maintain an upright posture and keep one's head bowed."
"Secondly, your breathing should be steady and gentle. You should not breathe too heavily or make any noise, so as not to disturb the Second Miss's peace and quiet."
"Third, since you are learning the rules, you must be single-minded and not let your eyes wander, especially... you can't stare at the dessert plate. If you are caught staring at the plate, you will lose your dinner for that day."
Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoyu's eyes widened instantly, her face filled with disbelief!
Is this meant to train her into a wooden doll?
Help!
Xiao Lingxi felt very relieved when he saw her face fall instantly. He felt that the shadow of being tormented by his older brother these days had also dissipated a bit.
“Su Xiaoyu, I’m being so strict with you because it’s for your own good. After all, you were sent here by my elder brother. If you behave improperly and embarrass our Marquis’s mansion and my elder brother, then it will be my fault, won’t it?”
Su Xiaoyu wanted to cry but had no tears.
What else could she say?
This feeling of being controlled even in breathing instantly brought back memories of the terrifying times in modern times when she was controlled by her clients and had to work non-stop revising plans.
Physical exhaustion can be endured, but mental confinement and repression are the real torture.
But who can argue with the fact that they are the masters and she is just a lowly maid?
She could only manage a smile that looked more like a grimace, and curtsied, saying, "This servant... understands, thank you for your guidance, Second Miss."
o(╥﹏╥)o
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