When Luo Yilian heard this, she knew that something was wrong. She thought Luo Yining was just throwing a tantrum, but she didn't know that she was actually ill.
She immediately knelt down as well, her eyes moist as she spoke, "Father, if you want to punish me, then do so. But if you really want to, I still have a few things to say. I didn't want to say anything when you came, but you insisted. When I saw that my younger sister wasn't here, I assumed she was absent. Besides, my seventh sister's maid did say something contradictory to the female teacher. Father, please tell me, what exactly did I do wrong..."
Aunt Qiao also cried, "Master said we were spreading rumors. But what Lianjie said was what she saw with her own eyes, so how could it be called spreading rumors? It is a fact that Miss Seven did not go to school, and Lianjie did not lie. My Lianjie has always been well-behaved and sensible, so why would she say anything bad about Miss Seven?"
Luo Chengzhang snorted, "You really thought I didn't know. There was no one guarding the door, so you just waited for me to come and listen. Qiao Yuechan, you have grown up now. You actually plotted against me!"
Aunt Qiao felt a little panicked. Luo Chengzhang had never been so angry with her before. He was probably angry that Yi Lian mistakenly called him his sister, but what he disliked even more was that someone was plotting against him. Aunt Qiao immediately changed her tone and said with a sob, "You are really wronging me by saying that, sir. How could I plot against you? There was no one at the door, it was just the maids who went to the mistress to collect their monthly allowance. The mistress never let me ask about such things. If you really think I was deliberately scheming, you should have told me when you first asked. Why should I hide it..."
When Luo Chengzhang heard Aunt Qiao's pleading, the anger in his heart dissipated a little.
Luo Yilian was crying harder and harder beside her: "I have never suffered such an injustice. Please punish me, father, so as to prove my innocence. I have never been bothered by my seventh sister, so why should I criticize her in such a matter? If father doesn't believe me, then forget it. I, I..."
Luo Yilian spoke more and more hurriedly, and she couldn't catch her breath and passed out.
Aunt Qiao hurried over to hug her daughter, feeling anxious and sad, and the room was in chaos.
Luo Chengzhang was so angry that his daughter fainted, so he didn't even remember to punish her. He even called for a doctor but it was too late.
In the evening, Mrs. Luo was kneeling in front of the Buddha statue chanting sutras when she heard someone report that the Sixth Miss had fainted from crying, and now Aunt Qiao's yard was in a state of chaos.
Mrs. Luo just smiled coldly: "Let her cry."
He then lowered his head and recited Buddhist scriptures, praying for Yining.
When Yining woke up the next day, Lin Hairu came to see her happily. She told her that Luo Chengzhang had punished the mother and daughter after returning home, scolded them severely, and slept in the study that night instead of staying at Aunt Qiao's.
"When your father scolded your sixth sister, she was so weak that she almost fainted from crying."
Yining also listened to Xuezhi's story of what happened yesterday.
Lin Hairu changed the subject and said quietly, "Your Sixth Sister is in very good health. She can eat two bowls of rice at every meal, which is more than I eat. Could she faint from crying? I don't believe it!"
Yi Ning smiled and said, "After she fainted, did father say anything?"
"Your father couldn't even get anyone to help her, he's so heartbroken." Lin Hairu peeled a grape for Yining to eat, then leaned over and said with a smile, "Yining, don't blame me for being harsh. You've recovered quite well from your illness. I'm glad to see that vixen get humiliated. Your father will bring them over to apologize to you soon."
Seeing Lin Hairu's beaming expression, Yi Ning couldn't help but laugh to herself. Her stepmother, Lin Hairu, was so direct and unconcealable, no wonder she was so controlled by Aunt Qiao.
After a while, Luo Chengzhang brought Aunt Qiao and Yi Lian to apologize to Yining.
Yi Lian looked sickly, even worse than Yining. She cried, "I misunderstood, and Daddy accidentally heard it, and you've been wronged. You must forgive me."
Luo Chengzhang watched his delicate sixth daughter cry like this. Thinking of how she fainted last night because of his scolding, he couldn't help but say, "Yining, your sixth sister is not feeling well. She fainted yesterday... She admitted her fault sincerely. You should forgive her."
Yi Lian was raised by Luo Chengzhang himself after all, and he was familiar with the child's weak nature.
She has always been gentle and timid, and always gives in to her younger sister, so she probably wouldn't intentionally harm her.
Before Yi Ning could say anything, Lin Hairu said coldly, "Master, what are you talking about? What disease did Lian Jieer have that made her unwell? Yi Ning only got better after having a fever. Master, don't you know who to cherish?"
It's rare for my stepmother to be so understanding.
Yi Ning thought to herself, at least she wasn't Little Yi Ning, otherwise she'd be so frustrated. She was clearly the sick one, so why was Luo Yi Lian the more delicate one? She was just pretending to be weak and pathetic.
Yi Ning pondered for a moment, her eyes red as she replied weakly, "Mother, please don't say that. Although Sixth Sister is the eldest sister, she has always been frail. Besides, Daddy always says that as a younger sister, I should give in to her." She looked at Luo Chengzhang bewilderedly and said, "I forgive my sister, so Daddy won't blame me... I didn't follow the rules of the female teacher, it's my fault. I wanted to finish copying the book. But I fainted because I was so uncomfortable. I won't do it next time..."
She looked so frightened and pitiful. It was clearly not her fault, but she was so worried that others would blame her.
Luo Chengzhang saw the usually spoiled Yi Ning looking frail. Her small, palm-sized face was stained with tears, and the small mole on her eyebrow was so cute, vaguely resembling her mother. Her tone was bewildered and aggrieved, and he couldn't help but think of her as a child, even two years younger than Yi Lian.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
