Jiang Shuyue took two steps behind Jiang Chen and lowered her head fearfully.
"Yes. Whatever you say, little sister. I have nothing to say."
Jiang Liuli was struck speechless.
She had said nothing, yet it was more devastating than anything she could have said.
Anger simmered inside Jiang Liuli.
She had always used this trick against Jiang Shuyue before, but now this bitch was using it against her.
Unable to curse her out, Jiang Liuli could only grit her teeth and swallow them down with her blood. "Since you put it that way, big sister, let's leave it at that. Whatever you say."
"Don't worry, little sister. I never fought you for anything before, and I won't in the future. Hairpins, clothes, rouge, powder-take whatever you like. I won't say a word."
"You can take anything else, but not my husband. Don't you dare set your sights on him!"
"What do you mean? When have I ever taken your things or set my sights on your husband?"
Jiang Shuyue blinked. "You haven't? But you're still wearing the hairpin you snatched from me!"
"Second Brother gave me that. I'd only worn it for a day when you said it went perfectly with your dress. You borrowed it and never gave it back. I'm scared you'll come asking to borrow my husband next."
Like a pitiful little thing, Jiang Shuyue tugged at Jiang Chen's sleeve.
Jiang Chen's brows knitted, and the disgust in his eyes deepened as he looked at Jiang Liuli.
He had asked about it once before. Jiang Liuli had told him that Jiang Shuyue disliked the hairpin and was going to throw it away, so she had asked for it because that seemed such a waste.
Who would have thought this was what had really happened!
Jiang Shuyue said, "And your earrings-Eldest Brother gave those to me on my first day home. I hadn't even brought myself to wear them yet when you said they didn't suit me and traded a flower hairpin for them. I was actually quite reluctant to part with them."
Jiang Wujie was stunned.
He had chosen those precious earrings from thousands of options and spent over seven hundred taels on them. Jiang Liuli had traded a worthless flower hairpin for them?
And at the time, she had said Jiang Shuyue thought he was too stingy and had given them to her because she disliked them.
Did that mean Jiang Liuli had been lying to him all along?
Jiang Wujie could not believe that the little sister he had always cradled in his palms was a habitual liar.
Large tears rolled down Jiang Liuli's cheeks.
"Big sister, you gave them to me because you disliked them! How could you turn black into white and say that about me? Eldest Brother, you have to stand up for me!"
Jiang Wujie said, "Well..."
"I disliked them? Before I married, everything I wore put together wasn't worth twenty taels. Was I in any position to turn my nose up at something worth hundreds of taels apiece? I was lucky it didn't turn its nose up at me."
Jiang Chen and his brother recalled how she used to dress. Her clothes had been only a tiny bit better than the servants'.
How had they let their own little sister dress so shabbily?
Guilt rose in both brothers' hearts.
Jiang Shuyue said, "Besides, it wasn't her birthday or any other occasion that called for presents. Giving her one or two things would be understandable, but eighteen?"
"I've only been home for three months. That's an average of six gifts a month."
"I was so poor I had to grow vegetables in my courtyard, yet I gave all my things away? Does that sound possible? I'm not an idiot!"
Before Jiang Liuli could speak, Jiang Shuyue took her hand with a sincere expression.
"But I don't mean to blame you, little sister. After all, this marriage of mine was originally yours. Who could have imagined the marquis would treat me so well? Now I understand your painstaking intentions."
Jiang Liuli tilted her head. "What painstaking intentions?"
"Didn't you just want me to learn to be thrifty so the people at the Marquis's Residence wouldn't look down on me?"
"But the marquis treats me wonderfully, and the children are all filial and sensible. They bought me this whole outfit!"
Jiang Shuyue stroked her sleeve, raising her hand to reveal an arm as tender, smooth, and lustrous as a section of lotus root, then touched the dangling hairpin on her head.
Jiang Liuli nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Her clothes were made of shu brocade worth a fortune, adorned with Su Embroidery. Her dangling hairpin was pure gold, fashioned with traditional wire-drawing techniques and set with red gemstones. It was worth a king's ransom.
And all of this should have been hers!
Jiang Shuyue: Hmph! That's what you get for stealing my things and being blind! Serves you right!
System: [Congratulations, host, on infuriating the white lotus until she was half-dead. Reward: 3 Green Tea Points. Accumulated total: 10 points!]
Jiang Shuyue: Only ten points? Jiang Liuli is hopeless. I worked so hard, and I still couldn't make her sick with rage!
Jiang Wujie: Little girl, was all that really necessary? Isn't that a bit too vicious?
Jiang Shuyue: I need three hundred Green Tea Points to redeem a Marrow-Cleansing Pill for Second Brother. I'll have to add more fuel to the fire.
Jiang Wujie had not expected her to be doing this for his second brother. Suddenly, he felt she was rather kindhearted after all.
Jiang Shuyue blinked at him. "Eldest Brother, I really did love those earrings. I heard they were one of a kind, so even if I wanted to buy another pair, it would be difficult. I was upset for such a long time."
Jiang Shuyue shed two tears, and Jiang Wujie's heart softened.
"In that case, Liuli, give them back to Shuyue."
"Eldest Brother! Big sister gave them to me! Why won't you believe me?"
Jiang Liuli's tears gushed like a spring, her weeping face as lovely as pear blossoms in the rain.
Jiang Shuyue: A white lotus through and through-even her crying looks pretty! But where does she get the nerve to say something like that?
System: [Have you forgotten? She has no shame to begin with! Jiang Liuli damaged your brother's antique painting, then made insinuations in front of Jiang Wujie that led him to believe you had done it. You were even punished by being made to kneel for twenty hours.]
Jiang Shuyue: Hmph! My knees were nearly ruined. Eldest Brother was at fault too. Should I make him squirm a little?
Jiang Wujie felt wronged.
He had clearly told his mother and grandmother that what was broken was broken, and a few words of reprimand would suffice. He had never told anyone to make his little sister kneel!
It was only a painting. No matter how valuable it was, it could never compare to his own little sister.
Had he known, he would never have let her kneel for so long.
Jiang Wujie silently berated himself. Just how much had this family hidden from him, and how many outrageous things had they done to his little sister?
Jiang Wujie frowned. "Liuli, I taught you not to covet what isn't yours. Since Shuyue wants her things back, of course you should return them."
Jiang Liuli clenched her teeth hard.
Not to covet what isn't mine, huh?
Just you wait. Everything belonging to the Jiang Family will be mine sooner or later!
Jiang Shuyue took off the earrings and held them out. "Eldest Brother is right. I was presumptuous. Please don't hold it against me, big sister."
"We're family. How could I blame you?"
Jiang Shuyue reached out to take them, and a sudden hint of a smile curled her lips.
Her fingertips trembled. Instead of landing in her hand, the earrings fell to the ground and shattered into several pieces.
"Oh no! Little sister, what are you doing? Even if you're angry, you shouldn't take it out on the earrings! You've trampled all over Eldest Brother's affection."
Looking at the shattered earrings on the ground, Jiang Liuli's heart thudded.
Wait, she had handed them over perfectly properly. How had they broken?
Jiang Shuyue: Amateur. You think you can fight me with your paltry skills? Dream on!
Jiang Wujie: *...*
His little sister... was far too scheming, wasn't she?
Before you continue