Loved by everyone, flowers bloomed at her sight

Shangguan Niao could not believe it, her voice escaping her control. "Father, over such a trivial matter, you would actually disown me?"

"It is not I who refuse to acknowledge you. You were the one who first rejected me as your father."

The Duke of Ding pointed at the door and roared furiously, "Get out! I don't want to see you."

Shangguan Niao's eyes instantly reddened, and tears rolled down uncontrollably.

Unable to hold back any longer, she covered her mouth, turned, and ran out sobbing.

"Little sister!"

Concern filled Shangguan Qing's face, and she hurried after her.

"Qing'er!"

"Little sister, Father inevitably speaks a little harshly when he is angry. Don't take it to heart."

Shangguan Qing tried to wipe Shangguan Niao's tears, but Shangguan Niao turned her head away in a fit of pique, refusing even to look at her.

Shangguan Qing did not mind. Her voice was gentle as she said, "Father's birthday is in two days. I'll help you prepare a gift for him. When you give it to him then, his anger will surely disappear."

Suddenly, something occurred to her.

Shangguan Niao turned her head and caught sight of the ugly scar on her legitimate elder sister's face. A barely perceptible flash of pleasure crossed the depths of her eyes.

Back then, the Duke of Ding had sought renowned physicians from all over, even inviting imperial physicians, but unfortunately, the wound on Shangguan Qing's face had been too deep. Even after several years, the scar had only faded a little.

The scar ran from the corner of her eye to her chin, hideously twisted, like a centipede coiled across her face, ugly and glaring.

Whenever Shangguan Niao saw the scar on her legitimate elder sister's face, even her foulest mood would turn cheerful.

Hah!

So what if she was more favored? With a face that ugly, who would like her?

Only her father treated Shangguan Qing like a precious treasure.

In quite a good mood, Shangguan Niao asked, "Sister, will Minister Shen's family be coming to Father's birthday celebration too?"

The Duke of Ding's birthday banquet had always been arranged by Shangguan Qing and her mother, and Shangguan Qing also drew up the guest list for every banquet.

"Of course. Minister Shen is Father's colleague, and they are on good terms. He has always attended Father's birthday celebrations."

Shangguan Qing pressed her lips together in a soft smile. "There may be one more guest this year, though. His Majesty appointed Minister Shen's youngest daughter as a female official, so she should be coming with him."

At the mention of Shen Yuxi, an uncontrollable flicker of panic swept through Shangguan Niao's heart.

She blurted out, "Can't we just not invite them?"

"Hmm?"

Somewhat surprised, Shangguan Qing looked at her little sister in astonishment.

"Little sister, have you had a disagreement with Minister Shen's family?"

Shangguan Qing looked at her somewhat gloomy expression and asked softly.

The moment the words left her mouth, she inwardly regretted them.

Her little sister had no dealings with Minister Shen's family, so there should be no reason for a disagreement to arise.

"No. I'm tired. I'm going to rest."

Shangguan Niao lowered her head, concealing her unreadable emotions, then turned and headed toward her own courtyard.

She left Shangguan Qing standing there, looking at a loss.

In the blink of an eye, the Duke of Ding's birthday arrived.

Duke Dingguo's Residence was decked with lanterns and colorful streamers, its vermilion gates thrown wide. Two rows of servants in blue stood respectfully with their hands lowered, and the lantern light made the gilded eaves gleam. Elegant music from strings and flutes drifted leisurely out of the inner courtyards-a most prestigious birthday banquet by the capital's standards.

Almost all the court officials on good terms with the Duke of Ding came with their families.

Led by attendants, they took their seats one after another.

Shen Yuxi sat among the women, looking exceptionally solitary compared with the young ladies of prominent families gathered around her, chatting and laughing.

She had not left the residence in over a decade and had made no friends.

She did not know these young ladies well, nor had she any interest in approaching them to strike up a conversation. She concentrated on eating the fish with pickled mustard greens on her table.

The fish with pickled mustard greens at Duke Dingguo's Residence tasted much better than her family's cook's version.

She had no idea how Duke Dingguo's Residence had arranged the seating. Her mother and second sister were both terribly far away.

"Third Miss Shen, my name is Xue Min. I am Chancellor Xue's granddaughter. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Xue Min took the initiative to approach and speak to her. After introducing herself, she dipped her head slightly in greeting.

Her manner was poised and proper, observing the etiquette of a prominent family while carrying a touch of youthful warmth.

Shen Yuxi raised her eyes to meet the other girl's bright gaze, somewhat surprised by this sudden friendliness.

Puzzled, she asked, "Do you know me, Miss Xue? I don't believe we've ever met."

Xue Min's lively almond-shaped eyes curved slightly, and she lowered her voice, with a touch of playfulness and understanding shared only between girls.

She laughed softly. "I often socialize with the young ladies in the capital and know almost all of them, but I've never seen anyone with your looks and bearing, Third Miss Shen. Besides, I noticed Tinglan glancing this way from time to time. With her paying you so much attention, I assumed you must be the renowned Third Miss Shen."

At this, Shen Yuxi's expression remained calm. "I am Third Miss Shen, but I would not dare accept the word 'renowned.' You exaggerate, Miss Xue."

"I'm not exaggerating. Third Miss Shen is the first female official appointed by His Majesty in the Mo Kingdom, an incomparable honor. And when Qingzhou was in peril, you contributed a prescription for the epidemic, saving tens of thousands of commoners' lives..."

Halfway through, she tactfully stopped herself, then said with smiling eyes, "I like you very much, Third Miss Shen. May I call you Yuxi from now on? You can call me A Min, too, so we needn't sound so distant and polite with all this 'Third Miss Shen' and 'Miss Xue.'"

At her words, a faint trace of warmth flickered in Shen Yuxi's eyes, dispelling some of her initial reserve.

She nodded gently. "All right, A Min."

Seeing her agree, Xue Min immediately blossomed into a smile, her deep dimples making her look even more charming. She simply shifted her chair a little, moving closer to Shen Yuxi.

Her gaze swept over the untouched plates of delicate pastries on the table. She casually picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and held it out to Shen Yuxi.

"Try this. Duke Dingguo's Residence makes the most authentic osmanthus cake. It's sweet without being cloying. I've already had two pieces."

[Host, I only went to headquarters for a bit, and you've already made a new friend?]

At this, the corners of Shen Yuxi's lips unconsciously curved into a smug smile, and she lightly brushed the loose strands of hair beside her ear with her fingertips.

[Yep. Everyone loves your host, and flowers bloom at my sight. Is it strange for me to make friends?]

She deliberately drew out her words with a touch of haughty pride, as though saying, "This is all basic stuff."

Shen Yuxi asked, [Get to the important part. What reward did headquarters give you?]

Headquarters had sent a message: recently, Shen Yuxi and the system had been gobbling up gossip like mad, causing their energy to surge and their performance to soar.

So the system had been summoned back to headquarters to receive commendation and collect its reward.

A faint trace of astonishment crossed Xue Min's previously composed face.

Her grandfather had told her what was special about Third Miss Shen and instructed her to be on good terms with her, becoming friends if possible.

At first, she had not quite believed it.

What was this talk of hearing someone's inner voice?

And how could an all-knowing, all-seeing "system" possibly exist in this world?

Now, she had seen it with her own eyes and heard it with her own ears. It could not have been more real.

Xue Min felt that the worldview she had held for over a decade had suffered an immense shock, and she sat there in a daze.