The aroma of the delicious scent filled the air in Yunqing's room, and it seemed to be the norm at every mealtime ever since she woke up. For the past few days that she had spent at the hospital, her mother, Li Qingling, always made sure that she had a wide array of dishes set out in front of her once she was awake. Yunqing was happy to have someone fuss over her like this. After her family in her past life were killed, she had almost forgotten what it was like for someone to care for her like that. Though Nui was there, she could only do so much since she wasn't her mother.
When Yunqing was done eating, she sighed and laid on the bed properly while a maid cleared out the plates.
Li Qingling had gone to have a final talk with the 'yellow-haired doctor' since she would be discharged the next day. Yes, weirdly enough, 'yellow-haired doctor' was the name Yunqing called Qian Ming by. They always seemed to bicker whenever she calls him that.
'No drama, huh!' Yunqing sighed. Not that she wanted a drama-filled life, but her so-called cousin and the family had pretty much disappointed her. They were so surprisingly quiet. She was expecting her to come a long time ago to gloat in her face after everything that has happened.
Due to her past life, she should have been quite used to idle days, but she has been feeling bored for some reason. Maybe it was because she was itching to face those scheming dogs.
"Sister Qingling! Yunqing! Your Aunt Qiuyue is here to see you!"
Suddenly a shrill, ear-piercing voice sounded from outside her room. The door swung open in a swing making a bang on the wall. An overly dressed woman of around the same age as Li Qingling waltz into the room with a younger version of her tagging behind.
'Speak of the devil, and they will appear. Heh! I guess these hypocrites could not bear to stay away then,' Yunqing thought. With the way they walked in, it only seemed like a line-up of hypocrites to her. But the line wasn't complete yet; a few more and it would be.
The people she called hypocrites that just strolled in were her Aunt Sun Qiuyue, the wife of her father's brother, Zhu Fang, and their daughter, Zhu Yanyu.
"Hello, Second Madam. Hello, Second Young Miss," Aunty Zhang and the other maid greeted before stepping out of the room.
Zhu Yanyu's face visibly darkened immediately they referred to her as 'second young miss'. Meanwhile, her mother seemed to be more composed, probably from her years of acting.
'Cheh! If you wear your expression like that already, then it's going to be easy for me to bully you! At least, you should learn a thing or two from your mother,' Yunqing thought as she quirked a fleeting smile. She saw the way Zhu Yanyu's face darkened and wanted to bully her some more.
'You are giving me a reason to bully you, so don't blame me if I am ruthless,' Yunqing thought to herself.
"Second Aunty! Second Cousin! You are here!" Yunqing greeted them with a broad smile on her face. She purposely dawdled on the word second during her greeting.
Zhu Yanyu could not help but feel that Yunqing's smile was mocking her. She clenched her fists behind her back in anger and tried to muster up a smile on her face.
The original Zhu Yunqing was too trusting to not see that Zhu Yanyu was covetous of her position as the first young miss of the Zhu family. Such a shame that even Zhao Yunqing suffered such too. But she was definitely not going to end up as pitiful as her previous life. Now that she was around, Zhu Yanyu should keep dreaming if she thinks she can take away her position as the Zhu Family's first miss. After all, she did not become the empress in her previous life with her family's help alone. She might not have been ruthless in getting the position, but she was definitely smart and talented.
Zhu Yanyu had always had the tag of the second young miss of the Zhu family, and she never liked it. In fact, she hated it so much. Zhu Yanyu obviously couldn't hide her anger anymore. So, she tugged at her mother's clothes, signalling her to do something. Sun Qiuyue understood what her daughter meant and quickly got into her act.
"Qingqing! What happened? You have never called me like that before. And isn't Yu'er your sister anymore. Although you both are cousins, she had always treated you like a sister. Why do you sound so distant now?" Sun Qiuyue said.
"Mother, maybe Sister Yunqing hit her head when she tried to kill herself. Sister Yunqing, are you alright?" Zhu Yanyu chimed in tauntingly. She hoped that was true because that would mean Yunqing would not remember that she found out about Tang Chonglin and her. That way, she could still make use of her. Not knowing that Yunqing was no longer as gullible as she was before.
Tsk! Tsk! What an idiot! Since Zhu Yanyu had an inferiority complex, it's better to use it now before she can get a handle on things.
Yunqing scoffed internally immediately Zhu Yanyu called her 'Sister Yunqing'. The name was like a lousy ring tone to her.
"Forgive my manners Aunty but isn't Yu'er my S.e.c.o.n.d C.o.u.s.i.n*. I do remember having an elder cousin from my mother's side, Cousin Mei. So I don't think it's appropriate to keep calling her like she's my oldest cousin. It would be rude to Cousin Mei. Don't you think so, Aunty? Besides, my dear cousin wouldn't be so petty over name-calling, now would she? Hmm… but this wouldn't be the first time she being jealous, right?" Yunqing replied with a small sneer look on her face as her lips curled upwards.
For a brief moment there, Sun Qiuyue and her daughter seemed to be robbed of their speech.
'Was this the same shy girl who used to follow my daughter around? Why do her eyes seem to have a threatening look in them, or am I not seeing right? Is she aware of our plans?' Sun Qiuyue pondered.
NOTE: When Yunqing said second cousin there, she meant that she had another older cousin than Zhu Yanyu. The older cousin is her first cousin when it comes to age.