On the fourth day of Gu Shi Yi's arrival, it was Wet Nurse Huang's turn to take care of Youngest Miss Sun. After following Wet Nurse Huang for a thorough cleansing, she entered the inner courtyard of the eldest young lady. Upon seeing Gu Shi Yi standing behind Wet Nurse Huang, Youngest Miss Sun stared at her with a pair of glossy black eyes, even reaching out to be held. From then on, Gu Shi Yi became like a piece of clingy candy on her, impossible to shake off!
Having won the favor of Youngest Miss Sun, Gu Shi Yi's status within the Sun Residence soared. Not only did her monthly allowance increase, but she also got her own separate courtyard with two young maids to serve her. Every day, she had nothing to do but carry the Youngest Miss in and out, one moment to greet the Old Madam, another to admire the flowers in the courtyard, and occasionally she followed Eldest Young Madam of the Sun Family, holding the Youngest Miss as she dealt with household affairs.
Seeing how Gu Shi Yi had risen in favor, many people flocked to her, trying to curry favor. Only Wet Nurse Huang, with a worried look on her face, hinted to Gu Shi Yi,
"We should only discuss this between ourselves. I reckon the Youngest Miss likes you because you bear a resemblance to the Eldest Young Madam..."
At this point, she looked around and whispered,
"Haven't you noticed? The Eldest Young Madam never holds the Youngest Miss herself..."
Everyone outside believed that Youngest Miss Sun was extremely cherished by her parents, but Gu Shi Yi, having been there for about ten days or so, could see that this was just a facade or perhaps an intentional impression given by the couple. In all this time, she had never once seen the Eldest Young Master of the Sun Family, and Eldest Young Madam never deigned to hold her own daughter.
This husband and wife pair were likely not as harmonious as the rumors suggested!
Seeing that Gu Shi Yi was receptive to her words, Wet Nurse Huang added,
"In three days, the Eldest Young Master will come to visit the Youngest Miss. You should stay away from the front when he does..."
Seeing that Gu Shi Yi seemed confused, she whispered a hint,
"The Eldest Young Madam isn't very fond of her daughter, but towards the Eldest Young Master, she is..."
Gu Shi Yi instantly understood. She resembled the Eldest Young Madam, and she nodded her head,
"Got it!"
Over the past ten days or so, with a keen observation, Gu Shi Yi had come to understand that the position of the Gu Family's eldest young lady had been taken by her cousin. Back then, she had been by her maternal grandfather's side, and in one fell swoop, she went from being a lonely girl living at the mercy of her maternal relatives to become the Gu Family's Miss, fooling everyone. She feared such a feat couldn't be accomplished by her alone!
After all, members of the Gu Family were all marked with the family symbol!
So... it must be the Qian Family who tampered with things, but what was their intention in doing so?
Was it for the Gu Family, or... for the Sun Family?
The more Gu Shi Yi thought about it, the more she felt there was a tremendous secret hidden within. In the middle of the night, when she discussed this quietly with Li Yaner, Li Yaner's thoughts were meticulous, and she saw different things,
"Shiyi, haven't you realized? Your cousin not only dislikes her own daughter, she even has a hint of loathing. From what I see, she doesn't even like to have the child in her sight, yet she has to pretend in front of others. And there's more..."
Li Yaner pondered and then asked Gu Shi Yi,
"Though the Youngest Miss clings to you, they never let you dress her or even enter her bedroom. They only hand her over to you after she's been dressed. Isn't that strange to you?"
Gu Shi Yi thought for a moment and replied,
"I hadn't thought about it. I assumed it was just the family's strict rules!"
Li Yaner shook her head,
"That's not right. Even if what you said is due to the family's strict rules, when the Youngest Miss needs to relieve herself, they never let you take over. They always carry her off to one of the three wet nurses, never allowing a fourth person to do it. It's just too strange!"
Gu Shi Yi frowned and nodded,
"So what do you think is the reason?"
Li Yaner shook her head,
"Why don't you find a chance to sneak me into the Youngest Miss's bedroom tomorrow? I'll take a discreet look around..."
Although Gu Shi Yi was inseparable from the Youngest Miss every day, there were countless eyes watching her; any odd movements could likely be intercepted by others.
Gu Shi Yi was a bit worried,
"There are many prohibitions in place here. Can you manage it?"
After all, the Sun Family was a Great Cultivation Family. Although this place was where the mortal family members lived, there were talismans for exorcism, arrays, and the like in abundance. Some secret places were even guarded by formations that could take one's life; only the main members of the household and some servants under a Blood Covenant could enter those areas.