Reborn in Each Other’s Bodies: A Mother and Daughter’s Deadly Revenge - Chapter 45

“Mother—Zhu’er knows she was wrong. Zhu’er hasn’t seen Mother in so long, and when I heard Mother was ill, I was so worried that I…”

Seeing Sheng Mingzhu bite her lip, her eyes brimming with tears as she tried to explain, memories of being framed by her weeping daughter in their past life came flooding back.

Perhaps because she was unwell, her temper was even more volatile. Sheng Minmin was practically itching to slap Sheng Mingzhu eighteen times across the face.

“You’re not a child anymore. When will you learn to control this impulsive, weepy behavior of yours?”

Sheng Mingzhu grew increasingly aware that her mother had changed.

In the past, if she shed even a single tear, her mother would immediately embrace and comfort her, sometimes even punishing the maids for not serving her attentively enough.

But now, not only did her mother not console her, she didn’t even spare a kind word.

And before, she had often barged into her mother’s bedroom or storeroom without announcement, yet her mother had never once shown her displeasure…

A sense of crisis surged within Sheng Mingzhu.

Recently, many things had happened at home. Her mother had been indifferent to her three brothers, even telling them they no longer needed to come to the Peony Courtyard for morning greetings or meals.

Worse, her mother had revoked her father’s privilege to withdraw money freely. All of this made Sheng Mingzhu realize that her mother was not just some meek, submissive woman.

Simply currying favor with her father and brothers wouldn’t work anymore—because they no longer had access to money.

Her mother was the one holding the purse strings now. How lavish her dowry would be in the future depended entirely on how much her mother doted on her.

So, she had to fight for that favor.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have woken up early and braved the cold wind to come to the Peony Courtyard.

“Mother, your daughter knows she was wrong,” Sheng Mingzhu said pitifully.

Sheng Minmin couldn’t very well say more—after all, this body was still Sheng Mingzhu’s “mother.”

“Fine. Since your foot is injured, sit down first.”

A round-faced little maid, about eight years old, standing behind Huang Xianjing brought over a small stool and placed it beside the couch. Only then did Qingtian help Sheng Mingzhu sit down.

Sheng Minmin still hadn’t permitted Xiangxiang to rise, and the atmosphere in the room remained tense.

Sheng Mingzhu offered half-hearted pleasantries, and Sheng Minmin responded with equal indifference.

Huang Xianjing was on edge, and Qingtian was equally nervous. Neither dared to interject.

Thus, after a few perfunctory exchanges, the “mother and daughter” fell into an awkward silence—a stark contrast to the earlier harmonious mood.

Perhaps to divert attention from the discomfort, Sheng Mingzhu suddenly took an interest in the little maid behind Huang Xianjing.

“Cousin, it’s been so long. I didn’t expect you to have such a clever and adorable maid now.”

Huang Xianjing tensed immediately and replied softly, “It’s only by Aunt’s kindness…”

She didn’t dare say another word, afraid of displeasing Sheng Mingzhu and causing a rift between her and her aunt.

A pang of regret struck Huang Xianjing.

If she had known, she would have brought Sister Dujuan instead. Aunt had secretly given her gifts and this maid, clearly not wanting to draw attention. Mother Du had said Aunt was protecting her by keeping it low-key.

She had assumed that since Aunt had forbidden her cousins from visiting while she was ill, and her younger cousin’s foot was injured, their paths wouldn’t cross.

So when the lively little maid begged to come along, she had agreed—only to run straight into her cousin.

Her cousin might seem sweet and innocent, but she was actually the hardest to get along with.

Two years ago, Aunt had taken out a box of jewelry for them to choose from.

Inside was a pair of adorable silver butterfly hairpins. Seeing how much Huang Xianjing liked them, Aunt had given them to her, and her cousins had praised her for looking cute.

At the time, her younger cousin had also smiled and called her adorable.

But afterward, her cousin had repeatedly targeted her in secret.

Even worse, her cousin’s servants had openly mocked her to her face, and instead of punishing them, her cousin had rewarded them.

Mother Du had advised her to give the hairpins to her cousin.

At first, she hadn’t understood—after all, she had only gotten one pair, while the entire jewelry box had gone to her cousin.

But she trusted Mother Du wouldn’t steer her wrong, so she found an opportunity to hand them over.

True enough, her cousin stopped deliberately humiliating her—though she still didn’t like her.

Mother Du had said her cousin had a jealous nature and warned her not to grow too close to Aunt or her cousins, lest she invite even more resentment and make her life harder.

For the past two years, she had hidden in her courtyard, avoiding any interaction, just to keep her life from becoming more difficult…

But recently, Aunt’s temperament had changed. She had become much more affectionate and protective. Now that Aunt was ill, Huang Xianjing couldn’t not visit.

Who would have thought she’d run into her cousin like this?

“This maid looks delightful. What’s your name?” Sheng Mingzhu asked Zhao Xiaoya.

Zhao Xiaoya blinked her round eyes and smiled. “Replying to Sixth Miss, this servant is called Zhao Xiaoya.”

Sheng Mingzhu’s smile froze.

After Nanny’s punishment, Sheng Mingzhu had been furious and specifically sent someone to investigate the strong maid by her mother’s side. She had heard the maid was bought from outside, originally named Zhao Daya, but later given the name Qingchi by her mother.

Qingchi’s parents had been sent away on some task, and she had a younger sister named Zhao Xiaoya, who was still learning the household rules under an old nanny due to her young age.

Sheng Mingzhu had thought that since Zhao Daya was strong, her sister might be too—perhaps useful in the future.

Even if not, she could use Zhao Xiaoya to keep Qingchi in check, making her think twice before crossing her. So she had planned to ask her mother for the girl in a few days.

A mere maid—as long as her mother agreed, no one in the Sheng household would dare oppose her.

Or so she had thought.

But now, her mother had given Zhao Xiaoya to Huang Xianjing.

“You’re called Zhao Xiaoya? What’s your relation to Sister Qingchi?” Sheng Mingzhu pressed, unwilling to accept it.

“She’s this servant’s elder sister.”

At that, Sheng Mingzhu’s face turned completely ashen, her small hands gripping her handkerchief tightly.

Inside, she was cursing Huang Xianjing wildly.

What right does an orphan have to take what’s mine?

Lately, it felt like nothing had gone right for Sheng Mingzhu.

First, Nanny had been punished, then she had been repeatedly scolded by her mother, forced to copy texts, had her allowances cut, and even injured her foot…

And now, just as she wanted a maid, someone else had snatched her away.

At only six years old, she had already endured so much—this was the last straw. She couldn’t hold back anymore and outright “pleaded” with Sheng Minmin.

“Mother, your daughter has long heard of Zhao Xiaoya and was very interested in her. Now that I’ve met her, I’ve taken a liking to her. Could Mother give her to me instead?”

Normally, the authority over servants lay first and foremost with the matriarch who held their contracts.

But if the matriarch assigned a maid to someone, that maid then belonged to that person.

Meaning Zhao Xiaoya was now Huang Xianjing’s maid.

Even if Sheng Mingzhu wanted her, she should have approached Huang Xianjing with sincerity to “ask” for her.

By bypassing Huang Xianjing entirely and “begging” Sheng Minmin directly, Sheng Mingzhu made it clear she didn’t see Huang Xianjing as worthy of consideration.

Sheng Minmin observed the reactions around her. Qingtian looked anxious, probably not wanting another maid in the courtyard to compete for favor.

As for poor Huang Xianjing, her face had gone pale, her eyes filled with panic.

Zhao Xiaoya, meanwhile, just stood there bewildered, only half-understanding what was happening.