The Princess Consort of Pingyang looked at Lady Song's retreating back with a complex expression.
"Duoduo used to have the surname Song."
Xu Jinxin instantly understood what the Princess Consort of Pingyang meant.
"Tch," she scoffed.
"What a stupid woman!" Xu Jinxin curled her lips in disdain.
"However, if she hadn't been so foolish, you wouldn't have picked up such a well-behaved daughter for nothing."
"Indeed. That's why my feelings are a bit complicated."
Facing her bosom friend, the Princess Consort of Pingyang was very frank.
"What's complicated about it? It is her failing to cherish what she had, and it is also your good fortune."
"If you don't want her, I'm still waiting. Just give Duoduo to me," Xu Jinxin teased with a smile.
"In your dreams! I won't do that!"
The Princess Consort of Pingyang showed a rare trace of girlish petulance.
She looked not far away, where Yingniang was looking down and talking to Duoduo.
The expression on Yingniang's face was almost exactly the same as when Xu Jinxin used to talk to her back in the day.
"It would be wonderful if they could become bosom friends just like us."
Xu Jinxin nodded as well. The two of them looked at the two children not far away at the same time, their faces filled with reminiscence of the past.
Seeing that Madam Song had been led away by a maid, Yingniang finally turned to look at Duoduo.
"That person is gone. Why were you afraid of her?"
"She is just the wife of a lowly county magistrate, not the Empress. What's there to be afraid of?"
Duoduo unconsciously picked at her palm. She looked at Madam Song's retreating back and bit her lip.
"She is my former mother."
"Ah? She is..." Yingniang was extremely surprised.
Then, she understood.
On the way here today, her mother had told her that the Princess Consort of Pingyang was in poor health and thus had no children of her own.
Now, she had adopted a girl, and today's banquet was specially held to formally acknowledge the relationship.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were a child without parents."
Yingniang apologized for her presumption.
Duoduo lowered her eyes sadly.
"Is that what all of you think?" Duoduo was a bit heartbroken.
"Hey, who cares what others think? As long as you are happy, that's all that matters," Yingniang comforted Duoduo.
"Besides, parents who don't want their own child and abandon her aren't worth having anyway."
"Actually, you should be happy. You left parents who are worse than pigs and dogs, and found parents who love you. Isn't that a good thing?"
"Worse than pigs and dogs?" It was the first time Duoduo had heard such a description.
"Yes! Let me tell you, the Princess Consort of Pingyang is very nice, even though the Prince of Pingyang isn't a very good person."
Yingniang shook her head.
Duoduo's eyes widened. "Who said that? My father is great!"
"He knew I wanted to learn how to read, so he taught me himself. He knew I was being bullied, so he had Ling Feng teach me martial arts. He is the best father!"
Duoduo argued strongly.
Yingniang was stunned. How come this didn't sound like the same person her mother had described?
"So he only taught you to read? Did he teach you how to write?"
Duoduo shook her head. "I have a nanny to teach me how to write, I don't need my father for that."
Yingniang didn't give up. "Then when he knew you were bullied, did he help you get revenge?"
Duoduo shook her head again. "It's my own business, why would my father need to help?"
"Father said that only when you become strong yourself can you avoid being bullied."
Duoduo's words won Yingniang's approval.
"My mother said the same thing. Only when you are strong yourself are you truly formidable."
Duoduo nodded with a beaming smile. "Right! That's what my father said too."
Yingniang felt like she had been led off track, but she couldn't figure out exactly where the conversation had derailed.
"But you haven't become strong yet. What if someone bullies you now?"
Duoduo was stumped by the question. She began to think about it seriously.
Yingniang rolled her eyes.
"Let me tell you, if anyone bullies you, you just hit them right back!"
Duoduo froze. "Hit them back?"
Yingniang waved her fist.
"Yes, hit them back!"
"You are a prince's daughter now. In Xianyang City, you can walk sideways."
"If anyone blind enough dares to bully you, just have your people hit them back!"
"After hitting them, you come back crying and complain to the Prince. The Prince will definitely back you up."
Duoduo thought it sounded fun and covered her mouth, giggling secretly.
"Walk sideways? That's a crab."
Yingniang waved her hand. "Wasn't that a metaphor? Who told crabs to be the only ones that walk sideways?"
Duoduo laughed. "Why not a tiger? Tigers are fierce!"
Yingniang nodded in agreement. "Yes, tigers are fierce, and lions are fierce too!"
"Then I want to be a big tiger!"
Duoduo put her hands by her cheeks and imitated a tiger, letting out a rawr.
"At best, you are just a little kitten. I am the big tiger."
Yingniang roared with a lot of momentum.
Duoduo clapped her small hands and jumped up.
"Sister, your imitation is so good!"
Yingniang was very proud and roared again.
Duoduo laughed happily, giggling, and clapped very supportively.
Yingniang stopped, her face flushing with belated embarrassment.
Ah, she had been led astray again!
This little sister was really hard to guide!
Yingniang took Duoduo's hand and sat down.
"Did you remember what I just told you?"
Duoduo nodded obediently.
"I remember! If someone bullies me, I will be a crab. No, a big tiger!"
"Rawr, I'll eat them up in one bite!"
Duoduo struck a fiercely cute pose.
Yingniang helplessly raised her hand and smacked her forehead.
Oh, my goodness!
Duoduo looked at Yingniang curiously. "Sister, what's wrong? Did a bug bite you?"
As Duoduo spoke, she mimicked Yingniang and smacked her own forehead.
With a smack, Duoduo was amused.
"Sister, so this is actually quite fun!"
Yingniang hurriedly grabbed Duoduo, who was getting ready to smack herself again.
She poked Duoduo's forehead with her finger. "Are you silly? Why are you hitting yourself?"
Duoduo grinned. "Didn't you act silly first, Sister?"
"I'm not silly!" Yingniang defended herself.
"But you just hit yourself," Duoduo retorted.
"I wasn't hitting, I was smacking," Yingniang tried hard to explain.
"Smacking is hitting! Sister is so silly," Duoduo pouted.
"Ah! I'm going to die of anger because of you!"
Yingniang turned around in a huff, not wanting to talk to Duoduo.
Duoduo couldn't understand. They were talking perfectly fine just a moment ago, so why was her sister suddenly angry?
Duoduo tugged at the corner of Yingniang's clothes.
"Sister, I said it wrong just now."
"You aren't silly, you just smacked yourself."
Yingniang felt like she was going to explode with anger. She wanted to walk away, but seeing Duoduo's cautious appearance, she couldn't vent her frustration.
"Of course I'm not silly. I just lightly smacked myself, I wasn't hitting myself. Do you understand?"
Duoduo nodded. "I understand."
Yingniang finally nodded in satisfaction and smiled at Duoduo.
Wait, that's not right!
What were they talking about just now?
Sigh!
She had been led off track by this little sister once again!
