Qiao Sen’s small face immediately became flustered, and he protested, “Second Sister, don’t talk nonsense! T-That Sun Tiantian is also my schoolmate!”


  However, Qiao Lin promptly reached out to pinch her brother’s small face and chortled, “That’s right, give it to her. See, friendly affection between schoolmates is so nice.”


  On the other hand, Qiao Mu curved her small mouth as she grasped her brother’s hand. “Xiao Sen, you haven’t acted up and bullied your classmates in the academy recently, right?”


  “I didn’t, didn’t, didn’t!” Qiao Sen didn’t expect the conversation to take a sudden turn to the topic of the academy, and he immediately shook his small head to declare his position. “Xiao Sen dares not forget Sister’s teachings for even a single day. Right now, I have already become good friends with Ren Hongfei.”


  “Good friends, really?”


  “Really, it’s true!”


  “Then how about that dissolute companion that you were hanging out with before, Gao Fang?” Qiao Mu asked, still a bit worried.

  Qiao Sen laughed foolishly and said, “We haven’t played together in a long time. After the academy lets out, I leave together with Ren Hongfei and Sun Tiantian. Second Sis saw us last time too!”


  “Yup yup yup, that little lady smiled so sweetly at you. So her name is Sun Tiantian[1]. Even her name is sweet!”


  Qiao Mu was at a loss for words.

  “Come, come, come, let us divide up these silk flowers. Younger Brother, you have to remember to bring this most charming and lovely silk flower to Little Sister Sun Tiantian, okay!”


  “Okay.” Our dear Qiao Sen very glumly put away this girly item as he secretly pursed his small lips.

  “Stand right there! You country bumpkin, did you not hear me calling you?” The young miss that Qiao Lin had pushed aside earlier was unwilling to let her off and had caught up to the sibling trio. With a wave of her hand, she motioned for several boy servants to come forward before belligerently putting her hands on her lips as she stood before them.

  Qiao Lin was promptly incensed, and she stood in front of Qiao Mu and Qiao Sen, also putting her hands on her hips before scolding that young miss with frowning brows and angry eyes. “I say, are you done yet? I’m not even paying attention to you anymore, so what do you still want? Are you lacking a beating?”


  As a matter of fact, Qiao Mu had recognized who that young lady was with a glance.

  This was Xu Mingzhu, the third miss of the Marquis of Placation’s Estate. At that time in the Qin Estate, back when she had slapped on an invisibility talisman, she had also given Xu Mingzhu a big slap across the face while she was at it when she saw that Xu Mingzhu was tormenting and killing the small beasts. It led Xu Mingzhu to mistake the slap as Mu Qianqian’s handiwork, so the two came to blows in a catfight.

  Beside her was the fourth miss, Xu Mingxin, who had accompanied Xu Mingzhu to the Spring Dawn Theater to watch the vaudeville show. She recognized Qiao Mu with a glance and quickly stepped forward to properly curtsy, “Xu Mingxin greets the crown prince consort.”


  Xu Mingzhu was just unable to restrain her anger. During yesterday’s New Year’s feast, everyone’s focus was on that crown prince consort, so who would’ve still noticed her small, pathetic existence even though she possessed elegant and refined looks.

  It was so abominable that she had clearly dolled herself up so prettily, but that hillbilly crown prince consort had taken all the limelight away.

  “You want to make trouble, eh?” Qiao Lin rolled up her sleeves, making it seem as if she was looking to pick a fight.

  She had caught on that this neurotic woman before them had simply come to cause trouble for them siblings!

  “Sister.” Fourth Miss Xu was frightened into hastily dragging Xu Mingzhu back. “Sister, it is best not to be overly impudent in front of the crown prince consort.”


  “Scram!” Xu Mingzhu brusquely flung away Xu Mingxin’s hand before lashing out at her with a fleeting glance. “You useless thing, scram aside.”


  “How have I hindered you by purchasing silk flowers?” Qiao Lin lambasted, “I didn’t even pay attention to you when I heard you mocking me earlier, yet you’re still being unreasonable, eh?”


  “You’re looking for a thrashing!”


  [1] ‘Tian’ means sweet