Chapter 193: Bringing You Back

Chapter 193: Bringing You Back

"You are my sister's mistress, right? You are so beautiful!" Dan Hong stared intently at Lu Lingyun, her eyes full of innocence.

"Dan Hong, don't be so rude!" Shuang Hong, seeing her walk straight into the courtyard, immediately reprimanded her. "Kneel down now! Greet the young mistress!"

As her words fell, the young girl named Dan Hong knelt down with a thud. "Wishing you well, young mistress."

The phrase "Wishing you well, young mistress" instantly pulled Lu Lingyun back from her thoughts.

Looking at the innocent girl before her, she remembered how, in her previous life, Dan Hong had also knelt and greeted her in this same manner.

Her eyes were wide and innocent.

Indeed, Dan Hong was innocent and kind-hearted.

However, the more innocent and kind-hearted a person was, the more terrifying they could be!

After escaping with her mother, they had been lucky enough to find a reliable man who protected them well and treated Dan Hong as his own, never having more children of his own.

Later, when her mother passed away from illness, an accident led to her being recognized by her biological father and grandmother. They cried and begged to take her back. Despite her stepfather's efforts to protect her, Dan Hong chose her biological father and grandmother, people she had only met a few times.

All because they claimed they had been searching for her for over a decade, missing her deeply, and that their blood bond could never be broken!

Afterward, when she found Shuang Hong, she used the same reasoning, but Shuang Hong, remembering the past, refused to forgive her family. Her younger sister then pestered her daily, urging her to be kind and forgive them!

Ironically, it wasn't her cruel father and grandmother who pulled Shuang Hong into the abyss—it was her 'kind-hearted' younger sister!

In her past life, Lu Lingyun hadn't fully understood who Dan Hong was, but she had always felt a strange affinity for her because of Shuang Hong.

She had even given her many rewards.

But now...

"Shuang Hong! How dare you! Who gave you permission to bring outsiders into the mansion?" Lu Lingyun suddenly lashed out.

She coldly sat in her chair, reprimanding the people below.

Her voice caused a moment of silence in the courtyard, and everyone looked at the angry Lu Lingyun in shock.

Seeing Lu Lingyun's anger, Shuang Hong hurriedly knelt down. "Young mistress, I was wrong."

Shuang Hong had always been timid, extremely cautious when she was with the Lu family, never daring to do anything out of line. After marrying into the Marquis's Mansion and living a life so different from the Lu family, under Lu Lingyun's kindness and leniency, she gradually became more lively and bold.

Today, she brought her younger sister into the mansion, partly because she couldn't resist Dan Hong's constant pleas. She had great affection for her younger sister, whom she hadn't seen for more than ten years. She also thought that introducing her to Lu Lingyun, who had always been kind, wouldn't cause any problems.

Who would have thought that Lu Lingyun would become so furious?

Shuang Hong trembled with fear, realizing the gravity of her mistake.

Seeing her trembling form, Lu Lingyun's voice turned icy. "Don't forget your place! You are a servant of the Marquis's Mansion, and your indenture is with me. You belong to me for life. Who gave you permission to secretly communicate with your family, let alone bring them here?"

Lu Lingyun's stern reprimand caused Shuang Hong's eyes to redden, and she bowed her head repeatedly, pleading for forgiveness. "Yes, young mistress, I was wrong."

"Take her away immediately! Leave my sight!"

"Yes." Shuang Hong hurriedly stood up and pulled Dan Hong away.

When Dan Hong stood up, she furrowed her brow and looked at Lu Lingyun with a hint of hatred in her eyes.

After quickly escorting Dan Hong out of the estate, Shuang Hong said to her, "Go back to your residence and don't come here again."

Dan Hong, hearing this, looked at her with indignation. "Sister, your mistress is clearly a cruel woman! I've never seen a mistress treat her servants so cruelly!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Shuang Hong quickly silenced her. "The young mistress is a good person."

"Good my foot! You're sold to her, but that doesn't mean she can treat you like an animal!"

Shuang Hong felt deeply displeased hearing her sister badmouth Lu Lingyun. "Perhaps the young mistress was just in a bad mood today. She's usually not like this, so please don't say such things."

"I saw it with my own eyes!" Dan Hong said, looking at Shuang Hong with concern. "Sister, I know how hard it is to live as a servant. You've suffered for so many years."

Shuang Hong bit her lip and remained silent.

"Don't worry. I'll go back and talk to Father and Grandmother. We'll buy you back and live a good life!" Dan Hong grabbed Shuang Hong's hand.

At the mention of their father and grandmother, Shuang Hong frowned. "Dan Hong, it's better if you stay away from them."

The memories of being sold were still fresh in her mind. She remembered how her grandmother used to call her and her sister insulting names like "useless brat" and "little slut." Her grandmother would also make them do laundry in the cold winter to earn money and would frequently beat them.

When her father lost money gambling, he would come home and beat them mercilessly.

Shuang Hong had been injured for years, and many scars still marred her body.

After being sold, she sometimes thought that being a servant was far better than living at home.

"They are our family! Our own father and grandmother! They wouldn't do anything to hurt us!" Dan Hong said.

Dan Hong, being two years younger, had forgotten much of the past. Moreover, she had a good stepfather who had always protected her and never let her suffer.

Shuang Hong, not good with words, didn't know how to explain it to her sister. She sighed deeply. "You should go back. I'll come to see you when I have time."

"Alright then." Seeing that Shuang Hong didn't want to talk anymore, Dan Hong reached out. "By the way, sister, we don't have much money. If you have some to spare, lend us a bit. Food in the Imperial City is expensive, and we can't afford it."

Shuang Hong paused, then took off the small pouch from her waist and gave it to her. "There are two taels of silver inside."

"Good!"

Dan Hong, after receiving the money, left through the back gate with a joyful expression.

As Shuang Hong watched her sister leave, a mixture of emotions rose in her heart. As she turned to go back, she bumped into a tall figure.

"What are you looking at?"

A strong male voice sounded.

Shuang Hong looked up to see Captain Qian returning to the estate. She immediately stepped back. "Captain Qian."

Captain Qian grinned playfully. "Why so formal, Shuang Hong? How about some tea?"

Shuang Hong had no mood for tea. She needed to get back to Lu Lingyun's side as soon as possible. Perhaps because she had been preoccupied with family matters and hadn't been around the courtyard much lately, she worried that she had upset Lu Lingyun.

"No tea."

"Why the hurry? The young mistress isn't busy."

Shuang Hong kept walking with her head down.

Captain Qian, seeing that she wasn't responding, followed her and continued to chat. "By the way, who was that young girl you were with just now?"