C11 Yi Lanyou Used the Matter of Etiquette to Retaliate Against Yi Rui'er

At the break of dawn the next morning, Yi Lanyou jolted awake from a nightmare, sitting up with a start. Instinctively, she clutched her right arm so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Her arm was still there.

Gradually, she calmed her breathing and heartbeat. Yi Lanyou threw back the covers and padded barefoot to the bathroom, where she turned on the faucet and rinsed off the sweat clinging to her skin. The cool water cascading over her felt just like the rain from that day.

After her shower, Yi Lanyou slipped into the dress she had brought with her. She spent some time in thought before realizing it was nearing mealtime. She then left her bedroom and made her way to the dining room on the first floor.

"Lanyou, you sure have a knack for timing—just in time for lunch," Yi Rui'er greeted her with a warm smile and a soft voice. "You probably don't know where to have breakfast, right? Come on, I'll show you to the kitchen."

Yi Lanyou gave her a brief glance and proceeded directly to the dining table, where she took a seat and addressed the servant setting up the meal, "What are you waiting for?"

The servant, caught between Yi Rui'er's displeased look and Yi Lanyou's directness, hesitated, unsure of how to proceed as this contradicted what Miss Rui'er had instructed.

Just then, Yi Haoen and Yi Weihai descended the stairs. Seeing them, the servant quickly served Yi Lanyou a bowl of porridge along with a plate of prawn dumplings and soup dumplings.

"You're up early, Lanyou. Did you sleep well last night?" Fang Fang inquired with a gentle smile.

"It was alright," Yi Lanyou replied, taking her seat to eat only after the elders had settled down.

"You couldn't wait for the elders and had the maids serve you immediately. I've never seen anyone so lacking in manners," Yi Rui'er grumbled.

"Rui'er," Fang Fang interjected, "Lanyou was raised in a different environment, and we can't fault her for that. As her younger sister, you should be more understanding and simply guide her in proper etiquette. There's no need for harsh words." After finishing her admonishment, Fang Fang turned to Yi Lanyou with a smile, "Lanyou, your sister is quite outspoken. Please don't take it to heart."

Yi Lanyou offered a wry smile and remarked, "My manners certainly don't measure up to Yi Rui'er's."

Upon hearing Yi Lanyou's comment, Yi Rui'er lifted her chin in pride. After all, she was the bona fide heiress of a wealthy family, a status Yi Lanyou couldn't hope to match.

"I've never been exposed to proper etiquette and manners growing up," Yi Lanyou mused, feigning deep contemplation. "There's something I'm puzzled about, and I hope Auntie can clarify it for me." She paused before adding, "Auntie, consider how Yi Lanyou invited me to have breakfast in the kitchen. What sort of etiquette does that represent?"

Yi Lanyou's words wiped the smile off Yi Rui'er's face, and even Fang Fang's expression soured. In any prestigious household, there is a clear division: the family dines in the dining hall, while the servants eat in the kitchen. Yi Rui'er had clearly disrupted the established social order within Yi's mansion, a matter of utmost importance to the older generation, like Yi Weihai.

In her past life, Yi Lanyou was duped by Yi Rui'er into eating breakfast in the kitchen for several months. It wasn't until Fang Fang intentionally broached the subject that Yi Lanyou realized she had been misled into making a mistake. Yet, her timid nature left her powerless to address it.

This time, however, Yi Lanyou refused to spare Yi Rui'er's feelings, deliberately bringing up the incident at the dining table. She was curious to see how Fang Fang would react—would she maintain the same lofty detachment as she had in the past?