C8 Did You Hear That?

The family approached the dining table, and Yi Lanyou did not take her seat immediately but turned to Yi Haoen. She clearly knew where she was supposed to sit, yet it was Yi Haoen's place to give the cue.

"Just sit next to Rui'er," Yi Haoen said as he himself sat down.

Yi Lanyou took her place beside Yi Rui'er, her hands neatly folded atop her knees, while the servants began to serve the meal.

"Dinner is usually an hour earlier than today," Fang Fang said with a gentle smile, glancing at Yi Lanyou. "We delayed it a bit while waiting for you."

In her past life, Yi Lanyou would have been overwhelmed with guilt upon hearing these words, unable to enjoy her meal or even bring herself to reach for the dishes. This time, however, she looked at Yi Haoen with a hint of grievance and reproach in her eyes.

"She was delayed by a traffic jam," Yi Haoen quickly came to her defense, catching Yi Lanyou's imploring look. "Let's all eat!"

Fang Fang, hearing Yi Haoen's explanation, chose not to comment further, though she gave Yi Lanyou an extra glance. She had assumed Yi Lanyou was an unsophisticated country girl, yet there seemed to be more to her. But what did it matter? She had managed to drive Yuan Hui away in the past, and she was confident she could do the same with her daughter.

"Lanyou, you've never tried these dishes before, have you?" Yi Rui'er's voice was crisp and pleasant, her large eyes twinkling with what appeared to be innocence and playfulness.

Yi Lanyou's lips curled slightly, betraying nothing of the cunning that lay behind Yi Rui'er's adorable facade. "Are you referring to the rice, the vegetables, or the meat?"

Caught off guard by the response, Yi Rui'er placed a piece of garlic abalone into Yi Lanyou's bowl. "I especially love this. You haven't had three-headed abalone before, have you?"

"Yes, I'm not fond of the taste of garlic," Yi Lanyou admitted with a nod.

Yi Rui'er paused, puzzled. Had her words not been clear?

"Don't be shy, Lanyou," Fang Fang encouraged warmly. "Consider this your home."

Yi Lanyou chuckled softly.

"What's so funny?" Yi Rui'er inquired.

"I find it amusing how you speak as if this isn't my home," Yi Lanyou replied, and then she chuckled again.

Fang Fang's face flushed with embarrassment as she admitted, "I misspoke."

After dinner, Yi Lanyou was escorted to her room by a male servant. It was the same room she had in her past life, tucked away in a secluded spot where sunlight never reached throughout the year. Yet, it was spacious, larger than the entire house she and her mother had previously lived in.

Yi Lanyou watched the servant place her luggage down and then stand aside, knowing he was expecting a tip. However, she had little money on her, and even if she did, she wouldn't have given him any.

In her past life, he had often assisted Yi Rui'er in tormenting her from the shadows. He also had a habit of stirring up the other servants, rallying them to collectively disregard her, with Zhou Li's contributions not going unnoticed.

Yi Lanyou gave him a once-over and said, "Your name is Lv Zheng, isn't it?"

"Yes," Lv Zheng nodded, sizing up Yi Lanyou. Her attire seemed plain, and he doubted he could profit from her. He couldn't help but think that Yi Lanyou, with her modest origins, couldn't hold a candle to Miss Yi Rui'er.

"From now on, when you answer my questions, you must add 'Miss' at the end. Do you understand?" Yi Lanyou said, her eyes steely.