As Ruan Jiaojiao turned the faucet toward the hot water setting, a sharp, acerbic voice rang out from behind her.
"You are not allowed to use hot water to wash the dishes."
Ruan Jiaojiao turned to see Mother Liu walking in with a grim expression, standing nearby and gesturing condescendingly.
"Why not?" Ruan Jiaojiao asked.
Mother Liu frowned, crossing her arms over her chest with a look of pure arrogance. "Since when do you need a reason? You do as you're told, and the fact is, you are not to use hot water!"
Ruan Jiaojiao’s gaze shifted to Fu Jiaru, who was sitting on the sofa watching the scene with an expression of amusement. She understood immediately.
"Fine, I understand."
Without another word, Ruan Jiaojiao turned the faucet to cold and began to wash the dishes.
The tap water was colder than usual in the winter, and Ruan Jiaojiao’s delicate, fair hands were flushed red within seconds. Fortunately, there were only the dishes she and her mother had used, along with a few plates; it wasn't much, and she finished in less than five minutes.
Just as she was about to put the dishes into the cabinet, Mother Liu, who had been standing guard nearby, barked a protest. "Hey, hey, hey! What do you think you’re doing? Did you even wash them properly? You’re putting them away without even rinsing off the soap—are you trying to poison someone?"
Ruan Jiaojiao looked at the dishes, which she had already washed and rinsed twice, and explained, "They are clean. If you don't believe me, feel free to check."
Mother Liu put on a haughty air. "If I say they’re dirty, then they’re dirty. I’ve managed the servants here for years; do you think I don’t know what clean looks like? Some servants are just as lazy as you are. If someone gets a stomach ache, how am I supposed to answer to the Master?"
"Hurry up and rinse them again!"
Ruan Jiaojiao nodded. "Alright."
She took the dishes and rinsed them once more.
"Still dirty. Rinse them again!"
Ruan Jiaojiao remained calm and continued to rinse.
"Dirty. Rinse them!"
Mother Liu acted like a robot programmed with anger, repeating the phrase over and over. By the fifth time, Ruan Jiaojiao held the dishes, turned around, and offered a smile.
"Mother Liu, forgive my ignorance, but I truly don’t understand your standards and requirements for dishwashing. Why don’t you demonstrate for me?"
Mother Liu had been on the verge of reflexively snapping, "Dirty, keep rinsing," but she caught herself. However, when she locked eyes with Ruan Jiaojiao, she was startled by what she saw. Those beautiful fox-like eyes held a faint, bloodthirsty ferocity. But when Mother Liu blinked and looked again, there was nothing left but calm.
Mother Liu frowned, annoyed that she had been intimidated by this little wench. "Who do you think you are? How dare you order me around?"
"I’m not ordering you; since you keep insisting that I’m not washing them clean, I need to know where I’m failing so I can pay attention to it, don’t I?" Ruan Jiaojiao smiled.
Mother Liu stormed forward, intending to teach this arrogant girl a lesson. But just as she raised her hand, Ruan Jiaojiao was faster. She swung her hand, and a loud "slap" echoed through the kitchen.
Mother Liu clutched her face, staring at Ruan Jiaojiao in disbelief. "You... you actually dared to hit me!"
Ruan Jiaojiao’s smile turned into a cold sneer. "So what if I hit you? You were the one who tried to hit me first."
She had wanted to endure it, but since Mother Liu intended to strike her, she wouldn't sit still and be a victim. Mother Liu was only a servant; she wouldn't tolerate this woman the way she tolerated Fu Jiaru and Fu Dexin.
Seeing this, Fu Jiaru acted as if she had caught Ruan Jiaojiao in the act. She stood up from the sofa and shouted toward Fu Dexin, "Dad! Ruan Jiaojiao is a bitch, she hit Mother Liu!"
Fu Dexin had heard the commotion. As he turned, he saw Mother Liu walking toward him, clutching her face and crying out, "Master, you must seek justice for me! I was only kindly teaching her how to wash the dishes, and she hit me!"
Ruan Jiaojiao calmly put the dishes away, turned off the faucet, dried her hands, and walked out slowly.
"Dad, she moved to hit me first. My reaction was instinctive self-defense," Ruan Jiaojiao explained as she walked.
Fu Dexin had naturally seen what was happening earlier, but he had turned a blind eye because his daughter wanted to have some fun. Now that Mother Liu had been struck, however, Fu Dexin felt as if his own face had been slapped, especially since Mother Liu had been taking care of him in this house for over a decade.
"Don't call me Dad! Mother Liu is your elder, and yet you dare to raise a hand against her—you are truly lawless!" Fu Dexin slammed the table, asserting his authority as the head of the household. "Get out there and kneel! Don't let people say that the Third Branch has no upbringing!"
Ruan Jiaojiao frowned. Outside, a fine, drizzling rain mixed with light snow was falling. The ground was cold and wet, and yet Fu Dexin didn't even hesitate to order her to kneel outside? She knew he loathed her, seeing her as a stain on his reputation and fearing she would become a laughingstock for the Fu family, but she hadn't expected him to show absolutely no compassion for his own flesh and blood.
"What are you standing there for? Didn't you hear what Dad said? Get out and kneel!" Fu Jiaru watched her with glee.
Ruan Jiaojiao stood there, looking at Fu Dexin, her beautiful fox-like eyes unreadable.
"Are you still not going? Do you want to defy your father's orders? If so, then you and your vixen of a mother can get out!" Fu Jiaru sneered. She turned to Mother Liu and said, "Mother Liu, go and kick that bitch out!"
"Yes, Miss." Mother Liu turned to leave, looking triumphant.
"I’ll kneel!" Ruan Jiaojiao cried out immediately. "Just don't kick my mother out."
In this weather, her mother wouldn't be able to handle it, and they had no money. She couldn't let her mother suffer anymore.
Ruan Jiaojiao slowly unclenched her fists, turned, and walked outside. The cold wind bit into her chest, and the freezing rain and snow lashed against her face. She stepped into the courtyard and knelt down. Her pants were instantly soaked, and the freezing sleet melted against her knees.
Fu Jiaru sat on the sofa, watching the frail figure outside with satisfaction. The more miserable Ruan Jiaojiao looked, the happier she felt. She had finally vented her frustration. Twice before, Second Uncle had happened to appear, but this time, there would be no such luck; she had heard from the servants that Second Uncle had gone out early and had yet to return.
Ruan Jiaojiao didn't know how long she had been kneeling. Her body was numb and freezing, and her knees seemed to have lost all sensation. In her mind, the scene began to play out again: the snowy day... the blood... the screaming... the scarred face...
Her vision seemed to blur. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a pair of black leather shoes appeared before her, and a dark shadow loomed over her.
Ruan Jiaojiao struggled to lift her head, as if she had seen a light.
"Second Uncle..."
Her throat felt constricted, painfully dry.
Fu Zhinian looked down at her, his gaze as cold and detached as ever. He crouched down, watching her purple lips, his tone devoid of any emotion. "How truly pathetic."
Ruan Jiaojiao could no longer hold herself up and collapsed toward the ground.
Fu Zhinian caught her with one arm and pulled her into his chest. The chill radiating from her body seeped through his palms, and he frowned almost imperceptibly.
How long had she been kneeling?
Fu Dexin saw Fu Zhinian outside and hurriedly stood up, walking toward the door while calling out, "Zhinian, what brings you here?"
Fu Zhinian ignored him. He scooped up Ruan Jiaojiao with one arm, held an umbrella with the other, and left the Third Branch without looking back.