"Sister, if they have no shame, don’t you give them any either!" Han Tianci instructed.
He really had no positive feelings towards the Yun Family.
"Mhm, got it, don’t worry!"
The two of them went their separate ways, with Han Tianci preparing to visit Mrs. Han first to keep her company, while Yun Jinnian headed to the warm hall.
She thought she would hear the sounds of girls frolicking and playing, but it was unexpectedly quiet.
She slowly entered the warm hall.
A few girls stood up at once.
"Fourth Sister (cousin)!"
Yun Jinnian nodded slightly.
After more than a year, they had all grown taller and their appearances had blossomed.
Although all were girls from the Yun Family, one could tell from their clothing and adornment who was the legitimate child, who was born out of wedlock, and who held a higher status in the family.
The girls also sized up Yun Jinnian.
She wore a pink brocade jacket with two jade hairpins in her hair, looking extremely elegant in white.
Her beauty was already exceptional, and with a touch of rouge, her delicate features were highlighted exquisitely.
Her noble demeanor and charm were enviable.
"Don’t just stand there; sit down," Yun Jinnian said gently, going over to take a seat.
Then she turned to Bai Que and said, "Aunt Que, my mother is unwell and used to your care, please go ahead with your duties!"
Bai Que bowed slightly, "Yes, I shall take my leave!"
After Bai Que had left, Yun Jinnian then said to Hemei, "Hemei, go to the kitchen and bring over some pastries!"
Yun Jinnian then asked, "Why have you all come?"
Yun Musi and Yun Mulan were young and still enthralled by Yun Jinnian’s elegance, dreaming of emulating her one day.
Yun Qingzhi, Yun Qingqing, and Yun Zuomo were cautious about speaking out of turn with Xu Xinmo present.
Xu Xinmo then said, "Cousin, you’ve been back for so long, yet you haven’t visited home. Grandmother sent me to see you!"
"Is that so? How thoughtful of you!" Yun Jinnian replied faintly.
She had never liked Xu Xinmo, nor would she ever.
Selfish, ruthless, and when in need of you, she would call you ’cousin’. But should she rise to power one day, ’cousin’, ’grandmother’, she would surely disregard them all.
Yun Jinnian’s indifferent expression left Xu Xinmo unsure of how to continue the conversation.
Quick to speak, she said, "Cousin, have you visited the Princess Residence the Emperor granted you yet?"
"When will you go, and can you take us with you?" Xu Xinmo asked in what she thought was an endearing manner.
Her eyes were full of schemes.
Thinking she was clever, that no one could see through her.
But she didn’t realize that her eyes and expression had already betrayed her.
Yun Jinnian looked at Xu Xinmo’s demeanor, then at her three half-sisters and two cousins, and found it amusing.
Despite being the pampered legitimate daughter, she was not as composed and natural as the three less favored illegitimate daughters.
Perhaps because she always had everything she wanted from a young age, she thought the world revolved around her and took everything for granted.
The three half-sisters, from a young age, always had to give much more for anything they wanted, and sometimes even their efforts were not enough to obtain it.
"Once the Princess Residence is ready, I’ll take you there!" said Yun Jinnian, then added, "Right now, the Princess Residence is pretty empty; there’s nothing much to see there anyway!"
Yun Musi and Yun Mulan’s expressions changed slightly.
The Emperor’s gifts were indeed stored in Niannian Garden, but their mother had borrowed several items and not yet returned them; two of them had even been taken to the Marquess Yuanshen Residence by their eldest sister.
If Yun Jinnian were to return and take everything to the Princess Residence, and if items were missing that their mother had not returned, what then?
They suddenly understood why their mother had sent them here!
Yun Zuomo, Yun Qingqing, and Yun Qingzhi were very pleased, yet they were still a bit uncertain. Yun Zuomo asked in a low voice, "Fourth Sister, can we really come with you too?"