Striking while the iron was hot, Bai Ci wasted no time after Lin Wenyu left. She stayed up all night memorizing Xu Qinghe's files.
As a multi-time consecutive winner of the gold DM title, she was incredibly fast at familiarizing herself with new scenarios. Her greatest strengths lay in memorizing various character personas, complex plot lines, and multi-perspective behavioral logic.
Compared to the life history of a single individual she was looking at now, the instance flows, character relationships, and plot dynamics she had handled in the past were far more complex.
Her natural gift for memory and character roleplay, combined with the detailed and logically structured files compiled by the Boss, allowed her to thoroughly digest the information ahead of schedule.
In just one night, Bai Ci had already committed all the material to memory.
However, to ensure absolute perfection, she continued to squeeze in study sessions throughout the following day. Having memorized the files inside and out, she finally felt fully confident in her preparation.
On another morning, Jinghong arrived at the inner chamber right on time as usual to help her get up.
The door was pushed open, and Jinghong walked in with a steady gait, carrying a basin of warm water. After setting it down, she went to wake Bai Ci, who was still fast asleep.
“Young Madam, it is time to rise and wash.”
The performance had begun—
On the bed, Bai Ci slowly opened her eyes.
In the past, her expression was always meek and timid, carrying an indelible air of unease.
But today, as she lay quietly in bed, her eyes were clear and aloof, and her entire aura had completely changed.
Bai Ci slowly sat up, a trace of confusion and daze in her eyes. Her voice was no longer soft and timid, but had transformed into a crisp, gentle tone: “Xiaohong, what did you... just call me?”
Jinghong froze upon hearing this, an inexplicable sense of strangeness welling up in her heart.
She instinctively lowered her hands and replied, “This servant called you Young Madam.”
Today's Young Madam was simply too strange.
With this expression, this tone, and this aura, for a fleeting moment, she felt as if she were looking at the eldest young master she had served for many years.
And that call of “Xiaohong” just now.
In the entire household, only the eldest young master had always called her that. Later on, the Second Young Master and the Young Lady had picked up the habit from him.
Before Jinghong could dwell on her discomfort, the person on the bed had already risen, stepping barefoot onto the cool wooden floor.
As she walked, her steps were hurried yet slow.
This subconscious habit of movement seemed to stem from a consideration of a frail physical constitution, cultivated over years of habit.
Bai Ci stood in front of the bronze vanity mirror, quietly staring at the reflection inside. The astonishment and confusion on her face grew even more pronounced.
“Young Madam, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” Jinghong grew increasingly bewildered at the sight and hurriedly took half a step forward to ask out of concern.
Bai Ci slowly withdrew her gaze from the mirror. Seemingly having grasped the situation, she offered no further explanation and spoke calmly, “It is nothing. Help me wash and dress. I want to go see Mother.”
Countless doubts swirled in Jinghong's mind, but she dared not ask a single question.
She quickly fetched the washing utensils, helped Bai Ci wash, combed her hair, and arranged her clothing. She worked much faster than usual, feeling deeply uneasy throughout the process.
Once everything was ready, the two of them made their way to the main courtyard.
The moment they stepped into the main hall, Madame Xu, who was seated at the head of the room, looked up at the sound. Out of habit, she wore a warm, doting smile and said softly, “My child, you are here. Quick, take a seat.”
Standing from Xu Qinghe's perspective, Bai Ci could see things much more clearly now.
She finally tasted the irony and the sheer impatience behind the term of address “my child.”
Bai Ci raised her eyes, her gaze calm yet laced with a disappointed scrutiny as she stared intently at the gently smiling Madame Xu on the high seat.
Madame Xu's heart suddenly seized under her gaze. Amidst the sudden sense of strangeness, an inexplicable familiarity arose.
A faint wave of shock and suspicion churned in her heart. Just as she was about to ask for the reason and probe into this abnormality, two light and orderly footsteps echoed from outside the door.
The siblings, Xu Jingan and Xu Zhaoyue, entered the main hall one after the other as usual, bowing to greet Madame Xu.
During breakfast, the atmosphere seemed just like any other day, but in truth, something had completely changed.
Xu Zhaoyue had never liked Bai Ci to begin with. In her heart, she looked down on this sister-in-law married from the countryside, and she could never resist taking opportunities to mock her in the past.
Seeing the drastic change in Bai Ci's habits and behavior today, an uncomfortable feeling of awkwardness welled up in her. Nonetheless, she habitually picked a fight, her tone as arrogant and biting as ever.
“You certainly seem to have a lot of confidence today. That timid, groveling look of yours in the past was so annoying to watch. What, did no one scold you today, so you dare to pull a face for us to see?”
In the past, Bai Ci would only remain silent, letting her make things difficult without arguing or defending herself. Timid and at a loss, she had never provoked this spoiled young lady of the Xu family.
But today, Bai Ci's gaze swept over the girl's arrogant and overbearing features, carrying a hint of reprimand: “One does not speak while dining, nor talk while resting. To clamor and speak so rudely at the dining table—Xu Zhaoyue, is this your upbringing?”
The words Xu Zhaoyue was about to say immediately choked in her throat. She froze on the spot, unable to react for a moment.
For some reason, facing this face, she seemed to recall a familiar, deep-seated dread, which in turn gave rise to awe.
She could only purse her lips resentfully and obediently lower her head. She remained completely silent throughout the rest of the meal, not daring to say another word.
Beside her, Xu Jingan was also slightly taken aback, his eyes filled with astonishment. He looked at Bai Ci with utter disbelief, completely unable to comprehend why his sister-in-law seemed like a different person overnight.
And what about Madame Xu at the head of the table?
She seemed to understand what was happening. A genuine look of anticipation filled her eyes as she stared unblinkingly at Bai Ci, her gaze carefully tracing her every gesture and movement.
Today's Bai Ci was simply too strange, and too familiar.
Even her dining habits had completely changed. Several light medicinal dishes that she would normally never touch were consumed with ease today, her posture natural and practiced, without the slightest hint of awkwardness.
Yes, it had to be...
The atmosphere during breakfast was so bizarrely tense and stifling that the entire room fell into a dead silence, with no one uttering another word.
After the meal, before anyone had even risen from the table, Madame Xu could not suppress the joy leaping in her heart. She was the first to speak, dismissing them, “Jingan, Zhaoyue, the two of you return to your courtyards first. There is no need to keep me company here.”
Normally, after meals, her children would stay in the main hall to sit with her for a short while, chatting about family matters and showing filial piety. There had never been such a hasty dismissal before.
Filled with confusion, Xu Zhaoyue wanted to act spoiled and throw a tantrum to stay and investigate. “Mother, there is nothing to do today. I want to stay and chat with you more...”
“Go back!”
Madame Xu cut her off, leaving absolutely no room for discussion.
Xu Zhaoyue had never seen her mother behave with such cold severity. Daring not to pester or act spoiled any further, she could only resentfully let the matter drop.
The siblings bowed and took their leave, walking out of the main courtyard side by side.
The moment they stepped out of the courtyard gates and were far from the main hall, Xu Zhaoyue immediately lowered her voice, complaining to Xu Jingan beside her with a face full of confusion and frustration.
“Second Brother, don't you think that woman is exceptionally strange today? And Mother is also acting very bizarrely. Everything is off.”
Xu Jingan paused slightly, his expression solemn as he corrected her rudeness. “She is our sister-in-law. Do not be disrespectful and violate the family's rules of hierarchy.”
Xu Zhaoyue glared at him, infuriated by his stiff, old-fashioned attitude, yet unable to vent her temper. She waved her hand impatiently. “Forget it, forget it. There's no reasoning with an old stick-in-the-mud like you.”
With that, she didn't bother to explain further, turning and walking away briskly, heading straight back to her own courtyard.
Upon returning to her courtyard, Xu Zhaoyue immediately dismissed all the maids and older servants attending to her. Though she claimed she wanted to rest and recuperate, she actually had no intention of resting at all.
She warily scanned her surroundings. After confirming that no one was paying attention, she quietly turned and headed back.
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