Chapter 16 A Fight Between Sisters

After last night, Mo Xuetong was sure her father was hiding something. Every time he looked at her lovingly, some hidden pain crossed his face. She didn't understand. What had happened when her mother died that made her father, who seemed to love her very much, to abandon her? The incident had happened at Cloud City, so Mo Xuetong doubted it would be easy to find answers in the capital. However, Mo Xuetong was sure it had something to do with Auntie Fang. Her mother had been weak since having her. She'd been in charge of the household, but, in the last few years of her life, Auntie Fang had been almost totally in control. Only Auntie Fang could have done it without anyone in the manor finding out. Her eyes grew cold. As long as Auntie Fang wanted the position as the matriarch, she would definitely strike again... The opportunity was right in front of her. If things were moving the same way as her last life, something was about to happen. She would just wait quietly for Auntie Fang to strike, then chop her hands off while she reached out... Mo Xuetong ate the breakfast that Mo Yu served. She sat down for a rest, then heard a gentle voice from the door. "Third sister still hasn't woken up?" Mo Xuemin lifted the curtains and entered with her personal maid, Mo Jin. "Elder sister, you're here! Why don't you come in? I've embarrassed myself in front of you. I stayed up late last night, and the journey here had been long. I was exhausted and couldn't fall asleep, so I woke up late." Mo Xuetong smiled faintly in embarrassment. Mo Xuemin was surprised by Mo Xuetong's bashfulness. She was completely different from the sharp tongued girl that she was at the entrance of the city yesterday. She sized up Mo Xuetong and smiled. "Third sister, the weather is good today. Shall we take a walk in the garden? It must have been hard on you to stay in Cloud City for the past year. Since you're in the capital now, we sisters should get closer to each other." Get closer? Mo Xuetong's smile grew brighter, though her heart was cold. "Elder sister is right. I haven't been home for the past year and could not be filial to Father. It must have been hard on you, sister." "Why would you say that! We're sisters!" Mo Xuemin said with a smile. There was a burst of laughter behind them. "Elder sister, you really care for your sisters. But I wonder if she returns your feelings. No matter how much you care for her, she might not think much of you. I heard that she refused your good will at the entrance of the city." Mo Xueqiong appeared at the door, hiding her laugh behind a handkerchief. Mo Xuemin's eyes glittered with hatred. She had arranged for a few young ladies to come to the Mo manor yesterday, but all of them had said they were busy. She forced herself to smile gently. "It's no big deal, fourth sister." "Fourth sister! You came at just the right time. Do you want to take a walk with us?" Mo Xuetong asked with a smile. "I'm not as fortunate as you. I won't be doted on wherever I go. You've only just arrived and you got eldest sister to accompany you. As your younger sister, I dare not trouble you to accompany me," Mo Xueqiong said bitterly. "Don't talk like that. We're sisters," Mo Xuetong said, smiling warmly. "I don't dare call mysekf your sister." Mo Xueqiong didn't know that Mo Xuemin had said the same thing earlier. "Don't pretend to be close to me. Eldest Sister and I are not your true sisters and we never will be.” Mo Xuemin's face darkened. "If we are not sisters, then is fourth sister not Father's daughter?" Mo Xuetong blinked, looking curious. Mo Xueqiong paused, her eyes glowed with anger. "What do you mean? Are you trying to cause trouble?" Mo Xuetong hid the anger in her eyes with a soft smile. She wasn't the one trying to start a fight. "I'm sorry for troubling you. I'm about to go for a walk with Eldest Sister now. If you don't want to go, then don't block the way." Good dogs, she thought bitterly, don't get underfoot. After all, good dogs don't get underfoot! Mo Xueqiong only grew more enraged. "What kind of attitude is that? You're just an orphaned girl Father abandoned. How dare you speak to me like this?" Mo Xueqiong was just the daughter of a concubine. In her past life, Mo Xuetong had never understood her. The girl would make sarcastic jabs at her even though Mo Xuetong had never offended her. Why did Mo Xueqiong not pick at Mo Xuemin instead? This life, she could see it more clearly. Some people didn't dare to stand up to the strong and bullied the weak instead. Mo Xueqiong could only show her superiority by looking down on Mo Xuetong. Mo Xueqiong was somebody who lashed out at the weak to sooth her own bruised ego. Mo Xuetong just smiled. "How could I be an orphan? Fourth Sister, don't insult father by talking like he doesn't even exist." "You..." Mo Xueqiong was furious, but couldn't find a good response. Yesterday, Mo Huawen had scolded her for what was, in her mind, no good reason. She'd come here to pick a fight with Mo Xuetong. Why did her father dote on this weak, cowardly child more than her? She had never considered that Mo Xuetong, the legal daughter of the family, might decide to use her position to fight back. "Fourth Sister, Third Sister just arrived. How can you be so impolite?" Mo Xuemin scolded. "I wouldn't dare be rude! Didn't I come early in the morning to greet her? Besides, she would have slept until noon if we hadn't come. A young lady from a prominent family can't act like that!" Mo Xuemin's said, wringing her handkerchief. Being confronted only made her angrier. Mo Xuemin pretended not to hear her. Was nobody teaching her sister manners? "Ah, if I knew Third Sister wanted to rest, I would have come later." Mo Xuetong's dark and lively eyes went cold, but the flicker of emotion passed too quickly to see. "Father said that I have just arrived and would be tired. He intentionally let me sleep in. I'm sure Fourth Sister is sometimes allowed the same. Oh, but I forgot that you'd gotten in trouble last night! But that's alright. As long as Fourth Sister learns the rules in the future, I'm sure Father will allow you more leeway." Mo Xuemin was stunned, emotions beginning to boil over. She lifted her chin. "Mo Xuetong, do you really think Father is doting on you? He left you behind at Cloud City for so many years. If he really missed you, he'd have sent for you long ago. You must have done something that displeased him for him to leave you there." "Fourth sister, how could you say that?" Mo Xuemin said sharply, eyes glowing with annoyance. "Eldest Sister..." Mo Xueqiong looked at Mo Xuemin apologetically. "Eldest Sister, I was just reminding her to wake up earlier, but she made use of her status in the family to insult me. She just got here, and she's already so behaved. What are we going to do if she keeps on like this?" "Alright, alright. Third Sister didn't mean to scold you. We're going to be spending a lot of time together from now on. We can't fight over such petty things. We are sisters. We have to get along well to have a harmonious family," Mo Xuemin said. "Alright, I can forgive her, but she has to apologize to me officially, with a gift!" Mo Xueqiong glared viciously, clearly thinking she'd won. "Alright, don't be angry at Third Sister. I just received some very fashionable flowers yesterday. Fourth Sister, come and pick a few. Then we can let the matter drop, right?" Mo Xuemin said with a smile. She pretended to be gentle and generous, but hopefully it would still make Mo Xuetong look like a selfish girl who was always picking fights. With just a few words, Mo Xuetong would be known for picking fights, putting on airs, and bullying her sisters just after she moved into the manor. Meanwhile, she would be known to be the generous and gentle First Miss who wisely and impartially smoothed things over between her unreasonable sisters. A shiver went down Mo Xuetong's spine. Seeing a flash of teal in the corner, she put on a hurt expression, eyes growing red and glassy with tears. She bit her lip, voice soft and trembling. “Of course Father wants to dote on me. He had me stay in Cloud City because of my poor health, not to keep me away. Eldest Sister, Fourth Sister, please do not use it against me.” Seeing Mo Xuetong was no longer an easy target, Mo Xueqiong sharpened her claws. "Look, eldest sister, she's still trying to argue. Mo Xuetong, if you haven't done anything wrong, would Father abandon you at Cloud City? You've been there for more than a year, and usually, I only hear Father praising Eldest Sister. I've never heard him mention you. If your maternal grandparents had not asked you to return to the capital, Father would have left you to grow old and die in Cloud City!” Mo Xuemin, standing across Mo Xuetong, had a bad feeling. She was about to comfort Mo Xuetong when she heard an angry bellow. "How can a younger sister speak to her older sister like this? Auntie Qing, what have you been teaching your child?" The three of them turned around in shock. Mo Huawen was standing at the door to their left. He glared, mouth pursed in fury. The blood drained from Mo Xuemin and Mo Xueqiong's faces.