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墨書 Inktalez
After returning to the manor, Jiang Lian'er found her days increasingly difficult. Wang Shi and Madam Liu intensified their harassment towards her.
She was assigned to live in the most remote and dilapidated room in the manor. As soon as the door creaked open, it let out a harsh "squeak," as if it were groaning in pain.
The room was dark and damp, with moss crawling up the walls, and small insects occasionally scuttling out from the corners. The windows, which let in drafts from all directions, made the room dim even during the day, with only a few weak rays of light struggling to seep in.
Her meals consisted of leftover scraps, often reduced even further. Each meal brought either spoiled rice or soup made from a few wilted vegetable leaves.
Jiang Lian'er often went hungry, enduring the growls of her stomach. Not only that, but all sorts of heavy labor also fell upon her.
In the early morning, before dawn broke and the first light pierced through the darkness, Jiang Lian'er had to rise and wash clothes in the icy well water. The cold water was bone-chilling, and soon her hands turned red from the cold, yet she gritted her teeth and persevered.
After washing the clothes, she had to immediately sweep the courtyard.
The large courtyard was littered with fallen leaves. Holding a heavy broom, she swept one pile after another until she was panting from exhaustion.
In the afternoon, she had to fetch water. The two buckets filled with water felt heavy on her frail shoulders, and each step seemed to drain all her strength.
Yet Jiang Lian'er did not complain; she understood that this was Wang Shi's way of wearing down her spirit.
Cui'er felt sorry for her mistress and often helped Jiang Lian'er secretly. When Jiang Lian'er was washing clothes, Cui'er would quietly come over when no one was watching to help wring them out; while sweeping the courtyard, Cui'er would snatch the broom away for a quick sweep; when fetching water, Cui'er would support one of the buckets to help share the weight.
Cui'er even saved part of her own meals for Jiang Lian'er, always secretly passing her buns or pastries hidden in her sleeves. "Miss, you should eat some; you've lost so much weight."
Jiang Lian'er looked at Cui'er, her heart filled with emotion. The two of them supported each other, seeking a glimmer of warmth in their difficult situation.
One day, while cleaning the courtyard, Jiang Lian'er accidentally knocked over a flower pot, shattering it into pieces. Madam Liu happened to pass by and immediately shrieked, "You clumsy fool! You can't even take care of a flower! This is Concubine's favorite flower. How will you compensate for it?"
Jiang Lian'er hurriedly apologized, "Madam Liu, it was my mistake. I will find a way to make it up to you."
But Madam Liu was relentless. "Compensate? What can you offer? You're just an uncherished legitimate daughter with nothing of value!" With that, she raised her hand as if to strike Jiang Lian'er.
At that moment, Cui'er rushed over and stood in front of Jiang Lian'er. "Madam Liu, you cannot hit her; this was just an accident."
Madam Liu's hand froze in mid-air as she glared at Cui'er. "You maid! How dare you stop me? I'll make sure to deal with you too!"
Cui'er stood her ground without fear. "Madam Liu, if you injure us, it will reflect poorly on Concubine's reputation."
Hearing this, Madam Liu lowered her hand but still spat out angrily, "Hmph! Consider yourselves lucky today. If this happens again, I won't let you off so easily."
Jiang Lian'er looked at Cui'er with gratitude and guilt. "Cui'er, you shouldn't have protected me like that. What if you got hurt?"
Cui'er smiled and replied, "Miss, as long as you're fine, that's all that matters. I'm not afraid."
Jiang Lian'er tightly grasped Cuier's hand, and their bond grew even stronger amidst the adversity.
Jiang Lian'er knew she couldn't remain passive and endure such treatment forever; she had to find a way to change the situation and look for weaknesses in the Wang family to secure a better life for herself and Cui'er.
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