Lady Zheng’s words were sharp and mean, but aside from jealousy, there was no deeper murderous intent in her eyes.
Ultimately, a criminal woman and a new favorite with a shallow foundation were not worth taking a personal risk for.
She had never actually entertained the thought; most of her malice was limited to grumbling a few sentences to the other Concubines.
In the palace, if one was not a bit ruthless, it meant they would likely be squeezed like a soft persimmon.
The worst-case scenario was being killed as a warning to others.
Furthermore, Mother Si was someone the King had personally looked after, so she could not be touched openly.
However, there were plenty of ways to make her suffer a little and let out some of her own bottled-up anger.
Her eyes darted around as she looked at Mother Su’s slightly thin clothing, then glanced toward the palace courtyard not far away, a plan forming in her mind.
‘I can dig at her foundation. I can’t freeze her to death, but I can make this old bag catch a cold and have her moaning in bed for a few days. Let’s see if that vixen daughter of yours still has the heart to cling to the King every day then.’
Lady Zheng lifted her chin, covering the corner of her mouth with her Embroidered Handkerchief.
“I heard that house faces the sun, and that much is true, but the gaps in the doors and windows are quite large. The wind is cold at night… Tsk, tsk. You should be careful with your body. Don’t fall so ill that you can’t get out of bed after only enjoying two days of good fortune. That would truly be a lack of luck.”
Mother Su understood the subtext.
This was an implication that someone would secretly cause trouble to make her living situation unbearable.
Lady Zheng would likely order someone to sneak in and break the windows or withhold her charcoal.
“This old servant… thanks My Lady for the reminder.”
Mother Su lowered her head even further, her body shivering slightly.
Seeing the other woman cower, Lady Zheng snorted triumphantly.
She was just about to deliver a few more stinging remarks to satisfy her ego when a voice rang out.
“Mother! So this is where you were.”
An urgent female voice sounded.
Lady Zheng and Mother Su turned their heads at the same time.
Luo Tiantian was walking quickly from the other end of the corridor, followed by the maid, Xiao Tao.
She had clearly turned back after hearing the commotion.
The faint sorrow in the corners of her eyes had been replaced by a layer of thin anger as her beautiful eyes stared straight at Lady Zheng.
Seeing Mother Si hunched over and trembling in front of Lady Zheng, a surge of nameless fire rose within her.
She could swallow her pride and use flattery to survive, but she could not tolerate it when it involved her mother—the only person in this game from whom she felt pure warmth.
Luo Tiantian stepped in front of Mother Su in a few strides and looked at Lady Zheng with a tone that was far from respectful.
“Lady Zheng, I wonder where my mother has offended My Lady that you would go to the trouble of lecturing her here?”
Lady Zheng had not expected Baosi to appear suddenly, let alone talk back so directly.
A flash of embarrassment crossed her face, which was immediately replaced by deeper annoyance.
“Sister Baosi, what a thing to say. This mistress merely happened to encounter this lady and offered a few words of concern. What, now that Sister is favored, I cannot even speak a word to your mother without being questioned?”
“My Lady overstates the matter. My mother is elderly and frail, with a timid nature. If there is any impropriety, I, as her daughter, will take responsibility for it. If My Lady has any instructions, you might as well say them directly to me. As for whether the residence is drafty, I will naturally go to the King and ask him to decide. I imagine the King would not wish to see the person he personally cares for disturbed by cold winds at night,” Luo Tiantian said.
Lady Zheng’s face instantly turned a shade of sickly blue and white.
She was not a particularly scheming or ruthless character; she mostly relied on her family background and seniority to play word games.
Facing someone with such clear logic, she didn’t know how to respond.
She remembered the last time at the Deer Terrace Pavilion, where she had also listened to Consort Sister and went to find trouble for Baosi, only to end up being the one who suffered.
Consort Sister had even told her to secretly take the chopsticks Baosi had used, saying that a Voodoo Doll Ritual could curse the other person with diarrhea… ‘Dammit, I’m going to stab the doll twice more tonight, and I’ll dig at your room’s foundation too!’
In the end, Lady Zheng could only throw out a weak, blustering sentence.
“This mistress can’t be bothered to deal with you.”
Having said that, she glared fiercely at Luo Tiantian and Mother Su behind her.
Looking somewhat disheveled, she turned and hurried away.
She was going back to tell Consort Sister about this and ask for her advice.
Watching Lady Zheng walk away, Luo Tiantian let out a sigh of relief before turning to look at Mother Si.
The elderly woman before her still had her head lowered, her figure thin and weak, but she didn’t seem to be trembling as much as before.
Luo Tiantian softened her voice and reached out to support her.
“Mother, are you alright? If anyone makes things difficult for you again, you must tell me, or have the people serving you come find me immediately.”
Mother Su slowly raised her head, the emotions swirling in her heart being difficult to describe.
Luo’s eyes and tone at this moment were filled with genuine care and protection for Mother Si.
This child had no one to rely on in reality, yet she was protecting another mother in a virtual world… ‘If I had loved Xiao Xiao that much when she was little, would she have treated me the same way?’
Another pang of heartache hit Mother Su.
“I-I’m fine…”
Mother Su’s voice carried a hint of sobbing and lingering fear as she grabbed Luo Tiantian’s sleeve.
“Si’er, you shouldn’t have talked back to Lady Zheng for my sake. She is a consort, after all. If she holds a grudge against you…”
“Don’t worry, Mother. I know what I’m doing.”
Luo Tiantian patted Mother Su’s hand reassuringly.
She actually didn’t feel very confident, but she wouldn’t show weakness, especially in front of her mother.
“Please go back now. It’s cold at night, so keep the doors and windows tightly shut. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”
She then whispered a few instructions to Xiao Tao, telling her to keep an eye on Mother Si’s side.
Watching Mother Si slowly walk away accompanied by Xiao Tao, Luo Tiantian stood where she was.
‘Why hasn’t she given me the sachet yet?’
The quest didn’t seem to be finishing either.
She pouted slightly.
However, Mother Si’s living environment had indeed improved, and her mood turned better again.
“La la la, while that jerk player is away, I’ll take a stroll through the garden~~”
It was a rare moment for Luo Tiantian to enjoy the game with a relaxed mind, taking in an environment that was comparable to the real world.
The waves in Mother Su’s heart could not be calmed for a long time.
That child, Luo… she was like that even for a mother in a game.
In reality, how much had she silently endured for her seriously ill boyfriend?
A strong impulse rose in Mother Su’s heart.
She wouldn’t just complete Mother Si’s tasks in the game to help her daughter, Baosi; she wanted to do something for this girl, Luo, in reality as well.
Mother Su chose to log out. Taking off the helmet, she rubbed her face.
Being immersed in Mother Si’s heavy and humble emotions for a long time, combined with intense mental concentration, left her feeling a wave of genuine fatigue.
The clock showed 8:00 PM.
It was the time she usually finished her break and returned to work.
In the past, she would have continued working overtime, but now she wanted to go home and be with Xiao Xiao.
Mother Su stood up, preparing to change her clothes and go home.
Walking to the sink in the breakroom, she habitually looked into the mirror.
In the mirror, her face was gaunt, and the dark circles under her eyes were more pronounced than they had been in the afternoon.
She leaned closer to the mirror, her fingers touching her forehead and the corners of her eyes.
Those fine lines that were only faint in the afternoon now seemed… deeper?
No, it wasn’t just that they were deeper; there seemed to be more of them, as if the hand of time had suddenly and forcefully crumpled her skin with a few more strokes.
Her skin also appeared exceptionally loose and dull, as if she had overdrawn several days’ worth of energy and spirit in just a few hours.
Mother Su was stunned.
This was definitely not ordinary fatigue.
As a doctor, she had a basic understanding of her own physical condition.
Such a significant change in appearance over a short period of time was extremely abnormal.
She gripped the edge of the sink, trying to analyze the situation calmly, but a sudden bout of dizziness made her unable to stand steadily.
Everything began to spin and turn black.
A buzzing sound rang in her ears, her heart pounded uncontrollably, and her limbs felt weak.
“Ugh…”
She tried to grab something to steady herself, but her fingers slid uselessly across the tiles.
In the next second, her consciousness was completely swallowed by darkness.
Her body went limp and slid down the sink to the floor with a dull thud.