Bai Xia didn’t get to meet Bai Xiaoya right away.
Li Butler led her around the small courtyard, first entering the large house in the back to see the Bai Family’s master and mistress.
The old Mr. and Madam had learned the news a few days earlier and had received the proof.
Now, finally seeing their own flesh and blood, they couldn’t help but shed tears of excitement, repeatedly saying, “My good child, you’ve suffered all these years. Let Mom and Dad take a good look at you.”
Bai Xia remained calm and composed throughout, her manners polite and refined.
This made Madam Bai’s heart ache even more.
How much suffering did she endure to become so understanding?
After an emotional family reunion, the parents took her for a stroll in the courtyard to get familiar with the house and to introduce her to the servants.
From now on, this was the Bai Family’s Second Young Miss.
During this process, although Li Butler only followed at the end, he straightened his back, using his actions to tell everyone.
The real Bai Family Miss was brought back by me!
Finally, Mr. Bai, Madam Bai, and Bai Xia returned to the courtyard and called Bai Xiaoya over as well.
Madam Bai didn’t mention the matter of the two families’ switched children, only saying that Bai Xia was a child who had been lost years ago and was now finally found.
What she didn’t know was that both Bai Xiaoya and Bai Xia knew the truth of the situation—and they both knew the other knew as well.
There was no need to explain for Bai Xiaoya, and as for Bai Xia, Li Butler had specially instructed her.
During the investigation, Li Butler’s actions were discovered by Zhang Butler, and he felt Zhang Butler would definitely inform Bai Xiaoya.
And indeed, that was the case.
“That’s how it is. Fortunately, now you are both by my side,”
Madam Bai finished with a choked voice, then spoke with hope,
“Xiaoya, I hope that in the future, you can…”
“No problem,”
Bai Xiaoya answered immediately, her soft voice rising,
“We’re sisters, after all.”
Madam Bai was slightly taken aback.
The quick reply sounded fine, but something about it felt off.
Forget it, it’s good enough like this.
She thought to herself, Xiaxia is mature and steady, Xiaoya… hmm, youthful and lively.
Both are good children, and they complement each other perfectly.
Madam Bai imagined the two of them as close as real sisters in the future, but Bai Xiaoya and Bai Xia both understood—they were not sisters.
Not in law (adults can’t be adopted), and not by blood either.
“You two talk for a while. We have some matters to attend to and will be back in the afternoon.”
Mr. Bai stood up and said,
“Xiaxia, if there’s anything you want to eat, just tell Old Li and have him ask the kitchen to prepare it.”
Bai Xia nodded gently.
“Okay, Dad.”
Leaving the small courtyard, walking along the path to the garage, Mr. Bai and Madam Bai were still savoring their daughter’s manners—subtle and elegant in every gesture.
As expected of family genes buried in the bloodline—destined for greatness at a glance.
As for Xiaoya… well, she didn’t have the demeanor of a noble lady, but she was… cute.
In the small courtyard, two beautiful girls sat facing each other, neither breaking the silence first.
Bai Xia’s expression was calm as still water, seemingly unchanged since her arrival.
Just as Bai Xiaoya was about to test the waters, Li Butler came running over.
“Second Young Miss, your room has been cleaned. Do you have any preferences for the arrangement?”
“Thank you, Uncle Li. I’ll go have a look,”
Bai Xia stood up and said to Bai Xiaoya,
“Sorry, I need to tidy my room first.”
Bai Xiaoya nodded slightly.
“Go ahead, sister.”
Li Butler glanced at the two of them in confusion, not understanding the form of address.
The younger calls the elder sister, the elder calls the younger sister, but “sisters” can be used by either close friends or netizens.
What’s your relationship, exactly?
After Bai Xia and the puzzled Li Butler left, a few minutes later, Zhang Butler shuffled over to Bai Xiaoya, head lowered.
“Eldest Miss, you’ve met her. How do you feel?”
Bai Xiaoya narrowed her eyes.
“Dominant yet restrained. Dangerous!”
Her expression remained flat the whole time, like reading a thesis in a library—no emotion, impossible to read.
Zhang Butler felt the same.
“She came into the Bai Family with a cold face. She’s not someone who can be dealt with using a few tricks. How about… we try to establish dominance first?”
For example, have the kitchen cook something not to her taste, test her reaction—see if she’s a pushover or a tough one, the enduring type or the impulsive type.
But Bai Xiaoya shook her head.
“No rush. Let’s play with her a bit.”
She only wanted to complete her task.
Zhang Butler agreed, then, after looking around and seeing no one nearby, added,
“Eldest Miss, there’s another matter. To help ease your worries, I’ve been investigating outside these past few days and found a lot of information related to her. It should be in our hands this afternoon.”
Bai Xiaoya was pleasantly surprised by this unexpected benefit and gave him an approving look.
“Not bad. I’ll wait for your good news.”
Elsewhere, on the upper floor of the courtyard, the room next to Bai Xiaoya’s bedroom was prepared for Bai Xia.
A few maids were inside cleaning and arranging things, and Bai Xia stood nearby, occasionally lending a hand.
“Second Young Miss, please just give instructions. There’s no need for you to do it yourself.”
After a few words of persuasion, the maid didn’t insist further, and waited outside the door with Li Butler.
At this time, Li Butler stepped forward and pulled the door slightly, leaving it ajar.
The noise inside quieted.
“Second Young Miss, you saw the Eldest Miss just now. What impression did she leave on you?”
He asked in a low voice.
Impression?
Bai Xia lifted her gaze slightly.
If speaking of first impressions, the first thing that came to mind was the big white rabbit sprawled on the balcony railing.
“She was all right,”
She said.
“Quite imposing.”
Li Butler obviously misunderstood.
“You mean she was overbearing just now?”
“In fact, we didn’t have a chance to speak.”
“Ah? Is that so? In any case, you still need to be cautious of her…”
Li Butler described Bai Xiaoya to her, saying that as the Bai Family’s Eldest Miss, she was usually willful, doing whatever she pleased, and was not the least bit sensible.
Bai Xia listened quietly, not commenting.
Until finally, Li Butler said worriedly,
“The Madam arranged your bedroom next to hers out of good intentions, but it may bring you trouble.”
“It’s all right, Uncle Li,”
Bai Xia replied softly.
“I understand.”
The girl’s voice was calm and gentle, like the sound of a violin in the afternoon, soothing anyone who heard it.
Once the room was finished, it was simply and elegantly decorated—the bedding was black-and-white checkered, the necessary furniture lined up neatly in the corner, with no extra furnishings.
“Second Young Miss, you have a great eye,”
The maid responsible for arranging the room said nervously.
“This is a post-modern minimalist style, representing maturity and practicality.”
She had followed Bai Xia’s instructions to the letter, not daring to make decisions on her own, and this was the result.
At this moment, a soft but arrogant voice sounded behind them.
“Are you all setting up the room? Wow, so mature, sister!”
Bai Xiaoya appeared, accompanied by Zhang Butler.