Chapter 130: The Little Schemer

Ever since Liu Ling'er stepped into Xiao Cui’s quarters, she knew there was no easy way out. Fortunately, she had already prepared for the worst.

Steadying her nerves, she put on a pitiful expression. "Baili Xian, you know? I’m actually a victim in all this."

"You’re a victim? Oh! How do you figure that?" Baili Xian was momentarily stunned, but his curiosity was instantly piqued. He propped his head up, watching her, waiting for an explanation.

Liu Ling'er cleared her throat. "Yesterday, after dinner, I was just wandering around the estate to digest my food when I happened to run into Xiao Shuang. She insisted that I take her out to play, and since I hadn't taken her out in a long time, I agreed."

Regardless of the truth, she had to use Xiao Shuang as her shield. Liu Ling'er didn't dare admit that she had been the one to lure Xiao Shuang out; if she had, Baili Xian would have torn her to pieces. Even now, he was looking at her with suspicion, as if asking if she were telling the truth.

Realizing she couldn't dwell on that point, she glossed over it. "We were having a nice walk when I heard a child crying by the side of the road. Out of curiosity, I went over to ask what was wrong, and ended up being pestered. Sigh, if only I hadn't gone over."

She had indeed been pestered, though she modified the details. "I asked why he was crying, and the next thing I knew, he grabbed my leg, called me 'Mother,' and claimed he’d been separated from me, accusing me of only just finding him. Tell me, Baili Xian, am I not a victim?"

Baili Xian looked at the indignant Liu Ling'er and curled his lip. "If you knew he was trying to latch onto you, you could have just walked away. Surely he couldn't have dragged you along. Tell you what, I’ll have my men throw that brat out of the Prince Xian’s manor right now."

Liu Ling'er rolled her eyes, thinking him heartless. "I thought the same, that it was better to avoid trouble, but Xiao Shuang took a liking to him. She’s usually so lonely in the manor that she insisted on being friends with him. If I didn't bring him back, she wouldn't have come home either. I had no choice. I never expected that by the second day, the two of them would be fighting."

Her story was airtight. In the grand scheme of things, she was indeed a victim. Seeing how miserable she acted, Baili Xian found it hard to scold her further.

However, the matter still needed resolution. While Baili Xian hesitated, Liu Ling'er thought to herself: no matter how much trouble Chu Xiaosheng caused, he was entrusted to her care by Chu Sheng. Not to mention, just by the way he kept calling her "Mother," she felt compelled to protect him.

Finally, she suggested, "Why don't you ask Xiao Shuang? If she hates the boy, you can make your decision then."

Baili Xian agreed and sent for Xiao Shuang. As soon as she heard they wanted to kick Chu Xiaosheng out, she threw a fit. She had finally found a playmate; she hadn't even spent a full day with him!

With Liu Ling'er catching her eye, the clever little girl understood immediately and grew even more insistent. She grabbed Baili Xian’s arm, acting spoiled and begging him to let the boy stay.

Baili Xian doted on Xiao Shuang to the point of indulgence; if she asked for the moon in the sky, he would find a way to pluck it for her. Since she rarely asked for anything, he couldn't bring himself to refuse her now. The estate was vast, and feeding another child was trivial. As long as his eldest brother’s child was happy, he didn't care.

Once the matter was settled, Baili Xian had breakfast with Liu Ling'er. He had intended to spend the day with her, but Tie Wula whispered something in his ear—evidently an urgent matter. Baili Xian left immediately, and after the morning’s events, Liu Ling'er was more than happy to have some peace and quiet.

She took Xiao Shuang to the training room and taught her some martial arts movements. Seeing the child practicing with focus and form, Liu Ling'er felt quite gratified.

In the middle of their training, a young maid ran over, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, a Miss Su is outside the manor to see you."

*A Miss Su? I don’t know anyone by that name,* Liu Ling'er wondered. Still, she quickly changed her clothes and went to the main hall. A woman in yellow was sitting with her back to her, sipping tea. Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

When Liu Ling'er saw the face, she was speechless. It was Su Yunyun! Not long ago, at the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, she had been a dashing young gentleman. How had she become a "young lady" in just a few days?

Recognizing an acquaintance, Liu Ling'er didn't need to stand on ceremony. She sat down and said, "Yunyun—or rather, Princess Su—I apologize for failing to welcome you properly. My humble manor truly shines with your arrival."