Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Defeat Magic with Magic

Qian Hong was wary of Lu Zhaozhao, but when she heard that Xiao Jinglan was coming over, she instinctively chose to protect her.

Because Song Sinian cared a lot about this wife.

“It’s okay, just do as you said. What do I need to do?” Despite Qian Hong’s troubled look, Lu Zhaozhao still smiled warmly at her.

Qian Hong opened her mouth, but the explanation she was about to give got stuck in her throat.

She looked into Lu Zhaozhao’s eyes, full of unspeakable confusion.

Lu Zhaozhao raised her hand and gently patted her shoulder, “You were handpicked by Mr. Song to be the housekeeper, I trust you just as I trust Mr. Song.”

Qian Hong breathed a sigh of relief, “Madam, please come with me to change clothes. Lady Xiao cares a lot about… etiquette. You need to dress more formally to meet her.”

Otherwise, it was too easy for Xiao Jinglan to find fault.

Even though Qian Hong spoke in a veiled manner, Lu Zhaozhao immediately grasped what she meant.

In her past life, she had been played for a fool by Xiao Jinglan; how could she not understand?

After fifteen minutes, Lu Zhaozhao arrived at the reception room.

The moment she saw Xiao Jinglan, Lu Zhaozhao wished she could immediately pounce on her and tear this malicious woman’s face to shreds.

But she couldn’t do that yet.

Xiao Jinglan had schemed for many years after marrying into the Song Family, and Sinian was not someone Lu Zhaozhao could bring down with just a sentence or two. She had to play the long game, to destroy her step by step.

The moment she stepped through the door, Xiao Jinglan’s scrutinizing gaze fell on her, completely missing the flash of hostility that passed through Lu Zhaozhao’s eyes.

A glacier blue long-sleeve shirt paired with a high-waisted black skirt, vintage yet elegant.

She certainly knew how to dress.

Xiao Jinglan’s gaze swept around before finally settling on Lu Zhaozhao’s face.

A beautiful face with delicate features, especially those bright and clear eyes, untainted by the mundane.

No wonder Sinian had married her at first sight.

The Beijing Circle was full of women with great taste in clothing and numerous others with exceptional demeanor, but beauties like her, with peak beauty, excellent temperament, and fashion sense, were indeed rare.

“Auntie, you’ve had a long journey, it must have been hard,” Lu Zhaozhao said with an apologetic face as soon as she entered the room, “As the younger generation, I should have visited you first.”

She and Song Si had registered their marriage without discussing it with the family, surely Xiao Jinglan would seize this chance to scold her for her lack of respect.

By speaking first, Lu Zhaozhao effectively prevented Xiao Jinglan from opening her mouth.

Her established persona at the Song Family was akin to a pure white lotus. If Xiao Jinglan pressed the issue, she would just seem overly harsh.

Xiao Jinglan arched an eyebrow, the words she had been ready to pick faults with, caught in her throat.

She waved her hand, “You just met Sinian yesterday and registered your marriage. It’s normal not to have much time. I’m here today because of the maid dismissal situation yesterday.”

Lu Zhaozhao put on a shocked expression and immediately covered her mouth, “My goodness! Is that what they said?”

“???”

The reaction from Lu Zhaozhao was somewhat unexpected for Xiao Jinglan. She thought Lu Zhaozhao would argue, shift blame, or even lose her temper, but she hadn’t expected such a reaction.

This personality was entirely different from what she had heard from Liao Yan the day before.

Perhaps there was something she didn’t know about.

Xiao Jinglan’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she gently patted Lu Zhaozhao’s hand, asking reassuringly, “About yesterday’s situation, I am not very clear, could you explain it to me again?”

Lu Zhaozhao suppressed the disgust in her heart and looked up at Xiao Jinglan, her small hands seemed to be fearfully gripping the sleeves on her arms.

She hung her head low and didn’t look up at Xiao Jinglan again, her eyelids even reddening slightly, “They, they made me sleep in the guest room, saying I wasn’t qualified to be the lady of the house here, and they threw away my luggage and tore up my clothes…”

A flicker of astonishment crossed Xiao Jinglan’s face, “How, how could they dare?”

She really hadn’t expected Liao Yan to be so bold.

Lu Zhaozhao’s head drooped even lower, her whole body trembling slightly, “That, that housekeeper said she was sent by the lady of the house, telling me to behave in front of them and not to cause any trouble.”

“?!?!!!”

Xiao Jinglan’s mind exploded in the moment, she was about to explain when suddenly, Lu Zhaozhao took hold of her hands.

“But, as soon as I saw Aunt, I knew they were all lying! Aunt looks so kind, how could she instruct them to bully me?”

Lu Zhaozhao’s eyes shone with a faint light as she looked at her, causing Xiao Jinglan to feel a thump in her heart.

She broke into a sweat, but still nodded repeatedly, “These servants are really too audacious, using me as a shield!”

However, she quickly came to her senses, “But… why did Housekeeper Liao say it was you who dismissed them all?”

Lu Zhaozhao pursed her lips, also looking bewildered, “When I said I would tell Mr. Song, she threatened that I would regret it, and then I didn’t know anything after that.”

“…”

Xiao Jinglan’s expression darkened. If Lu Zhaozhao had explained in detail, she might have suspected her of having ulterior motives, of deliberately setting a trap for Liao Yan.

But now, seeing her utterly clueless demeanor, she seemed like someone who had been sold without knowing where they had been taken.

In this light, Lu Zhaozhao’s story seemed more credible.

First, Liao Yan provoked Lu Zhaozhao, afraid Mr. Song would find out, then threatened Lu Zhaozhao afterward, otherwise, Mr. Song wouldn’t have given her a new housekeeper.

What a fool Liao Yan was, did she think by dragging her into this she could turn the tables?

Xiao Jinglan had known Liao Yan was foolish, but didn’t expect her to be this foolish!

Xiao Jinglan gritted her teeth slightly, but on the surface, she still forced a smile, gently patting Lu Zhaozhao’s small hand, “You don’t have to worry about this matter, I will definitely investigate thoroughly and clear your name.”

“Okay, then thank you, Aunt!”

Lu Zhaozhao also reciprocated with a forced smile.

Even if she went back to investigate it didn’t matter.

Liao Yan would certainly insist she was lying and would find other servants to corroborate her story. The more these people agreed with each other, the less Xiao Jinglan would believe them.

She’d just think Liao Yan was wielding power she didn’t have.

Moreover, with the half-truths Lu Zhaozhao had just shared with Xiao Jinglan, it would only make her more suspicious of Liao Yan.

After all, who wouldn’t choose to believe a “victim” who came across as innocent and harmless over someone hysterical?

Xiao Jinglan exhaled softly, “You’ve just arrived at the Song Family and encountered such a situation; you’ve been wronged.”

She waved over the assistant who was with her and then saw the assistant carrying several bags over.

She laid out the gift boxes from the bags onto the tea table in the living room, filling two rows.

Among them were some precious gemstones and jade jewelry, but the most eye-catching item was a pair of diamond rings placed in the first row.

It was evident that Xiao Jinglan had put a lot of thought into it.

Her finger deliberately tapped on the edge of the ring box, “These pieces of jewelry, I picked them out for Sinian to give to you; you know how cold he can be, he might not think of these…”