jiejie?" bai lang kept her tone soft and meek. bai liu and bai nuo stood to greet her, each taking her hand to lead bai lang to sit down. "meimei, i'm glad you're feeling better but why are you out? concubine mother su said you're still ill."

Bai Liu as the big sister and legitimate daughter sought to be in good relations with her concubine borne siblings. she didn't see the difference between her and them, just that,they had different mothers. bai lang dident  know if bai liu is just sweet or just plain stupid (naïve). having processed information on what happened in the main house just now, bai lang reckons su rou xue wanted to overplay her illness and have someone blamed for it. 

The most likely victim or scapegoat would be Qu Rou Li. Bai Lang had no plan to jump on the Su Rou Xue bandwagon.In her last life, she had believed her concubine mother, even though she had taken Bai Lang`s biological mothers place as first wife after her death,  the women was overly sweet to Bai Lang, never knowing the wolf that laid behind sheep clothing. Bai Lang had eventually followed her woman`s plan into a marriage that killed her. In this life she is still a  young noble miss albeit concubine born but still a noble miss. not enjoying this life would be wasting it. 

"Jiejie, I've been better for days but no one visited me. I was told I couldn't visit anyone either." Bai Lang knew her words were a double-edged sword. If you listen rightly, you could hear the hidden meaning in it. Bai Lang tilts her head confused and then asks them. "I was better so why couldn't I go out?"

Bai Liu frowned and pats her younger sister on the head. Bai Lang is truly young and doesn't understand what she just said. Bai Liu looked at Bai Nuo who was stuffing Bai Lang's mouth with sweets. Although just fourteen and thirteen respectively, the two sisters were extremely close and practically seemed like twins. In a moment a silent conversation passed between the two.

Bai Lang didn't disturb them and happily gorged on the sweets, she knew the two were in deep conversations.

"The doctor just wanted you under observation in case you suffer a relapse." Bai Nuo said. ``Don't worry`mei mei ,I will bring Bai Sheng and Bai Wen to visit you later with some sweets." The sisters both looked at their younger sister surprised to see the plate full of sweets gone and Bai Lang's mouth covered with the evidence of what was once there.

The two along with their maids burst out in laughter. Bai Liu took a handkerchief and cleaned her sister's face. "No more sweets. Brothers and I will bring you out for a boat ride later."

Bai Lang spent the next hour socializing with her sisters before making her way back to the courtyard she shared with her mother. Lou Meng walked behind the younger girl scrutinizing her every action.

"Third miss is close to the eldest and second miss?"

Bai Lang doesn't know what Lou Meng is implying but she turns around pouting at the servant. "Bai Liu and Bai Nuo are my sisters. Who else am I supposed to be close to."

Like a child throwing a tantrum, Bai Lang ran off leaving the servant dumbfounded. Her third miss never spoke to her this way. Bai Lang knew that Lou Meng was getting awfully suspicious of her. As she hurried back to the courtyard, Bai Lang came face to face with Su Rou Xue.

"Concubine Mother!" Su Rou Xue swirled to face the young girl. Although she was smiling, Bai Lang could feel the anger emitting from her.

``SLAP``

Bai Lang's young and tender face swelled up very fast. Su Rou Xue five fingers printed out on her face. 'It hurts', that's all Bai Lang could think. The last time someone hit her in her previous life they ended up sold off to a brothel. Bai Lang clenched her left hand with the right covering the hurting cheek.

"You foolish child, didn't I tell you what to do? Why didn't you listen to me?

Acting confused and being confused is two different things and Bai Lang was genuinely confused. When did this woman speak to her? "Daughter doesn't understand." Su Rou Xue took a deep breath reminding herself that she's dealing with a clearly a stupid child. 

"Didn't I tell you last week to drink the soup I left for you. Why didn't you drink it? Lou Meng said you didn't drink it." It all clicked in Bai Ling's head, as memories flooded her head making her dizzy. Su Rou Xue had asked the previous Bai Lang to drink the bowl of soup. Bai Lang took one mouthful before pains wrack her stomach. Bai Lang hadn't bothered to drink the rest. Su Rou Xue had told her to say the madam had sent the bowl of soup that made her get sick.

It wasn't a flawless plan but it was a start. Qu Rou Li wouldn't be punished but she would be suspected of poisoning a concubine child. Why wait ten years and why her, Su Rou Xue is stupid. The first-person Bai Lang would target, would be, either Bai Sheng or Bai Wen, the only two sons in the family.

Su Rou Xue was willing to kill her own child just to frame the main wife. What a wonderful mother!

Bai Lang held her cheek and forced tears out her eyes. She started to sob hysterically. "Sorry, I'm so sorry."

There was one thing worse than a crying woman and that's a wailing child. Su Rou Xue got fed up and stopped questioning Bai Lang.

"It's alright." Su Rou Xue said, dropping to her knees in front of Bai Lang hugging her. "It hurts when mother hit you, doesn't it? It's all Qu Rou Li's fault. It's her fault mother is angry, it's her fault that father doesn't visit us. Remember Xiao Lang, Qu Rou Li is the enemy.

Su Rou Xue pulled back and looked at the tear faced, snot nose child. She wipes away her tears, cringing at the same time. "That's why you need to listen to what mother says and follow her words. Do you understand?"

At Ba Lang's nod, Su Rou Xue let go of the child and said to Lou Meng. "Clean her up, the Master will be here shortly."

Lou Meng went over to Bail Lang, held her hand and brought her into her bedroom. Bai Lang stared long and hard at Lou Meng. If this maid had reported Su Rou Xue abuse, perhaps the old Bai Lang wouldn't have died from that poisonous soup.

Su Rou Xue used the carrot and stick approach, so she could corrupt any child, especially the previous Bai Lang. 'Do what mother says and she'll love you. Hate Qu Rou Li for turning mother bad.' A child like the previous Bai Lang would think that.

bai lang didn't realize she was glaring at Lou meng murderously until when the maid called out. "young miss?" "Lou meng, get me ice. my cheek hurts." to Lou meng, at this time Bai Lang would usually be crying and holding onto her.

 'The young miss is truly acting differently. the young miss really might be possessed. Lou Meng quickly drops Bai lang's hand, steps away from her and avoids eye contact. "yes, miss.'' Bai lang saw all that was on lou meng's face. "perhaps it's time to get a new maid." bai lang said to herself.