The nanny's first reaction was to wonder who had given such a young child plastic surgery and even put in contact lenses, managing to arrive at the Ji household ahead of them!
In the original story, by this time, Ji Nian's face had already been disfigured. Even though she had eyes of the same color as Ji Tingzhou, she was not taken seriously.
But now, things were different.
Ji Nian not only had eyes similar in color to Ji Tingzhou's but also a face that was nearly identical.
The nanny's face was filled with apprehension.
This scene naturally didn't exist in the original story, and Ji Nian hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly. Her original plan was to sleep through it and not interfere with the female lead's spotlight.
Using her uninjured hand to prop herself up, Ji Nian introduced herself: "My name is Ji Nian."
The nanny's sharp eyes narrowed: "You're a Ji!?"
She grabbed Ji Nian's arm with such force that Ji Nian winced.
How could this be!?
Weren't all the Ji family members dead, with only Ji Tingzhou left? So Ji Nian clearly wasn't a relative...
Just as she was edging closer to that unthinkable answer, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Why are all of you crowding the doorway?"
Zhiliao, having sent Ji Tingzhou's things upstairs, walked over towards them.
Being a skilled assassin, she smelled the scent of blood a few steps away and her expression changed. By the time she got closer and saw Ji Nian, who was being blocked by the nanny, her eyes turned icy cold.
The nanny hadn't expected this scarred woman, who looked slim, to have such strength. Zhiliao easily pushed her aside.
"Miss, are you alright? Who did this to you?"
Seeing the glaring wound on the little girl's palm, Zhiliao's anger flared.
With all her previous injuries not yet fully healed, she had been careless and gotten hurt again.
Hearing Zhiliao address her as "Miss," the nanny was stunned.
What did she mean by "Miss"?
But before she could ask, Zhiliao had already picked up Ji Nian and, with a cold stare, directed her gaze at the nanny: "Did you do this?"
Her eyes, like a clear pond, suddenly radiated a bone-chilling intent to kill. The nanny felt a cold sweat break out on her back and immediately shook her head: "No, it wasn't me. She fell and hurt herself."
Ji Nian sneered inwardly, ready to speak, when the system chimed in: [Host, this woman has been taking care of the female lead since her parents passed away. She's very important to the female lead. If you speak now, she'll definitely be kicked out.]
Ji Nian was momentarily interrupted.
Then she quickly realized: [So you're telling me to endure this?]
She thought of the nanny in the original story, who had kicked the original owner so hard that she had lain in bed for days.
Such a young child had half her face disfigured, unable to sleep due to the pain, not daring to turn over because her body was also hurting.
After years of oppression from Zhang Yulan, she had finally mustered the courage to see her father, only to witness another girl of the same age, but with a different fate, being welcomed in with open arms.
She didn't feel jealousy, only envy. And yet, she was treated like trash, kicked to the ground and unable to get up.
What had the original owner done wrong?
Why did everyone think it was okay to bully Ji Nian, whose only wish was to eat enough every day, not steal, and not take what wasn't hers!?
[I didn't agree to the world kissing me with pain. This is sexual harassment.]
The next moment, Ji Nian shrank back and hugged Zhiliao tightly, like a drowning person clinging to a floating log.
Cold tears dripped onto Zhiliao's neck as the girl, trying her best to suppress her sobs but still trembling, spoke: "I fell by myself. She didn't kick me. It's my fault. Don't hit me... please don't hit me..."
Zhiliao had initially suppressed her anger, but hearing the child's words, she couldn't hold back anymore!
She had thought the child was naturally strong, but it turned out she had just hidden the shadows Zhang Yulan had cast over her. Only when she was bullied again did those emotions surface.
"Good girl, you're not at fault. With sister here, no one can hit you."
Holding the child with one hand, Zhiliao used her other hand to deliver a swift and thunderous slap to the nanny's face.
The force was so heavy that the nanny not only fell to her knees but also lost two teeth, which flew out along with blood.
"Ah!!"
She screamed, covering her face, looking at Zhiliao in disbelief, her mind still reeling.
Shen Qingtang, who had been ignored for a while, stared blankly at Zhiliao, who was protectively holding Ji Nian like a mother hen shielding her chicks.
Unlike most people who would first be drawn to the horrifying scar, Shen Qingtang had only noticed how beautiful Zhiliao's eyes were when she first saw her.
They were like a cold pond reflecting the stars on a winter night.
But those eyes never once landed on Shen Qingtang.
She turned to look at the disheveled nanny.
After losing her parents, the nanny had always taken care of Shen Qingtang. Without a support system, she had become very dependent on her.
"Auntie, are you okay?"
Shen Qingtang tearfully walked over, her face filled with uncertainty.
As she approached, the nanny suddenly grabbed her arm and squeezed hard.
Shen Qingtang felt some pain but understood the hint.
She had seen the auntie kick the younger sister and thought it was excessive, but she had to be obedient and likable.
She didn't want to be alone.
"Sister, I'm sorry. Don't hit Auntie, please. You can hit me instead."
Shen Qingtang's originally beautiful and clean skirt hem was stained with blood as she trembled and stepped in front of Zhiliao, her beautiful eyes filled with tears, pleading with the person in front of her.
Zhiliao looked at the child in front of her, and for some reason, her heart softened slightly. This feeling came out of nowhere.
She wasn't someone who easily softened, and her affection for Ji Nian was only because the child was Ji Tingzhou's.
But the child in front of her clearly wasn't someone who would normally evoke such a response, so this sudden affection felt particularly strange.
Zhiliao sister, I'm in pain...
At that moment, Ji Nian hugged her tighter.
Thinking of Ji Nian's untreated wounds, Zhiliao didn't pursue the matter further and hurried away with the child.
Shen Qingtang breathed a sigh of relief, her body going limp.
She turned to look at the nanny, wanting to check on her injuries, but was met with a gaze filled with blame.
As if saying—
'Why are you so useless?'
The little girl's face was full of confusion.
The servant who had been leading the way at this time walked over: "Zhiliao is the most valued person in this household, on par with the head butler."
Hearing this, the nanny's face turned pale.
Oh no, she had underestimated the situation.
Arriving at Shen Qingtang's room, the nanny, too preoccupied to be picky about the environment, grabbed her and, with her mouth slightly leaking air due to the missing teeth, spoke in a firm tone: "Tangtang, you need to win over that sister, understand? Whether we can live well in the Ji household depends on you."
Having just learned that the little girl was Ji Tingzhou's biological daughter, the nanny instantly changed her previous plans.
But what good was a biological daughter? She had already found out that Ji Nian had been neglected since birth and only recently brought back. What kind of bond could there be?
Shen Qingtang, on the other hand, had been raised by him for nearly two years.
The nanny's eyes burned with ambition.
The Ji family must be theirs!
Under the nanny's intense gaze, Shen Qingtang weakly nodded.
She actually wanted to say: Auntie, I haven't eaten anything all day. I'm so hungry.
But in the end, she swallowed everything and replaced it with a flattering smile.
