Volume One, Chapter 4: Has She Become Smarter?

Just as Song Jing was about to speak, Song Yueyi immediately recognized Song Jiayin. She smiled warmly and approached, “Sister, I’m Yueyi. Do you remember me? I came all the way from Nanjing just to see you.”

Song Jiayin’s face remained expressionless, not a trace of a smile. Her tone was calm and flat: “Of course I remember. It’s unforgettable.”

Upon hearing this, Song Yueyi’s eyes instantly welled with tears. She grasped Song Jiayin’s hand tightly, her voice choked with emotion: “Sister, I’m sorry for all the suffering you’ve endured.”

Song Jiayin fixed her bright eyes on Yueyi, listening to her caring words but remained impassive, offering no reply.

Ignoring this, Song Yueyi pulled Song Jiayin’s hand from beneath her oversized robe and coquettishly said, “Sister, since you’ve woken up, why don’t we go have breakfast with our eldest brother? It’s been so long; I have so much to tell you.”

Song Jiayin responded softly, her voice faint and lacking enthusiasm.

Excited, Song Yueyi tugged Song Jiayin toward the door, but the robe was too large, and she accidentally stepped on it, stumbling forward and nearly pulling Yueyi down with her.

Quick as a flash, Song Jing caught Yueyi, while Song Jiayin fell heavily into the snow, looking utterly disheveled.

No one helped her up. Instead, Song Jing scolded sharply, “You almost hurt Yueyue! Was that on purpose? She came all this way to see you—what exactly do you want?”

Lying face down in the snow, Song Jiayin slowly lifted her head to look at Song Jing with cold eyes, causing him to shrink back. Irritated, he snapped, “What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong? Aren’t you going to get up?”

Song Yueyi gently said, “Eldest brother, let me help sister. She fell hard...”

Song Jing pulled Yueyi back, “Let her get up herself. She fell by her own fault.”

Only then did Zi Yan react and rush over to assist Song Jiayin. “Princess, let me help you…”

But halfway through, Song Zhen suddenly threw a large snowball from somewhere, slamming it squarely into Song Jiayin’s face.

The icy snow soaked her neck, making her feel as if the world had collapsed.

---

Song Jiayin’s face was covered in snow, her features barely visible.

Zi Yan hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe her. “Princess, are you alright? Let me help you inside to warm up…”

Meanwhile, Song Zhen laughed loudly beside them. “Song Jiayin, you’re as amusing as a dog. Remember that yellow dog in the palace at Bianjing? It used to chase you and bite you... but it never bit us.”

Song Jiayin remained motionless, quietly observing everyone.

Was she really like a dog in the eyes of those she once loved?

Song Jing merely glared at Song Zhen but didn’t utter a single word of reprimand.

Song Yueyi stepped forward, producing her own handkerchief to help wipe Song Jiayin’s face.

She spoke gently, “Sister, don’t be angry. Fifth prince is just mischievous; he definitely didn’t mean it. I apologize on his behalf.”

Were these people who had brought her back only here to humiliate her?

Enduring the pain in her knee and the insult, Song Jiayin retorted coldly, “Whoever did wrong should apologize. I’ve never heard of apologies being made on someone else’s behalf.”

Song Yueyi immediately withdrew her hand like a wounded rabbit and looked toward Song Jing, eyes full of pitiful grievance. “Sister, I thought we were family and should value harmony. Fifth prince has always been like this…”

Hearing this, Song Zhen felt no remorse and, indifferent, stepped aside with a mocking smile at Song Jiayin. “I refuse to apologize. What can you do about it? Come and hit me if you dare.”

Song Jing, however, brought up old grievances. “Song Jiayin, are you done? When we were kids, didn’t you throw snowballs at me? Didn’t I chase you to make you apologize? You nearly caused Yueyue to fall just now—why won’t you apologize?”

Song Jiayin’s gaze turned to Song Jing. Slowly, she opened her mouth and said, “I didn’t expect Your Highness the Prince of Qin to still remember our childhood snowball fights. Unfortunately, I don’t. I was enslaved in the Jin Kingdom for three years—starving, freezing, wearing summer clothes in winter, often forced to kneel and soaked in cold water. My knees have been deformed and can no longer carry me onto your carriage. Walking is already a struggle, and with these oversized clothes, I stumbled and nearly caused the Great Princess to fall. It was Yun’s fault. I apologize to you all.”

Her words silenced everyone; all eyes were fixed on Song Jiayin.

---

Song Jing was at a loss. He had no idea what Song Jiayin had endured in the Jin Kingdom, nor that her knees were ruined.

“Why didn’t you say you were unwell earlier? I could have helped you up. And why didn’t you say your clothes didn’t fit? The Great Zhou has more than one dress. Are you playing the pity card on purpose, trying to make everyone feel sorry for you and forcing us siblings to become villains? Don’t think you can bully Yueyue just because Su Lingfeng is here. He’s Yueyue’s husband now, not yours. You refused to ride in my carriage yesterday but took the fourth prince’s instead. Are you trying to cozy up to the Crown Prince now, looking down on us?”

Seeing Song Jing’s angry face, Song Jiayin couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. The people she once cared for most knew her weaknesses well, twisting words like knives that stabbed her heart, inflicting pain and torment.

Fortunately, she had grown cold and indifferent, no longer expecting anything from anyone.

“Stop nitpicking and ruining our sibling relationship. Before you came out, we were all laughing and having a good time. You really know how to kill the mood!”

Song Yueyi seemed to think it was time to intervene, speaking softly, “Eldest brother, please don’t say that. Sister has just reunited with us; it’s understandable she’s unsettled and upset.”

“Yueyue, you understand and speak reasonably,” Song Jing said, looking at Song Jiayin. “She’s different. She resents us. Three years of marriage alliance, and we ignored her. Now she’s surely plotting revenge! Watching us happy, she had to make this scene. Now no one’s happy, so she’s achieved her goal.”

Before Song Jiayin could reply, tears welled in Song Yueyi’s eyes as she pleaded, “Eldest brother, please don’t blame sister. I’m fine, but seeing her like this really pains me...”

At that moment, Song Jiayin appeared genuinely pitiable: ill-fitting clothes, trembling legs, gaunt cheeks, eyes carrying the clear, frightened look of a startled fawn.

Meanwhile, Su Lingfeng had silently appeared by the side, unnoticed by Song Yueyi until now.

Yueyi’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Song Jiayin still harbored illusions about Su Lingfeng and was playing the victim for that reason? She used to fight back immediately, hitting and cursing in return.

When did Song Jiayin become so cunning? Did those three years in the Jin Kingdom make her smarter?