Xu Yulan's expression carried a hint of schadenfreude, and a glint of greed flashed in her eyes.
Although she was the second daughter-in-law, in this mansion, as long as her mother-in-law was present, even Liu Yun, who managed the household, couldn't override her.
This time there was an advantage to be had. Although the first branch initiated it, she believed her aunt wouldn't let her lose out.
"Ms. Bai, what do you think of Tong Er's outfit today?" the Old Madam asked with a face full of smiles, not speaking her intentions directly but holding Gu Antong's hand instead.
Seeing this scene, Bai Suihe had already searched her memories. If she remembered correctly, this plot was about to start. Gu Antong's outfit would allow her to shine brightly at the Princess's estate, kicking off her lifelong entanglement with the Third Prince.
While she had felt indifferent reading the book, viewing them simply as fictional characters, being in the midst of it now made her feel that this plot was incredibly twisted and immoral.
She thought, "Female lead, if you want to show off, then dress yourself up nicely using your own things. But what logic is there in coveting your aunt's dowry?"
She also recalled a description from the story: Gu Antong's flamboyant red outfit was paired with Bai Suihe's dowry, the Flame Glazed Jewelry set. This made her look exceptionally radiant, allowing her to stand out among numerous noble young ladies and catch the eyes of several Princes.
"An Tong and the Old Madam are blood-related grandmother and granddaughter. She inherited the Old Madam's good looks, so naturally, she looks good in whatever she wears," Bai Suihe said. After speaking, she clearly saw the expressions of the mother and daughter from the first branch stiffen.
They were probably secretly cursing Bai Suihe in their hearts at this moment. After all, apart from being round-faced, the Old Madam had no other good physical features, and her face couldn't even be forcefully associated with the word "kind."
The Old Madam, however, was very happy hearing this. She felt that Ms. Bai's words today were pleasing to the ear and that her granddaughter looked very much like her younger self. "Tong Er and I when I was young are simply carved from the same mold. I just don't know which lucky boy will benefit in the future."
Gu Antong lowered her eyes to hide the disgust in them. When she looked up again, she covered her mouth and chuckled. "Grandmother praises me too much. If I had even thirty percent of your looks when you were young, I'd already be secretly rejoicing. It's only you, Grandmother, who elevates me so."
"Grandmother wouldn't lie. Everyone says so."
Those were just polite words from others; couldn't she have some self-awareness? Liu Yun was almost grinding her teeth. Her daughter's good looks were naturally inherited from her. What did it have to do with this old lady who was as stupid as a pig?
On the surface, however, she wore a face of flattery. "That's why our eldest girl wins your favor the most, Old Madam. Look at her sweet mouth; it's just like yours..."
At their mutual commercial-like flattery, Bai Suihe almost couldn't resist rolling her eyes. They all had such thick skin; no wonder they could lie through their teeth.
She was just thinking of treating these words as a joke, but who knew the fire would immediately burn to her side.
"Ms. Bai's praise makes An Tong embarrassed. Truthfully, the most beautiful person in our Gu Mansion must be you, Ms. Bai. Once my little sister is born, I, the eldest sister, will probably be outshined."
After Gu Antong finished speaking, she looked pointedly at Bai Suihe's belly.
Unfortunately, Bai Suihe wasn't the original owner of the body. Whether the precious baby in her belly was a son or a daughter, it was her own child, and she definitely didn't favor boys over girls.
"Suihe, look at this girl running her mouth. The child in your belly is definitely our family's little young master. When the time comes, I, as his eldest aunt, will definitely prepare a generous gift."
Liu Yun glanced at Gu Antong, and the mother and daughter's eyes met in the air, immediately understanding each other's intentions.
"Ms. Bai, look at my big mouth. Please don't take it to heart.
"The child in your belly is definitely my younger male cousin. It's just that I'm the only girl in the mansion, so it's inevitably a bit lonely. I was just thinking that if I had a younger sister to keep me company..."
Bai Suihe stared at the teacup in front of her, not wanting to listen to their hypocritical words. She supported her belly and stood up. "How could I bicker with you, An Tong? It's just a pity that the age gap between the child in my belly and you is a bit large, so I'm afraid you won't be able to spend much time together.
"On behalf of the child in my belly, I thank you for your sisterly affection."
"..." Gu Antong turned her head away. What did Ms. Bai mean by this? Was she saying that by the time the child grew up, she would be old?
This was a slap in the face, implying that the child wouldn't have any interaction with her.
"Alright, we are all family. Let the sisters get along by themselves in the future." The Old Madam made the final decision. She had no expectations for the fetus in Ms. Bai's belly; grandson or granddaughter, it didn't matter to her.
"Ms. Bai, you are about to become a mother. You must have a kind and loving heart. Don't bicker with a child."
If Bai Suihe didn't have to maintain her persona, she would have clapped back directly on the spot. Didn't they see who started the trouble first?
"I called you here today because there is something I need to discuss with you. Look at Tong Er's outfit; it still needs suitable jewelry to match. If I remember correctly, you seem to have a set of Glazed Jewelry on hand that perfectly matches her clothes.
"Tong Er is about to attend the Eldest Princess's banquet soon. This is a great opportunity. If she shines at the banquet, you, as her aunt, can also share in her glory."
Although she didn't say it explicitly, these blatant words were just short of directly reaching out her hand to demand the item.
Bai Suihe wasn't so easily brushed off. Instead, she asked very bluntly, "Now that you mention it, Old Madam, of course I remember. In my dowry, there is indeed a set of Flame Glazed Jewelry. My grandmother specifically searched for it to leave for me as a family heirloom. Ever since it was passed down to me, I have cherished and protected it dearly. I didn't expect that you and An Tong would still remember it."
The Old Madam's expression turned somewhat ugly. This Ms. Bai simply didn't know how to appreciate favors. As her mother-in-law, she had already spoken up, yet Ms. Bai still brought up things like her dowry. Was she implying that they were coveting Ms. Bai's dowry?
Gu Antong only wanted to get her hands on the item sooner and momentarily failed to notice the underlying meaning in Bai Suihe's words. "Ms. Bai is right, that's exactly it."
Liu Yun wanted to stop her but it was already too late. She could only cover her mouth with a handkerchief and let out a dry cough.
"So it turns out my niece has her eyes on my dowry." As soon as Bai Suihe said this, the expressions of the family members present changed, and even Gu Antong snapped back to her senses.
"Ms. Bai, please don't say that. I just wanted to borrow it." Gu Antong stood up in fright. The mansion had hired a strict palace governess to teach her etiquette. If word of this got out, her marriage prospects would be...
"So you just want to borrow it. I thought..." Bai Suihe covered her mouth in surprise, then said with great remorse, "Look at my big mouth. An Tong is the legitimate daughter of the Gu Mansion's first branch. Naturally, you wouldn't do something so shameless. I apologize to you right here."
"Ms. Bai, don't run your mouth without thinking in the future." The Old Madam also coveted the third branch's dowry and was planning to slowly get her hands on it later. Today was supposed to be a good opening, but unexpectedly, Tong Er got too anxious.
Gu Antong looked at the Old Madam for help. "Grandmother, it's all my fault. But where can I find suitable jewelry to match this outfit of mine?"