She pointed to the tea towel, its corner clearly damp with rose juice. "Then, Miss Zhang said just now that she lost this tea towel before the rose juice was spilled. Why is there rose juice on it now? It couldn't be that I took the tea towel and then used it to wipe up rose juice, could it?"
By this point, everyone had guessed when the tea towel had been placed in Song Chaoyu's drawer.
Even Miss Zheng, who had been so self-righteous in accusing Song Chaoyu, lowered her head and dared not say anything.
Song Chaoyu picked up the tea towel and slowly walked towards Song Yanrou, holding it out before her.
She stared at Song Yanrou, her eyes cold. "Third Sister, if I recall correctly, you were the only one who circled my desk just now."
Not only that, but she also pointed to the dried rose juice stain on the cuff of Song Yanrou's left sleeve. "Third Sister also seemed to have gotten rose juice on herself just now. I wonder if these two things are related?"
This put Song Yanrou in a precarious position.
In fact, when the rose juice had spilled earlier, many people had been affected.
Yet, Song Chaoyu had come to find her. Song Yanrou knew very well that Song Chaoyu already knew she was responsible!
She stood rooted to the spot, her mouth opening and closing, but not a single word came out.
Just then, the female teacher arrived, taking the tea towel from Song Chaoyu's hand. "This matter seems to be a misunderstanding. Now that the tea towel has been found, it should be returned to Miss Zhang. Why fuss over it?"
Song Chaoyu's gaze grew colder.
If others could be critical of her, was she not allowed to be critical of others?
However, under the teacher's gaze, Song Chaoyu still returned the tea towel to Miss Zhang. "Please keep such a precious item safe, Miss Zhang. One never knows whose drawer it might end up in next!"
The sarcasm in her words made Miss Zhang blush.
But whether it was because Song Chaoyu had seen through their intentions, or for some other reason, none of them spoke or acted further until the end of the school day.
After returning to the painting studio from class, Song Chaoyu had just sat down when she saw Granny Yin, the old madam's attendant, arrive. "Fourth Miss, the Old Madam requests your presence."
It was almost dinnertime. For her grandmother to ask her to come over at this hour, Song Chaoyu stood up, suddenly thinking of something. "Is this about the matter at school today?"
Granny Yin nodded, tacitly admitting it.
However, Granny Yin did not lead Song Chaoyu to the Old Madam's courtyard. Instead, she led Song Chaoyu directly towards the family ancestral hall.
When Song Chaoyu arrived at the ancestral hall, she found Song Yanrou already kneeling inside.
The Old Madam stood before the ancestral tablets, scolding Song Yanrou. "In the girls' school, you troubled your sister and colluded with others to bully her. What are you trying to achieve? Do you want the Song family to lose all face in front of others before you are satisfied?"
Song Yanrou had always been afraid of the Old Madam and dared not look up to speak.
At this point, without the Old Madam needing to say anything, Song Chaoyu also knelt in the ancestral hall.
Seeing Song Chaoyu's自觉 (self-awareness), the Old Madam walked towards her. "Why are you kneeling?"
Song Chaoyu replied earnestly, "Granddaughter should not have confronted Third Sister in front of everyone at school today. Regardless of the outcome, both Third Sister and I are daughters of the Song family, and it is the Song family's reputation that is being tarnished."
"Indeed, a teachable child."
The Old Madam's gaze towards Song Chaoyu softened slightly. "Since you understand your mistake today, I will not say much more. There is one more thing I need to explain to you."
Even though the Old Madam was treating Song Chaoyu quite well now, her tone became stern. "I have heard that although your academic performance at the girls' school is acceptable, you do not like to socialize. You are a daughter of my Song family, why must you belittle yourself, thinking you are an illegitimate daughter, and thus refuse to socialize with others?"
In fact, Song Chaoyu's disinclination to socialize was not because she was an illegitimate daughter.
It was because, after experiencing so much in her previous life, she felt that some social interactions were simply unnecessary.
The Old Madam, however, became even more stern with Song Chaoyu because of this. "Since you have returned to the Song mansion, you are a daughter of this Song mansion. If outsiders continue to make things difficult for you because you are an illegitimate daughter, you can stand tall and tell everyone that you are a daughter of my Song family! If, because of this, you do not wish to socialize with outsiders under the name of my Song family, that is also something a daughter of the Song family should do. Do you understand?"
Song Chaoyu naturally understood that everything the Old Madam was doing and saying was for the sake of the Song family.
She lowered her gaze and simply said, "Grandmother, this granddaughter was wrong."
She had thought she could completely sever ties with the Song family in this lifetime, but it seemed that was difficult to achieve.
The Old Madam looked at Song Chaoyu and Song Yanrou, then turned away. "You will both kneel here and reflect on your actions today. Return tomorrow morning, hoping that both of you will understand how to be daughters of the Song family in the future!"
With that, she gave Song Yanrou another stern look. "I will have Granny Yin keep watch outside. If anyone dares to cause trouble in the ancestral hall, it will be more than just kneeling!"
These words were naturally directed at Song Yanrou, making her feel so wronged that she was on the verge of tears.
Only after hearing the Old Madam's footsteps disappear behind her did Song Yanrou resentfully look up at Song Chaoyu. "It's all your fault! Grandmother has never punished me by making me kneel before!"
Song Chaoyu's eyes were calm. "Please, Third Sister, do not forget what Grandmother said. Let there be less noise in the ancestral hall!"
Having endured the loneliness and solitude of being confined to a side courtyard for three years in her previous life, what was kneeling in the ancestral hall for a single night to Song Chaoyu?
It was a rare moment of peace. Song Chaoyu closed her eyes and pondered her own matters, time passing quickly.
"Bang—"
Suddenly, a faint sound from behind shattered the tranquility of the ancestral hall.
Song Chaoyu opened her eyes and saw Song Yanrou beside her stir, then quickly turn and whisper, "Why are you here?"
Thinking it was not someone from Granny Yin's side who had entered, Song Chaoyu also turned around, only to be surprised to see the household servant, Zhuzi!
He crept in from outside, carrying a food box. He whispered to Song Yanrou, "Miss, keep your voice down. Granny Yin outside is dozing, and I found an opportunity to come in! I thought you young ladies haven't eaten all night and must be hungry. I've brought some pastries for you. Please be quiet."
Song Chaoyu turned her head and realized the sky outside had already darkened.
She hadn't expected this Zhuzi to be so close to Song Yanrou!
And looking at the somewhat shy yet expectant look in Song Yanrou's eyes, she suddenly understood!