The doctor examined Nuo Nuo. The child had only a mild rash that looked alarming, but she would be fine with proper rest and medication.
However, this illness had indeed made her the center of the family's attention, just as she had wished.
Consequently, she looked down even more on Shen Jinxi and Chen Chen.
When the adults were out of earshot, she ordered Shen Jinxi to fetch her water and Chen Chen to get her pastries. The twins had initially intended to humor her.
But Chen Chen said, "Forget it, she's sick."
Considering her illness, they decided to indulge her this once.
With her brother's word, Shen Jinxi went, though very reluctantly.
Yet, the water she brought was too hot, and the pastries were too sweet. With immense arrogance and a sense of entitlement, she commanded, "Go get me new ones!"
"Hey, you're going too far!"
Shen Jinxi stood with his hands on his hips, blocking his brother. "My brother is easy to bully, but I'm not. Don't think I can't see you're deliberately tormenting us!"
Nuo Nuo raised an eyebrow, looking quite pleased. "I'm sick. Even Great-Grandmother would side with me. If you don't want to lose Great-Grandmother's affection, then do as I say."
Shen Jinxi bristled. "I won't. Why should I listen to you?"
"Then I'll tell Great-Grandmother."
Nuo Nuo threatened him without restraint, as if she had found a handle.
Unbeknownst to her, Shen Qingqing, who had been waiting by the door, witnessed it all. Hearing footsteps behind her, she hid and saw Fang Ruo and Old Madam Fu approaching.
The moment they entered, Nuo Nuo's spoiled demeanor vanished, replaced by one of obedience and docility.
"Great-Grandmother, Grandma, you're here."
"How are you feeling?" Fang Ruo sat by the bedside, looking at her with concern.
"I'm fine, Grandma, don't worry." Nuo Nuo glanced timidly at Shen Jinxi and Chen Chen, her expression suggesting they had bullied her.
As expected, Fang Ruo misunderstood. "Why are you here? Your sister is sick, and you're still bothering her?"
Which of her eyes indicated that they were still bothering her?
Shen Jinxi didn't bother arguing with someone whose eyesight was clearly poor. He made a face at Nuo Nuo and turned to run, dragging his slower brother along.
After the two children left, Shen Qingqing stood at the doorway, watching Nuo Nuo fawn over Fang Ruo and Old Madam Fu, and sneered inwardly.
Just like her mother, she knew how to put on an act for show.
That afternoon, she asked Xixi and Chen Chen to visit Nuo Nuo. When the twins were reluctant, she said, "Do you want Great-Grandmother to see her true colors?"
Of course, they did!
Without another word, the two children went.
At that moment, Nuo Nuo was lying alone in the room, bored. Seeing them arrive, she felt she had found amusement and began to issue a series of demands, as if it were her right.
After listing them, she noticed the twins still standing at the doorway. She immediately became displeased.
"Why aren't you going yet? Do you want me to tell Great-Grandmother?"
"You don't need to tell her, I'm already here." Old Madam Fu pushed the door open, her expression grave, a storm brewing.
Nuo Nuo was startled. How could Great-Grandmother appear so quickly? Hadn't she gone back to her room to rest? Had she heard everything?
"Great-Grandmother, I..."
"I'm truly enlightened. At such a young age, you've already learned to feign obedience. Look at your expression just now, exactly like your mother's!"
Seeing the disgust on Old Madam Fu's face, Nuo Nuo was thoroughly frightened. She scrambled to sit up, her face drained of color. "I know I was wrong, Great-Grandmother. I didn't mean to."
"Still saying you didn't mean to." Old Madam Fu stood behind the twins, regretting that she had been deceived by this child and had overlooked the other two. "From now on, you will behave yourself, or you will leave with your mother."
Upon hearing that she might be kicked out, Nuo Nuo immediately panicked and couldn't help but cry.
"Great-Grandmother, why don't you like me?"
Old Madam Fu paused, her lips twitching, unsure what to say.
Initially, it was indeed Lu Wanying who had caused her to have a preconceived negative impression of the child. Later, discovering the child's scheming nature, she disliked her even more.
But after all, she was just a child, and Old Madam Fu didn't want to elaborate.
"If you stop scheming, you can stay. I won't make things difficult for you."
Her protective stance towards the twins was all too obvious. Seeing Shen Jinxi peek out from behind her and make a face, Nuo Nuo, with nowhere to vent her grievances, choked back a sob. "Great-Grandmother, this isn't fair."
Old Madam Fu said sternly, "Nothing is absolutely fair, and besides, you were in the wrong to begin with."
Nuo Nuo's eyes flickered, and she wiped her eyes with her small hands. "I didn't mean to bully my brothers. I just... I just wanted them to get closer to me..."
Old Madam Fu looked at her in surprise.
"I know my brothers don't like me," Nuo Nuo said softly. "But I thought if I could bully them, they would notice me. I wanted to spend more time with them and not be ignored."
Her words were extremely humble, yet Old Madam Fu was half-believing. "Where did this idea come from? Who told you that bullying someone makes them grow closer to you?"
Nuo Nuo sniffled. "I know I was wrong, Great-Grandmother. I won't do this again. I'll get along with my brothers."
She looked imploringly at Old Madam Fu. Such an expression on a young girl was truly pitiable.
Even a heart of stone would soften. Old Madam Fu remained silent, her mind seemingly weighing the situation.
Shen Jinxi tugged at his Great-Grandmother's sleeve and peeked out. "You're lying. You said before you wanted to kick us out. You've been targeting us, and you told others we were bullying you. You never even apologized after that incident with the lunch tray!"
His words immediately made Old Madam Fu recall. She had been looking at the child with pity these past few days and had forgotten what she had done before.
"I'm not, I didn't..."
Nuo Nuo still denied it, but Shen Jinxi loudly stated, "See, you still won't admit it. But my mommy already found evidence in your hand. If you truly wanted to play with us, you should have sincerely apologized, and then we would forgive you, instead of deliberately lying!"
Chen Chen suddenly chimed in, "Lying isn't good behavior for a child."
A divine assist!
Shen Jinxi almost gave his brother a thumbs-up but managed to restrain himself. Since Chen Chen rarely spoke, his sudden utterance was more impactful than a thousand words.
Looking at Old Madam Fu, her face had turned extremely grim.
Little Xixi continued to fan the flames, listing her transgressions: "Scheming, habitual lying, two-faced, you are truly terrifying!"
"Terrifying!"
Chen Chen also cooperated, shrinking back behind Old Madam Fu, as if facing a man-eating beast rather than a little girl.