叭哒漫画

Upon reaching the entrance of the courtyard, Wei Ruo indeed saw the long-absent Li Momo, who looked darker and thinner than she had two months ago.

She knelt on the ground, and upon seeing Wei Ruo, she bowed and apologized. This scene attracted several servants of the residence to pause and spectate at the entrance of Tingsong Garden.

Xiumei watched with furrowed brows, pulling Wei Ruo aside and voicing her worries softly, “Miss, what should we do? Li Momo is doing this deliberately, isn’t she? With such a commotion and so many people watching, what’s her aim?”

“I know what she’s trying to do, she wants to tarnish your ladyship’s reputation,” Wei Ruo was fully aware.

When Wei Ruo first entered the residence, Li Momo was the one responsible for teaching manners to Wei Ruo. In a sense, she was also considered as Wei Ruo’s half teacher. And being the old servant from the Earl’s Residence, her kneeling and prostrating in apology in front of Wei Ruo created a rather unsightly situation.

Based on how Wei Ruo and Li Momo had previously locked horns, and their conflicting bitterness, it was likely that Wei Ruo wouldn’t appreciate Li Momo’s apology, but would possibly ridicule her again instead.

If that were to happen, Wei Ruo would engage herself in the ungrateful act of complicating the situation with the old Li Momo, leaving a bad impression on the other servants of the residence.

“So, what should we do?” Xiumei asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry, leave it to me,” Wei Ruo softly patted Xiumei’s hand.

Then she approached Li Momo: “Li Momo, this is rather inappropriate!”

“Miss, if you don’t forgive this old servant today, I will kneel here indefinitely!” Li Momo said mournfully.

“Li Momo, what do you mean by this? When have I ever blamed you? Please get up. You are an old servant of the residence and you had already suffered at the farm, there’s no need for you to kneel like this!”

As Wei Ruo was about to help Li Momo up, Li Momo looked at her surprisingly.

In Li Momo’s memory, Wei Ruo used to be arrogant, vulgar, and stubborn. She never paid proper attention to the rules and regulations that Li Momo taught her, but to the contrary, behaved with self-righteousness. Even during their dispute, Wei Ruo had headlong opposed her.

Based on her understanding of Wei Ruo, she didn’t expect such a reaction from Wei Ruo!

“Miss, you don’t blame me?” Li Momo asked.

“Our dispute that day was because you did something wrong. Lives were at stake, and I was naturally anxious. Now that it’s all over, and my second brother has fully recovered, you have already been punished too. Why would I still hold any grudge against you, unless… Li Momo, do you intend to continue wronging me and create more troubles?” Wei Ruo said, a faint smile lingering at the corner of her mouth.

“No, no. This old servant has already repented and will not offend again!” Li Momo hurriedly responded.

As she said this, she attempted to knock her head again.

“Li Momo, what are you doing? I have already forgiven you, why are you still knocking your head?”

“This old servant feels guilty and fears that you don’t genuinely forgive me.” ‘We can’t do this. Li Momo, you are old, and if you ruin your health by falling down at my doorstep, what are we going to do? Xiumei, quickly help Li Momo up.”

“Yes, miss.”

Xiumei advanced swiftly.

“Li Momo, get up.” Xiumei didn’t give Li Momo time to react; she slipped her hands under Li Momo’s arms and lifted her up abruptly.

Before Li Momo could recover from her surprise, she heard Wei Ruo continuing her instructions:

“Then check her knees and see if she’s injured.”

Upon hearing these words, Li Momo panicked, trying to stop them, “No need, no need. I’m not injured!”

But how could her reaction speed match Xiumei’s? Xiumei swiftly reached to Li Momo’s knees.

What her hand felt was not the hard bone of the knee, but something soft.

Xiumei understood immediately, she quickly reached under Li Momo’s skirt and pulled out the kneepads that she had tied on her knees.

When the kneepads appeared in front of everyone, they universally displayed a look of disbelief, then disdain.

Wei Ruo casually said, “Li Momo, you indeed pay great attention to your health, not forgetting to protect your knees even when you are here to apologize.”

Zhang Momo was on her way to look for Wei Ruo for some matters, and coincidentally arrived at the entrance of Tingsong Garden and witnessed this situation. Unable to hold back, she chuckled.

Once Zhang Momo started laughing, the other servants who were watching the spectacle joined in.

Hearing everyone’s laughter, Li Momo couldn’t contain her shame and anger, snatching the kneepads from Xiumei’s hands, she turned around and ran.

Xiumei smiled and walked back to Wei Ruo’s side, “Miss, how did you know she was wearing kneepads?”

The paved blue-stone slabs here are rough and uneven. If she really kneeled onto it, even someone young would find it unbearable, let alone someone of Li Momo’s age. Since she isn’t here to truly apologize to me, naturally she wouldn’t bear such suffering.” Wei Ruo explained.

“I see, Miss is indeed smart!”

“And my Meimei is extremely quick-witted!”

“That’s why I am suitable to stay by Miss’s side forever!” Xiumei said with a laugh.

With their laughter echoing in the courtyard, the rest of the spectators disbanded.

Li Momo ran back to Wangmei Garden in a panic.

Seeing the discomposed Li Momo, Wei Qingwan was concerned and approached to inquire, “Momo, what happened?”

“Miss, what’s going on? I was away for only two months in the countryside. How has her ladyship’s personality changed so much during this time?” Even now, Li Momo found it hard to believe.

“I… I don’t know. I’ve never understood my sister.”

Wei Qingwan lowered her head, whispering, “Momo, you’ve always described my sister as vulgar and arrogant, and the image she maintained in front of parents and brothers as hypocritical. But all this while, I’ve never seen my sister reprimanded for being vulgar or arrogant. Instead, it’s me who she often suppresses with rules and regulations.”

Wei Qingwan continued, “Earlier, when you proposed to challenge my sister, I tried to stop you precisely for this reason.”

Li Momo’s brows furrowed into the shape of a river, seemingly irritated, “It seems that I have underestimated Wei Qingruo! Miss, don’t worry. I was’rash this time; now that I’m back, there’s plenty of time to slow down and confront her!”

“Momo, isn’t it wrong… if…”

“Miss, don’t worry. This is all my own doing. If anything happens later, I will take full responsibility and won’t drag you into it!” Li Momo reassured Wei Qingwan.

“How can this be? Momo, you do all these things for me! How can I not be involved?”

“The punishment I received was all because of Wei Qingruo. I had a grudge with her in the first place. This time, you pleaded me and allowed me to return home a month early. I’m indebted to you, there’s no reason to disobey you.

Miss, please don’t persuade me.”

Li Momo had made up her mind.

###

Two nights later, while everyone in Wei Residence was having tea after dinner, Wei Mingtmg, who had not returned home for seven days, suddenly came back.

Clad in armour, his robe untaken off, his face smeared with dirt, and his hair disheveled..