Chapter 38

Xue Shi agreed.

However, judging from her expression, Xiao Xixi guessed that she probably didn’t take her warning seriously.

Xiao Xixi took out two amulets—

These were the amulets she had made for the Crown Prince earlier. After making them, she never found a suitable opportunity to give them to him, so they had remained in her possession until now.

Xiao Xixi was worried about Xue Shi and Xiao Zhilan, so to prevent any accidents, she gave these two amulets to them, hoping they would help them avoid disaster.

However, when Xiao Xixi approached with the amulets, Xue Shi pulled her young daughter back several steps, her face full of resistance.

Xiao Xixi didn’t force her. She called for Baoqin and asked her to help give the two amulets to Xue Shi.

Baoqin saw Xue Shi’s pretense and was furious inside.

But due to the difference in status, Baoqin could only suppress her dissatisfaction and directly shoved the two amulets into Xue Shi’s hands.

“Madam, these were made by the young mistress herself. Please keep them well and don’t lose them.”

Xue Shi held the two amulets as if they were scalding hot potatoes, wishing she could throw them away immediately.

She forced a smile: “Thank you, Lady Xiao, for your gift.”

The atmosphere then fell into a long silence.

Although Xue Shi and Xiao Xixi were biological mother and daughter, because Xiao Xixi was sent away shortly after birth, she never drank Xue Shi’s milk, and Xue Shi never held her. Their mother-daughter bond was almost non-existent, and they knew each other no better than strangers.

Moreover, with Xiao Xixi’s terrifying destiny as a煞星 (sha xing, a person with a malevolent fate), Xue Shi feared her like a fierce tiger, not daring to look at her even once.

Seeing Xue Shi’s uneasy demeanor, Xiao Xixi said, “I’m tired. You can go back now. Please convey my greetings to Father.”

Xue Shi felt as if she had been granted a great relief and quickly agreed, pulling her young daughter and hurrying out.

Xiao Xixi asked Baoqin to see them off.

But Xue Shi and her young daughter ran so fast that by the time Baoqin caught up, they were already out of sight.

Baoqin returned to the room, fuming.

“Lady, how can Madam treat you like this? She didn’t even say a single heartfelt word and deliberately avoided you, as if you were some kind of monster. It’s too much!”

Xiao Xixi was not bothered by this: “Let her be.”

Xue Shi was not a person of great evil, and there was no deep-seated grudge between her and Xiao Xixi.

They just lacked a mother-daughter bond.

After Xue Shi and her young daughter left Qingge Hall, she couldn’t wait to throw away the two amulets.

After throwing the amulets, Xue Shi even used a handkerchief to vigorously wipe her hands, fearing that she might be tainted by bad luck.

When Xiao Zhilan saw the two amulets lying on the grass, she wanted to pick them up but was stopped by Xue Shi.

Xiao Zhilan said in a childish voice, “That’s the amulet Sister gave us. We can’t throw it away.”

Xue Shi sternly warned, “She’s not your sister. She’s a煞星 (sha xing). If it weren’t for her, your brother wouldn’t have died. If we get too close to her, she will also bring us bad luck. In the future, no matter what she gives you, you must not touch it. Do you understand?”

Xiao Zhilan looked confused: “But Brother is fine, he didn’t die.”

“That’s not the brother I’m talking about. You have another brother who died when he was born, killed by that煞星 (sha xing).”

Xue Shi regretted saying this. She shouldn’t have told her young daughter about these things. What if it scared her?

She hugged her young daughter and gently comforted her.

“Xiao Lan, you’re still young and don’t understand many things. When you grow up, you’ll understand the hardships of your parents.”