"Miss, don’t worry. I will handle everything properly."

  Bai Qingqing lifted her gaze to her, "Am I being too heartless?"

  Zidai replied gently, "Miss has always been too kind. When they made small mistakes in the past, you never held them accountable. But just because you are soft-hearted doesn't mean they should take advantage of you. She made a mistake, and it's only right that she faces the consequences."

  As she spoke, Zidai let out a breath of relief. "I used to worry that you were too soft-hearted and might be taken advantage of in the future. Now, I can finally put my mind at ease."

  Bai Qingqing was amused by her words and couldn’t help but smile. She felt much lighter. In her previous life, only Zidai had stayed by her side. Without her, Bai Qingqing wasn’t sure she would have made it through those times.

  "Don't worry. I won’t let myself suffer anymore, and I won’t let you suffer either."

  Zidai: "?" Though she didn’t fully understand, as long as the miss was happy, that was enough.

  After Qinglian disappeared completely from the Duke of England’s residence, Bai Qingqing’s courtyard suddenly became much more orderly. Those who had previously relied on her gentle nature and easygoing temperament no longer dared to act out and instead behaved properly.

  When Madam Qiao heard about it, she laughed heartily. "I told you to manage them properly, but you wouldn't listen. You kept indulging them. Now that something like this has happened, at least you’ve learned—fear keeps people from making careless mistakes."

  Bai Qingqing humbly accepted the lesson. Madam Qiao didn’t ask what exactly had led to Qinglian and her family’s dismissal—knowing her daughter’s temperament, for her to be this upset, it couldn’t have been a small matter.

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  "By the way, I called you here today for a reason."

  Madam Qiao turned serious, holding Bai Qingqing’s hand. "The day after tomorrow, the Princess Consort of Prince Ping will be visiting our residence."

  Bai Qingqing’s heart skipped a beat, though she kept her expression calm. "The Princess Consort of Prince Ping is of noble status. We must receive her properly and not show any disrespect."

  "That’s not the key issue. What matters is that she will be bringing her son along. Qingqing, do you know what this means?"

  Bai Qingqing: "…"

  What was the Princess Consort of Prince Ping planning?

  Seeing her daughter remain silent, Madam Qiao assumed she hadn’t understood and patiently explained, "Although you told your father and me that you didn’t want to get engaged too early, ever since the prayer event at Qinghan Temple, many families have discreetly inquired about you. I’m not boasting, but in Xuancheng, the number of families hoping to marry into our household could trample down our doorstep."

  "The Princess Consort of Prince Ping has only one legitimate son, and he has now reached the age for marriage. Many families in Xuancheng have their eyes on this match. If she is bringing him to visit us at this time, she may be considering an engagement."

  "Impossible."

  Bai Qingqing firmly shook her head. "Mother, you must be overthinking this. The Prince Ping’s household is of such high status, and the Princess Consort has such high standards. How could she possibly take an interest in our family?"

  Madam Qiao was displeased. "What’s wrong with our family? In terms of nobility, we are only slightly below them. Your maternal grandfather's household, the Loyal Marquis Manor, has produced many outstanding individuals. How are we inferior to them?"

  Bai Qingqing leaned against her mother’s shoulder, smiling in a playful, coaxing manner. "I misspoke. What I meant was, the Princess Consort of Prince Ping has only one precious son. She wouldn’t decide his marriage lightly. She would want to pick the most suitable match. I’ve only met her once before, and we barely exchanged a few words."

  "I never seriously considered the Prince Ping’s household either. Their residence is strict with rules, and you’ve always been accustomed to a leisurely lifestyle. If you were to marry there, I would be worried. But since the Princess Consort is making this move, I have to think about it. I just wanted to ask you first—what do you think of the Prince’s legitimate son?"

  "I have no interest in him whatsoever."

  Bai Qingqing’s firm tone put Madam Qiao at ease. "Then I understand."