The Reborn Legitimate Daughter is Frivolous - Chapter 22

Although Qingbi had a lively personality, she was careful in her work.

Inside the room, Liuli had taken off her blouse and was letting Qingbi apply medicine to her wounds.

Looking at the scars of different sizes — some bruised, some still unhealed — Qingbi couldn’t help but sigh.

A woman with scars like these would surely be disliked by her husband’s family if she ever married.

“Where did all these injuries come from? Did that old woman beat you?” Qingbi asked as she gently applied the ointment.

Some marks were from whips, others from pinches or sticks. Qingbi couldn’t imagine how painful it must have been to suffer all that.

At the same time, she couldn’t understand why Liuli wouldn’t just submit. Maybe if she had, she wouldn’t have been hurt so badly.

After all, they were servants — there was no shame in bowing one’s head and enduring a little to make life easier.

These scars were unpleasant to look at.

If it weren’t for Miss Murong Qing’s kindness, a maid this battered would never have been allowed to serve in Qingyuan.

Qingbi didn’t know what her young lady was thinking. She only thought Murong Qing was kind-hearted. Otherwise, she would have chosen the other three girls instead — they were all obedient and much easier to manage than Liuli.

“Actually, the young lady is very nice,” Qingbi said while tending the wounds. “Qinglian and I haven’t been with her for long, but we can tell she truly treats us well.”

Liuli pressed her lips together and said nothing.

She didn’t know whether Murong Qing was good or not — but she remembered clearly what Murong Qing had said when she bought her from the old woman.

“Liuli, I don’t know what the young lady said to you,” Qingbi continued, noticing her silence, “but she really isn’t that kind of person.”

By now, Qingbi was used to Liuli’s quietness. She had been this way since the trip home, never responding, never showing emotion.

Qingbi didn’t mind. She just kept talking, as if chatting with herself in a mirror.

But she didn’t want Murong Qing to be misunderstood — maybe because Murong Qing was her master, and it was only natural for a servant to want to protect her.

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly, applying more ointment. Looking over Liuli’s body, she realized there was hardly a spot left untouched. “I don’t know what you went through with that woman, but if you’d been a little softer, maybe you wouldn’t have been hurt like this.”

Qingbi’s thoughts were simple. She didn’t understand Liuli’s stubbornness — she only believed that obedience could solve most problems.

Because Qingbi herself was gentle and compliant, she had never suffered much and had lived a fairly easy life as a maid.

“I won’t submit to the young lady,” Liuli said coldly, thinking Qingbi was sent by Murong Qing to persuade her.

Qingbi blinked in surprise — she hadn’t expected her to speak at all.

She didn’t understand why Liuli resisted Murong Qing so much. She wanted to defend her mistress again but couldn’t find the words.

Qingbi had never been good at talking. Back when she worked under the old woman, she often got scolded because of it. If it weren’t for Murong Qing’s help, she might not have had any way out.

Liuli, on the other hand, had been with that old woman for a long time. Even without knowing her story, one look at her scars told Qingbi how stubborn she must be.

She was about to say more, but Liuli was already pulling her clothes back on, clearly not wanting to continue the conversation.

Just as Qingbi turned to leave, she saw Qinglian approaching. She quickly stepped aside to let her in.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“Miss sent me with a message.” Qinglian glanced at Liuli, who was carefully adjusting her clothes — still worried that the ointment wouldn’t work properly if it rubbed off.

“Did you finish treating Liuli’s wounds?”

“Yes,” Qingbi nodded quickly. “You didn’t see it — her whole body’s covered in scars. I could hardly bear to look—”

Before she could start rambling, Qinglian interrupted, “I’ve already cleaned up the North Garden and moved my things to the South Garden. I’ll be living with you from now on.”

“Huh?” Qingbi blinked, confused.

“And the North Garden…?”

“The North Garden will be for Liuli,” Qinglian said.

“What!?” Qingbi stared in disbelief.

“That’s what Miss decided.”

Qingbi pursed her lips. “Then doesn’t that mean, besides you and me, there’s now another first-class maid — Liuli?”

“Yes,” Qinglian confirmed.

“So Miss has three first-class maids now? Won’t that break the house rules? Will the master even allow it?”

Seeing Qingbi’s innocent confusion, Qinglian lightly tapped her on the forehead and said seriously, “There must be a reason for what Miss does. Since we serve her, we need to know when to speak and when to stay quiet. Don’t go saying the wrong thing and cause trouble for her.”

Aside from the three of them in the servants’ quarters, no one else knew that Liuli had become one of Murong Qing’s first-class maids.

Qinglian didn’t mention that Murong Qing had also said Liuli wouldn’t be staying long — she didn’t want to cause unnecessary suspicion, especially for Liuli’s sake.

Murong Qing must have trusted her to share that information, and Qinglian, being more level-headed than Qingbi, knew better than to say too much.

Seeing Qingbi nod as if she understood, Qinglian turned to Liuli and said gently, “You’ll stay in the North Garden with me for now. Your clothes are already prepared — as a first-class maid, you’ll have two sets for each season.”

“For now, you don’t need to serve Miss. Just focus on healing. The North Garden is on the right side of the main garden, where Miss lives. On the left is the South Garden — that’s where Qingbi and I stay. If you need anything, come find us anytime.”

As Qinglian spoke, she guided Liuli around so she could get familiar with Murong Qing’s garden.

Murong Qing’s garden was simple but elegant. In addition to the main garden and the North and South Gardens on each side, there was a small back garden where she grew her favorite flowers and plants.

A small pavilion stood not far from the main hall, with a lounge chair inside — the perfect place to rest in the shade during hot days. It was also where Murong Qing liked to spend her quiet moments.

To the left of the pavilion stood a rockery with a small stream flowing continuously through it. You could hear the gentle sound of running water, and a little clay fisherman sat by the rocks with a fishing rod — a peaceful and meaningful sight.