Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

"Oh, isn't this the fake one impersonating me, the county magistrate?"

Dressed in bright red, Xiao Yao, clutching a small leather whip, stepped out of the carriage and headed straight for Yu Wanran. Her eyes gleamed with malice, and upon seeing the wooden hairpin in Yu Wanran's hand, she revealed a smug, mocking smile.

"Don't think I won't recognize you just because you're wearing a straw hat! Someone like you... only deserves a wooden hairpin like this, hahaha~"

The sudden turn of events left the Yu father and son stunned. They no longer felt the familial affection they once had for Xiao Yao. They felt both disgust and fear, dreading what she might do next.

Following her was Duchess Zheng Peipei.

To make amends to her biological daughter, she specially brought Xiao Yao to the jewelry shop to have jewelry made. The moment she saw Yu Wanran, she froze. Seeing her mistress swaying, the maids on either side quickly stepped forward to support her.

Seeing Xiao Yao constantly mocking Yu Wanran, and raising her whip as if to strike Yu Wanran, Zheng Peipei could no longer contain her surging emotions and rushed forward.

"stop!"

In that instant, many things flashed through Yu Wanran's mind. Finally, her gaze returned to tranquility, like the calm before a storm, as still as the deep, unfathomable sea.

Glancing at Xiao Yao, whose expression immediately turned ugly, Yu Wanran lowered her head and walked towards the Duchess.

Cheng Pei-pei's lips moved silently as she watched the girl in front of her take off her straw hat, revealing a familiar face that looked much thinner. Memories of the past sixteen years flooded her mind.

She would pinch her palms hard with her long fingernails to remind herself through the pain that she must never show her emotions in public.

After bowing gracefully, Yu Wanran stood up and looked at Zheng Peipei, her eyes and expression revealing the purest affection of a young couple.

"This humble woman greets the Duchess and pays her respects..."

Zheng Peipei heard her almost whisper: "Mother... how have you been lately? Madam looks much thinner. The frost and dew are heavy, Madam, please take good care of yourself."

Cheng Pei-pei's eyes involuntarily reddened.

How long had it been since she last heard those words? The girl before her looked and sounded just like yesterday, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

"I...I'm alright. However..."

"Mom, why are you talking to this fake? Hasn't she harmed our family enough?"

Xiao Yao stormed over, grabbing Zheng Peipei's arm with one hand and using the handle of a whip to brace Yu Wanran's shoulder with the other. Yu Wanran complied, staggering backward as she was pushed.

Cheng Pei-pei watched this scene unfold, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, the Yu father and son stepped forward together, tightly protecting Yu Wanran. Their expressions as they looked at her and Xiao Yao were full of wariness.

"Madam Duchess, Your Highness, my daughter was ignorant and offended you two noble ladies! If you wish to punish her, I am willing to take the blame for her. I beg Your Highness to spare my daughter..."

Yu Man bowed and scraped, appearing obsequious, yet he refused to yield an inch, blocking Xiao Yao's vicious gaze fixed on Yu Wanran.

Zheng Peipei's eyes dimmed, and she held Xiao Yao's hand tightly.

"Alright, haven't you been saying you wanted to come and look at jewelry? We're already at the door, why are you making such a fuss?"

His gaze fell on the wooden hairpin in Yu Wanran's hand, and before leaving, he said meaningfully:

“Miss Yu, we are mother and daughter after all. Although I am not your birth mother, I am your adoptive mother. When you have time, you can come back to the Duke's mansion to visit…”

Xiao Yao's expression changed drastically, and she forcefully shook off her hand: "Mother! How could you..."

"Shut up!"

Zheng Peipei finally unleashed the majesty of a Duchess. Xiao Yao, who had never witnessed this side of her before, froze in the street. Zheng Peipei gave her a warning look that suggested she had reached her limit.

"If you don't want to look at the jewelry, then go back!"

Xiao Yao glanced at the growing crowd of onlookers around her, then at Yu Wanran and the others, her face revealing undisguised resentment.

But she had no choice but to stomp her foot and chase after Zheng Peipei's retreating figure, jogging into the jewelry store.

With her back to the mother and daughter, Yu Wanran slowly picked up her straw hat and put it on. She lowered her head, concealing the slight upturn of her lips.

In her past life, she was foolish to fight for things she shouldn't have. And the Duchess, she detested having her authority challenged. In this life, does Xiao Yao seem to be following the same old path?

Let's wait and see how long the Duchess can tolerate her own daughter's outrageous behavior.

What the Duke's mansion wanted was never true kinship, but rather... rules!

"Third sister, are you alright?"

Yu Wenrong asked worriedly.

Yu Wanran shook her head.

Yu was filled with guilt; he was useless! He could do nothing but beg for mercy.

"Let's get out of here!"

Yu Wenbin lowered his voice, glancing nervously around. They were attracting far too much attention, especially since they were carrying a huge sum of money!

The hairpin vendor stared in disbelief as they watched them walk away.

Who did he just sell the hairpin to?

She was once the daughter of a Duke!

Suddenly inspired, he put all his energy into shouting loudly.

"Come and see! Come and buy! A wooden hairpin that the fake heiress of the Duke's mansion bought! You may not believe my boasting, but you must believe the discerning eye of the former heiress of the Duke's mansion..."

Yu Wanran and her group, who hadn't gone far, stumbled. They almost turned around and ganged up on the scoundrel of a vendor.

However, seeing countless chattering women rushing in from all directions to surround the vendor, they had no choice but to slip away and quickly flee this troublesome place.

"We need to go home quickly!"

Yu Man truly felt that city people were terrifying.

Yu Wanran clutched a bag of silver in her hand: "Father, let's go to the market and buy some things first? After the New Year, there's still the Lantern Festival and the Zhonghe Festival!"

Yu Manyi thought it made sense.

They eat cabbage, radishes, and sweet potatoes every day, and they'll be eating like this until spring. They can endure it, but how will their daughter endure it? Besides, the whole family is poorly clothed and has no money to make new clothes for the New Year, let alone anything to keep warm.

The fact that no one in the family has gotten sick until now is truly a blessing from our ancestors!

Besides, it was his daughter who earned the money, so he doesn't seem to have the right to offer any opinions...

Seeing their father nod, Yu Wenbin and Yu Wenrong were overjoyed, instantly forgetting their previous unhappiness. Yu Wenrong, with bright, suspicious tears streaming down his face, kept muttering in Yu Wanran's ear.

"Third sister, let's buy some meat! The big, fatty kind, the kind that's all oil when you bite into it..."

"Third sister, how about we buy a chicken? It lays eggs every day, so we can use it to nourish Mother's body..."

"Third sister..."

Yu Man and Yu Wenbin secretly glared at him several times, but he pretended not to notice. He had finally realized that following his third sister meant there would be plenty to eat! In this family, it was clear that his parents weren't the heads of the household.

Yu Wanran smiled good-naturedly and agreed to her younger brother's requests one by one.

Yu Wenrong thought he was making a wish. However, when he arrived at the market, he was shocked to find that Yu Wanran was actually leading them to buy the things he had asked for, one by one!

"Third sister! Why did you buy so much meat?"

Two slices of meat weigh over ten pounds!

"Third sister! One chicken will do..."

"Cluck cluck~"

Yu Wanran asked her father to help her choose, and he selected five hens and one rooster.

"Third Sister, what are you doing in the cloth shop!"