The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 1041: Chapter 1018: Prestige Amidst Chaos 86

Arriving at the outer courtyard gate, Madam Hui appeared somewhat agitated.

Anning got off the carriage, and Madam Hui waited a moment before disembarking.

She held the hand of her maid, taking several deep breaths to calm herself.

Anning nodded at Madam Hui and said to the attendant behind her, ”Knock on the door.”

An old woman went to knock on the main gate.

”Who is it?”

Soon, a voice of an old woman echoed from inside the courtyard.

The main gate creaked open, and an old woman, about fifty years old, poked her head out, glancing around.

The people Madam Hui brought pushed that old woman aside, and two attendants opened the gate, inviting Anning and Madam Hui to enter.

With the gate open, the courtyard’s scene was visible.

This small courtyard was not large, almost visible at a glance.

The courtyard was paved with bluestone, planted with a big tree, a few patches of flowers and plants, nothing else.

Behind the tree, five main rooms could be faintly seen, with wing rooms on either side, and opposite the courtyard gate, there were three backwards facing.

The courtyard had white walls and gray tiles, just an ordinary small courtyard, with nothing special about it.

However, when people inside heard the commotion and came out, the small courtyard gained much charm.

Under the corridor, Bai Mei stood holding a maid’s hand.

She was about the same height as Madam Hui, but more slender and frail, giving a fragile impression.

Wearing loose clothing, she looked even thinner.

Her face was small, palm-sized, with exquisite and perfect features, especially her eyes, which were exceptionally beautiful, glistening like water, yet they were particularly calm, seemingly without a ripple.

Madam Hui stared at Bai Mei, and Bai Mei also observed Madam Hui.

Anning tugged at Madam Hui, ”Let’s talk inside.”

The sisters-in-law entered, and the attendant quickly closed the courtyard gate.

Madam Hui stood in the courtyard, ”Where’s Bai Mei? Which one is Bai Mei, call her over.”

Only then did Bai Mei slowly walk over, her figure swaying beautifully as she walked.

Anning carefully observed and indeed, as Xiao Qing and Xiao Zhu had said, Bai Mei’s every move seemed measured, with a sense of regulation in every step she took, her step length was uniform.

Her steps were very steady, and while walking, her skirt barely swayed.

Bai Mei walked up to Madam Hui, bowed and knelt, ”This concubine greets Madam.”

She spoke without any resentment or reluctance, her face remained calm, and every word she said was of similar mouth opening size, her voice sweet yet without any emotional fluctuation.

Anning frowned.

Madam Hui, seeing Bai Mei like this, thought Bai Mei was defying her, instantly became somewhat angry.

She was about to speak when Anning stopped her.

Anning pulled Madam Hui behind her, reached out to quickly grasp Bai Mei’s wrist when she was unprepared.

After a moment, Anning let go, looking at Bai Mei with a complicated expression.

”Third Sister-in-law.”

Madam Hui was still furious and wanted to scold Bai Mei, but Anning stopped her, ”You take people out, or find a quiet place to stay, I have words with her.”

Madam Hui, respecting Anning, didn’t argue when Anning said so, and took the servants out to a teahouse for tea.

Anning then told the servants attending to Bai Mei, ”You all go out too.”

Those servants were dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.

They dared not oppose Anning, knowing she’s the wife of the Third Young Master, offending Anning would not end well for them, yet they couldn’t leave Bai Mei alone.

Bai Mei told that old woman, ”You all go out, Third Madam is not one to haggle with someone like me, rest assured.”

Only then did the old woman took the servants out.

When most people had left, Bai Mei said to Anning, ”Third Madam, please come inside.”

Anning waved her hand, ”No need, it’s not too cold now, let’s sit in the courtyard.”

There were two stone stools under the tree in the courtyard, Anning and Bai Mei each sat on one.

As Bai Mei sat down, Anning asked her directly, ”Has it been hard for you before?”

Bai Mei was taken aback.

She thought Anning would make things difficult for her or say something unpleasant, but unexpectedly, Anning started with such a sentence.

After a moment, Bai Mei softly said, ”I don’t know what the Third Madam is referring to.”

Anning smiled, ”You probably don’t know, both I and the Third Young Master are knowledgeable in medicine, I felt your pulse just now, your health is extremely poor, in fact, your body has already deteriorated severely, to put it this way, if unattended, you won’t live for five more years.”

Bai Mei was not at all surprised.

She lowered her head, keeping her expression calm, her voice light, ”I am lowly, worthless as a weed, what difference is there between living and dying.”

Anning’s eyes narrowed slightly, ”Are there many people like you?”

Bai Mei remained silent.

Anning lowered her voice, ”Don’t be surprised, I’ve seen people like you before, those noble families appear glamorous on the surface, but how much filth is inside, probably no one can say clearly. To recruit manpower, to train death soldiers, they use all sorts of means, by your look and just now taking your pulse, I know you belong to the same group I’ve seen before, you might be human, but essentially you’re just tools.”

Anning’s words struck directly at Bai Mei’s heart.

Her face finally showed some fluctuation, with a hint of pain in her eyes.

Anning continued, ”You were trained from a young age, given medicine as a child to make your skin fairer, your body more graceful, using many dangerous drugs. Then day by day, year by year training, how to walk, how to salute, what to say, how to smile, how to cry, all had to be trained. Over time, you became emotionless, conforming to rules in everything, a tool-like person, appearing alive, but your heart long dead.”

On hearing this, Bai Mei sat there dumbly, tears streaming down.

”How many of you are there?”

Anning suddenly asked again.

Bai Mei instinctively replied, ”Many, an entire manor.”

She realized what she said after speaking, a tinge of fear appearing in her eyes.

”What does the Zhang Family want you to do?”

Anning followed with another question.

Bai Mei didn’t want to speak, but she couldn’t control herself, her face full of fear, trying to cover her mouth, but even so, she still spoke, ”To win Mr. Four’s favor, ideally becoming part of his inner household, and if possible, relay some information back to the master family.”

Bai Mei confessed everything.

After speaking, her face turned ashen, looking at Anning with terror and sorrow.

Anning chuckled, ”Lao Si, come out.”

As she finished speaking, Xiao Jin emerged from a wing room.

Xiao Jin looked at Bai Mei with a complex expression, after a moment, he wiped his face, ”Third Sister-in-law, what should be done with this woman?”

Bai Mei actually smiled.

Suddenly, she knelt before Anning, knocked her head repeatedly, ”I beseech Third Madam to put me to death.”