Chapter 655

Chapter Sixteen—The Three Little Ones, Niannian 16

“Taotao, what are you doing here?” Li Mingyue asked in surprise. She had not expected Xiao Tao to be waiting outside the Li residence.

After all, they had not made plans to meet yesterday.

“Mingyue, I heard you’re going to the Grand Princess’s residence today. Can I go with you?” Xiao Tao had not expected Li Mingyue to look at her so startled.

In her haste, Xiao Tao did not bother with anything else and directly made her request.

“But one invitation only allows you to bring one person…” Li Mingyue glanced at Niannian with some difficulty, then looked over at Xiao Tao.

She had already decided to bring her cousin Niannian to the Grand Princess’s residence.

That meant she could no longer take Xiao Tao.

“Mingyue.” Xiao Tao bit her lip and pulled Mingyue aside. In a low voice, she said, “Mingyue, your cousin came to the capital at a time like this. Who knows what she’s after? You’d better be careful. Don’t believe everything she says. I think she saw that the Li family has money and came here to freeload.”

As she spoke, Xiao Tao looked Niannian up and down with disdain. She wondered inwardly who Niannian thought she could seduce by dressing like that.

When Li Mingyue heard this, she looked at Xiao Tao as though she were looking at a fool.

Her cousin Niannian was the Young Princess of Prince An’s household. What could she possibly want that she did not already have?

Did she really need to come to the Li family to freeload?

“Taotao, you’ve misunderstood. My cousin isn’t that kind of person, and she—”

Li Mingyue was just about to explain that Niannian had no need to freeload at the Li family’s expense when Xiao Tao interrupted her again.

“Mingyue, you can know a person’s face but not their heart. Don’t let yourself be deceived.” Xiao Tao tried earnestly to persuade her, no longer mentioning her desire to accompany Mingyue to the Gu residence.

“Mingyue, let’s go.” Niannian, who had been watching the two of them whispering, called out from the side.

“Cousin, I’m coming.” Li Mingyue quickly answered. Then she smiled at Xiao Tao and said, “Taotao, you’ve misunderstood. My cousin is a very good person. She doesn’t need to come to the Li family to freeload.”

With that, Li Mingyue headed toward the carriage.

Xiao Tao stamped her feet anxiously.

But Li Mingyue was already about to climb into the carriage.

Thinking of the several young masters of the Gu family, Xiao Tao could no longer hold back. She hurried over, positioned herself protectively in front of Li Mingyue, and glared furiously at Niannian.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting. You just want to take advantage of the Li family, don’t you? I’m Mingyue’s friend, and I absolutely won’t let you hurt her!”

Xiao Tao spoke with righteous conviction.

Li Mingyue was dumbfounded.

“Cousin, I didn’t mean that. Taotao, don’t say such things.” Li Mingyue tugged at Xiao Tao’s sleeve, trying to make her stop.

“Mingyue, doesn’t she just want you to take her to the Grand Princess’s residence? What if she causes trouble there and gets you dragged into it?” Xiao Tao said, looking deeply concerned on Li Mingyue’s behalf.

“My cousin wouldn’t do that.” Li Mingyue looked at Xiao Tao oddly. How had she never noticed before that Xiao Tao was so quick to make unfounded assumptions about others?

“Mingyue, what she means is that I need to rely on your connections to get into the Grand Princess’s residence.” Niannian looked at Xiao Tao with an amused yet unreadable smile.

Did Xiao Tao really think she was some helpless soft target?

“My cousin doesn’t need to rely on me.” Li Mingyue knew perfectly well that if Niannian wanted to go to the Grand Princess’s residence, the Grand Princess had probably already sent someone to invite her.

“Niannian, I only said that for your own good. You…” Xiao Tao had not expected Li Mingyue to react so differently from what she had imagined.

Instead, Mingyue trusted this cousin of hers completely. Xiao Tao practically wanted to rush forward and tear off Niannian’s hypocritical mask.

“Mingyue, doesn’t she want to go to the Grand Princess’s residence? Take her with you. But if she causes any trouble, don’t let it implicate the Li family.” It was Niannian who spoke. As Xiao Tao seethed with anger, the corners of Niannian’s lips lifted into an enigmatic smile.

Did Xiao Tao really think that the Young Princess of Prince An’s household was made of clay?

“Fine, I’ll go. We’ll see who ends up disgracing themselves!” Having received Niannian’s permission, Xiao Tao hurriedly spoke up, afraid that Li Mingyue might change her mind.

Li Mingyue looked at Xiao Tao strangely. How had she never realized that her friend was this kind of person?

“Taotao, you may come with us, but let me make one thing clear first. If anything happens to you at the Grand Princess’s residence, I won’t be able to protect you.”

After saying this, Li Mingyue climbed into the carriage.

Xiao Tao tried to follow her in, but Li Mingyue stopped her.

“Taotao, my carriage is too small. There’s no room left. You’d better take your own carriage.”

Xiao Tao’s expression grew even uglier. The Li family’s carriage was large enough for ten people, let alone two.

However, she was afraid that if she said anything more, Li Mingyue would refuse to take her at all. So she had no choice but to return to her own carriage for the time being.

“Cousin, I’m sorry. I didn’t know she had misunderstood you.” Once they were inside the carriage, Li Mingyue apologized to Niannian.

“It’s fine. A mere Xiao Tao isn’t worth my concern. But you—going forward, you should spend less time with friends like her.” Niannian looked at Li Mingyue and, still worried, reminded her once more.

“Cousin, don’t worry. From now on, I’ll cut off contact with her.” After what had happened, Li Mingyue finally understood that Xiao Tao had probably approached her with ulterior motives.

“Good. Stay by my side at the Grand Princess’s residence and don’t pay any attention to Xiao Tao.” Niannian knew all too well that gatherings like this were where trouble was most likely to arise.

She would protect Li Mingyue, but she had no intention of caring whether anything happened to Xiao Tao. Besides, judging by the way Xiao Tao was dressed, she was probably hoping to use the occasion to climb the social ladder.

“I know, Cousin.”

Niannian knew that, in the capital, people viewed her as the daughter of a merchant family. Her grandfather had resigned from office long ago, and although her father was working for the Emperor, he did so in secret.

Even so, the daughters of the prominent families in the capital might not hold her in high regard, but none of them dared to make things difficult for her. After all, she had an aunt who was Princess Consort of An, an uncle who was General Pingxi, and an aunt by marriage who was the younger sister of the Empress. Whatever the reason, no one dared offend Li Mingyue.

When Niannian and Li Mingyue arrived at the Grand Princess’s residence, they spotted a young woman standing near the entrance from far away, apparently waiting for someone.

“Cousin, that’s the Gu family’s eldest daughter.” Li Mingyue pointed at Gu Nuonuo.

Following the direction of her finger, Niannian saw the Gu family’s eldest daughter standing outside the Grand Princess’s residence and speaking with a madam.

Looking at the charming and adorable Gu Nuonuo, Niannian nodded in satisfaction. Her future sister-in-law was quite pretty.

Her eldest brother really was getting a bargain.

Only after Li Mingyue got down from the carriage did Niannian step out.

Xiao Tao had been waiting nearby for some time. The moment she saw Li Mingyue emerge, she hurried over and stood beside her, taking Mingyue’s hand affectionately.

It was as though she were afraid Li Mingyue might run away.

“Taotao, let go first.” Li Mingyue frowned. She truly disliked Xiao Tao acting this way.

“Niannian, you came too?”