Chapter 354: Prince Donghai’s Vengeance
Cui Zhao, who was about to become a bride, was lost in memories of the past as two maidservants continued inserting more jewelry into her hair.
Cui Zhao could not remember what her birth mother looked like. In her memories, she had been alone and helpless from a young age, though she hadn’t suffered much hardship. Still, when she saw her brothers and sisters acting coquettishly in Lady Cui’s embrace, she couldn’t help but feel envious, even dejected.
Father rarely concerned himself with household matters. Cui Zhao’s only target for affection was her grandmother, Elder Laojun, but the old lady’s temperament was unpredictable—when happy, she would dote on her grandchildren, but when displeased, she would strike without hesitation. The grandchildren had learned early to read her expressions and never approach at the wrong moment.
Moreover, Elder Laojun was a very partial grandmother who clearly favored the siblings Cui Teng and Cui Xiaojun, never bothering to hide it.
“You all will have to rely on these two siblings to establish yourselves in the future, so you must curry favor with them now and pave the way for your future.”
The Cui clan had many relatives, and the paternal cousins surnamed Cui had all lived in the Cui residence when they were young. Elder Laojun would often hold Cui Teng with one arm and stroke Cui Xiaojun with the other hand, instilling such thoughts into a group of grandchildren under ten years old.
Cui Zhao had always been among the children standing opposite Elder Laojun. At the time, she hadn’t felt anything particular about it—after all, only Cui Teng and Cui Xiaojun were favored, while all the other cousins were like Cui Zhao, honestly acknowledging their lower status.
But the cousins had their own parents. When they returned home, they could enjoy the same treatment as Cui Teng and Cui Xiaojun. Gradually, Cui Zhao understood that she was the only one left behind.
Second Brother Cui Teng became more irritable as he grew older, and perhaps because their temperaments matched, he became even more favored by Old Lady. Sister Cui Xiaojun remained as gentle and amiable as ever, but the relationship between the sisters was ordinary—Cui Zhao deliberately kept her distance, unwilling to curry favor with her future “patron.”