Duchess Wang Qixing noticed her daughter's silence and knew her daughter was overthinking again. "I'm grateful that you didn't lash out on Xueyue again even if she had ignored you."
"She defended me today," Li Minghua mumbled. She hugged her stomach and glanced away. "I don't understand her. One minute, she's patient with me, and the next, she takes jabs."
"Xueyue is a kind-hearted girl," Duchess Wang Qixing explained. "Her compassion comes at unexpected moments. She only attacks those who clawed at her first."
"I don't want to hear this," Li Minghua said. She wasn't ready to hear the truth or acknowledge Li Xueyue's deeds.
"I know you don't," Duchess Wang Qixing said. "But I'm simply explaining her nature to you. We truly didn't replace you, my dear girl. There is a spot for both of you in my heart."