First time I am meeting...

Despite her young age, Xiao Luo had prominent features. On her first day, she might have looked mediocre due to the dirt and worn-out clothes. But after she cleaned her appearance and dressed well, she seemed to be like gold which had regained its shine.

It was rare for the servants to catch a glimpse of her because she rarely stepped out of her little courtyard but whenever she came out to the garden, it would be a marvellous sight for them because it was like watching a little fairy. 

According to the servants of the Prime Minister's manor, this little girl had long surpassed their young misses in terms of appearance by more than a stretch.

''Where can I find mother?" Xiao Luo repeated when the guards stared at her blankly.

''Madam is in the Master's quarters, Young Miss.''

''Show me the way,'' Xiao Luo said to one of the guards who hesitated for a moment before bowing to her.

As he stepped forward, Xiao Luo calmed herself and followed him.

After coming to the Prime Minister's manor, Xiao Luo had never once stepped out of her courtyard gates. It was partially due to Nanny Qin's instructions and more because of the little black dog's condition.

Hence, she had yet to meet the other members of the Xiao Family, especially Prime Minister Xiao.

When that thought crossed her mind, her footsteps unconsciously slowed down.

Xiao Luo tugged at her dress and tucked her hair behind her ear.

''Young Miss?" The guard looked at her in confusion.

Xiao Luo tilted her head to look at him as she blinked, ''This is the first time I am meeting... the Prime Minister.''

Others might not know but she was aware of the circumstances under which she was taken in by Madam Xiao. She did not want to repay her kindness by disgracing her in front of anyone, especially her own husband.

It has been over a month since Xiao Luo was picked up from the streets but she felt like the world was nowhere as simple as she had thought before.

When the guard heard her mumbling those words, his eyes softened as he looked at the little girl, ''The Master would adore the Young Miss,'' Although he had no idea whether she was an adopted daughter, biological daughter, or an illegitimate one he felt like no one would not like this such a sweet little girl.

Xiao Luo inhaled a deep breath. With fists clenched in anticipation, she walked towards the bedroom where two other guards bowed to her and made way for her.

'Crash'

'Pak'

Just as Xiao Luo raised her hand to knock on the door, the sound of things shattering on the floor reverberated from inside the room followed by the sound of a crisp slap.

The tiny fist that was about to tap on the door froze.

''You have the audacity to show your face in front of me after everything that has happened?"

Xiao Luo heard an unfamiliar masculine voice snarling inside the room. This was the Prime Minister's room. And this voice should not belong to anyone other than him.

Soon after, Xiao Luo heard a voice she had not heard in weeks after she came to the Prime Minister's Manor.

''But she was so pitiful. How could I have left her there? My heart ached for her...'' Madam Xiao's soft voice sounded from inside. Her tone was just as kind as Xiao Luo remembered, ''I came here because I heard you invited a maid to serve you last night... How do you expect me to act clueless about it?"

''Yes, I had a maid serving me last night. Did you expect me to ask you over instead? Rong Ying, do you even consider my reputation as the Prime Minister? You randomly picked up some filthy beggar from the streets and now you want to give her my family name? What in the world are you thinking? Don't tell me you are unable to forget your miserable past?"

''I...''

"I was tricked into marrying you, an adopted daughter of the General's Mansion. I was fooled by them and I believed that I got myself the real deal until the scandal broke out and your identity turned out to be that of just an abandoned girl who was pitied and picked up by the General. I endured that humiliation and still gave you to position of being the Madam of the Xiao Family just because I loved you.

All these years...

"I was tricked into marrying you, an adopted daughter of the General's Mansion. I was fooled by them and I believed that I got myself the real deal until the scandal broke out and your identity turned out to be that of just an abandoned girl who was pitied and picked up by the General. I endured that humiliation and still gave you to position of being the Madam of the Xiao Family just because I loved you.

All these years, what I detest the most is scandals about my household. I have trodden carefully and made every decision meticulously to avoid any of that. But now, you are telling me that you adopted a girl from the streets because you pitied her? Do you know what harm it will bring me if the world knows about it?''