Zhang Tengfei and Yang Jiahui were both on edge as Elena finally turned her attention fully to Yang Jiahui.
They knew better than anyone how deeply the original Elena had despised her father's third wife, how every attempt at closeness had been rejected coldly, sometimes even cruelly. This simple interaction felt like standing on thin ice.
Elena noticed the fleeting change in Yang Jiahui's expression, so subtle it might have been dismissed as imagination.
She tilted her head slightly, studying the older woman with quiet curiosity.
She replayed her own words in her mind and found nothing obviously offensive. Since guessing would only lead to misunderstanding, she chose the simplest path.
"Did I say something that made you unhappy, Madam?" she asked calmly.
Yang Jiahui stiffened, then quickly shook her head, her smile tightening at the corners. "No, no. I'm very happy you're here today, Xiulan. Please don't think that I'm unhappy with you."
