Chapter 3

Chapter 3

From childhood, I lived under the shadow of Dayna, who was as serene as a lily.

Our parents bought clothes and jewelry for both of us, but she dismissed them with disdain. According to her, those were mere material things, unworthy of her attention. Her attitude made our parents think she was easily taken advantage of, so they always prioritized her needs. The finest clothes and jewelry she received were often passed on to our cousins, while I was forced to wear plain garments like her.

Once, I couldn't bear to part with a beautiful jade hairpin and wanted it back, but Dayna scolded me for being petty, saying I couldn't even give up a single hairpin. This made our relatives dislike me even more, while they endlessly praised her, urging me to learn from Dayna.

Although our family wasn't exceptionally wealthy, our parents ran a successful business. We had our own mansion and employed several maids and servants to take care of us. Our parents were busy with their business, and Dayna, indifferent to everything, only loved composing poetry and admiring flowers. Thus, the household responsibilities fell on my shoulders.

Once, I was furious when I caught a maid stealing valuables. Dayna helped the maid up, apologized to her, and reprimanded me, "Leanne, it's harsh to punish someone just because she stole. Perhaps she had some difficulties at home. How can you be so heartless?"

That maid was a repeat offender, and it wasn't the first time I had caught her. If I tolerated such behavior, what would happen if others started stealing too? But I couldn't embarrass Dayna, so I said nothing and simply expelled the maid from our home. Dayna, however, went to the maid's house, gave her money, and even gifted her the stolen bracelet. She also publicly shamed me for being unreasonable and overly attached to material things, advising the maid not to hold a grudge against me.

As a result, everyone praised Dayna for her generosity and serene demeanor, while I was labeled as heartless and cruel.

One year, a severe drought struck, and our home became part of the disaster area. Although the court sent relief, there wasn't enough food for everyone. After much effort, I managed to secure a bag of rice. Dayna drank three bowls of rice porridge but frowned and said, "You shouldn't have taken food from those in need. It's disgraceful."

Dayna didn't just criticize me verbally. While our parents and I were away, she took her share of the food, cooked a pot of porridge, and distributed it to the poor. "In such critical times, how can I be like Leanne, only caring about my own hunger? We're all neighbors; I can't bear to see them starve."

Since Dayna gave away her share of the food, I couldn't bear to see her go hungry, so I divided the remaining food with her. Our whole family went hungry, and I had to scavenge for more food. Our home was like a leaking bucket; while I stored food, Dayna gave it away. Somehow, we managed to survive.

Dayna's reputation for being serene and uncompetitive grew, while I was seen as ruthless and calculating. There were many such incidents.

Looking back now, I just want to slap my younger self. Dayna's so-called serenity and non-competitiveness were all built on my silent sacrifices. She didn't have to worry about anything because I was always there to clean up her mess. She got everything she wanted and received everyone's praise. It was an unfair advantage.

There couldn't have been a more profitable arrangement.