Professional Substitute

Chapter 10: The Other Side of Snow White

Ms. Cui intended to tell Xuebao the story of Snow White, but Xuebao was already so familiar with it that she could recite it backwards and had tossed the picture book aside.

"I want a new story, I want Mommy to tell it."

Ms. Cui was furious, hands on her hips, especially since her brother-in-law wasn't in the room at the moment.

"Xuebao, don't trust the wicked queen, because she's not Snow White's real mother. She only covets the old king's wealth and power."

Mo Qinglan was once again taken aback by Ms. Cui's insinuation, almost pointing at her as if she were the queen. Mo Qinglan calmed Xuebao, closed the picture book, and held her in her arms.

"Xuebao, how about Mommy tells you the queen's story today?"

This was something Xuebao had never heard before, and she clapped her hands excitedly, "Yes, yes, I want to hear it."

Ms. Cui widened her eyes, wondering what kind of twist Mo Qinglan could come up with.

"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful queen who married a king. The king had a daughter with skin as white as snow, and people called her 'Snow White.'"

The same beginning, just from a different perspective. Xuebao listened intently, her long eyelashes still. Ms. Cui, however, scoffed, thinking it no different from her own version.

Mo Qinglan ignored Ms. Cui's disdain and continued, "The queen had a magic mirror, and she often asked it who the fairest woman in the world was. The mirror said it was Snow White. The queen immediately agreed, yes, Snow White is the fairest. The mirror was puzzled, not understanding why the queen wasn't jealous of Snow White. The queen too was confused and asked the mirror why she should be jealous. Such a wonderful girl would surely be the kingdom's pride."

The same story, yet Mo Qinglan's interpretation gave it a new dimension.

In the kitchen, Bai Ke wore headphones, like an audience member not present.

Who knew classics could be interpreted this way? It was truly interesting. A smile crept onto his face.

"When Snow White turned six, the queen arranged many lessons for her, including horseback riding, archery, and math—skills necessary to govern a country. When Snow White turned sixteen, a prince from a neighboring kingdom sent an invitation for a grand ball at a castle deep in the forest. Snow White prepared a beautiful dress and a long gown. But the queen stopped her. Xuebao, can you guess what the queen said to Snow White?"

Xuebao blinked her big eyes, thinking seriously, "The castle is in the forest, so there must be lots of wild animals, right?"

Mo Qinglan snapped her fingers, giving a thumbs up and praising her, "Yes, our Xuebao is thoughtful. The queen said to Snow White, 'The forest is full of beasts. Don't you want to take your bow and arrows to test your riding skills after all this practice?' Snow White suddenly understood and joyfully changed into her dashing knight's outfit."

"Before the ball, the two kingdoms held a friendly hunting competition. The prince charged ahead on his horse. However, the forest was vast, and he encountered two black bears. His horse was startled, and he fell. Just then, Snow White appeared on her white horse, drew her bow, and shot the bears, saving the prince."

Xuebao exclaimed "Wow," her eyes full of admiration and longing, clapping her hands, "Mommy, Snow White is amazing!"

Ms. Cui was completely thrown off. Was this really the direction of the fairy tale? She didn't know how to evaluate it, but it was indeed cool and exhilarating.

"The prince looked at the beautiful princess and fell in love. He proposed to Snow White, hoping she would marry him, promising to protect her for life. But Snow White hesitated, unsure if she should accept, so she went to the queen."

"The queen asked Snow White if she liked the prince. Snow White said he was handsome and promised to protect her. The queen asked, 'If you meet someone more handsome in the future, will you remarry? He says he'll protect you for life, but it was you who saved him. How can someone who can't protect himself protect you?'"

Mo Qinglan's smile widened as she told this part. The inspiration came entirely from Ms. Cui's provocation. She mocked Mo Qinglan for climbing high and taking shortcuts, but Mo Qinglan couldn't care less. Rather than telling a stepmother's story, she was expressing her own resolve.

In the kitchen, Bai Ke had turned off the range hood completely because the story was truly captivating, and he seemed to hear an underlying message.

Mo Qinglan's story continued, "Snow White then said, 'But everyone believes that a proper princess's best destiny is to marry an excellent prince.' The queen stroked Snow White's long hair, saying earnestly, 'You are a princess, the future hope of the kingdom. You can choose your own path, do what you believe is right, and you don't have to marry a prince.'"

"Snow White then asked, 'Mother, what about you? Why did you marry Father?' Even Snow White now felt the old king was unworthy of the queen. The queen said, 'My Snow White has grown up, and I want to travel the world too.'"

The story ended abruptly, but Xuebao was left wanting more, clinging to Mo Qinglan for another tale. Just then, Bai Ke knocked on the door, saying, "What's all the excitement about? It's time for dinner."

Xuebao swung her little legs, hugging Bai Ke's leg, "Daddy, Xuebao really likes the queen. Xuebao wants to be a brave Snow White too."

Bai Ke glanced at Mo Qinglan, then at Ms. Cui, his expression unreadable.

During dinner, Ms. Cui volunteered, "Brother-in-law, I'll sleep with Xuebao tonight to get familiar." Previously, this task was always Mo Qinglan's responsibility. However, she was more than happy to have a good night's sleep. Before Bai Ke could respond, Xuebao objected, "I want to sleep with Mommy.

Auntie can sleep alone." This was the first time she called her "Auntie" today, yet in such a context, leaving Ms. Cui both amused and exasperated. Surprisingly, Bai Ke agreed.

Mo Qinglan had been part of this family for over a year. During this time, Bai Ke never made things difficult for her. This was undoubtedly due to her dedication, but people are unpredictable. The appearance of the aunt was a wake-up call for Mo Qinglan, giving her a sense of crisis. This way, perhaps she could maintain her facade a bit longer. Although just now, Mo Qinglan had conveyed her true feelings through the stepmother's story.

The villa had two floors above ground and one basement level, where Mo Qinglan lived in the servant's quarters. The space was cramped, unlike the large bedrooms upstairs, but it was still part of a villa.

In the middle of the night, Xuebao wanted water and called for Mommy several times without a response from her aunt. She rubbed her eyes and got out of bed on her own, heading to the first floor. The little one fumbled around, climbed onto a chair, and turned on the living room light. Bai Ke immediately woke up, looking at the ceiling to gather his thoughts. Then the little one ran to the water dispenser to get water. Suddenly, there was a child's scream, followed by the sound of water splashing. Bai Ke rushed over to find Mo Qinglan's arm scalded, with Xuebao protected in her embrace. Xuebao cried even harder, "Mommy, I'm sorry, it's all my fault."