"I'm not sure if Donglin mentioned this to you, but in our family, there were originally three siblings. However, my younger sister passed away from illness ten years ago, leaving just the two of us. I've settled in New York, and our Empress Dowager—my mother—lives in Switzerland. She doesn't like the flashy world of New York, and I don't fancy such a tiny country. I was raised at my grandmother's house until I was ten and then went abroad to study when I was thirteen. I've hardly spent any time with Lady Daqing; we've never been close as mother and daughter. Most importantly, both the Empress Dowager and I have explosive tempers and argue at the slightest disagreement. Over the decades, this situation hasn't improved at all. Therefore, it's best if we don't meet. But, even if we talk on the phone daily, we're bound to have a huge fight within three to five days..."
Yan Xixi broke into a cold sweat.
