Chapter 77◇

◎Come on, let's hurt each other!◎

The two sisters looked toward the door in surprise and disbelief. When they saw Duan Jingyin, who was furious, Duan Yutang's scalp tingled. How did this fiery-tempered girl discover that she had plotted against her? My life is over!

Duan Jingyin held her chin high, as if to show off her short stature. "I treated you like a good older sister, but you're the one who tricked me into stumbling upon Qin Lianhua's dirty business. Don't think I'm easy to fool!"

Before the truth came out, Duan Yutang was always afraid of others finding out. But once it was out in the open, she became quite self-righteous, with an air of being willing to risk everything. "So what if I did it? Are you just going to watch Xia'er jump into the fire?"

"Tch." Duan Jingyin curled her lips and said mercilessly, "If it weren't for that, do you think I'm stupid enough to be your pawn for nothing?"

Duan Yutang's pupils dilated suddenly, and she exclaimed, "You know!"

"Ha! So you really think I'm a fool? Besides the two of you, who else could be so resourceful as to know my daily schedule and let Qin Lianhua's filthy thoughts come to light right under my nose? It can't be my mother, can it?"

Duan Jingyin sensed something was wrong when she saw Qin Lianhua clinging to Duan Yuze. This was a garden she often frequented, where she grew her favorite exotic flowers. Unauthorized people wouldn't come by unless there was something wrong with them, and even her own siblings would be very careful. But these two had trampled her flowers, so she got angry and made a big scene.

She initially thought Qin Lianhua was scheming against Duan Yuze, and was naturally furious. Qin Lianhua's status was neither high nor low, and if the scheme succeeded, the marriage arranged by Duan Yuze would most likely fall through, and he would instead marry Qin Lianhua. Unwilling to accept this, she made the matter public, nailing Qin Lianhua to the pillar of shame, and brought it to her mother's attention.

Madam Qin naturally doted on her niece. If it weren't for the fact that the unreasonable person was her own daughter, she would never have compromised, and Qin Lianhua could have easily married into the family. However, Duan Jingyin was convinced that Qin Lianhua had ulterior motives and was unworthy of being the rightful wife. Duan Yuze was also satisfied with his fiancée, and he was so angry that Qin Lianhua had ruined things that he was about to collapse. How could he possibly grant Qin Lianhua's wishful thinking?

Thus, Qin Lianhua could only be carried in through the side door of a small sedan chair after Duan Yuze got married. After this incident, Qin Shi also became cold towards her, knowing that she would suffer in the future.

Just as Duan Jingyin was basking in her triumph, she suddenly heard a servant say that the flowers in her garden had not been damaged by human hands, but by animals. She suddenly realized something was wrong.

Everything was too coincidental. If Qin Lianhua really wanted to marry into the family, why would she risk her reputation and commit such a shameful act in public? It just didn't feel right. Suddenly, she remembered what Feng Ran had said unintentionally: "Whoever benefits will have to work themselves to the bone." Looking at this matter from a broader perspective, the only one who could benefit was Duan Yuxia. She could get rid of marrying Qin Lianhua's good-for-nothing brother.

It wasn't until she eavesdropped at the door earlier that Duan Jingyin became certain that Duan Yutang was most likely behind this.

Although she was furious at being used, she didn't regret it. Exposing the truth would simply mean Duan Yuze had gained another concubine, a mere plaything, while his life and fortune remained in the hands of his legal wife. If she ignored it, Duan Yuxia would be forced into a living hell, which was something she didn't want. Therefore, she went along with it that day.

After realizing that she might have been tricked, she came to seek justice. Since Duan Yuxia had already found her ideal husband, it would be reasonable for her to humble herself as her benefactor for a few days. Little did she expect that the culprit was Duan Yutang.

Seeing the two of them arguing like children over her own affairs, Duan Yuxia was filled with emotion. So many people cared about her after all.

"Thank you so much for your consideration, elder sister and younger sister. I thank you both in advance." Duan Yuxia solemnly bowed to the two of them.

Duan Jingyin turned her head away arrogantly, "Hmph, I'm not doing this to help you, I'm doing this to seek justice for my flowers."

Duan Yutang's expression was no different, and she turned her head to the other side, "Don't flatter yourself, I'm doing this so that I can marry someone from a high-class family."

"Ha! Do you think people from high-class families are slaves to some peddler, to be picked and chosen at will?" Duan Jingyin said with utter disdain, every pore of her body screaming that she was overestimating herself.

Duan Yutang's face flushed red, then turned pale, then green, and she said in a cold voice, "Don't you want to marry into a high-ranking family? You are the legitimate daughter, so naturally you don't understand the desire of us illegitimate children to rise up and take charge!"

Duan Jingyin was originally stubborn and intended to continue arguing, but when she really touched on Duan Yutang's sore spot, she started to make amends instead. Of course, this was what she thought of as making amends.

“Who’s trying to climb the social ladder? I think the family my second sister chose is quite good. They’re a good match, and the future of the whole family is in Father’s hands. They’ll never suffer in this life. If you marry into a noble family, even if you’re bullied, your family won’t be able to speak up for you.”

The girls who don't usually get along very well actually became closer after their bickering this time.

Duan Yutang let out a long sigh. Her stubbornness was simply because she didn't know who she would end up with. She had nowhere to confide her anxiety. She could have kept up the act, but she was tired. No matter how much she planned in her mind, she couldn't change her mother's decision.

With a complicated expression, she looked at Duan Jingyin and said in an ambiguous tone, "Third sister, sometimes I envy you. Even if you don't think about so much, you can still live a happy life without worrying about your future husband's family."

Duan Jingyin's voice was hoarse, "Big sister, my...my mother only has that one nephew, there is no second one."

Facing her two older sisters, she could no longer claim that her mother was without ulterior motives. If it weren't for Qin Lianhua's scheming, Duan Yuxia's life would have been ruined. Duan Yutang's marriage was still undecided, and she didn't know which family her mother was plotting against. She could only hope that her mother's previous actions were out of favoritism towards her own family, and not out of a desire to mistreat her illegitimate daughter.

The two sisters knew that this was not Duan Jingyin's fault, but they just sighed and didn't say anything more.

Meanwhile, Madam Qin and Granny Feng were also scheming about Duan Yutang's marriage.

"Aunt Wang has always been a cunning and manipulative woman, always dreaming of turning her illegitimate daughter into a phoenix. I don't know where she gets the courage." Looking at the eligible unmarried men in the capital, Qin was furious when she remembered that the marriage she had arranged for her nephew had fallen through.

“My cousin is too ambitious. As her aunt, I kindly wanted to recommend her as the heir’s concubine. If she could have a son or daughter in the future, wouldn’t the Marquis’s mansion be completely under her control? But she’s too short-sighted and has taken a fancy to Ze’er. If Ze’er has the potential to become the heir, how could I not plan for her!”

Granny Feng couldn't say anything wrong about Qin Lianhua, so she could only offer some comforting words, "Young lady, you're so young, and Ze-ge'er is such a virtuous person, it's understandable that you've fallen for him."

"It's a disgrace to the family! If it weren't for the people in the manor keeping their mouths shut, what would become of the Qin family's reputation? I think she's just confused! Now she can only be a concubine, she might as well be the young master's concubine!" Thinking of this, Madam Qin's eyes rolled around.

Having served Madam Qin for many years, how could Granny Feng not know what she was thinking? Her mouth tasted bitter. "My lady, how can you not see clearly? That man in Jinghua Courtyard only cares about you out of politeness. If you do anything else, you might lose this son."

Qin didn't care about Feng's inner thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more she felt that her method was feasible. She whispered something in Feng's ear for a while. Feng opened her mouth, but seeing Qin's unquestionable expression, she could only bitterly go and do her job.

Jinghua Courtyard hadn't noticed any danger yet. Feng Ran carefully applied medicine to Duan Jingchuan's lips. At first, she was full of guilt, but as she applied the medicine, she couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Duan Jingchuan's lips were swollen and red, and the swelling seemed to be spreading. He stared blankly at Feng Ran, who was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. His face grew darker and darker, and his obsidian-like eyes held a terrifying storm. Feng Ran was oblivious. She held her numb cheeks in her hands, tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to fall.

"Madam..." Duan Jingchuan wanted to say something, but before he could finish speaking, he hissed, his eyelids twitched, and he broke out in a cold sweat. His left hand trembled as he covered his face, which was contorted with pain, and he immediately shut his mouth. From this day forward, he would practice the Zen of silence and not let anyone make him speak.

Feng Ran rushed forward to check on him, nagging, "My dear husband, please don't talk for now. Look how swollen you are, you look so pitiful."

Duan Jingchuan hardened his fist. His wife was fine, except today.

Before he could even clench his fist, Feng Ran pulled him over and placed it directly on the large steamed bun in front of him. "Husband, don't be angry. Squeeze it as you like. It'll relieve your stress."

He didn't control his strength and pinched a large, soft lump without any politeness. The heat made his neck turn red all the way to his face. He hurriedly withdrew his hand and stepped back an arm's length on the couch.

Feng Ran touched her nose, feeling guilty. Seeing Duan Jingchuan avoiding her made her even more itchy. She picked up a peeled egg and smiled gently, saying, "Husband, let me rub it for you."

Duan Jingchuan had never read the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but he felt that Feng Ran's expression at this moment was just like that of a wolf about to devour people, with glistening tears at the corners of her mouth, as if she would fall into the tiger's mouth if she got close to him.

He snatched the egg from Feng Ran's hand and mumbled, "I can do it myself." He turned and ran to the study without looking back, leaving only Feng Ran's unrestrained laughter behind him.

Even the arrogant Xiuer couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but speak up, "Princess Consort, the Prince will be angry if you do this."

“Qiqi is so much better. You see, he used to be either expressionless or smiling, but look at him just now, his face almost lit up with a rainbow. He looks so much more lively.” Feng Ran didn’t feel like she was bullying anyone at all.

Xiuer didn't see the interaction inside the room, but she saw the young master's face full of grief and indignation when he left, looking exactly like someone who had been bullied, which made her feel even more sympathetic.

After bullying Duan Jingchuan away, Feng Ran idly pondered whether she should take a long nap to express her joy, but then Huang Que came looking for her with her short legs.

"Little bird, why are you carrying a book? You've been looking quite good lately, your skin is so fair and tender, you look delicious." Feng Ran leaned to the side and casually gave the yellow bird a new name.

Fortunately, the oriole was just a child; if it were a more sensible one, it would probably have been so angry that it would have stormed off.

Huang Que thought of how half of the young master's gentle and handsome face had been ruined, and wondered if the young master's wife hadn't beaten him enough and wanted to give him a beating, which was why she had sent him here. She timidly said, "My brother-in-law asked me to find my sister to test her studies."

Teaching exams and homework! Is this suitable for her?

"Don't you already have a husband?" Feng Ran asked, puzzled.

"My brother-in-law just told me that the master is not here today." In fact, the master had just been sent away by Duan Jingchuan.

"Did my husband order this?" Oh dear, the little socially anxious girl is angry and has found a child to torment her. Feng Ran sat up with a jolt, looking at the child in front of her as if he were some rare treasure.

"Hehehe, homework, huh? Let me test you properly, and you can talk to your husband about it later."

It was clearly a stunningly beautiful face, but Feng Ran twisted it into a lewd pose, making Huang Que's legs almost go weak with fear.