Guests arrive (for repairs)
The subtle expressions on that snow-white face could no longer be hidden. Upon hearing this, Fu Qing lowered her eyes, but felt a sense of relief, as if she had finally spoken her mind and was now free.
Fu Qing slowly raised his head after a long while and looked at Lin Xu, saying:
"Miss Lin is incredibly intelligent. I should have guessed long ago that nothing could be hidden from you."
What else should I hide from her?
Dou Yanxun's intimate behavior just now had stained their clothes with blood, forcing her to be changed into Fu Qing's clothes. The fact that Dou Yanxun had such suitable spare clothes here suggests that their affair went far beyond that.
He brought her here when he was seriously injured and on the verge of death, omitting all the details of why he risked his life to assassinate Prince Mao, and even threatening her with his life to keep her silent.
But Dou Yanxun's attitude towards Fu Qing was as familiar and accustomed as if it were commonplace.
In his heart, he clearly preferred to trust this courtesan more than his betrothed.
What else could she ask...?
Seeing her dazed expression, Fu Qing's face showed a mixture of pity and guilt, but her words became even more earnest:
"Miss Lin, please rest assured. Although I, Fu Qing, am of lowly status, I am perceptive and know my place. However, my intentions are as they are, and once spilled, they cannot be taken back. But I swear here today that I will never disturb Miss Lin and Master Dou in the slightest. Fu Qing is but a humble duckweed in this life. I was fortunate to be saved by Master Dou and rescued from dire straits by Miss Lin. All these kindnesses are debts I owe to you both."
Looking at the resolute face before her, Lin Xu ultimately couldn't bear it. But too many mysteries lingered in her heart, and she didn't know how to react. After a long while, she simply held Fu Qing's hands, feeling the warmth in them gradually cool.
She didn't want to, and was unwilling to, make things difficult for any other woman.
"...Do you often prepare antidotes for Dou Yanxun?"
She thought for a moment, then changed the subject.
Upon hearing this, Fu Qing's face showed a hint of relief. She stood up and took out a small red bottle with a narrow mouth from her sleeve.
"I am illiterate, but I am only somewhat familiar with these low-level tricks. You were previously poisoned by aconite liquid, but you have already taken the antidote. Seeing that Miss Lin is weak, I also fed her an old ginseng to nourish her spirit and replenish her qi. She only needs to take the antidote in this bottle for another half month, and the poison in Miss Lin's body will be completely eliminated."
Fu Qing's eyes flickered with a hint of sadness as they swept over the jade pendant beside Lin Xu. A moment later, she smiled again, a slight curve to her lips.
"The news of your marriage is now widely known in Mujing. Master Dou, who used to enjoy a life of pleasure, has gradually become much more composed. With Miss Lin, such a beautiful and elegant lady, I, as an outsider, am at ease. I should offer my congratulations to Miss Lin in advance."
Lin Xu thanked him softly, but knew that it was not a good place to stay any longer.
However, the clothes I wore that day were completely filthy and could no longer be worn.
She couldn't walk straight out the door in the rather stylish dress she was wearing, so Fu Qing handed her a large, thick, silver fur cloak and kindly instructed the sedan chair bearers to wait at the door before sending her away.
As soon as Lin Xu stepped out of the exquisitely elegant courtyard gate, he quickly looked around before realizing where he was.
The dark blue eaves and corner alleys are scattered, the gray walls are mottled, yet a faint, elegant fragrance wafts through the air. This is the renowned Yuehuan Alley, located beside Mujing North Street. It is also a secret place in Mujing City where all kinds of beautiful women have always gathered.
Rumor has it that the women living here are exceptionally beautiful, yet not so much so that ordinary men would dare to covet them. They are either mistresses of officials who keep them here, or have illicit relationships with powerful and influential people that are kept hidden away.
However, Lin Xu did not expect that Fu Qing, after escaping the confinement of Bihua Tower, would choose to stay here... She thought that after being redeemed, Fu Qing would be free.
However, she was currently struggling to protect herself and had no time to speculate or deduce anything.
.
The sedan chair had been bumpy all the way, and she was exhausted both physically and mentally. She simply rested her hand on her forehead and fell into a deep sleep in a short while.
She didn't know how much time had passed when she was finally gently awakened by the sedan bearers. As the curtain was lifted, she found herself before the all-too-familiar gate of the Lin family mansion. After such a tumultuous journey, surviving by the skin of her teeth, she had finally returned home.
Lin Xu tightened his cloak, but before he had taken more than a few steps across the threshold, a sweet and delicate voice rang out from behind the dense, fiery maple forest.
"Who do I think this is? It turns out to be Xu'er, whose happy event is approaching in the manor."
Amidst the falling red petals, Qi Shi, dressed in a peach-red brocade jacket embroidered with auspicious patterns, stood beneath the maple forest, her hands supporting her unusually large belly.
Qi was not alone; beside her stood a woman with exceptionally bright makeup, wearing a light green cloak trimmed with white fur, but whose face was completely unfamiliar.
Before she could speak, several more figures emerged from the depths of the maple forest.
Lan Yue wore a silver silk dress with only a touch of makeup, which made her appear even more fresh and elegant amidst the fluttering red blossoms. She wore only a simple white jade hairpin in her hair as she strolled out from behind the octagonal pavilion.
Upon seeing Lin Xu, Lan Yue's worried expression softened slightly. She quickly nodded slightly to Lin Xu across Qi Shi and the unfamiliar woman, which was considered a greeting.
Behind her, two children, one big and one small, skipped and hopped out.
Seeing Lin Xu's puzzled expression, Lan Yue subtly gave Qi Shi a wink.
While Lin Xu was still in a daze, she saw the woman staring straight at her.
Behind that beaming smile lay a calculating and shrewd nature that even thick makeup couldn't conceal.
"—So this is the young lady of the house?"
Before she could react, the woman quickly stepped forward, grabbed her hands tightly without a word, examined her carefully for a moment, and then smiled:
"Look at her radiant appearance, she is indeed a pampered young lady. Her skin is so delicate and beautiful."
After saying that, he pretended to pinch Lin Xu's cheek.
However, with just a gentle twist, Lin Xu felt a burning pain in his right cheek.
The woman, however, did not stop, and immediately turned to Qi Shi and said:
"I should say that once you're pregnant, you should take good care of yourself so that your child will have such a good figure after birth. Your body is precious now, and you can't stop taking those supplements for even a moment."
Upon hearing this, Madam Qi lightly flicked the embroidered handkerchief in her hand and smiled, then beckoned the two children beside Lan Yue to come over:
"Come, come, stop fooling around, quickly come and greet your sister. This is your sister who is about to get married, quickly say congratulations to her."
A little girl dressed in a pale yellow brocade dress with two pigtails ran over, her round eyes scrutinizing Lin Xu. Before long, she burst into tears.
The crying startled Lin Xu.
Qi spoke in a gentle voice, immediately launching into a mock reprimand:
"Yu Mei, I told you to call me 'sister,' why are you crying for no reason?"
The little girl named Yumei cried and sobbed, her face wrinkled from crying, but she only pointed at Lin Xu with her finger, and after a long while she spoke haltingly:
"Sister—fierce—Yu Mei—afraid—"
After saying that, he hid behind the woman.
It was as if she were facing some kind of man-eating beast.
The other boy, who hadn't spoken, was a bit older and had darker skin. His face was full of wariness. He just stood there quietly observing Lin Xu, but he refused to come forward.
Lin Xu looked at the group of people in front of him, some old and some young, each with their own thoughts and actions. Even though he was exhausted, he understood what was going on.
Her eyes fell on Lan Yue, who stood quietly to the side amidst the chaos. The two exchanged a brief glance, which only strengthened their conviction.
Qi Shi really couldn't hold back—
She had only been away from home for a short while when Madam Qi intended to turn this peaceful mansion upside down.
Originally, it was thought that Gao Youyi, coming from a prominent family and having a straightforward and outspoken personality, would surely be able to keep the house in check. However, she ultimately underestimated Qi Shi's restless heart.
I wonder if Kao Yu-yi is already overwhelmed with worries right now?
With this in mind, she slowly exhaled before walking towards the backyard.
.
A cold wind suddenly rose outside the window, and the withered leaves in the yard rustled in the wind, making the scene even more desolate.
Dressed in a light blue robe, Gao Youyi leaned against the carved nanmu window, her expression solemn. Her well-maintained fingers gently stroked the sandalwood armrest, her fingertips slightly cool, but her mind was becoming increasingly troubled.
Xin Tan stood beside the chaise longue, gently massaging Gao Youyi's temples with just the right amount of pressure. Even so, it did not relieve Gao Youyi's inner turmoil.
“…Madam, you haven’t eaten properly again today. If you continue to worry like this, I’m afraid your body won’t be able to take it.”
Seeing her master's sorrowful expression, Xin Tan couldn't help but whisper words of comfort.
Gao Youyi sighed softly, about to speak, when she suddenly heard footsteps coming from outside the corridor. Through the light gauze curtains, she saw Lin Xu in a long dress walking briskly in from outside.
"Xu'er is here."
Kao Yu-yi breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, straightened her sleeves, and led her daughter into the inner room.
Lin Xu walked hurriedly, her face showing signs of travel. Upon entering the house, she saw her stepmother, Gao Youyi, looking haggard. Her heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward to greet her.
"Mother, why are you so frowning? Is something troubling you?"
Gao Youyi took her hand, gesturing for her to sit down. Her eyes were filled with exhaustion. She sighed and said softly:
"Xu'er, did you just get back? I heard you went to Shaojing Garden with the master that day, and then met your classmates from school and were invited to stay at our home for a while. Is everything alright?"
Lin Xu glanced at Zhu Ling beside him, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.
After returning to the manor, she hurriedly went to Luoya Residence to change her clothes when Zhu Ling rushed up to her with a worried look on her face.
It turned out that two full days had passed since she left the manor that day.
Zhu Ling said that Lin Fu returned alone after finishing his business that day, and a maid from the Dou family had already come to deliver a message saying that her young lady had met a classmate from school at Shaojing Garden. The two chatted and then invited Lin Xu to stay for a few days.
Dou Zhen was gentle and kind, and had a renowned reputation as a talented woman in Mujing. Although Lin Fu and Gao Youyi were worried, they did not do much to stop her.
Without even thinking, it's obvious that Dou Yanxun was pulling strings behind the scenes for her, even using his own sister's influence.
Lin Xu remained expressionless, continuing to listen to Gao Youyi's gentle words of comfort. Sure enough, after only a short while, Gao Youyi, after some hesitation, couldn't help but pour out her grievances:
"...These past two days, Xu'er has been away from the manor, so you really don't know how distressed I've been! Do you know that Qi Shi, using the excuse of an unstable pregnancy, has actually begged Master to allow her older sister, who became a widow early on, to come to the manor to take care of her!"
Gao Youyi was both anxious and angry, clearly fuming with nowhere to vent her anger. After catching her breath, she continued:
"Your father was unwilling to agree at first, but Madam Qi kept pestering him and crying that she was carrying the Lin family's child and that the pregnancy was unstable. If something happened, wouldn't your father be a sinner? But your father was soft-hearted, so in the end he agreed to her request and brought that woman named Qi Rou'er into the mansion."
At this point, her voice choked with emotion, and her eyes were filled with grievance and helplessness.
Seeing that Gao Youyi, who was always strong-willed, was being repeatedly defeated by Qi Shuang'er, Lin Xu couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
She knew that Qi Shi had done many bad things in her previous life, but she had always maintained a gentle and virtuous appearance, which was why she was able to have a place in this mansion in her previous life.
But in this life, she has repeatedly resorted to despicable means, becoming increasingly blatant and unrestrained.
Although Qi Rou'er was already a woman, she still retained some charm, and had been widowed at a young age. Now, however, Qi Shi was using the pretext of caring for her during her pregnancy to force her father to give in, and even brought her into the mansion...
This move is a bit too much of a pushover. No wonder Gao Youyi is so angry.
Even just looking at how that family in the maple forest treated her, Lin Xu could already imagine how stressed and overwhelmed Gao Youyi must have been during the two days she was away from home.
The fact that Lady Qi has arranged this whole thing so openly suggests that her true intention is not to ensure the safety of her unborn child, but to seize favor and wealth.
Even if these things were embellished and spread, what would become of their father's reputation if the two sisters, who came from a butcher family, lived together in the Lin family mansion?
Seeing that she was about to get married, Madam Qi couldn't wait even a moment longer.
It seems there are some things that need to be planned and arranged before she leaves.
The cool wind outside the window grew stronger, swirling maple leaves and rushing towards the window.
Lin Xu gripped Gao Youyi's hands tightly, his gaze fixed on the withered leaves, a cold, ruthless glint in his eyes.
"Mother, don't worry, I will find a way. No matter how much the Qi family tries to stir up trouble, we have our own ways to deal with it."
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