CHAPTER 24

Chu Jinmiao said that she wanted to write in the rear room and the rest of the young ladies had their interests peaked. In the end, the small rear room was filled with people and everyone was holding brushes as they knelt in front of the desk to write.

Lin Xiyuan said to Chu Jinyao, “Younger Sister, there is no more space on the table here, do move a little there.”

“No.” Chu Jinyao glared at him when she turned around, “There is no more space here. Go out and find another place.”

“I will not.” Lin Xiyuan forced himself to Chu Jinyao’s side to sit down. She felt that this person was just sick in his brain and thus squeezed to the right and continued to write with her head bowed.

Lin Xiyuan did not care about Chu Jinyao’s indifference. He placed a hand on the table and propped his chin up as he watched her write. After a while, he asked, “It seems that you are still unfamiliar with moving the brush and should be a beginner student. Why does it seem that there is a heroic spirit in your penmanship and not like a female’s?”

She was taught calligraphy by Qin Yi, so of course there was a heroic spirit to it. Chu Jinyao said, “Perhaps it is because I grew up like a boy and thus the handwriting looks like a male.”

Lin Xiyuan chuckled. He put his head on his hands and laughed uncontrollably. Chu Jinyao was startled, but she immediately understood that he had thought of the day where she jumped over the wall.

It was true that whatever one fears would soon arrive. A number of people looked at Lin Xiyuan and asked, “Shizi, what are you laughing at?”

Chu Jinyao’s face stiffened as she feared he would speak of it. Fortunately, Lin Xiyuan only waved his hands and endured his laughter to speak, “I only thought of a cat. Nothing is the matter.”

“Cat?” Lin Xining thought about it and asked suspiciously, “There are no cats in the Prince residence and the Marquis residence.”

Lin Xiyuan only smiled and did not speak a single word, while Chu Jinyao lowered her head, pretending not to listen.

The rest of the people had been monitoring Lin Xiyuan’s actions and only when they saw him finally start to flip the book did they turn their heads back. When everyone’s sight had shifted, Lin Xiyuan whispered to Chu Jinyao, “I had said that I will not tell anyone else and would definitely do it.”

The tip of Chu Jinyao’s brush paused and she looked up to see Lin Xiyuan but did not say anything before lowering her head again.

However, Qin Yi, inside the jade pendant, snorted secretly. A few years ago, Prince Huailing of the Second Rank brought Lin Xiyuan to the capital and even brought him to the Eastern Palace to see him. At that time, Qin Yi only knew that Lin Xiyuan was generous and a talent with great potential, but he did not know he was one who was good at garnering the admiration of females in private.

Chu Jinmiao quietly stole a furtive glance to the back and brought out a book of poems, flipping it purposefully. When Third Young Lady heard it, she raised her voice to ask, “Fourth Younger Sister, what is this?”

Chu Jinmiao said, “I wrote these poems previously. It is just too messy so I planned to copy a new one.”

Third Young Lady picked the collection of poems for a look, and said, “This is the original manuscript, right? Ah, this is a precious item since you had taken a long time to write it. You must keep it well else if someone were to accidentally spill some water, then all your hard work would be ruined.”

“How could it be?” Chu Jinmiao smiled, “There would not be such a recess maid at Grandmother’s.

When Sixth Young Lady heard them say that, she came over to poke fun, “One heard you all talking about a collection of poems. What collection of poems is it?”

When Chu Jinmiao saw that Sixth Young Lady had come over, she flipped it randomly twice before placing the collection of poems under the book, “I wrote it casually. It is not worth reading.”

When Sixth Young Lady saw Chu Jinmiao putting the collection of poems away, she smiled, “Fourth Sister’s words are too modest. You are the best in literary talent among us sisters, if you say that carefully written poems are written carelessly, what does it make of us?”

Even though Sixth Young Lady spoke as such, she was somewhat disapproving in her heart. Chu Jinmiao’s poems were praised so much by the family that Sixth Young Lady felt that they were nothing more than vassals to express sorrow. She felt that it was a joke to show them to her, but they had to even guard against her. Who would want to see it!

Chu Jinmiao had already copied two pages before speaking, “It is too boring to stay here. Let’s go out and relax! We will later write more when we return.”

Seventh Young Lady had been impatient for a long time and immediately consented upon hearing those words. Third Young Lady also responded positively, while Sixth Young was indifferent. Lin Xining saw that Chu Jinmiao wanted to go out, thus he of course would accompany her. In the end, everyone in the rear room wanted to go out to play.

Chu Jinmiao looked at Chu Jinyao with a smile, “Fifth Younger Sister, we want to go out. How about you?”

Chu Jinmiao played the host and Chu Jinyao did not want to go. She replied, “I will not go, you all have fun.”

Chu Jinmiao had long expected this answer and she looked at Lin Xiyuan, “Shizi, you…”

Lin Xiyuan flipped a page of the book and said, “I too am too lazy to go out. You all should go ahead.”

Chu Jinmiao was somewhat hesitant while Third Young Lady silently felt that things were not going well and quickly said, “Fifth Younger Sister is too lazy to move and it is better to stay in the rear room. However, if Shizi remained behind, one fears…”

Lin Xiyuan looked up and even though he was still smiling, Third Young Lady shrank back inexplicably. However, the darkness in Lin Xiyuan’s eyes quickly disappeared. When he thought about how he and Chu Jinyao were indeed not related cousins, her reputation would be tainted if he were to forcefully remain. He could only stand up when he thought about it and resist the annoyance in his heart to speak, “Alright. Then let’s go together.”

Lin Xiyuan and the rest left in an outright manner. After everyone left, the rear room suddenly became much quieter. Chu Jinyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, “They are finally gone.”

Qin Yi had been watching for a long time, but he was inexplicably upset. He said to Chu Jinyao, “The next time you go out, there is no need to avoid it. You are Chu Jing’s Di daughter, so even if one is avoiding, it would be them that should be avoiding you. How could you stay behind and let them leave?”

“It is just that I do not want to go.” Chu Jinyao continued, “Following such a big group of people, one does not know how long it would take. First, I want to practice my calligraphy. Second, there is still you! If I were to go out now, then I would not be able to talk to you for a long period of time.”

This reason rendered Qin Yi speechless. It took him a long time before he sighed, “You are sure obstinate.”

Chu Jinyao quietly wrote in the rear room, as no one was present, it made her calmer. After a while Lin Xiyuan came in. When he entered, he saw Chu Jinyao still writing and he raised his brows unexpectedly, “Could it be that you have been writing for such a long time?”

“En.” Chu Jinyao raised her head and asked, “Why has Shizi returned? How about the rest?”

“They have gone to look at fishes. I do not like those so I came back first.” Lin Xiyuan watched as Chu Jinyao’s brush moved with discipline and could not help but sigh. “If my Younger Sister had half your perseverance, my parents would not need…”

Chu Jinyao waited for a while and could not help but raise her head to ask, “You should continue speaking. Would you not need to?”

Lin Xiyuan saw that Chu Jinyao looked up and smiled at him, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He shook his head and replied, “Nothing.”

“Really hate how you people have a habit of speaking half and hiding the other half. If there are any words to say, just say it without hesitation, why the need to have others guess?”

Lin Xiyuan heard it and was curious, “You people? Who else?”

Chu Jinyao blinked and also replied, “Nothing.”

Lin Xiyuan was taken aback before laughing out. He always had a third of a smile on his lips and treated everyone like a spring breeze and was always polite. However, it was very rare for him to laugh out heartily like this. While Lin Xiyuan could not stop laughing, Chu Jinyao was thinking- Qin Yi is like this, why is Lin Xiyuan also like this? She was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed. “What are you laughing at?”

Lin Xiyuan finally stopped laughing after some difficulty and when he looked at Chu Jinyao, his eyes were sparkling, “Fifth Younger Sister, you are really…”

Really what? Lin Xiyuan could not continue. However, before he could think of a reason, their conversation was interrupted.

Chu Jinmiao entered the rear room with the accompaniment of Third Young Lady. Upon seeing Lin Xiyuan and Chu Jinyao, she was slightly startled, “Shizi, why have you returned?”

Lin Xiyuan became inexplicably uncomfortable upon hearing those words, “Why? Should I not come back?”

“That is not so.” Chu Jinmiao smiled politely. She walked over to her own desk and flipped through her things as she spoke, “I am tired after walking around and returned to rest. I beg for forgiveness with everyone, hoping that no one will not despise me. Oh, where is my collection of poems?”

“Poems?” Chu Jinyao did not understand. What poems? She said, “No one has touched your things. You can look for it yourself.”

Third Young Lady had wanted to talk to Lin Xiyuan but seeing that Chu Jinmiao was searching all over, she could only go over to help, “I remember that it was still on the table before we left. Why has it disappeared?”

“Found it!” Chu Jinmiao’s maid exclaimed in surprise, but her voice quickly wilted, “Young Lady…”

Chu Jinmiao walked over with a calm face, “What is the matter?”

The maid handed the collection of poems timidly to Chu Jinmiao. When she received it, she was so angry that her hands were trembling. Third Young Lady also spoke loudly, “How could a perfectly fine collection of poems be torn apart like this?”

Initially Chu Jinyao had not taken them seriously, but now upon hearing that something was torn, her heart hung and she quickly stood up to look. Lin Xiyuan also accompanied her to walk over and check on the said collection of poems.

The collection of poems was written in a blue-covered notebook and it was torn forcefully in the middle of it. As it was completely torn in half, the rest of the other pages were torn into smaller pieces, making it a tragic sight.

Lin Xiyuan instinctively felt that something was wrong, “It looks like it was torn apart with brute force. There was only Fifth Younger Sister in the room, so how can it be like this?”

Chu Jinmiao immediately said, “Yes. There was only her in the rear room! Fifth Young Lady, why don’t you talk about what exactly is going on?”

Chu Jinyao frowned as she took a piece of shredded paper to look at it carefully. Upon hearing Chu Jinmiao’s interrogating tone, she raised her head, “Why ask me? It was not me who did it. Are you trying to plant this on me?”

“It is not you who did it? But there was only you in the rear room. If it is not you that tore it, then could it be me who tore it?”

Third Young Lady said faintly, “When we went out, Sixth Younger Sister and I saw Fourth Younger Sister keep it. At that time, the collection of poems was still fine. During this period of time we did not return and there was only Fifth Younger Sister. If Fourth Younger Sister wanted to tear it herself, one fears that it cannot be done.”

“Fifth Younger Sister was not the only one in the rear room.” Lin Xiyuan suddenly spoke. His expression was serious and with one light glance at Third Young Lady, she dared not look back at him. Lin Xiyuan said, “I had long returned to the rear room. From that, it seems I am also suspicious.”

“How can it be?” Chu Jinmiao would not dare to implicate the Shizi of Prince Huailing residence. She carefully searched for the correct words. “How would Shizi be like this? We do not dare to think so.”

Lin Xiyuan suppressed his anger, “Then you dare to think that Fifth Younger Sister is like this?”

Chu Jinmiao did not speak, but Third Young Lady said, “This is an indisputable fact. It was perfectly fine when we left but torn apart when we returned. Other than Fifth Younger Sister, we cannot think of other possibilities.”

Chu Jinmiao said, “Fifth Younger Sister, I know that you have always disliked me and it is alright for you to let out your anger on me. Why secretly tear up my collection of poems? It is my year’s worth of painstaking effort to write. Even if you target me deliberately, you cannot be like this!”

“Who said that it was I who tore it?” Chu Jinyao glared at Chu Jinmiao before she suddenly smiled, “No wonder. It turns out that both of you had arranged it early on.”

Now that the matter had come to this, how could Chu Jinyao not see that Chu Jinmiao and Third Young Lady had formed an alliance and they had deliberately set her up today? Chu Jinmiao had definitely not touched any collection of poems, but she had remained in the rear room all the time and before leaving, Chu Jinmiao had showed the others the collection so how would it turn into shreds upon returning?

Chu Jinyao frowned and was unable to figure out the critical point. Qin Yi saw the split in the book and intuitively felt that something was wrong. However, there were too many people present, thus he was unable to prompt Chu Jinyao. If he spoke rashly and was heard by others, both Chu Jinyao and he would suffer.

Chu Jinmiao coldly scoffed, “I knew that you have always hated me, but I did not expect that you would be this uncomfortable with me. It is fine that you do it directly to me, why the need to tear up my collection of poems? You must feel in your heart that I took everything from you! Thus taking your anger out on my hard work.”

Chu Jinyao was feeling very upset from being wronged and upon hearing Chu Jinmiao’s cynical remarks, she was unable to control her temper. She said to Chu Jinmiao coldly, “Yes, you are not wrong, your mother is also not wrong. So it is my fault? Who do you say was the one who opened their eyes wide at the sight of profit and had askew thoughts? For whom did they deliberately make the swap to replace me?”

Chu Jinyao had long wanted to say those words. Chu Jinmiao had always had the attitude of ‘I am innocent as I do not know anything’, but why did she not think of the reason Father Su and Mother Su swapped the babies? It was only to let Chu Jinyao live a better life. It was true that Father Su and Mother Su were vicious and selfish, but Chu Jinmiao could truly enjoy the glory and wealth that her parents deceived and could justly accuse Chu Jinyao, the true and only victim?

Chu Jinmiao had enjoyed thirteen years of wealth and glory and now with her ‘I do not want that, I am innocent’, she pushed everything off. This was getting all the advantages and showing it off.

Chu Jinmiao’s expression changed drastically. She never allowed anyone to mention the Su family in front of her as she did not feel that they were her birth parents in her heart. Now that Chu Jinyao stabbed that wound, she immediately became agitated and trembled in anger. She suddenly took her bracelet off and threw it onto the ground. The sound of the shattering jade rang, making everyone around jump in shock. She continued to pick all the jewelry that she was wearing and threw it to the ground, “Yes. It is all my fault. I will return everything to you now!”

The maids and servants in the rear room jumped in shock and quickly restrained Chu Jinmiao, “Young Lady mustn’t. Don’t hurt your hands.”

The breaking sounds also alarmed the people outside. Momo Gu hurried over to check and when she saw the fragments in the rear room, she spoke, “Everything was going fine so what is this? Fourth Young Lady, please quickly stop!”

However, Chu Jinmiao did not listen and frantically smashed the jewelry and other things. Qin Yi did not care about being exposed and quickly said to Chu Jinyao, “Quickly get out of the way!”

Chu Jinyao was stunned and frozen by Chu Jinmiao’s sudden madness. Upon hearing his words, she then woke up from the dream and quickly evaded. Chu Jinmiao smashed all the things in a craze and fortunately Chu Jinyao avoided it early and was not hit by any broken fragments.

However, Third Young Lady was scratched by a piece of broken porcelain. She looked at the situation and was speechless. She used her unharmed arm to cover the back of her hand and felt disgust in her heart. Why was Chu Jinmiao unable to retort and was such a sore loser? It was just talking about the Su family and all of it was true, so why was there a need to be this angry? Shizi was still present, this was letting others watch a joke!

Old Madam and Chu Zhu also came over. Old Madam Chu pounded her crutch with force and spoke imposingly, “Stop!”

Old Madam Chu had arrived and Chu Jinmiao was finally restrained a little. The maids quickly stepped forward to hold her. Old Madam Chu was so angry that her face was ashen, “A proper and dignified lady of a Marquis residence dared to actually do such a thing. All of you kneel!”