[Translator: otwentyfirst / Editor: Poledancer1985]

[Host: justreads.net]

[Sept. 21st, 2018]

Deathly pale Xie Chuchen asked, “What… what was her reaction?” As if the first part of Zhao-er’s report wasn’t bad enough! Xie Chuchen let his imagination run wild. Apparently he was the kind of drunk who forgot his duties and responsibilities as soon as he indulged in pleasures!

Zhao-er glanced at his Young Master and wondered at the amount of humiliation Xie Chuchen had to be feeling at the moment. “Ms. Xiao was very angry. She said to return to the Xie House after Young Master recovers from the injuries. Young Master… let’s go back OK? The people of the Xiao House think Young Master is brazen for demanding to marry Ms. Xiao. This kind of reputation is no good!”

In reality the truth was not as cruel. That night Zhao-er had pretended to be asleep when the two came back. He had expected Xiao Wan to raise her voice in anger at Xie Chuchen when Xie Chuchen vomited on her. Unexpectedly it didn’t happen. In fact he was quite surprised at the consideration she showed Xie Chuchen. Instead of yelling in anger she dampened a cloth and wiped the stains on Xie Chuchen’s face and hands. Not only that she even put him in bed and gently tucked the quilt around him. She made sure he was fully covered and didn’t leave his side until the wee hours of the morning. She didn’t know Zhao-er was awake and watching her the whole time.

Zhao-er wasn’t fooled by her display of tenderness. He knew better. His opinion of her had always been that of a player who used her pretty mouth to smooth talk and corrupt young men. Now he added “wily schemer” to the description. His silly Young Master was too naive to realize it, so Zhao-er had to take it upon himself to protect him. The Young Master was too good for the likes of Xiao Wan. Clearly her reputation for being a player was well earned. Just look at the facts; it wasn’t even the first day of marriage and she already brought a concubine into the House![notes] No matter what, he had to try his best to protect the Young Master from Xiao Wan’s wily tricks, that was why he deliberately lied about Xiao Wan’s reaction. He wanted his Young Master to understand what a despicable and disloyal person Xiao Wan was, then perhaps his Young Master could cut her out of his heart.

Xie Chuchen really wanted to change Zhao-er’s opinion of Xiao Wan for the better but who would have expected it to turn for the worse instead.

He remembered he still needed to go to the main hall to pay his respects. At the thought his appet.i.te completely deserted him. He was so nervous and worried that beads of sweat formed on his forehead. With the haggard look of someone clearly suffering from a hangover he rushed out to the main hall, his clothes barely appropriately draped on him.

He sensed the strange atmosphere the moment he entered. Looking around he saw that everyone was already seated; he was indeed the last one to arrive. The beating drum of his heart thudded loudly against his chest as he withdrew to the side. Just as he did so saw Xiao Wan and the fire and pa.s.sion he saw there rooted him to the spot.

Her hair was unbound and loosely framed her face, the glossy dark strands providing a contrast against her porcelain skin. Without the heavy makeup she normally wore, the image was even more ethereal, giving her a truly enchanting look. She no longer had the air of an arrogant spoiled Young Miss, instead she comported herself in a dignified and earnest manner. It was an understatement to say the aura around her had completely changed recently.

Xie Chuchen had never seen this side of her before. The image gave him the courage to stop retreating and move farther into the hall. He steadied himself with a deep breath and moved forward.

“Mother, I didn’t give Xie Chuchen the jade pendant. He found it on his own so it shouldn’t count. I absolutely do not want to take Young Master Xie as my husband. I would feel really embarra.s.sed.”

The words were jarring to Xie Chuchen. Though they came from a familiar voice, the tone was so cold it was like it came from a stranger’s lips. It froze him in place and left his face pale.

Trying to explain the situation as clearly as she could Xiao Wan continued with, “Ji Shumo is the only one in my heart. I was afraid that Mother and the elders would refuse to recognize Ji Shumo’s position as my main husband without it, so that’s why I made that fake pendant.”

After saying so she turned around and looked at Ji Shumo. “Shumo, I don’t want to marry him. He must have found the jade pendant when I lost it and hung onto it because he coveted the Xiao House’s wealth. That’s why he so brazenly tried to marry me! The only one I love is Shumo. How could I marry another man? Young Master Xie raised a ruckus that day because he was trying to sabotage our marriage!”

The words came out easily for Xiao Wan because they really were her true feelings from the previous life. Back then, after Xie Chuchen successfully crossed the fire pan she had used various means to keep his existence a secret. She managed to keep him hidden for over half a month before he was discovered, forcing her to explain why he was there. She retold the events leading up to everything based on her own interpretations. As a result Xie Chuchen’s character was thoroughly a.s.sa.s.sinated. He was cast into the role of a greedy thief who plotted to marry into a wealthy and powerful family. It somehow turned into Xie Chuchen stealing the jade pendant and blackmailing her to marry him.

At this point Xie Chuchen became a despised eyesore to everyone in the House. He was bullied mercilessly. Xiao Wan had even ridiculed his appearance. How dare he try to s.n.a.t.c.h a beauty when he himself was so ugly with his burnt hair.

“I, Xiao Wan, will never accept a husband with such a notorious reputation!” Xiao Wan laughed before turning to Ji Shumo again. “Shumo is the only one that’s sincere. Not greedy for the Xiao House’s wealth or privilege at all!”

Indeed! Shumo is so sincere towards me that he can’t wait for me to die.

Her tone was so awkward when she spoke that last sentence. Her heart was conflicted not knowing if the lines she spoke were true or not. She wondered if Ji Shumo would feel the p.r.i.c.k of a guilty conscience or if he was secretly laughing at her stupidity. The old her had been so foolishly and recklessly in love with him that she had been blind to everything around her, disregarding all sense. This time around she would not let Ji Shumo create such havoc in her life. She had to make sure her plan succeeded.

She really wanted Ji Shumo to understand what love turned into sorrow and despair tasted like.

Zhao-er strode into the hall incensed at the words he heard. He marched right over to Xiao Wan and pointed his finger at her yelling, “You! What did you say?! My family’s Young Master is not that kind of person!”

Zhao-er served Xie Chuchen since they were both little boys, as a result they became good friends over the years. Xie Chuchen’s headstrong and unruly personality had rubbed off on Zhao-er, so although he was only a servant he never failed to speak his mind. He didn’t care that they were at the Xiao House, he didn’t care that even at home he wouldn’t have been allowed to yell and scold like so, he still bombarded Xiao Wan with spittle and curses. “Despicable, shameless woman! First you sweet talk my Young Master, then you dispatch people to bully him, then you cause him injury with the fire pan! You have no conscience!” His words resounded loudly in the large hall.

Xiao Wan simply took it all in stride, calmly letting him rant without interrupting.

When he ran out of new words to use he went back and recycled the insults he first threw, repeating words such as “shameless woman,” “bad woman,” and “despicable.” He glared fiercely at her the entire time happy in his heart that his Young Master came in time to hear her horrible words. Now his Young Master would see her for what she really was!

He cautiously glanced over at his Young Master to gauge the other’s reaction. He saw his Young Master standing by the doorway staring at Xiao Wan with a crestfallen expression on his face, looking for all the world like heaven and earth had somehow collapsed.

Xie Chuchen’s lips trembled without a sound coming out.

Although Xiao Wan presented a serene image that was unperturbed by Zhao-er’s cursing, in reality her heart had become a chaotic mess. She never expected Xie Chuchen to appear in the hall. Last night she had resolved to keep Xie Chuchen away from the misfortune of her House, to allow him the freedom to search for his own happiness somewhere else. Yet here he was appearing like he would collapse at any moment at the entryway of the hall.

The image of him standing there cut to the bottom of her heart and an overbearing sense of panic struck, choking her up. It was like she couldn’t breathe.

Better to get the pain over with! Better to break it off sooner than later! Prolonging it will only feel worse in the long run! Xiao Wan repeated the mantra in her mind. She endured the urge to go over and envelop him in a hug. Her throat closed up so she had to struggle to swallow before turning her head away and and stiffly spoke. “What shameless? What did I do to your Young Master. I only met him for the second time yesterday.”

She frowned. “Were it not for him having no sense of shame and coming here to demand I be his wife, do you think I’d even look at your Young Master? Considering his unsavory reputation and unruly behavior, do you think this Young Miss would bother with him?! As for the injury, wasn’t it his own fault for crossing over the fire pan? Did this Young Lady force him to do it? He did it all on his own. He’s the one that threw himself into my arms. He’s the one entangling himself in other people’s lives needlessly!”

Xiao Wan spoke so plainly and sensibly that Zhao-er had nothing with which to refute her claims. He could only indignantly point his finger at her. “You… you... you…” He could find no fault in her logic or any words to scold her with.

Xie Chuchen looked at Xiao Wan surrept.i.tiously as his eyes misted and his vision blurred. He couldn’t say anything either. He watched as Xiao Wan turned to Ji Shumo and ask solicitously, “Shumo, what kind of presents should we bring when we visit your family later today? What would be a suitable gift?”