Edited by Larkspur

Chapter 22: Meticulous Fabrication (Part 2)

Chu Jin Miao smiled awkwardly, not wanting to entertain Third Young Lady at all. She spoke hurriedly, “It is getting late so I will send Deng Momo out and not let Momo miss the meal time.”

However, Third Young Lady refused to let the matter slide and continued to talk with Deng Momo forcefully. Chu Jin Miao was afraid that Third Young Lady would spoil matters. She had finally made a good impression in front of Deng Momo and hoped that it would not be ruined by the foolish Third Young Lady.

Chu Jin Miao secretly tugged on Third Young Lady’s sleeves, with eyes full of threat, “Third Older Sister, we should leave as ZhuMu would be looking soon.”

Third Young Lady sneered in her heart, “Eldest Sister and Fifth Younger Sister are by ZhuMu’s side, how would ZhuMu remember us?”

Deng Momo asked upon hearing it, “It sounds like Fifth Young Lady is very favoured?”

Speaking of Chu Jin Yao, Third Young Lady and Chu Jin Miao glanced at each other secretly, they spoke in unity, “Exactly so. ZhuMu felt that she owed it to her and would treat her very well. Us sisters would give in, but it is unfortunate that she always targets Fourth Younger Sister.”

Chu Jin Miao waited for Third Young Lady to finish speaking before interrupting, “Third Older Sister, stop speaking. One has let Momo see a joke.”

Deng Momo had some understanding in her heart, “It is almost time for meal, may both young ladies quickly return.”

Third Young Lady and Chu Jin Yao greeted together and watched as Deng Momo left. Only when Deng Momo was far away and could no longer hear anything here did Third Young Lady push Chu Jin Miao’s hand away, sneering, “Fourth Younger Sister does have some good methods. We had clearly stated that we are in an alliance, but in the end, you went behind my back and seek to please Deng Momo?”

“One only depends on one’s ability.” Chu Jin Miao put away her collection of poems, gone was the pitiful expression on her face. She no longer bothered to look at Third Young Lady and turned to go out.

With Third Young Lady’s sharp eyes, she saw the things in Chu Jin Miao’s hand and quickly grabbed it, “What is this? Did you secretly write these for ShiZi?”

Chu Jin Miao felt that this person was truly unreasonable. What kind of identity did she have that she would dare to do such a shameless thing and even write poems to males? She stubbornly held onto the collection of poems and refused to let go of it. This was what she wanted to give to Deng Momo so that she would bring it to the Prince Consort! How could one let the concubine-raised Third Young Lady to snatch it away? When Third Young Lady saw that Chu Jin Miao was unwilling to let go at all, the more she felt that love poems were written inside and Chu Jin Yao wanted to seduce the ShiZi before her! She used more force and in the end, with a tearing sound, the collection of poems spilt into two.

Once the force on her hands suddenly released, Chu Jin Yao could not help but take a few steps behind. When she could collect herself, she saw that her carefully selected collection of poems had been torn up!

Chu Jin Miao was very furious and shouted, “Chu Jin Chan, what are you doing!”

Third Young Lady was stunned and when she stood up, she flipped the collection of poems and spoke disdainfully, “It seems that these are poems that shed tears over the change of seasons. If you had said it earlier, who would want to read it.”

Chu Jin Miao was trembling with anger and Third Young lady was prepared to muddle things. “Don’t give me that look. I know what virtue you have so it is useless! It is only torn apart and not that one cannot recognise the words inside. You also wanted to make a copy so there is nothing to lose.”

“You…” Chu Jin Miao was so angry that her hands were trembling. It was the situation where the wicked got pestered by the wicked. Chu Jin Miao had only deliberately slandered Chu Jin Yao but was now downright angry with Third Young Lady. However, Third Young Lady spoke mystifyingly, “Who let you eat alone behind my back. You deserve it! If Chu Jin Yao was not originally good looking and that the Third Household not easy to deal with, who would want to form an alliance with you?”

Chu Jin Miao knew that it was useless to be angry with Third Young Lady as she was one that would not get embarrassed. Upon hearing Chu Jin Yao’s name, a light flashed in Chu Jin Miao’s mind, “You just said that Chu Jin Yao…”

After lunch Chu Jin Yao stayed at the back of the room to write. She was only halfway through when she heard a calmour outside. The maids said that Huai Ling ShiZhi came over to greet Old Furen.

Chu Jin Yao thought about it before speaking, “GuMu will be leaving tomorrow, so it is courteous for ShiZi to give his greetings to Old Furen today.”

“He has always been like this.” Qin Yi did not care about it as he had seen Lin Xi Yuan a few times and knew about his temperament. However, Chu Jin Yao was taken aback when she heard it. She quickly glanced secretly at the people by her side and lowered her voice, “Be quiet, there are still people around!”

Chu Jin Yao could hear Qin Yi speaking, so naturally others could do so too, thus they had always been very careful. Lately, one did not know the reason but Qin Yi would not be able to restrain and start talking outside. Chu Jin Yao felt that it was mostly because he often appeared, gradually became ambitious and was no longer as cautious as he was when he first appeared.

Sure enough, Qin Yi did not listen. It was always others avoiding him and there was no reason he should avoid others. Chu Jin Yao was unable to handle it and could only continue to lower her head.

Chu Jin Yao and Lin Xi Yuan had an earth-shaking first encounter as Lin Xi Yuan caught her defying all etiquette. That encounter onwards, Chu Jin Yao had been avoiding him, that even her greetings were deliberately done to avoid him. Fortunately, he was leaving and most likely she would not be seeing him in the future. Her dark history would not be known and thus she was as happy as she could be.

However, as the saying goes, ‘one does not go to the mountains but the mountains came to one’. Chu Jin Yao was hiding in the back of the room, she saw Lin Xi Yuan leading a group of people over and parted the curtain with a smile.

“Fifth Younger Biao Sister, why are you hiding here alone?”

Chu Jin Yao’s heart was filled with gloom and she did not want to speak.

Lin Xi Yuan had always been the center of all gazes, no matter where he went, the focal point would be there. He had arrived at the back of the room so in a short time, the young ladies of the Lin family, Lin Xi Ning and the few young ladies of the Chu family all came in with various reasons.

In a short time, the rear room became noisy, so how could one continue to write? Chu Jin Yao put away the collection of poems in secret anger and forced a smile as she listened to them chatting.

Everyone surrounded Lin Xi Yuan and Chu Jin Yao was quickly pushed aside. Lin Xi Yuan was in the center surrounded, but he still remembered that Chu Jin Yao did not reply to him. He looked towards Chu Jin Yao with a smile, “It is only a short while, why is Fifth Younger Biao Sister pushed so far away? This is also my fault. Fifth Younger Biao Sister has been staying well in the rear room and it is me who disturbed Younger Biao Sister’s peace. Younger Biao Sister would not blame me right?”

I would. Chu Jin Yao secretly scolded him, but on the surface, she still smiled, “How would it be? ShiZi is too polite.”

When Lin Xi Yuan saw Chu Jin Yao’s expression, he knew that this girl’s lips were not aligned with her heart. He became more amused, “I have yet to ask what Younger Biao Sister is doing?”

Upon seeing that Lin Xi Yuan took the initiative to talk to Chu Jin Yao and only spoke to her, the rest of the young ladies secretly twisted their handkerchiefs in annoyance. Chu Jin Yao knew that there would no longer be peace now and could only sigh, “I am only copying books.”

“Coping books?” Lin Xi Yuan was very surprised, “It turns out that Younger Biao Sister is so diligent and I have interrupted Younger Biao Sister’s hard work. May Younger Biao Sister not place any blame.”

As Lin Xi Yuan spoke, he even stretched his hands out to make a gesture that Chu Jin Yao quickly avoided. The rest of the young ladies became more jealous when they saw it and quickly spoke to capture Lin Xi Yuan’s attention, “Older Biao Brother, today I do not really understand what Momo has taught. Can you teach me?”

Lin Xi Yuan was surrounded quickly and was unable to get out. Chu Jin Miao silently glanced at Chu Jin Yao and a sneer flashed across her lips. She quickly hid it, “It so happens that I want to write some stuff. Move a table over, I too want to write some words.”

When the young ladies heard it, they then realised that this could be done and all of them quickly said, “I want too!”