Edited by Larkspur

Chapter 24: Secret Scheme (Part 1)

Chu Jin Miao 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 Xi Yuan said to Chu Jin Yao, “Younger Biao Sister, there is no more space on the table here, do move a little there.”

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

“I will not.” Lin Xi Yuan forced himself to Chu Jin Yao’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 Xi Yuan did not care about Chu Jin Yao’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 Jin Yao said, “Perhaps it is because I grew up like a boy and thus the handwriting looks like a male.”

Lin Xi Yuan chuckled. He put his head on his hands and laughed uncontrollably. Chu Jin Yao 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 Xi Yuan and asked, “ShiZi, what are you laughing at?”

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

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

Lin Xi Yuan only smiled and did not speak a single word, while Chu Jin Yao lowered her head, pretending not to listen.

The rest of the people had been monitoring Lin Xi Yuan’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 Xi Yuan whispered to Chu Jin Yao, “I had said that I will not tell anyone else and would definitely do it.”

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

However, Qin Yi, inside the jade pendant, snorted secretly. A few years ago, Prince Huai Ling of the Second Rank brought Lin Xi Yuan to the capital and even brought him to the Eastern Palace to see him. At that time, Qin Yi only knew that Lin Xi Yuan 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 Jin Miao 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 Jin Miao 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 Jin Miao smiled, “There would not be such a recess maid at ZhuMu’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 Jin Miao 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 Jin Miao putting the collection of poems away, she smiled, “Fourth Older 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 Jin Miao’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 Jin Miao 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 Xi Ning saw that Chu Jin Miao 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 Jin Miao looked at Chu Jin Yao with a smile, “Fifth Younger Sister, we want to go out. How about you?”

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

Chu Jin Miao had long expected this answer and she looked at Lin Xi Yuan, “ShiZi, you…”

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

Chu Jin Miao 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 Xi Yuan looked up and even though he was still smiling, Third Young Lady shrank back inexplicably. However, the darkness in Lin Xi Yuan’s eyes quickly disappeared. When he thought about how he and Chu Jin Yao 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 Xi Yuan and the rest left in an outright manner. After everyone left, the rear room suddenly became much quieter. Chu Jin Yao 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 Jin Yao, “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 Jin Yao 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 Jin Yao quietly wrote in the rear room, as no one was present, it made her calmer. After a while Lin Xi Yuan came in. When he entered, he saw Chu Jin Yao still writing and he raised his brows unexpectedly, “Could it be that you have been writing for such a long time?”

“En.” Chu Jin Yao 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 Xi Yuan watched as Chu Jin Yao’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 Jin Yao waited for a while and could not help but raise her head to ask, “You should continue speaking. Would you not need to?”

Lin Xi Yuan saw that Chu Jin Yao 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 Xi Yuan heard it and was curious, “You people? Who else?”

Chu Jin Yao blinked and also replied, “Nothing.”

Lin Xi Yuan 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 Xi Yuan could not stop laughing, Chu Jin Yao was thinking- Qin Yi is like this, why is Lin Xi Yuan also like this? She was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed. “What are you laughing at?”

Lin Xi Yuan finally stopped laughing after some difficulty and when he looked at Chu Jin Yao, his eyes were sparkling, “Fifth Younger Biao Sister, you are really…”

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