“That’s exactly right,” Qingzhi said.
Xie Zhaoqing’s face quickly turned ashen, as though she could not bear such a blow. She had ruined her own future, and yet Shang Lingjun had married even higher?
Did she even deserve that?
“No… Grandmother can’t do this…”
Even the marriage had been changed. With Grandmother taking things this far, how would she deal with her?
She still had to take the imperial examinations. She could recite so many, many poems. She still had ambitions left unfulfilled!
Shang Lingjun blinked at Xie Zhaoqing.
“Good nephew, your aunt is truly exhausted today, so I won’t stay here and be punished with you.”
Supporting her injuries, Shang Lingjun once again said something startlingly blunt.
“By the way, Fourth Sister-in-law, take good care of your nephew—and of your vigorous, good son-in-law.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “son-in-law,” clearly referring to Xiao Jing.
【Pfft…】
Huo Chuan, who had been watching the show all along, burst out laughing.
He suppressed the rest of his laughter and thought, This woman really is something. The genealogy hasn’t even been changed yet, and she’s already shamelessly throwing her weight around by borrowing someone else’s authority?
“You!”
Clang!
Madam Qu stumbled and collapsed back into her chair, her face turning livid.
That wretched woman! How dare she mock her so deliberately?
Madam Qu had originally intended to pressure Shang Lingjun into changing her statement and explaining everything to everyone.
Who could have imagined that Old Madam Wei would actually change the marriage? What was to become of Zhao Qing now?
Could there truly be no way to turn things around?
Shang Lingjun raised her brows, relieved that she had asked Old Madam Wei for Qingzhi. Otherwise, she would certainly have been tormented viciously by this wicked mother and daughter.
It seemed Xie Zhaoqing really was badly injured. After being beaten by her so thoroughly, she no longer even had the strength to fight back.
Shang Lingjun knew that Xie Zhaoqing had trained in martial arts—and that Xiao Jing had personally taught her.
Shang Lingjun turned around and was about to leave when Xie Zhaoqing called out to her.
“Shang Lingjun!”
Her gaze was sinister. “Weren’t you madly in love with Xiao Jing? So why are you now willing to marry my Seventh Uncle?
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re after—you’re after Seventh Uncle’s status! You shameless slut who’ll sleep with anyone…”
She had deliberately said this for Old Madam Wei to hear.
Sure enough, a subtle change passed over Qingzhi’s expression, though it soon returned to normal.
Shang Lingjun stopped, then said coldly, “What a joke. What woman would fall in love with a man who likes men? Especially a rotten-hearted pervert like Xiao Jing. He knew you were his male lover, yet he still forced me to marry you and ruin my entire life. I can only hate him to the bone. Perhaps once, I respected him as an older brother, but now… heh” She let out a cold, mocking laugh.
Qingzhi’s eyes flickered slightly, but she remained silent.
The corners of Shang Lingjun’s lips curved into a disdainful smile.
“You deliberately chose tonight to sleep together. Were you hoping to enjoy a bridal night that belonged only to the two of you? What a shameless pair of adulterous lechers. Do you think everyone is just like you? Tsk~”
After saying that, she ignored Xie Zhaoqing’s insults and quickened her pace, only to run straight into Xiao Jing, who was standing in the doorway.
No one knew when he had arrived.
The instant Xie Zhaoqing saw Xiao Jing, her eyes lit up. Perfect—Jing-lang could see this green-tea bitch’s true face for himself!
The moment Madam Qu saw Xiao Jing, her brows drew tightly together. This libertine actually had the nerve to show his face here?
Hadn’t he caused Zhao Qing enough misery already?
Xiao Jing stood in the shadows, looking at Shang Lingjun with an utter unfamiliarity in his eyes. His tone was full of disappointment.
“Ati, you weren’t like this before. You used to be obedient and sensible, but now you’ve exchanged your marriage just to climb the social ladder, and your mouth is full of vile words. You’re not my Ati.”
Ati was Shang Lingjun’s childhood name.
【Hit him.】
Huo Chuan’s voice was cold and sharp. 【Or give me control of your body. I’ll hit him even harder.】
Shang Lingjun suddenly let out a mocking laugh.
“It was clearly you and Xie Zhaoqing who were having an affair, yet you forced me to marry her and ruined my entire life. You’re shameless enough as it is—how dare you come here and question me?”
Xiao Jing was shocked, embarrassment and irritation flashing across his face.
“I’m your older brother. How can you speak to me like that?”
With so many people watching—especially Zhao Qing’s mother—he felt humiliated.
This wasn’t his Ati. Ati would never disregard his dignity like this.
Shang Lingjun cast him a cold glance, her eyes filled with loathing. Perhaps startled by the hatred overflowing from her gaze, Xiao Jing took a step back in shock.
“How can you look at me like that?”
Anger and embarrassment rose in Xiao Jing’s face. The faint, inexplicable guilt he had felt vanished without a trace, replaced by a surge of fury.
“I’ve explained it so many times already. We aren’t lovers—it was all a misunderstanding. Don’t you believe me either?
“Instead of helping us clear up this misunderstanding, you even demanded to change the marriage! You’ve simply walked away, leaving me and Zhao Qing in an even more difficult position!”
It was true that he had married her off to Zhao Qing, but Zhao Qing was not Xiao Huan—she was a woman. The Xie family had a respectable standing. What was wrong with marrying her into that family, where she could live in comfort and luxury?
Besides, Zhao Qing would take care of her.
It was an absolutely excellent marriage.
He had put so much thought into arranging it, yet instead of receiving even a word of thanks, Shang Lingjun actually hated him?
Not only that, she had recklessly run to the front courtyard and shouted nonsense. Now all of Shengjing was saying that he and Zhao Qing were a pair of male lovers, and after creating such a huge mess, she still showed no remorse!
The more Xiao Jing thought about it, the angrier he became. He thrust out his chin and shouted loudly, “I’m your older brother! If your father and brothers could see from beyond the grave that you’re now defying your elders and abandoning your former affection for someone new, how could they ever rest in peace?”
Hearing that Xiao Jing actually dared to bring up her deceased father and brothers, Shang Lingjun could no longer endure it. Her voice was fierce and severe.
“If my father and brothers could see from beyond the grave, they would certainly regret giving their lives to save a treacherous, ungrateful wretch like you!
“My loyal and righteous father and brothers can only watch helplessly from heaven as I become an orphan, while the very person they saved—you—uses your own selfish desires to force me to marry your lover…”
Shang Lingjun drew in a deep breath.
“So what right do you have to mention my father and brothers? Xiao Jing, do you even count as a human being?”
Xiao Jing’s expression changed drastically, becoming hideous.
Only then did he realize that Shang Lingjun had changed. His little sister, who used to cling to his arm and softly call him “older brother,” would now actually turn a cold face toward him and even hurl vicious insults at him?
No matter how aggrieved she had been in the past, she would only redden her eyes when she saw him and say that she was fine.
How had she become like this?
Wasn’t this all a bit excessive?
Shang Lingjun turned and walked away. But with the hatred from her past and present lives combined, the more she thought about it, the more stifled and aggrieved she felt. Thus, Shang Lingjun turned back.
【Huo Chuan, do as you said.】
【All right!】
A subtle change came over Shang Lingjun’s expression. She—or he—arched the tip of her brow, clenched her fist, and approached Xiao Jing.
Suddenly, she threw a right hook.
Bam!
Before Xiao Jing could react, her fist slammed into him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Then came an uppercut. Xiao Jing groaned as blood gushed from his nose.
Huo Chuan was about to continue beating him when Shang Lingjun hurriedly seized control of her body again and turned to run.
【Huh? I haven’t finished beating him yet. Why are you running?】
Huo Chuan complained loudly.
【Someone’s coming. If we don’t run now, we won’t be able to leave.】
Shang Lingjun pretended to be furious and hurried away. In the blink of an eye, she had disappeared, leaving Xiao Jing and the others standing there with bewildered expressions.
【Who?】Huo Chuan asked.
Just who had arrived to scare her into running like that?