Ye Feishuang’s biological father, Zheng Lianxing, was the fourth concubine-born son of Old Madame Zheng and had always been overlooked in the Zheng family, living in a remote courtyard.
As soon as Ye Feishuang entered the Zheng residence, that suffocating, oppressive feeling returned, making it hard to breathe.
She clenched her fists tightly, telling herself that things were different now.
This life would not be the same as the last.
Chen Yan watched as Ye Feishuang passed through the moon gate, walked along the small path, and headed toward the large tree not far away.
He wanted to call out a warning, but unexpectedly, Ye Feishuang suddenly turned and headed toward the covered corridor nearby.
The branches of the large tree shook, and with a splash, a basin of dog’s blood poured down.
Ye Feishuang seemed startled by the sudden commotion, stopping in her tracks and screaming.
Her loud voice startled the two people hiding in the tree, causing them to lose their balance and tumble down with a thud, landing in a heap and covered in dog’s blood.
Even without looking, Ye Feishuang knew these two were her half-siblings.
In her previous life, it was this pair of twins who had drenched her in dog’s blood on her first day back at the residence.
After that, they subjected her to endless humiliation and abuse—withholding her monthly allowance and meals, forcing her to eat spoiled food, placing venomous snakes in her bed… Their cruelty knew no bounds.
Ye Feishuang suppressed the hatred in her heart and pretended not to recognize them. “Mama, who are they?”
“They are Sixth Young Lady and Ninth Young Master,” the maidservant said with an awkward smile. “Both are Fourth Master’s children and Fifth Young Lady’s own younger siblings.”
“Oh, it’s them. I heard about them on the way here,” Ye Feishuang said, walking up to the two children glaring at her with hostility. She blinked and asked, “What are you playing? Can I join you?”
Zheng Wenbo and Zheng Qianyuan stared at her in confusion.
She was wearing a slightly worn peach-red dress that accentuated her rosy complexion. Her figure was slender and graceful, with bright eyes and pearly white teeth—a picture of beauty.
Zheng Qianyuan’s small face flushed red before turning pale. She demanded angrily, “Where is Granny Li?”
How could that wretched old hag have messed things up? Why wasn’t this country bumpkin’s face slashed to pieces?
“Granny Li?” Ye Feishuang replied. “It seems… she’s dead.”
Zheng Qianyuan was incredulous. “What?”
Ye Feishuang blinked. “Yes, she suddenly disappeared. The people on the boat said she probably fell into the river and drowned in the middle of the night.”
Zheng Qianyuan was stunned by the word “dead” and was led away in a daze by her maidservants.
Zheng Wenbo, on the other hand, glared at Ye Feishuang with a fierce expression.
He didn’t care about Granny Li. All he knew was that his little trick had failed. The basin of dog’s blood that was supposed to drench this country bumpkin had ended up all over him, making him, the esteemed Ninth Young Master of the Zheng family, utterly disgraced!
“It’s all your fault!” If it weren’t for this country bumpkin’s sudden scream, he wouldn’t have fallen from the tree!
The more Zheng Wenbo thought about it, the angrier he became. He raised his foot and kicked toward Ye Feishuang, intending to send her tumbling into the lake behind her.
The maidservants and older women lowered their heads and closed their eyes, pretending not to see.
Ye Feishuang grabbed Zheng Wenbo’s ankle and pushed back. Zheng Wenbo’s arms flailed in the air as he fell heavily to the ground.
His two arms couldn’t support his plump body, and with a crack, they snapped.
Zheng Wenbo let out a heart-wrenching howl.
The servants were horrified, as if the sky had fallen.
Chen Yan was somewhat surprised. Despite her slender frame, she was quite strong—strong enough to push down Zheng Wenbo, who was as fat as a pig.
Ye Feishuang clapped her hands, preparing to leave with a flourish, but suddenly stopped and turned to look back.
She only saw a tall artificial rockery.
However, Chen Yan behind the rockery could observe her every move clearly.
Her sharpness surprised him slightly.
Seeing Chen Yan leave the pavilion, his attendant immediately asked, “Young Master, shall we return to the banquet?”
“No.” Chen Yan walked in the direction Ye Feishuang had left.
Meanwhile, in the Fourth Household, two elegantly dressed women were conversing.
The younger one was the mother of Zheng Wenbo and Zheng Qianyuan, and also Ye Feishuang’s nominal legal mother, Mrs. Qin.
Mrs. Qin forced a smile and said to the woman opposite her, “You could have just sent these things over with the servants. How could I trouble you, Third Sister-in-Law, to make a special trip?”
The woman addressed as “Third Sister-in-Law” was from the Lu family, slightly older than Mrs. Qin, with a round face and upturned eyes that revealed shrewdness and competence.
Mrs. Lu covered her mouth with a laugh. “Who doesn’t know the old lady dotes on you the most? As soon as the rewards from the capital arrived, she immediately had me pick the best ones to bring to you.”
Mrs. Qin, however, secretly rolled her eyes. She thought to herself, You’re not here to curry favor with me. You’re here because you heard that country bumpkin is returning today, and you couldn’t wait to watch the show.
Just as she was thinking this, a maid entered to announce, “Fifth Young Miss has arrived.”
Mrs. Lu immediately said, “Quick, invite her in!”
Ye Feishuang walked in with small steps.
She kept her eyes lowered, not looking around, and respectfully bowed. “Greetings, Mother.”
Before Mrs. Qin could speak, Mrs. Lu clapped her hands in amazement. “Oh my heavens, what a stunning Fifth Young Miss! I thought a fairy had arrived.”
Ye Feishuang pretended not to know Mrs. Lu and gave her a shy smile.
Mrs. Lu added, “Good child, I am your Third Aunt.”
Ye Feishuang bowed again. “Greetings, Third Aunt.”
“Ah, ah.” Mrs. Lu smiled at Mrs. Qin. “Look at this Fifth Young Miss—not only is she beautiful, but her manners are so impeccable. Who would know she grew up in the countryside? She’s no less refined than the young ladies raised with proper instruction in our household! Don’t you agree, Fourth Sister-in-Law?”
Mrs. Qin knew Mrs. Lu was mocking her.
Her pair of twins had been spoiled rotten by her. Zheng Wenbo was thoroughly tyrannical, Zheng Qianyuan cared only about vanity, and both of their manners were a complete mess.
Seeing Mrs. Qin’s displeased expression, Mrs. Lu was delighted. She beckoned to Ye Feishuang. “Good child, come here. You must be tired from the journey?”
“Thank you for your concern, Third Aunt. Thinking of being able to return home made me eager to hurry back, so I didn’t feel tired.”
Suddenly, Mrs. Qin’s old nanny rushed in, panicking. “Madam, it’s terrible! Ninth Young Master’s arm is broken!”
Mrs. Qin’s face changed drastically, and she hurried out.
Mrs. Lu, somewhat surprised, also took Ye Feishuang’s hand and followed.
Zheng Wenbo was screaming like a slaughtered pig. When he saw Ye Feishuang, he immediately shouted, “It’s all her fault for pushing me! Mother, my arm hurts so much, she’s the one who hurt me…”
Mrs. Qin was heartbroken. Without caring that this was their first meeting, she pointed at Ye Feishuang and scolded, “You rotten little bastard, how dare you harm your own brother!”
Ye Feishuang’s eyes instantly reddened. “Mother, I saw Ninth Brother and Sixth Sister jumping down from the tree and thought they were playing a fun game. I even wanted to join them. But Ninth Brother kicked me without a word, so I dodged, and he fell on his own. I didn’t push him—how could I possibly push him?”
Mrs. Lu held Ye Feishuang by the shoulder and said to Mrs. Qin, "That's right, fourth sister-in-law. The fifth girl is so thin—Brother Bo is twice as sturdy as her. How could she possibly push him over?"
Not only Mrs. Lu, but everyone in the room except Mrs. Qin thought the same.
Although the ninth young master was not yet ten years old, he ate well and was tall and sturdy. The fifth young lady was slender and delicate—how could she possibly have knocked him down?
It must have been the ninth young master’s own mischief. He probably fell somehow, and fearing a scolding, simply blamed it on the fifth young lady who had just returned home.