After walking a few steps, Xue Ning unexpectedly saw Bi He struggling with someone at the corner—someone was trying to snatch the banknotes from Bi He’s hand!
Xue Ning hurried over and faintly overheard their conversation.
“Second Miss, this money is for the County Princess’s medical treatment. You can’t take it!”
“Bi He, you’re just a maid. Stop exaggerating. I just saw my sister today—she’s only upset because of the miscarriage. The manor lacks nothing. How could there be any life-threatening danger?”
Xue Ning stepped in front of Bi He, frowning as she spoke. “Xie Ying, your sister always shares good news and hides the bad. She didn’t tell you because she didn’t want you to worry, but you really can’t take this money.”
Seeing Xue Ning, Xie Ying grew even more furious. “Xue Ning, who do you think you are, lecturing me? Don’t think that just because my sister has been kind to you in the past, you can consider yourself my equal. Everyone knows you’re nothing but the Xue family’s jinx.”
Xue Ning knew Xie Ying disliked her because Xie Ying was close to Xue Mingzhu. At banquets, she always enjoyed sticking close to Xue Mingzhu. It wasn’t hard to guess how much slander Xue Mingzhu, with her hypocritical kindness, had spread about her.
Out of respect for Xie Ying’s sister, Xue Ning still asked, “What do you need so much money for?”
Xie Ying sneered, “To buy some jewelry, of course. I’m about to have my coming-of-age ceremony soon. Naturally, I can’t look as shabby as you. Besides, it’s not like I don’t care about my sister.”
She looked at Xue Ning triumphantly. “Sister Mingzhu has already promised me that her second brother will treat my sister. Everyone knows Second Brother Xue is a renowned physician—he’ll surely cure her. Xue Ning, despite how well my sister treated you, you couldn’t even get your own second brother to help. In the end, I, an outsider, did better than you. So mind your own business and give me the money back!”
Xue Ning kept a cold expression and refused to hand it over, instead instructing Bi He to hurry to the medical clinic first. This infuriated Xie Ying, who stomped her feet and shouted at Xue Ning.
“I’m going to tell my sister and make sure she never speaks to you again! Xue Ning, no wonder your whole family dislikes you. You’re utterly detestable!”
…
After returning to Xue Zhai,
Xue Ning had just entered the small Fotang when Rendong happily told her,
“Miss, Sixth Young Master has returned from the training grounds. He just sent word that he wants to see you.”
In the entire Xue family, the one closest to Xue Ning was her sixth younger brother, Xue Zhaofei.
Xue Zhaofei was playful, unlike the steady and studious eldest brother Xue Yan or the second brother Xue Yulang, who had entered Shenyigu and gained fame at a young age.
Xue Ning had encouraged him to practice martial arts, and he had now joined the Jingdu training grounds, achieving some success. However, he usually stayed at the training grounds and rarely returned to Xue Zhai.
Though her expression remained calm, a hint of warmth flickered in Xue Ning’s eyes. If not for the Qingsigu that had robbed her of her ability to smile, she would have beamed with joy by now.
“I’ll go see him right away.”
Xue Ning missed her sixth brother dearly and specifically asked Rendong to bring the freshly made pastries before heading to his courtyard.
In the courtyard, under the willow tree, a young man dressed in white held a red-tasseled spear, exuding an air of carefree elegance.
“Zhaofei…”
Xue Ning’s voice was gentle as she tried to hand him the food box, but his smiling face suddenly darkened. Frowning, he spoke first.
“Fifth Sister, I’ve heard about what happened at Gongzhu Fu. You should apologize to Cousin quickly. It was you who got her into trouble, after all.”
Xue Zhaofei continued, glaring at her reproachfully, “That maid’s death has spread all over Jingdu. These past few days at the training grounds, everyone’s been laughing at me for having a murderer as a sister. It’s utterly humiliating.”
“Mother said cousin has been so upset by the misunderstanding caused by you that she’s been restless, unable to eat or sleep properly, and even her zither playing has suffered. It might affect her Bandu Linxuan. This is all your fault—you should go apologize quickly. I don’t want our household in turmoil.”
“And from now on, if you ever send me anything, don’t say it’s from you. Say it’s from cousin. After all, your reputation is tarnished, and I need to build good relationships with future colleagues. I can’t afford to have any stains on my name that people might mock.”
Each of Xue Zhaofei’s final words pierced Xue Ning’s heart like fine needles, stinging densely and painfully.
After a long silence, Xue Ning looked at him, her voice slightly hoarse. “Xue Zhaofei, I am your blood-related sister. To you, am I really so shameful?”
Faced with Xue Ning’s question, a flicker of panic flashed through Xue Zhaofei’s heart, but he quickly regained his composure and glared back defiantly, his voice much louder than hers.
“Xue Ning, how are you not shameful? Everyone in Jingdu knows you’re a jinx who caused Third Brother’s death. You’re always competing with cousin for attention, reckless and willful without any sense. I never said I wouldn’t acknowledge you as my sister. At home, things can stay the same as before. But I’ve grown up now, and I need to care about my reputation. I don’t want to be too close to you outside—what’s wrong with that? Since you’re my sister, you should want what’s best for me and consider my feelings. Why are you upset now? If it were cousin, she would never put me in such a difficult position…”
“So that’s what you really think?”
Xue Ning’s heart felt as if it had been doused with cold water.
Xue Zhaofei had said harsh things when angry before, but she always thought he was two years younger, immature, just hot-tempered but warm-hearted at core. Because on the day everyone else forgot her birthday, Xue Zhaofei had brought her longevity noodles late at night. Because of that, Xue Ning had always given him infinite patience.
But today his words were especially cutting, each one striking at her heart.
Xue Zhaofei said discontentedly, “You’re angry with me just because I praised cousin, aren’t you? You’re jealous of her again? I asked you to apologize to her, and you’re making all these excuses. So dramatic.”
Just as Xue Ning was about to say something, she saw Xue Mingzhu walk out of the room, followed by a maid carrying a tea set.
Xue Ning didn’t miss the glee in Xue Mingzhu’s eyes, though she looked at Xue Ning with an apologetic expression.
“Ningning, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on your argument. I just came over to have someone brew Sixth Brother some tea with morning dew, and then…”
Xue Ning understood. So the smile on Xue Zhaofei’s face earlier had been directed at Xue Mingzhu inside the room, not because he was about to see her.
Xue Mingzhu walked over to Xue Zhaofei, took out a silk handkerchief to wipe his sweat, and said with a smile, “You’re so grown up now, yet you’re still arguing with people. Aren’t you ashamed? I know you mean well for me, but let’s not mention what happened at Gongzhu Fu anymore.”
Xue Mingzhu sighed, sounding tolerant and resigned. “Just pretend I was the one who pushed the maid into the water. Sixth Brother, don’t trouble Ningning anymore.”
Seeing Xue Mingzhu like this, Xue Zhaofei instinctively felt even more protective of her.
“How can we pretend it was you? It wasn’t cousin’s doing in the first place. Everyone in Jingdu knows cousin is the kindest, most forgiving person!”
He glared at Xue Ning, “Xue Ning! Look at your cousin, then look at yourself. How can you have the face not to apologize to her? Don’t you feel ashamed?!”