Looking around, the only people standing before her were her eldest brother Pei Jingchuan and Xu Qingyan, aside from the servants who were busy with their heads down at their work.
Pei Jinyu shook her head. Could she be imagining things?
At the same time, Pei Jingchuan’s brows were tightly furrowed. Would his sister really end up living such a miserable life in the future?
“Eldest brother, don’t let this shu-daughter fool you. She went through all this trouble to snatch the marriage—you should just send her back. Even if you couldn’t marry Sister Qingyue, this concubine-born daughter of hers isn’t worthy of you either!” After snapping back to her senses, Pei Jinyu spoke to Pei Jingchuan in a hostile tone.
Pei Jingchuan’s face darkened with displeasure. He was about to scold his sister again, but before he could even open his mouth, Xu Qingyan’s inner thoughts began to pour out again, and he couldn’t help but lean in to listen.
[Pei Jinyu has been used as a pawn! This was clearly Xu Qingyue and Pei Jingyuan who were improper with each other first, and it was they who schemed the marriage swap—yet she’s turning around and playing the victim, accusing others first. Sigh… Well, Pei Jinyu has never been the sharpest tool in the shed. She still thinks Xu Qingyue is her savior, but she doesn’t know that Xu Qingyue deceived her. The person who saved her from drowning back then was a man!] Xu Qingyan couldn’t help but shake her head and continued.
[That man was worried about affecting Pei Jinyu’s reputation, so after saving her, he ran off while no one was watching, and Xu Qingyue just happened to take the credit. If Pei Jinyu had half a brain, she would have realized that when she woke up and saw Xu Qingyue back then, her clothes were completely dry—how could someone with dry clothes have jumped into the water to save her? Not to mention, Xu Qingyue can’t even swim! Over the years, Xu Qingyue has profited greatly off Pei Jinyu’s reputation. Just last month, she even swindled a set of ruby hair ornaments from Third Miss Song!]
“What? Xu Qingyue isn’t her savior?” This time, Pei Jinyu finally realized that the voice was coming from Xu Qingyan. More than the fact that she could hear her thoughts, she was shocked by what she had said—that Xu Qingyue had deceived her.
She tried hard to recall the scene after she had fallen into the water, and only then did she realize that Xu Qingyue’s clothes had indeed been dry back then. And just a few days ago, Third Miss Song had indeed hinted that she owed her a favor.
Pei Jinyu began to waver. How could Sister Qingyue possibly be that kind of person? No, this must be Xu Qingyan lying! She was just jealous of Sister Qingyue!
Xu Qingyan, why do you always have to bully Sister Qingyue? Is it because she’s the di-daughter and you’re the shu-daughter, so you have to target her at every turn?” Pei Jinyu pointed angrily at Xu Qingyan.
“How dare you! She is your eldest sister-in-law now. Pei Jinyu, you show such disrespect to your elders—have all your manners gone to the dogs?” Pei Jingchuan couldn’t help but roar at her upon seeing this.
Hearing Pei Jingchuan’s words, Pei Jinyu immediately felt wronged and said sadly, “Eldest brother, how can you scold me because of her? Aren’t you the one who dotes on me the most on normal days? She’s nothing but a fox spirit, shameless!”
“Pei Jinyu!” Pei Jingchuan glared at her furiously, her name practically squeezed out through gritted teeth, carrying a heavy note of warning.
Pei Jinyu immediately shut her mouth in fear, tears welling up in her eyes.
[Sigh… This sister-in-law is truly pitiful! She’s kind and innocent by nature, willing to go through fire and water for her friends. It’s just a pity that she chose the wrong friends and will marry the wrong man!] Xu Qingyan looked at Pei Jinyu with sympathy.
[Recently, through Xu Qingyue’s introduction, she’s already met that Phoenix Man. Tomorrow, that Phoenix Man will come to invite her out, and then he’ll scheme to have her fall onto him in front of everyone. Everyone in the Duke’s Estate will oppose their relationship, but Xu Qingyue will instigate them to elope, to make the rice cooked before anyone can stop it—and from then on, her miserable life begins. Ah well, she won’t bother holding a grudge against this pitiful sister-in-law. Before long, she’ll run off with that Phoenix Man anyway, so she won’t be around causing trouble for much longer.]
Pei Jinyu was greatly startled, her mouth slightly agape in shock. She thought to herself: “How… how does she know that Sister Qingyue recently introduced a friend to me?”
A while ago, she had gone out with Xu Qingyue and indeed met one of Xu Qingyue’s distant cousins on her mother’s side.
That man was refined and scholarly, talented and brilliant, and quite pleasing to her eye. She had a rather good impression of him. Over the past few days, the two had been exchanging letters, and tomorrow he had even invited her to the Wenya Study to view the scholars’ calligraphy and painting gathering!
Tomorrow? At the thought of this, Pei Jinyu suddenly froze.
Wasn’t what Xu Qingyan had just said referring to tomorrow? Then she recalled what Xu Qingyan had complained about at the very beginning—that she would be deceived and would have a miserable life… She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
No! This couldn’t be true! Pei Jinyu suddenly felt afraid and didn’t dare to stay there any longer. She turned around and ran off.
Pei Jingchuan watched Pei Jinyu’s retreating figure, along with the shocked and guilty expression that had just flashed across her face. He could guess that she must have also been able to hear Xu Qingyan’s inner thoughts. She just couldn’t bring herself to believe it yet. So, he made a mental note of it.
————The Next Day————
Just as he was about to leave the estate for his official duties, he received a message from his subordinate.
“Reporting to Young Lord, Third Miss did indeed leave the estate early this morning. She went to Wenya Study, and she went together with the Second Young Madam.”
Pei Jingchuan paused mid-step upon hearing this, then turned around and said, “Request leave for me at the Ministry of Personnel. I’m going to Wenya Study now.” He couldn’t stand by and watch his sister get into trouble.
————Wenya Study————
The top floor was filled with young scholars, as well as quite a few young ladies from respectable families who were drinking tea and chatting.
They sat together in a circle, competing in poetry and painting, with laughter ringing out continuously.
At this moment, Pei Jinyu was completely captivated by the talent of Lin Yanbang, Xu Qingyue’s distant cousin on her father’s side. She had entirely forgotten the inner thoughts she had heard from Xu Qingyan yesterday.
Lin Yanbang first composed several vivid poems, then began to paint. When his painting was displayed before the crowd, a wave of exclamations rippled through the onlookers.
“Wow! The woman in this painting is so lifelike! It’s as if she’s a real person. Brother Lin, your painting skills are truly remarkable!”
“Painting skill is secondary—what matters most is the heart. The hardest thing to paint is a person, especially the spirit and charm. Unless you’re painting someone important in your heart, you could never produce something so vivid!”
“Hey! Take a look—I think the woman in Brother Lin’s painting looks just like one of the young ladies here!”
“Really? Who does she look like? Ah… I think I remember now—isn’t she the Third Miss of the Duke’s Estate?”
As the clamor rose from the crowd, all eyes suddenly turned toward Pei Jinyu.
Pei Jinyu’s face flushed bright red in an instant, overcome with shyness.
“Don’t talk nonsense, all of you. This… this isn’t me, it’s not me…” She was still an unmarried young woman, so naturally she was too embarrassed to admit it.
The people around her only grew more boisterous, and Pei Jinyu’s face burned even redder. Just then, Xu Qingyue sidled up to her and gently took her hand.
“Jinyu, let me take you away from here.” Then, Pei Jinyu was led away by Xu Qingyue’s hand.
But before they had taken two steps, Lin Yanbang’s anxious voice came from behind: “Jinyu, wait for me!”
Hearing the voice, Pei Jinyu turned around and saw Lin Yanbang squeezing his way out of the crowd, running toward her. Just as he was about to reach her, his body suddenly seemed to lose its balance, and he lunged forward in her direction.
“Ah!” Pei Jinyu let out a panicked scream, while Xu Qingyue had somehow already slipped away from her side without her noticing.
Just as she thought she was about to be knocked down and pinned beneath Lin Yanbang, she suddenly felt someone pull her aside. Her body swayed a few times before she managed to steady herself.