Chapter 203 When Did You Meet the Man from Outside
“You… What are you doing?” Ning Caixian gasped, covering her chest. She glared at Ning Xueqing, who was standing in front of her.
“What am I doing? I’m the one to ask that. Ning Caixian, you did a great job today. How will you compensate me for the reputation you have ruined together with yours?” Ning Xueqing looked down at Ning Caixian, disdainfully.
“You… But your usual… usual behavior is frivolous. What… what good reputation do you have left?” Refusing to admit to being inferior, Ning Caixian stared back angrily.
“I do not care what I have done. At least, I won’t allow someone to block me in front of the gate and curse me that I have grabbed her man, which is an extremely cheap act!” Ning Xueqing sneered. “Whether your reputation is good or not is none of my business. However, you are from the Ning family. I’m afraid you will get those people in the same strain of the family with you into trouble. Wait to be put in a pig’s cage drowned!”
After Ning Xueqing finished, she disdainfully glanced at Ning Caixian. Then, she turned around and left.
Ning Caixian was trembling all over with anger because Ning Xueqing whispered these words in her ears. “Haven’t you ever looked in the mirror to see who you are? You try like mad to marry Childe Di!”
“Help me get up!” Clenching her teeth, Ning Caixian ordered the girl servant who was standing stupidly next to her in a sharp voice.
“Yes, First Miss!” The servant girl hurriedly held out her hands and pulled Ning Caixian up.
After she stood still and took a few short breaths, Ning Caixian said with gritted teeth and bitter hatred. “Be quick. Take me to see my father!”
Even at this point, she would not sit waiting passively for her end!
No, she must marry into Duke Yong’s Mansion. In any case, she would not let Di Yan go. No matter who blocked her way, she would remove the obstacles. The venom in her heart overflowed little by little. “Qin Yuru got me into such a bad situation. I will never spare her!”
“The unspectacular girl who looked a little dusty, is she Second Miss of Qin’s Mansion?” At this time, Ning Caixian was soberly aware that no one would love such a girl who was not very eye-catching and not too young. She would never waste that hairpin on Qin Wanru.
In this case, Ning Caixian decided to frame First Miss of Qin’s Mansion instead of Second Miss.
Since the people of Qin’s Mansion were ruthless, then they should not blame her for being heartless…
When Qin Wanru’s carriage returned to the mansion, the place was already in a mess. Not caring about her health, Madam Di brought Qin Yuru to Duke Yong’s Mansion in a huff.
Initially, Old Grandma was about to stop her and let her consider carefully before making a decision. However, Shui Ruolan held her back, so Old Grandma just let Madam Di solve this matter herself.
Shui Ruolan paid respects to Old Grandma and then told her everything she had seen. Old Grandma sighed. “Duke Yong’s son is not a good marriage prospect!”
At an advanced age, Old Grandma had gone through many things and had seen many people. From her heart, she thought Di Yan was nothing compared to Qi Tianyu. However, Madam Di acted wilfully and broke off Ning Caixian’s engagement with Qi Tianyu. She even schemed against Qin Wanru. But now, when things came to this stage, Madam Di could not go back to the past.
“Mother, we cannot get involved in this matter. Just let them deal with it themselves!” Sitting aside, Shui Ruolan appeased Old Grandma in a soft voice.
“This child Yuru, alas!” Old Grandma felt helpless and sighed. For a time, she did not even know what to say.
“Grandma, is it possible that my Big Sister will not marry Cousin Di?” Qin Wanru asked curiously.
“No, it is impossible. Madam Di is even capable of… No matter what happens, your Big sister will marry Di Yan!” Old Grandma whispered slowly. She reached out her hands to rub her forehead, feeling a bad headache.
“Di Yan acted like that even before he married Qin Yuru. I’m afraid he will go from bad to worse when they get married!” Old Grandma thought.
Qin Wanru chatted with Old Grandma for a while longer. When she saw that Old Grandma was looking a little better, she left!
When Qin Wanru got back from Old Grandma’s place, she asked someone to call Dong Xiu’er over.
Dong Xiu’er was having a slight typhoid fever, so she did not look well now. Qin Wanru asked her to sit on a small stool on one side, she was looking at Dong Xiu’er’s face, but remained silent.
Under her gaze, Dong Xiu’er was flustered. She reached out to take her handkerchief in her hands and crumpled it into a ball.
Qin Wanru was still quiet after a long while. Only then did Dong Xiu’er look up at Qin Wanru, a little timidly, and she asked, “Second Miss, why did you want to see me? Is there something wrong about my mother?”
“Xiu’er, you and Nanny Dong followed me to the capital. After we arrived in the capital city, you stayed in the mansion and barely left the courtyard. But I do not know when you met a man from outside.”
Qin Wanru asked lightly. Her pair of watery black eyes exuded radiance, which looked very calm. But after taking a closer look, Dong Xiu’er felt that Qin Wanru had seen through her.
Dong Xiu’er’s hands trembled, and she nearly dropped the handkerchief in her hands. Her face became more and more pale, and she muttered, “Second… Second Miss, I do not know what you are talking about.”
“You can’t understand what I said?” Qin Wanru slightly smiled and asked meaningfully.
Dong Xiu’er was so frightened that she immediately stood up and waved her hands wildly. “Second Miss… I… I really do not know. Please… please enlighten me, Second Miss!”
“It is actually pretty easy to find out whether you really do not know or you’re just pretending. Someone bring Qu’er here!” Qin Wanru leaned back and said with a slight smile in her eyes.
She said these words in a very soft voice, and the smile on her face also looked quite gentle. But Dong Xiu’er still felt that Qin Wanru gave her heart a heavy blow. In a flurry, she took a step back and nearly kicked over the square stool she just sat on.
“Second… Second Miss…”
“Qu’er took a hairpin outside. You don’t need me to remind you of that, right?” Qin Wanru looked calmly at Dong Xiu’er as if she was able to see everything.
“Second… Second Miss… I… I…” Dong Xiu’er’s pale face was suddenly flushed. She was so afraid of being found out that she barely knew what she was saying now.
“Are you still going to hide it from me? Or maybe you’re prepared to let your mother come here to ask you with me?” Qin Wanru’s smile became even softer.
“Second Miss, I…” Dong Xiu’er was ashamed and embarrassed, and her eyes became red. However, she was still a little hesitant. After glancing at Qin Wanru as well as Qing Yue and Yujie behind her, Dong Xiu’er bit her lips. But she still felt to ashamed to speak!
“Miss, I am going to bring Qu’er here and let them confront each other!” Qing Yue whispered in Qin Wanru’s ear.
Qin Wanru nodded.
Seeing Qing Yue about to leave for real, Dong Xiu’er started to get flustered. Subconsciously, she reached out to stop her. Then, Dong Xiu’er turned to look at Qin Wanru and begged, “Don’t, don’t do that. I… I will tell everything!”
“Go ahead. I am listening!” Qin Wanru said slowly.
Dong Xiu’er trembled all over. Then, she covered her face, crying.
“Let Xiu’er sit down and pour a glass of water for her!” Qin Wanru said.
Qing Yue turned her palms over and supported Dong Xiu’er as she sat down. Yujie poured a cup of tea for her and placed it in front of her.
“I’m afraid you do not know the hairpin is now in the hands of a woman!” Dong Xiu’er kept crying. Choking in her sobs, she could not utter a word. Seeing this, Qin Wanru picked up the teacup next to her and took a sip. Then, she said lightly.
“What?” Dong Xiu’er stopped crying. In shock, she lifted her face, which was full of tears now.
“Are you surprised?” Qin Wanru raised her beautifully arched eyebrows.
“It is actually a trap set by a woman. Whoever you saw somewhere, I suppose that you would not fall in love with a woman at first sight and secretly give her my hairpin. The most important was that the hairpin was engraved with the word ‘Qin.’ Since you are my personal maid, it appeared that the hairpin engraved with ‘Qin’ should be mine!”
Qin Wanru said, a little seriously.
“How… How could it be…” Dong Xiu’er exclaimed in astonishment.
“Everything is possible, Xiu’er. I don’t know if Nanny Dong protects you too well to know the ways of the world.” Qin Wanru confirmed.
“But Qing Xue gave the hairpin to me!” With red-rimmed eyes, Dong Xiu’er said in disbelief.
“Do you think anyone can have such a hairpin? You’ve lived in Jiangzhou for some time with your mother. I suppose you would have visited the jewelry stores there. Do you think a servant like Qing Xue can have such a piece of jewelry?” Qin Wanru asked lightly and coldly.
With those few words, Qin Wanru rendered Dong Xiu’er speechless for a time.
In fact, Dong Xiu’er had always lived in terror and uncertainty since Qing Xue sent her the hairpin. Was it also the reason that she subconsciously sent this red hot hairpin away?
“Dong Xiu’er, Nanny Dong went to the capital city because of me. I thought that Nanny Dong had good skills, so I brought her to the capital city, and she indeed did a good job. Therefore, as my servant, Nanny Dong actually has a great relationship with me, her master. If I finally choose to dismiss Nanny Dong because of you, then you should know what will happen in the end. Unlike Jiangzhou, the capital city is a place full of unfamiliar places and strangers. Anything can happen to you!”
Qin Wanru’s face turned cold, and her cold eyes fell on Dong Xiu’er like icicles.
“Did you really consider nothing before you sent the hairpin away?”
Previously, Qin Wanru looked kind and amiable. In Dong Xiu’er’s eyes, she was only a little sister who hadn’t grown up yet. And Qin Wanru was always kind to Dong Xiu’er. But this time, Qin Wanru’s ice-cold manner and her hard face made Dong Xiu’er no longer dare to look down upon her. For the first time, Dong Xiu’er realized that the Young Madam before was not the same person as her. She was instead Second Miss of Ningyuan Army General’s Mansion and also the master who could decide her and her mother’s fate.
In fear, Dong Xiu’er felt she could no longer guard the secret in her heart any more. She did not dare look at Qin Wanru, so she bowed her head and twisted the handkerchief in her hands. While biting her lips, Dong Xiu’er asked sadly, “Second Miss, was it really a woman who took the hairpin away?”
“It was a woman. Beyond that, it was also the woman who tangled with First Miss today. If it were not for Nanny Dong, Xiu’er, I wouldn’t have bothered with your business!”
Qin Wanru said, a little heartlessly.
If she had not found this thing early and brought up the matter between Ning Caixian and Di Yan first, then she would have become the victim today.
At that time, even a hundred mouths could not absolve her guilt.
Dong Xiu’er had never left the mansion. Qin Wanru was the one who left the mansion. Moreover, Dong Xiu’er did not have that kind of hairpin, so the hairpin must belong to Qin Wanru. Everything was aiming at her.
When a hundred mouths could not explain the thing about the hairpin away, Qin Wanru might follow the old routine as her last resort. The vicious Madam Di ruined her through Ning Caixian. But now, Qin Wanru would like to wait and see whose reputation would be destroyed, Qin Yuru’s or hers!
Qin Yuru made a big noise when she ran back, so even Dong Xiu’er, who stayed in the courtyard, had heard about this thing early. At first, she thought that it had nothing to do with her. But when she figured everything out this time, Dong Xiu’er became so panicky that even her lips became as white as snow. She nearly collapsed. “Second… Second Miss, I… I will tell you everything I know!”