Chapter 40 : Who Excels at Sarcastic Sniping?

Xue Qingyin’s tone could be described as indifferent.

Affected by her attitude, He Songning quickly regained his composure.

He stared at Xue Qingyin for a moment before releasing his grip.

Xue Qingyin turned her head away and tugged her sleeve down to reveal her shoulder.

Sure enough, there were already fingerprints on her pale skin, which stood out glaringly red. Given some time, the marks might even bruise purple.

If he had choked my neck, I’d be dead by now, Xue Qingyin cursed inwardly.

“Damn you, He Songning!”

He Songning opened his mouth, breaking the silence. “The doctor has seen her…”

Noticing Xue Qingyin’s movements, he followed her gaze to her shoulder.

The vivid marks made his eyelids twitch, and instinctively, he glanced down at his own hand.

Did I really use that much force just now?

Looking at her now, Xue Qingyin almost seemed pitiful.

“Oh? And what did the doctor say?”

“…”

Xue Qingyin suddenly raised her head, looking directly at him. “You mean you don’t know? You didn’t go to Xue Qinghe? Oh, so you came straight to me to throw a tantrum?”

Her tone was icy, carrying a touch of sarcasm.

But He Songning found himself unable to refute her.

“If she dies, you can come back and strangle me. Big Brother,” she emphasized the last two words with biting mockery.

He Songning said nothing, his expression dark, but he stepped forward, pressing a cold hand to her shoulder.

The chill startled her, and she blurted, “What are you doing?”

He Songning met her guarded gaze.

The past closeness and admiration she had once shown him seemed to have vanished entirely.

This was a scenario He Songning had once relished imagining.

But now that it was real, it wasn’t as satisfying as he thought it would be.

“I’ll ask the maid to bring in some ointment,” He Songning said.

Xue Qingyin replied, “No need. Go check on Xue Qinghe instead.”

Now calm, He Songning no longer felt so rushed. He stood there, unmoving.

Xue Qingyin glanced at him in confusion. “Why aren’t you going, Big Brother? Afraid you’ll strangle the doctor next?”

Her sarcasm this time was unmistakable.

Yet as she said it, her eyes remained innocently clear.

He Songning turned back to open the door and instructed, “Bring some ointment for bruises.”

The maid hesitated, trembling. “The ointment is inside.”

He Songning frowned but stepped aside. “Come in, then.”

The maid, head lowered and not daring to ask what had happened, scurried to the lacquered cabinet and pulled out a small porcelain jar.

“Miss, where are you hurt?” she asked timidly.

He Songning’s gaze landed on the jar, and when the lid was opened, he noticed there was only a thin layer of ointment left inside.

Has Xue Qingyin been injured frequently?

This thought barely crossed his mind when the maid exclaimed, “How did this happen? It’s so severe!”

He Songning’s thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

…Fine, so it really was my excessive force.

At this moment, Xue Qingyin muttered a single word: “Dog.”

He Songning: “…”

The maid, confused, asked, “Where’s a dog?”

She applied the ointment gently to Xue Qingyin’s shoulder. As she worked, her movements slowed, and her eyes widened in realization.

These marks… looked suspiciously like fingerprints.

Could it be… the eldest young master?

A chill ran down the maid’s spine. She didn’t dare to turn back or think further.

Why does trouble always stir in this household?

The maid took a deep breath and offered, “Shall I make tea for the young master?”

Xue Qingyin expected him to refuse.

Surprisingly, He Songning replied, “Mm.”

He’s still not leaving?

Xue Qingyin rolled her eyes internally, wiped her hands, and casually nibbled on a pastry, acting as though He Songning wasn’t even there.

Watching her, He Songning found himself both amused and annoyed.

Should he call her more broad-minded now?

But this tolerance felt misplaced.

“Why were you unwell today?” He Songning finally asked, sitting down.

Xue Qingyin replied with a sarcastic smile, “And now you’re concerned about me?”

He Songning: “…”

Still, Xue Qingyin didn’t press too far. After all, being overly confrontational wasn’t in the original character’s nature.

Setting down the pastry, she clapped the crumbs off her hands and explained, “The wind on the lake was cold. You know I can’t handle that, so I came back early.”

She refrained from over-explaining, knowing He Songning’s domineering personality.

“The more I say, the more he might think I’m lying,” she mused.

“Were Prince Wei and the others there today?”

“Not just him—Prince Xuan, Princess Jinque, the Fourth Princess… They were all there.” Xue Qingyin paused and asked, “Who pushed Xue Qinghe?”

“No one admitted to it,” He Songning replied coldly.

Had Xue Qingyin been more manipulative, he might have suspected her involvement.

“Of course, no one would admit it. But did anyone point fingers?”

“No.”

Xue Qingyin was puzzled.

He Songning’s cold voice broke her thoughts: “The women in this household have no close allies. Naturally, no one would speak up.”

Is he blaming me? Or is it the fault of Madam Xue?

Shrugging off the thought, Xue Qingyin offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go ask them yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re the most popular one in this family, aren’t you? Those noble ladies would spill the truth for your sake,” she said nonchalantly.

He Songning: “…”

Was she implying he should sell his charm?

Noting his silence, Xue Qingyin added, “I’m not in a hurry anyway.”

At this moment, someone called from outside, “Young Master, Second Miss’s maid Qiu Xin seeks an audience.”

He Songning glanced at Xue Qingyin, surprised she didn’t seem intent on stopping the maid.

“Let her in,” he ordered.

Shortly after, Qiu Xin entered, accompanied by the tea maid.

Still nervous at the sight of He Songning, Qiu Xin drew courage from thoughts of her injured mistress.

Tears welled in her eyes as she cried, “Young Master, Second Miss…”

He Songning’s expression darkened as he demanded, “What about her? Speak!”

Through tears, Qiu Xin choked out, “The doctor says she’s injured her head and must stay bedridden for weeks. She can’t walk or even sit up without pain and nausea.”

Xue Qingyin sighed inwardly. Sounds like a concussion.

Qiu Xin continued, sobbing theatrically, “Miss Qinghe has suffered so much misfortune. How could she endure this unexpected calamity?”

Xue Qingyin interjected lazily, “Medicine tastes bad. I’ve been drinking it for years.”

This remark promptly silenced Qiu Xin, who had forgotten this young lady had been frail since birth.

He Songning’s eyes flickered thoughtfully but sharpened as he dissected Qiu Xin’s words. “Unexpected calamity?”

“…Should I say it?”

“Speak.”

Qiu Xin hesitated, darting a wary glance at Xue Qingyin.

Xue Qingyin: Great, am I getting dragged into this again?

“When Eldest Miss left, Princess Jinque returned and invited everyone to board the boat. As they boarded, someone murmured, ‘Is that Xue Qingyin?’ Before I could react, Second Miss was pushed to the ground and nearly fell into the water.”

“So you mean…” He Songning’s tone grew icier. “The target was Xue Qingyin, but with the eldest gone, they mistook Qinghe for her?”