Chapter 56 – I Won’t Let You Leave

Xia Tian lifted Shen Hui and started walking out, causing Shen Hui to scream and shout in panic.

“What are you doing? Put me down right now!” Shen Hui struggled, flailing her limbs in distress.

“I’m taking you to see your brother.”

“You wild girl, put me down!” Shen Hui hissed through gritted teeth.

“I won’t.”

“Put me down, I’ll walk by myself.” Seeing that this crazy girl was about to carry her out of the courtyard, Shen Hui quickly relented.

If she was carried out by this madwoman, her face as a young lady would be ruined for sure.

Only after hearing Shen Hui agree to walk on her own did Xia Tian let her down.

“You… you…” Shen Hui leaned on her waist, breathing heavily, unable to speak for a while.

This crazy woman was so shameless, showing no regard for her dignity at all.

Xia Tian coldly stared at her, “Are you still going to walk? If not, I’ll carry you again!”

“You… someone, get over here and help me with this…” Before Shen Hui could finish her sentence, Xia Tian stepped forward again, grabbed her wrist, and prepared to throw her over her shoulder.

Shen Hui saw this and hurriedly spoke up, “Okay, let’s go now. I can’t lose face like this.”

With a cold expression, she turned and left the courtyard.

“Hmph!” Xia Tian smirked, thinking to herself, “You think I can’t handle you?”

Both had left, but no one in the courtyard had reacted yet.

What just happened?

The Madam carried the young lady out?

“Ah, this is serious! Hurry up and follow them!” Shen Hui’s old maid was the first to realize what had happened, slapping her thigh and shouting.

The other servants who had followed Shen Hui quickly ran out in pursuit.

Inside the house, Ning Xiang, Ning Xue, and the rest of the servants from Jinglan Courtyard were all stunned.

That tough woman—was she really their madam?

How did she dare to do that?

Wait, how is she so strong?

Ning Xiang and Ning Xue exchanged a glance, both letting out a sigh and lifting their skirts to chase after them.

“Oh, my goodness, Madam, please be careful!” they muttered under their breath.

When they reached Lingyun Pavilion, Xia Tian had already dragged Shen Hui into Shen Nian’s study.

Shen Hui’s old maid and the others who had followed them were stopped by Mu Feng outside the courtyard.

Inside the study…

“Come on, now, tell your brother what you’re thinking,” Xia Tian pushed Shen Hui toward Shen Nian, then confidently took a seat at the round table.

“What’s going on?” Shen Nian frowned. “Sister, why are you here again? Is the Ning’an Marquis’s residence so idle lately?”

“Ha!” When Shen Nian asked, “Is it so idle?”, Xia Tian’s previously frustrated mood suddenly lightened. It seemed like he and she were on the same wavelength; both were near breaking point from Shen Hui’s repeated antics.

Shen Hui was too angry to speak, turning her head away.

“Sit down first,” Shen Nian gestured, standing up to sit next to Xia Tian. He poured a cup of tea for everyone. “Have a drink first.”

Shen Hui took a deep breath and sat down on the other side of Shen Nian, still frowning.

Xia Tian took a large gulp of water and then started explaining.

“The young lady said she was coming over yesterday, and I thought it was just talk. But this afternoon, she brought a whole bunch of people and sat in Jinglan Courtyard, not sure what she wants to do.”

Shen Hui narrowed her eyes and sarcastically said, “Hmph, as if you don’t know why I’m here?”

“I told you clearly yesterday,” Xia Tian replied. “If you want me to leave, just get your brother’s consent. You can ask him now—if he agrees, I’ll leave right away.”

“I don’t agree. I’ve told you; I’ll handle my own matters. No one else needs to interfere.” Shen Nian’s voice was calm.

“Did you hear that? He doesn’t agree. There’s nothing you can do,” Xia Tian said with helplessness.

“But I’m doing this for his own good. There are so many noble ladies out there. Marrying any one of them would be more beneficial than you.” Shen Hui still insisted on her view.

Hearing this, Shen Nian’s face visibly cooled, and Xia Tian, too, had had enough of this mindset. It reminded her of many parents from her past life who, under the guise of “doing it for their children,” would force them to eat, dress, and find a spouse, never asking if the child wanted it or needed it.

“So, do you know about the poisoning incident with Shen Nian when he was young?” Xia Tian suddenly asked.

“Yes. The vile maid who poisoned him has already been beaten to death!” Shen Hui’s tone was icy.

“What about Liu Shi?” Xia Tian continued.

“The housekeeper wasn’t strict enough, so she was punished with a few days of kneeling at the ancestral hall.”

“Are you satisfied with that?”

“Satisfied with what?”

“Are you satisfied that Liu Shi has escaped without punishment?”

“Hmph, sooner or later, I will make her pay the price.” Shen Hui’s face was cold. She was no fool. Thinking she could just push a servant to take the blame and get away with it? Dream on!

“Then it’s settled. Since we all have the same goal, can you stop bothering me every day?” Xia Tian asked sincerely.

“This has nothing to do with you,” Shen Hui scoffed. “What can a country bumpkin like you possibly help with?”

“Didn’t you ever wonder why I’m here?”

“Isn’t it because you used the life-saving favor to blackmail my brother into marrying you?” Shen Hui sneered.

Xia Tian, exasperated, pressed her forehead, “I say, eldest miss, do you think your brother is someone who can be blackmailed by just anyone?”

“Not necessarily?” Shen Hui retorted disdainfully.

Xia Tian was at her wit’s end with this older sister.

She didn’t want to talk anymore, thinking, “Let everything fall apart!”

“Well, I can’t leave just yet. Once all the danger around your brother is gone, then we can talk about whether I’ll leave or not,” Xia Tian explained her reasoning.

Finally, she added, “How about this – you give me one year. If, after a year, you still think I’m unworthy of your brother, I’ll leave. How about that?”

“No way,” Shen Nian suddenly spoke up.

“Don’t rush,” Xia Tian reassured him. She then turned to Shen Hui. “So, what do you think? Is this proposal acceptable?”

“Fine, I’ll temporarily trust you. But you better not try any tricks!” Shen Hui agreed, already sensing that, with her brother protecting her, she couldn’t really do anything about this wild girl for now. She might as well agree and wait for her brother to get bored.

“I won’t, I won’t. I keep my word. If after a year you still think I’m unworthy, I’ll leave immediately!” Xia Tian grinned mischievously, reassuring Shen Hui.

“Dream on!” Shen Hui snorted.

“Fine, then. Since you agree, starting from tomorrow, can you stop coming to bother me so much?” Xia Tian said earnestly. She was really getting a headache from this older sister’s stubbornness.

“Let’s see how you perform,” Shen Hui replied arrogantly.

After sending the eldest miss off, Xia Tian finally sighed in relief.

Turning her head, she saw that Shen Nian looked displeased.

What’s wrong with this ancestor now?

“I’ve told you; I won’t let you leave,” Shen Nian said seriously.

“I know, I was just fooling your sister. If I didn’t say that she’d bother me every day,” Xia Tian quickly explained, sniffing. “Anyway, I’m not leaving now, and she can’t do anything to me!”

“Fine, you better keep your word!”

“I will!”

Oh my god! Being caught between these two siblings is tough!

If it weren’t for the fact that she felt bad for Shen Nian being left with only this one sister who cared for him, she wouldn’t have gone through all this trouble!

The servants outside Lingyun Pavilion, seeing that the eldest miss had come out, quickly followed. They peeked at her expression and, seeing it was still normal, breathed a sigh of relief.

They were afraid the eldest miss would hold them accountable for not intervening earlier.

Now it seemed like nothing major had happened.

Ning Xiang and Ning Xue saw only the eldest miss coming out, but not their madam, and they were anxious, not knowing what had happened. They waited outside, anxiously looking on.

They asked Mu Feng, but Mu Feng didn’t know either, so they could only continue to wait outside.