ATMIWPT Chapter 13 Ah, So You Are Sick

Qin Ningxin hadn’t expected Qin Muyao to appear behind them.

That meant Qin Muyao had never entered the private room at all.

Qin Ningxin was utterly shocked. “What are you doing here?!”

Qin Muyao blinked, looking puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I be here?”

Liu Fangya interjected smoothly, “Qin Muyao, where were you just now? Your Fifth Sister seems to have been looking for you so frantically that she’s begun spouting nonsense.”

She was merely testing Qin Muyao, trying to gauge her reaction.

But since Qin Muyao had clearly arrived after them, things weren’t as serious as she had feared.

Perhaps Qin Ningxin had simply made it all up.

Qin Muyao gasped in exaggerated surprise, covering her mouth with both hands. Curiosity sparkled in her eyes. “I just went to change my clothes after spilling fruit wine on them. Why was Fifth Sister so worried? Besides, didn’t I tell you all before I left?”

A murmur of realization rippled through the gathered noble ladies.

A few of them, seated closest to Qin Muyao earlier, paused to think.

Indeed, she had mentioned it before leaving.

They simply hadn’t paid attention at the time.

Now that Qin Muyao reminded them, it all made sense.

Liu Fangya arched a brow, voicing the lingering suspicion, “But just now, Qin Ningxin said she saw you enter the private room with the Third Prince. Was that also false?”

“What?!”

Qin Muyao’s eyes widened in pure astonishment.

She clearly hadn’t expected to be dragged into a scandal with the Third Prince.

Pointing at herself, she spread her hands in disbelief. “The Third Prince? I haven’t even seen him today! How could I possibly have been with him?”

She looked as innocent as could be, her expression sincere and utterly convincing.

The noble ladies exchanged glances.

They believed Qin Muyao.

And in that instant, their opinion of Qin Ningxin plummeted.

Qin Ningxin’s face turned deathly pale.

She had never expected Qin Muyao to slip through her trap so effortlessly—leaving her to bear the humiliation in front of everyone.

Qin Ningxin was now caught in an awkward dilemma, neither able to advance nor retreat. She could only force an embarrassed smile. “I… I must have seen wrong.”

Regret churned in her gut.

If she had known this would happen, she never would have trusted the so-called information she had received.

Someone had told her that the Third Prince preferred solitude in private rooms and urged her to seize the opportunity.

Half-believing, half-doubting, she had gone as far as forging a letter from the Third Prince to lure Qin Muyao into the trap.

Yet, Qin Muyao had not taken the bait.

Still, if Qin Muyao did secretly harbor feelings for the Third Prince, that knowledge alone was a weapon she could wield.

One failed scheme did not mean the war was lost.

There would be another chance.

Plenty of chances.

Qin Muyao patted her on the shoulder, her voice filled with feigned concern. “Fifth Sister, if your eyesight is that poor, you should see a physician as soon as possible. Best not to delay—things only get worse if left untreated.”

For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why Qin Ningxin held such deep-seated animosity toward Xiao Mu.

She was always scheming against her!

Had she not been pretending to be Xiao Mu tonight, the real Xiao Mu would have been completely destroyed by Qin Ningxin’s machinations.

Qin Ningxin’s eyelids twitched violently. “…”

You’re the one with an eye problem!

That damn Qin Muyao—how dare she slander her like this?!

Liu Fangya, now entirely at ease, watched as Qin Ningxin struggled to outargue Qin Muyao and promptly stepped in. “Alright, now that everything has been cleared up, let’s not dwell on it. I had the maids prepare some fine green tea. Shall we go and enjoy it together?”

The noble ladies nodded in agreement and followed her away.

…

The banquet concluded, and both Qin Muyao and Qin Ningxin returned to the residence.

Qin Ningxin remained silent throughout the journey, occasionally sneaking glares at Qin Muyao—but never daring to make them too obvious.

Qin Muyao arched a well-shaped brow and asked lazily, “Fifth Sister, why do you keep rolling your eyes?”

Qin Ningxin threw another glare. “None of your business!”

Qin Muyao rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then nodded as if confirming a diagnosis. “Ah, so you are sick.”

——