Chapter 23: Liking Yu Mo Yuan

That night, Tang Liyue had a rare good sleep.

But just before dawn, she was woken up by the commotion coming from downstairs.

Dazed, she propped herself up, rubbed her eyes, and got up to open the door, peeking outside.

Several maids were carrying large bags upstairs to the third floor. From their conversation, it seemed that Yu Minchuan’s cousin, Zhao Lian Er, was moving in.

Tang Liyue was about to close the door when she suddenly saw Zhao Lian Er, dressed in a luxurious little dress, emerging from the staircase landing.

Zhao Lian Er spotted her too.

She beamed brightly and walked straight toward Tang Liyue.

“Hi, Good morning, Cousin-in-law!”

“Cousin-in-law?”

Tang Liyue nearly choked on her own saliva.

“Hello, Miss Zhao. You can just call me Liyue.”

Zhao Lian Er responded with an exaggerated “Oh,” then grinned. “But I still want to call you Cousin-in-law.”

With that, she squeezed herself into Tang Liyue’s room.

“Oh wow, Cousin-in-law, your room is so small! Didn’t my aunt and cousin arrange a bigger room for you? This used to be the servants’ quarters!”

Zhao Lian Er appeared carefree and bubbly, her words always accompanied by an innocent, cheerful smile.

But the disdain and mockery in her eyes weren’t concealed at all.

After all, she was just a twenty-year-old girl, not exactly a master of subtlety.

Tang Liyue easily caught the hidden ridicule in her words but simply smiled indifferently. “I think it’s fine. Having a place to stay is enough. Did you need something, Miss Zhao?”

“Oh, nothing much! Since I’m moving in, I just wanted to get to know you and become friends”

Tang Liyue remained silent.

Zhao Lian Er suddenly grabbed her arm. “Cousin-in-law, let’s add each other on WeChat!”

Tang Liyue wasn’t too keen on the idea, but seeing Zhao Lian Er’s persistence, she figured refusing would be pointless.

So, she reluctantly took out her phone and exchanged WeChat contacts with Zhao Lian Er.

As soon as they added each other, Zhao Lian Er released her grip and struck a shy, delicate pose.

“Cousin-in-law, I need a little favor”

“Go ahead.”

Zhao Lian Er grinned. “Your room is close to Second Master’s, right? You can probably hear when his door opens and closes. Can you keep an eye on his movements for me? Just let me know whenever he leaves his room!”

Keep an eye on Yu Mo Yuan?”

Tang Liyue was confused. “Why?”

Zhao Lian Er covered her face, looking bashful. “I like Second Master! I want to create some chance encounters with him!”

“Cough, cough!” Tang Liyue choked for real this time, out of sheer shock!

Once she recovered, she finally said, “But… aren’t you two relatives?”

Zhao Lian Er immediately refuted, “I’m only related to Minchuan! He and I are cousins. But my aunt isn’t actually related to Second Master by blood, so how does that make us family?”

That was true… they weren’t biologically related.

But spying on Yu Mo Yuan for Zhao Lian Er? That sounded like a surefire way to get on his bad side.

She had only just managed to earn Yu Mo Yuan’s mercy last night, escaping his grasp.

There was no way she was going to get involved with him again.

Tang Liyue shook her head. “Sorry, Miss Zhao, but I can’t help you with that.”

The moment she said that, Zhao Lian Er’s expression turned cold.

The speed of that face change could put Sichuan opera mask-changing masters to shame.

Zhao Lian Er glared at Tang Liyue and shouted furiously, “You’re refusing me? How dare you refuse me?!”

“Sorry, but I really can’t help you.” Tang Liyue reiterated her stance.

“You’re really shameless! Refusing a toast only to drink the forfeit!” Zhao Lian Er, furious, reached out and viciously pinched Tang Liyue’s arm.

“Listen to me! You better behave and do as I say, or I’ll have my cousin Minchuan kick you out!”

Tang Liyue frowned.

The spot Zhao Lian Er pinched throbbed with pain.

She really should be sisters with Tang Xue Yao, both were hot-tempered, unreasonable, and had a habit of pinching people.

Tang Liyue took a step back. “Miss Zhao, this is my room. Please leave.”

“Pfft! This is the Yu family’s property! This whole villa belongs to my cousin Minchuan! I’m his actual blood cousin! And you think you have the right to kick me out? If anyone should leave, it’s you!”

Tang Liyue pressed her lips together.

If she could, she would have left the Yu family ages ago.

But there was no point in telling Zhao Lian Er that.

Instead, she said, “Miss Zhao, please don’t make things difficult for me. It’s almost eight o’clock, we should be heading to the main dining hall.”

“Almost eight?”

Zhao Lian Er quickly checked her phone. Sure enough, it was nearly time.

She knew the Yu family’s strict rule about breakfast attendance. She had visited before and was well aware that this rule was set by the Yu family’s patriarch. Unless he personally abolished it, or passed away, it was absolutely mandatory.

Zhao Lian Er shot Tang Liyue a glare. “You have ten minutes to reconsider. If you still dare refuse me, you’ll regret it!”

With that, she huffed and stormed off, her exaggerated hip sway making her look like a pheasant with a messy tail.

Tang Liyue shut the door and shook her head.

So many troubles in this wealthy family. She had barely managed to escape Yu Mo Yuan’s clutches, and now she had to deal with this spoiled brat, Zhao Lian Er.

Thankfully, she would officially start work tomorrow.

At least during the day, she could avoid Zhao Lian Er. As for the evenings, she could just wait until everyone was asleep before coming home.

---

Near 8 AM – Yu Family’s Main Dining Hall

Everyone except the Yu family patriarch and Yu Mo Yuan had arrived.

Zhao Zhiliu still had her usual expressionless face, while Yu Minchuan remained as gentle and composed as ever, like a quiet stream.

Tang Liyue, meanwhile, stood alone.

Zhao Lian Er had already shoved her aside and taken her original seat.

A maid placed another chair at the third seat on the right, across from Yu Minchuan.

Tang Liyue had no intention of making a fuss.

In fact, sitting farther from Yu Mo Yuan was a relief for her.

So, she obediently took her new seat.

Zhao Lian Er glanced at Tang Liyue and sneered, “Hmph, at least you know your place. Looks like you’ve come to your senses.”

But Tang Liyue quietly muttered, “I don’t care where I sit, but I still can’t help you with that favor.”

“What did you say?!” Zhao Lian Er slammed the table, her fury making her look eerily like Zhao Zhiliu. No wonder they were aunt and niece.

Yu Minchuan frowned. “Cousin, what’s going on?”

Zhao Lian Er immediately pointed at Tang Liyue. “Minchuan-ge! Say something to her! I just asked her for a small favor, but no matter how nicely I asked, she refused!”

Yu Minchuan turned to Tang Liyue. “What kind of favor?”

Tang Liyue had just opened her mouth to reply when Zhao Lian Er suddenly clamped her hand over it.

Her eyes flickered nervously toward Zhao Zhiliu before she stammered, “I, I just asked her to help tidy up my room, that’s all!”

Under the table, she fiercely pinched Tang Liyue’s leg and whispered in a voice only she could hear:

“Don’t you dare tell them the truth! If you do, I’ll have my dad send someone to kill you!”