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Du Jinyun, after kowtowing, offered a teacup to Xu Qingyi, her eyes lowered and her demeanor submissive. “If the Young Madam is willing to forgive this servant, please accept this cup of tea.”
Since she had apologized, Xu Qingyi decided not to press the matter further.
She slowly extended her hand and took the teacup.
“I forgive you this time, for the sake of my second brother.” Xu Qingyi, before taking a sip, deliberately made Xie Huaian owe her a favor. “Otherwise, you’ve hurt me so deeply, I wouldn’t be able to simply brush it off. Do you understand?”
Du Jinyun, humiliated, bit her lip and said, “Yes, thank you, Young Madam… for your magnanimity.”
Xu Qingyi glanced at Xie Huaian with a look that seemed to say, “I’m giving you face, shouldn’t you thank me?”
If he could, Xie Huaian would have strangled Xu Qingyi right then and there.
But he couldn’t.
He could only, like Du Jinyun, swallow his pride and say, “Thank you, Sister-in-law.”
Xu Qingyi nodded in satisfaction, then took a symbolic sip of tea before handing the cup back to Liu.
“Then, the deed of contract…” Xie Huaian eagerly brought up the subject.
“Oh, right, the deed of contract.” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Xu Qingyi pulled out the document from the table.
Du Jinyun’s heart pounded with excitement; she prepared to reach for it. As long as she got the deed, she would be free.
“Mother-in-law, I’ll leave this deed of contract in your keeping.” Xu Qingyi looked around the room, finally resting her gaze on Madam Qin.
Madam Qin was stunned, then immediately broke into a smile. It was the first time she found Xu Qingyi so agreeable. “Ah, Qingyi is always so thoughtful.”
She had long wanted to obtain Du Jinyun’s deed of contract but hadn’t known how to ask. She hadn’t expected Xu Qingyi to be so accommodating.
“It’s my duty,” Xu Qingyi replied respectfully as she handed over the document.
Madam Qin accepted it with satisfaction, finally feeling like a proper mother-in-law.
Du Jinyun’s face was filled with disbelief. Why?
Why would Xu Qingyi give her deed of contract to Madam Qin?!
Xie Huaian suppressed his anger. “Mother, tear up the deed immediately. Don’t humiliate Jinyun like this.”
Madam Qin looked at her son with disappointment. Even now, he was still protecting that lowly servant girl, Du Jinyun.
Had he truly lost his mind?!
Madam Qin’s face darkened. “By showing her such favor, are you suggesting your reputation is too good? Do you still want to marry a woman of high standing? Do you still want a future?”
If word got out that Xie Huaian had defied his family for a lowly servant girl who had slept her way into his bed, it would ruin him!
“Mother!” Xie Huaian protested, his face flushed with anger.
Madam Qin coldly snorted, unmoved.
“Fine, I understand,” Xie Huaian said furiously. “You all look down on Jinyun, and you look down on me.”
They all claimed to be acting in his best interests, but when had they ever truly cared about Xie Huaian’s feelings?
Didn’t they know he had lived under Xie Yunzhi’s shadow all these years, utterly unhappy?
Only Du Jinyun understood his heart.
“You know we look down on you?” This time, the Marquis didn’t get angry; he seemed somewhat relieved, his smile strained and insincere. “Then think carefully – why do we look down on you?”
Ah, the Marquis had a dark sense of humor.
Xu Qingyi almost laughed out loud.
So did the others around them.
Even Xie Lin rarely showed a hint of a smile; he disliked Xie Huaian and was quite happy to see him humiliated.
“…” Xie Huaian’s face turned red with anger.
He knew, of course, that it was because he wasn’t as good as Xie Yunzhi.
“Face is earned, not given as charity. Even a three-year-old child understands that. Don’t tell me you don’t?” the Marquis asked.
“…” Xie Huaian, speechless under his father’s reprimand, angrily lowered his gaze.
“You’re incompetent and act recklessly, yet you expect others to respect you?” The Marquis showed no mercy to his second son, continuing his sarcastic taunts. “Such audacity!”
This time, everyone lost their composure.
A wave of low chuckles rippled through the room, quickly suppressed.
Xie Huaian, his mask of composure torn away, instantly flushed crimson with shame.
“Does being your son mean I must be extraordinary like my elder brother to deserve your love?” he angrily demanded.
“No,” the Marquis said coldly, glancing at his son’s defiant face. “If you possessed even a tenth of your brother’s abilities, I would be satisfied.”
Xie Huaian sullenly shut his mouth, regretting mentioning Xie Yunzhi.
Thankfully, Xie Yunzhi was now paralyzed and confined to bed; the Marquisate would eventually fall to him to inherit.
Thinking of this, Xie Huaian’s mood improved slightly.
The Old Madam understood this as well.
Therefore, even though she was displeased with Xie Huaian, she didn’t scold him harshly. Instead, she spoke earnestly. “Huaian, don’t blame your father. He’s just disappointed, and he only wants what’s best for you.”
Xie Huaian retorted sullenly, “Grandmother, how could I dare?”
“You’re not a child anymore. You should think about your future, not spend your days lingering in the inner house,” the Old Madam sighed softly. “Whether it’s studying or building connections, you must be more diligent. Don’t just drift along.”
Hearing this, Xie Huaian felt a rare pang of shame. “Yes, Grandmother.”
Xie Huaian’s talent for studying wasn’t actually bad.
It was just that he had always felt that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t surpass Xie Yunzhi.
So he had given up, becoming self-destructive.
Now that Xie Yunzhi was incapacitated…
It was indeed time for him to work hard.
In time, he would make them all look at him with new eyes.
With the drama over, the Xie family members dispersed.
“Grandmother, Father, Mother, Heng is sleepy. I’ll take him back to rest,” Xu Qingyi said, picking up Heng and taking her leave.
“Go ahead.” Towards Xu Qingyi, the Marquis and the Old Madam’s tone was always considerably softer.
Lin and Zhen also rose to take their leave.
The atmosphere between the mother and her three sons was indescribably harmonious.
It was a pleasant sight to behold.
After everyone had left, Mama Chang approached Du Jinyun, who was still kneeling on the ground. “Miss Jinyun…”
“Get lost!” Du Jinyun, filled with hatred for Xu Qingyi, vented her anger on Mama Chang. “Don’t act so self-righteous. I know you’re her spy!”
Mama Chang was about to protest her innocence.
Suddenly, a slap landed on her face – it was Xie Huaian.
“You insolent servant! You can’t even serve a young lady properly. Get out of here!”
If he hadn’t considered that Mama Chang was still Xu Qingyi’s person, he would have killed her without hesitation.
Hearing that Du Jinyun no longer needed her, Mama Chang was panicked.
“Miss Jinyun, you can’t turn your back on me like this!” Mama Chang cried, clutching her burning cheek. “You were the one who bribed me to betray the Young Madam; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been driven out!”
So Mama Chang had truly been dismissed by Xu Qingyi.
Du Jinyun turned on her mercilessly. “You were greedy, who else is to blame?”
She was nothing but an ungrateful wretch. Even Xu Qingyi didn’t want this treacherous servant; Du Jinyun certainly didn’t either.
Now that they had broken ties, she wasn’t afraid of Mama Chang spreading rumors.
Xie Huaian warned coldly, “Mama Chang, keep your mouth shut. Don’t say anything you shouldn’t, or I have ways to get rid of you.”
Mama Chang trembled.
She hadn’t expected Du Jinyun to be so ruthless. Thinking about her future, she was distraught and filled with regret.
If only she hadn’t betrayed her young lady!