Chapter 84: Cheating on Homework

After parting with Lu Songli, Xie Zhan returned to his exclusive private room at the Hongsheng Restaurant.

Zhao Yutan sat by the window, supporting her cheek with her hand, absentmindedly watching the bustling street scene outside. A tinge of sorrow once again appeared on her beautiful face.

After Xie Zhan entered, poured himself a cup of tea, took a few sips, then looked at Zhao Yutan, “What’s wrong with you?” His tone was casual, his mind still lingering on their previous conversation.

Turning around, Zhao Yutan softly said, “Today, Lu’s family was not punished again.” During this period of time, she found that things were really not going well for herself and her family. Apart from the marriage granted by the Empress Dowager, nothing good had happened.

Xie Zhan raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t this expected?”

Biting her lip, Zhao Yutan continued, “I know, but Brother Zhan, the situation of Fourth Young brother is really bad now. He is suffering every day, roaring and screaming like a trapped beast. You have no idea how many servants he has driven out of the courtyard recently, even excluding me, his own elder sister. Brother Zhan, seeing him like this, it pains me.” Recently, her Fourth Young brother had been reluctant to see her. She had visited his courtyard ten times, but could only see him three or four times. This kind of estrangement between siblings was unheard of before, and it truly saddened her.

The more Xie Zhan listened, the more he felt something was wrong. He decided to investigate the matter after returning home.

“I don’t mean anything else, I just want to make Fourth Young brother happy. I think only when Lu’s family is punished and he knows they deserve it, he may have a chance to improve.”

Xie Zhan calmly replied, “I’m sorry, if Zhao Bin insists on this to feel better, I can only say my abilities are limited, and I can’t meet his demands.”

Anxiously, Zhao Yutan said, “Brother Zhan, you don’t understand, Fourth Young Brother’s condition is really bad right now. If we let him continue like this, he will be ruined.” She believed that if Lu’s family was brought down once, if they faced retribution, her brother would surely be able to recover.

“I have limited abilities, I really can’t do it.”

Biting her lip, Zhao Yutan couldn’t express her current feelings. Was she disappointed by his indifference towards her affairs? Or was she disappointed that he wasn’t as powerful as she imagined? Perhaps it was a mix of both.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you back.” Xie Zhan handed her a cloak.

After returning home, Xie Zhan ordered an investigation into the backyard of the Zhao family, focusing on Zhao Bin’s courtyard.

During the investigation, problems were found. Was the backyard of the Zhao family like a sieve? Anyone could meddle in there. He felt helpless. Even his mother-in-law didn’t manage the backyard properly?

Moreover, with such obvious issues in Zhao Bin’s courtyard, how did they not notice?

The problem first appeared with two maids named Taozi and Yanzi. Before being sold, they had slandered Zhao Bin, instigated discord between Zhao Bin and his sister Zhao Yutan, but how could these bold maids dare to do such things? His mother-in-law, for some reason, didn’t punish them but instead beat them and then sold them.

Once they appeared at the pawnshop, they were immediately bought at a high price. The two of them swaggered through the streets, then were placed near the pawnshop. After several days, they were secretly moved to another place.

This move clearly indicated that those two maids had been bought.

His men quickly found out that Lu Songli was behind this, and she didn’t even bother to hide it.

Xie Zhan was not surprised by this result, but he couldn’t help but sigh. This woman was truly vindictive. Even when Zhao Bin was in such a pitiful state, she didn’t let him go and even tried to sow discord between him and his sister Zhao Yutan. It was like when Bi Gan had his heart dug out and encountered an old woman selling vegetables, seeking revenge with a heart full of hatred.

If Lu Songli knew, she would surely ask him, “So what?” Now that Zhao Bin was like a madman, instead of letting him go mad and turn against himself, why not make him hate his elder sister Zhao Yutan?

Whether it was favoring the elder sister or the younger sister, protecting them without any regard for right or wrong, weren’t these traits cultivated and tolerated by the Zhao family themselves? If the Zhao family didn’t teach their children the right sense of right and wrong, then let them learn from her.

Zhao Bin was like a blade protecting Zhao Yutan. Lu Songli really wanted to ask them, how does it feel now that the blade has turned against its master?

Lu Songli bought back those two maids, and her actions were so ostentatious, as if she wanted everyone to know, there must be a purpose behind it!

Sure enough, the subsequent events confirmed his suspicions.

Lu Songli had really set a bad example. Her actions silently and loudly shouted: This person has weaknesses, everyone attack! After she played this hand, the young men and women in Chang’an City who had been offended by the Zhao siblings, as if inspired, all took action, attacking the Zhao family’s backyard.

There were often servants around Zhao Bin who spoke without thinking, often saying the wrong things, making him go mad from time to time.

These servants were usually beaten, either transferred or sold by the Zhao family. Those who were sold were secretly bought back by certain people. Recently, the Zhao family’s backyard was truly in chaos.

His men investigated and found that Lu Songli hadn’t taken any further action, but others had. Yao Zining, Sheng Huai’an, Wang Shancun… He saw several familiar names, and he couldn’t help but think, just how much did Zhao Bin deserve to be hated.

After reading the investigation report, Xie Zhan couldn’t help but admire Lu Songli. This woman was really a troublemaker, her insidious tricks kept coming, making the Zhao family suffer enough.

If Lu Songli was here, she would definitely answer him, “Of course, life is all about causing trouble. If I don’t cause trouble for others, others will cause trouble for me. Compared to the two, it’s better for me to cause trouble for others. With enemies surrounding me, I can’t just lie flat. I’m afraid that if I lie flat, I’ll become a corpse, a corpse exposed in the wilderness.”

At this time, Lu Songli had just finished practicing a set of Eight-Section Brocade. After washing up, she was lying on a chaise longue, using a toothpick to pick at the fruit in her bowl. It was winter, and the opportunities to eat fruit were getting fewer. Luckily, her father was favored, and she occasionally received such gifts.

“Second Sister, you’re really a troublemaker.” Lu Mingzhi sighed, also holding a bowl full of fruit in his hand.

Lu Songli glared at him, “Mother said you were weak today, you should practice with me from now on.” Besides the Eight-Section Brocade, she also knew Tai Chi and radio gymnastics. The first two were exercises that her grandfather practiced every day in her previous life, and she and her cousins were dragged along to practice them from a young age. After practicing for so many years, she could do the whole set with her eyes closed.

“No, no.” Lu Mingzhi quickly refused, he liked peace and quiet, not movement.

Little guy, resistance is futile. She would teach the Eight-Section Brocade and Tai Chi to her father and let him lead him in practice. She was sure her father would be happy. Looking at his round face, which had gotten plumper after just a few days back, Lu Songli secretly decided.

Fat cells in the human body increase before the age of eighteen, and after that, they only grow larger! If you don’t control your weight in your youth, it will be difficult to lose weight later and you will easily gain weight. If you control it well in your youth, even if you gain weight later, it will be easy to lose it.

Therefore, stinky brother, at least before the age of eighteen, you have to lose weight for her!

“Second Sister, it’s suddenly a bit cold, don’t you think? Is there a draft from the window or door?”

“No, here, eat more.” Lu Songli pushed the bowl of fruit towards him.

It’s said that nine out of ten men have hemorrhoids, and he doesn’t like to exercise, he just sits around all day, what will he do if he gets hemorrhoids later? Lu Songli suddenly felt that as his elder sister, she was really worried about him.

“Second Sister, the Zhao family’s backyard has been lively recently.”

“As expected.” She had already set such a good example, whether or not they could follow suit depended on their understanding and comprehension. She had put the answers up, they just had to cheat on their homework and copy them. If they couldn’t even do that, they deserved to be frustrated.

She knew that her family had been in the spotlight recently, but she only set an example once. She believed that someone would follow suit. Whether they played to death or were crippled, it was their fate, it was Zhao Bin and Zhao Yutan’s karma.

“Second Sister, I heard that Zhao Bin is almost crazy.”

“He’s almost crazy, but he’s not crazy yet, is he?” Lu Songli raised an eyebrow.

Appropriate suffering can temper a person, inspire a person’s wisdom, but extreme suffering can distort a person’s soul.

Zhao Bin had been crippled by her, and his body and mind were currently in the process of rebuilding after the trauma. If at this time, he received some positive feedback, whether it was good news about his body or comfort for his soul, it would be beneficial for his reconstruction.

What she had done was simply sprinkle some salt on the wounds of his wounded soul.

Since she couldn’t destroy him physically, she decided to destroy him mentally, turning him into someone who would never be able to rise again—a complete wreck!

Watching his second sister casually utter the most vicious words, Lu Mingzhi shrank back, firmly resolving one thing: no matter what, he could never afford to offend his second sister.