Chapter Eighteen: Daydreaming

Gongcheng Ling’s heart sank. "It’s nothing."

"Just now, the Master not only said that my horoscope is incompatible with Wanqi Hui’s, but also mentioned my brother..."

Before he could finish, Gongcheng Zongguo interrupted him. "Enough, A-Ling, say no more. A-Zhan is not that kind of person."

Seeing his father’s attitude, he did not continue. Clearly, his father still believed that Gongcheng Zhan would never plot against him.

"Master, Young Master, the meal is prepared," Ji Zhanfei said as he flew in, interrupting their conversation. Gongcheng Zongguo took the opportunity to leave.

Watching the disappointment on Gongcheng Ling’s face, Ji Zhanfei asked, "Young Master, are you unhappy because you cannot betroth Wanqi Hui?"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Gongcheng Ling gave him a sideways glance.

"Then?"

Gongcheng Ling straightened his clothes and tidied himself up, looking at the curious Ji Zhanfei. "Alright, let’s go eat."

(Main Hall)

The Gongcheng family had prepared their highest-spec banquet to host Wanqi Yue. The variety of delicacies was overwhelming, leaving her dizzy and unsure where to start.

Or rather, she was unsure how to start because she couldn't keep up with the serving. She barely spoke throughout the meal, only nodding and murmuring in response. To the others, she looked as though she hadn't eaten in three days.

Gongcheng Zongguo watched her wolfing down the food and asked, "Master, how does the food in our residence compare to the Wanbao Restaurant?"

Caught off guard, Wanqi Yue tried to swallow the food in her mouth to answer, but in her haste, she choked. Gongcheng Ling quickly poured her a cup of tea and patted her back.

"Good—(cough, cough)—excellent..."

Gongcheng Ling interrupted her with a smirk. "Excellent. I know what you’re going to say; even without you speaking, your reaction says it all."

His teasing remark drew laughter from everyone.

Regaining her composure, Wanqi Yue’s face turned bright red. She scratched her head and said sheepishly, "Haha, please excuse me. I don’t drink much, but I do love to eat."

"That much is obvious. Fortunately, you are a man; if you were a woman, this way of eating would be quite frightening." Gongcheng Ling said this while refilling her tea.

"Heh."

Wanqi Yue smiled awkwardly on the surface, but inside, she genuinely wanted to stab him. *Bah! If I had known, I wouldn't have saved him with my medicine!*

"That may be so, but I haven't seen as many women as the young master of the Gongcheng family."

Gongcheng Ling raised an eyebrow. Holding his wine cup in one hand and propping his head up with the other, he looked at her with interest. "Oh? You can even calculate that?"

"I didn't calculate it; I saw it with my own eyes," Wanqi Yue replied quietly.

The two traded barbs over the table like a pair of bickering rivals.

After being wined and dined, Wanqi Yue claimed she had matters to attend to and declined the invitation to stay at the Gongcheng estate, slipping back home over the back wall.

Her substitute was still sitting at the table, quietly reading a book.

*Phew.* She let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, no one had noticed.

She retracted the substitute and changed back into her woman’s attire. Her blue dress and silver hairpin looked lovely.

She pushed open her door. *Well, I suppose I should show my face today so they don't think I've run off again.*

Actually, she was just stuffed from dinner and wanted to walk it off.

She stretched, breathing in the fresh air of the courtyard, and watched the stream flowing under the bridge. Life was quite pleasant.

But there are always people who cannot stand to see others in peace and must break the tranquility, even if they have to mock you to find something to do. People like this are what we might call "bosses" in modern life, but here, she was the "Third Young Lady."

Look! Walking toward us was the Third Young Lady of the General’s Mansion, taking mincing steps, wearing ostentatious jewelry, and sporting a pretentious expression. Sometimes fragile, sometimes vicious—that was Wanqi Hui.

Wanqi Hui put her hands on her hips and looked down at Wanqi Yue. "Oh, Wanqi Yue, you still have the energy to admire the scenery here?"

"You rude thing, you should call me elder sister~"

Unexpectedly, Wanqi Yue didn't even glance at her, which made her stomp her feet in anger.

"Don't think that just because Father has given you some freedom, you can run wild in this mansion."

Wanqi Yue retorted coldly, "Please, the one running wild is you."

Not wanting to tangle with such a person, Wanqi Yue turned to go back inside, but Wanqi Hui blocked her path. Wanqi Hui’s eyes were fierce, and she grabbed Wanqi Yue’s collar as if she wanted to devour her.

Wanqi Yue felt a jolt of tension, as if she were back in that rainy night from her memory, the night Wanqi Hui had ruthlessly choked her.

But the current Wanqi Yue was no longer the timid, fearful girl of the past. She backhanded a slap across Wanqi Hui’s face.

"You dare hit me?" Eyes wide with shock, Wanqi Hui raised her arm to strike back.

She didn't even graze her before receiving another slap.

Stunned by the second blow, Wanqi Hui glared at her, the hatred in her eyes growing, but she didn't go crazy as expected. Instead, she began to laugh to herself.

Now it was Wanqi Yue’s turn to be afraid. *This girl... she hasn't been hit stupid, has she?*

"Wanqi Yue, enjoy your days while you can. Once I become the Heir’s Consort, I will pay you back a thousand times over for all of this."

"You should know that Father loves me the most, heh!"

Wanqi Yue rolled her eyes. "What kind of daydreaming are you doing in broad daylight? Heir’s Consort? Didn't the engagement get called off?"

Wanqi Hui was too busy indulging in her own triumph to listen; she was still lost in her dream of being the Heir’s Consort.

"Oh, right. Your servants are truly pitiful, having to follow a master who can't even protect them... tsk, tsk. I truly feel sorry for them."

The maniacal laughter stung Wanqi Yue. She grabbed Wanqi Hui’s wrist and demanded sharply, "What did you do to them? Did you hit them again?"

"Let go!" Wanqi Hui jerked her reddened wrist away, looked at her triumphantly, and swept away.

Unable to attend to anything else, Wanqi Yue rushed out, calling for Bailu and Qufen. To her surprise, no sooner had she called twice than the two little maids emerged from the backyard.

"Miss."

"Are you two alright?" Wanqi Yue looked at the 'unharmed' pair, full of questions.

The two looked at each other, confused, and shook their heads.

She told them what Wanqi Hui had said, thinking they had been bullied. Since they were fine, she couldn't understand what Wanqi Hui’s sudden remark meant.

Bailu thought for a moment and said, "Miss, Xiao Pu seems to have been called away by Steward Wang this afternoon and hasn't returned yet."

Wanqi Yue slapped her forehead. *Oh, right, there’s her too.*

Thinking of the steward's attitude toward Xiao Pu yesterday, and how she seemed covered in injuries, her face darkened. Nothing good could come from being taken by Steward Wang.

She immediately set off. *Sigh, every single day, it’s either saving someone or on the way to save someone.*

The responsibility was heavy indeed.