Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband

Chapter 106: Discord at the Feast

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fronting Robes Square was a three-story building. The first story sold various embroideries and fabrics. The second story housed and sold exclusive jewelry, and the third story contained customer dressing rooms for trying on clothes.

Behind the building was an elegant garden consisting of pavilions, pagodas, and old, sturdy trees. The area was an oasis of calm and beauty, providing a tonic for the soul.

To the left of the garden were the seamstresses’ chambers. This was also where the seamstresses of Robes Square usually rested. Farther back was Lan Zhihui’s private lodgings, richly decorated and nestled among the plum trees. All the buildings were connected by covered walkways and beautiful landscapes, each with a distinctive flavor.

The ladies usually gathered in the garden. Furnaces were ignited, providing a spring-like warmth. Indeed, many flowers had already blossomed, filling the air with their sweet perfume.

The landscaping was exquisite, particularly when the sun was shining. It was as if the whole place had bypassed winter and entered the fourth month of the lunar calendar.

When Su Jiu and Lan Zhihui arrived, all the other young ladies were already present. The beautiful women had gathered and were chatted with each other, making the garden colorful and lively.

“Oh, Lady Lan is here.”

Someone called out, and the others turned their heads to greet her. With a smile on their face, they walked over.

“Lady Lan, we’ve been waiting for a long time.”

“Lady Lan, the guests were already here, but the host was nowhere to be found. That’s a huge discourtesy on your part!”

…

All the women were chattering at the same time, resulting in a cacophony of sounds in the usually tranquil garden.

These women were dignified, beautiful, elegant, and dressed in luxury. Their heads were adorned with beads. Given that the New Year had just passed, they were especially well turned out. The garden was awash in a dazzling array of colors.

“I was delayed. To apologize for making all of you wait, I shall drink three cups of wine,” Lan Zhihui volunteered.

The crowd laughed along with her, and someone’s voice rang out crisply, “Lady Lan, who is this lady beside you?”

Su Jiu’s dressing and looks were uncommon: Everyone had noticed her presence the moment she entered. However, they had all been too shy to ask.

Lan Zhihui smiled. “Let me introduce her to everyone. This is the Young Mistress of the Ji household.”

Total silence…

Su Jiu was met with many expressions, ranging from curiosity to contempt to envy. All the young ladies in Shengjing City had heard of the current Young Mistress of the Ji household who hailed from the Su family.

Among the stories that were circulating, the most oft-heard one was that when the Ji family had met with difficulties, they had broken off the betrothal. Later on, when the Jis had managed to rise above their troubles and eventually become the wealthiest family in the country, they refused to acknowledge the broken betrothal. They had insisted on sending their daughter over. It was fortunate that the Ji household had not held a grudge, and Ji Yuxian had married the girl anyway. Otherwise, if she had been chased out of the city, what a joke she would have become.

And this lady standing before them was she.

A few daughters of the officials had been well brought up. Their expressions didn’t change, and they stepped forward with a polite smile. “Young Mistress Ji, what a pleasure,” they greeted demurely.

Su Jiu easily recognized the displeasure in these girls’ eyes but took no offense. She nodded her head and replied, “Likewise.”

Regardless of the circumstances, Su Jiu was now the Young Mistress of the Ji household after all. It didn’t matter if these individuals refused to accept it, or if they looked down on her. They had to put up an act of embracing her all the same. A few of the ladies were the daughters of the shopkeepers under the Ji household’s employment, and that was all the more reason for them to be respectful to Su Jiu.

“Thank you, everyone, for honoring me with your presence. In the garden, here is some grape wine that I fermented on my own, as well as some small gifts. They are nothing to speak of, but I hope you will like them nonetheless. Come, let us have a seat!” Lan Zhihui’s voice was gentle, and she smiled gracefully. She motioned to Su Jiu to step ahead of her and brought everyone to the pavilion in the middle of the garden.

Once inside the garden, the fragrance was apparent in the air. The tables and chairs were arranged not only in the pavilion but also under the blossoming trees. On the tables were various sweet snacks that ladies favored, as well as grape wine inside white jade jars.

In the pavilion, Qinxiang and the other maidservants placed a few pouches and handkerchiefs on the tables. “These pouches and handkerchiefs were handmade personally by my mistress as a New Year’s gift for all of you,” Qinxiang said with gracious a smile.

With that proclamation, she handed out the items.

The daughter of the headmaster of the Imperial College looked at her handkerchief and saw that her favorite peony flowers had been embroidered on it. The daughter of the city’s rouge merchant found that her ideal bamboo was also embroidered on her handkerchief. Each one of them looked down and realized that their several handkerchiefs had been embellished with their favorite flowers. They couldn’t help but be in awe of Lady Lan’s thoughtfulness.

As the proprietress of Robes Square, Lan Zhihui rarely did the needlework personally, except when it was for the royal family. Moreover, she had remembered the favorite flowers of each individual. Such sentiments were hard to come by.

“Thank you, Lady Zhihui.”

“Indeed, Lady Zhihui’s handiwork is more valuable than money and gemstones.”

“I’ve been embroidering a peony for days. Now that I see how Lady Lan has done it, I finally understand the meaning of the phrase ‘worlds apart!’ ”

…

The crowd gathered around Lan Zhihui, full of praise and gratitude. The happiness was evident on their faces as they scrutinized the items in their hands.

Though Su Jiu had been left out in the cold, she didn’t bother to step forward either. Instead, she sat on her own to appreciate the scenery.

It wasn’t hard to understand what these ladies were feeling. They had long held a torch for Ji Yuxian and were naturally jealous of Su Jiu as his wife. Furthermore, the prior actions of the Su family had given them legitimate reason to hate Su Jiu.

On the other hand, while Lan Zhihui was known as the most talented woman in Shengjing City, she could never marry into the Ji household. She was living proof of the saying that a beautiful woman often suffered an unfortunate life. These other women couldn’t help but empathize with her and pity her. This was all the more reason for them to side with her and deliberately push Su Jiu, the official wife, into an awkward corner—as if that would gain some justice for Lan Zhihui.

“Lady Lan has such a pure heart and spirit. It’s no wonder the Eldest Young Master is so taken by her. If it weren’t for the fact that the marriage had been arranged when he was young, Lady Lan might very well have become the Young Mistress of the Ji household,” the voice of a woman in yellow rang out clearly.

The moment the words were spoken, the pavilion fell silent. Someone glanced at Su Jiu, who was sitting alone; however, seeing Su Jiu behave as if she hadn’t heard a thing, the person didn’t look back again.

Lan Zhihui answered casually, “Lady Li, you must be joking. The Young Master is already married and merely treats me as a confidante.”

Lady Li quickly covered her lips with her handkerchief and exclaimed with false remorse, “Oh my goodness. How could I have said something like that? I forgot that Young Mistress Ji is still present.” She looked toward Su Jiu. “It was unintentional. Please do not take offense, Young Mistress.”

Su Jiu paid her no heed whatsoever.

Lady Li’s expression turned ugly; her contempt was evident on her face as she turned her head back.

“All right. Please have a seat, everyone,” Lan Zhihui said with tinkling laughter. She turned to Qinxiang and instructed, “Bring out the Buxus tea, which the Young Master sent over and serve it to the ladies.”

“Yes!” Qinxiang replied before hurrying to comply.

The crowd was stunned, and someone spoke up.

“Buxus tea? The same one where only two jars are produced a year and sent into the palace as tribute?”

Lan Zhihui nodded her head gently, “Yes, that’s the one.”

Everyone was filled with envy. “I heard that Eldest Young Master loves that tea. He only gets one jar a year and gave it to Lady Lan. It’s obvious how important Lady Lan is to him.”

“Well, Lady Lan grew up in Robes Square and is childhood sweethearts with the Young Master. Naturally, no one can compete with that.”

“Exactly. I’m so envious!”

The ladies crowded around Lan Zhihui, full of envy and jealously, never mind the fact that it was because her parents had both died when she was young that the Ji household had taken her in.

Qinxiang soon brought the tea leaves out and instructed the maidservants to brew it in boiling spring water. The whole garden filled with the fragrance of the tea.

At that moment, the seamstresses began to bring out the racks and garments, together with an array of accessories. The crowd rushed over in excitement and keen interest. Only a few remained by Lan Zhihui’s side in conversation.

A woman looking at the fabrics suddenly turned around and raised her voice to ask, “Will the showcase today be hosted by Lady Lan or by Young Mistress?”

Previously, it had always been Lan Zhihui who had introduced the works of art and exquisite embroideries to their customers. This year, Su Jiu had come, and hence, that question had been deliberately asked.

Lan Zhihui glanced at Su Jiu beside her and got up with a laugh. “Young Mistress does not know embroidery. Henceforth, I shall remain as everyone’s hostess.”

“What?” someone exclaimed sharply in a tone of disbelief. “How can she, as the Young Mistress of the Ji household, not have any knowledge of embroidery? You must be joking, Lady Lan!”

Lan Zhihui cleared her throat gently and replied, “The Young Mistress is gifted in music, chess, literature, and the arts. It’s the only embroidery that she has no knowledge of.”

The crowd was wowed even further by Lan Zhihui’s generosity when they saw her rush to Su Jiu’s defense.

Su Jiu stared at the woman. Her eyes grew cold, and she raised her eyebrows.

Lan Zhihui got up to serve Su Jiu her tea, and said respectfully, “Young Mistress, please take the head seat.”

“That won’t be necessary. Indeed, I don’t know anything about needlework and will be leaving shortly,” Su Jiu said casually with a snicker.

“I have been unable to host you well as the place is crowded and busy today. Please do not take offense, Young Mistress. Do stay a little longer,” Lan Zhihui responded gently.

“Don’t worry. I won’t say a word to Ji Yuxian when I get home later,” Su Jiu’s eyes twinkled devilishly.

Lan Zhihui was taken aback for a moment, as guilt flashed across her eyes for a moment before she pasted a smile on her face. “I do not understand what Young Mistress is trying to say.”

“It doesn’t matter whether you understand or not. Concentrate on taking care of the customers. I can take care of myself. You don’t have to stand on ceremony,” Su Jiu said magnanimously with a chuckle.

“All right.” Lan Zhihui nodded her head, but in the instant that she turned around, her expression darkened.

Just then, Qinxiang came forward, holding a red tray on which were placed a wine jar and a blue and white porcelain cup.

“What is this?” asked Lan Zhihui.

Qinxiang gave Lan Zhihui a knowing glance and replied, “Premium Bamboo Green Wine that has been warmed with plum water. It was specially prepared for Young Mistress.”

To warm it up, the wine had been placed in a tight celadon casserole that was brewing with plum water beforehand. When the water began to boil, the plum fragrance diffused into the wine, giving it a tangy and robust aroma.

Lan Zhihui jerked back in shock and bit her bottom lip in hesitation.

There was nothing particularly special about this Bamboo Green Wine. However, it differed from other liquors in that it originated from the Western Regions and had a very high alcohol content. Even someone who could hold her liquor would be quickly drunk after one jar.

Lan Zhihui knew what Qinxiang’s intentions were: She wanted Su Jiu to embarrass herself in public while drunk.”

Today, all the ladies hailed from prominent, respected families in the city. If Su Jiu made a fool of herself, the whole city would soon know about it, and the Ji household would be severely embarrassed as a result. If Ji Yuxian lost his dignity, he would most likely take it out on Su Yuejiu and might even give her the cold shoulder as a result. How wrong they were.

Moreover, no one would be suspicious of her. After all, it would have been Su Yuejiu who drank the liquor of her own volition. Considering she had not forced anything on the Young Mistress, no one would hold her responsible for the fiasco.

“Take care of the customers, Mistress. I’ll serve the Young Mistress.” Qinxiang winked at Lan Zhihui.

Lan Zhihui nodded slowly and casually replied, “Serve the Young Mistress well.”

“I will.”

Qinxiang smiled and walked over to Su Jiu.

“Young Mistress, this is a Bamboo Green Wine that Lady Lan prepared for the New Year. It has been prepared with plum water and has an exceptional taste. I prepared a jar, especially for Young Mistress, to ward off the chill.” Qinxiang smiled amiably and placed the wine jar and cup on the wooden side table next to Su Jiu.

Women in the city were accustomed to drinking liquor. The liquor was usually of the fruit variety and was prepared in the women’s households. They did not harm the women’s health and were effective in warding off the chill. At times, medicinal herbs and spices were added, giving the liquor therapeutic benefits that helped with the ladies’ illnesses, while leaving a pleasant aroma behind. This was a common practice among the highborn ladies.

Therefore, there was nothing suspicious about Qinxiang serving Su Jiu the alcohol at that moment.

Qin Xiang had a round face, almond-shaped eyes, and plump cheeks. When she smiled, she looked very endearing.

Su Jiu sniffed the wine and nodded with a smile, “Thank you very much.”

Qinxiang replied courteously, “You’re most welcome, Young Mistress. Should you need anything else, please do not hesitate to call me.”

As she spoke, she poured a cup of wine for Su Jiu. “Please enjoy Young Mistress.”

The stronger the wine, the more fragrant it was. Just the scent of it alone was enough to make Su Jiu feel heady. She took a sip and nodded with approval. “This is indeed good liquor.”

Qinxiang giggled happily, “I’m glad Young Mistress likes it. I’ll bring some snacks for you.”

Su Jiu nodded. As she sat drinking alone, she observed the scene of beauties before her, and her heart gladdened with appreciation.

Ji Yuxian had left the house early in the morning. When he returned home before noon, he asked as he headed toward his study, “Where’s the Young Mistress?”

Jin Feng followed behind him and smiled inwardly to himself. His Young Master couldn’t bear to be separated from his wife any longer than necessary.

Old Housekeeper Yu quickly replied, “Lady Lan came late in the morning, and invited Young Mistress over for the Garment Showcase Feast.”

Ji Yuxian halted in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. “She went to Robes Square?”

“Yes, she did.”

The man’s eyes darkened. He whirled around and exited the manor immediately with the instructions, “To Robes Square.”

Jin Feng shrugged his shoulders. His Young Master was indeed predictable.

At this rate, their dear Young Master was about to become the Young Mistress’s lackey.

Because of the ongoing festivities, the roads were teeming with people, and the jam-packed crowds slowed them down. It was nearly midday by the time JI Yuxian reached Robes Square.

The workers in Robes Square were astonished when they saw Ji Yuxian arriving personally, and they quickly led him inside.

Before passing through the gate, Ji Yuxian could hear the cacophony of female chatter coming from the garden. With a frown, he quickened his pace.

Upon entering the garden, he saw a gaggle of gorgeous women. But Ji Yuxian only had eyes for the young lady sitting at the edge of the pavilion and leaning on the ledge with her eyes closed.

Su Jiu was drunk.

Besides her, only half a jar of Bamboo Green Wine remained.

Qinxiang had begun to panic when she observed that Su Jiu hadn’t caused a commotion after getting drunk, and was merely sleeping quietly. At that moment, Qinxiang was cracking her head, trying to think of a way to make Su Jiu embarrass herself.

She looked up and saw Ji Yuxian walking over. Horror flashed across her eyes, and she quickly hid behind Lan Zhihui.

Several people surrounded lan Zhihui. Right then, she had the latest accessory from the shop in her hand, and she was showing a customer what it would look like on her head. The whole place was abuzz with activity. Su Jiu was the only one who was left out.

As soon as the crowd saw Ji Yuxian walking toward them, they quieted down. The ladies lowered their heads shyly, not daring to look at him. But at the same time, they were worried he wouldn’t notice them.

Lan Zhihui’s face broke into a grin, and she called out to him, familiarly, “Yuxian, what are you doing here?”

Ji Yuxian acted as if he hadn’t heard anything. He walked straight to Su Jiu and crouched down in front of her. Reaching out to hold her face that was cool to the touch, he called out gently, “Wife…”

Su Jiu’s eyes remained closed. No reply.

Her formerly fair and white complexion had flushed red as a result of the alcohol.

Ji Yuxian caught a glimpse of the alcohol jar out the side of his eye, and his eyes turned icy as realization set in. With a wave of his hand, the jar fell to the floor with a loud crash and broke into numerous pieces. The pungent scent of the alcohol wafted over.

The crowd of ladies was shocked, and they took a step back in fear.

Qinxiang’s legs turned to jelly; she almost fell to the ground.

Lan Zhihui sat unmoving as she maintained her regal posture. However, her face turned ghastly white.

Ji Yuxian took off the cloak he was wearing and wrapped it around Su Jiu. He bent down to scoop her up in his arms and turned around. With huge strides, he left.

“Yuxian!” Lan Zhihui panicked and called out as she ran after him.

He left without looking back, his cold shadow trailing behind him.

The sudden silence in the garden was eerily deafening. Most of the crowd had no idea what had just transpired. However, a few of the sharper ones had surmised that Lan Zhihui must have done something to Young Mistress Ji, offending the Eldest Young Master as a result.

Regardless of how much any of them knew, all the ladies were oblivious of one fact. Young Master Ji cared very much for this particular Young Mistress Ji. They had all witnessed the gentleness on his face when he interacted with her.

Judging from the situation, it seemed that Lan Zhihui wasn’t anyone special to Young Master Ji at all. Rumors, indeed, were not to be believed.

Lan Zhihui froze in place, her complexion alternating between red and white. After a long while, she finally turned around, and maintaining a dignified mien, said, “The feast will end here today. I’m not feeling well and would like to retire. Please forgive me.”

With that, she turned around and exited the pavilion, heading to the building at the back.

The ladies were all tactful and said their goodbye immediately. And that was how the showcase that was supposed to last till late afternoon ended prematurely.

After sending the customers off, Qinxiang returned to the building at the back. The moment she ascended the stairs, she could hear the sound of things crashing and breaking. Her expression changed, and she dashed up. She lifted the bead curtains and found the whole place covered in broken porcelain, torn-up calligraphy, and smashed teapots, among other things. What a sorry sight.

Taking a second look, she realized that these were all items that Ji Yuxian had given to her Mistress.

At that very moment, Lan Zhihui was holding on to her zither, about to smash it on the ground.

Horrified, Qinxiang threw herself forward to grab Lan Zhihui’s hand. In tears, she yelled, “Mistress! Mistress, what are you doing?”

Lan Zhihui’s complexion was pale. “Move aside,” she demanded.

Qinxiang grabbed her hand and refused to let go. “Mistress, this is all my fault! I came up with this dreadful idea. It has nothing to do with you. I will explain myself to Eldest Young Master right away.”

Tears began streaming down Lan Zhihui’s face, and she was laughing mockingly at herself. “Are you out to humiliate me any further?”

“Mistress!” Qinxiang held on to the zither and burst into tears.

Lan Zhihui dragged her feet to her bed, absentmindedly. Her formerly proud eyes shimmered with tears and despair. “Since there’s no place for me here, why do I remain?”

When the carriage reached Ji Manor, Ji Yucian carried Su Jiu off and entered the front yard. “Brew some hangover medication now,” he instructed clearly.

“Right away,” Jin Feng hurried to comply.

Back in the bedroom, he placed Su Jiu on the bed. The lady’s face was bright red, and she frowned as she tugged at her clothing, “Hot! It’s so hot!”

Ji Yuxian removed her outer coat for her. The heat from the liquor was beginning to stir her loins, and Su Jiu was suddenly engulfed by immense discomfort.

“You’ll be fine in a moment,” Ji Yuxian wet a towel with cold water and placed it on Su Jiu’s forehead. Only then did she gradually calm down.

After a few moments of silence, Su Jiu pursed her lips and complained of thirst. Ji Yuxian took a mouthful of water and putting his mouth to hers, helped her to wet her lips.

Su Jiu reacted as if she had trekked a thousand miles in the desert. Her lips twitched, and she sucked on him hungrily.

The man held her in his arms, but when he felt his body slowly reacting to her action, he pushed her away slightly.

But Su Jiu had already tasted the sweetness. She pounced onto him like an octopus and located his lips with complete accuracy.

Ji Yuxian’s breathing grew erratic, and his half-lidded eyes glazed over with desire. But a thought occurred in the back of his mind. If he had arrived any later, what would this girl have done…

Jin Feng was soon done brewing the hangover medication and had Mo Yu bring to them.

Ji Yuxian took the bowl of medication from Mo Yu and dismissed her. He carefully fed the medication to Su Jiu.

With her eyes still closed, Su Jiui took a sip and turned her head away immediately. She shook her head in the complaint.

“Come on. You’ll feel better once you drink this. You’ll wake up with a dreadful headache otherwise.” The man’s voice was low as he gentled cajoled her.

Su Jiu’s lips remained tightly shut. She simply refused to drink the concoction.

Ji Yuxian had no other choice but to drink the medication on his own and feed it to her, mouth-to-mouth, sip by sip.

By the time he was done with the whole bowl, the young lady was quietly lying on the bed. Her breathing was steady; she had fallen into a deep sleep.

The man took a handkerchief and wiped the remaining drop of medication from her lips. He carefully covered her with the blanket and rose to place the bowl back on the table.

“Ji Yuxian,” a low voice suddenly rang out from behind him. He felt his sleeve being grabbed, and he turned around.

Su Jiu hadn’t awakened. Her eyes were still closed, and her glossy lips were pouted. His arm revealed a small wrist as she clung onto this sleeve tightly. “Ji Yuxian, don’t leave!” she muttered quietly.

Ji Yuxian’s eyes darkened, and he suddenly felt his heart soften. He placed the bowl down randomly before reaching out to hold her. Bending his head down to place a kiss on her forehead and replied, “All right. I won’t leave. I’ll stay here with you.”

Su Jiu burrowed into his embrace. Her drunken self was quite different from her cold and cunning personality in the day. Right now, the individual in his arms was all woman: she wouldn’t stop snuggling into the chest. “Ji Yuxian,” she croaked. “Your body is so warm, and it’s so fragrant. Let me hold you.”

Ji Yuxian couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry when he heard Su Jiu’s words. He flipped the blanket open and lay down, hugging her tightly. In a gentle tone, he responded, “All right. Hold me. Hold me till you’re happy!”

The young lady was satisfied and fell back asleep.

Su Jiu was asleep for a whole day and a full night. When she awoke the next morning, the nanny came in to help her clean up. After her bath, Mo Yu brought in a bowl of piping hot porridge.

“Young Master’s orders. You didn’t eat last night and slept on an empty stomach. Hence, you’re not allowed to eat anything sweet or oily. Have some hot porridge first. If you want anything else, I’ll serve it to you in an hour,” Mo Yu said tenderly as she placed the tray on the table.

The nanny combed Su Jiu’s hair and remarked with a laugh when she heard that. “The Young Master dotes on you, Mistress. He’s thought of everything.”

Su Jiu’s eyes suddenly lit up as she turned around and asked, “Where’s Ji Yuxian?”

Mo Yu quickly replied, “Young Master just left. Lady Lan came.”

Su Jiu pursed her lips. The eyes of the woman in the mirror’s reflection slowly turned cold. She knew her alcohol limit wasn’t infinite, but she could hold her alcohol reasonably well. Even so, half a jar of wine at Robes Square had caused her to pass out for a whole day and a full night. She would have to be stupid beyond belief not to be able to figure out that someone had planned it deliberately.

Ji Yuxian had been right. The schemes of women were much harder to defend against than weapons in the open. That maidservant had smiled so kindly and amiably at her yesterday, and she hadn’t detected the invisible dagger.

At that moment, Lan Zhihui was still in the study. She was dressed simply and without any accessories. On the contrary, instead of making her look plain, her dressing gave her a clean and pure bearing.

With her zither in her hand, she was speaking to Ji Yuxian with a slight bow.

“I have received your love and care for the past ten years. I will always be grateful for it! Yesterday, I allowed Young Mistress to get drunk. Although it was unintentional, I feel responsible for it and have been consumed with guilt. Hence, I’m here today to resign from my position as the proprietress of Robes Square as atonement for my mistake and poor judgment.”

Ji Yuxian sat behind his desk of gold-rimmed Nanmu wood and folded his arms. His handsome eyes stared unforgivingly at her, and they darkened. He didn’t seem surprised, and asked without missing a beat, “Are you sure?”

Lan Zhihui’s heart sank when she heard that. Holding her zither, her fingers turned white, and disbelief filled her eyes. She felt a mixture of despair, disappointment, and panic.

She hadn’t genuinely wanted to resign. She had worked in Robes Square for a decade. The success that Robes Square enjoyed currently was mainly due to her efforts. How could she ever bear to leave?

Her presence today had just been a move to manipulate Ji Yuxian into begging her to stay. She had wanted to find out where she stood in Ji Yuxian’s heart. After all, she knew that Robes Square couldn’t do without her.

She had never expected Ji Yuxian to say that. He hadn’t left her anyway out at all.

That was all their ten years of friendship amounted to.

What else was there for her to hold on to?

The woman was unable to let go of her pride. She suddenly looked up, and with a proud smile, said, “Yes. Indeed, I am.”

“You’ve given ten years of hard work to Robes Square. Take as much money as you want from its account,” Ji Yuxian said offhandedly.

“That won’t be necessary. I’ll only take whatever is mine, and not a cent more.” The woman lifted her chin.

After saying that, Lan Zhihui had a final statement to get off her chest, and continued, “Eldest Young Master, you now have Young Mistress by your side and no longer need me. Young Mistress may now take over as proprietress of Robes Square. If there’s anything about needlework that she needs help with, she can feel free to ask me. I’d tell her everything I know.”

Ji Yuxian narrowed his eyes, and his demeanor turned icy. With a sardonic smile, he replied, “Zhihui, you’re mistaken. My wife is the Mistress of the entire Ji household. Why on earth would she become a proprietress?”

Lan Zhihui’s face turned white.

She stared straight at Ji Yuxian as if she were looking at a stranger. His eyes were filled with arrogance and disdain. She stepped forward and placed the zither on his table and retreated slowly. With her back straight, she turned and exited his study. She walked proudly and elegantly, just like she had the very first time she met Ji Yuxian.

However, this time around, she was walking away from him.

When she opened the door and stepped out, Qinxiang was waiting for her nervously. She saw Lan Zhihui’s expression, and her heart dropped. She knew it was over for them.

Lan Zhihui’s lips were pressed in a thin line as she headed out of the manor.

Qinxiang wanted to ask a question, but she didn’t dare to, and simply followed behind.

As the two of them descended the steps, they came face to face with Su Jiu, who was headed their way.

When Su Jiu’s eyes met Lan Zhihu’s eyes, both stopped dead in their tracks.

Lan Zhihui nodded imperceptibly at Su Jiu and turned to leave.

Qinxian, however, who was following behind, felt aggrieved at the situation. She glared at Su Jiu and scoffed, “Young Mistress, now that you’ve chased my Mistress out of the Ji household, there’ll be no one to fight with you for his affections! I hope you’re happy!”

Su Jiu grinned, but she didn’t look at the maidservant. She raised her eyebrows and turned toward Lan Zhihui, “You’re in love with Ji Yuxian, Lady Lan?”

Lan Zhihui turned to face her. Although her face was white, her posture remained regal, and she smiled slightly. “You don’t have to worry, Young Mistress. The Young Master indeed proposed marriage to be before—three times. But I didn’t accept it, as there is someone else in my heart. I never look back at things I have rejected. Therefore, Young Mistress, you don’t need to harbor any hostility toward me. From today onward, I will no longer be part of Robes Square and part of the Ji Household. Young Mistress, you should have nothing to worry about anymore!”

Su Jiu’s eyes were bright, and she chuckled. “There’s nothing for me to be worried about. That was all between you and Ji Yuxian. But, I’ve always been a petty person and a vengeful person. What I’m here for is to ask you how to intend to settle the score between us regarding what you did to me yesterday.”

As Su Jiu spoke, she took a step forward and rotated her wrists. She cracked her knuckles, and the atmosphere suddenly turned chilly.

Lan Zhihui and Qinxiang had heard rumors of the Young Mistress of the Ji household. It was said that Su Jiu had sent Madame Xie flying out of the room with one punch.

Qinxiang began to tremble. She stood in front of her Mistress to shield her and glared at Su Jiu with a look of warning in her eyes. With a tremor in her voice, she asked, “What… What are you up to?”

“This face of yours looks good. I read in a book that beauty comes from the bone structure, and not the skin. If I were to punch you and shatter your bones, do you think you’ll still be as good-looking as you are now?” Su Jiu asked menacingly as she narrowed her eyes and leaned closer.

Lan Zhihui’s expression betrayed her panic. She was no longer as arrogant and calm as she had been moments before. Her hands clenched tightly around the back of Qinxiang’s clothing, and she took a step back instinctively. “This is Ji Manor. You’d dare to hit me?”

“Of course! This is Ji Manor, and I’m the Mistress of this place! What do I have to be afraid of?” Su Jiu cackled, revealing her white teeth.

With that, the look in her eyes turned cold, and she swung her fist across.

Lan Zhihui felt a violent gust of wind rush over, cutting her face like a sharp knife. She screamed and fell into the ground with a loud thud before scrambling to her feet and running away.

Qinxiang followed behind her, wailing loudly. The two of them looked like wolves were chasing them, and no longer spared a thought for their image and demeanor.

Su Jiu laughed in glee as she watched the two women run for their lives, and left to look for Ji Yuxian.

Lan Zhihui ran out of the Ji Manor before she finally stopped. She hurriedly rearranged her hair and clothing and touched up her face. When she realized that nothing was different, she heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Qinxiang ran over and called out, “Mistress, are you okay?”

Lan Zhihui’s face was pale, and her eyes were emotionless as she nodded her head.

“Mistress, do we return to Robes Square?” Qinxiang asked.

Since Lan Zhihui had emerged from the study, Qinxiang had no had the opportunity to ask what the Young Master had said. But she presumed that the Young Master wouldn’t have allowed her Mistress to leave regardless of the circumstances.

Lan Zhihui laughed sardonically. “No, we’re not going back.”

“What?” Qinxiang exclaimed in shock and stared at Lan Zhihui in disbelief. Wiping her tears, she asked, “How could Eldest Young Master be so heartless as to chase you away? Didn’t he like you very much? Does your friendship mean nothing to him?”

Lan Zhihui glared at her angrily and retorted, “Shut up! I left on my own accord! He did not chase me away.”

Tears continued to stream down Qinxiang’s face, and she looked at Lan Zhihui fearfully. She had never seen Lan Zhihui behave so frostily before, and quickly asked, “So, where do we go now?”

Lan Zhihui’s expression remained ominous, and she lowered her voice, “Find us an inn to stay in for the time being!”

“Right away!”

Qinxiang helped Lan Zhihui up the carriage and instructed the driver to look for an inn.

Lan Zhihui turned her head back to look at the entrance of the Ji Manor, and her heart sank.

After the fifth day of the New Year passed, the sixth, seventh, and eighth day flew by. The shops in the city began to reopen one by one. The sound of firecrackers cracking in the air was deafening.

Business at the bodyguard agency began to pick up, and the restaurant was full every day. Su Jiu spent her mornings studying and occasionally went to the restaurant in the afternoons to help them out.

On the tenth day of the new year, the temperature plunged. At approximately noon, there was a light snowfall. Su Jiu was bored at home and decided to walk the streets.

Just as she stepped out of the house, she met Ji Yuxian, who had just come home. Behind him were two men who looked like his managers.

“Where are you off to?” Ji Yuxian ascended the stairs and looked at Su Jiu with a frown.

“It’s so boring at home. I’m going out for a walk,” Su Jiu replied.

“Why are you dressed so thinly?” Ji Yuxian asked before turning around to instruct the servants, “Bring Young Mistress’s cloak over!”

“Right away,” Mo Yu answered and hurried to comply.

Ji Yuxian held Su Jiu’s cold hands in his and lowered his head as he engaged her in whispered conversation. The shock was evident in the eyes of the two managers behind him as they lowered their heads and averted their eyes.

Mo Yu returned very quickly and handed Ji Yuxian an embroidered cloak lined with fox fur on the inside.

After putting the cloak on Su Jiu and arranging the hood on her head carefully, Ji Yuxian smiled and said, “The weather is chilly. Come back early. I’ll wait for you for dinner.”

Su Jiu looked up and smiled. “Okay,” she replied.

Ji Yuxian watched Su Jiu until she disappeared out of the manor before turning around and heading into his study, with the two managers following respectfully behind.

Chang Huan readied the carriage and brought Su Jiu to the restaurant.

The snow had already stopped, but the skies were still overcast. However, the streets were full of people, probably because the Lantern Festival was fast approaching. The atmosphere was palpably festive, and lion and dragon dance troupes passed the mews and main thoroughfares.

The carriage couldn’t squeeze its way through and had no choice but to stop by the side of the road and wait for the dance troupes to pass.

Su Jiu and Chang Huan sat beside each other on the carriage. They watched as the lion dancers pranced on the steps and high platforms, performing various stunts to the loud cheers of the audiences below. The whole place was vivacious.

A few guys who were together with the lion dance troupe came forward with a tray to solicit donations. When one guy approached Su Jiu, she magnanimously gave them a silver medal. He was stunned and thanked her profusely.

Su Jiu’s neck was outstretched as she watched the performance cheerfully. Suddenly, someone patted her on her back. “Su Jiu!”

The voice was drowned out in the commotion, and Su Jiu didn’t hear it. When she turned around, she gave a start of surprise. “Xiao Rui!”

Xiao Lie’s eyes shined brightly, and he nodded his head in reply. “I didn’t expect to see you here! My carriage has been blocked too!”

After the New Year’s festivities, Xiao Lie had been busy attending a variety of palace functions and answering the invitations of the officials. He had finally gotten some free time for himself. The empty feeling he had been experiencing ever since he had met Su Jiu for the first time on New Year’s eve began to dissipate slowly.

He looked up at his surroundings and saw a restaurant nearby. “It’s too noisy here,” he said casually, “Let’s go to the teahouse and have a chat!”

“Is there something you need to talk about?” Su Jiu asked as she hopped off the carriage.

“Can’t I invite you for tea just for the sake of it?” the man asked with a gentle laugh.

“Of course you may!” Su Jiu raised her brows and entered the teahouse. “Come on!”

As the two individuals walked into the eatery together, another carriage was held up in the middle of the crowd. The maidservant sitting on the outside was watching the dragon dance when she caught a glimpse of the man and suddenly pointed towards the teahouse, “Mistress, isn’t that His Highness?”

When the lady inside the carriage heard that, she pulled the curtains aside immediately and looked out, revealing jade-colored sleeves that were embroidered with branches and clouds. Her hands were fair and tender, and her face was elegant, like a lotus flower. When she caught sight of the man’s back, her eyes lit up with joy.

Indeed, these two ladies were Lan Zhihui and her maidservant, Qinxiang.

Lan Zhihui saw that another young lady had entered the teahouse with Xiao Lie, and hesitated for a moment. “Perhaps His Highness is otherwise occupied. I wouldn’t want to impose on him.”

“Mistress, we’re no longer with Robes Square. We can’t keep living in the inn. Perhaps His Highness might be able to help you,” Qinxiang said.

Lan Zhihui bit her lip, unsure of what to do.

Qinxiang began to feel anxious. When she saw that Xiao Lie had disappeared inside the teahouse, she threw caution to the wind and instructed the driver to head to the building.

Upon entering the teahouse, Su Jiu found the interior familiar looking and suddenly recalled that this was where she had been looking for Ji Yuxian previously.

However, the employees and shopkeepers of the teahouse had all been replaced. None of them recognized Su Jiu. They cordially ushered the two customers upstairs.

Just as Su Jiu and Xiao Lie disappeared upstairs, Lan Zhihui’s carriage stopped outside. Due to the snowfall at midday, the floor was slippery. A straw mat was laid at the entrance of the establishment, allowed a customer to clean the soles of their shoes before entering.

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When the carriage came to a halt, Lan Zhihui waited for a server to come out with a rug.

Even after waiting for some time, no one emerged, and Qinxiang called out in admonishment, “You are all a group of despicable people! Now that my Mistress is no longer the proprietress of Robes Square, you’re treating her so shabbily!”

Lan Zhihui’s face paled gradually, and she got up to alight on her own.

The employees of the teahouse had been accused. The employees and shopkeepers who had curried favor with Lan Zhihui had all been fired. This new batch of employees had no knowledge that Lady Lan’s feet were not to touch the ground directly.