Chapter 309 – Qu Xuexin Became A Different Person
Chapter 309 Qu Xuexin Became a Different Person
As soon as Qu Xuexin entered, she asked, “Moying, I heard that Mingcheng was beaten up. Did something happen?”
“Eldest Sister, how did you know that?” Qu Moying asked in reply.
East Mansion was not very near to West Mansion, but Qu Xuexin came so quickly.
Qu Xuexin said gently, “I happened to come here for something. I heard from an old maid here. I wanted to ask Grandmother, but I was afraid that she would be annoyed, so I came to ask you.”
Her eyes fell on the qin placed in front of the window. She couldn’t help but stand up and walk over. She asked in surprise, “Moying, where did you get this qin? It looks special.”
The qin was placed on the table by the window. It was not put into the qin cover yet. The qin cover was placed aside. Its color was light, but its peony embroidery was exquisite.
The phoenix and the peony in the embroidery set off each other.
Qu Moying said with a smile, “My mother left this qin for me. I’ve been playing it these days. I’ll occasionally compose some qin scores.”
Qu Xuexin’s eyes fell on the qin, showing an expression of appreciation. Noble ladies more or less knew some musical scores, and most of them also knew how to play the qin. It was normal for them to be excited when they saw a nice qin. Qu Xuexin stepped forward and gently plucked the strings, which produced a pleasant sound.
She exclaimed, “Good qin!”
Qu Moying picked up the teacup at hand, took a sip, and put it down with a smile. “Thank you, Eldest Sister.”
“This embroidery…” Qu Xuexin’s eyes lit up when she saw the embroidery on the qin cover. She was proud of her embroidery skills. She had the best embroidery skills among the ladies in the mansion. However, she had never seen such good embroidery as the peony embroidery on the qin cover.
Even her former embroidery teacher couldn’t do it.
After picking up the qin cover and looking carefully at it for a while, Qu Xuexin asked with embarrassment, “Moying, can you lend me the qin cover for a few days? I want to make a similar piece by imitating this embroidery.”
Qu Moying shook her head and refused, “Eldest Sister, I’m sorry, but no.”
“Why?” Qu Xuexin looked up at Qu Moying in surprise. She didn’t expect that Qu Moying would refuse to do her such a small favour.
Qu Moying explained with a smile, “It was embroidered by my mother, so I must let it remain intact. Eldest Sister, if you do like it, you can come to my place to do the embroidery. But I can’t let you take it away.”
Qu Xuexin’s face stiffened for a moment, but then a smile appeared on her face as she gently said, “Of course. Since it is left by Second Aunt, it is natural for you to cherish it. Then I may have to trouble you in the future.”
“You are my sister. There is no trouble at all. Eldest Sister, please take a seat!” Qu Moying said with a smile, indifferently extending her hand towards a seat.
Qu Xuexin nodded. Just as she wanted to take a seat, she suddenly saw a jar of water lotus in front of the window. The jar was small, but it had exquisite carvings. If one took a close look at it, the swimming fish carvings on it could be seen. The water lotus in the jar was the most eye-catching. It looked both beautiful and unusual.
She couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.
“Moying, this jar of water lotus is so beautiful. Where did you buy it? I also want to buy one.” Qu Xuexin said with admiration in her eyes. She walked to the window to take a close look at the water lotus, and she couldn’t help but pause there. The more she looked at the water lotus, the more she liked it.
Yu Dong secretly pursed his lips. Qu Xuexin was not here for Qu Mingcheng but for Qu Moying. She looked so petty. She liked everything in Qu Moying’s room, which was clearly a hint to Qu Moying to send her something.
He didn’t think of Qu Xuexin in this way before. But now, Qu Xuexin changed a lot. He didn’t know if she had been pretending all this time or if she had changed recently.
Qu Moying explained indifferently, “This was sent by my father.”
Qu Xuexin was rendered speechless by Qu Moying’s words. She looked at the water lotus, and a trace of jealousy flashed through her eyes, but she quickly restrained it and showed her usual decency and gentleness.
Qu Xuexin turned around and sat down on a chair. Her eyes swept around the room, and she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and said with a smile, “I heard that Grandmother and Second Uncle gave all Second Aunt’s dowry to you. You are now the richest among us!”
Qu Moying shook her head and said, “Actually, it is not that valuable. Some shops are still losing money.”
“Losing money? How is your shop? Do you need my help? I’m free these days. If you need my help, just let me know. We are sisters and should help each other.” Qu Xuexin sighed with a look of bitterness.
Qu Moying looked up in surprise. “Eldest Sister, you want to help me?”
Qu Xuexin explained, “If there’s anything that I can help with, just tell me. The matter of the shop is in a mess. We have to solve it as soon as possible so as to stop others from gossiping about our mansion. No matter what they say, it will not be good for us!”
Her words made sense. It was not good for an unmarried lady to be the subject of people’s gossip.
After all, people could say anything. They might speak ill of them. No lady would like to be discussed by others.
When people talked about a certain lady in Qu Mansion, they would naturally mention other ladies in the Qu Mansion. From this point of view, Qu Mansion’s ladies were bound together for good or ill.
Qu Caiyue’s previous incident had affected the reputation of the other ladies in Qu Mansion, and Qu Xuexin’s marriage was therefore delayed. Everyone in Qu Mansion knew about this, so it was normal for Qu Xuexin to sigh like this.
Qu Xuexin was genuine when she spoke as if she really cared for Qu Moying. However, Qu Moying had been watching her all the time, and she did not miss the jealousy in the former’s eyes despite her smiling face. What Qu Xuexin had done recently must be out of jealousy!
Of course, Liu Jingyu must have also played a part.
Qu Moying didn’t have a thing to her name when she just entered the mansion, and Qu Xuexin was quite gentle to her. However, when Qu Qiuyan and Qu Caiyue plotted against Qu Moying, Qu Xuexin did not do anything but just watch. She remained to be the gentle First Lady Qu, staying out of trouble.
Now, Qu Caiyue had entered Lord Jing Mansion, and Qu Qiuyan did not seem to have much hope. On the contrary, Qu Moying was living well, and she got all her mother’s dowry. Seeing this, Qu Xuexin could not sit still. She acted rashly and therefore looked different from how she was before.
Qu Xuexin must be a pawn that Liu Jingyu had arranged long ago. Otherwise, it couldn’t explain why they knew each other and contacted in private but pretended to be unfamiliar with each other in front of Qu Mansion’s people.
“Thank you, Eldest Sister.” Qu Moying didn’t say whether she needed Qu Xuexin’s help or not but just thanked her.
“We are sisters. You don’t have to thank me. It sounded too alienated. Moying, next time when you go out, call me. I want to go with you.” Qu Xuexin took advantage of the situation and requested, waiting for Qu Moying to agree.
Qu Moying gave her a sidelong glance and gave a polite response, “When the shop is officially opened, I will invite you to take a look. Everything is ready now. We are waiting for the right time to start the business.”
Her vague words made Qu Xuexin uncomfortable, but she could not say anything else. She could only nod with a smile, “Alright, I will wait for your message.”
After that, she changed the topic and asked with concern, “Moying, why did Second Uncle beat Mingcheng? Did something happen? I heard that Mingcheng went to He Mansion and was put into West Prison. What happened?”
After beating around the bush for such a long time, Qu Xuexin finally cut to the chase. Qu Moying gently pursed her lips and replied, “I heard that Second Brother said something in Third Young Master He’s place. Father was angry about that, so he beat him.”
Qu Xuexin came to her, but she didn’t ask about this matter until now. It could be seen that she had already received some news, which might not be all delivered from West Mansion.
Did Liu Jingyu get involved in this matter? It was weird that Mrs. He had come today. Qu Moying thought she should go and beg Lord Jing in this situation. However, she came to Qu Moying with great anger, apparently wanting to land her in dire trouble.
It seemed that someone was adding fuel to the fire.
Was it Liu Jingyu again? If it was the case, it could explain why Mrs. He came over today. Qu Moying’s eyes were unfathomable. She thought there must be a deep grudge between her and Liu Jingyu because the latter had been scheming against her all the time.
Liu Jingyu schemed against her in the dark again and again.
Moreover, she had made Qu Xuexin a planted agent long ago.
“Even if Second Uncle is angry, he should not beat Mingcheng so hard. How could he do this to Mingcheng?” Qu Xuexin sighed.
Qu Moying did not speak. She only smiled and waited for Qu Xuexin to continue. She wanted to see what Qu Xuexin’s true purpose was.
It seemed that Qu Xuexin didn’t come here only for the shop.
“Moying, let’s go and see Mingcheng. I heard that he is seriously injured. As his sisters, we should go to see him!” Qu Xuexin invited.
“Now?” Qu Moying raised an eyebrow.
Qu Xuexin said seriously, “Yes, let’s go now. At this time, Mingcheng’s wound must have been treated with ointment. Since we know, we have to go and see how his injury is. I heard that he went to He Mansion for you.”
Qu Moying sneered in her heart. Qu Mingcheng didn’t go to He Mansion for Qu Moying’s good, but he seemed to go there for Qu Moying’s sake on the surface. If Qu Moying did not go to see him, she might appear cold-blooded and heartless. Since this was Qu Xuexin’s purpose, Qu Moying would just satisfy her.
She held the corner of the table, stood up, and said, “Eldest Sister, please wait for me. I have to change my clothes first.”
