Chapter 333 – Cousin Xiao As Plan B
Chapter 333 Cousin Xiao as Plan B
Ji Hai stepped forward and asked coldly, “What’s the matter?”
Qu Xuexin hurried forward and said in a delicate voice, “Sir, I want to thank your Master face to face!”
Hearing that Qu Moying had already entered the cabin, Qu Xuexin was a little anxious.
She originally thought that she wouldn’t meet any good man, but she actually met one now, and it seemed that this Master was not under Lord Jing.
No matter which Lord this Master was, he was like a life-saving straw for Qu Xuexin.
She would rather become a concubine in a wealthy family than marry an ordinary person. If there were other choices, she would not choose Xiao Hanyuan.
How could she let go of such a good opportunity?
Xiao Hanyuan stood beside Qu Xuexin with a long face. He had already advised Qu Xuexin just now, but Qu Xuexin didn’t listen to him. She behaved differently from the elegant, decent, and gentle lady in his memory.
Xiao Hanyuan was a little sad.
“Our Master doesn’t need your thanks. Please leave!” Ji Hai said lazily as he cast a cold glance at Qu Xuexin. He didn’t like her at all. Just now, he saw clearly on the boat that she was scheming against Qu Moying.
Ji Hai couldn’t bear it. He regarded Qu Moying as his own Master and he couldn’t bear to see that a mere Imperial Censor’s daughter dared to bully her!
Qu Xuexin was rejected, but she was not reconciled at all. She asked again, “How… How is my Fourth Sister?”
She had asked Xiao Hanyuan just now. He told her that Qu Moying had entered the cabin. She couldn’t accept that she was not allowed to enter the cabin whereas Qu Moying, a blind woman, had already entered.
Ji Hai sneered. “First Lady Qu, are you asking about Fourth Lady Qu?”
Qu Xuexin said hypocritically, “Yes, I am worried about her.”
Her reaction made Ji Hai look down on her even more. He had seen many young ladies before. Some of them were just like her. They looked dignified on the surface, but they harbored all kinds of motives. They wanted to gain all the benefits and also a good reputation. How could there be such a good thing in this world?
“Fourth Lady Qu is alright. First Lady Qu, please leave. We are about to reach the next intersection. Please get down the boat here.” Ji Hai said bluntly. Since he knew she had no good intentions, he did not want to waste his time on her.
He pointed forward.
Pei Yuanjun was now talking to Qu Moying, and he didn’t want to be disturbed.
Hearing Ji Hai’s words, Xiao Hanyuan heaved a sigh of relief. He hurried forward and advised, “Yes, let’s get off in the front. When we get ashore, I will go to find our mansion’s carriages. Let’s go back together.”
Xiao Hanyuan didn’t want to be squeezed by the crowd, and he had long wanted to return. He was supposed to come out with Qu Moying and the others, but he happened to be delayed by something. When he came out, the ladies had left the mansion. He could only catch up with them alone.
If he had not seen what happened to Qu Xuexin, he might have gone back after watching for a while.
In fact, there was nothing interesting. It was just that there were a lot of people, and many ladies gave him flirtatious glances along the way, which was too inappropriate in his eyes.
“Cousin brother, I still have to wait for Moying. I can’t let Moying stay here alone. I’m worried.” Qu Xuexin didn’t want to leave at all. Hearing Xiao Hanyuan’s advice, she felt disgusted, but she uttered those words genuinely as if she meant what she said.
Xiao Hanyuan thought that Qu Xuexin was genuinely concerned about Qu Moying, so he tried to persuade her again, “Cousin Sister, Fourth Cousin Sister is not worried about you at all. Why do you care about her?”
Ji Hai sneered, “First Lady Qu, please leave. If you don’t leave, our Master will throw you into the lake.”
Pei Yuanjun had never spent any effort on a woman except Qu Moying.
It seemed that Qu Xuexin really thought she was something!
As they spoke, the boat stopped. Ji Hai looked coldly at Qu Xuexin. His aura was not something an ordinary eunuch could have.
Qu Xuexin was so frightened that her legs went soft. She really wanted to say a few hard words, but she did not dare to say anything at this moment. However, she was not reconciled. She couldn’t accept that Qu Moying got such a good opportunity. Why was Qu Moying allowed to enter the cabin whereas she was blocked outside?
Although she couldn’t compare with Qu Qiuyan, she thought she totally outdid Qu Moying.
She took a deep breath, suddenly pushed Ji Hai away, and was about to rush in.
Ji Hai didn’t expect to be pushed by her, but he quickly retreated to the side and said with a sneer, “First Lady Qu, are you so eager to meet my Master? Do you want to attach yourself to our Master?”
Xiao Hanyuan’s face darkened.
A long sword was pointed at Qu Xuexin, forcing her to retreat. “I… I just want to see Moying.”
Qu Xuexin explained as she retreated. She had never expected that a sword would be placed on her neck. She could feel the chill from the sword as if her neck would be cut off if she moved a little bit forward.
Her lips turned pale, and her hands and feet were weak. How could she dare to think of anything else?
Ji Hai asked with a sneer, “First Lady Qu, do you want to go ashore on your own, or do you want me to get someone to throw you up?”
Qu Xuexin looked at the sword on her neck that forced her to step back and then looked at Ji Hai’s cold face. She didn’t dare to offend him again. She gritted her teeth and looked into the cabin. There was a curtain in front of the cabin, so she couldn’t see who was inside.
But she knew there must be a prince or a lord.
The blind woman was luckier than her!
Qu Xuexin had no choice but to step back. Her eyes were filled with tears, and she looked fragile as if she would collapse as soon as the wind blew. She looked very pitiful. After taking a few steps, she turned back, hoping that Ji Hai would call her.
However, Ji Hai only looked at her coldly, without the slightest intention of calling her back. The curtain in front of the cabin was still the same. It seemed that no one wanted to lift it at all.
Tears finally fell from Qu Xuexin’s eyes. She covered her face with a handkerchief and cried as she got off the boat. Xiao Hanyuan followed her, looking terrible.
What Qu Xuexin did just now made him feel very uncomfortable.
There were not many people on the shore. Most of the people had headed forward, so it was fairly quiet.
Qu Xuexin and Xiao Hanyuan were not conspicuous.
Seeing that Qu Xuexin was still wiping her tears and then looking at the big boat that was far away, Xiao Hanyuan advised, “Eldest Cousin Sister, let’s go back!”
“I… I am worried about Moying. How can she be with a man alone? Moreover, it’s a man of an unknown origin.” Qu Xuexin became sadder. She looked in the direction where the big boat left as if she was really anxious for Qu Moying.
Xiao Hanyuan was shocked. “Cousin Sister, don’t you know who is on the boat?”
“I… I don’t know. That’s why I’m worried. But I was not allowed to see Moying. Moying was engaged. If such a thing spreads out, I’m afraid that her reputation… will be ruined!” Qu Xuexin cried and wiped her tears sadly.
A trace of doubt flashed through Xiao Hanyuan’s eyes. He raised his eyes to look at the big boat that was fading away. Just now, Qu Xuexin boarded the boat without asking anything. At that time, he thought that she knew the owner of the boat.
Xiao Hanyuan snorted. “Why are you worried about her? She didn’t worry about you at all just now.”
“But I am the eldest sister.” Qu Xuexin’s eyes were red, and she looked extremely pitiful.
Xiao Hanyuan said indifferently, “Even though you are the eldest one, you don’t have to be responsible for her. She went into the cabin herself without hesitation. Since she is such a person, it’s useless even if you care about her. If she is willing to be someone’s concubine, let her be!”
He thought Qu Moying was a fickle woman. Now that Qu Moying was in the cabin, probably with a man alone, Xiao Hanyuan looked down on her even more.
His grandaunt had wanted to betroth Qu Moying to him. Now, even if he had to die, he would not marry her.
Qu Xuexin looked at Xiao Hanyuan and said in a sad voice, “Cousin Xiao, please do not tell my grandmother about what happened today. I don’t want her to worry about me and Moying.”
She didn’t want to let anyone in the mansion know that she was saved by a man from the water. She didn’t know where Young Master Wang came from, and she didn’t want to be associated with such a person. Anyway, she still had Xiao Hanyuan as an option.
She wasn’t afraid!
Xiao Hanyuan’s heart softened as he saw her pitiful and fervent eyes. He suddenly understood why Qu Xuexin had acted that way just now. It was because she cared too much about her younger sisters, which led her to such an awkward position.
“Well, I see. But judging from your Fourth Sister’s behavior, such a thing can’t be hidden for too long.” Xiao Hanyuan didn’t want Qu Xuexin to cry. He nodded immediately with a pitiful look on his face. He felt very sorry for her.
“I will think about it when the time comes. Let’s take one step at a time!” Qu Xuexin smiled bitterly and then said to Xiao Hanyuan, “Cousin Xiao, if you are bored, you may go back first. I’ll go find my Eldest Brother. He came out with us just now, but he was now missing.”
Xiao Hanyuan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll accompany you! I can’t be at ease if you are alone!”
Qu Xuexin did not want Xiao Hanyuan to accompany her at all. On one hand, she wanted to talk to County Lady Jingyu about this matter. On the other hand, she wanted to try her luck to see if she would meet some other noble young masters. Her current situation was not good. It was really difficult for her mother to choose another good marriage for her. She failed to complete the plan today, so County Lady Jingyu probably would not find a good marriage for her either. Therefore, she had to try harder.
Marrying Xiao Hanyuan was the last choice!
However, Xiao Hanyuan insisted on accompanying her. She tried to persuade him a few more times but failed. She could only let him follow her. They walked together.
There was another couple on the road. This couple didn’t walk close to each other, but they would smile at each other after exchanging glances. They seemed to be a sweet couple.
If Qu Moying was here, she would definitely sneer at the sight and say, “What a perfect match! How ironic!”
But tonight was definitely not an ordinary night…
