Anning’s forehead twitched slightly, but she decided to let the misunderstanding stand.
She looked up at Yang Xueling, her expression tinged with a hint of allure. "Since you know, why ask?"
"You… you shameless woman…" Yang Xueling spat out in anger.
Anning smiled, her smile laced with a touch of sarcasm. "Cousin, don't you feel pathetic? Third Young Master would rather have me, a woman from the pleasure quarters, than you…"
"Shut up…" Yang Xueling covered her ears, unwilling to hear the words from the girl before her.
"Cousin, self-deception is never good."
Seeing the girl gazing at her with a triumphant look, Yang Xueling’s heart surged with anger and shame. Why? Why would he reject a proper young lady like herself for a woman from the pleasure quarters?
Why?
Yang Xueling bit her lower lip, her face a mask of anger and frustration. "I want to see my cousin. I want to ask him…"
Anning would never let her inside. She stepped forward to block her, saying shyly, "Cousin, do you think Third Young Master would want to see you right now?"
Yang Xueling’s chest heaved with rage. "You shameless woman."
"I'm truly sorry, but this shameless woman will be the main wife in the future, while you, a daughter of the Yang family, will be a concubine. This world is truly laughable."
Yang Xueling’s face flushed with shame and anger. She raised her hand to slap Anning, shouting, "Shut up."
Anning didn't dodge, watching as Yang Xueling’s hand came towards her.
Yang Xueling expected this woman from the pleasure quarters to dodge. She never imagined she would simply stand there. If she landed the blow, her cousin would have no good feelings towards her.
Good, good, she really is a schemer.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t stop her hand now. Startled, she closed her eyes.
Just as the slap was about to connect, a figure swiftly moved to stand in front of Anning.
A clear sound echoed. Yang Xueling opened her eyes and recoiled a step upon seeing who was in front of her. The one who had taken the slap meant for her was none other than Shen Yunxuan.
"Cousin, you…" Yang Xueling exclaimed in shock.
"Xueling, I know you have many grievances with me, but can you direct them towards me and not involve Ning'an?"
Yang Xueling saw the coldness in her cousin's gaze.
"Cousin, you’ve gone this far for her?" Taking a slap for her.
"Xueling, taking you as a concubine is my greatest concession. I can do no more," Shen Yunxuan said coldly.
"Cousin, I hate you…" Yang Xueling bit her lip, tears of shame and anger streaming down her face. She ran off crying.
Watching Yang Xueling’s retreating figure, Anning sighed. "Third Young Master, actually…"
"Miss Ning'an, thank you for today," Shen Yunxuan interrupted her.
"No need for thanks. I was hired to help you. But you shouldn't do this again in the future."
Shen Yunxuan nodded. He hadn’t expected someone to show up just half an hour after he left.
"Since there's nothing else, I'll be going back," Anning said.
As she reached the doorway, Shen Yunxuan suddenly spoke, "Cousin will likely complain to Grandmother when she returns. Be careful. If you truly can't avoid trouble, send someone to find me."
"Don't worry, I won't let you be in danger alone."
With that, she left.
Shen Yunxuan watched the girl's retreating back, his gaze deepening.
On the way from the ancestral hall back to Shenyun Pavilion, Anning pinched her cheeks fiercely. Her already fair and tender skin now bore several red marks.
As expected, she saw Shen夫人's maidservant outside Shenyun Pavilion. She wondered how much embellishment there would be by now.
She ran her hands through her hair and walked in disheveled, her face scattered with stray strands. The maid, Li Mei, guarding the entrance almost didn’t recognize her and stopped her. "Who are you?"
Anning peeked out from her disheveled hair, her face pitifully red from pinching, and choked out, "Sister Li Mei, it's me…"
Li Mei's eyes widened in surprise. "You… you are Miss Ning'an? What happened to you? What exactly happened?"
Anning shook her head. "I… I'm fine…"
Li Mei thought for a moment and didn't ask further. As Anning entered, she whispered, "Madam and Cousin are both here."
"Thank you, Sister Li Mei," Anning said gratefully.
"Old Madam, Miss Ning'an is back," Li Mei called out loudly.
Anning suddenly burst into tears. "Old Madam, please uphold justice for me. I can't live anymore…"
Li Mei behind her widened her eyes, thinking this girl was quite the actress.
Anning didn't walk in; she stumbled in. She thought to herself that on the day she completed her mission and retired, she would definitely ask Shen Yunxuan for more money. She was truly acting with her life on the line.
Old Madam Shen saw Anning with messy hair and clear slap marks and red pinch marks on her face.
She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "You… what happened to you?"
Anning looked up, about to speak. Upon seeing Yang Xueling, she suddenly shook her head, feigning a pitiful look. "Old Madam, I… I'm fine now."
Anyone could see her hesitation, as if she were afraid of Yang Xueling.
Looking at the girl pretending to be pitiful, Yang Xueling’s anger flared. Wasn't she just showing off triumphantly to her moments ago? Now she was playing the victim? Who was she trying to fool?
Just as she was about to speak, Shen夫人 pulled her back. Yang Xueling looked at Shen夫人 and said, "Aunt, she…"
"Don't be rash. Let's see what she says," Shen夫人 said.
Yang Xueling had no choice but to restrain herself and sat back down.
"My child, are there things you cannot say? If you speak, I will uphold justice for you," Old Madam Shen said sternly.
Anning burst into tears, her crying resembling falling blossoms and flowing jade. She looked at Yang Xueling and cried, "Cousin, please let me go. I’ll give you the position of main wife…"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xueling shot up, her face contorted with rage. "When did I ever say that? Clearly…"
"Xueling, sit down," Shen夫人 said coldly.
Yang Xueling looked at Shen夫人. "Aunt, she is slandering me. Clearly, I saw her engaging in illicit activities with Cousin…"
"Presumptuous…" Shen夫人 was furious.
Old Madam Shen was initially surprised, then enraged. "Is this true?"
Anning curtsied. "Old Madam, Aunt, Xueling wanted to bring food to Cousin. When she went to the ancestral hall, she… she saw…"
Cleverly, she only said half of it and then looked triumphantly at the girl on the ground.
Did she think she couldn't act?
Old Madam Shen's gaze turned cold. Anning felt the Old Madam's gaze piercing her like knives.
"Mother, if this is true, she cannot stay," Shen夫人 said in a low voice.
Old Madam Shen sighed. "Anning, I am very disappointed in you."
"To condemn me based on a one-sided statement, isn't that too arbitrary?" The girl on the ground stood up, speaking each word clearly.