No matter how calm Mo Junyang was, he was surprised at Shi Baojin’s imagination with no sense of shame. He thought, “How shameless she is! She even thinks I love her after I almost threw her to a beggar.”
Mo Junyang was not in the mood to explain to Shi Baojin. He got rid of her grip and said coldly, “Lady Baojin, you are going to marry the second young master of the Zhao Family soon. It’s improper to say something like this to me. Please conduct yourself with dignity.”
With that, he didn’t give Shi Baojin a chance to speak and left directly.
Shi Baojin didn’t expect Mo Junyang to be so resolute and was petrified for a while. She subconsciously chased him, but he walked fast and disappeared soon.
She was angry and anxious, yelling at Mo Junyang’s receding figure, “Don’t try to hide. I know you love me. Even if fate won’t bring us together, I won’t give up because I love you, too!”
Shi Baojin expressed her love sincerely and then still stood there quietly.
The two hidden girls found the surprise on each other’s face. Perhaps it was their first time to see such a shameless and self-sentimental person.
“Mo Junyang has left for a long time. Why does she still stand there?” Mo Yuzhen had seen a lot but she showed that she couldn’t understand such a weird thinking mode.
However, Shi Qingxue knew something. “Maybe she is waiting for Mo Junyang to come back.”
“But he has…”
Mo Yuzhen was speechless. “Gee. I have known Mo Junyang for so many years and have never seen through him, but I am sure that he is arrogant and can’t change. He would never say he likes something that he doesn’t like. I don’t know why Shi Baojin has the courage to think that he loves her.”
Shi Qingxue showed that she could hardly understand it, too. Especially Mo Junyang was ruthless to make Shi Baojin lose her virginity, but perhaps Shi Baojin would think that was a joke between lovers.
“We have watched the play. Let’s go. I haven’t taken you to the interesting spot I found.” Mo Yuzhen lost the interest in Shi Baojin and then excitedly held Shi Qingxue’s arm, walking to her secret base.
Shi Qingxue thought of the topic they had talked about earlier, but it would be not good to mention again since Mo Yuzhen didn’t want to say more. She just asked, “Who from the City Guardian Army came to guard the Moon Mountain under your grandpa’s order?”
She thought it over secretly, but her emotion was shown on her face.
Mo Yuzhen felt it laughable and didn’t hide the truth. “The general commander of the City Guardian Army is Leng Yuan. He certainly wouldn’t do such a tiring job. The right commander seeks benefits and avoids disadvantages and wouldn’t accept such a hard but thankless task. Who do you think it is?”
“Ah! Nobody except my big brother!” Shi Qingxue frowned unhappily and pouted to complain.
Her voice was so low that Mo Yuzhen didn’t hear it clearly, but she knew what Qingxue wanted to say. She couldn’t help laughing. “If I don’t know you really take Wenren Chi as your brother, I would doubt that you like him judging from the panic on your face.”
Shi Qingxue answered blankly, “I do like him. He is my big brother…”
After saying that, she finally realized what Mo Yuzhen meant and frowned more deeply. “Don’t talk nonsense. He is my brother,”
she said decisively without hesitation.
Mo Yuzhen sighed in secret. “No wonder Shi Qingxue is Duke Shi and his wife’s favorite daughter, but Grandpa never tries to incite Wenren Chi to marry her. Anybody would feel strange even if they mention Qingxue and Chi in the same breath.”
But… Mo Yuzhen looked serious and reminded her casually, “Qingxue, I have to remind you that Wenren Chi’s family name is not Shi.”
Mo Yuzhen was clear that as Mo Junjiu’s younger sister, a core member of his followers, she shouldn’t say that, but facing Shi Qingxue’s wholehearted trust, she couldn’t bear to hide everything from her.
But Shi Qingxue looked ignorant. “Oh, so what?”
Mo Yuzhen got impatient and pounded Shi Qingxue’s arm, asking crossly, “Haven’t you thought about what you should do if he covets your family’s fortune?”
Shi Qingxue shook her head without thinking and replied firmly, “No, he won’t.”
Seeing that Mo Yuzhen wanted to retort, she added seriously, “It doesn’t matter even if it is possible. He is my brother.”
Fine. Shi Qingxue prevented Mo Yuzhen from saying what she wanted to and made her think that her worry was a waste. Mo Yuzhen was furious. “Well, well. You are brother and sister loving each other. I worry too much, okay?”
Mo Yuzhen walked ahead, seeming to leave Shi Qingxue alone.
Shi Qingxue laughed helplessly. She knew Mo Yuzhen was concerned about her, but she would never doubt Wenren Chi.
He was her brother and future brother-in-law. If he was not credible, this world would be desperate.
“Yuzhen, wait for me. Aren’t you going to take me…”
Qingxue hurriedly caught up with her and held her arm, acting like a spoilt child, making her anger released. The two friends managed to patch it up and became close again.
But when they arrived at the destination, they were stunned once more.
They had thought it was a secret base, but it was occupied. The noble ladies walked leisurely on the beautiful lawn in twos and threes.
Shi Baoyou found Shi Qingxue first and waved at them joyfully, “Qingxue.”
After she shouted, it was not possible for Shi Qingxue and Mo Yuzhen to keep quiet. All the noble ladies came to greet Mo Yuzhen and surrounded them.
Shi Qingxue was not used to such an atmosphere and glanced at Mo Yuzhen before moving a few steps backward to make way.
“Qingxue, let’s have a seat.” Shi Baoyou smiled, held Shi Qingxue’s arm like her close friend and took her to the shed of the Shi Family. “This place is beautiful, and Baojin has found it. All people heard that and came here to set up their sheds.”
In the shed, only one lady, Shi Baojin was sitting and having tea. Others went out to have a walk with their friends.
Shi Qingxue took a look at it and wanted to go away, but Shi Baoyou seemed to have guessed what she was thinking and pulled her arm. She didn’t let her go and pouted, “Qingxue, I just came back home not long ago. You don’t even have any time to have a cup of tea with me?”
Since her sister said that, Shi Qingxue had to smile even if she was unhappy. “Of course yes, but it is a waste to stay in the shed when it is so beautiful outside.”
“Right, somebody wants to be with Third Princess twenty-four hours a day. Otherwise, how could she cotton up to the princess?” Shi Baojin interrupted sarcastically. It was awkward there.
Shi Qingxue was used to her sarcasm and didn’t want to talk with her. She took a sip of tea in silence, pretending not to hear that.
Shi Baoyou was a newcomer in this family and widened her eyes after hearing that, as if she had seen a ghost. She screamed, “Baojin, we are sisters. How can you say something unpleasant?”
Shi Baojin snorted. “How is it unpleasant? Didn’t I tell the truth?”
“Of course not!” Shi Baoyou denied decisively and looked more emotional than Shi Qingxue. It seemed that she was the one who was wronged. “Qingxue is on good terms with Her Highness, and it’s natural that they stay with each other all day. It’s not like what you said.”
“Oh? Do you mean that she didn’t stay with us because she is not on good terms with us?” Shi Baojin responded with a faint smile, which made Shi Baoyou speechless.
Shi Baoyou had tears in her eyes out of anger and her lips trembled, but she lived happily from childhood and had never argued with anybody. She was stumped for words to retort Shi Baojin but was so nervous that she almost cried.
Shi Qingxue originally wanted to stay out of this and was not in the mood to quarrel. Shi Baojin just wanted to say something, while Shi Baoyou tried to stand up for her but couldn’t, so she would be ashamed if she left.
This was so awkward.
She sighed and looked at Shi Baojin with a smile, asking in reply, “Baojin, don’t you think I am on good terms with you?”
It was an obvious fact, but anybody who admitted it first would be the cause to ruin the relationship among sisters.
Shi Baojin held her neck high and turned away. “You said that, not me.”
Shi Qingxue wanted to leave as soon as possible and winked at Xia Mang. The maid brought a cup of tea in an instant.
She received it and held the cup with both hands, preparing to give it to Shi Baojin. She lowered her voice. “Since we are on good terms, please drink this cup of tea.”
She made peace with her sister to avoid trouble before leaving.
Qingxue thought this was a good idea, but Shi Baoyou suddenly grabbed her arm and said emotionally, “It was Baojin who said something wrong. How can you apologize to her? It’s unfair. Take the tea cup back now.”
Baoyou’s serious tone surprised Qingxue, whose arm was pushed. The tea cup fell from her hands on Baojin’s thigh by chance, and the tea splashed over her.
“Ah!” Shi Baojin screeched sadly and suddenly jumped to sweep the tea cup. Xiao Tao hurriedly came up to help her wipe the tea. But the tea water was just boiled and too hot. Only a few drops of tea splashed to burn Shi Baojin’s wrist and made it red.
It happened all of a sudden, and the sounds were loud. All people looked at them before realizing what had happened.
Shi Qingxue came back to her senses first and calmly told Xia Mang to fetch the ice. And she told Xiao Tao, “Help your lady get changed.”
She took out her handkerchief and wanted to help Shi Baojin clean, but the latter pushed her away with strength. She was caught off guard and staggered. Fortunately, Shi Baoyou stretched her hand to help her.
Shi Baoyou was scared by this accident, but she reacted soon and supported Qingxue. She frowned at Shi Baojin and said with displeasure, “Baojin, what’s wrong with you? Qingxue was kind to help you clean. You didn’t thank her but did that to her. You have gone too far.”
Shi Baojin got angry after hearing that the guilty party sued her. “How can you have the face to say that? She threw water on me intentionally to embarrass me. How can you say that she is kind? Where is her conscience?”
“I didn’t!” Shi Qingxue disdained to argue with Shi Baojin but was not a coward. She wouldn’t let anybody slander her.
“Ha! You have thrown tea on me. Of course you would say that you were careless to do that. Anyway, nobody knows it, right?” Shi Baojin’s voice was sharp, and she said unkindly, “When you received the cup, why weren’t you careless to throw it on yourself? Was your hand disabled when you gave it to me? Who would believe that you didn’t mean it?”
What had happened just now was really an accident. Shi Qingxue didn’t think she was careless. If Shi Baoyou didn’t push her, she wouldn’t have done that, but she couldn’t say it.
Before she thought of the right words to explain, Shi Baoyou’s face paled out of anger. She explained in a hurry, “It’s not Qingxue’s fault. Just now, I was anxious and pushed her, so the cup fell from her hands. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”