Volume One, Chapter 18: Mei Gongxue Seduces Him?

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Mei Xianghan was actually not seriously harmed; she had just suddenly drunk some strong liquor and overindulged. After drinking a bowl of sobering soup, she gradually regained consciousness.

Mei Yanjun was sitting by her bedside, watching her thoughtfully.

“You usually only drink the slightly sweet glutinous rice wine. Why did you suddenly drink strong liquor today? And you drank so much! Alone, crying and laughing—tell me, is something troubling you?” he asked.

Upon hearing this, Mei Xianghan immediately got up and threw herself into his arms, tears streaming down one after another. “Second Brother, I feel that Brother Yun Chu has changed his heart. It seems he likes Sister now!”

Mei Yanjun’s expression stiffened. “Why would you think that? Could it be that Xiao Xue is deliberately...”

Deliberately seducing Ji Yun Chu?

“I don’t know,” Mei Xianghan shook her head, refraining from speculation. “It’s just my feeling. Last time, Yun Chu didn’t even want to acknowledge our engagement, and today he specifically went to meet Sister. Besides, he hasn’t come to see me for a long time!”

As she spoke, a sudden thought struck her, and she grasped Mei Yanjun’s hand anxiously. “Do you think Brother Yun Chu despises me for being a wicked woman?”

After all, what she had done three years ago was still a deep shame to her.

“No, he wouldn’t!” Mei Yanjun patiently comforted her. “Yun Chu has always been loyal and responsible. He would never fall for someone else. Haven’t you forgotten the painting he gave you?”

At these words, Mei Xianghan looked up at the wall opposite, where the painting Ji Yun Chu had once made for her hung, carefully preserved all this time.

It was because of that painting that she had been certain of Ji Yun Chu’s feelings for her.

But hearts can change!

Thinking this, she sobbed even harder, her shoulders shaking with each hiccup.

Suddenly, she wiped her tears, sat up straight, and said earnestly, “Second Brother, I’ve made up my mind. I’m willing to give Brother Yun Chu to Sister!”

She understood that since Mei Gongxue’s return, she had never forgiven her.

This had long weighed heavily on her conscience.

So she was willing to give up Ji Yun Chu, as long as Sister would forgive her.

Seeing her make such a decision, Mei Yanjun’s heart softened immediately. His sister was always so pure and kind!

To make up for her mistakes, she was willing to let go of the one she loved.

“Ah Xiang, you’re still young. How could you give up on love so easily?”

“But if I don’t, what else can I do?” Mei Xianghan said, tears falling in great drops until her eyes were swollen.

Mei Yanjun sighed helplessly, recalling how she had always been a crybaby since childhood.

Back then, she was like a little bundle!

When their father was alive, he often told the older brothers to protect their sisters well when they grew up.

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They all remembered and had done so.

Originally, they had twin younger sisters, but one got lost, so they especially cherished the one remaining.

They had watched Mei Xianghan grow from a baby into a young woman and could not bear to see her suffer.

At that moment, Xiao E brought over the medicine. Mei Yanjun took it and was about to feed it to her himself.

Mei Xianghan pouted and stubbornly turned her head away. “I won’t drink.”

Mei Yanjun smiled and coaxed her quickly, “Didn’t you say Yun Chu wants to hear you play? If you’re sick like this, how will you perform tomorrow?”

Mei Xianghan’s eyes brightened briefly but soon faded again. “But...”

Mei Yanjun smiled. “Don’t worry. With Second Brother here, I guarantee you’ll see Yun Chu tomorrow!”

No matter what, he intended to personally gauge Ji Yun Chu’s attitude.

Mei Xianghan was still uneasy. “What if Brother Yun Chu really likes Sister?”

Without hesitation, Mei Yanjun said, “Don’t worry, he won’t!”

He would have a way to handle it.

...

Peach Blossom Garden.

Mei Gongxue had always slept little, and the occasional sound of firecrackers outside kept her awake.

Perhaps the emotional ups and downs of the day had left her unusually tired, and her head began to ache.

When she returned, Hong Xiu had already brewed ginger soup, added firewood, and extra blankets, yet she still couldn’t fall asleep.

With nothing else to do, she took out her needlework to continue embroidering the pattern she had been working on.

But the previous embroidery had very sparse stitches, and some areas had been punctured repeatedly, damaging the fabric.

So she switched to a new piece of cloth, sat by the lamp, and focused intently on her work, holding the needle carefully as she stitched up and down.

It was just a simple petal, with colors shading from light to dark, a straightforward embroidery.

However, she still failed!

The stitches were uneven, crooked.

Mei Gongxue stared at her work, her face tight with tension.

Suddenly, she kicked over the embroidery frame and tore the fabric to shreds.

The noise immediately alarmed the servants guarding outside.

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Hong Xiu hurriedly threw on her clothes and pushed open the door. “Miss, what happened?”

She saw Mei Gongxue sitting there dejectedly, staring blankly at her hands, muttering to herself:

“I’m already useless... utterly useless...”

Hong Xiu was startled and quickly came over to drape her own clothing over Mei Gongxue. “Miss, are you feeling cold? Or is something hurting?”

Mei Gongxue shook her head, still muttering, “I’m already useless!”

Earlier, she had planned to pawn some small jewelry to gather silver, then move out and support herself by making embroidery.

But her hands could no longer hold a pen, play the piano, or grip a needle steadily!

What else could she do?

She couldn’t even support herself—she was completely useless!

Was she destined to be trapped in the Marquis’s residence, dependent on others?

She had never hated her own incompetence as much as she did now!

“Miss, don’t say that! You scared me. If you don’t want to stay here, I can earn money to support you!” Hong Xiu held her hand tenderly.

Mei Gongxue finally broke down and cried aloud, hugging her.

What a foolish girl!

She thought her tears had long dried up but never expected to still have such moments of deep sorrow.

The next morning, Mei Gongxue woke with swollen eyes, applied ice, then put on her coat to visit her sister-in-law.

When she arrived, Wen Ke was counting items in the storeroom.

Mei Gongxue asked, “Sister-in-law, did you take the medicine I brought yesterday? Do you feel any better?”

Wen Ke smiled gently. “It’s only been a day; it won’t act that fast.”

Mei Gongxue smiled too, realizing she had been too impatient.

She studied Wen Ke’s complexion carefully; her dark circles were quite obvious. “Sister-in-law, in the future, you should... ahem, let my brother take better care of you!”

As she said this, Mei Gongxue’s face flushed deeply.