SGEIRS -Chapter 68 Now Enemies

Weirui Hall.

Gu Jingxi returned to the courtyard. By now, it was already midday—lunchtime—but he did not see the little lady’s figure anywhere. Not even Qingqiu and Ningdong, the two maids, were in sight.

Finding this strange, he asked Chunliu, “Has the Madam gone out today?”

Chunliu respectfully replied, “Madam has an appointment today and probably left more than an hour ago.” After a moment’s thought, she added, “My lord, may I ask if you would like to have lunch?”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi furrowed his brows. The usually sharp maid seemed a little off—lunchtime had already arrived, and she was still asking whether he would eat? If not lunch, was she suggesting dinner instead?

Seeing his expression change, Chunliu hurriedly explained, “Before leaving, Madam said she wouldn’t be back for lunch and told the kitchen not to prepare it. I asked if my lord’s lunch should be prepared, but Madam said you were going out to visit friends and wouldn’t return at noon, so it wasn’t necessary—she didn’t want any waste. I didn’t expect you would return so early.”

Gu Jingxi froze.

So… he came home to find there was no food waiting for him?

Chunliu timidly glanced up at him, unsure whether he was upset, and asked nervously, “My lord, shall I instruct the kitchen to prepare something? What would you like to eat today?”

By this hour, Gu Jingxi didn’t want to trouble anyone further, so he said, “No need. I will go to see the Old Madam and have lunch with her.”

Chunliu nodded: “Yes, my lord.”

Song Xinning had not yet arrived, but Meng Jinyao was already waiting in a private room at the restaurant.

However, the punctual Song Xinning was late today—by a full half hour. Meng Jinyao found this odd, but she waited patiently.

Song Xinning hurried to the designated restaurant, taking a deep breath and hiding the resentment and sorrow on her face. Pushing open the door of the private room, she saw Meng Jinyao still waiting patiently. She stepped in and said apologetically, “A-Yao, I’m really sorry. Something came up and delayed me. Have you been waiting long?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head slightly. “I just arrived not long ago. Sit down first and see what you’d like to eat.”

Song Xinning nodded and took a seat beside her.

The two of them chose a few signature dishes and instructed the maid to bring the order to the restaurant owner.

Song Xinning quietly observed her friend, a hint of admiration in her eyes. She had known A-Yao for so long, yet had never seen her dressed like this—stunning, unmatched in beauty, impossible to look away from. Previously, all of A-Yao’s clothing and accessories had been prepared by Madam Meng, which had hidden thirty to forty percent of her beauty.

Seeing A-Yao smiling, without a trace of gloom, carefree, her heart eased. She hesitated slightly before asking, “A-Yao, are you alright?”

Meng Jinyao was momentarily stunned, then smiled. “I’m fine. The Changxing Marquis Mansion hasn’t treated me badly—good food, good living. What could possibly be wrong?”

Hearing this, Song Xinning pursed her lips into a smile and pinched her cheek lightly, giggling: “It’s obvious the Changxing Marquis Mansion hasn’t mistreated you. Your complexion is rosy, you haven’t lost weight, maybe even gained a little. And this outfit… compared to the last time I saw you, now you finally have the demeanor of a Hou Madam. A-Yao, you look beautiful like this—I can’t help but admire you.”

Meng Jinyao smiled playfully. “Don’t worry, A-Ning. I’m doing well. If I weren’t, I probably would’ve run to seek refuge with you last night.”

“I don’t want that day to ever come. Our A-Yao must always be well,” Song Xinning said, giving her a playful glance. Seeing her still smiling foolishly, she lightly scoffed. “I went to my maternal family’s estate in Tongzhou, just returned to the capital the day before yesterday, and heard about your falling out with your family. You scared me so much! I immediately arranged to meet you today. I wanted to see you yesterday, but had urgent matters then.”

Meng Jinyao said, “Falling out with them was only a matter of time—they just gave me the opportunity to do it sooner.”

Song Xinning gritted her teeth in indignation. “Your stepmother really has guts, trying to embezzle your mother’s dowry!”

Meng Jinyao’s eyes darkened, and she gave a mocking smile: “If it weren’t for my father and grandmother’s permission, how could she have dared? But they are all cut from the same cloth. Since there’s no evidence pointing to them, the blame is directed solely at Madam Sun. Now it’s said Madam Sun embezzled her stepdaughter’s dowry, while the mother and son act as if they knew nothing—shifting the blame onto Madam Sun so she bears it all alone.”

Song Xinning was taken aback but nodded after a moment. “True. The main ones are still your grandmother and father.” She sneered. “Your father liked your stepmother so much, but when trouble came, he didn’t hesitate to push her forward to take the hit. Shows how fickle a man’s love really is.”

Meng Jinyao shrugged. “Selfish people—when nothing happens, they seem like loving couples. When trouble comes, they become shields.”

“Perhaps all men are that heartless,” Song Xinning said, her eyes dimming slightly. She looked at A-Yao with pity: “A-Yao, after this, you’ve truly fallen out with your family. From now on, you are practically without a maternal family. Your grandmother… you are her legitimate eldest granddaughter, yet a stranger might think you’re her enemy’s granddaughter. If she hadn’t treated you this way, your stepmother wouldn’t have dared either. Even if your father ignored you, you wouldn’t have suffered so much.”

Meng Jinyao gave a bitter smile. “Even if this hadn’t happened, it would still be as if I had no maternal family. So it doesn’t matter. But now it seems… I’m not just her granddaughter—I’m their enemy.” She paused, her lips moving slowly as she said, “Directly, an enemy.”

Song Xinning agreed silently. At this point, from the perspective of the Yongchang Marquis Mansion, A-Yao was their enemy—one they hated so much they’d wish to devour her alive.

She let out a faint sigh. A-Yao had done nothing wrong, yet the elders treated her as if she were an enemy, as if her very existence was a crime.

Truly absurd. If A-Yao were truly a jinx, after all these years, wouldn’t everyone in the Yongchang Marquis Mansion have perished?

Curious, she asked, “A-Yao, I heard that she and your stepmother fell ill because of your anger. Is it true?”

Meng Jinyao countered: “They’re weak; how could they withstand trouble? Getting sick when trouble comes isn’t unusual.”

Song Xinning suddenly understood—it wasn’t that they were really ill; they were faking it.

Meng Jinyao spoke gently: “A-Ning, let’s not talk about them—it’s unlucky.” Then she deliberately changed the topic. “By the way, your marriage will be arranged by the end of the year, right?”

At this, Song Xinning lowered her eyelids, and her expression visibly dimmed. She said softly, “A-Yao, my wedding probably won’t take place as scheduled.”

Meng Jinyao was shocked. “Why?”