Chapter 160: Miss Lin Seems to Dislike Me a Little

Young Master Li clutched his face, panic in his eyes. "How can you blame me? I had no idea that Lin Sangqian, that she would actually..."

"If I don't blame you, who should I blame?" Madam Ni shoved him resentfully. "If you hadn't instigated this, would I have come to cause trouble for Lin Sangqian? I nearly brought disaster upon my husband! And now he's angry with me, too!"

Young Master Li felt like crying but had no tears. "But I never expected things to turn out like this either!"

"What could you possibly expect? I don't care, this is all your fault! Someone, give him a sound thrashing!"

The servants, still seething from the beating they had received from Lin Wenyan earlier, were only too happy to vent their frustrations on Young Master Li, pummelling him until he was black and blue and wailing in misery.

...

This minor episode between Madam Ni and Young Master Li did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Lin family and their guests; if anything, it provided them with some amusement.

With his wife causing such a scene, the Prefect felt it inappropriate to stay any longer. After presenting his congratulatory gifts, he took his leave. Lin Sangqian genuinely wanted to urge him to stay, but the Prefect was too embarrassed, and in the end, he departed.

A while later, Yu Jingxiao and Kang Ya arrived.

However, unlike previous occasions, they were accompanied by Yu Jingxiao’s wife, Qi Erliu. The two had married five months prior, and the Lin family had attended the wedding at the time.

Lin Sangqian looked at Kang Ya and frowned slightly. She knew that Kang Ya had feelings for Yu Jingxiao, but the circumstances between them were complicated.

Kang Ya had originally been married to Yu Jingxiao’s father as his second wife. However, on their wedding night, Yu Jingxiao’s father suffered a stroke and passed away. Before the marriage could even be consummated, Kang Ya had become a widow. Furthermore, she had not married him by choice, but under pressure from her own family. Over time, she had fallen for Yu Jingxiao, but as his stepmother, and given that Yu Jingxiao held no such feelings for her, it was a hopeless situation. She had once clung to the hope that their daily proximity might eventually spark something, but then Yu Jingxiao married Qi Erliu.

On the day of his wedding, Kang Ya had worn a smile throughout, even helping Yu Jingxiao entertain the guests. No one could tell what she was truly thinking.

Afterward, she retreated into her courtyard, spending her days reading and writing, rarely stepping out. Had Lin Sangqian not invited her today, she would not have come. Lin Sangqian was worried for her, but Kang Ya seemed perfectly fine, chatting and laughing with Liao Shuxia as if nothing were wrong.

After a while, Kang Ya noticed Lin Sangqian watching her with concern. She walked over with a smile and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lin Sangqian whispered, "Are you doing alright lately? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, I have plenty to eat and drink every day," Kang Ya replied dismissively. "Don't worry, I let go of all that a long time ago. Besides, he's married now—what, am I supposed to go and cause trouble?" That was not the kind of person she was. Since Qi Erliu had joined the Yu household, she had maintained a harmonious relationship with her.

"I'm glad you've moved on," Lin Sangqian said, feeling a sense of relief.

Just then, Qi Erliu approached. She was plain in appearance, but possessed a gentle and virtuous aura. "Madam, Miss Lin, what are you two talking about?"

"Nothing much, I was just introducing the menu to Madam Kang," Lin Sangqian said coolly. Truth be told, she had disliked Qi Erliu from the very first moment they met. However, since she was Yu Jingxiao’s wife, Lin Sangqian kept her feelings to herself and remained polite. She always felt that Qi Erliu was somewhat insincere, though that was merely her own subjective impression.

"I’ve long heard of Miss Lin’s culinary skills; I often buy food at 'McKenji'," Qi Erliu remarked. "Today, I’m finally fortunate enough to taste dishes made by your own hands." She reached out to take Lin Sangqian’s hand. "Jingxiao is always praising you, saying that despite your youth, you are very business-savvy. Perhaps you could teach me sometime? Now that I am Jingxiao’s wife, I want to help him, but I’m useless when it comes to business."

Lin Sangqian smiled and subtly pulled her hand away. "I’m not sure I’ll have the time. Besides, the most business-minded person in our family is my third brother; I’m really just helping out."

Kang Ya glanced at her, thinking to herself how humble she was being.

"I have a few more dishes to finish, so I must head back to the kitchen," Lin Sangqian said, taking Kang Ya by the arm as they both walked away.

Qi Erliu stood there for a moment with a smile on her face, then returned to Yu Jingxiao’s side. By then, her smile had vanished, replaced by a look of hurt.

"What’s wrong?" Yu Jingxiao asked immediately, truly fond of his wife. "Why are you suddenly unhappy?"

"I feel like Miss Lin doesn't seem to like me," Qi Erliu said, lowering her lashes and looking pitiful.

"Surely not?" Yu Jingxiao replied. "I’ve known Miss Lin for several years; she has always been kind-hearted and easy to get along with." Unless provoked, she was always pleasant to everyone. Moreover, the Yu and Lin families were business partners. Much of the tea used for the milk tea at McKenji was supplied by the Yu family, which brought them significant profit. In return, the Yu family provided their highest-quality tea, making McKenji’s milk tea even more popular.

"It’s true," Qi Erliu said aggrievedly. "When I spoke to her just now, she barely acknowledged me, and in the end, she just dragged Madam away." She looked up, her eyes glistening. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you’re overthinking it," Yu Jingxiao comforted her. "You didn't do anything wrong. It must have been a misunderstanding. Don't you remember? When we got married, Miss Lin sent very generous gifts." Even without their business dealings, they were good friends. Besides, before Guan Yanqing left, he had specifically asked him to look after Lin Sangqian, so it would be quite difficult for him if she and Qi Erliu did not get along.

"I hope I’m just being paranoid," Qi Erliu sighed. "Why can't I be like Madam and get along with her? Then maybe I could help you more."

"Silly, you don't need to help me with anything. You just need to enjoy your life at home," Yu Jingxiao laughed.

At that moment, Liao Shuxia’s booming voice rang out: "Oh my, you young couple are so affectionate, whispering to each other even here! Come, come, try some freshly brewed milk tea!"