Chapter 175: She Actually Harbor Ulterior Motives Toward Me

Lin Sangqian finished her porridge and let out a sigh.

Zhang Qianqian’s cooking skills were indeed mediocre, far inferior to Zhao Lan'er's and Xiao Yawen's.

"Can't you tell she likes you?" Lin Sangqian wiped her mouth and said indifferently, "I told her to go down the mountain, but she refused, all because of you."

"What? I just asked her to cook a meal, and she's actually harboring improper thoughts about me?" Gu Zhinan's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's going too far!"

Lin Sangqian: "..."

She said helplessly, "So, please do me a favor and explain things clearly to her. I only came back here with you to cure your poison, so she won't keep treating me like an imaginary enemy. It's such a hassle."

"None of my business," Gu Zhinan said with a rogue expression. "If you want an explanation, explain it yourself."

"Fine, I'll go explain, and I won't cure your poison anymore."

"Lin Sangqian! You're using that to threaten me again! Get back here!"

...

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Yu Manor was heavy and oppressive.

Zhao Lan'er and Xiao Yawen could not stop crying, while Liao Shuxia sat there like a soul in torment, blankly clutching one of Lin Sangqian's garments. Kang Ya stood guard nearby the whole time, terrified that Shuxia might do something rash and irreversible in her grief.

"Sangqian did all this for us," Zhao Lan'er said. "That's why she went with that group of bandits."

"What are we going to do now that she's fallen into a bandit den?" Wang Qiongshi's eyes were red-rimmed. "I never imagined Sangqian was such a righteous and selfless person. No wonder everyone in town holds her in such high regard!"

Yu Jingxiao slammed his fist against the wall, consumed with remorse. "It's all my fault... It's all my fault! If I hadn't asked you all to move in here, you wouldn't have been implicated when the bandits attacked last night..."

"Jingxiao, how can you blame yourself?" Qi Erliu hurriedly took his arm and comforted him. "You only invited them to move here out of kindness. No one could have predicted that bandits would suddenly target us, and they are so formidable—the estate's guards were simply no match for them."

"I thought they would safely escape through the back door. I really thought... I never expected those bandits to be guarding the back door!" Yu Jingxiao was racked with guilt.

When Guan Yanqing returned, how was he going to face him?

He had given his word that he would take good care of Lin Sangqian...

Qi Erliu offered hypocritical words of comfort to Yu Jingxiao, while her heart was practically bursting with joy.

Heaven truly had eyes, letting those bandits abduct Lin Sangqian.

Once trapped in a bandit lair, what kind of decent fate could possibly await her?

Even if she managed to survive and return someday, she would undoubtedly be ruined and defiled!

Heh, so what if she was pretty? She would never have another chance to seduce Yu Jingxiao!

The more Qi Erliu thought about it, the happier she became, until a smug smile finally slipped onto her face.

Xiao Yawen had sharp eyes and caught the smile instantly. Enraged, she barked, "Qi Erliu, what are you smiling at? What, are you thrilled that Sangqian was captured by bandits?"

In an instant, everyone turned to look at her.

Qi Erliu immediately put on a mournful expression and said, "Miss Xiao, what are you talking about? No matter what, Miss Lin is Jingxiao's friend. How could I possibly be glad? You must have seen things just now."

"Things have come to this, and nobody wants to watch your act," Zhao Lan'er said coldly.

Qi Erliu cursed them a thousand times in her mind, and when she looked up to see Yu Jingxiao gazing at her with a complicated look, a wave of panic washed over her. "Jingxiao..."

Without waiting for her to speak, Yu Jingxiao gently pushed her away from him.

"Where are the Second and Third Young Masters Lin?" Kang Ya asked. "It seems like we haven't seen them at all."

"They went to find Brother Lin," Xiao Yawen said. "Brother Lin seems to be leading men at the foot of Green Creek Mountain, looking for a chance to attack the bandits. They went to tell him the news so he can figure out a way to rescue Sangqian."

"I'm going too," Yu Jingxiao suddenly stood up, then told Steward Yuan, "Go and notify everyone in the Yu family who is able to bear arms to accompany me to Green Creek Mountain to help attack the bandits."

Although his personal guards were no match for the bandits, joining forces with the government officers might at least allow them to be of some assistance.

"Yes, sir."

"Jingxiao! Don't go..." Qi Erliu tried to stop him, but Kang Ya walked straight up to her, raised her arm, and dealt her a merciless, resounding slap across the face.

"You!" Qi Erliu covered her cheek, staring at her in disbelief. "What are you doing? You hit me?"

Kang Ya sneered without speaking, and followed up with a second slap.

Qi Erliu was left dizzy and disoriented, her teeth aching and loosened by the impact.

"I've wanted to give you those two slaps for a long time," Kang Ya said in a low voice. "You disgusting bitch!"

Ever since marrying into the Yu family, she had forced herself to maintain the dignified facade of a proper mistress, but finally being able to unleash her true feelings and curse Qi Erliu felt deeply liberating!

"You, you!"

"What about it?" Zhao Lan'er, Xiao Yawen, and Wang Qiongshi also walked over, glaring at her with menacing hostility. "Do you want to test us and see what happens?"

Qi Erliu took two steps back and turned to look at Yumei, but Yumei didn't dare cross them either and simply lowered her head.

"You—you a bunch of harridans!" Lacking any other recourse, Qi Erliu could only resort to verbal abuse.

"That's right, we're harridans," Zhao Lan'er sneered. "But we're still a thousand times better than a brothel woman like you."

Qi Erliu's face drained of color, her composure shattering instantly.

So they all knew!

Damn it, why hadn't those bandits taken them away last night as well!

If they told Yu Jingxiao about her past as a courtesan in a brothel, everything would be completely over!

"You—what nonsense are you spouting? Who is a brothel woman? You're slandering me, this is going too far..."

With their minds still consumed by worry for Lin Sangqian, the others had no patience to bicker with Qi Erliu and ignored her completely.

Panicking wildly, Qi Erliu fled the room.

A short while later, Steward Yuan returned.

Yu Jingxiao had already departed with the men, but Yuan was elderly and lacked martial arts skills, meaning he would only be a burden if he went, so he stayed behind to look after the rest.

Seeing that everyone still wore devastated expressions, he sighed and said, "In my view, you all really don't need to worry excessively."

"Steward Yuan, what do you mean by that?" Zhao Lan'er asked, puzzled.

"I have known Miss Lin for several years now and consider myself somewhat familiar with her character. Since you have spent even more time with her, you should understand her better than I do. Do you really think Miss Lin is an ordinary person?" Steward Yuan smiled. "An ordinary person couldn't build such a massive business at such a young age, nor command such immense respect throughout the town, to the extent that even the Prefect of Pingci County treats her with the utmost courtesy."

Hearing this, everyone froze, pondering his words and realizing they made sense.

Even Liao Shuxia raised her head to look at him.

"From your description, Miss Lin willingly left with those bandits last night. Although she did it to save you all, I am certain that if she lacked the means to protect herself, she would never have gone with them so easily."