Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Since When Does an Ugly Woman Have Self-Respect? Apologize? Jia Qingcheng was about to laugh with anger. She had done nothing wrong—why should she apologize? "Cousin, this can't just end here. Even if she apologizes, I still want compensation." Li Sisi refused to let it go, while Pei Wuliang coughed and hurried over to Qingcheng's side, trying to soothe her. "Qingcheng, stop making a scene. Just apologize. Everyone is watching—don't embarrass yourself any further." He thought she was embarrassing him? "Pei Wuliang, in your heart, am I, Jia Qingcheng, really such an unreasonable, troublesome person?" In her past life, Li Sisi had slandered her too, but Pei Wuliang had stepped forward to defend her. Even when Li Sisi reported her to her mother-in-law, Pei Wuliang's heart had still been with her. That year, when she was punished by her mother-in-law to kneel outside the ancestral hall, Pei Wuliang had knelt right beside her. The frost was heavy and the dew cold, frost crystals forming on his hair, yet he refused to leave, stubbornly insisting on staying with her... She had once asked him why he did that, and Pei Wuliang had only smiled at her. "Qingcheng, I am your husband. If I don't support you, how sad would you be?" Those moving words were still vivid before her eyes, yet in an instant, they overlapped with the man before her who was now forcing her to apologize. It was astonishing—they were the same person! Seeing no trace of remorse in her, Pei Wuliang's temper flared up instantly. "Enough, Qingcheng! Everyone is here—who would wrong you for no reason? Are you apologizing or not?" "Never!" Having seen through the scoundrel's true face, Jia Qingcheng coldly flicked her sleeves. "Chunyan, let's go!" "Stop! Did this young master permit you to leave?" Permit? Jia Qingcheng found it utterly ridiculous. Now that Pei Wuliang had lost her support, he had already been stripped of his position as imperial physician. His official career was slowly crumbling, and he still dared to threaten her? Ridiculous! "Miss, what do we do? He seems very angry." Chunyan was also worried that if her young lady pushed the relationship with Pei Wuliang too far, it would do her no good in the future. After all, it was a fact that Prince Chu was on the verge of death, and who knew whether he was even still alive now? She understood her young lady's situation. Although the old master was strict, what he said made sense—if not for Pei Wuliang, who would look after her young lady for the rest of her life? "Let's go!" "Jia Qingcheng, if you take one more step, I will really get angry!" Seeing that coaxing was useless, Pei Wuliang reverted to his true face and barked at her. But Jia Qingcheng still refused to acknowledge him, striding straight ahead to leave with Chunyan. "Jia Qingcheng, once you walk out of this manor gate, don't ever think about coming back!" Come back? She had long grown tired of this Pei Manor. Why would she come back? "Oh dear, she's really not coming back. What's going on—since when does this ugly woman have such a temper?" "Exactly! I was certain she'd turn back after three steps, but I never expected her to..." The crowd said all sorts of things, most of them betting she couldn't stay tough for even a moment. But she did it—she walked out of the Pei Manor with her back straight, every step firm and resolute, treading over the cold floor tiles beneath her feet, step by step leaving. Leaving this place that, in her past life, had trapped and deceived her for an entire lifetime. "Cousin, look at this ugly thing—she's increasingly not putting you in her eyes. You need to teach her a good lesson! She dares to defy you before anything has even happened!" "Shut up! Can't you stop being so annoying!" Pei Wuliang had lost face today, been humiliated in front of relatives, and missed out on the position of imperial physician. His mood was already foul, and now Jia Qingcheng's defiance only fueled his rage further. "Brother Wuliang, it seems Sister is angry and left?" Song Jiaojiao had watched enough drama from behind and quickly stepped forward to pour oil on the fire. But Pei Wuliang knew Jia Qingcheng well—she had adored him for years and wouldn't get angry so easily. "Never mind. Let's give her the cold shoulder for a while. Her temper has indeed grown quite a bit. Don't worry—within three days, she'll definitely not be able to resist coming to find me!" Three days? Song Jiaojiao frowned. If Jia Qingcheng didn't go to Pei Wuliang within three days, how would she get that set of attire? "Brother Wuliang, that's too long." Pei Wuliang was very confident. In his past life, Jia Qingcheng couldn't sleep soundly if she didn't see him for even a day. No matter how late he returned, she would always leave a lamp lit for him and wait beneath its glow. Forget three days—Jia Qingcheng couldn't bear even one day of lovesickness. "Perhaps she won't even last three days!" Song Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow. "Brother Wuliang, in three days, Princess Ping'an is hosting a Cuju tournament and has invited us sisters to participate. But I don't have proper attire or shoes. What am I to do?" She knew very well that to win the competition, attire and shoes were key. Without good clothing and footwear, she couldn't dazzle the crowd. Princess Ping'an? Suddenly, something came to Pei Wuliang's mind. In his past life, Princess Ping'an had indeed hosted a Cuju tournament, and he had accompanied Jia Qingcheng to attend. At the banquet, Jia Qingcheng had made a complete fool of herself, and he had gone against his conscience to comfort her, telling her it was fine. Perhaps... Suddenly, his eyes sharpened. "Jiaojiao, leave this matter to me!" He knew Jia Qingcheng had an excellent set of Cuju gear. Unfortunately, his relationship with Jia Qingcheng was now very poor, and she definitely wouldn't be willing to give it to him. Besides, she was also going to participate in the Cuju match. Although she wasn't very good at it, since the princess had invited her, she would go and make a fool of herself. "Brother Wuliang, do you have a way?" Pei Wuliang thought of something. "Doesn't your sister have an extra set of clothing? When the time comes, I'll have her give it to you, won't that work?" Song Jiaojiao heard this and it was exactly what she wanted, but... "But sister is still angry with me, she might not be willing to lend it to me." "Silly girl, who said anything about borrowing? I'll have her give it to you." ... Early the next morning, Song Jiaojiao dressed neatly and prepared to head to the ancestral hall for the ceremony to join the Jia family. After today, she would completely shed her adopted daughter status and truly become the second young miss of the Jia family. From now on, the Jia family's wealth would be hers alone, including those secret medicinal formulas. "Second Miss, you're so beautiful! You look even more like the true young miss than the eldest miss!" "Taozi, don't talk nonsense. Second Miss is the true young miss after all. As for the eldest miss, she's ugly and crude, more like the adopted daughter." The three of them, mistress and servants, were in good spirits. Song Jiaojiao stood by the bronze mirror, examining herself from left to right. She had dressed up elaborately for today. Jia Qingcheng—an ugly thing like her, how could she compete with her? Ridiculous! "It's time, let's go to the ancestral hall!" Song Jiaojiao was about to set off when suddenly a respectful voice came from outside. "Second Miss, something has happened." Something happened? Song Jiaojiao's first thought was that the ugly thing Jia Qingcheng had gone on a hunger strike or couldn't think things through. "Steward, what's the urgency?" "The master suddenly collapsed and won't wake up. The eldest miss has ordered the family initiation ceremony to be cancelled!" Cancelled? That's impossible? Song Jiaojiao had dreamed of this for so many years, and it was finally about to come true. How could it be cancelled just like that? She refused to accept it! She immediately rushed off to find Jia Qingcheng and demand an explanation. When she arrived at the ancestral hall, Jia Qingcheng was kneeling inside, devoutly kowtowing. "Eldest Miss, Second Miss is here." Chunyan quietly reminded her from the side. Jia Qingcheng opened her eyes and slowly stood up. Seeing her acting like she was in charge, Song Jiaojiao became even more furious. "Sister, if you don't like me, fine—after all, Brother Wuliang only loves me. But what right do you have to cancel my initiation ceremony?"