During the family inheritance dispute, Jinyu faced a life-threatening curse due to poisoning. Despite her father’s opposition, she relinquished her position in the Jin family to seek a cure and ultimately found a solution. Meanwhile, Yunmei, who had been abandoned, initially agreed to give up her role as family head, pushing herself towards Jinyu while Jinyu withdrew from her engagement with the Xu family. Aware of Yunmei’s long-standing feelings, Jinyu sacrificed Yunmei, indirectly forcing her to marry someone else. Jinyu’s continued contact with Yunmei was driven by the need to break the curse affecting her elder sister.
Jinyu’s manipulation extended to urging Yunmei to sleep with her elder sister, as it was part of the curse-breaking process. After Xu Yi rejected her, Jinyu intended to focus solely on finding a cure, hoping time would lessen Xu Yi’s feelings for her. However, her plans didn’t unfold as expected. Yunmei was correct—Jinyu sought both familial and romantic love but risked ending up with neither.
Previously, Jinyu had tarnished Yunmei’s reputation, and now the man she loved, Xu Yi, faced similar disgrace. She felt heartbroken and anxious about the outcomes.
Xu Yi must be suffering deeply, but the happiness of marrying her elder sister overshadowed the pain, making him indifferent to others. As for Yunmei, he had once been forced to marry someone he didn’t love, enduring neglect and mockery for two years. She had destroyed Yunmei.
“Second Young Miss, Second Young Miss!” The excited voice pulled Jin Mo from her thoughts. She turned and was momentarily stunned to see the approaching figures. “Xiao Wu, Xiao Zhou?”
“Second Young Miss, you’re really back!” Xiao Wu exclaimed. “We never thought you would remember us.”
Xiao Zhou added, “We heard rumors of your return and couldn’t believe it until now. Will you stay?”
“This is the Second Young Miss’s business; what right do we servants have to interfere?” Xiao Wu nudged Xiao Zhou, who then laughed awkwardly. “Please don’t mind me, Second Young Miss. I didn’t mean anything.”
Jin Mo smiled, assuming they had just returned. “You must be tired from traveling. Go rest.”
Xiao Wu and Xiao Zhou looked surprised. “Second Young Miss, we didn’t come from outside. For the past two years, the family head ordered us to protect a young widow at the Beauty House. Today, we were told we’re no longer needed.”
“The family head is getting married and sent us back. The young widow, caring for his younger brother alone, seems pitiable. Without the family head, they might not have survived these two years. Now, it appears he has lost interest, which seems cruel. The young widow has the family head’s child, and despite his questionable background, he’s only been affected by the family head.”
Xiao Wu spoke with pity, prompting Xiao Zhou to tease, “Are you falling for him? Forgetting you have a ‘tiger’ at home?”
As their playful banter continued, Jin Mo reflected on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jinyu and Su Yi.
Xiao Lian became irritated when he heard a suppressed laugh. He didn’t know how to react and couldn’t scold her for laughing. What was so great about embroidery? He didn’t want to do men’s work in his room every day like his brother. Turning his head, he saw a woman smiling in the soft sunlight, making his heart skip a beat. However, recalling her ‘mockery’ angered him. No matter how unskilled he was, he was sure he could perform better than her. Although she was beautiful, she wasn’t as attractive as that ‘vulgar’ woman, and her resemblance to her was annoying and made his face flush.
Thinking of that ‘vulgar’ woman, Xiao Lian felt furious again. It had been five days since he had seen her. He glared at Jing Mo at the courtyard gate. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not for you to do.”
Jing Mo, surprised, smiled nonchalantly. “Young brother, where is your brother?” She assumed this was the widower’s younger brother because he looked small for his age.
“My brother went to the street, leaving me to do men’s work,” Xiao Lian mumbled and glared at her again. “Don’t call me young brother. Call me Xiao Lian. That’s what everyone calls me.”
“Is it because your face is very small, you’re called Small Face?” Jing Mo’s eyes flickered. The name sounded strange; she had seen many peculiar names in her travels, but this one was odd.
Frustrated by his ‘arduous’ task from Su Yi and Jing Yu’s absence, Xiao Lian wanted to drive her away. “What do you want with my brother? He’s not here. If there’s nothing urgent, please leave quickly. I’m busy.”
“Although he wasn’t as handsome as his brother, he was still good-looking. How could she misinterpret his name and mock him? When the Jing family master called him by his name, it sounded nice, but in her mouth, he’d rather not hear it.
He missed that woman. Although she didn’t hold him or allow him to sleep with them, she never mocked his name. He shook his head. Why should he miss such a ‘vulgar’ woman? He was weak; being pressed down like his brother would surely break him. He was determined to find a gentle wife who wouldn’t constantly press down on him.
Jing Mo didn’t understand why he was displeased and asked, “When will your brother return?”
Xiao Lian wanted to drive her away but found his hand tangled with fine threads. Realizing he still had work to do, he glared at Jing Mo, “I don’t know.” Couldn’t she see he was busy?
Before being driven out, Xiao Lian and Su Yi had lived in a remote courtyard. After being forced out, they fell into the red-light district. He knew few people, and even fewer knew him.”
Those willing to interact with him were pitifully rare; he almost had no one. If someone paid attention to the bored Xiao Lian, he usually felt happy. Now, Jing Mo’s timing and face were displeasing to him, although her voice sounded nice.
Xiao Lian seemed to really dislike her. Jing Mo smiled, “I can wait here.”
Xiao Lian cursed internally, becoming more displeased. Her smile wasn’t as beautiful as another woman’s he remembered, and it made him think of her again. Was she getting married, and would he never see her again? He shook his head to avoid thinking further. Seeing Jing Mo’s smile and his hands tangled in silk threads made him feel ashamed for not knowing how to do men’s work. He feared that his brother was right—his lack of skills would make a wife despise him.
Noticing his troubled expression, Jing Mo found it amusing, “I know a bit about men’s work. Perhaps I can help you.”
“Who wants your help?” Xiao Lian glared at her, feeling mocked again.
Jing Mo wasn’t annoyed. She took the embroidered handkerchief from Xiao Lian and quickly untangled the silk threads before starting to work.
Xiao Lian watched her skillful hands, surprised by her expertise. She was more skilled than many men, comparable to his brother. A strange feeling arose in Xiao Lian’s heart; if she became his wife, she could handle all the needlework. He wouldn’t have to deal with these tasks in the future. Jing Mo’s capabilities diminished his hostility toward her.
His face turned slightly red, feeling shy, and he asked awkwardly, “You’re a woman. How do you know how to do this?” He was astonished that she could be more skilled than even women he had known.
Jing Mo responded with a casual acknowledgment, not paying attention to Xiao Lian’s unusual behavior.
Even if he had noticed, he would not have thought that a young boy would have any thoughts, let alone understand Xiao Lian’s intricate intentions of manipulation.
Time passed, and when Su Xi returned, he saw another woman in the courtyard alongside Xiao Lian. His heart tightened as he examined Xiao Lian’s clothing and body. Only after confirming that he was fine did he breathe a sigh of relief.
