Chapter 024

Chapter 24: Lying on the Same Bed with Another Man

Yu Zhi Yi told Zi Yuan in a calm voice: “Behind the vanity mirror in his mistress’s bedroom, the back panel is double-layered. Open the first layer and you will see the real ledger hidden in the middle compartment.”

She smiled brightly at Zi Yuan and said: “Kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. Once you take down this one, the rest will behave.”

After a pause, she added: “Oh, and bring more people. A gambler with his back against the wall might do anything.”

Zi Yuan had no temper left as she whispered, “Miss, you…” [Is it really okay to be this lazy?]

Yu Zhi Yi took another bite of sweet melon, let the taste tingle on her tongue, and narrowed her eyes in contentment. [Since I got a second chance at life, if I don’t slack off at the right time, what was the point of being reborn?]

After Zi Yuan left, Yu Zhi Yi was about to nap when Li Rou came to report: “Young madam, Miss You is here.”

Li Rou was one of the four maids she brought from Yu Manor. Another was named Zhang Xiang.

Yu Zhi Yi raised a brow. You Bing Yue had been back for several days already. She seemed to have gotten smarter and, in order to make a good impression on Madam Yao, hadn’t come to cause trouble. Yu Zhi Yi was happy to enjoy the peace.

The next day, Madam Yao even came in person to apologize. If there were any other way, she would never have let You Bing Yue in, but her son liked her too much. She had already used her own life once to force him, which deeply hurt their mother-son bond. Unless it was truly the last resort, she didn’t want to use that method again. Otherwise she feared her son’s heart would be broken for good, and their relationship could never be repaired.

Yu Zhi Yi said she understood. In this era, men having multiple wives and concubines was normal. A man like Chancellor Du, who had only one madam and loved her, was very rare. Madam Yao hoped her son would be devoted to one woman, but if he insisted on taking more, she didn’t agree, yet she could understand. Yu Zhi Yi wasn’t sentimental enough to believe Madam Yao would make things hard for her own son for Yu Zhi Yi’s sake. She had no objection to You Bing Yue’s return. Otherwise, Madam Yao would soon bring up consummation and children.

What she didn’t expect was that You Bing Yue would come looking for her first.

Before Yu Zhi Yi could say to let her in or send her away, You Bing Yue swaggered into the room.

Yu Zhi Yi fell silent.

You Bing Yue asked without courtesy, her tone pressing down from above: “Ziheng says you gave him the idea, and that’s how he figured out how to persuade Madam Du. Is that true?”

Yu Zhi Yi told Li Rou to clear away the melon rinds, then washed her hands in the basin Zhang Xiang brought over. She never answered You Bing Yue’s question and did not even spare her a glance. She was prouder and colder than You Bing Yue.

You Bing Yue’s already icy face turned even colder as she snapped: “What’s with that attitude? I’m speaking to you!”

Yu Zhi Yi turned to Li Rou and asked lazily: “Did you hear something making noise?”

Li Rou was not a houseborn servant of Yu Manor, only a maid bought on the road. In big households, trusted tasks went to families who had served for generations. Next came those bought and trained from childhood. People who joined when older mostly did rough work and were never truly trusted. Because they lacked training and had no chance to rise, they kept their original habits and simple ways.

Li Rou, for example, had a very honest face and a clear, slightly foolish look in her eyes. She instinctively glanced at You Bing Yue, confused. Wasn’t it Miss You who had just spoken? But the master was the master. Since her master said it was only some thing making noise, she didn’t dare to argue, so she said, not very certain: “Maybe… yes?”

You Bing Yue was furious. That glance from Li Rou didn’t hurt, but it felt like a big insult.

She shouted: “Yu Zhi Yi, what are you so proud of? Do you really think your tricks are clever? You act like you want nothing, but behind people’s backs you play hard to get and hook men. Isn’t that disgusting?”

Thinking of how Du Zi Heng had acted these days, her anger surged. She had left Chancellor’s Manor for so long, yet he never went to find her once. When he finally came, it was to drag her back to apologize to Madam Yao. She hadn’t wanted to return, but Du Zi Heng was a scholar with endless arguments. He said it was wrong for them to leave his parents, that no parents truly hate their own child, and that if they explained things well, Chancellor Du and his wife would accept them. He also poured out sweet words. She was fooled by that clever tongue. Only after returning did she discover that those ideas had all been taught to him by Yu Zhi Yi.

Yu Zhi Yi again!

She also remembered the chrysanthemum-viewing banquet. Ji Yi Fei had meant to stand up for her, but afterward he vanished like he had evaporated. She didn’t know he was no longer the shining heir of the richest family. She only blamed Yu Zhi Yi. This woman was hateful and shameless, always against her. One Du Zi Heng wasn’t enough; she even hooked Ji Yi Fei. Otherwise, why would Ji Yi Fei be too ashamed to come see her?

Yu Zhi Yi gave a soft, cold laugh and said: “Acting like you want nothing while you secretly hook men… are you talking about yourself?”

She began counting on her fingers and said: “Let me see… Du Zi Heng, Ji Yi Fei, Dong Fang Yuan, Leng Xiao Yao. And those are only the ones with names. There are many more I can’t even name.”

You Bing Yue’s eyes flickered. How did this hateful woman know everything?

She snapped: “Don’t talk nonsense. I’m only friends with them, nothing else. I’m not like you. I don’t need men to live.”

Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t read You Bing Yue’s face, but she had memories from her last life. Back then she had met this unusual woman a few times and heard plenty of stories about her. Every time they met, there was a new, messy scene of jealous men, and the main actors were always these same few.

She said evenly: “Only friends means you and Ji Yi Fei were alone in a room drinking, got drunk, and slept on the same bed all night. Not needing men means you borrowed three thousand taels of silver from Ji Yi Fei, said you’d pay him back once you made money, but you already spent it, and your business has no plan at all.”

She had seen it all from Ji Yi Fei’s face.

You Bing Yue panicked. This woman was poison. Or did Ji Yi Fei tell her? Her anger rose even higher. That jerk. He promised to like her for life, then turned to another woman and even sold her out.

Shame burned her cheeks. Rage rushed to her head. She moved in a blur, leaping at Yu Zhi Yi as she hissed: “You’re looking for death!”

Her fingers curved like eagle claws, full of strength. The killing intent in her eyes seemed almost solid. Li Rou cried out in fear, “Young madam, watch out,” and instinctively threw herself in front of Yu Zhi Yi.

Yu Zhi Yi was stunned for a heartbeat.