Chapter 346

Chapter 346: I Don’t Take Back Trash

What made her even more upset was this: right after Nuan’er left because she thought Yu Zhi Yi had no future and ran to cling to Chen Xin Yue, not long after, Chen Xin Yue was grounded. Nuan’er then saw with her own eyes that Commandery Governor Song and his wife treated Yu Zhi Yi with great respect, and she learned that Second Miss Jiang had saved Eldest Young Master Song, becoming the benefactor of the entire governor’s household.

Nuan’er didn’t even want to remember how crushed she felt then.

She had only one thought now: [I have to go back! I must return to Second Miss’s side! Only by staying with someone who has a future can I have a future.]

Nuan’er fell to her knees and pleaded: “Second Miss, I was truly deceived! Miss Chen told me you were cruel and would abuse your servants. I was scared I’d be hurt, so I ran to her.”

She kept begging: “I didn’t know she misled me on purpose just to disgust you. Once I learned the truth, I regretted everything.”

She knocked her head on the ground and said: “Second Miss, please give me one more chance. I’ll serve you well and be loyal only to you!”

Yu Zhi Yi looked at her with a faint smile and asked: “Do I look like someone that cheap to you?”

Nuan’er froze.

Yu Zhi Yi didn’t bother with her expression and said coolly: “Since ancient times, a servant does not serve two masters. You should have learned this on your first day as a servant, right?”

She tilted her head and asked: “What makes you think that after you betrayed me, I would take you back?”

Nuan’er tried to argue: “But I-”

Yu Zhi Yi cut her off and said: “I didn’t come after you before because I couldn’t be bothered to stoop to your level.”

She turned away and added: “I’ll report today’s matter to your master exactly as it happened. Pray for yourself.”

Nuan’er gasped, then panicked and cried: “No! Don’t tell Miss Chen!”

Yu Zhi Yi couldn’t be bothered to waste another word and walked past her.

Meeting the steward head-on, Yu Zhi Yi stopped him, explained the situation in brief, and then said: “Please ask Miss Chen to take her person back. Also pass along a message: I don’t take back trash. She should keep a tighter hold on her own people.”

The steward was speechless.

He had always thought Second Miss was the gentle, aloof type. Nuan’er’s betrayal had happened only a few days ago, and Second Miss hadn’t said a word then, so he assumed she didn’t care. He hadn’t expected that she simply waited for the right time to act-and that she’d be this blunt. Once these words reached Miss Chen, Miss Chen would probably explode with rage. But he dared neither to comment nor to ask more; after all, he was only a servant.

The steward guessed right. When Chen Xin Yue heard his report, she almost fainted from anger. “Nuan’er, that traitor!” she snarled. How dare she betray her! That night, screams came from the woodshed behind Chen Xin Yue’s small courtyard and went on for half the night. But that is another story.

Yu Zhi Yi told her mother what was going on, then made ready to look for the Marquis of Wu’an’s heir apparent.

Xiao Qing Xuan didn’t feel safe letting her go alone, so she sent for her husband and both sons at once.

When the three men heard that Yu Zhi Yi planned to go out searching, none of them objected. Jiang Liu Yi said: “The Earthly Ranking Conference begins tomorrow. These two days are crucial for keeping order. Father is the one in charge and cannot leave his post, so let me go with Sister.”

Jiang Liu Yun bounced on his toes and cried: “I want to go too! I want to go too!”

Yu Zhi Yi hesitated a moment, then agreed.

Jiang Liu Yi was a well-known genius in the Martial World-great talent, strong skills, and a sharp mind. If they needed to split up to search, he could handle it, saving precious time.

She did still have paper cranes to use, but there were only three. They could only search limited areas, and they were not immortal tools-only able to send images back into her mind, which cost her a lot of focus.

With capable help, why refuse?

As for Jiang Liu Yun: after that day, the family discussed it, and Jiang Yu Chuan and his wife agreed that he would follow under Yu Zhi Yi’s tutelage. He would be by her side long-term, and she could start handing serious tasks to him.

The three siblings each gathered a few people and headed down the mountain.

They had just reached the gate when a small group approached from the front. Seeing two of them, Yu Zhi Yi lifted an eyebrow.

Du Zi Heng looked at Yu Zhi Yi with a faint, excited light in his eyes. After almost a month apart, he realized he had been thinking of her again and again. Back when she lived in the Chancellor’s Manor, she behaved quietly and never tried to force her presence on him. Even after he married her, his life didn’t change much. Yet he felt oddly ill at ease. Without her, the Windward Pavilion seemed to have its life drained away and felt dead and silent. He stared at her, thinking she looked even more beautiful now, with an even more unique air about her. His gaze burned so hot it was hard to ignore.

Yu Zhi Yi frowned and gave him a cold glance, her eyes full of open dislike. Seeing that, Du Zi Heng’s heart lurched, and he lowered his gaze, hurt.

Where Du Zi Heng went, You Bing Yue was sure to be there too. Don’t be fooled by how the two had acted as if they would never see each other again; they had made up quickly, or they wouldn’t be appearing together now. Only, their “making up” wasn’t what Yu Zhi Yi would have imagined-they now called each other friends.

Yu Zhi Yi didn’t yet know this. She only swept a chilly look over the group. As for Li Chang Huai, who looked guilty yet eager to step forward and say hello, she didn’t spare him a glance.

Jiang Liu Yi didn’t know what Du Zi Heng had to do with his sister. Seeing a strange man staring so openly at her, his face cooled. He took two quick steps and moved to the front right of Yu Zhi Yi, blocking Du Zi Heng’s line of sight.

Jiang Liu Yun did know this guy was his ex-brother-in-law and also knew about his scummy behavior. Seeing the man walking with his former paramour while making gross eyes at his sister, he ground his little tiger teeth, wishing he could rush up and bite the jerk twice.

Luckily, Sister only gave that scumbag one startled glance at the very start and then never spared him another look. Jiang Liu Yun relaxed and decided to teach that jerk a lesson later, when no one was around.

Just as the two groups were about to pass one another, Li Chang Huai drew breath to greet them, but Du Zi Heng spoke first and called out: “Yi’er.”

You Bing Yue’s pretty face sank.

Yu Zhi Yi pretended not to hear and kept walking.

Du Zi Heng made one quick step to stand in front of her; if she hadn’t reacted fast, she would have crashed straight into his chest.

Yu Zhi Yi’s face went cold. Normally, for such a small, non-malicious bump that posed no real danger, the Protective Talisman and Defensive Jade Pendant she wore wouldn’t activate. But if she personally felt danger coming, every defensive measure on her would trigger at once.