Chapter 30

Close Call

“I’m sure, I remember it clearly. It was you, sister, who asked me to get the buns. And…” Jiang Caiping glanced at Mei Xue and shook her head. “You weren’t wearing that outfit earlier.”

The more Mei Xue listened, the more puzzled she became. She asked cautiously, “Are you… sure you didn’t mistake someone else for me?”

Jiang Caiping shook her head repeatedly. “I’m not old enough to be confused. How could I mistake you? This is strange… could it be…?” She hesitated and asked, “Could there be two sisters?”

Mei Xue chuckled. “Nonsense. I don’t have a twin sister.”

Jiang Caiping stared at the closed door. If the person she saw earlier wasn’t Mei Xue, then that person should still be inside. With this thought, she gritted her teeth and forcefully pushed the door open. However, the room was empty, with no one inside. The kettle was on the table, but the teacups were turned upside down on the table, showing no signs of having been used.

“This is impossible. She was clearly here just now,” Jiang Caiping muttered as she began searching the room, looking under the bed and in the cabinets, but found nothing. She sat down in confusion and looked up at Mei Xue, asking, “Sister, did you really just come back?”

Mei Xue poured herself a cup of tea and drank it down in one gulp before saying, “Yes, I just got back, it’s absolutely true.”

Jiang Caiping scratched her head and muttered, “Could it be… I was just confused? Maybe everything I saw was just an illusion?”

Before she could think it through, Mei Xue said, “Enough of that. Please bring me the ointment from the top cupboard.”

Jiang Caiping quickly suppressed her doubts and asked, “Sister, why do you need ointment?”

Mei Xue didn’t answer at first, instead she silently pulled down her collar, revealing dark red scars on her shoulders. Jiang Caiping gasped, “They… they tortured you?”

Mei Xue smiled bitterly. “What else could it be? Do you think they just locked me in the dungeon? If it weren’t for the second young master speaking up for me, I’d be wondering if I would even be alive to stand here.”

Jiang Caiping’s eyes turned red. “They’re really unreasonable. This has nothing to do with you.” She clenched her fists and added angrily, “It’s all that Shen Yunyi’s fault. She acted like she was so close to you, but it was all fake. She was using you the whole time!”

Mei Xue was silent for a moment before asking, “Has Yunyi been caught?”

“I heard not yet. But don’t worry, the Taishou’s mansion is heavily guarded, even if she had wings, she couldn’t fly out. She’ll be caught eventually!” Jiang Caiping said as she brought a basin of water from outside. After cleaning Mei Xue’s wounds, she applied some ointment, which had been given by Yang mama when Mei Xue had once accidentally cut her hand.

After changing Mei Xue into a fresh set of clothes, Jiang Caiping asked worriedly, “Sister, now that you’re out of the dungeon, everything should be fine, right?”

“It should be fine now,” Mei Xue said with a sigh. “I owe this to the second young master. I heard I was released from the dungeon so quickly because he spoke on my behalf in front of the second madam.”

“Ah, the second young master again…” Jiang Caiping deliberately stretched the tone, then gave a sly smile. “Sister, the second young master helps you so much, does he… like you? Actually, the second young master is a great guy. Handsome, charming, and polite, he’s much easier to get along with than the eldest young master. If you could marry him, it would be a blessing!”

Mei Xue gave her a light tap on the head. “Don’t talk nonsense. The second young master’s status is far above ours, how could we ever reach him?” As she spoke the last sentence, a hint of melancholy appeared in her eyes.

Jiang Caiping didn’t notice, and nodded in agreement. “That’s true. I heard the second young master is already betrothed to the eldest daughter of Lord Changsun’s family. They were supposed to marry months ago, but because his mother passed away, the wedding was delayed. They’ll marry once the mourning period is over.”

Mei Xue felt a pang in her heart but forced a smile. “Alright, enough of that. Let’s go, I’m starving after these two days in the dungeon.”

Jiang Caiping nodded, and they went together to the kitchen to get lunch. As they left, the partially open window was pushed open from the outside, and a figure clumsily climbed through, then hid inside the cupboard.

It was Yunyi. She had overheard Jiang Caiping and Mei Xue talking in the room earlier. Fearing being discovered, she had hidden under the window before they entered.

She had originally planned to leave, but since she hadn’t found another hiding place, and since Mei Xue was now out of the dungeon, meeting each other would have exposed her identity. She had almost been recognized by Jiang Caiping earlier, but fortunately, the latter’s simple mind didn’t think too much of it, or it would have been a problem. So, until she found a better hiding place, she decided to stay here.

This place had been searched multiple times already, so it should be safe for the time being. What worried her most now was Shen Moping—she had no idea how he was doing.

In the kitchen, the cook, seeing Jiang Caiping, smiled and said, “Back again? Still not full?”

Jiang Caiping didn’t know how to answer and could only smile. After packing the food, the cook kindly said, “You’re a young girl, don’t eat too much, or you’ll start gaining weight. Just look at me—because I eat too much, I ended up like this, and my husband keeps complaining.”

Jiang Caiping flattered her, “No way, Li Mama, you look so graceful and well-proportioned, you’re not fat at all. I really envy you.”

Li Mama was flattered, pinching her round, cute cheek. “You’re such a sweet talker. Next time, I’ll make your favorite braised lion’s head, but you can’t eat too many buns again. Don’t forget, you still have to perform for the Taishou and the others.”

“I know, thank you, Li Mama.” As she was about to leave, she bumped into Chun Xiu and Ji Rong. When Chun Xiu saw Mei Xue, her cheerful expression immediately darkened. She coldly said, “Aren’t you supposed to be in the dungeon? How come you’re here?”

Jiang Caiping replied, “The second young master investigated and confirmed that sister has nothing to do with the assassination, so she was released early this morning.”

Chun Xiu sneered, “I see. No wonder you’re standing here so fine. Wu Mei Xue, you really are something. You’ve only been here a few days, and you’ve already hooked up with the second young master. You’re even better than your father. Since you’re so capable, why not just hook up with the eldest young master too, you wild girl!”

Jiang Caiping had long been displeased with Chun Xiu, and hearing this, she couldn’t hold back anymore. She stepped forward and said, “What do you mean hooking up with the eldest or second young master? Who’s the wild girl here? I think you’re the one who looks like a wild girl! If you can’t speak properly, just shut up, no one’s taking you for a mute!”