TPGA - 31

Chun Xiu was so enraged that her eyebrows shot up, and she scolded, “How dare you speak to me like that, Jiang Caiping?!”

Jiang Caiping retorted, “You’re no different from us. What’s there to be afraid of? Do you really think that just because you’ve become the lead dancer, your status makes you superior to everyone else?”

“You’re crazy!” Chun Xiu was so angry she almost wanted to rush over and tear Jiang Caiping’s mouth apart. Ji Rong quickly grabbed her and subtly shook her head, signaling her not to act impulsively. Then, with a slight smile, she said, “Chun Xiu has always been straightforward and doesn’t know how to sugarcoat things. Don’t take it to heart. Actually, we’ve all been worried these past few days. Now that Mei Xue is out safely, we can finally rest easy. They say, ‘If you survive a great calamity, you’ll have good fortune ahead,’ so things should get better from here.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Sister Ji Rong.”

After Mei Xue responded, Ji Rong said, “Alright, let’s go get lunch first. We can talk more later.”

Once Mei Xue and Ji Rong left, Chun Xiu stomped her foot and said, “Sister Ji Rong, why are you being so polite to that wild girl? Are you afraid of them now?”

Ji Rong carefully packed the lunch into the food box and, in a soft voice, replied, “I’m not afraid of them, but what about the Second Young Master? Are you not concerned?”

Chun Xiu froze for a moment, then reluctantly said, “The Second Young Master... Could it be that he really has feelings for Mei Xue? Is he blind? How could he fall for such a wild girl?”

“Shh!” Ji Rong made a silencing gesture and whispered, “Be quiet, if someone overhears and reports it to the Second Young Master, we won’t have good days ahead.” She continued, “For now, until we know the Second Young Master’s feelings for her, you should hold back your temper. Don’t keep picking fights with Mei Xue, it could bring unnecessary trouble.”

Chun Xiu, who had long been used to stepping on Mei Xue, was unwilling to listen. She angrily said, “Sister Ji Rong, how could you even be defending that wild girl? You... You’re driving me crazy!”

Ji Rong gently tapped her forehead and said, “I’m not defending her, I’m just worried you might end up suffering. You’re good at everything except keeping your cool. That’s something you need to work on, or it’ll backfire.”

“But I get so angry every time I see that wild girl! How can I stay calm?” Chun Xiu fumed, then added, “And the Second Young Master is really something. Mei Xue is obviously in league with the assassins, yet he lets her go free. What if she harms the Taishou again in the future?”

“Even if that’s the case, it’s their problem, not ours. Why are you worrying about it?” Ji Rong responded. Then, after a pause, she said, “But to be fair, we’ve known Mei Xue since we were young, and we’ve never had dealings with anyone from outside the village. She... she shouldn’t be involved with the assassins.”

Chun Xiu scoffed, “Maybe she wasn’t before she entered the house, but who knows after that? Before the incident, she was so close with that Shen Yunyi. You saw it too, they called each other sisters. If you think there’s nothing suspicious about that, I don’t believe it! Just wait, I’ll figure out her true nature. When I do, I’ll see how she ends.”

Ji Rong grabbed her arm and said, “Enough, if we keep talking, the food will get cold. Let’s go back. We can talk about Mei Xue later.”

Chun Xiu reluctantly followed her back. After lunch, she planned to take a nap, but as soon as she lay down, she remembered what had happened earlier with Jiang Caiping and the others mocking her outside the kitchen. The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she couldn’t fall asleep. She felt like she would suffocate if she didn’t get it off her chest.

With that thought, she threw off the covers and got up. Just as she was about to put on her slippers, Ji Rong, who should have been asleep by now, opened her eyes and asked, “Where are you going?”

Chun Xiu gritted her teeth and said, “I’m going to teach those two little girls a lesson.”

Ji Rong sighed softly and sat up, saying, “Why can’t you listen to my advice? The Second Young Master...” Before she could finish, Chun Xiu interjected, “I don’t believe the Second Young Master will protect her like that! Besides, haven’t they been searching for that female assassin? Maybe she’s hiding in their room. If I find her, Mei Xue will be done for.”

The fact that Mei Xue had been recommended by Li Shimin to perform a dance at Songtao Residence had already set Chun Xiu’s jealousy ablaze. Then, when the assassination plot was uncovered, and Mei Xue was thrown into the dungeon, Chun Xiu had thought she would die there. But to her surprise, Mei Xue was released in just a few days, acting as if nothing had happened, and even gained the protection of the Second Young Master. This made Chun Xiu seethe with anger.

Ji Rong’s eyes flashed slightly, and she spoke in a low voice, “You suspect... the assassin is hiding in Mei Xue’s room?”

Chun Xiu casually replied, “Where else could she hide? The Eldest Young Master and the others have searched everywhere, even Songtao Residence and the Yuxiu Pavilion where the Second Madam stays.”

“Spring Xiu, do you remember what Li chef said when we went to the kitchen before?”

Chun Xiu didn’t remember, replying, “Li chef? I don’t remember, what did she say?”

“She told Jiang Caiping not to eat so many steamed buns. But I clearly remember Jiang Caiping doesn’t have a big appetite. She usually just eats a bowl of rice when she’s having a meal. As for the steamed buns, it’s a struggle for her to eat one, let alone two. So how could it be ‘many’?”

“Are you saying... there’s someone else in their room? And this person is the assassin?” Chun Xiu had only casually mentioned the assassin, but after hearing Ji Rong’s words, it seemed more and more like this was the case.

Ji Rong lowered her head, thinking for a moment, then said, “I can’t be sure, but there is a possibility.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Chun Xiu hurriedly began to leave, and Ji Rong quickly stopped her, “Where are you going?”

Chun Xiu urgently replied, “Of course, I’m going to catch them red-handed before they manage to send the assassin away. If we wait until they move her, it will be too late.”

“Don’t rush. If the assassin is indeed there, the mansion is being watched so tightly that it will be hard to move her. But don’t forget one thing—the assassin is highly skilled. Even if she’s injured, she’s still dangerous. Rushing in recklessly could cost you your life.”

Chun Xiu thought for a moment and then impatiently said, “So what should we do now? We can’t just miss this opportunity.” If she could really capture the assassin in Mei Xue’s room, not only could she eliminate those two annoying people, but she could also make a great achievement.

“Of course not, let me think carefully,” Ji Rong said as she paced around the room. Chun Xiu waited for a while but heard no response from her. Tentatively, she asked, “What if... we tell the Eldest Young Master about this?”

“No,” Ji Rong shook her head. “Right now, this is just our guess. We don’t even know if it’s true or not. What if the Eldest Young Master doesn’t find the assassin? What if we’re blamed for it?” She paused, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “I have an idea. I’ll find a way to get Jiang Caiping and Mei Xue to leave. While they’re gone, you can sneak into the room and check if the assassin is hiding there.”

Chun Xiu was about to agree, but then suddenly remembered something and hesitated. “But Ji Rong, didn’t you just say the assassin is highly skilled? What if she attacks and hurts someone? Then I’ll be in serious trouble!”

“Of course not, let me think carefully.” Ji Rong paced back and forth in the room. Chun Xiu waited for a while but didn’t hear her say anything, so she tentatively suggested, “Or... should we tell this matter to the eldest master?”

“No.” Ji Rong shook her head, “All of this is just our guess right now; we don’t know if it’s true or false. What if the eldest master doesn’t find the assassin and blames us?” At this point, her eyes lit up as she said, “I have an idea. Later, I’ll find a way to lure Jiang Caiping and Mei Xue away, and you can take the opportunity to enter the room and see if the assassin is hiding there.”

Chun Xiu was about to agree when she suddenly remembered something and hesitantly said, “Sister Ji Rong, didn’t you just say that the assassin shouldn’t be underestimated? What if she attacks and injures someone? Wouldn’t I be in grave danger?”