Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Ji Hanyi looked into her Eldest Maternal Aunt’s eyes. Those eyes had always been gentle, but now they were as still as water.
She said softly, “I remember the Gu Family has always used ordinary carriages without any insignia. How did the Xie Family just happen to follow your carriage, Eldest Maternal Aunt?”
“And when they got out at the courtyard gate, did you truly not notice them? Did you only realize they were there after the gate opened and they had already been let inside?”
“Since you chose to do this, why bother explaining?”
Madam Zhang’s expression stiffened at Ji Hanyi’s words.
Ji Hanyi was clearly still young, yet those eyes of hers seemed to see through everything. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, but her words showed no mercy.
They tore straight through the thin veil of pretense.
The Xie Family had indeed been brought here by Madam Zhang.
She did not want her son to remain obsessed with Ji Hanyi. He was even willing to throw away his future for her, insisting on going to Wei County.
She wanted the Xie Family to take this scourge back. That way, her son would finally give up on her.
Madam Zhang struggled to suppress her emotions. Then, brazenly feigning hurt, she sighed. “Hanyi, how could you say something so hurtful? If you refuse to believe me, then so be it. My conscience is clear. You may misunderstand me however you wish.”
“I was worried about your mother’s illness and even brought her bird’s nest. Why would I lead the Xie Family here?”
Ji Hanyi had no desire to continue discussing this with Madam Zhang. Arguing over the truth had long since become meaningless. It was enough that Madam Zhang knew the truth in her own heart.
She glanced into the front hall. Xie Jin sat in a chair with her hands folded primly before her, looking thoroughly arrogant. Ji Hanyi then withdrew her gaze and turned back to Madam Zhang. “You should keep the bird’s nest for yourself, Eldest Maternal Aunt. My mother hasn’t been able to stomach such things for a long time.”
Madam Zhang’s expression shifted again.
She looked at Ji Hanyi, and at last, her facade began to crack. Her tone turned accusatory. “Are you truly determined to slander your aunt without any evidence at all?”
Ji Hanyi frowned faintly as she looked at Madam Zhang. “I’ve always wanted to ask you something, Aunt. If a person repeats certain lies often enough, do they eventually start believing those lies themselves?”
Madam Zhang stared at Ji Hanyi with wide eyes, unable to utter a word for a long moment.
The gentle, courteous Ji Hanyi of the past would never have spoken to an elder this way.
Just then, Xie Jin emerged from the room with her arms held primly before her. She still looked at Ji Hanyi down her nose, as though she had never once thought her worthy of notice. With a slight frown, she said haughtily, “My mother has been waiting inside for you all this time. Is this how you treat your guests?”
Ji Hanyi regarded Xie Jin coldly. “Those who come uninvited are not my guests.”
Xie Jin paused, then sneered at her. “I never expected you to become so sharp-tongued.”
“Back at the Xie Residence, you humbled yourself and did everything you could to please us, yet you still couldn’t make Yuheng like you. Now that you’ve become like this, you’ve ruined the only good qualities you ever had. You’re even less worthy of anyone’s affection now.”
Ji Hanyi gave Xie Jin an indifferent glance. “Is the Xie Family’s affection some sort of precious favor?”
“Saying such a thing only makes you seem ridiculous.”
Xie Jin’s expression shifted slightly before she gave a slow, deliberate smile. “Ji Hanyi, don’t be so ungrateful.”
“The fact that Mother and I were willing to come and see you is already more respect than you deserve.”
Ji Hanyi looked at Xie Jin in amusement. “Is your respect supposed to be worth something?”
“You came here uninvited. What gives you the nerve to speak of respect?”
Those words made Xie Jin’s face turn livid with rage. She pointed at Ji Hanyi, unable to speak for a long moment.
Watching the scene unfold, Madam Zhang feared that Ji Hanyi would completely fall out with the Xie Family. She was still counting on Ji Hanyi returning to them, after all. She lowered her voice and said, “You were once a member of the Xie Family too. Why make things so unpleasant now?”
“Since the Xie Family has come all this way, perhaps they have something important to discuss with you. Whatever the matter is, why don’t you sit down and talk it over calmly?”
“They seem sincere to me as well.”
Ji Hanyi glanced at Madam Zhang, the disappointment clogging her chest until it ached faintly.
She could do her best to understand the snide remarks her Eldest Maternal Aunt used to make at the residence. After all, those had been matters within the family. She and her mother were indeed living with the Gu Family and had burdened them, so she had never blamed her Eldest Maternal Aunt for those words.
But now, even beneath Xie Jin’s haughty gaze, her Eldest Maternal Aunt was still speaking on behalf of the Xie Family.
Each sentence painted Ji Hanyi as the unreasonable one.
Standing nearby, Xie Jin heard Madam Zhang’s words and immediately found her confidence again, as though the wind had shifted in her favor. She snorted. “Listen to that. Even your own aunt says so. To think you were taught proper manners growing up. As far as I can see, you don’t have the slightest bit of breeding left.”
Ji Hanyi ignored Xie Jin and merely looked at Madam Zhang, her voice cold with polite distance. “Are you finished, Eldest Maternal Aunt? If so, please take what you brought and leave. Haven’t you always felt that my affairs were a burden to you? I wouldn’t dare trouble you by asking you to stay and involve yourself in what happens here.”
Madam Zhang stared blankly into Ji Hanyi’s eyes. The mockery there was so blatant that panic fluttered in her chest.
She hurriedly shook her head. “That isn’t what I meant. I only think everything can be settled through discussion. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Ji Hanyi smiled faintly, her expression cold. “I won’t speak of what you did after my father’s misfortune, not in front of the Xie Family. I’ve always remembered the kindness shown to us in the past. I’m grateful that you claim to be doing this for my sake, but I’m afraid I cannot accept this sort of goodwill.”
“You needn’t send anything here again, either. I truly cannot bear any more harassment from the Xie Family.”
Madam Zhang’s heart clenched at those words. Ji Hanyi had spared her no consideration, leaving her deeply embarrassed. But after gritting her teeth, she decided it did not matter if she offended Ji Hanyi. As long as Ji Hanyi truly returned with the Xie Family, a little resentment was nothing.
Besides, the Xie Family was so prestigious. Going back meant a life of wealth and luxury. Madam Zhang’s conscience was clear.
Without another word, she turned and walked out.
Xie Jin’s face had darkened when Ji Hanyi said she did not want the Xie Family harassing her again.
In Xie Jin’s mind, what right did Ji Hanyi have to say such a thing?
She was merely a divorced woman who had been driven out by the Gu Family, with neither status nor backing. What gave her the nerve to speak that way in front of Xie Jin?
Xie Jin had always been proud and arrogant. She was about to lash out when her mother’s calm voice came from inside the room.
“Ah Jin, that’s enough.”
First Madam Xie, née Lin, then looked at Ji Hanyi, who stood outside the doorway, and spoke gently. “Hanyi, I didn’t come here to harass you. I only want to have a proper talk with you.”
Ji Hanyi tilted her head slightly and glanced at First Madam Xie, who sat unmoving inside. She occupied the seat of honor and spoke in the gentlest of tones, yet her posture was lofty and condescending, like someone in power bestowing pity upon those below her.
Ji Hanyi did not respond to Madam Lin. She merely lowered her gaze, lifted her skirts, and entered the room. After taking a seat, she leaned back in the chair, her face bearing a coldness she had never once shown in front of Madam Lin before.
She lowered her eyes and accepted the hot tea Rongchun brought her. Wisps of white steam curled upward. As Ji Hanyi watched the tea leaves bobbing in the water, her heart abruptly grew calm.
Rongchun stood behind Ji Hanyi with no intention whatsoever of serving tea to Xie Jin or First Madam Xie. As her young mistress had said, uninvited visitors could hardly be called guests.
Xie Jin, however, was particularly short-tempered. She immediately began berating Ji Hanyi again. “My mother spoke to you. Didn’t you hear her?”
“And what is the meaning of not even serving us tea?”