chapter 3

My sister hesitated.

She was afraid that opening the door would reveal the one person she least wanted to see.

But before she could step forward, the door opened on its own.

Liang Yanxiu emerged, carefully carrying a woman in his arms.

She was wrapped from head to toe, her identity impossible to discern.

The noblewomen had never expected the master of the Liang household to be the adulterer. For a moment, they all looked away in embarrassment.

Those who reacted quickly cast meaningful glances at my sister.

She stood rooted to the spot as though struck by lightning.

I arched a brow.

In my previous life, after my sister forced open the door, Liang Yanxiu merely glanced at me and made no effort to cover me.

So this was the difference between being loved and being unloved.

I did not stay to watch the farce. I left early.

Qin Xiangyi had many things left to do in this new life.

It was close to midnight when I returned home.

The residence was ablaze with lamps.

My parents sat solemnly in the main hall, with maids and matrons lined up on both sides. It looked very much like a tribunal awaiting a criminal.

I smiled and walked in calmly with the man behind me.

Before I drew near, Father thundered, “Wretch! You still have the face to come home?”

I raised my head slightly.

“Why shouldn’t I? What have I done wrong?”

He faltered, unable to produce a reason.

Mother’s eyes flickered. She lifted a handkerchief to dab at their corners.

“Xiangyi, your sister said you left the Liang residence late this afternoon, yet you only returned now—and with an unrelated man. You are soon to be married. If word spreads, people will say we failed to raise our daughter properly.”

Father’s face turned livid.

“The Qin family is a noble house. We have never produced a shameless girl like you.”

My expression did not change.

I had heard such words too many times.

Everything Qin Lianyi did was right. She had been exceptional from birth; even when she was wrong, she was still right.

Qin Xiangyi, however, was not permitted a single mistake.

I was already so ordinary that my existence annoyed them. Any fault only made me more unbearable.

The man behind me could listen no longer.

“Lord Qin, will you condemn Second Miss Qin without even asking what happened?”

Mother frowned.

“And you are?”

He cupped his hands in greeting.

“The Eldest Princess’s personal guard.”

My parents blanched.

Everyone knew the Eldest Princess had a fierce, unpredictable temperament. After her husband’s death, she had become even more uninhibited and irreverent.

Relying on the emperor’s favor, she did as she pleased and was scorned by the court.

Others avoided her whenever possible. I, apparently, had been unlucky enough to cross her path.

My parents made their decision in an instant.

“The Qin family upholds strict discipline,” Father declared. “If Qin Xiangyi offended the Eldest Princess, we will not shield her. Take her away and let Her Highness punish her as she sees fit.”

Mother looked at me with mournful compassion.

“Xiangyi, don’t blame us. Since you angered the princess, you need only let her vent. Afterward, you will still be Mother’s good daughter.”

I smiled bitterly.

They believed I had offended the Eldest Princess, so they were pushing me forward at once to keep the Qin family from being implicated.

The guard stared at them in disbelief, then hurried to explain.

“Second Miss Qin did not offend Her Highness. After the banquet, the princess’s mount suddenly went mad. Second Miss Qin saved her from the runaway horse.”

“What?”

“What did you say?”

Father shot to his feet, his face blank.

Mother froze as well, momentarily speechless.

I lowered my eyes, almost amused.

“Father, Mother—when did I ever say I had offended the Eldest Princess?”