Chapter 8
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Lin Qingyang went back to change into a new outfit before heading to the main hall.
By the time he arrived, people from the second and third courtyards of the family had already gathered.
The initially lively atmosphere gradually quieted down as Lin Qingyang entered.
Taking a sweep around, Lin Qingyang quickly understood what was happening. It seemed that certain perpetrators had once again taken on the role of victims. They had seized the opportunity before Lin Qingyang’s arrival to play out their victimhood narrative.
In one corner on the left, the women surrounded Grandmother Lishi and Madam Ru, engaged in a conversation. Lishi’s mouth was frothing, indicating an intense discussion, and Madam Ru was wiping away tears with a handkerchief.
In another corner on the right, the younger generation of the family encircled Lin Qingxu, who wore a troubled expression. They expressed their concern for him.
Children from the second and third courtyards of the family had always been afraid of Lin Qingyang, so their gazes towards him carried a hint of fear.
Lin Qingxu’s younger sister, with reddened eyes, shot a furtive glance at Lin Qingyang, a mix of anger and fear in her expression.
The only one who dared to openly glare at Lin Qingyang was his younger sister, Lin Qingwei.
With an inflated appearance, her almond-shaped eyes widened, as if Lin Qingyang had committed some unforgivable act.
Lin Qingyang sighed inwardly at the interpersonal relationships the original body had within the family. Even as a little tyrant, he was isolated and without support. Fortunately, he had no emotional ties with these people and wouldn’t be saddened by their actions.
Ignoring their expressions and not giving them the opportunity to perform, Lin Qingyang waited for the opening of the banquet after the greetings concluded.
His impatient Second Uncle, warm-hearted Third Aunt, and his daring younger sister, each one eager to make a remark, found themselves at a loss as Lin Qingyang turned away, nearly leaving them breathless.
They found Lin Qingyang’s behavior strange. After all, he had won this time and should have been relentless and proactive in attacking, such as picking a fight or mocking others. However, Lin Qingyang remained unusually quiet, leaving them unable to find an opening.
Satisfied that Lin Qingyang didn’t stir up trouble on his own, Marquis An Nan said, “Everyone is here. Let the banquet begin.”
People came forward one after another, and when Lin Qingyang walked over, he was limping and had to be supported by a servant.
“Mother, this is freshly arrived venison. Please try it…” Marquis An Nan, sensing the displeasure of the old lady, took the initiative to please her.
However, Lishi responded with irritation, “I’m full of anger; I have no appetite.”
With Lishi’s words, who dared to pick up their chopsticks? All eyes turned to the supposed culprit, but Lin Qingyang, lost in thought, continued to eat as if he hadn’t heard Lishi’s words at all.
Lishi became even angrier. She remarked, “It seems that some people don’t care about this old woman at all. They wish I couldn’t eat anything.”
Her words were quite unreasonable, creating an unnecessary fuss.
However, Lin Qingyang’s mind was preoccupied with reviewing his previous conversation with the male lead. He felt that something was amiss and was uneasy. He had no mental capacity to pay attention to what others were saying.
Suddenly, Lin Qingwei jabbed him hard in the elbow, and he looked at her with a puzzled expression.
“Grandmother is speaking!” Lin Qingwei was almost exasperated with her uncultured brother.
Lin Qingyang turned his head inexplicably to look at Lishi. Seeing her face turning purple, he asked in confusion, “Grandmother wants to talk to me?”
Lishi was almost grinding her teeth, and she replied resentfully, “No.”
“Oh.” Lin Qingyang responded and turned to Lin Qingwei, saying, “You heard it wrong; Grandmother didn’t call me.”
The entire room fell silent at this point. No one dared to speak. Lin Qingyang seemed to have made another mistake.
Lin Qingwei was bewildered. “Grandmother is angry.”
Lin Qingyang looked inexplicable. “Why?”
“Because…” Lin Qingwei choked, “Because of you!”
“Me? What did I do?”
“How would I know what you did! Don’t you know in your heart?”
Lin Qingyang smiled slightly and said to Lin Qingwei, “You are really silly. Since Father manages me so strictly, if I did something wrong, he would definitely punish me. Since I haven’t been punished, it proves that I haven’t done anything wrong. How could I have angered Grandmother?!”
As Lin Qingyang spoke, he used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of venison. “I haven’t done anything wrong, but you said Grandmother is angry with me. That’s like saying Grandmother can’t distinguish right from wrong. If Grandmother can tell right from wrong and thinks I’m wrong, making her angry, it’s indirectly saying that Father can’t distinguish right from wrong. I believe whether it’s Grandmother or Father, they can distinguish right from wrong. So, little sister, you’re wrong. In fact, Grandmother is not angry with me at all. She must be angry with someone else.”
The paragraph was like a tongue twister, leaving everyone bewildered, even including Lishi, who was left dumbfounded. Initially, they all anticipated that Lin Qingyang would be reprimanded by the Old Madam tonight. However, now it felt like no matter what was said, it was all wrong.
The only chance for Lin Qingxu to retaliate directly disappeared, making him so angry that he almost lost control on the spot. However, it was Madam Ru who kept Lin Qingxu’s composure by pressing him down under the table. Lishi furiously left the scene.
The others ate quietly, with no one daring to provoke further. For the first time, they felt the unapproachable side of Lin Qingyang through a different approach.
After the family dinner, Lin Qingyang didn’t eat much. He returned to the courtyard and began jogging around the long corridor. His yard was spacious, and the corridor was lengthy, making it perfect for a leisurely run.
To avoid letting anyone see his sudden transformation, the servants in the courtyard, except for Shuncai, were all asked by Lin Qingyang to leave early. He told them to do whatever they needed to do, just not to stay in the courtyard.
Although it wasn’t confirmed, Lin Qingyang was confident that there were spies here, likely under the watchful eyes of Madam Ru. Keeping them around would be troublesome.
Shuncai looked bewildered at Lin Qingyang’s actions. “Young Master, what are you doing?”
“Losing weight!”
Shuncai: ??? Is his young master insane?
“By the way, go organize my recent lessons. I’ll take a look at it later before resting. I’ll be returning to the Imperial Academy in two days. I need to catch up on my studies.”
Shuncai knelt down directly. “Young Master, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare your servant.”
Lin Qingyang paused to catch his breath. Even jogging was exhausting with his overweight body; he disliked the cumbersome feeling.
“Considering today’s events, if I don’t change, what do you think will happen to the future of your Young Master?”
Shuncai was taken aback. “Young Master, you are the legitimate eldest son of Marquis An Nan, favored by His Majesty and cared for by the County Princess. Even if there are resentful hearts in the Marquis’s residence, they won’t be able to contend with you.”
Shuncai, accustomed to following Lin Qingyang’s assertiveness, couldn’t perceive the looming crisis behind it. He didn’t understand it at all. The apparent weakness displayed by Madam Ru and Lin Qingxu had, in a sense, been a form of flattery. Both the Marquis An Nan and Lishi might not have been oblivious to the situation, but they had already started to give up on Lin Qingyang as the heir. Hence, they chose to turn a blind eye to his increasingly offensive behavior.
The unrestrained behavior had already led to a deep abyss. Now that Lin Qingyang was here, he naturally wanted to live a happy life after gaining his freedom. However, in ancient times, he couldn’t escape his current identity. Whether he wanted to fight or not, he had to at least achieve a certain level of self-preservation.
Moreover, the foundation left by the original body was truly in shambles. The social status was precarious, the physical condition wasn’t robust, and the level of education was even more pitiable. Lin Qingyang had to pick up the pieces one by one.
“Shuncai, why do you think Marquis An Nan hasn’t officially appointed the eldest son as the heir for so long?”
Shuncai couldn’t react for a moment.
“Mother’s health is poor, and you’ve heard the rumors among the servants, haven’t you?”
Shuncai shivered all over.
“The Emperor’s favor is also due to Aunt’s reputation, but there are numerous beauties in the palace. How long can this reputation be maintained?”
Shuncai may not have a broad perspective, but he was clever enough. Upon hearing this, panic flickered in his eyes. “Young Master, no… it won’t happen. You are very noble, and you…”
“I want to become better, and you need to be smarter too because whatever you do outside will also be attributed to me. Do you understand?” Lin Qingyang, being a modern person, couldn’t easily conform to the traditional master-servant relationship. He shared these words with Shuncai because he knew this person was truly loyal to the original body, hoping to have someone trustworthy by his side.
However, Lin Qingyang didn’t expect his words to have such a profound effect. Shuncai, the loyal servant, was moved to the point of tears. His face, usually lively, was now wrinkled in gratitude. “Young Master, you told me so much… I will definitely follow your lead. Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.”
In the past, the original body treated Shuncai with high authority, but now Lin Qingyang became more approachable. Being a servant, Shuncai was deeply touched and willing to go to great lengths to support his master, even if it meant overlooking any abnormalities in his behavior.
After finishing the conversation with Shuncai, Lin Qingyang concluded his run. His heavy body couldn’t adapt to intense exercise, so after a refreshing shower, some self-exercise, he began organizing his books and reviewing the knowledge stored in his mind, outlining a framework for his studies. Despite spending extended periods in the hospital before, turning his studies mostly into online activities, his academic performance remained commendable.
However, in ancient times, success in such endeavors required extensive reading. Lin Qingyang set himself a rigorous study plan, starting from scratch.
Burning the midnight oil, he read extensively, and early the next morning, he engaged in exercise. The rest of his time was spent holed up in his study. Even during his nightly bath, he held a book.
Changing into his sleeping robe and emerging from the bath, Shuncai brought him hot tea. In a hushed voice, he said, “Young Master, the Third Young Master from Marquis Zhongyi’s residence sent someone to inquire. They want to know if you’ll be going to the Secluded Courtyard Pavilion tomorrow.”
Lin Qingyang paused for a moment, quickly recalling what the Secluded Courtyard Pavilion was. His lips twitched. “I won’t go.”
Shuncai was briefly surprised. It was one thing for the young master to focus on studying and exercising, but to skip his beloved Secluded Courtyard Pavilion, where he had a favorite young attendant, was unexpected.
Not daring to make mistakes regarding matters involving the young attendant, Shuncai wanted to confirm again. However, the next moment, he saw his young master’s face turn pale, cold sweat breaking out.
“Young Master, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, you can leave first.” Lin Qingyang’s voice trembled. His hands were shaking, and his eyes kept scanning the doors and windows.
The alarm bells in his mind became more urgent.
Lin Qingyang was truly bewildered. Could he really meet an unclear end like this?
Lin Qingyang was perplexed. Everything was fine; the male lead wasn’t around. Why did the system suddenly issue a danger alert? He had just arrived, and it seemed like life-or-death situations were happening every other day!
He couldn’t even figure out if this imminent danger was due to his actions against the male lead earlier or the subsequent act of saving him.
“System, help!”
System: 【 I have calculated self-rescue methods for the host, but the points are insufficient to activate any self-rescue mode. Please find a solution on your own.】
This is unbelievable!
Navigation, activate navigation. He needed to check if the male lead was present.
He spent a few points, and immediately an arrow pointed towards the window of the bathing room he had just used.
The window was slightly ajar.
The male lead should be in there.
Logically, considering the male lead’s lack of martial arts skills, how was he planning to kill him? Lin Qingyang couldn’t figure it out.
What should he do now? Rush over and expose everything? No, if he opened the window and the other person had a weapon, it would cost him his life. Wasn’t that just throwing himself into danger? Or should he quickly escape?
Lin Qingyang was about to get up and leave, but the alarm intensified. Was there any way out of this?
Should he just kneel down, kowtow?
Lin Qingyang felt like he was going crazy from being tossed around by the male lead.
“Young Master! Young Master!”
“Huh?”
“Young Master, what’s wrong? Your complexion looks terrible. If you really want to meet the gentleman Yu Zhang, I can help cover for you. No one in the residence will find out.” Shunchai thought that Lin Qingyang was wholeheartedly struggling because he wanted to excel in his studies and was hesitant to part with the young attendant, so he offered assistance.
Lin Qingyang hated the origin of this life-threatening situation. “Go where? I don’t have such a hobby!” He swore he really didn’t like men.
While he was troubled by this, the alarm in his mind paused for a moment after he said this sentence, and then continued.
This momentary pause gave Lin Qingyang a glimmer of hope.
Based on the situation that night, Lin Qingyang couldn’t believe he had passed so easily.
Chu Lishu would not trust his explanation. His performance that night seemed like he was afraid of offending the legitimate son of the Marquis’s residence, but in reality, he was afraid that a scandal would compromise his own reputation, making him constrained in the Marquis’s residence and unable to achieve his goal. So Chu Lishu chose to temporarily yield, but the enmity had already been sown.
Previously, the original body was dissatisfied with Chu Lishu at every turn. While Chu Lishu might temporarily tolerate and not take action, Lin Qingyang daring to covet him meant that Chu Lishu had to be on guard. Chu Lishu’s means of defense might involve killing him.
“I simply don’t like men!” Lin Qingyang bravely declared.
However, not only did the skeptical look on the face of the servant, Shuncai, persist, but also the alarm in his mind showed no change. It was too exhausting.
“Young Master, could it be that you’ve truly fallen for Young Master Chu?” Shuncai, trying to find a reasonable explanation for Lin Qingyang’s various anomalies, suggested that he wanted to change for the better. By avoiding the young attendant and subsequently not admitting to liking men, wasn’t it because he had developed feelings for Young Master Chu? However, realizing the impracticality of a legitimate relationship between them, he was torn between contradictory behaviors.
It feels like the only reasonable explanation.
But this question almost sent Lin Qingyang away.
Shuncai, are you trying to get rid of your young master even faster?
However, the next moment, the alarm suddenly slowed down.
Lin Qingyang: ????
“How… how could you think like that?” Lin Qingyang said in astonishment, but he was unclear about the situation. What’s going on? The male lead’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.
“Last time, it was obvious that you were about to succeed. He’s just a poor young master without any backing. Even if he’s bullied, he can’t resist. But you let him go.”
“Afterwards, I heard that he disappeared and you were frantically looking for him everywhere. I saw it myself. You were fine when you went out, but when you came back, your hands were injured. It must be because of the trouble you encountered while looking for him.”
“Later, when Young Master Chu asked about it, you actually denied it. Isn’t it because you didn’t want to use the debt to seek favors? I’ve figured it out anyway. You’ve never been so cautious about someone before. It must be as those novel lines say, you’ve truly fallen for him.”
Lin Qingyang’s eyes were frantically shifting as he heard the alarm in his mind getting lower and lower.
Might as well take a gamble, he thought, “Yes, that’s right. I like Chu Lishu. When I brought him back last time and saw him like that, I had an epiphany. I genuinely like him and can’t bear to hurt him. But I don’t want to force him. I know that something between us is absolutely impossible. So, I just want to protect him well.”
“I love him, so I won’t disturb him.”
【 Ding, congratulations to the host, the alarm has been lifted.】
Outside the window, Chu Lishu was completely stunned. He slowly put down the bamboo basket in his hands, his eyes filled with an inexplicable darkness.
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