บท 3: A Rustic Village Girl
After Tang Qianmiao got out of the car, she arrived at the Tang family estate.
The servant who opened the door looked at her as though he had seen a ghost, "Y-young Miss?"
She glanced at him briefly before walking straight inside.
Her presence immediately stirred hushed whispers along the way—
"Unbelievable, what is she doing here, especially at this time of year? Isn't she supposed to be living with the Feng family as arranged by the former madam?"
"I heard from a friend working there that she was caught stealing last night and was thrown out on the spot!"
"Really? That's utterly disgraceful—coming from such a prestigious family and resorting to theft. If the master finds out, he'll be furious!"
"What's so surprising about that? Don't forget, the young miss was sent to live in the mountains from an early age and rarely came home. She's probably picked up all kinds of bad habits. Petty theft is just the tip of the iceberg; she's got many more vices!"
"Exactly. To the unknowing, she may seem like an elegant lady from a noble family, but in reality, she's just a country bumpkin with no refinement. It's no wonder the Feng family kicked her out."
"Poor thing, though. Not only did she grow up away from home, but now she also has to call her own aunt her stepmother, while her cousin enjoys all the resources that should have belonged to her. What bad luck!"
"Well, what do you expect? The new madam is pregnant with the master's child. The former madam has been ill for years, and, after all, the master is only human. The new madam managed to get close to him under the guise of caring for her sister, and over time, feelings developed."
"I tell you, few stepmothers are kindhearted. If the young miss comes back to live here, this household will never know peace!"
"Shh—Madam and Miss are back!"
As a mother and daughter entered through the door, the gossipers quickly dispersed.
Yun Ruyi, ever skilled at reading people, knew something was amiss at first glance.
"What's going on?"
"Madam, the young miss is back... she's gone to the former madam's room."
Yun Ruyi's face darkened instantly.
The girl beside her, visibly tense, turned to her mother, "Mom, I heard cousin was kicked out by the Feng family last night. She's not planning to live here again, is she?"
Her tone dripped with disdain.
She had just begun to enjoy her newfound status and couldn't let Tang Qianmiao ruin it. She was the only rightful young miss of this household!
Yun Ruyi, her eyes flickering with thought, patted her daughter's hand and said, "Don't worry, let me take a look first."
The mother and daughter headed to the staircase.
Just in time, they ran into Tang Qianmiao coming down.
Tang Qianmiao stood at the top of the stairs, hands casually in her loose pockets, looking down at Yun Ruyi with an air of superiority. "Where are my mother's things?"
Yun Ruyi concealed her disgust and smiled warmly. "Qianmiao, why didn't you let me know in advance that you were coming back? I could have prepared a meal for you."
Tang Qianmiao's gaze was indifferent, her voice steady yet cold, "Didn't you understand me the first time?"
Yun Ruyi's expression stiffened slightly before she replied, "You know, with the baby due in a few months, it's best to have the nursery close to us. So, I had your mother's room cleared out. It was just sitting empty, going to waste."
Lin Wenyu, eyeing Tang Qianmiao's shabby attire, chimed in with a mocking tone, "Exactly, cousin. My mother is now married to father, and she's the mistress of this house. Surely she has the right to make such decisions? Besides, Auntie has passed away, what need is there for her room anymore?"
Ha.
Tang Qianmiao smiled faintly, but her eyes gleamed with a sharp, icy chill. "I'll ask one last time—where are her things?"
Yun Ruyi, unnerved by her gaze, shivered involuntarily before answering, "In the storage room, but those things..."
Before she could finish, Tang Qianmiao turned and walked away.
Yun Ruyi's face twisted with anger, and in her heart, she cursed Tang Qianmiao as an unlucky wretch.
Lin Wenyu, puzzled, asked, "Mom, didn't you say Auntie's things were cursed and had all been thrown away?"
Yun Ruyi's face darkened further, "It's your father who couldn't bear to part with them, so he had them stored."
Lin Wenyu grew anxious. "Does that mean father still has feelings for Auntie?"
"He spent more than a year wooing my sister, of course, there were feelings involved. But now she's gone, so she's no threat to me. There's no need to worry."
"Then, do you think he'll bring cousin back to live here?"
Yun Ruyi sneered, "Rest assured, if he wanted her here, he would've brought her back long ago. He despises her. There's no way he'll let her move in."
"Why does he hate her?"
"Don't ask so many questions. Just know that she poses no threat to your position."
Yun Ruyi's eyes gleamed with triumph. "Though you're a stepdaughter, you're talented and bring honor to the Tang family. Tang Qianmiao, on the other hand, may carry the Tang name, but she's been raised in the mountains since she was a child. She's nothing more than an uncouth country girl—a wild pheasant. How could she possibly compare to you?"
Lin Wenyu exhaled in relief. Thankfully, she wouldn't have to return to the days when people looked down on her.
Her biological father had once been wealthy, but after his sudden bankruptcy, their family had fallen from grace. Luckily, her mother had divorced him and taken her away. Now, with her mother's remarriage into the elite Tang family, Lin Wenyu couldn't allow anyone to rob her of her current glory.
Her eyes flickered with calculation as she lifted two garment bags and asked Yun Ruyi with a smile, "Mom, which outfit should I wear tonight? I'm attending a major auction with some very important people, and I can't afford to embarrass myself."
Her voice was loud, deliberately so, ensuring everyone in the house could hear her clearly.
Yun Ruyi smiled, "My daughter looks stunning in anything—whichever you choose, you'll outshine everyone."
Just then, Tang Qianmiao reappeared, now carrying a small backpack.
Without sparing the mother and daughter a glance, she strode forward with long, confident strides.
"Qianmiao, won't you stay for a meal?" Yun Ruyi asked, feigning hospitality.
Lin Wenyu, lifting her chin slightly with pride, added, "Oh, cousin, my award-winning work has been sent to auction, and all proceeds will go to charity. Father was so pleased when he heard and praised me for my capabilities."
"I remember you used to be interested in perfumery as well, but Auntie never let you study it. Such a pity. Since we both share a passion for it, you must be happy for me, right?" She called out loudly to Tang Qianmiao's retreating figure.
Tang Qianmiao continued walking towards the door without ever acknowledging her.
Lin Wenyu smirked, thinking that Tang Qianmiao's silence was either due to inferiority or sorrow.
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and her expression shifted. "What did she take? Could it be something valuable? Mom, you should go check."
Yun Ruyi waved dismissively, "What valuables could there be in the storage room? It's all old stuff. Let her take whatever she wants. But... it is strange that she didn't make a fuss, no argument at all?"
As she spoke, she headed towards the stairs, "No, I have to see for myself."
Lin Wenyu quickly followed.
The moment they opened the newly renovated room, both women let out terrified screams.
The once charming nursery had been doused in a red liquid that looked like blood, turning it into a gruesome crime scene!
On the walls, bloody handprints formed the words: House of Death!
The implication was clear—anyone who stayed here would die.
Yun Ruyi collapsed, trembling with rage, her lips quivering, "Everything I painstakingly prepared... ruined!"
Meanwhile, outside, Tang Qianmiao casually slung the backpack over her shoulder, a smirk playing on her lips, her eyes filled with wild, rebellious energy.
If she couldn't have it, she wouldn't let those two pieces of trash have it either.
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