Wondrous Intent - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day, Lady Xiao came calling, bringing her family cook with her.

The moment she stepped inside, she took my hand, her face full of concern. “Miaomiao, I heard you ate that poisoned milk pastry for the Empress Dowager yesterday. Are you all right?”

Without a change in expression, I drew my hand back. “Thank you for your concern, Lady Xiao. I slept it off yesterday, and I’m much better today.”

Lady Xiao looked at the hand I had pulled away, and her expression stiffened. “Young people do recover quickly.”

Then she added, “Miaomiao, if you like the cooks at our house, you can just tell me. Never mind one cook-I’d move the entire Xiao Residence over for you if you wanted.”

I really couldn’t blame myself for reading too much into things before. Lady Xiao’s attitude was just too confusing.

She wasn’t merely warm toward me-she was enthusiastic to an absurd degree. Every day, she would whisper in my ear that Xiao Yanci had me in his heart, he just wasn’t good with words.

She was always sending invitations for me to visit the Xiao Residence, too.

How could I not misunderstand?

After that, she tacked on another line as if it had only just occurred to her. “Actually, you could simply come to the Xiao Residence to eat every day. Yanci has been home lately, so it would be the perfect chance for the two of you to spend more time together.”

She was still hinting at me. But I had no desire to become someone’s stepmother.

“No need. My mother is arranging marriage meetings for me over the next few days, so I won’t impose.”

She froze. “Marriage meetings? Didn’t you like our Yanci before?”

I lifted my eyes and showed just the right amount of bashfulness. “Lady Xiao, you jest. I have always been rather straightforward by nature, and I don’t have many close friends among the young ladies. Before, I saw that Young Master Xiao was always surrounded by so many noble young ladies, so I merely thought I might get to know more people and make some friends. It seems I caused you to misunderstand.”

[Hahahaha, Miss really knows how to curse without using a single dirty word. She was one step away from throwing ‘your son’s private life is a mess, and the women around him never stop coming’ right in her face.]

Qinghe’s cheerful voice rang out in my head.

I froze. I really hadn’t meant that!

But as Lady Xiao’s face turned from livid to pale, it was obvious she believed that was exactly what I meant.

No, seriously-did all you smart people have this many twists and turns in your heads?

I was just about to explain when a cold snort came from behind me.

I turned around. Xiao Yanci was standing at the doorway, though I had no idea when he had arrived.

His gaze swept over me. Then he stepped forward and helped Lady Xiao up.

“My mother came with good intentions to deliver a cook. Why must Miss Su make veiled accusations? A man’s reputation may not be as important as a woman’s, but I believe I have been perfectly open and proper with the young ladies of every family, without the slightest impropriety.”

With that, the two of them left in a huff.

No, I really didn’t mean it like that!

And taking ten thousand steps back, even if I had been implying something, had I wronged him?

He and Chuntao had already had a child together. What kind of ‘open and proper’ was that supposed to be?

I turned and asked Qinghe, “Has he decided to hold another grudge against me?”

Qinghe nodded.

I concentrated and listened closely. This time, there was no voice in her heart.

Wait. Was he really that fragile?