Volume 3, Chapter 380 – Little Sister Yin, Do I Look Pretty?

Cheng Yinyin stole a glance at Chi Xiyan, and could see the ashen look on her face.

The corner of Cheng Yinyin’s mouth curled up. Of course she knew why that woman’s expression was so unpleasant.

She leaned smugly toward Lu Zhuxin, drawing close to her ear intimately.

“Second Sister, Eldest Sister has been watching you this whole time. Aren’t you going to go talk to her?”

“…” Hearing this, Lu Zhuxin turned her head, and her gaze happened to meet Chi Xiyan’s.

Chi Xiyan’s face was dark. Though she said nothing, the meaning in her eyes was unmistakable.

Lu Zhuxin gave her an indifferent glance, then turned away.

“I don’t want to talk to her.”

“She just doesn’t like her pet running off to someone else’s side, that’s all.”

Lu Zhuxin’s voice dropped even lower. “I’m not her pet, and I don’t want to be her slave either.”

Lu Zhuxin’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was pitched just right for Chi Xiyan to hear.

Chi Xiyan’s fists clenched, and she was just about to stand and speak.

At that moment, the Cheng family head, Cheng Zheng, suddenly spoke to Chi Xiyan with a smile.

“Lixia, have you gotten the new clothes and jewelry ready for tomorrow’s trip to Huayue Court?”

The preliminary review at Huayue Court only examined identity and appearance.

Only after passing the preliminary review and arriving at Huayue Court would the formal selection begin.

By then, all the eligible young sons and daughters of the noble clans across Shuyuan Commandery would gather together.

How to stand out among a crowd of beauties and leave a good impression on Noble Consort Wei, who was presiding over the selection, would be extremely important.

Chi Xiyan had only just arrived at the Cheng residence. When would she have had time to prepare such things.

“Family Head, I haven’t prepared them yet.”

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“Father!” Cheng Yinyin cut in at that moment. “I’ve already prepared the clothes and jewelry for Eldest Sister and Second Sister!”

“I’ll have someone deliver them to Eldest Sister’s courtyard first thing tomorrow morning!”

Chi Xiyan looked at Cheng Yinyin in surprise.

She didn’t believe this eldest daughter of the Cheng family would truly be so kind hearted.

Cheng Yinyin noticed Chi Xiyan’s gaze, and gave her a curling smile.

“Good! My Yinyin really has grown up! You know how to look after your sisters now!” Cheng Zheng said, stroking his beard.

Madam Qian spoke up as well. “My lord, listen to you. Hasn’t our Yinyin always been this sensible?”

“Yes! My lady is right!”

The family banquet soon came to an end.

Cheng Zheng still had official duties, so he left first.

Cheng Yinyin still held onto Lu Zhuxin.

“Second Sister, a good friend of mine, her cousin’s family just happened to take part in the selection over in the neighboring commandery.”

“Though she didn’t end up passing, she’ll know the process better than we do. Let me take you to see her in a bit and ask what we should watch out for in the selection.”

As she spoke, Cheng Yinyin pulled Lu Zhuxin along, preparing to head toward her own courtyard.

Seeing this, Chi Xiyan finally couldn’t hold back any longer, and stepped forward to call out to Lu Zhuxin.

“Little Xue’er, you’re going the wrong way. Your courtyard is over here.”

Cheng Yinyin pulled Lu Zhuxin to a stop, and laughed softly by her ear.

“Second Sister, Eldest Sister is calling you. Aren’t you going to go say a few words to her?”

Lu Zhuxin didn’t turn around. She could feel Chi Xiyan’s gaze resting on her.

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She was waiting for her answer.

Lu Zhuxin took hold of Cheng Yinyin’s hand. “Little Sister Yin, how about I stay at your place tonight?”

A triumphant smile spread across Cheng Yinyin’s face.

“Sure. I’d love to have Second Sister come stay with me!”

With that, Cheng Yinyin tilted her chin up at Chi Xiyan.

The provocation in the gesture was undisguised.

Chi Xiyan ignored her outright. Her eyes held only Lu Zhuxin.

“Little Xue’er.” She reached a hand out toward Lu Zhuxin. “Come back with me.”

Finding herself ignored, Cheng Yinyin’s willow brows shot up, and she was about to lash out.

Lu Zhuxin suddenly grabbed her hand and walked quickly ahead.

“Little Sister Yin, where is that senior you mentioned just now? Take me to meet her quickly!”

“I can hardly wait to find out what the selection actually involves.”

Hearing this, Cheng Yinyin’s raised brows settled back down.

Seeing the ashen look on Chi Xiyan’s face, she felt all the more pleased inside.

“Sure, Second Sister, I’ll take you there right now.”

With that, she shot Chi Xiyan another provocative glance and left together with Lu Zhuxin.

Leaving Chi Xiyan alone at the spot.

Chi Xiyan stood frozen where she was, still holding out her hand.

She stared blankly as Lu Zhuxin’s retreating figure disappeared from her sight.

‘Little Xue’er…’

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She clenched her fists, the feeling in her heart indescribable.

‘Little Xue’er really isn’t listening anymore…’

***

The next day.

Cheng Yinyin’s maid delivered the clothes and jewelry to Chi Xiyan right on time.

They placed the items in Chi Xiyan’s room and left.

The clothes and jewelry sat on the table, gleaming brightly, giving off a faint trace of spiritual energy.

Chi Xiyan walked over and gently ran her fingers over the fabric.

She raised an eyebrow and gave a cold laugh.

‘So this is just dumping trash on me.’

She was the eldest daughter of the Chi family. The Chi family owned the Lingbao Commerce Association; there was no kind of spiritual material or treasure she hadn’t seen before.

Take this pile on the table, for instance. It looked dazzling and luxurious, but was really nothing more than a heap of junk with a faint trace of low grade spellwork tacked on.

Those eligible to take part in the selection were all children of the noble clans.

If Chi Xiyan really wore these things to the selection, she’d likely be taken for some country bumpkin who’d popped up out of nowhere, and become nothing but a laughingstock.

‘Cheng Yinyin, does she really take me for some ignorant country woman who knows nothing?’

Chi Xiyan laughed out of sheer anger.

If Cheng Yinyin thought she could use these things to set her up, then that plan was bound to fail.

When she’d left the Chi family, she had put her entire fortune into her storage ring.

With the savings she’d accumulated as the eldest daughter of the Chi family, she had no need for anything from the Cheng family.

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But…

Chi Xiyan’s brow furrowed.

‘What about Muxue… Surely Cheng Yinyin wouldn’t make her wear this junk too?’

Her heart tightened, and she prepared to go find Lu Zhuxin.

But after only two steps, she suddenly came to a stop.

‘Cheng Yinyin means us no good. She won’t let Little Xue’er pass the consort selection…’

‘If Little Xue’er fails the consort selection, she won’t be brought before the Empress…’

‘And then she won’t have to face all those dangers.’

Thinking of this, Chi Xiyan’s steps hesitated.

***

Meanwhile, Cheng Yinyin had already brought the new clothes to Lu Zhuxin early that morning.

With the maids’ help, Lu Zhuxin changed into the new clothes and jewelry.

When Cheng Yinyin saw Lu Zhuxin emerge from the room utterly transformed, a flash of astonishment couldn’t help but cross her eyes.

‘This girl, just from changing clothes, could look this stunning?’

Once the astonishment passed, what replaced it was boundless jealousy.

‘A wild girl with a father but no mother, how could she be born looking better than me.’

Lu Zhuxin approached gracefully, as if she hadn’t noticed the strange look in Cheng Yinyin’s eyes.

She lifted the hem of her skirt with both hands and turned a full circle in front of Cheng Yinyin.

She asked, sounding unsure of herself, “Little Sister Yin… What do you think, how do I look right now?”