Chapter 36 - Favor

While Qi Zheng was busy laughing out loud, Shen Ziqiao turned around and walked in. She ordered for Zhao Di to close the door, but Hong Yu saw just in time to hurriedly stop Zhao Di. She invited Qi Zheng into the living room.

How could they offend Qi Family’s Young Master…? Young Master Qi wasn’t a real fool and he would definitely become the heir in the future. If Third Miss married him, then she would become the wife of the heir.

Thinking of this, Hong Yu’s eyes brightened as she looked at Qi Zheng.

Shen Ziqiao was unwilling to bother with Qi Zheng. She ran to the kitchen to pester Lady Meng into cooking delicious food for her. Right now, Lady Meng didn’t resent Shen Ziqiao anymore and her heart softened as she watched Shen Ziqiao acting cute. Without another word, she cooked a few dishes that Shen Ziqiao liked to eat.

“Third Miss, is the Young Master outside really your fiancé?” Lady Meng had heard about Old Madam Shen's intention of bethrothing Shen Ziqiao to the Qi Family’s Young Master. Hong Yu had come over to grab some food just now, saying it was for Young Master Qi. She was extremely curious and couldn’t help but ask Shen Ziqiao, who was eating in front of her.

“Cough!” Shen Ziqiao almost choked on the rice and replied, “Who said that? Which stupid girl was it? Hong Yu or Hong Ying?”

Lady Meng smiled and asked, “Then it’s the truth? I wonder what that Young Master looks like.”

Shen Ziqiao hurriedly said, “Of course it’s not true. He’s stupid. You think the Old Madam would let me marry someone of high status, giving me the ability to bully her precious granddaughter in the future?”

Indeed, Old Madam Shen would never be so considerate for the Third Miss. Lady Meng sighed in disappointment in her heart. If the Madam was still alive, she would definitely arrange everything for the Third Miss.

Lady Meng walked away in disappointment.

Shen Ziqiao only placed her chopstick down after she was full. She rubbed her stomach and started walking around the yard to digest all that she ate. She wondered if Qi Zheng had left already.

She was actually quite curious about this man.

Why did he pretend to be stupid? Why did he steal Du Jitang’s things? Who wants to harm him? No one from the Qi Family probably knows that he’s pretending to be stupid, right?

The most despicable part was that the man said nothing despite the questions she asked!

Shen Ziqiao rubbed her stomach as she burped. Speaking of this, she had no impression of Du Jitang at all. She didn’t even have any impression of the scholar or the bearded man. Was she just bad at remembering faces or did her presence in this world force her to meet the side roles that hadn’t appeared in the book before?

Sigh. She was in such a dilemma. This situation bothered her greatly.

“Third Miss, Young Master Qi’s servants are here.” Hong Yu took small but quick steps and came to report to Shen Ziqiao.

Shen Ziqiao waved her hands and said, “Have him quickly take Qi Zheng away.”

Hong Yu replied, “Young Master Qi said that it’s getting dark so he’ll rest in the village tonight.”

“What?” Shen Ziqiao said in shock and almost jumped. “He still wants to live here? Bastard! Does he think this is a tavern?!”

She angrily walked to the main hall and, before Qi Zheng could say anything, Shen Ziqiao pointed her slender fingers at Qi Zheng’s nose. “Qi Zheng, you’re a man and yet you’re scared of the dark? Then why weren't you afraid the other day? This lady doesn’t welcome you. Leave!”

“Shut your mouth! Don’t you dare be disrespectful to the Young Master!” Uncle Qun had never seen such a disrespectful and rude daughter from a noble family. He had an angry expression as he walked in front of Qi Zheng.

Shen Ziqiao pushed Uncle Qun to the side and tugged on Qi Zheng’s sleeves. She looked up and gritted her teeth. “Do you know that I won’t be able to return to the capital if I allow you to stay here overnight? Even if you don’t want your reputation, I want my reputation.”

By the time the Old Madam heard of Qi Zheng staying the night at her place, even if she doesn’t want to marry him, she would be forced to.

How could she allow the plot to progress like in the book?! Wouldn’t she be letting Sheng Peiyin have her way?

Qi Zheng lowered her head to look at her red face, flushed from anger. This girl really didn’t have a good attitude. Maybe it was because she was still young and not composed enough. He said in a low voice, “I’ll stay the night at the room on the outside. I will make sure your reputation isn’t ruined.”

“I refuse.” Shen Ziqiao rejected firmly.

“Third Miss Shen, I want to find out who the person who wants to harm me is before leaving.” Qi Zheng said in a deep voice. He was clearly the one asking her for a favor, but he didn’t act like that at all.

Although people thought Qi Zheng was a fool, Shen Ziqiao felt as though he was born with confidence and calmness. It seemed like no matter what he said or did, people would always listen to him.

Not everyone had this kind of confidence. Qi Zheng was definitely not that simple.

“You'll owe me a favor if I allow you to stay here.” Shen Ziqiao was not just someone that held grudges. Although she was unwilling to be used by Qi Zheng, she knew what she needed the most right now. She needed to kick Sheng Peiyin, the heroine that everyone admired and liked, off her position first. She also needed to change her fate as a cannon fodder.

Since Qi Zheng was different from the novel, maybe he was the only person that could help her.

It seems like this young girl knows how to do more than just throw a tantrum. Qi Zheng agreed to her conditions.

Shen Ziqiao brought the girls back into the inner yard and ordered for people to stay away from Qi Zheng’s room. She just left him to live on his own.

“Third Miss, this doesn’t seem appropriate.” Hong Yu and Hong Ying knew that Qi Zheng wasn’t a real fool. They had long treated Qi Zheng as Shen Ziqiao’s “ideal husband.” Naturally, they wanted their master and Qi Zheng to have a good relationship.

“Hong Yu, you need to be wary of men. I was sent here by the Old Madam to reflect on my mistakes. Don’t you see me memorizing the [Norms of Women] everyday? If I am too nice to Qi Zheng, what will people think of me?” Shen Ziqiao said sternly.

Young Miss, have you really been absorbing the information in the book…? The book’s even upside down!

“We’re just being normal servants and receiving a guest. The servants here don’t gossip, so Third Miss doesn’t need to worry.” Hong Yu said.

Shen Ziqiao sighed and said, “Hong Yu, I know what you’re thinking. Old Madam has never treated me as the legal granddaughter and believed that I had lost the Shen Family’s face. She wasn’t even willing to help me find a good marriage. What happened at the Thousands Buddha Temple was just rumors passed by mouths. She didn’t even allow me to explain before punishing me. No matter whether Qi Zheng was a fool or not, she would have forced me to marry him. If he was really a fool, then that’s fine. However, even you saw that Qi Zheng was definitely nor a normal person on that night. Did you think that if the Old Madam found out the truth one day, she would be willing to let me marry him? Don’t forget that the Qi Family also has Xiao Gu. She definitely wouldn’t be able to accept Qi Zheng…”

“If I really marry into the Qi Family, I'll probably live in hell for the rest of my life. The moment I let down my guard, I’ll be swallowed alive. You might not believe this, but listen to me first. Qi Zheng is the legal son and his biological mother died already. However, his other two brothers are also legal sons. Xiao Gu is still alive, so do you think she would want Qi Zheng to become the heir? Do you think she'll just stand aside and do nothing? Even if Qi Zheng doesn’t want to argue, do you think she would accept it? Therefore, Qi Zheng is not a good match for me.”

Hong Yu was shaken to the core when she heard this and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. She realized that she only saw what was on the surface. Qi Zheng was handsome and came from an affluent family, so she thought he would be a good match for the Third Miss. Who knew that the Qi Family would be so complicated? With Third Miss’s attitude, if she married into the Qi Family, she probably wouldn’t even...

“Then what type of person does the Third Miss want to marry?” Hong Ying, who had been listening quietly, asked in a low voice.

Shen Ziqiao glanced at the starry sky outside with a longing expression on her beautiful face. “I want to live in the South and marry an ordinary man. We would love each other dearly and have a beautiful family together. We’d have cute children…”

She wanted to work hard and earn money so she could retire early. Once the children became adults, she would be able to tour the world with her other half.

However, her wish would never be granted.

“So the Third Miss wants to visit Madam's hometown.” Hong Yu smiled and didn’t think about pushing for Shen Ziqiao and Qi Zheng’s marriage anymore.

Hong Ying’s eyes brightened and she said eagerly, “I’ve never been to Minyue either.”

Shen Ziqiao was slightly moved. So Minyue is in the South...

The master and servants chatted about the South and didn’t notice a figure flashing by outside the window.