Upon hearing such a question, the tears in Lin Yuan's eyes finally overflowed. She shook her head repeatedly. "No, I never harmed elder sister. It was me who broke the glazed bowl back then. It was my fault, but it was Xiaocui who wrongly accused elder sister..."
She desperately wanted to tell Qiao Nian that she had never done her any harm.
Unexpectedly, Qiao Nian leaned against the door and asked her softly, "Then why didn't you say so three years ago?"
Lin Yuan was stunned, failing to immediately understand the meaning of Qiao Nian's words.
Then, a thick sneer curled at the corner of Qiao Nian's mouth. "You were the one who broke the glazed bowl. Why didn't you say these eight words in front of the Empress and the Princess three years ago?"
Lin Yuan seemed to lose her balance and took a step back. "I... I didn't dare... It was my first time entering the palace. I saw so many noble people for the first time. I... I was very scared. I..."
"Then what are you trying to tell me now?" Qiao Nian interrupted Lin Yuan's words once again.
What on earth could she say to make Qiao Nian act as if those three years had never happened?
Lin Yuan sobbed, her head bowed, too afraid to look at Qiao Nian any longer. "As long as elder sister can forgive me, I'm willing to give everything back to you. I'll tell Father, Mother, and Elder Brother that you've never bullied me. I can also give Plum - Fall Courtyard back to elder sister... And... And Brother Heng. I... I can give him to elder sister too."
Hearing this, Qiao Nian finally understood the purpose of Lin Yuan's visit today.
She shook her head slightly and exhaled a deep breath of pent - up air. "Lin Yuan, I said just now, those are your father, mother, and elder brother. They have nothing to do with me. Although Plum - Fall Courtyard was built because I loved it, it was the Marquis's painstaking effort, so it should rightfully be yours. Even this Fanghe Courtyard, if you want it, it's just a matter of a word."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan shook her head vigorously. "I don't want it. I'm not here to compete with elder sister for a residence."
"I know," Qiao Nian said with a faint, somewhat mocking smile. "You're here because of Xiao Heng."
All that talk about asking for forgiveness was just a roundabout way to get to the bottom of things for a man.
She had hit the nail on the head, instantly making Lin Yuan blush deeply.
But then Qiao Nian continued, "I don't know what you're worried about. The engagement was already yours even before I was sent to the laundry bureau three years ago. Now, although I still live in the Marquis' Mansion, it's only because Grandmother feels sorry for me. I don't even have the surname Lin anymore. In this mansion, I'm just an outsider. The engagement between the Xiao family and the Lin family will never fall on me.
"Moreover, I made it very clear in front of Grandmother just now that I no longer like Xiao Heng. It's really unnecessary for you to come all this way to test me on this matter."
"I didn't come to test elder sister," Lin Yuan said, sounding a bit anxious as if she had been misunderstood. "I sincerely want elder sister's forgiveness. It's just that..."
Testing Qiao Nian's attitude was indeed one of her purposes.
But she had to admit that she was really scared.
Xiao Heng's attitude today left her confused. She was truly worried that Xiao Heng wanted to marry Qiao Nian, which was why she rushed over to Qiao Nian's place in such a hurry.
"Anyway, my attitude is very clear. Grandmother's health is deteriorating. I just want to take good care of her. I don't want anything else," Qiao Nian said, clearly and straightforwardly expressing her stance to Lin Yuan, hoping that she wouldn't keep bothering her in the future.
Among the people in this Marquis' Mansion, except for Grandmother, she really didn't want to see anyone else.
Lin Yuan stood there, biting her lower lip, remaining silent.
Tears still streaked her face, and there were still droplets of un - dried tears hanging on her eyelashes.
Qiao Nian thought that if Lin Ye came at this moment, he would probably, just like when he pushed her off the small building three years ago, kick her into the lotus pond without a word.
In such freezing weather, falling into the water would probably make one sick for several days.
Just thinking about it gave Qiao Nian a headache. She couldn't help but rub her temples, eager to send this unwelcome guest away. "I got up quite early today and I'm really exhausted now. If you have nothing else to say, I won't see you out."
Sensing Qiao Nian's hint to leave, Lin Yuan naturally didn't want to stay any longer. She just nodded. "Then elder sister, please have a good rest. I... I'll be going now."
With that, Lin Yuan curtsied and then walked out.
Shortly after Lin Yuan left, Ningshuang entered.
The little girl looked curious, constantly craning her neck to peek at Lin Yuan's retreating figure. "Miss, what did the Second Miss talk to you about? This servant noticed that her eyes were red. Did she cry?"
Qiao Nian was in no mood to deal with Ningshuang. She walked towards the inner room on her own. "If you're so curious, why don't you just go and ask her?"
Ningshuang followed her brazenly. "This servant belongs to Miss. There's no way I should go to the Second Miss."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Nian stopped in her tracks.
She turned around and looked at Ningshuang with a serious expression.
Ningshuang was startled. She blinked at Qiao Nian twice. "Miss, what's wrong?"
"I know that your master sent you to serve me with a purpose. I won't make things difficult for you, but you don't have to constantly remind me that you're on my side, because I know you're not."
Qiao Nian had spent three years in the laundry bureau, a place where everyone around her was her enemy. So, she was used to speaking in a cold and even somewhat sharp manner.
She never expected that she would hurt the feelings of a young maid.
Ningshuang's big eyes almost instantly filled with tears.
Unlike Lin Yuan's tears, seeing this, Qiao Nian felt a twinge of Softhearted.
But she didn't know if she should comfort her at this moment. She could only furrow her brows. "I'm going to take a nap. You can go and do your work."
With that, she turned and entered the inner room.
Ningshuang stood there, watching helplessly as Qiao Nian shut her out. Finally, her tears fell, betraying her feelings.
But soon, she wiped away her tears, and the look of grievance on her face was replaced by an air of nonchalance.
Her young lady had been tortured in the laundry bureau for three years. Even if she was a bit unfeeling now, so what?
With so many wounds on her body, if she hadn't toughened up, she might not have survived!
Although she had been misunderstood by her young lady, she believed that as long as she treated her sincerely, one day her young lady would surely see her true heart.
Ningshuang secretly encouraged herself and then called out to the inner room, "Then Miss, please have a good rest. This servant will be waiting outside. If you need anything, just give this servant an order!"
Hearing this, Qiao Nian's figure paused slightly.
A faint warm current flowed through a corner of her heart.
She couldn't quite explain this feeling, but... the annoyance caused by Lin Yuan just now had eased a lot.
With a long sigh, she was about to go to bed when suddenly, a horrified scream came from outside.
"Something's wrong! Come quickly! The Second Miss has fallen into the water!"