Somehow, Qiao Nian had grown extremely weary of hearing Lin Ye's voice.
She turned to look at him and saw him push aside the servant supporting him and limp towards her quickly. "Apologize to Mother!"
Qiao Nian sized him up. Perhaps due to the injury on his back, Lin Ye wasn't standing straight. Beads of cold sweat even oozed from his forehead. Clearly, the quick walk over had nearly killed him with pain.
Yet, despite this, he still came to blame her without a care!
Upon reflection, Lin Ye had always been like this since he was a child. But back then, he charged forward recklessly to protect her.
However, ever since Lin Yuan returned, he had started to target and wrong her without hesitation.
It seemed that blood relations were truly a mysterious thing, easily overpowering the fifteen years they had spent together day and night.
A chill ran through Qiao Nian's heart, yet she said, "Young Marquis, after you forced me to apologize yesterday, you were severely beaten. What kind of punishment are you prepared to endure this time?"
Mentioning yesterday's events, Lin Ye couldn't help but take a deep breath. He still stubbornly believed that it was all Qiao Nian's fault.
He furrowed his brows and demanded, "Don't tell me you're holding a grudge because I beat you, and that's why you're losing your temper with Mother today?"
"Which eye of yours saw me losing my temper?" Qiao Nian retorted. Even when questioning Lady Lin just now, her tone had been extremely calm. It could hardly be considered losing her temper.
On the contrary, Lin Ye himself was constantly losing his temper in front of her.
Seeing that Lin Ye and Qiao Nian were arguing again, Lady Lin quickly stepped forward to intervene. "All right, all right. It's not a big deal. Ye'er, you're not fully recovered. Why aren't you resting in your room? What are you doing out here?"
As she spoke, Lady Lin caught a glimpse of the white gauze on Lin Ye's finger from the corner of her eye. She was startled again. "What happened to your hand?"
"Mother, I'm fine," Lin Ye softened his tone to comfort Lady Lin. But when he thought about how he had injured his finger while carving a hairpin for Qiao Nian, yet Qiao Nian was here bullying his mother and sister, his anger was beyond control.
He glared at Qiao Nian hatefully. "It's all because of that jinx!"
Qiao Nian was certain that Lin Ye's words "jinx" were directed at her.
If it had been before yesterday, these three words would have made Qiao Nian feel bad. But now, she felt nothing at all.
Compared to being brutally beaten in front of hundreds of people, these three words, though not kind, were truly insignificant.
Lady Lin gently patted Lin Ye. "How can you talk about your sister like that!"
"Indeed, how can the Young Marquis talk about Miss Lin like that?" Qiao Nian replied softly, causing Lin Yuan beside her to suddenly widen her eyes and look at Lin Ye, with tears rolling down one after another.
Lin Ye felt his breath catch. Afraid that Lin Yuan would misunderstand, he immediately shouted at Qiao Nian, "I was talking about you!"
But this angry shout only elicited a cold laugh from Qiao Nian.
Remembering what she had said in front of the Bodhisattva yesterday, Lin Ye felt a tightness in his chest. He pointed at Qiao Nian and demanded harshly, "I don't blame you for not acknowledging me as your elder brother. But what about Mother? She took care of you day and night when you were sick as a child. Don't you even recognize her?"
Lin Ye probably hoped these words would stir Qiao Nian's "conscience."
But Qiao Nian's heart had already died in the laundry bureau.
She let out a faint laugh, her gaze towards him tinged with mockery. "The Young Marquis blames me after beating someone. It's really like doing something disgraceful and then trying to maintain a good reputation."
Her back still ached from the injuries!
Yesterday, Lin Ye was beaten unconscious by so many servants. But as far as she knew, none of the brooms used to beat him had broken, and there weren't even any major wounds on his back. That was why he was able to get out of bed today.
But what about her?
A thin whip could easily lacerate the skin.
Yet Lin Ye had used a thick broom to injure her back severely, even breaking the broom. Clearly, he had intended to kill her yesterday!
So, why should she be polite to him?
Although Qiao Nian didn't make everything explicit, Lin Ye clearly felt the insult.
He immediately raised his fist at Qiao Nian. "It seems you haven't been beaten enough to keep that sharp tongue of yours in check!"
Lady Lin immediately hugged Lin Ye. "Ye'er! Don't be impulsive!"
Unexpectedly, Qiao Nian took a step towards Lin Ye. "Young Marquis, you still want to hit someone? Where do you want to hit today? The left cheek or the right? Do you want me to offer my face to you?"
Seeing her so defiant, Lin Ye's anger flared even more. He almost broke free from Lady Lin's hold.
But then, Ningshuang suddenly rushed in front of Qiao Nian and shouted at Lin Ye, "The imperial decree of marriage has just arrived. Young Marquis, are you really going to hit our young lady? Are you showing no respect for the Emperor?"
Lin Ye was stunned. Then he furrowed his brows at Ningshuang. "How dare a mere servant like you try to intimidate me?"
"Can't I?" Qiao Nian pushed Ningshuang aside and smiled at Lin Ye, her lips curving. "Otherwise, why do you think your mother is holding you so tightly?"
Was it because Lady Lin was worried that Lin Ye would hurt her?
Hah, she didn't believe that.
In the past, whenever she was hurt or wronged, this so - called "mother," Lady Lin, had never once stood up for her.
So at this moment, Lady Lin was only worried that Lin Ye, in his impulsiveness, would offend the Emperor and bring disaster upon the family!
Lin Ye was truly furious.
But Lady Lin was now crying while holding him, so he couldn't struggle anymore. He just shouted angrily at Qiao Nian, "I shouldn't have brought you back. It's only been a short time since you returned, and you've already turned the whole family upside down!"
"Yes! The Young Marquis shouldn't have brought me back," Qiao Nian lowered her eyes, the mockery on her lips deepening. "But the Marquis' Mansion needs me."
Indeed, it was her grandmother's doing that she was able to leave the laundry bureau. But clearly, Marquis Lin and Lady Lin had other motives.
Without her, who would marry the Prince of Ming? Who would ensure the temporary stability of the Marquis' Mansion?
Lin Yuan?
How could they bear to let their precious daughter marry a cripple and spend the rest of her life as a widow?
If Liu Niang hadn't told her the truth, she might still think she was living under someone else's roof!
How ridiculous it was that she had humiliated herself before to prove that she couldn't stand the smell of fish!
But Lin Ye seemed not to understand what Qiao Nian was saying. He let out a cold laugh. "Needs you? You're really overestimating yourself! I've told you before, if you don't want to stay here, you can leave. No one in the Marquis' Mansion will stop you!"
Previously, Lin Ye had thought these words were too harsh.
But now, he only regretted not having driven Qiao Nian away earlier!
"Ye'er! Stop talking! Please stop!" Lady Lin was in floods of tears.
Lin Yuan also ran forward, crying, and hugged Lady Lin and Lin Ye. Her sobs were melting Lin Ye's heart.
They were the real family.
Qiao Nian watched them coldly, a trace of disgust she didn't even notice flashing in her eyes.
She asked Lin Ye straightforwardly, "Do you have the final say in this Marquis' Mansion? Perhaps the Young Marquis should go and ask Marquis Lin. If someone has to be expelled from the mansion, should it be you or me?"