Ji Wanxin lifted her gaze and looked at Ji Yunshu with her slender eyes. She said in a grateful tone, "Thanks, Yunshu."
Thanks? Sis, do you think I was helping you out?
"Your body is weak. You should return home as soon as possible. Besides, it's also better for you to stop wearing this ring so you don't accidentally cut other people's fabrics again."
"..." Ji Wanxin felt her mouth go dry and could not reply. She lowered her head, looking very pitiful.
Ji Yunshu seemed to have recalled something. Her gaze shifted. "I'll follow you to the Ji Residence."
Huh? How unexpected!
Ji Wanxin's eyes were filled with surprise. "Yunshu…"
"Don't misunderstand. I'm only going back to retrieve something."
...
The fire had burnt down the entire Ji Residence and it was barely recognizable. More than half of the property was ruined. Fortunately, the Ji Family had a huge fortune. They hired dozens of carpenters and rebuilt the residence anew in barely a month's time. There was absolutely no sign that it had been burned down before.
Ji Shuhan had gone out with a few of his business acquaintances today and was not around! However, Jing Rong had no intention of entering the residence, he ordered his men to place a chair in front of the entrance. Then, he casually sat at the entrance, as though he was a rich and carefree young master. The maids and pageboys brought him food and drink out of the fear of offending him.
But, why would someone sit at the entrance of another's residence? He has quite a unique habit.
Ji Yunshu's arrival caused a commotion in the residence. All of the people within assembled and surrounded her as if she was a monkey in the cage. They even pointed and gestured at her as they discussed softly with each other.
She did not return to her own residence but headed to the memorial hall instead. No one blocked her way on her journey but Ji Wanxin pushed her maid away and followed closely behind Ji Yunshu. As they arrived at the memorial hall, they were greeted with the thick smell of incense and candles. Plumes of white smoke spiralled upward from fresh sticks of incense.
There were forty to fifty tablets placed messily in the memorial hall, all ancestors of the Ji Family. They were worshipped throughout the years and they never lacked in tributes as the entire Ji Family would visit to worship every month. Ji Yunshu lit a stick of incense before she made three bows to the tablets. She stuck the stick of incense into the incense burner before she walked to the top part of the memorial hall and took down a tablet that was coated with dust. It was engraved with her mother's name. Other than her name, there was nothing else on the tablet, not even her position in the family. Ji Shuhan considered his act of benevolence to be complete in deigning to grant a brothel woman a place in the memorial hall after she died.
Ji Yunshu cracked a contemptuous smile before she tore a piece of cloth from the side and wrapped up the tablet. She told Ji Wanxin, who had been standing quietly beside her, "This belongs to my mother. I'll be taking it."
She nodded, then pouted, "Yunshu, I…"
Ji Yunshu stopped her, "If you want to talk about what happened at the silk store, then I suggest you skip it."
Ji Wanxin insisted on explaining, "I genuinely intended just to take a look at it. I did not expect my ring to…"
Ji Yunshu stopped her again. With a slightly icy glare, she said, "I told everyone that it was an accident. But that didn't mean that you didn't do it on purpose. Ji Wanxin, I've made things clear. There's no need for me to guess your intention. It's in your character to ruin the cloth because you were jealous of her getting it before you. You know the truth." Every word Ji Yunshu said poked Ji Wanxin like a sharp needle.
Ji Wanxin's eyes reddened and tears fell on her cheeks the moment she lowered her head.
So what if I did it on purpose? I was the one who got my hands on the cloth first, Miss Zhang took it away from me. I only did it out of a sense of injustice. What wrong did I do?
Looking at the tear streaks, Ji Yunshu shook her head gently.
Sorry, my dear. I'm immune to that now.
"I'll leave first," she said before she exited the memorial hall.
Ji Wanxin said from behind, "I'm getting married." Her tone was filled with helplessness.
Without stopping, Ji Yunshu turned around to look at her.
In actual fact, she was not surprised. Ji Wanxin sniffed before she left the memorial hall and followed Ji Yunshu. As she walked, she said, "Official Shen visited a few days ago and was not pleased with me because of my health. He thought I would not be able to produce good progeny for the Shen Family. Hence, he told father that he wanted you to marry into their family instead of me. Father was furious at that time quarrelled with Official Shen. Without any options left, Official Shen eventually compromised with the condition of an early wedding before my health deteriorates. The date is set on the fifteenth of August. After some time, Father will bring me to the Capital."
"That's good news."
"Will you come? I genuinely think of you as my closest kin. If you're not around during my wedding, I'll carry the regret for the rest of my life."
You should tell me directly that you want my gift money. So scheming!
Ji Yunshu replied in a straightforward manner, "I'm not attending your wedding."
"Yunshu." Ji Wanxin grabbed Ji Yunshu's hand abruptly. "I know that you're holding a grudge against me. However, I swear that I've never had the intention to hurt you and Ji Pei. You have to trust me, I did not tell father about your conversation that day. Even if it was my fault back in Shanhuai County, I never had the intention to frame you. You have to believe me. I've always seen you as my closest younger sister."
Ridiculous!
Ji Yunshu pulled her hand away and said with a considerably icy expression, "I have said this before, I no longer care whether you were the one who betrayed Ji Pei and I. If you're going to get married, do your part. Join their family and be a good and caring wife." She finished her words, carried the tablet with her and left without looking back. Ji Wanxin just stood there, sobbing quietly with her hands pressing against her chest, as though she was suffocating...
After she left, Ji Yunshu quickly walked through the corridor around the memorial hall. Coincidentally, she met the willful and spoilt Ji Lingzhi at the corner of the corridor. Just like in the past, she appeared with a cactus in her arms.
When she saw Ji Yunshu, her fierce round eyes stared right at her. She pointed her finger at Ji Yunshu and asked as though she were an exploding grenade, "Why are you here?" Her voice was shrill and incredibly annoying.
Ji Yunshu could not be bothered with her but Ji Lingzhi shouted angrily at Ji Yunshu, "You are a murderer! How dare you come to our home after you killed Third Brother? Father will kill you!" After not seeing her for half a month, this young girl had grown, yet her mouth was as foul as ever.
"Step aside."
Ji Lingzhi extended her arms to block Ji Yunshu. "No. I'm not letting you go. You killed Third Brother and Grandmother. I'm going to kill you." She raised her little fist to punch Ji Yunshu as she spoke.
Ji Yunshu grabbed Ji Lingzhi's wrist and flung it away. She said with her head lowered and a cold tone, "Ji Lingzhi, I don't have the patience for your drama. Go away."
Ji Lingzhi was not giving way to Ji Yunshu. She replied, "Third Brother was right! You're a bastard. Father was right too! You're also an animal!"
As she finished speaking, a resounding slap landed on her small, savage face.