35: Here to Freeload?

Here to Freeload?

"Is there anything else either of you would like to say? If there isn't, I'm going inside to have dinner. I'm starving thanks to this unfortunate delay. The both of you are free to leave. I'm sure you can see yourselves out," announced Ling Chunxi with a wave of her hand as though to brush off her encounter with these two despicable people. Then without a care, she walked past them and returned home.2

Qin Xiruo turned to look at Ling Chunxi, wanting to say something but unsure of what exactly. Her lips parted, yet no words came through. Without understanding why, Qin Xiruo found that she was somewhat afraid of confronting Ling Chunxi any further. She feared facing more of Ling Chunxi's sharp, knife-like rebuttals.

Ling Xiaoting on the other hand, was thoroughly dumbfounded. His face had been totally thrown out right in front of Qin Xiruo, the person he liked. He had thought Ling Chunxi would have treated him as though he were a god, but what a misconception that was! The disgust and indifference Ling Chunxi bestowed on him was not feigned. How did things turn out this way? Hadn't Ling Chunxi liked him a great deal? What had happened?

"Xiaoting, are you all right?" asked Qin Xiruo gently.

Lost in his own thoughts, Ling Xiaoting gave no response. Only after Qin Xiruo addressed him twice did his attention snap back to reality.

"Ah, Xiruo. Let's head back first. The wind is much too strong here," said Ling Xiaoting with a strained smile. He struggled to comprehend the anger and displeasure burning within him.

There was a complex expression drawn upon Qin Xiruo's face. She gave a light nod of agreement to Ling Xiaoting's suggestion and they left together.

Meanwhile, Ling Chunxi was sitting at her dining table indulging in a spread of hot and delicious-smelling food Aunt Wang had prepared. Beside her, Little White was also partaking in a feast of its own. As she recalled the constipated look on Ling Xiaoting's face earlier, Ling Chunxi couldn't help but find it funny. Given that Ling Xiaoting was such a peacock of a man, there must be quite a puncture in his inflated sense of self-worth right about now. Well, he deserved it! How dare he raise his hand against her with an intention to strike. Tsk, tsk. She will make him pay for this debt later. As for Qin Xiruo… Ling Chunxi barked out a cold laugh.

Qin Xiruo sure was playing many games with all people she had in the palm of her hand. Especially when it came to her injured arm and turning Ling Chunxi into a scapegoat for it. That was a pretty big deal, wasn't it? Though Ling Chunxi was no longer afraid of these lowlifes who tell lies about her, the onlookers who didn't know the truth greatly annoyed her. Back when the Ling family confronted the Qin family about the truth of the matter, many of the Lings felt it was unreasonable to do so. This was another reason why the Ling disciplines of this generation didn't have good relations with Ling Chunxi. In fact, it could be said that Ling Chunxi had no friends amongst this Ling clan she belonged to.

She needed to find an opportunity to end this once and for all. She had been a scapegoat for so long and she wasn't willing to be one anymore. It was time for this to stop. Furthermore, Qin Xiruo had hidden her true nature and hurt Ling Chunxi for long enough. It was time for Ling Chunxi to collect the debt Qin Xiruo accumulated. 

As Ling Chunxi was busy making all these calculations in her heart, a knock broke through the silence from outside. Aunt Wang instantly rose to answer the door, and shortly after exclaimed loudly, "Master Yichen, what brings you here?"

"Looking for Chunxi." Ling Yichen sure loved saving his words as if they were gold. 

"If you're here to freeload, I'm not home. If you're here for other matters aside from freeloading, come in," called out Ling Chunxi from the dining area. "Also, Chunxi? Since when was this fella close enough to her to call her that?'

A slight twitch ran across Aunt Wang's face. Her own Miss was truly… How should one put it, really? Such behavior was almost too shameful, right? To speak in such a… straightforward manner such as this.

Aunt Wang smiled and quickly issued placating claims to excuse Ling Chunxi's attitude. "Master Yichen, if you haven't eaten, please do come in. Miss is still young and doesn't have a good understanding of matters so please do not hold this against her." Who was Ling Yichen that Aunt Wang had to care so much? He was the Ling family's latest rookie, the idol of the Ling family's younger generation. His status in the family was considerable as many older generation Lings had high hopes for him. If Ling Chunxi's words had angered him enough to badmouth her to the elders, Aunt Wang knew she and Ling Chunxi would be in for a tough time.

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