The sparrows beneath the corridor hopped up and down expressing their joy, but Luyi and the others who usually sat in the covered corridor felt their hearts sinking straight down.
Song Chuyi had just returned to her room in sullen silence—this was truly unprecedented. Regarding Hong Yu and herself, Luyi knew that Song Chuyi had always been so tolerant it made them uneasy.
Even after Hong Yu had committed such a grave error, Song Chuyi had merely said a few words to her and let it go. Luyi didn’t know how Hong Yu had managed to provoke Song Chuyi’s wrath this time, feeling both confused and worried.
Qing Tao closed the door and came out quietly. Seeing Luyi’s appearance, she knew she had been waiting for her for quite a while. Not daring to keep her in suspense any longer, she told her everything in detail.
In the end, Qing Tao couldn’t help but defend Song Chuyi’s position: “Although Eighth Miss is young, she’s every bit as calculating as those madams and ladies. The fire at our Young Master’s residence was connected to her, and what’s more, Hong Yu personally witnessed how Nanny Yu committed suicide after Eighth Miss had someone send clothes. When all of us are still too busy avoiding Eighth Miss, she insists on going to Eighth Miss’s place. Miss only said a few words to her, yet this time she’s truly broken Miss’s heart.”
Luyi recalled how Hong Yu had been hesitant and evasive last night, and her heart had already grown half cold. After hearing Qing Tao’s words, she suddenly stood up with a whoosh.
Since childhood, her mother had constantly impressed upon her that she must take good care of Song Chuyi. Therefore, in just an instant, a sense of betrayed anger and disappointment came gushing forth from her heart.
If she herself felt so distressed, how much more so must Song Chuyi, who had always treated them as sisters?
“When did Miss discover this?” Luyi’s voice trembled slightly, carrying a barely perceptible anger: “Was it last night?”
“She discovered it this morning. When Hong Yu was styling Miss’s hair, she was distracted and dropped the comb. When Miss asked, she learned that Hong Yu had actually gone to Eighth Miss’s place, and moreover, she had actually pleaded on Eighth Miss’s behalf…” Qing Tao glanced at Luyi, feeling somewhat uncertain: “Asking our Miss not to be too merciless…”
Foolish! Luyi wished she could curse Hong Yu awake with a torrent of abuse.
Qing Tao saw her entire body tense like a fully drawn bow, and gradually softened her tone: “Miss didn’t say anything to her, just told her to return to her room to rest and had me tell Nanny Xu to send her to your mother’s place for a while… Who would have thought that just now, on our way back from Old Madam’s room, we heard Second Master say that Hong Yu was at Eighth Miss’s place again…”
As they were speaking, they saw a flash of lake-green fabric at the courtyard gate, and Hong Yu hurriedly stepped over the threshold.
Luyi’s heart filled with both anger and resentment—anger at Hong Yu’s lack of clarity and hatred for her inability to distinguish right from wrong. She stamped her foot and gave a cold, sarcastic laugh: “Oh, you still know to come back? I thought you were planning to take up permanent residence at Eighth Miss’s place. Perhaps our temple here is too small to accommodate a great Buddha like you.”
Luyi had never spoken to her in such a tone. Hong Yu’s steps faltered, and seeing Qing Tao beside her, she couldn’t help but panic and take a step back, hanging her head without saying a word.
But Luyi’s anger only intensified. She took several quick steps, her finger almost poking Hong Yu’s forehead, unable to restrain herself from bursting out: “Have you lost your mind?! Do you know what kind of person she is, yet you dare to go to her room?! Are you not satisfied until you get Miss killed?!”
Hong Yu was poked backward another step. She bit her lip somewhat defiantly, her eyes looking at Luyi. After a long moment, she couldn’t help but retort: “If Miss doesn’t harm her, then…”
Luyi could hardly believe it. Her eyes widened, and she truly wanted to slap Hong Yu across the face to wake her up.
But Qing Tao’s heart had truly grown completely cold. She held Luyi back and, without even looking at Hong Yu, coldly pointed inside: “Miss said that when you return, you should go in. She has something to say to you.” With that, she pulled Luyi aside, treating Hong Yu as if she didn’t exist.
How could one explain it? The human heart is hidden behind the belly—who would have known that Hong Yu, whom they had always believed to be loyal, would change her mind in just a few short days and even think that it was Song Chuyi who was being aggressive and unforgiving?
Luyi’s eyes reddened with anger, and she gnashed her teeth as she cursed: “Hong Yu, you betray your master and forget kindness—you’re not human!”
Hong Yu hunched her shoulders and ignored her, burying her head as she entered Song Chuyi’s room.
Though she still felt somewhat panicked now, her heart was mostly dominated by the sense of righteous justice from speaking up for others. Therefore, she actually wasn’t very afraid. Upon entering and seeing Song Chuyi and Ziyun beside her, her expression remained unchanged.
Song Chuyi’s tone was still very calm, and she hadn’t flown into a rage. She even pointed to the chair at the lower seat and told Hong Yu to sit: “You went to Eighth Miss’s place?”
Even now, she still harbored a faint hope regarding Hong Yu—her previous life had been too miserable, and she had wronged too many people. In her heart, she always felt a measure of guilt toward these maids who had suffered because of her. Perhaps it was also because of this that Hong Yu had been spoiled by her to the point of losing all sense of propriety.
Hong Yu stubbornly refused to admit her error and nodded, saying something that made even Ziyun want to pry open her head to see if there was a brain inside.
“Yes, Eighth Miss was afraid I would be punished for what happened last night, so she specially called me over to ask about it.” Hong Yu pressed her lips together, not feeling she had done anything wrong. Instead, she felt Song Chuyi’s heart was truly too hard: “Miss, aren’t you planning to send me away?”
She seemed to be full of grievances.
All the prepared words Song Chuyi had ready instantly turned to nothing. She had trusted the wrong person, she had been blind, to have kept this ungrateful wretch by her side for so long.
“What did she say to you?” Song Chuyi closed her eyes to calm the fury in her heart. When she opened them again, she had returned to her previous calm, water-like composure: “Tell me truthfully.”
Hong Yu had been by her side for so long, even following her to Tongzhou. She knew far too much. And if Song Chuning knew even just a fraction of these things, it would be no small disaster.
Hong Yu hung her head without speaking, looking as if she would die before revealing anything.
Song Chuning was so young and currently out of favor in the manor. If she told Miss what she had said to Song Chuning, Miss would certainly not let Eighth Miss off.
Song Chuyi finally let out a cold laugh, feeling nothing but icy coldness throughout her heart.
“I originally planned to send you to Nanny Xu’s estate in Tongzhou.” Song Chuyi looked at Hong Yu, her eyes now devoid of any ripples: “But it seems you’re no longer suitable for that place. Pack your things—you’ll return to the Cui household after all.”