“Yin Hao Yu, what did you call me?” Yin Shu Jun turned to face her younger brother coldly.

Yin Hao Yu froze, realizing his mistake. She was his elder sister, yet he had addressed her by name. But reluctant to apologize immediately and relying on his position as the Yin family’s legitimate son, he stubbornly replied, “Who told you to touch my Fei Xue?”

So the snow-white cat was named Fei Xue, Yin Hao Yu’s beloved pet.

“Is it made of sand that no one can touch it?” Yin Shu Jun sneered.

“Others can touch it, but not you,” Yin Hao Yu said. “You’ve already destroyed everything in your room, now you want to harm others’ pets? I won’t allow it!”

“Others? Yin Hao Yu, I am your elder sister!” Yin Shu Jun’s eyes reddened with anger, her fists clenched tight.

Seeing this, Yin Hao Yu felt his words had been too harsh and was about to say something when a clear voice called from behind.

“A Yu, I caught it!”

It was Yin Liang Jun, excitedly running over with the recently escaped cat, her face beaming with joy as she addressed Yin Hao Yu.

Yin Hao Yu’s face lit up, but then he noticed her skirt and urgently asked, “Third Sister, are you hurt?”

Yin Liang Jun looked down at the mud on her skirt near her knee and smiled dismissively: “It’s nothing, just fell while chasing Fei Xue.” Then she turned to Yin Shu Jun and said, “Elder Sister is here too, that’s perfect! Let’s all go to A Yu’s room for tea and view paintings. I heard Grandfather bestowed a famous painting on A Yu yesterday.”

Yin Shu Jun’s hands clenched tighter.

Her brother treated her like an enemy, yet called others “sisters” with such warmth.

“No need,” she said, with a fire burning inside her that needed release, smiling eerily, “You all enjoy yourselves, but remember to keep a close eye on that beast, lest it meet with misfortune.”

She turned to leave, but her words had changed Yin Hao Yu’s expression. He was about to argue further with Yin Shu Jun when Yin Liang Jun held him back.

The siblings parted on bad terms.

Yin Shu Jun returned to her embroidery tower in a foul mood. As soon as she entered her room, she drove out all the servants and shut the door tightly, leaving Ming Shu and Shuang Yan staring at each other outside. Soon after, the sound of breaking porcelain could be heard continuously from within.

When the door opened again, Yin Shu Jun’s expression had returned to normal, but not a single piece of porcelain remained intact in the room.

Late at night, Ming Shu, no longer needed to attend to Yin Shu Jun, had retreated early to her room after dinner to work on her affairs. While making notes at her desk, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside, accompanied by the panicked calls of the garden’s elderly maid.

“The young lady has already retired, young master. If you have urgent business, this old servant can have someone relay the message. Please stop, please…”

The garden erupted in chaos. Ming Shu pushed open her window to look and saw Yin Hao Yu storming into the garden in a rage. In noble households, the ladies’ quarters were strictly off-limits, even to brothers. Whatever emergency had driven Yin Hao Yu to breach protocol at this hour must have been serious.

Several servants had already emerged, and Yin Hao Yu stopped in the garden without actually entering the embroidery tower. He stood below and shouted, “Yin Shu Jun, come down here!”

“Young Master, what has happened?” asked the night-duty maid from outside Yin Shu Jun’s room as she hurried down.

“What happened? You should ask your mistress that!” In the dim lantern light, Yin Hao Yu’s face was contorted with anger, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear clearly. “Ask your mistress what she did! My Fei Xue… started vomiting shortly after returning to my room, then began convulsing at night, and just now… Fei Xue didn’t make it.”

The cat had died.

“What did you say?” Yin Shu Jun appeared at the balcony of the tower, questioned downward, and then hurried down the stairs.

“What did I say? I said Fei Xue is dead! Sister, how could you be so cruel?” Yin Hao Yu was furious, no longer holding back his words. “Fei Xue and your Qing Shuang were siblings, we brought them home together. Wasn’t killing Qing Shuang enough? You had to harm Fei Xue too?”

“I didn’t!” Yin Shu Jun had come down in such a hurry that her shoes weren’t properly on, her hair loose.

“If not you, then who? If I hadn’t arrived in time this afternoon, it probably would have been thrown into the pond already. You’re the one who threatened me to be careful!” Yin Hao Yu accused.

“You were being so aggressive then, am I not allowed to say a few angry words?” Yin Shu Jun’s eyes reddened with urgency, seeing Yin Hao Yu’s certainty and feeling unable to defend herself.

“Just angry words?” Yin Hao Yu took a deep breath, controlling his emotions, “Sister, now both Qing Shuang and Fei Xue are dead, and Yu Ying has been driven away. What do you have left around you? Father and Mother argue constantly because of you. Will you only be happy when everyone has turned against you?”

“What do you know?! Yu Ying, she…” Yin Shu Jun clutched her collar, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Why won’t any of you believe me? It’s you all who won’t believe me!”

“Believe you? How can we believe you when you could harm even those who accompanied you for years…”

“Young Master!” A voice suddenly interrupted, “Even a three-year-old knows you need evidence to catch a thief. You say the young lady harmed Fei Xue, but do you have any proof?”

“What proof is needed? Who else would commit such a vicious act?” Yin Hao Yu turned to face the speaker. “You must be that companion reader Lu Ming Shu. You’re speaking up for her?”

Ming Shu gave a simple curtsy and said expressionlessly, “I’m not speaking for anyone, nor do I know about past events in your household. I only know that today when I accompanied the young lady past the stone bridge and we unexpectedly met the cat, she reached to hold it but you arrived before she could. Whether she meant to hold or harm the cat is mere speculation, as she didn’t do anything – that’s point one. Secondly, meeting Fei Xue was by chance, and the young lady had nothing in her hands and didn’t feed the cat anything, as Shuang Yan and I witnessed. Thirdly, you say the cat began vomiting after returning to your room, but our young lady hasn’t left the embroidery tower since returning, keeping herself locked in her room. The garden has only one exit, and she couldn’t have slipped out unnoticed by everyone in the garden – everyone here can testify to this!”

Her words were clear and well-evidenced, leaving Yin Hao Yu momentarily unable to refute them.

“Shuang Yan, help the young lady back to her room to compose herself before coming out to explain further,” Ming Shu called out to Shuang Yan.

Shuang Yan snapped out of her daze and treated Ming Shu’s words like an imperial decree, quickly helping Yin Shu Jun back to her room. When Yin Shu Jun tried to argue further, she caught Ming Shu’s glance, and something about that calm, composed look affected her, making her close her mouth and follow Shuang Yan back.

Ming Shu then turned back to Yin Hao Yu: “If the young master doesn’t believe Ming Shu’s words, we can gather all the garden’s servants tomorrow and question them one by one. However, in my humble opinion, since the incident occurred in your quarters, young master, the people in your household should also be investigated. We should find the truth and catch the real culprit to give closure to your beloved cat’s death and clear the innocent of wrongdoing.”

“You think she’s innocent?” Yin Hao Yu had regained his senses by now and pointed at the departed Yin Shu Jun, “That’s because you haven’t seen what she’s capable of! You’re following her now, but be careful – you might end up like those others, those cats, with no good ending!”

“Mind your words, young master! That person inside is your sister. As for my fate, there’s no need for you to worry about it.” Ming Shu’s voice suddenly turned sharp.

Yin Hao Yu abruptly fell silent. He had been driven mad with anger tonight, leading to his careless words, and Ming Shu’s stern rebuke brought him back to his senses.

“My sister…” Yin Hao Yu nodded, his brows showing both anger and pain, at a loss for words. He had come in a rage over his cat, but could he demand his sister’s life for a cat?

As Ming Shu was about to speak again, another group arrived hurriedly with lanterns, led by Yun Aunt from Lady Li’s quarters.

The news of Yin Hao Yu’s night intrusion into his elder sister’s quarters and the latest pet tragedy had reached Yin Li Cheng and Lady Li’s ears, even disturbing Old Master Yin.

Both Yin Shu Jun and Yin Hao Yu were taken away, along with Ming Shu.

Regarding Fei Xue’s death, Yin Shu Jun and Yin Hao Yu each maintained their version of events, neither giving ground.

Yin Li Cheng and Lady Li summoned Ming Shu separately for questioning. As an observer with no vested interest in any member of the Yin family, Ming Shu’s position was the most impartial. Behind closed doors, she repeated her earlier words to Yin Hao Yu verbatim. While these words hadn’t convinced Yin Hao Yu, they seemed to move Yin Li Cheng. After long consideration, he made his decision.

The final result was surprising – Yin Hao Yu was confined to his quarters for three days of reflection for intruding into his elder sister’s chambers at night and showing disrespect, while Yin Shu Jun went unpunished. As everyone dispersed, servants reported back to the Yin family patriarch, and Yin Li Cheng retired to rest, only Lady Li remained, holding Ming Shu’s hand and sighing.

“Good child, we have you to thank this time, or Shu Jun would have been punished again. If she makes another mistake, no one will be able to help her. Why can’t that child just behave?”

Hearing Lady Li’s words, Ming Shu realized she didn’t completely believe in Shu Jun’s innocence, but as a mother, she still wanted to protect her daughter regardless of her actions. Ming Shu lowered her head, knowing that her modest position and few words couldn’t change deeply held beliefs.

She felt somewhat disappointed.

Her original intention in speaking up had been to hope that Yin Li Cheng would order a thorough investigation into Fei Xue’s death, but this goal wasn’t achieved.

The life of a cat held little weight in the minds of the Yin family elders. Investigating the entire household over a cat was impossible, so Fei Xue’s death was officially attributed to accidental poisoning from something consumed outside.

However, such a muddled cover-up only preserved the face of those in power without convincing anyone. The thorn in Yin Hao Yu’s heart would only sink deeper, and his resentment toward his elder sister would only grow stronger. Just like the cat and rabbit that died two years ago, although rumors were suppressed in the same way, some things remained forever in people’s hearts, becoming ineradicable prejudices.

After the Fei Xue incident, Yin Shu Jun became more silent, and her occasional glances at Ming Shu grew particularly complex and conflicted.

She probably both loved and hated her – that’s what Ming Shu thought.

She cast a flirtatious glance back at Yin Shu Jun’s gaze, causing her to freeze momentarily before looking away with a sullen expression, just like a stubborn child.

Ming Shu wouldn’t hold it against a child. She was very busy lately, occupied with continuing her gossip with the people of the Yin Manor.

“Shh! Lower your voice. We can’t mention Yu Ying’s name here.” Aunt Wang, who was trimming flowers and trees, stopped her scissors and made a gesture of silence. After Ming Shu covered her mouth and nodded, she pulled her behind some plants and mysteriously continued, “Yu Ying was the maid who served the young lady for ten years, but later was severely whipped and driven out of the manor over a small matter. I heard when she left, there wasn’t a patch of uninjured skin on her back. The punishment was extremely cruel.”

“Ten years… how could the young lady bear to do it?” Ming Shu slipped some peanuts into Aunt Wang’s hand and squatted down to eat with her.

Lazy gossip made people happy, and Aunt Wang was no exception.

“Who knows what’s going on in the young lady’s mind? Yu Ying had served by her side since she was seven, always her most capable maid. They were like sisters, but who could have predicted that after the young lady’s personality changed so drastically, even Yu Ying wouldn’t be spared.”

“Were they very close? I notice our young master seems quite familiar with this Yu Ying too.”

“Naturally. The young master is only two years younger than the young lady. Before she changed, she always looked after her younger brother and the siblings were extremely close. Through this, the young master also became close with Yu Ying, treating her like another sister.”

“I see, no wonder the young master’s tone was different when mentioning Yu Ying that day,” Ming Shu nodded in understanding.

“You need to be careful while serving the young lady, lest you end up like Yu Ying.” As Aunt Wang finished the peanuts and her gossip, she stood to resume work but turned only to freeze like she’d been struck by lightning.

“Young… young lady…”

Yin Shu Jun had silently appeared behind them.

“Lu! Ming! Shu!” Yin Shu Jun ground out each syllable through clenched teeth.

Ming Shu stood up, brushing off peanut shells, and met Yin Shu Jun’s gaze. Beyond anger, there seemed to be hurt in those eyes.

Before Ming Shu could explain, Yin Shu Jun turned and stormed off. Ming Shu followed, but Yin Shu Jun whirled around, her face flushed with anger, pointing at Ming Shu’s nose: “Get out! Stay away from me! You’re no different from them!”

While shouting, she stormed into the garden, calling out: “Throw out her bedding!”

The servants exchanged uncertain glances. Seeing them hesitate, Yin Shu Jun rushed into Ming Shu’s room herself and began yanking at her bedding. When Ming Shu entered, the room was already in chaos, but Yin Shu Jun hadn’t stopped.

“Slap!”

A hand struck Yin Shu Jun’s cheek, the crisp sound making everyone’s scalp tingle.

The world suddenly fell silent.

Yin Shu Jun stared wide-eyed at Ming Shu, looking ready to devour her. Everyone who had followed them in was equally petrified.

Unbelievable – Ming Shu had slapped Yin Shu Jun.

Ming Shu shook her slightly numbed hand and said, “Have you calmed down? If so, let’s discuss this properly. I’m a companion reader invited by your mother, not a slave bought by your family. If you want me to leave, fine, go ask your mother. If she says the word, I’ll leave immediately. Otherwise…”

Ming Shu crouched down, methodically picking up the bedding and tossing it back onto the bed, then sat on the edge.

“I’m staying right here, and what can you do about it?”

“…” Yin Shu Jun was furious.

She had never met someone so brazenly shameless.

The news that Yin Shu Jun’s outburst had earned her a slap from Ming Shu quickly spread throughout the mansion.

No one seemed concerned about Yin Shu Jun; instead, they admired the companion reader’s latest feat.

Tao Yi Qian naturally heard about this incident too, and while impressed, he worried for Ming Shu. He found an opportunity to speak with her.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Ming Shu reassured him after hearing his concerns, then added, “Your timing is perfect actually, as I need your help with something.”

“What is it?” Tao Yi Qian asked.

Ming Shu took out a folded paper from her sleeve and handed it to him, saying softly, “Help me investigate a few people.” She then leaned close to whisper something in his ear.

Tao Yi Qian grew increasingly surprised as he listened, then showed some hesitation: “Everything else is manageable, but the palace…”

The imperial palace wasn’t somewhere one could enter at will.

Ming Shu raised an eyebrow: “What, you can’t do it?”

Tao Yi Qian, unwilling to appear inadequate, thumped his chest and declared, “Fine, if you’re asking, I’ll make it happen.”

Ming Shu smiled: “Then, thank you in advance.”

That smile was bewitchingly sweet.

After parting with Tao Yi Qian, Ming Shu went to find Yin Shu Jun.

Yin Shu Jun wasn’t in the classroom or back at the embroidery tower. After searching several places without finding her, Ming Shu felt puzzled. Halfway through her search, she encountered Shuang Yan. When she questioned the maid, Shuang Yan hesitated before finally saying, “The young lady went to the Fragrant Pavilion at Miao Sheng Overlook. She wouldn’t let me follow and told me not to tell anyone… please don’t say I told you.”

Miao Sheng Overlook was a rock garden in the rear courtyard of the Yin Manor, built with Taihu stones. The Fragrant Pavilion sat atop it, perfect for summer cooling, but in early spring, one could freeze to death up there.

What was Yin Shu Jun doing there?

Ming Shu had no time to think further. Her responsibility was to keep an eye on Yin Shu Jun, so she immediately ran toward Miao Sheng Overlook.

In the early spring evening, the setting sun cast a rosy glow across the sky, like a blush on a young girl’s cheeks.

The Yin Manor’s garden looked particularly enchanting in this sunset light.

Yin Shu Jun walked with Shuang Yan along the winding stone path. On one side stood the craggy rock garden, where winter jasmine bloomed in bright yellow patches among the rocks. Yin Shu Jun smiled as she looked at them, in quite good spirits.

“Young lady, is this appropriate?” Shuang Yan asked uneasily.

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Yin Shu Jun smirked. Having lost to Ming Shu three times, she had long wanted revenge and had finally devised a plan to lure Ming Shu to the Fragrant Pavilion. She had rigged the pavilion door so that when opened, a basin of water would drench whoever entered. With wet clothes in this weather, Ming Shu wouldn’t dare run outside and would have to endure the cold wind in the pavilion.

“It’s still so cold. If Ming Shu gets soaked and catches the mountain wind, what if she falls ill?”

“That would serve her right for always opposing me. Getting sick would be perfect – then she can go back where she came from.” Despite her words, Yin Shu Jun was still heading toward Miao Sheng Overlook.

After all, she only wanted to teach Ming Shu a lesson, not take her life.

“Ah— Young lady, look quickly!”

Halfway there, Shuang Yan suddenly pointed and cried out.

Yin Shu Jun looked where she pointed and turned pale.

Someone was hanging from the rock garden.

“Young lady, that’s Ming Shu!”

Yin Shu Jun had already recognized her and was running toward the base of the garden.

A gust of wind blew past, and Ming Shu, hanging halfway up, swayed precariously, making observers’ hearts stop.

On the opposite stone path, another group approached – Old Master Yin was entertaining guests, showing them around the garden. Seeing this scene from afar, his face, along with those of the other Yin family members, immediately darkened.

Yin Shu Jun no longer cared about appearances and ran toward Ming Shu, but Ming Shu’s face was already red from exertion, her hands barely gripping the rock wall.

“Ah—”

“Save her quickly!”

Several panicked cries rang out as Yin Shu Jun watched helplessly as Ming Shu fell from halfway up the rock garden.

In the moment of falling, Ming Shu had only one thought.

Heaven must have something against her head – as if memory loss wasn’t enough, now she had to be knocked senseless too.

Fortunately, Miao Sheng Overlook wasn’t a real mountain, just a garden made of Taihu stones, and wasn’t very high. As Ming Shu fell from halfway up, she managed to grab some winter jasmine vines to slow her descent. Though the landing wasn’t too severe, she badly twisted her ankle as she tumbled to the ground.

She felt everything spinning, her vision darkening. Though she hadn’t completely lost consciousness, she couldn’t get up. She heard the commotion around her – screams, scolding voices, someone pressing her philtrum… Soon people brought a wooden couch to carry her.

Ming Shu was in a daze, unaware of where she was being taken.

Soon, the voices around her quieted down. She seemed to drift off to sleep, but in the darkness, a hand suddenly reached out and pushed her from behind, jolting her awake from her nightmare.

The dizzying sensation had passed, and she found her wounds had been properly bandaged.

Someone in the room was muttering to themselves: “It’s all my fault. Knowing my cousin’s difficult temperament, I should never have recommended you as her companion reader.”

“Fifth Young Master, don’t blame yourself. No one could have predicted this,” another voice consoled.

Ming Shu recognized these two people – one was Tao Yi Qian, the other a manor matron. She struggled to sit up and said, “Tao Yi Qian…”

Tao Yi Qian spun around, delighted to see her awake. He rushed to the bedside: “You’re awake? The doctor has already examined you. Apart from the sprained ankle, they’re all superficial wounds. Does anything else hurt?”

Ming Shu shook her head, “No.” She glanced at the sky outside, “How long was I unconscious?”

“Not long, about half an hour.”

“Where’s Shu Jun?” she asked.

Misunderstanding her meaning, Tao Yi Qian replied bitterly, “Grandfather has ordered her confined to the Buddhist hall. We thought she was just ill-tempered before, but now she’s attempting murder. Don’t worry, the family will give you justice for this.”

“No…” Ming Shu threw off the covers. “It wasn’t Shu Jun.”

“Why are you still defending her? Her maid Shuang Yan has already confessed they lured you to Miao Sheng Overlook.”

“It wasn’t Shu Jun. Take me to see the Lady, I’ll tell her myself,” Ming Shu said urgently.

“The Lady has also been confined,” the old matron replied.

“Look, I’m the victim here, and you’re all convicting people without even asking my opinion?” Ming Shu pressed her temples.

“Ming Shu, don’t worry about it now, just focus on recovering. We’ve already notified your mother, and she’ll be here soon to take care of you. You can stay here comfortably,” Tao Yi Qian reassured her.

Ming Shu nearly jumped up: “What did you say? Did you notify my mother? Who authorized that?”

“Grandfather… he said when a young lady is injured in our manor, we must give her family an explanation, so…”

Ming Shu rubbed her forehead heavily: “What’s there to explain? I’m not seriously injured, you’re all making such a fuss…”

Her complaints were interrupted by a voice from the doorway.

“Making a fuss? So you were planning to hide this?”

Ming Shu’s whole body tensed as she looked incredulously toward the door.

A maid lifted the curtain, and the night wind rushed in, making everyone shiver. Ming Shu clutched her small blanket, staring at the young man who entered through the darkness.

It wasn’t Madam Zeng who had come, but the guardian deity of the Lu family.

Lu Chang’s eyes were as cold as a frost-covered night.