Become a concubine?

Luo Sheng almost thought she had misheard.

Facing the Tao family who couldn’t wait to break off the engagement, she didn’t spare any effort in thinking the worst of them, yet she hadn’t expected Young Master Tao to have such a shameless face.

Luo Sheng walked to the wall in a few quick steps and, learning from Kou’er, took a teacup and pressed it upside down against the wall, putting her ear close to listen carefully.

Kou’er blinked, thinking to herself that the young miss was indeed the young miss—she learned so quickly.

In the private room next door, silence fell.

However, this silence was broken as Luo Ying stood up.

“Miss, where are you going?”

Luo Ying appeared relatively calm, but the hands tucked in her sleeves trembled incessantly: “I’ve been out for quite a while. I should return.”

Young Master Tao also stood up: “I still have things to say to you.”

Luo Ying’s eyelids trembled lightly, her tone indifferent: “There’s no need. I don’t want to hear the rest.”

Having heard him ask her to become his concubine, what else was there to listen to?

Everything else… would just be a joke.

Luo Ying curled her fingers, her nails digging into her palms.

Young Master Tao became somewhat anxious: “Miss, I know this wrongs you—”

Luo Ying coldly interrupted Young Master Tao’s words: “Since you know it wrongs me, why does Young Master Tao speak of it further?”

“But I’ll wholeheartedly treat you well. Except for the title, I won’t let you suffer in any other way!”

Luo Ying turned and immediately walked away.

Young Master Tao reached out and grabbed her wrist: “Ah Ying, don’t be impulsive. Think about the fate of those women whose families fell into trouble—”

“Young Master Tao, please let go.”

Young Master Tao only gripped tighter: “Ah Ying, my feelings for you are genuine. Breaking off the engagement was absolutely necessary—no one wanted to see this happen. But since it has happened, we can only accept it. Isn’t being together enough? Or is our affection less important to you than a title?”

Luo Ying trembled with rage all over. She opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. A stifled breath rampaged through her chest, blocking her until she was about to die of shame and indignation.

Lu’e rushed forward to pull at Young Master Tao’s arm: “Young Master Tao, let go of our miss!”

Unfortunately, the difference in strength between men and women meant the little maid’s efforts were futile. Anxious, tears swirled in her eyes.

She wanted to shout but dared not.

A secret meeting between a man and woman—if it became known, it would still be their miss who suffered the loss.

Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open. The three people in the room instinctively turned to look at the entrance.

Luo Sheng withdrew her foot and strode in with large steps, her face icy.

Luo Ying murmured, calling out “Third Sister.”

Young Master Tao got quite a fright and blurted out: “Who are you?”

“Miss Luo.” Luo Sheng replied with one sentence, then pinched Young Master Tao’s wrist and flung away the hand that was gripping Luo Ying.

Young Master Tao cried out in pain, his face immediately turning pale.

“What kind of lecher are you, grabbing onto my elder sister and not letting go?”

“Miss Luo, don’t misunderstand. I’m the eldest son of the Tao family.” After the initial shock, Young Master Tao completely recognized the young lady who had suddenly burst in.

The renowned Miss Luo—since becoming engaged to Ah Ying, he had still seen her twice.

“Young Master Tao?” Luo Sheng seemed to just recognize him. She looked the man before her up and down several times, her face covered in frost. “Don’t tell me you want to elope with my eldest sister?”

Upon hearing the two words “elope,” Young Master Tao was stunned.

Having studied diligently since childhood, he was at least a proper scholar. Coming to secretly see Ah Ying today was already transgressive—as for eloping, not only had he not taken action, he had never even thought of it.

“Miss Luo has misunderstood. My engagement with your sister encountered complications, so I came to see her once.”

Meeting privately and being caught by the other party’s family member was truly something he hadn’t anticipated.

“You met my eldest sister to elope with her?”

Young Master Tao’s breath caught.

Why did it circle back to that again?

“No, I was just saying a few words to your sister.”

“What did you say?”

Young Master Tao was momentarily speechless.

The things he said to Ah Ying were naturally not convenient to tell others.

Luo Sheng glanced at Lu’e.

Kou’er tugged at Lu’e: “Lu’e, just standing there in a daze won’t do. What did this person say to the eldest miss?”

The little maid spoke while frantically giving Lu’e meaningful looks.

You must speak up—only if you speak can our miss beat him properly.

This little fool really won’t do.

Lu’e, her shock barely settled, blurted out under Kou’er’s urging: “Young Master Tao wanted our miss to become his concubine.”

“Become a concubine?” Hong Dou suddenly raised her voice, attracting the teahouse waiter and others who already harbored gossip-loving hearts.

Kou’er covered her mouth in shock.

“Become a concubine?” Luo Sheng slowly repeated these two words, her expression suddenly changing. “Someone come! Beat this scoundrel who tried to trick my eldest sister into becoming his concubine into a pig’s head!”

Hong Dou charged forward with fists swinging.

Even faster than Hong Dou was Shi Yan.

Seeing Shi Yan efficiently knock down Young Master Tao, who was still in a daze, Hong Dou stamped her foot in frustration: “How is this person stealing the job!”

Just now Kou’er had performed so well, she was about to outshine her.

Unfortunately, Shi Yan’s skills were too good, and unlike Third Brother Shi Yan, he didn’t understand social graces. He quickly followed Luo Sheng’s instructions to the letter and beat Young Master Tao into a pig’s head, completely lacking any awareness of sharing with Hong Dou.

Luo Ying watched with alarm: “Third Sister, let it be.”

“Is eldest sister still angry?”

Luo Ying pressed her lips together.

How could she not be angry? She had come to this meeting with expectations for him deep in her heart, unable to deceive herself.

Who knew all she would receive was humiliation? Even the last bit of beautiful sentiment she wanted to quietly keep in her heart was gone.

She wasn’t just angry—she was resentful.

It was just that this anger and resentment, upon seeing him beaten like this, was replaced by worry.

She wasn’t worried about this man who wanted her as a concubine, but about Third Sister.

Just as the world thought, once their father, that great tree, fell, everyone in the Luo residence would have difficulty meeting a good end. Third Sister had offended many people and would likely fare even worse…

Luo Sheng curved her lips: “So we can’t let it end like this.”

If Luo Ying swallowed the humiliation and left today, she would probably never have peace for the rest of her life.

Only by venting could the anger dissipate. The only one suffering from swallowed grievances would be herself.

“To the Tao residence! I want to ask Madam Tao whether the words she spoke at the Luo residence were dog shit.”

“Third Sister—”

“Let Kou’er accompany eldest sister back first.”

“Third Sister insists on going?” Luo Ying asked in a trembling voice.

Luo Sheng nodded: “Of course.”

Luo Ying took a deep breath: “Then I’ll go with you.”

This was her matter. Having her younger sister stand up for her was already shameful—how could she hide at home?

“Eldest sister needn’t force herself.”

“I’m not forcing myself. Let’s go together.” Luo Ying’s tone became increasingly resolute.

“Good, then let’s go together.”

Shi Yan lifted up Young Master Tao, whose face had been beaten swollen, with one hand, and the group left the teahouse.

Kou’er deliberately walked at the back, shaking her head and sighing as she explained to the onlookers: “That’s the eldest son of Court of Judicial Review Minister Tao’s household. His character won’t do. A few days ago, his family ran to our Luo family to break off the engagement. Today he actually tried to trick our eldest miss into becoming his concubine. Everyone tell me, doesn’t this kind of person have to be beaten…”

The little maid spoke volubly, quickly and fluently. In a short time, the onlookers didn’t know how many times they heard “won’t do,” and unconsciously nodded in agreement: “That’s right, he must be beaten.”