Chapter 128: Interrogation and Investigation

  Zi Meng's face didn't look good, he furrowed his brow, and the expression on his face was even more bitter than eating a bitter melon.

  He took a glance around the room, and everything he saw was worthless, nothing valuable, old furniture, all the items on the table were fake, none of them caught his eye.

  The people below offered tea and saw that his face was not pleasant, so they hurriedly retreated.

  Qī Méng's face turned black as he thought to himself: "This servant is so unrefined, even when serving tea, they're so timid and fearful. It's clear that the master of this house is also someone who lacks refinement." Just as he was about to take a sip of tea to calm his anger, he discovered that the teacup in his hand was a crude, inferior piece of porcelain, and the tea leaves were old and not suitable for serving guests.

  Qī Méng took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to smash things and gently put down the teacup in his hand, fiddling with the ruby ring on his finger that was red enough to bleed. He sat dryly waiting for Qī Bǎo Zhū. Even so, he couldn't help but mutter to himself a few sentences like "The Qin family's servants are too impolite" and "too slow".

  Zheng Jiufu watched from the side, secretly amazed in his heart, and didn't know where this big shot came from. Just looking at his attire, it's probably enough to buy dozens of acres of good land. Although he had already received Qin Dai's message that a noble guest was coming, and told the doorman to pay attention, he hadn't expected this noble guest to be so "noble". Tsk, tsk, it really opened his eyes.

  Because there were fewer servants in the Zheng family, Zheng Jiufu only sent one person to inform Qin Daihe and Qi Baozhu. Also because Qin Daihe lived closer than Qi Baozhu, Qin Daihe received the message from the Qi family a step earlier. Although she was a woman, she was also the hostess and had to take advantage of the Qi family's "favorable wind" to return home, so it wouldn't be good for her to hide and not see anyone. Therefore, Qin Daihe simply tidied up and planned to meet the person from the Qi family first.

  Zhi Meng was intently fiddling with his ring when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching. He hastily got up to see his sister who had been out all night, but instead saw a 14 or 15-year-old girl wearing ordinary home clothes made of common fabric with unremarkable embroidery, and only wore the simplest double buns with a plain pearl flower on her head. However, this girl was slender and had a beautiful face, with skin as smooth as jade, especially her pair of eyes which were clear and flawless, as if they could see through people's hearts. When she stood far away and looked into the hall, she was elegant and poised; when she walked closer, her figure was lithe and supple. Although she wore the most ordinary clothes, her entire demeanor seemed like that of a noblewoman. This girl had an otherworldly beauty and bearing, as if just looking at her once would be a desecration!

  Zhi Meng only felt his face burning, his heart racing, and his breathing uneven. Even his head seemed a bit dizzy. Who was he? The second master of the Qi family! What kind of woman hadn't he seen before? Just in his room alone, there were enough beauties to fill a garden with flowers. How could one casual glance at a maid make him feel like a naive young boy who had never experienced love?

  He was so flustered that he stood there, at a loss for what to do next.

  Qin Dai Xin came before Qi Meng, slightly curtsied and said: "I don't know which young master of the Qi family you are?" She asked this with a hint of deliberate ignorance. Qi Bao Zhu had mentioned that her second brother was attending the commercial gathering in Taizhou with their father, and the person in front of her, dressed in attire that ordinary families couldn't compare to, should be the second young master of the Qi family.

  Zhi Meng had seen a lot of big scenes after all, although he was a bit flustered when facing his crush, he quickly adjusted himself!

  "In the lower jaw..."

  "Second brother."

  Before Qi Er Gongzi finished his self-introduction, Qi Baozhu arrived. She had also changed into a set of ordinary clothes like Qin Daihe's, but she couldn't bring out the same elegance as Qin Daihe. Even Qi Meng had to admit that without her luxurious clothes and jewelry, his own sister was just an ordinary girl from a common family.

  "Second brother!" Qi Baozhu suddenly threw herself into Qi Meng's arms, sobbing loudly. Finally seeing a loved one, her emotions couldn't help but be stirred up a bit.

  Qī Mièng patted his little sister's back and comforted her, "It's okay, it's okay, nothing's wrong. I'm here to pick you up, aren't I? Let's go home, Second Brother has arranged for a delicious meal to be prepared for you, to calm your nerves."

  Zi Baozhu also knew that her actions were not ladylike, so she composed herself, wiped away her tears and whispered: "Am I just a greedy cat in your eyes?"

  Qī Mièng slapped Qī Bǎozhū's nose, "Someone is here, aren't you afraid of being laughed at? You've cried like a kitten."

  Zi Baozhu then burst into laughter, pulling Qin Dai's hand and saying: "Good sister wouldn't mock me, we two have been through life and death together, how could a single word from you come between us?"

  "Did you go through life and death together?"

  Qī Bǎozhū said: "This matter is long to say, wait until we return home and I will tell the second brother in detail. For now, there is one thing that requires the second brother's help to make a decision."

  "What's wrong?" When has this girl ever been polite to herself? What's going on today?

  Zi Baozhu pointed at Qin Dai and said, "This is the third young lady of the Qin Manor. She was also kidnapped with me at Pufa Temple. To say it all, I implicated her. Now this villa where we are resting is hers too, but no one from the Qin Manor has come to pick her up yet. Can she follow us?"

  Zi Meng was a bit dizzy from Zi Baozhu's words, but he still quickly expressed his attitude. "Of course, there's no problem, I brought the carriage, you can squeeze in." What he said was just polite talk, that carriage could hold him and Qi Fugui, the big fat man, without being crowded, how could it be crowded with Zi Baozhu and Qin Dai Xin, two slender girls?

  "It's just my sister, I still don't understand what you mean, how did you even drag Qin Niang into this? And the Qin family, why didn't they come to pick up Qin Niang?" Qi Meng felt that this was a good opportunity to get close to Qin Dai, and he wouldn't miss it.

  Qin Daiyan smiled awkwardly and said, "I call Baozhu sister as my own sister, so her brother is not an outsider. I'm not afraid of being laughed at by Qi Er Ye. As a member of the household, it's usually fine, but this time I disappeared without reason, which must have caused unrest in the whole family. Rather than notifying someone to come and pick me up, I'd rather borrow Baozhu sister's light and return home first."

  Zhi Meng's heart ached, thinking that this Third Miss had not had an easy time in the Qin family. He said: "Third Miss Qin, don't say polite words, it's our fault for involving you, sending you back is the least we should do."

  Qin Dai Xin said: "In that case, it's a bit of trouble."

  "We two don't need to be polite, I think it's better for us three to take the carriage back to Taizhou quickly rather than being polite here forever."

  "Right," said Zhi Meng, and then had someone bring in a set of clean clothes for Qi Baozhu. "Sister, just freshen up a bit and we can be on our way." He then apologetically glanced at Qin Dai Xin, "I didn't know Miss Qin was also coming, so I didn't bring many extra clothes."

  Qī Bǎozhū didn't know her second brother's thoughts, and said: "Where is the time to dress up? Hurrying back home is the truth." Qī Bǎozhū thought it was very simple, Qin Dai Xin was tired of her, disappeared for a day and night without reason, and didn't know if her stepmother would make things difficult for her. Rather than wasting time here, it's better to hurry back.

  "Right, right, let's hurry back home." Qi Meng didn't know what was on Qi Baozhu's mind and thought she couldn't stand the environment here either, so he ordered people to prepare to return to Taizhou.

  Qin Dai simply instructed Zheng Guan Shi a few words and then sat in Qi's carriage back to Taizhou.

  It was just past four o'clock when the Qi family's carriage slowly entered Taizhou City.

  Qibaozhu insisted on letting Qindai Xin go to the Qi mansion for a visit, but Qindai Xin politely declined her kindness, "Sister, we have plenty of time in the future, let's get together another day."

  Zi Baozhu then stopped and sent Qin Dai Xin off to a street not far from the Qin mansion.

  Zi Meng watched Qin Dai Xin's figure silently leave on horseback, feeling that this back view was too desolate, too lonely. Suddenly, a surge of impulse and reluctance welled up in his heart.

  Zibaozhu urged in the sedan chair: "Second brother, let's go home! I still have something to tell Father!"

  Zhi Meng's heart was absent-minded and he responded with a "yeah", then shouted: "Let's go." He then pulled the reins to change direction, clamped his legs on the horse's belly, and the horse started running quickly.

  When Qindai Xin returned to the Qin Mansion, a young servant came over from the gatehouse with a message. It turned out that Qin Zongwen had left instructions for the gatehouse staff earlier, and upon seeing Third Miss, they were to bring her immediately to the main courtyard's study. Qindai Xin understood in her heart and didn't say much, following the young servant to the main courtyard's study.

  After she entered the study, what she saw was a scene of people and horses overturned.

  Qin Congwen was anxious and irritable, just one evening without seeing her, the corners of his mouth had already started several shiny blisters, his eyes were red, as if he hadn't slept all night.

  Fang Wanru didn't seem to have any changes, but there was a hint of worry in her expression. However, Qin Dai's heart dared to guarantee that what she worried about absolutely wasn't her own safety.

  Lin also looked on, seemingly feeling guilty for a while. Seeing Qin Dai's return with joy that came from the heart.

  Qin Dai thought to herself, this sister-in-law of hers was actually quite good.

  Qin Congwen saw that Qin Dai's expression was calm and composed, and there was no sign of dishevelment on her body. He had been worried for a whole night, but now his anger had dissipated, leaving him without the energy to scold anyone.

  "Haven't you knelt down yet, do you know your mistake?" Qin Zongwen's tone was very severe, causing Qin Dai's heart to immediately feel a few points of displeasure. Does the Qin family inherit this disease of not distinguishing right from wrong?

  "Father, what fault does the daughter have?" She was not just calm at this time, but downright frozen! There wasn't a hint of warmth in her eyes. Could it be that his wretched appearance wasn't because he was worried about himself?

  "You're such an unfilial daughter. Do you know what's most important for a daughter's family? It's reputation! You're a good daughter, why can't you just stay at home properly?" Qin Zongwen suddenly stood up from his chair, "Look at you, disappearing without a word for a whole day and night, losing face for the entire Qin family. I've been hiding it from your grandmother and aunt, afraid that they'll get anxious if they find out. Your grandmother is old and can't take your antics, your aunt is pregnant and already struggling, how could she handle the news of you going missing? You're the most worrisome person in the entire Qin family."

  Fang Wanru stepped forward with a gentle and loving expression, walking up to Qin Chongwen and saying: "Master, calm down, the child is back safely, that's all that matters. Even if you scold her, what's done is done, why exhaust yourself?"

  Qin Dai's heart rolled her eyes, thinking that Fang Wanyu was indeed a big wife's style, a model of stepmother, this is not persuasion, but pouring oil on the fire! What does "what should have happened has already happened" mean?

  Mr. Lin couldn't help but feel embarrassed, thinking to himself, "Is there any mother-in-law who would scold her daughter in front of her son's wife?" He then thought, "If I have children in the future, I'll make sure they read more poetry and literature, and less about the Qin family business."

  Indeed, Qin Congwen's anger intensified after hearing Fang Wenyu's words. He slammed his hand on the table and pointed at Qin Dai Xin's nose, asking loudly: "Tell me, where did you go last night?"

  P.S: I took the kid for a vaccination today, so it's a bit late. The draft is going to be gone, what to do?