Chapter 10: Spreading Rumors and Making Trouble

Seeing Song Jin suddenly, Qin Mingsong’s heart tightened, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "It’s you, Song... Song Jin! I heard you were supposed to be..."

Mine!

You were supposed to be engaged to me!

Emboldened by the alcohol, Qin Mingsong blocked Song Jin’s path, staring down at her with that familiar, condescending gaze, as if looking at an insignificant ant.

Song Jin stepped aside.

She had intended to clear the way, but Qin Mingsong didn't move. Instead, he took a half-step closer to her and sneered, "Just arrived at the Qin house and you’re already hooking up with Qin Chi, and even letting people catch you? Then you made a scene wanting to swap marriages, berating your own sister, and disrespecting your elders. I, Qin Mingsong, am lucky I didn't marry a woman like you..."

Song Jin was left completely bewildered by these words.

Had he gone mad, or was he suffering from delusions?

Song Xiu, who had just hurried over, felt incredibly guilty upon hearing this. She quickly stepped forward to support Qin Mingsong. "Fourth Brother, why are you standing at the door? You must be tired today, come inside and lie down for a while. Sister, please go to the kitchen and have someone make a bowl of hangover soup."

Song Xiu wedged her body between Qin Mingsong and Song Jin, pulling Qin Mingsong into the room while turning to push Song Jin out the door.

She didn't forget to close the door behind them.

Seeing Song Xiu act this way, what else was there to misunderstand?

Twisting the truth and turning black into white—wasn't that exactly what Song Xiu always did?

At that moment, Song Jin was so angry she laughed!

Yesterday, she had still wanted to maintain the Song family’s reputation and not tear off the mask in front of others, but now, she found that thought truly ridiculous.

Every time she thought she understood Song Xiu well enough, the next moment would refresh her perception of Song Xiu’s shamelessness.

"Song Xiu!"

"Song Xiu, get out here!"

Song Jin pounded on the door forcefully.

After only two knocks, Qin Chi approached slowly, covering his mouth with his sleeve as he asked, "What’s wrong, my lady? *Cough, cough*..."

While coughing, Qin Chi glanced unintentionally behind Song Jin.

Song Jin understood immediately.

She turned around to look and saw Madam Liu the Younger, Madam Lin, and the others in the courtyard, busy clearing away bowls, chopsticks, and tables, all peering over with curiosity.

The banquet had ended, and the guests had already left.

Only Aunt Qin and Aunt Qin the Younger had stayed behind, saying they would leave after breakfast tomorrow.

Song Jin reined in her anger and said loudly on purpose, "It’s nothing. Song Xiu asked me to go to the kitchen to tell them to boil some hangover soup."

"Boiling hangover soup takes time; a bowl of tea would suffice for now," Qin Chi suggested understandingly.

Song Jin thought about it and actually went to do it.

However, when Song Jin delivered the tea, she let Qin Chi knock on the door. As soon as Song Xiu opened it, Song Jin rushed inside and splashed the bowl of tea directly onto Song Xiu.

"Spreading rumors is quite fun, isn't it? If I don't beat you to death today, I'll take your last name!"

Furious, Song Jin grabbed Song Xiu and started hitting her.

Qin Chi really wanted to offer a reminder.

*My lady, she already has the last name Song!*

Seeing Song Jin’s fierce, brawling side, Qin Chi’s perception was refreshed. At the very least, he had thought of Song Jin as the moon in the sky—unattainable.

A beauty meant only to be admired from afar.

Now, who could tell him that his little lady could roll up her sleeves and start a fight?

This was... not very elegant...

But... how cute!

No longer as lifeless as she had been the past two days, she suddenly seemed so vibrant.

"What are you doing? Stop it at once!"

Old Madam Liu emerged from the kitchen, still holding a bowl of hangover soup. "Wife of the eldest, stop it right now!"

Song Jin was already fired up; she didn't care who Old Madam Liu was.

Song Xiu was wailing, completely unable to fight back.

Her hair was disheveled, and she looked a mess.

Old Madam Liu said in a flustered rage, "Second daughter-in-law, why are you just standing there? Go and pull them apart!"

"Mother, how am I supposed to pull them apart?"

Madam Liu the Younger muttered, though she did reach out to intervene. When she reached for Song Jin, Qin Chi finally stopped playing dead.

"Second Aunt, you go pull the younger aunt away; I’ll pull my lady." Qin Chi coughed twice, putting on a weak, sickly act as he went to pull Song Jin.

With Madam Liu the Younger holding onto Song Xiu, and Qin Chi playing the part of a weakling, it was only natural that he couldn't hold back his own wife, right?

Song Jin hit even more freely!

"Ah, ah, ah, it hurts..."

Song Xiu screamed in pain, unable to maintain her delicate and fragile image. "Song Jin, that’s enough! Didn't I just say a few things about you?"

"You call that just a few things?"

Song Jin was so angry she slapped Song Xiu across the forehead. "You twisted the truth, fabricated rumors, and turned black into white! Song Xiu, do you really think I wouldn't dare to beat you?"

She had wanted to beat Song Xiu for a long time.

Song Jin hit her with great satisfaction, finally taking the opportunity to vent the anger she had been holding in for the past two days.

When Song Xiu had looked at her with that look of superiority earlier, Song Jin had wanted to slap her hard.

Having lived a whole lifetime, who didn't have a temper?

Old Man Qin hurried over and shouted, "What are you doing? Everyone stop!"

Song Jin finally stopped.

Qin Chi pulled her away from Song Xiu and quietly rolled down her sleeves, looking anxious as he asked, "My lady, did the younger aunt bully you? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No, I was just angry."

Song Jin regained her usual calm and composure. "Grandfather, I apologize. I couldn't help but discipline my younger sister to prevent her from causing trouble for our Qin family in the future."

Old Man Qin was expressionless.

Even when she called him Grandfather, Old Man Qin never truly regarded her as an ordinary granddaughter-in-law.

No matter how fallen the Song family was, they were not to be bullied by a mere farming family like the Qin family. Old Man Qin knew this better than anyone.

The Song family had operated in Huizhou for a century and was deeply rooted. The fact that they could send Song Jin and Song Xiu away even while the government was raiding their home showed their connections and foundation. Moreover, even if the tree had fallen and the monkeys scattered, and most of their connections were gone, they still had a few wealthy relatives.

If used well, this could be a great asset to the Qin family. Old Man Qin had originally wanted the legitimate daughter, Song Jin, to marry Qin Mingsong.

Unfortunately, Song Xiu had messed that up...

Old Man Qin said, "Tell me exactly what happened, wife of the eldest."

"This..."

Song Jin scanned the surroundings.

The entire Qin family was present, including the two married-off aunts.

Just as Song Jin was about to speak...

"Sister!"

Song Xiu cried out in a panic, not giving Song Jin a chance to speak. She sobbed and explained quickly, "It’s nothing! We sisters were just playing around. I don't blame my sister, Uncle Qin... no, Father, please don't punish my sister. It’s all my fault for making her angry!"

It would have been better if she hadn't explained.

Once Song Xiu explained, everyone turned their condemning gazes toward Song Jin.

As if Song Jin were the villain.

When she finished speaking, Song Xiu met Song Jin’s increasingly cold gaze and shuddered.

This time, it really wasn't that Song Xiu wanted to use "tea-talk" to slander Song Jin; she was more afraid than anyone that Song Jin would tear open the truth. Old Man Qin had already suppressed the matter of the previous drugging, but when she saw Qin Mingsong paying attention to Song Jin yesterday, Song Xiu panicked. In a moment of heat, she had met with Qin Mingsong privately and poured dirt on Song Jin.

She regretted it afterward.

But she had been hoping for the best, never expecting Song Jin to find out so quickly!

So Song Xiu panicked even more. "No, no, this really isn't my sister's fault!"

Anxious, Song Xiu lunged at Song Jin, hugged her legs, and knelt down, begging through tears, "Sister, I was wrong, I was really wrong. You can hit me, you can beat me to death, just please don't..."

*Don't say it out loud!*

Song Jin was caught off guard and was hugged tightly, nearly losing her balance and falling backward. It was Qin Chi who caught her from behind just in time.