Chapter 13: No More Pretending

Qiu Feng slumped on the ground, his face deathly pale as he cried out, "Sixth, Sixth Sister..."

He wanted to ask how she dared to grab a snake with her bare hands, how she dared to wrap it around Third Brother’s neck, how she dared to offend Third Brother so gravely...

But under the weight of immense terror, he couldn't ask anything; he could only hear the sound of his own teeth chattering.

The young girl, however, seemed to have completely forgotten the existence of others. She asked Qiu Song coldly, "Tell me, are you done yet?"

Her gaze was colder than the snake coiled around his neck. Qiu Song shivered, feeling true fear for the first time.

Just moments ago, he had been afraid, but he had also been angry, thinking that he would definitely go and lodge a fierce complaint with the elders later. But at this moment, even his anger had been frightened away, leaving only a suffocating dread.

He realized deeply that the girl before him was unlike any of his other sisters; she was a mad girl who dared to do anything!

Sometimes, children are more realistic than adults, and they do not hide it.

"I... I was wrong..."

Qiu Feng stared at Qiu Song in astonishment.

What did Third Brother just say? Had he misheard?

"Don't come bother me again."

Qiu Song nodded frantically. His double chin brushed against the snake's body, and he broke down in tears: "Wuwuwu, I won't do it again, please, take the snake away!"

Qiu Heng pulled the long snake off and released her grip on Qiu Song.

The little fatty, having regained his freedom, didn't dare to leave; he just looked pitifully at the girl holding the snake.

Qiu Heng stuffed the snake back into his hands: "Oh, here, back to you."

Qiu Song was on the verge of tears, but he didn't dare throw the snake away. He pinched the snake by its neck and asked tentatively, "Then... can I go?"

Seeing Qiu Heng nod, the little fatty ran off at top speed.

Qiu Heng glanced at Qiu Feng, then turned and left.

The green branches were lush and the flowers fragrant, but Qiu Feng sat on the ground, his expression dazed.

Sixth Sister must think he had conspired with Third Brother to lure her here...

The servant waiting by the rockery saw Qiu Song running toward him and hurried to meet him: "Young Master—eh? You still have the snake in your hand?"

Hadn't Sixth Miss been tricked?

"Shut up!" Qiu Song cursed, throwing the snake at the servant.

The servant scrambled to catch the snake, sweating profusely as he asked, "Young Master, how should we deal with this snake?"

"Throw it outside—" Qiu Song paused, then changed his mind. "Do you know who Sixth Sister hates the most?"

The question made the servant’s expression subtle.

The person Sixth Miss hates the most... should be you, Young Master.

"Besides me!"

The servant pondered for a long time before hesitating, "Sixth Miss hasn't been in the manor for long, and she spends all day in Lengxiang Residence, so she hasn't interacted much with the people here. However, I heard that Mother Zhu, who was originally arranged by the Old Madam to teach Sixth Miss the rules, didn't get along very well with her, though I don't know if it's true..."

"Then it's her. Let's go."

Mother Zhu was on her way to Qiansong Hall.

She couldn't swallow the bitter pill from that day. Seeing that the Old Madam’s reaction made it difficult to bring up the matter again, she had arranged for a little maid to keep watch. This surveillance had uncovered traces of Mother Yu slacking off at Lengxiang Residence.

She had said all along that it was suspicious how Sixth Miss and Mother Yu could coexist so peacefully.

Although there was no concrete evidence, whispering a few words in the Old Madam’s ear would surely be useful.

Just as she was thinking this, an object flew from the side of the road and struck her squarely.

Mother Zhu instinctively reached out to grab it, and upon seeing the writhing snake head in her hand, she let out a shrill scream and fainted.

"Mother Zhu was frightened into a faint by a snake?" The Old Madam’s expression was strange when she heard the news.

Mother Zhu had been fainting quite frequently lately; she must be plagued by bad luck.

"Tell the doctor to prescribe a calming decoction for Mother Zhu, and tell her to rest well; she doesn't need to come serve at Qiansong Hall for the time being."

After instructing the maid, the Old Madam called over the eldest daughter-in-law, Madam Zhao, who managed the household, to scold her: "How can there be snakes in a perfectly good garden? Haven't you arranged for people to regularly inspect and clear them out?"

"Your daughter-in-law will order people to clean it up thoroughly right away."

When the news reached Lengxiang Residence, Qiu Heng also found it strange.

Others might not know, but she was certain that Mother Zhu being frightened by the snake had everything to do with Qiu Song.

Scared by her, yet he went to cause trouble for Mother Zhu, who held a grudge against her?

Qiu Heng couldn't fathom Qiu Song's reasoning and could only reach one conclusion: this child was sick.

With Qiu Song and Mother Zhu keeping to themselves, life for everyone in Lengxiang Residence became increasingly relaxed and comfortable. On this day, the calming incense was finally completed, and Qiu Heng stepped out of Lengxiang Residence.

The afternoon in the Earl's manor was quiet, but the Earl of Yongqing was in a rage: "Go and change this cold tea!"

The sound of the teacup smashing against the floor was alarming, and the maid hurriedly cleaned it up and retreated.

The Earl of Yongqing usually rested in the outer courtyard, and those who served him closely knew that the old Earl had been tormented by insomnia for a long time.

Qiu Heng knew this, too.

She knew it from books.

The Earl of Yongqing had racked his brains to ensure the title could be passed down, and he suffered from the ailment of insomnia.

In recent days, Fangzhou had used snacks to pave the way and had inquired about many things, including this information, which was hardly a secret.

A maid went in to report: "Old Master, Sixth Miss requests an audience."

"Sixth girl?" The Earl of Yongqing was irritable due to a headache; hearing that Qiu Heng had come, he was naturally impatient to see her. "Tell her I'm asleep."

In the afternoon, it was naturally time for a nap.

The maid hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sixth Miss says... she has brought something you need."

The Earl of Yongqing’s curiosity was piqued: "Then invite her in."

Qiu Heng waited outside, and the maid hurried out: "Sixth Miss, the Old Master invites you in."

"Thank you for the message, Sister." Qiu Heng followed the maid inside. As the door curtain was lifted, a fragrance wafted toward her.

It was the scent of calming incense.

The formulas for calming incense on the market varied, and their effects naturally differed. The Earl of Yongqing’s manor was not poor, and the Earl, troubled by his chronic illness, used the finest calming incense.

"Greetings, Grandfather."

"What brings you here, Heng'er?" In front of his grandchildren, the Earl of Yongqing appeared kind and benevolent, showing no trace of the irritability from when he had smashed the cup earlier.

Qiu Heng glanced at the maid.

There was only this one maid in the room, clearly someone the Earl trusted.

Qiu Heng took out a palm-sized box: "I made this calming incense myself, and I brought it to show my filial piety to Grandfather."

Upon hearing this, the Earl of Yongqing did not feel gratified; instead, his face darkened.

How did the sixth girl know he couldn't do without calming incense?

Many people in the manor knew he was troubled by insomnia, but how long had the sixth girl been here? Had she specifically inquired about everyone's situation in the manor?

The kind of granddaughter the Earl of Yongqing liked was one who was obedient and beautiful, not one who used her wits on him.

"I have incense I am accustomed to using. You should just focus on learning the rules in Lengxiang Residence," the Earl said coldly.

The Earl of Yongqing usually played the part of a benevolent grandfather because the Old Madam and his daughter-in-law handled the discipline of the granddaughters, so he didn't need to be stern. But that didn't mean he wouldn't lash out if a little girl displeased him.

In the end, she was just a little granddaughter living under his roof, not someone from the outside whom he needed to treat with respect.

Seeing that Qiu Heng did not move, the Earl’s voice grew colder: "Withdraw. Grandfather needs to rest."

"I know Grandfather has incense you are accustomed to." The young girl, who had long anticipated that things wouldn't go smoothly, met the Earl's gaze calmly. "But none of those incenses are as effective as the one I made."

The fates of the other Qiu sisters had taught her that being an obedient and sensible granddaughter in front of the Earl of Yongqing was a complete waste of time.

For a man blinded by greed and power, it was better to be direct.