Chapter 4: Reversing Black and White

"What more do you want to go see Yan'er for?! Do you think Yan'er hasn't suffered enough because of you?!" Chai Ruorong questioned sharply.

Hua Ruomo cast a faint glance at her Second Aunt. "If Second Aunt truly wants younger sister to escape her pain quickly, it would be better to take me there right now. Otherwise, if something happens to her, Second Aunt will have to bear a share of the responsibility."

Chai Ruorong was choked by Hua Ruomo's words and rolled her eyes. She resentfully flicked the silk handkerchief in her hand and raised her head, preparing to walk out of Hua Ruomo's room. Unexpectedly, a webbed spider was slowly descending directly in front of her, nearly landing on the tip of her nose. Chai Ruorong let out a sudden scream, her face turning pale with terror as she scrambled backward. Unbeknownst to her, because the roof had been poorly maintained for years and it had been raining, a puddle had leaked onto the floor inside the room. Chai Ruorong accidentally slipped and fell to the ground, her newly made clothes becoming soiled by the stagnant water, leaving her in a most pathetic state.

"It is merely a tiny spider. If Second Aunt doesn't get up quickly and leave this place, there might be rats or cockroaches or something of that sort in a moment..." Hua Ruomo crossed her arms, looking coldly at Chai Ruorong.

Beside them, Hua Kunqing's expression was very poor. Especially at the moment Hua Ruomo spoke of rats and cockroaches in such a relaxed tone, a flash of pain and guilt crossed his eyes. However, that pain quickly vanished, replaced by an even greater sense of impatience.

"Enough, Ruorong, go back and change your clothes quickly. Let Pei'er take her to Yan'er."

Chai Ruorong wanted to say something more, but seeing Hua Kunqing's expression, she finally gave an unwilling response. She then carefully avoided the dangling spider and walked out quickly, though before leaving, she did not forget to turn back and glare fiercely at Hua Ruomo.

*

Following behind Hua Ruoyan's personal maid, Pei'er, it wasn't long before Hua Ruomo arrived at Hua Ruoyan's courtyard.

Looking at the exquisite eaves and pavilions before her, Hua Ruomo shook her head inwardly. This was her second time stepping into this courtyard; it had been about six or seven years since the last time she came here. Back then, she was very young and had merely wandered in by mistake, only to be severely lashed, nearly losing her life. Through the carved wooden windows, one could see pale yellow gauze curtains; even through sight alone, one could tell they were made of superior material. Under the afternoon sunlight, the glazed tiles displayed a strange, interlaced pattern of colors, looking quite magnificent.

Only now, that magnificence was diminished by the aesthetic beauty by the intermittent sounds of things being smashed from inside the room. Hua Ruomo frowned and strode forward. Just as one foot stepped into the room, a white jade teacup flew toward her. Hua Ruomo could not dodge in time and was struck right on her temple; immediately, a warm sensation began to flow slowly down.

"You wench! I'll kill you! Hua Ruomo, you must be jealous of my beauty, which is why you oppose me at every turn! Now you actually want to use your twisted sorcery to ruin my face! You truly have a black heart!"

Just as Hua Ruomo wiped the blood trickling from her forehead, a figure lunged toward her, accompanied by a shrill scream. Hua Ruomo pursed her lips, her expression showing no change, only sneering inwardly. This younger sister of hers truly knew how to turn black into white; clearly, the one who opposed her at every turn was herself, yet now she was pinning the blame on Hua Ruomo.

However, at this moment, Hua Ruomo could not be bothered to argue with this woman. If Hua Kunqing had not ordered someone to take Xiaoyu to the West Court, she would not have been so kind as to come and help Hua Ruoyan detoxify. Furthermore, most importantly, she did not want this unexpected incident to affect her important business tonight.