Chapter 32: Unveiling Her True Face

Just as he was thinking, the Xiao Yichen he was badmouthing also came in: "Has Zhiyan woken up?"

Pei Yunxi, standing beside Xiao Yichen, heard him call Mu Yuanzhi "Zhiyan", and her heart instantly felt uneasy.

It turned out that this intimate nickname she had been happy about for a long time was not hers alone.

When did Brother Chen also start calling Mu Yuanzhi that way? Didn't he used to dislike Mu Yuanzhi?

Is it because Mu Yuanzhi suffered a serious injury that he feels heartache for her?

Damn Mu Yuanzhi, she's clearly about to marry Gu Rongjin, yet she doesn't know restraint, always trying to seduce her Brother Chen!

Pei Yunxi's gaze shifted to Gu Rongjin, who stretched lazily and yawned: "What a lively scene—absent when saving someone, but eager when visiting the sick."

Actually he had already woken up; Mu Yuanzhi's slightest movement would startle him awake, but he was just listening to the commotion outside, wanting to see what nonsense these people were spouting.

Gu Rongjin's words made Pei Shangyan and Xiao Yichen's faces instantly flush with embarrassment.

Indeed, if it weren't for Gu Rongjin, they wouldn't know when they could have rescued the person.

Seeing Gu Rongjin awake, Mu Yuanzhi, fearing to disturb him, withdrew her hand, which still retained his warmth.

"Zhiyan sister, are you feeling better? I was so worried about you." Pei Yunxi said, her eyes reddening: "It's all my fault; if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have suffered such serious injury."

"How can this be your fault, little sister? You're also a victim." Pei Shangyan couldn't bear to see Pei Yunxi blaming herself and feeling wronged.

She is too kind and sensible, always afraid she isn't good enough, probably because she hasn't been with them since childhood, lacking security, fearing she won't be liked by her father and brothers.

Just thinking of his younger sister wandering the common folk, having endured endless hardship, Pei Shangyan felt his heart ache beyond measure.

Upon hearing that, Mu Yuanzhi curled her pale lips into a smile, her sickly, gaunt face bearing sarcasm: "Indeed, it's your fault, because this is a play you directed and starred in yourself."

"Zhiyan sister! I know you're angry, blaming us for choosing the little sister; if you want to blame or scold, aim at us, don't say that about the little sister." Pei Shangyan stepped forward and steadied the retreating Pei Yunxi, who at that moment looked utterly wronged, incredulous, and heartbroken."

Xiao Yichen also broke his silence: "It's my fault; I was guarding behind the warehouse, never expecting there to be a secret passage."

"You guys lining up to apologize can wait a moment; I say this is Pei Yunxi's self-directed and self-performed act—are you deaf?" Mu Yuanzhi glanced at the spot on Pei Yunxi's waist where a jade pendant used to hang, now empty.

She knew the jade pendant must have been taken by Pei Yunxi, because when Pei Yunxi had just approached her, she smelled the distinctive scent of the dye.

Surely, the jade pendant bestowed by the Father Emperor, Pei Yunxi would not easily lose it; she would certainly go back to look for it.

"Why do you say that, sister? I truly wanted to exchange it with you, but the Crown Prince and Brother Ling are reluctant…" Pei Yunxi began to tear up, while defending herself she also couldn't resist showing off.

"Mu Yuanzhi! You're bullying the little sister again, aren't you?!"

Pei Shangling, who had walked to the door, heard Pei Yunxi's pitiful sobbing, and his guilt toward Mu Yuanzhi vanished instantly.

He had originally wanted to give her a bell to cheer her up, but she remained stubborn, insisting on targeting the little sister!

Gu Rongjin couldn't take it anymore: "Can you two wait for the other person to finish speaking? Your haste makes you look guilty."

They indeed each have their own guilt, but Mu Yuanzhi couldn't be bothered with them; today she only wants to expose Pei Yunxi's hypocritical face.

"Little Zhiyan, you speak."

"Pei Yunxi, where is your jade pendant?" Mu Yuanzhi looked at Pei Yunxi.

"Jade pendant?" Pei Yunxi didn't expect Mu Yuanzhi to ask so suddenly, her heart fluttered.

"Yes, the jade pendant the Father Emperor gave you?"

Pei Shangling originally wanted to rebuke Mu Yuanzhi for suddenly asking about these irrelevant matters, but recalling Gu Rongjin's earlier words, he swallowed what he was about to say.

Fine, he would just see what trick Mu Yuanzhi would pull next!

Anyway, with him around, she'd better not dream of bullying the little sister!

"... Because it doesn't match today's dress, I didn't wear it." Pei Yunxi blinked her innocent eyes.

Does a jade pendant ever clash with clothing?

"Is it because it doesn't match, or because you dare not wear it?" Mu Yuanzhi teased.

Pei Shangyan also harbored doubts, but he held his peace, waiting for what comes next.

"What do you mean, sister? I don't understand."

"Your jade pendant is stained with dye that won't wash out, so you dare not wear it." Mu Yuanzhi cut to the chase, "But you asked—this dye can be washed clean in three days, so you should still keep it."

Pei Yunxi's eyes showed no panic, but her heart was already pounding like drums; she choked out, "I—I…"

Mu Yuanzhi cut off Pei Yunxi's attempt to make excuses, pressing on: "However, the dye vat into which your jade pendant fell was in the warehouse where I was found—how did you locate it?"

This is why she didn't let Gu Rongjin tell others where he found her, to prevent Pei Yunxi from making another excuse, claiming someone else had retrieved it for her.

"Speak up, Pei Yunxi—how do you know where the warehouse is? Gu Rongjin never told anyone."

Gu Rongjin propped his chin, smiling: "My little Zhiyan is absolutely brilliant!".

Fortunately, he went alone.

That day he happened to rush back to Pingnan Wangfu, where he saw the frantic Xiao Nianzi, and only then realized that in his absence, these people had been bullying his lady again!

Fortunately he returned in time; otherwise the consequences would be unbearable.

Pei Yunxi kept shaking her head, the glances of the others leaving her flustered; her trembling fingers produced the jade pendant.

Sure enough, it was stained with dye!

The air instantly froze.

Everyone except Gu Rongjin and Mu Yuanzhi stared at each other.

Mu Yuanzhi wanted to see how Pei Yunxi would still try to deny it!

Pei Shangling lunged to seize the jade pendant for inspection, when suddenly he noticed something crystalline and translucent dripping from it.

It was the little sister's tears!

Almost immediately he believed there must be some misunderstanding here!

He must not doubt the little sister!

"I had Xueer buy this dye; I wanted to learn fabric dyeing, but I just couldn't get it, and ended up staining the Father Emperor's gifted jade pendant…" The more Pei Yunxi spoke, the more fiercely her tears fell.

Pei Shangling could no longer listen: "Have you heard? A little dye proves what? Could it be that only that warehouse in the entire capital has this dye?!"

"Are you a pigbrain, Pei Shangling, that you're the only one who coincidentally believes this?" Mu Yuanzhi covered her aching chest, mocking him bluntly; though her illness hadn't healed and speaking much could aggravate her wound, if she didn't expose Pei Yunxi's true nature now, once the dye faded her effort would be wasted.