I BECAME THE FEMALE LEAD'S STEPMOTHER - CHAPTER 7

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Chapter 7: How to Get Yourself Hitched to a Man

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Hearing the Marquis say that, Xiang Wu was so embarrassed that she wished she could simply close her eyes and disappear.

She wasn't even eighteen yet.

And yet she had just said something like that, only to have the Marquis question her about it directly!

Xiang Wu's cheeks burned.

She didn't even know where to look.

Keeping her head lowered, she murmured softly, “No… this servant wasn't thinking about men… I just… I just…”

But the moment she said this, the Marquis took a step forward.

The Marquis was even taller than Chen Zhong, and his figure was more upright and imposing.

Dressed in that broad, dignified purple robe, when he stepped closer, Xiang Wu felt as though his presence almost completely overshadowed her.

She was so frightened that her mind went blank.

A chill ran down her back.

Her entire body stiffened, and she didn't dare move.

“Just what?”

His warm breath was close above her head, and Xiang Wu almost felt as though even her carefully arranged hair would be scorched by it.

“I just… just thought Chen Zhong was quite good…”

“Is that so? Chen Zhong is quite good?”

His low voice rose slightly at the end, carrying an authority so commanding that it was almost suffocating.

“He, he, he…”

Xiang Wu desperately tried to make her thoroughly muddled brain work.

“He's not good. He ran away!”

One moment he had been calling her his little sister and acting so attentive toward her, and the next he had suddenly run away, leaving her alone to face the Marquis.

Xiang Wu immediately reached a conclusion.

A man like that simply can't be relied upon!

A low laugh came from above.

There was a hint of mockery in it, but more than anything, it carried a teasing quality.

“Then do you know what you did wrong?”

His voice was even lower now, almost murmuring above her.

Xiang Wu's heart jolted, and she abruptly raised her head.

Who would have thought—

Her head happened to bump straight into his lowered nose.

“Ow! That hurts!”

Xiang Wu quickly covered her head.

Huo Junqing's face turned cold, his expression completely impassive.

Xiang Wu clutched her head.

“Marquis, please forgive me! Please forgive me! This servant was wrong! This servant deserves to die!”

Her head really hurt.

But no matter how much her head hurt, it was still her head, which was hard.

The Marquis's nose was soft.

She wondered whether the formidable Marquis's nose hurt too.

Huo Junqing frowned and touched his nose.

Seeing this, Xiang Wu became even more certain that she had hurt him.

She nearly cried.

With a thump, she dropped to her knees again.

“Marquis, this servant deserves to die! Please punish me! Even a hundred deaths would not be enough to atone for my offense!”

Huo Junqing's expression remained unreadable.

“why do you deserve to die?”

Xiang Wu stammered, “I… I shouldn't have bumped into the Marquis. I hurt the Marquis!”

Huo Junqing gave a derisive laugh.

“You? I said that I was hurt?”

Xiang Wu stared at him blankly.

Her clear eyes were filled with a huge question mark.

“The Marquis isn't hurt?”

The Marquis really is amazing.

As expected of the Marquis. Her own head hurt from the collision, yet his nose didn't hurt at all.

Huo Junqing narrowed his eyes and studied the little girl.

She really was fresh and pretty.

Under the green grape arbor, she had once worn a scallion-green dress, looking almost like a tiny jade-green spirit transformed from the grapes themselves.

Now that scallion-green dress had been replaced with a pale pink one.

A faint blush rested upon her little face, its delicate coloring like peach-blossom pink blended with fresh snow.

She knelt there, delicate and clear-eyed, looking as though she might cry at any moment.

Huo Junqing's gaze deepened slightly.

He watched her without revealing what he was thinking, then clasped his hands behind his back.

In a calm voice, he said,

“You are the maid serving at the young lady's side. You should know the boundaries expected of a maid.”

At the mention of this, Xiang Wu became even more ashamed. She practically buried her head in her chest.

“This servant… this servant understands.”

Huo Junqing said, “Your behavior was truly far too bold and improper. You should—”

His voice trailed off, his words carrying an unmistakable authority.

Xiang Wu's heart leapt into her throat.

Trembling, she said, “This servant knows. I should be fed to the wild dogs…”

Huo Junqing frowned even more deeply.

Wild dogs?

Where had she gotten this idea about wild dogs?

But he didn't ask. He merely said calmly, “As long as you understand. In any case, behave yourself from now on. Do not draw unnecessary attention or cause trouble.”

From the sound of it, Xiang Wu felt as though he intended to let her off.

She immediately breathed a little easier.

But then Huo Junqing said, “Get up.”

Xiang Wu was puzzled, but she hurriedly obeyed and stood.

She looked at him expectantly.

“Marquis…”

Huo Junqing stared at the little girl before him.

In terms of age, she was simply too young.

But as for the things she had done and the things she had said…

Huo Junqing's gaze darkened slightly.

Xiang Wu's heart suddenly tightened.

For some reason, when the Marquis looked at her, she felt as though a trace of darkness had passed through his eyes.

It was the kind of gaze that made a person instinctively afraid, as though the slightest mistake would cause her to be swallowed whole.

She stared at him blankly and instinctively wanted to retreat.

She was afraid.

Yet at that very moment, the Marquis lowered his head slightly and simply gazed down at her.

Terrified, Xiang Wu squeezed her eyes shut.

The breath he exhaled was hot as fire. It brushed lightly across her cheeks, making her feel as though she would be burned to ashes the very next moment.

And then, unexpectedly, the Marquis reached out.

His hand gently touched her hair.

Xiang Wu's eyes flew open.

She stared at the Marquis in disbelief.

What exactly was the Marquis trying to do?

Was he going to eat her?

Was he going to feed her to the wild dogs?

Huo Junqing's expression remained stern as he looked at the wariness that had appeared in the little girl's clear, dark eyes.

His expression showed a hint of displeasure.

“You should remember that I am only letting you off this time because you are still young. Otherwise…”

But Xiang Wu heard only two words from that sentence.

Letting you off.

The Marquis was sparing her?

Overcome with gratitude, she hurriedly said, “Thank you, Marquis, for sparing my life! This servant will remember your great kindness and mercy!”

Huo Junqing ground his teeth.

Then he suddenly let out a cold laugh and asked in a low voice,

“Earlier today, when I bumped into you in the garden, did it still hurt?”

Xiang Wu: “…”

Her entire face instantly turned bright red.

By the time Xiang Wu left the stables in a daze, the sky was already beginning to darken.

She felt that the day had been an absolutely astonishing roller coaster.

She had tried and failed to win over two men, only to run into the Young Master.

Running into the Young Master would have been bad enough.

But she had also humiliated herself in front of the Marquis.

And it wasn't just anyone.

It was the Marquis!

Xiang Wu covered her face and let out a pained little groan.

Her mind seemed possessed, endlessly replaying the Marquis's final question.

He had actually asked whether she was still in pain after he bumped into her.

What did the Marquis mean by that?

Was he still holding a grudge because she had been so careless, or was it…

Xiang Wu remembered the way the Marquis had looked at her.

That gaze, as though he wanted to take her apart and swallow her whole.

Did he really intend to feed her to the wild dogs?

Or was there some other meaning behind it?

Xiang Wu had a vague feeling that she understood.

But she didn't dare think about it too deeply.

After all, she was afraid of the young lady, and the young lady was afraid of the Marquis.

To Xiang Wu, the Marquis was an utterly unreachable figure.

He was in the sky above the Dingyuan Marquis's Residence.

The very sky of the Dingyuan household.

The Marquis was someone everyone feared, someone who stood high above them, utterly different from ordinary people.

Xiang Wu simply couldn't put the Marquis in the same category as the Young Master, the future son-in-law, A-Fu, or Chen Zhong.

They were all men.

But the Marquis was different.

He was the Marquis!

So surely he hadn't meant anything else, right?

When he said she was still young and that he would let her off for now, he simply meant that he wasn't going to pursue the matter?

Lost in these confused thoughts, Xiang Wu drifted back to the young lady's courtyard as though her feet weren't even touching the ground.

She entered her room.

Who would have thought that the moment she stepped inside, she heard Yueqing, Lanruo, and the others chattering away.

When Yueqing saw her, she cast her sideways glance.

“Well, look who's back. Our little darling has returned?”

Xiang Wu looked at her in a daze but didn't respond.

Lanruo noticed that something was wrong with her expression. Her smile faded, and she stood up.

“What happened, Xiang Wu? You look like you've lost your soul.”

Hearing the concern in her voice, Xiang Wu felt even more aggrieved.

Her eyes reddened.

“Sister Lanruo, it's nothing. I'm just tired.”

She had spent most of the day running around, and nothing had come of any of it.

How could things possibly have turned out this way?

Yueqing and Huameng also realized that something was wrong with Xiang Wu.

They couldn't help frowning.

After all, they had grown up together. Although they occasionally squabbled or rubbed each other the wrong way, they still cared about one another deep down.

Yueqing cleared her throat and said irritably, “Xiang Wu, don't tell me you're still holding a grudge over what happened earlier? I only said a couple of things to you. Do you really have to take it to heart? I'm not even angry anymore!”

Xiang Wu lowered her head.

“Sister Yueqing, I'm not angry with you. I'm just a little tired.”

Seeing her looking so wilted and dispirited, like a flower battered by frost, Yueqing felt somewhat guilty.

Lanruo and Huameng exchanged glances and sighed as well.

It was nearly time for the evening meal.

Today was Lanruo and Huameng's turn to attend to the young lady, so the two maids hurried over.

That left only Yueqing and Xiang Wu in the room.

Later, one of the older women from the household brought over their dinner, and everyone went to collect their portions.

Xiang Wu had little appetite. She ate a little just to fill her stomach.

That evening, she went over to the young lady's room and showed her face.

But the young lady told her that tomorrow she would take Xiang Wu along to the Marquis's residence to deliver the belt.

“Just in case he asks about something and I don't know how to answer, I'll have you with me. You can help me think immediately.” Xiang Wu had nothing else to say. Naturally, she could only agree.

So when she lay down that night, she felt even more miserable.

She was afraid of the Marquis.

The way the Marquis looked at her made her heart pound with fear.

Although she couldn't understand what was going through the Marquis's mind, she couldn't help feeling that there were only two possibilities.

Either he wanted to eat her alive…

Or he wanted to have his way with her.

She thought about the Marquis, then the Young Master, then the future son-in-law.

Every one of them was a ye, a master of some kind.

And somehow, none of the men bearing that title seemed like good news.

The only man she could actually imagine saying she liked was Ergouzi.

At that moment, watery moonlight slipped through the window lattice and spilled across the daybed beside the window, as well as Xiang Wu's face.

Xiang Wu couldn't sleep at all.

She kept thinking about everything and sighing again and again.

To make matters worse, she was experiencing a dull, uncomfortable ache in her chest, which only made her feel more miserable.

“Just look at you. I only said a few things to you. You said such hurtful things to me, and I haven't even gotten angry. Do you really have to be like this? We've grown up together since we were children. Are you really going to stay angry with me over something this small?”

Yueqing suddenly sat up and launched into this string of complaints.

Xiang Wu froze, then sat up too.

She looked at Yueqing blankly.

“Sister Yueqing, what's wrong? I thought you were asleep.”

Yueqing was so exasperated that she nearly choked.

“You, you, you! With you tossing and turning like this, do you really think I can sleep?”

Xiang Wu thought about it seriously, then nodded.

“That's true. If I keep tossing and turning like this, you really won't be able to sleep.”

Yueqing finally felt a little better.

“At least you know that!”

Xiang Wu rested her chin on her hand.

“Sister Yueqing, I'm sorry.”

Because she was resting her chin on her hand, her voice came out soft and pouty, almost childlike.

Yueqing waved her hand.

“Forget it. Don't I know you? With a mind like yours, I've gotten used to it a long time ago! But what about you? What's wrong with you today? Don't tell me you're really upset because of our argument.”

“Of course not. Sister Yueqing, what are you thinking? I'm just…”

Xiang Wu sighed.

There were some worries she simply couldn't tell anyone about.

Especially after everything that had happened today.

She had encountered three men and even the Marquis, yet she hadn't managed to make anything come of it.

Just thinking about it made her miserable.

Seeing her troubled expression, Yueqing became concerned.

“What happened to you?”

Xiang Wu could hear the genuine concern in her voice, and warmth spread through her heart.

Although Sister Yueqing had a bad temper, she really did treat Xiang Wu well.

She remembered how, in that dream, after her appearance had later been ruined, Sister Yueqing had even helped find a doctor for her and held her while crying.

Suddenly, tears welled up in Xiang Wu's eyes.

Yueqing was startled when she saw this.

“Fine, fine! Why are you crying? I didn't bully you!”

Xiang Wu looked at Yueqing through tearful eyes.

“Sister Yueqing, I… I… I…”

Seeing her like this, Yueqing became anxious.

“What exactly happened? Who bullied you?”

Xiang Wu sniffled, but all she could do was cry silently.

Yueqing couldn't take it anymore.

“Will you say something? Don't just sit there crying like an idiot!”

But Xiang Wu wanted to tell her.

She simply couldn't.

That dream was a secret.

She couldn't casually tell anyone about it, not even Sister Yueqing, who had treated her so well later on.

Yueqing continued questioning her.

“What happened? Did something I said today really upset you? Why are you taking it so seriously? I'm not actually angry with you!”

Xiang Wu had no choice but to say, “Sister Yueqing, it's nothing. My chest just hurts, so I couldn't help feeling like crying.”

“Your chest hurts? What's wrong?”

At the mention of it, Xiang Wu's face reddened. She hugged herself and said softly, “It hurts here…”

Yueqing looked at her in confusion.

“It hurts?”

Xiang Wu nodded.

“Mm… Do you think something might be wrong with me?”

She had worried about far too many things today, and now she was experiencing this persistent ache.

Thinking back over everything that had happened during the day, she couldn't help worrying.

What if she had worked so hard to secure her future, only for something to go wrong now and leave her unable to marry?

Would she end up spending the rest of her life beside a monastery, accompanied only by lamps and incense?

Yueqing grew even more concerned.

She lit a lamp and checked on Xiang Wu.

After seeing that Xiang Wu was indeed uncomfortable, Yueqing was startled.

“Did the Young Master… did the Young Master bully you?”

For a moment, her heart filled with bitterness, pain, and pity.

Xiang Wu shook her head.

“It wasn't the Young Master.”

“Then who was it? Who bullied you?”

Xiang Wu shook her head again.

“No one bullied me. I just accidentally bumped into…”

She suddenly stopped.

If she told Yueqing that she had first accidentally collided with the Marquis and then somehow managed to bump her head into his nose afterward, wouldn't Sister Yueqing be scared half to death?

Everyone was afraid of the Marquis.

Sister Yueqing was no exception.

So Xiang Wu carefully changed her wording.

“I accidentally bumped into a rock.”

As she said this, she secretly thought to herself that the Marquis's chest had been almost as hard as a rock, and even his face was about as unyielding as one.

So technically, she wasn't exactly lying.

“You bumped into a rock?”

Yueqing was filled with sympathy and helplessness.

“How can you be so clumsy?!”

She had always known Xiang Wu was a little foolish, but she had never imagined that Xiang Wu could actually walk straight into a rock and injure herself like this!

The more Xiang Wu thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.

“I didn't expect it either. I turned around, and there was suddenly this huge rock right there.”

Yueqing shook her head.

“Honestly, you. If you'd bumped into a man, we could at least accept it. You might even have managed to use it to get him to take responsibility for you! But you went and bumped into a rock instead. If you've injured yourself, who's supposed to take responsibility for that?”

Xiang Wu's eyes widened.

“Use it to get him to take responsibility?”

Yueqing sighed.

“If it were a man, a powerful man, or even a household steward at the very least, then we could make him take responsibility. We wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt. But you went and bumped into a rock. Tell me, who are you supposed to argue with about that?”

A little thought suddenly stirred in Xiang Wu's mind.

A bold idea began taking shape.

She nervously swallowed.

Tomorrow, the young lady was going to have her accompany her to deliver the newly embroidered belt to the Marquis.

Could she… could she use this opportunity to make the Marquis take responsibility?

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