Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 30 Malice

Mrs. Lin wiped away her tears as she accused, "Every time Xiao'er makes a mistake, you either beat or scold him, never once speaking to him properly. This time he almost lost his life. Not only did you refuse to call for a doctor, but you confined him. If anything happens to him, I won't live either."

"The confinement was to prevent him from causing more trouble. Who would've expected him to protest by starving himself?" Minister Lin hadn't anticipated that Lin Xiao would refuse food and medicine, almost losing his life in the process.

"Causing trouble? Since when is saving someone's life a mistake? He acted out of righteousness, rescuing someone in danger. If he got hurt, it's because his skills weren't refined enough, and he overestimated his abilities. But he wasn't wrong." Mrs. Lin defended him with conviction, tears streaming.

Minister Lin found himself at a loss for words, his face darkened. Lin Yu Yan stepped forward with a handkerchief to wipe her mother's tears, "Mother, please don't be sad. Second Brother is not in mortal danger; he will recover."

"In any case, he needs to rest at home and fully recover before stepping one foot outside the door!" Minister Lin, unwilling to argue further with his wife, stormed off in frustration.

Lin Cheng visited Lin Xiao, who remained unconscious. After calming Mrs. Lin for a while, he sought out Minister Lin, while Mrs. Lin stayed by Lin Xiao's side, personally attending to him with great care.

Lin Yu Yan said, "Mother, Second Brother's courtyard already has attendants to look after him. You shouldn't overexert yourself; go rest. If he wakes up, I'll immediately send someone to inform you."

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.

"I want to stay with him and wait for him to wake up." Mrs. Lin stroked Lin Xiao's pale face and lamented, "The wounds are so deep. He's truly suffered."

"It's all Fengyu's fault. Last time, she kicked Second Brother into the lake, causing him to burn with fever. Now, she nearly cost him his life. Whenever Second Brother encounters her, there's never anything good." Lin Yu Yan twisted a handkerchief with hatred, "If she hadn't kept him overnight at the manor, none of this would've happened. She's a curse."

Though Mrs. Lin believed saving lives wasn't wrong, she still harbored a deep disdain for Fengyu. "A woman of scandalous reputation allowing an unrelated man to stay overnight at her manor—if any rumors spread, she wouldn't care, as she has no sense of shame or dignity. But Xiao'er still has to maintain his respectability. The Feng Family's daughters clearly lack proper upbringing to act so indecently."

"Mother, she's foolish and ignorant, shameless to the extreme. In the Capital City, it's unlikely she'll marry into a decent family. Could it be that she's set her sights on Second Brother, deliberately keeping him overnight in hopes of using this to entangle him? That would be her ploy." Lin Yu Yan speculated viciously.

"She can dream on!" Mrs. Lin's chest heaved with anger, her vision turning dark. "A woman with such a reputation isn't even worthy of being a concubine for my son!"

Seeing her mother's loathing for Fengyu, Lin Yu Yan smirked with satisfaction. Fengyu, after being jilted, now wanted to climb higher—what a fantasy! Lin Yu Yan and Fengyu were the same age, yet Lin Yu Yan excelled in every area. At the Imperial College for Girls, she was revered by many students, with few daring to oppose her. When Fengyu first arrived at the Imperial College, Lin Yu Yan became enraged over a jeweled pomegranate hairpin. It was a unique piece she had taken a fancy to at Linlang Pavilion, but the shopkeeper refused to sell it to her, claiming it had already been reserved.

Lin Yu Yan caused a scene at Linlang Pavilion, sparking gossip, and after being reprimanded by Mrs. Lin, refrained from further trouble. She assumed the hairpin had been reserved by someone of high standing, but it turned out to be Fengyu.

Resentful and seeing Fengyu's mother as a mere merchant's daughter, Lin Yu Yan provocatively isolated Fengyu with a group of girls. Fengyu, apathetic and unwilling to engage, remained indifferent even when Lin Yu Yan intentionally broke her hairpin. Watching silently as Lin Yu Yan shattered the piece against the ground, Fengyu merely smiled. Lin Yu Yan, arrogant and disdainful, regarded the daughter of a fifth-ranked martial official as timid and easily bullied, basking in her triumph.

That evening, as Minister Lin returned home, Zhang Da arrived at Minister Lin's Mansion with the broken hairpin and a receipt from Linlang Pavilion, demanding payment of 500 taels of silver to compensate Fengyu. The hairpin, encrusted with rare rubies and turquoise, was highly valuable.

Lin Yu Yan was left stunned. Zhang Da also presented testimony confirming that Lin Yu Yan, out of spite, had broken the hairpin. Minister Lin begrudgingly paid the 500 taels of silver, an exorbitant sum, and punished Lin Yu Yan by having her transcribe scriptures and kneel in the ancestral hall for two days. Lin Yu Yan grew to loathe Fengyu.

In her eyes, Fengyu was like a vicious dog—a silent one that bites.

Mrs. Lin's temper gradually subsided as she remarked coldly, "For a young lady of her house to stir up so many scandals, she's clearly not the sort to behave discreetly. That Feng Ling, who loves spreading rumors, isn't respectable either. You should stop associating with her."

Having met Feng Shu and Feng Wan, Mrs. Lin had nothing but praise for them. But thinking of Fengyu, she sneered, saying, "Raised under the same roof, some shine like pearls, while others are mere dust."

As night fell, Lin Yu Yan struggled to stay awake. Mrs. Lin noticed her fatigue and urged her to rest. Lin Yu Yan's close maid Lan Xin draped a cloak over her as four other maids carried lanterns ahead to light the path.

Back in her courtyard, Lan Xin helped Lin Yu Yan prepare for bed. Lan Xin said, "Miss, the top scorer has written another letter. The language is provocative, truly disgraceful. He's arranged to meet you at Xiangguo Temple three days from now."

"Ignore him. A toad lusting after a swan—does he truly think I'd be interested in him?" Lin Yu Yan replied dismissively. "It's just a few performances of feigned emotions with him. Does he really think he's Xie Xun?"

"But that top scorer sticks to you like glue and even asked for over 10,000 silver. If he spreads rumors, wouldn't your reputation be ruined?"

"What's there to fear? All correspondence has been between you and him; what leverage could he possibly have? Your reputation doesn't matter anyway. If your mistress thrives, so will you."

Lan Xin lowered her head, visibly distressed. "Should this servant write back to discourage him?"

"Make it melodramatic. Say he's struggling at the Imperial College, without prospects, and that my family opposes our dealings. Blame Fengyu for it all. If he doesn't back off, I'll make sure he regrets it." Lin Yu Yan waved her hand dismissively. "Go and write. I'm going to sleep now."

"Understood."

Having harbored hatred for Fengyu, Lin Yu Yan repeatedly sought trouble with her. Yet, Fengyu's retaliatory nature meant Lin Yu Yan rarely gained the upper hand. Once Lin Yu Yan learned that Fengyu was engaged to Jiang Yang, the newly crowned top scorer, jealousy consumed her. At the parade honoring Jiang Yang's academic achievement, Lin Yu Yan caught sight of his striking appearance and felt enraged. Why should Fengyu, a merchant's daughter—dim-witted and uncouth—end up marrying a brilliant and handsome top scorer?

She devised a plan to intentionally cross paths with Jiang Yang, enchanting him to the point of infatuation. She lured him into longing so obsessively that he abandoned Fengyu for the sake of his future.

Thinking of Fengyu as universally despised, Lin Yu Yan couldn't suppress her satisfaction.

Early in the morning, Nuanyang appeared at the side gate of the Feng Mansion, where Zhang Da and a group of guards prepared to head to Yiling Village to collect grain. Fengyu seemed fond of the clever and cheerful Nuanyang. "If there's anything you need along the way, just let Zhang Da know," she said.

Nuanyang, quick-witted, understood Fengyu's underlying suggestion and recognized that she had sent people familiar with life-and-death battles. "Rest assured, Miss. If there's any unrest at Yiling Village again, I'll ensure everyone is brought back safely," he replied with a grin.

"I leave it to you, then." Fengyu handed him a small parcel of pastries. "These snacks are from the small kitchen—take them along for the road."