Chapter 347: A Brutal Beating

Chapter 347: A Brutal Beating

The bookstore hall was bustling with people, some openly staring, others stealing glances from the corners of their eyes.

Zhang Xu's brow furrowed. "Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

"Follow me, Mr. Zhang," Xin You tossed out, turning and heading towards the reception room.

Everyone's eyes trailed after her until their view was cut off by the door curtain.

"Go ahead, Mr. Zhang," Xin You said as she sat down.

Zhang Xu sat down without ceremony and got straight to the point. "Miss Xin, do you still remember Dai Ze?"

Xin You had anticipated this question and smiled slightly. "Of course I do."

"Dai Ze saw you as a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy. Was that your doing?" Zhang Xu asked, staring intently at Xin You.

Ever since he found out about Xin You's true identity, this question had been gnawing at him, and he couldn't rest until he asked it.

"I have a question for you too, Mr. Zhang."

"I asked first."

"But this is your second question, and I've already answered the first one."

"The first question—" Zhang Xu thought back to his first question about whether she remembered Dai Ze, his face darkening. "That wasn't even a real question!"

He had asked it to mock her.

Xin You replied coolly. "To me, it was."

"Alright, go ahead," Zhang Xu said, not wanting to argue over a single question.

He still had to return to the Imperial Academy later.

"Did you beat up Duan Yunlang?"

Zhang Xu's eyes flashed with surprise, clearly not expecting this question.

The girl across from him sat relaxed, exuding a casual laziness, with a faint sneer on her lips, as if she was certain he wouldn't dare admit it.

That slight sneer was like a spark, instantly igniting Zhang Xu's temper.

"So what if I did?"

Xin You smiled. "Mr. Zhang is quite forthright. I thought you wouldn't dare admit it." The taunt worked well on someone like Zhang Xu, who was used to using his status to bully others.

"Ridiculous, why wouldn't I dare admit it?" Zhang Xu scoffed.

Xin You nodded. "Good that you admit it."

"Now it's your turn to answer my earlier question."

"Dai Ze? To uncover the truth about my mother's murder, I did intentionally befriend him."

"So you used him!"

Xin You sneered. "Mr. Zhang is so righteous, coming to stand up for his friend. Was it because of me that Count Gu Chang's family fell? Was it my fault that he was exiled to the borderlands? Mr. Zhang, you can't even distinguish cause from effect, how can you have the nerve to question me?"

"You—"

Xin You interrupted Zhang Xu: "Then what about you? Why did you hit Duan Yunlang?"

"He had it coming. Daring to give me attitude right in front of me, not knowing his place." Zhang Xu stared at Xin You's bright face, spitting out harsh words, "Miss Xin, you care so much, could it be that after being his cousin for so long, you've developed feelings—ow—"

A scream erupted.

The customers lingering in the hall, hearing the scream, all turned their heads toward the reception room.

Immediately followed by Zhang Xu's furious voice: "You actually threw tea on me—"

Inside, there was a series of crashing noises, and a figure rushed out.

Before the people in the hall could get a clear look, someone chased after him and kicked the person in front.

Zhang Xu fell face-first onto the ground.

Xin You didn't stop, continuing to kick him fiercely.

The hall fell silent, everyone staring dumbfounded at the girl who was beating up Zhang Xu.

Inspector He stepped in, his raised foot suspended in mid-air.

Normally, Inspector He wouldn't come two days in a row, but yesterday he didn't see Miss Zhu, and today as soon as he got off duty, his little donkey bolted this way, and he couldn't hold it back.

Zhang Xu wanted to get up and fight back, but as soon as he pushed himself up, he was kicked down again, dizzy with pain, unable to fight back.

For a while, only his cries of pain could be heard from afar, while the stunned crowd not only didn't make a sound but even held their breath.

If they made a sound, Kou—oh no, Miss Xin might kick them too?

Until footsteps were heard, many eyes turned to the door.

It was Inspector He lowering his foot.

He had to put it down; he couldn't stand on one leg anymore.

And as Inspector He made a move, the strange scene of Dai Ze being beaten in the hall finally shifted.

Liu Zhou was the first to run over: "Boss, take a break."

Hu Boss also advised: "Don't beat him too badly; your hands and feet will hurt."

People sensed something was off.

Was the old boss worried about the beaten hands and feet hurting, or the beating hands and feet hurting?

Xin You stopped.

At this moment, two students from the Imperial Academy rushed in: "Brother Zhang, we heard you were beaten by Miss Xin—"

Seeing Zhang Xu's miserable state, they suddenly fell silent.

The pig head lying on the ground—was that really him?

Xin You looked at them expressionlessly, remembering that these two students were Zhang Xu's lackeys.

Whether it was because Zhang Xu looked too miserable or the girl's gaze was too cold, the two instinctively took a step back.

Zhang Xu struggled to lift his head, swollen from the fight, and shouted at the two, "Why aren't you helping me up already?"

The two attendants snapped out of their stupor and rushed over to help him.

"Ouch—be careful!" Zhang Xu painfully got up, his legs trembling, his bruised eyes glaring fiercely at Xin You, "You'll see, just you wait!"

Xin You brushed imaginary dust off her clothes, "And what exactly am I waiting for?"

"Do you think being an Imperial Princess gives you the right to hit people whenever you want? I'm going to tell my grandfather!"

Xin You sneered, "Can't handle a fight, so you tattle to your elders? How noble of you."

Zhang Xu was speechless, his swollen face betraying no emotion, but he was truly cornered by her words.

Getting beaten by a girl and then running to adults would be humiliating if word got out.

"Just you wait and see!" Zhang Xu leaned his weight on one attendant, limping out, vowing silently to teach this vicious girl a lesson, just as he had done with Duan Yunlang.

He quickly dismissed the thought of telling Chief Minister Zhang Xu.

Xin You watched Zhang Xu leave with a cold gaze, then scanned the room.

Though curious about the outcome, the bookstore patrons quickly made themselves scarce, leaving only Inspector He, who looked utterly confused.

As an inspector, it was his duty to report today's incident. But if he did, would Miss Zhu ban him from Qingsong Bookstore?

Hmm, he decided to play dumb and act like he was never here. After all, it was just a fight between two kids, nothing serious.

Inspector He silently turned and left.

Only the bookstore staff remained. Hu Boss couldn't help expressing his concern, "Boss, even if Young Master Zhang keeps quiet, with so many witnesses today, word of you hitting him will spread fast."

"Don't worry, Manager, and don't bother whether it spreads or not. The guest room is a bit messy, tidy it up. I'm going to the palace."

"To the palace?"

"Yes, to lodge a complaint."

After Xin You left, Liu Zhou asked uncertainly, "Manager, is the boss going to complain?"

Isn't it the other way around?

Someone who didn't trust their self-control even covered their mouth.