Chapter 275: Useless Kindness

Chapter 275: Useless Kindness

Here, Lu Lingyun led the two of them back.

The three of them rode together in a carriage.

Tong Nanyuan kept a distance from Tong Nanxia, as if there was a vast distance between them.

Tong Nanxia mustered her courage, "Third Miss..."

"Everyone is gone, what are you still acting for!" Tong Nanyuan grew angrier the more she thought about it, feeling that she had been played by her, "Now I realize you're not just stupid and lowly, you're also terribly wicked! You deliberately said those things in front of outsiders just now to ruin my reputation!"

Tong Nanxia hurriedly defended herself, "Third Miss, I didn't!"

"Shut up! I don't want to talk to you anymore, from now on, I am at odds with you, irreconcilable!"

Hearing this, Tong Nanxia looked at Tong Nanyuan with grievance. She wanted to speak again, but faced with her cold and angry face, it seemed that if she dared to say a word, she would completely turn against her.

Tong Nanxia twisted her handkerchief, swallowing her words and holding back what she wanted to say.

After returning to the mansion, Tong Nanyuan strode back to her courtyard alone, refusing to spend another moment with her.

Lu Lingyun also followed, but was stopped by Tong Nanxia on the way.

"Cousin..."

"What's wrong?" Lu Lingyun stopped to look at her.

Tong Nanxia hung her head, "Do you also think I did it on purpose just now?"

Lu Lingyun looked at Tong Nanxia, who was extremely meek and deeply humble, and sighed lightly, "Does it really matter whether it was on purpose or not?"

"Of course, I really didn't mean to harm my cousin, to make her misunderstood by others."

Lu Lingyun smiled faintly, "But you achieved that, what use is your kindness?"

Lu Lingyun's words left Tong Nanxia speechless, overwhelmed with a sense of grievance.

Clearly, she hadn't done anything. Tong Nanyuan scolded her, and she obediently took it, letting her scold, but why does it seem like everything was her fault?

Is she really, as her mother said, born with a lowly nature?

Just as Tong Nanxia was consumed by internal turmoil, the more she thought, the more painful it became. She couldn't understand why everyone in the world bullies a kind person. Then, she heard Lu Lingyun's voice.

"Nan Xia, if kindness is useless, it's better to give up useless kindness."

Tong Nanxia looked up to see Lu Lingyun had already left with her maids.

She watched her back, her brows furrowed into a deep frown.

Give up kindness? How could I... Isn't that what's expected of a woman?

At this moment, she heard the voice of Zhao Yiniang.

"Nan Xia!"

Zhao Yiniang hurried over, seeing Tong Nanxia standing there, she immediately scolded, "Didn't I tell you to take good care of your sisters? How could you upset the Third Miss so much!"

"You're inherently lowly, you can't even serve others properly, what can you do in the future!"

Tong Nanxia listened to her mother's scolding word by word, and a surge of unwillingness rose in her heart. This time, she couldn't help but raise her head and glare at her mother.

The moment she looked up and glared at Zhao Yiniang, Zhao Yiniang jabbed her finger at her head, "You dare to glare at me! You're defying the heavens! I am your own mother!"

"What kind of mother curses her own daughter all day long?" Tong Nanxia rarely stood her ground.

After her words fell, Zhao Yiniang was first stunned, then she wailed loudly, "There is no justice in this world, truly no justice! My own flesh and blood, treating me this way! You crawled out of my womb, you ungrateful wretch!"

"If I had known I would give birth to such a daughter, I would have drunk a bowl of sterility potion back then!"

"You don't even grasp the basics of being a decent person, looking glamorous on the outside but rotten inside!"

"My life is so miserable! Not only did I not have a son to bring me happiness, but I also have to endure such humiliation, I might as well die!"

Tong Nanxia listened to her mother's accusations word by word, and the little anger she had just ignited vanished instantly. She looked at the hysterical Zhao Yiniang, "Mother, mother, don't cry!"

"Don't cry, I admit I was wrong, alright?"

After Tong Nanxia admitted her mistake, Zhao Yiniang immediately stopped her wailing. She looked at Tong Nanxia, who had returned to her submissive and pleading demeanor, wiped her tears, and admonished her, "Nanxia, your mother suffered a lot giving birth to you! Because of you, your mother couldn't have a son afterward, you must not be ungrateful!"

"I know."

Lu Lingyun listened to the servants in the courtyard talking about how Zhao Yiniang had just thrown a tantrum in the backyard, scolding Tong Nanxia until she lost all face and temper. She remained silent with a grim expression.

In the evening, to Lu Lingyun's surprise, Qin Shaojing returned.

After she returned, she asked Lu Lingyun, "Sister-in-law, who are those two cousins of yours? I haven't seen them before."

"They are my uncle's daughters," Lu Lingyun smiled at her, "From the Tong family of Jinling."

"The Tong family of Jinling," Qin Shaojing murmured the name, slightly frowning.

According to the current ranking of aristocratic families, the Tong family of Jinling could only be considered a second-tier family, quite famous in the Jiangnan region, but outside of Jiangnan, they seemed rather ordinary.

Moreover, the Tong family had few members. Tong Er Ye was promoted from the local area to the Imperial City, becoming a third-rank Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, a significant official with considerable power, but from the perspective of the Duke's residence, it was just average.

Qin Shaojing quickly assessed the status of the Tong sisters. Their family had some clout, but it wasn't particularly formidable.

"Sister-in-law, your uncle's family has been promoted to an official in the capital, will they be staying here permanently?" Qin Shaojing asked cautiously.

"It's my second uncle who was promoted. Nan Yuan and Nan Xia are my eldest uncle's daughters, and they will be returning to Jiangnan in a while."

Hearing this, Qin Shaojing's face lit up instantly, and she couldn't help but say, "Since they are guests who have come all the way from Jiangnan, we must make sure they have a good time. Why don't I take them out for a tour while they're here?"

Lu Lingyun looked at her expression, "Forget it, I see you are quite busy, I won't let them bother you."

"What are you talking about!" Qin Shaojing grabbed Lu Lingyun's hand, very sincerely saying, "Sister-in-law, if you are worried, just bring them to my mountain temple often, help me gather some popularity."

Lu Lingyun: "...No need, I see you have plenty of people there."

"Sister-in-law, Auntie said you must help me."

Lu Lingyun: "..."

At this moment, Cheng Qi arrived again.

"Shao Jing, you're back!" Cheng Qi was very surprised to see Qin Shaojing return.

Qin Shaojing glanced at him, "Brother Cheng Qi, long time no see."

"It has been a while, Shao Jing, how have you been lately..."

Before he could finish, Qin Shaojing continued to pester Lu Lingyun, "Sister-in-law, just come and sit with me sometimes, I get pretty lonely up on the mountain by myself."

Cheng Qi, hearing this, immediately responded, "Sure, sister-in-law, I'll go with you."

Lu Lingyun: "..."