Chapter 307: The Wang Family is So Messed Up

Chapter 307: The Wang Family is So Messed Up

Wei Sanniang and Jiang Mengniang had lowered their guard a bit. Neither of them were hands-off when it came to managing; they had both helped out with the family's stationery shops to some extent, so when it came to discussing brushes and ink, they could talk about them like experts.

Xingxing remained silent, sitting quietly in her chair and listening, waiting for Madam Wang to change the subject.

Sure enough, after some small talk, Madam Wang abruptly brought up the recent provincial exam.

"...My sister-in-law on my mother's side has been crying these past few days. She says her nephew, who is exceptionally talented, was poisoned by some scoundrel, making him feel unwell during the exam. It's likely he won't achieve a good result..." Madam Wang's gaze was piercing, staring directly at Wei Sanniang and Jiang Mengniang, her smile somewhat enigmatic. "Since your family is in the stationery business, do you know if there's a way to secretly poison someone through their brushes or ink, making them fall ill without anyone noticing?"

Wei Sanniang and Jiang Mengniang were unaware of Tan Jingqian's misdeeds, so they didn't realize Madam Wang's words were insinuating something. They simply thought Madam Wang was expressing sympathy for her sister-in-law's nephew.

Wei Sanniang furrowed her brow, pondering carefully. "...I don't think I've heard of such a thing. After all, brushes and ink are very personal belongings. If someone really wanted to poison someone, why not use food or drink? Poisoning through brushes or ink would leave traces, wouldn't poisoning through tea or food be much easier?"

Madam Wang frowned, clearly not wanting to hear this answer. She stared intently at Wei Sanniang's expression and pressed further, "...Then couldn't the poison be added during the sale? Like mixing it into the ink or something?"

Wei Sanniang was startled and hesitated briefly. "...I suppose it's possible..."

Madam Wang laughed and clapped her hands. "Right? Madam Wei, you think it could work too?"

Xingxing, who had been watching Madam Wang, suddenly got up from her chair and interrupted Madam Wang. "Madam, my great-aunt is pure-hearted and honest. Why are you asking her these things? Are you trying to set her up so that if someone does this later, you can accuse her of instigating it?"

Madam Wang's smile froze. "You little one..."

Wei Sanniang sensed something was amiss. Xingxing had always been gentle and well-behaved, never speaking to anyone with such sharpness.

What did this mean?

It meant Madam Wang was definitely up to something!

Wei Sanniang and her daughter-in-law Jiang Mengniang exchanged glances and nodded subtly. Any goodwill they had toward Madam Wang instantly disappeared.

Both Wei Sanniang and Jiang Mengniang became more cautious.

Seeing this, Madam Wang knew her plan had failed. Feeling displeased, she made a few offhand comments before dismissing Wei Sanniang and her group.

After they left, Wei Sanniang found a quiet, out-of-the-way spot and asked Xingxing nervously what was wrong.

Xingxing frowned and pouted. "Great-aunt, that Madam Wang seems to be deliberately setting traps in her conversations. I don't like her."

Wei Sanniang immediately said, "Alright, if Xingxing doesn't like her, we won't have anything to do with her in the future."

Jiang Mengniang also nodded repeatedly.

Xingxing smiled, her eyes curving into crescents, and hugged Wei Sanniang's waist. "I knew it, Great-aunt and Aunt Jiang both love me so much."

Wei Sanniang was soothed by Xingxing's words and laughed.

The three generations of women then made their way back to the pavilion where the banquet was being held.

The osmanthus-themed banquet soon began, with dishes like osmanthus duck, osmanthus crucian carp with fermented rice balls, osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root, and osmanthus jelly, all sorts of osmanthus delicacies laid out in abundance.

The sweet aroma filled the air.

Although Xingxing didn't like Madam Wang, they had brought gifts to the banquet and weren't about to let their stomachs suffer. They happily started eating.

Halfway through the banquet, Xingxing suddenly needed to use the restroom. She whispered to Wei Sanniang, who wiped her hands with a handkerchief and offered to accompany her.

Xingxing waved her hand. "No need, no need. I'll just have Huya go with me."

Wei Sanniang glanced at Huya, recalling how Huya had demonstrated earlier when Xingxing got into the carriage, effortlessly hoisting the ten-year-old Xingxing onto the carriage with one hand.

Wei Sanniang quietly sat back down.

Huya accompanied Xingxing out of the banquet hall and asked a maid where the bathroom was, then headed there.

However, on their way back from the bathroom, Xingxing suddenly saw a small kitten being chased by a weasel-like creature, darting into the bushes.

Xingxing really liked kittens, so she hurriedly chased after it with Huya, hoping to scare the weasel away.

The weasel continued to chase the kitten, and Xingxing and Huya continued to chase the weasel. They finally caught up in a quiet, secluded courtyard.

Huya took the lead and chased the weasel off.

The kitten meowed twice and then ducked into a hollow in a rotten tree in the secluded courtyard.

Xingxing smiled, satisfied, thinking the kitten was now safe.

Just as they were about to leave, a woman's voice suddenly rang out from inside the house: "What's that noise?!"

Xingxing was startled, her small body freezing.

She recognized the voice immediately—it was Madam Wang.

Xingxing hadn't realized when Madam Wang, the hostess, had left the banquet.

Xingxing didn't like Madam Wang, so she shot Huya a look, wanting to leave quickly.

Then a man's voice, with a mischievous edge, came through: "...Auntie, what are you afraid of? It's just a stray cat."

"You talk too much, why can't you keep your hands to yourself?"

Madam Wang's voice was oozing coquettishness.

"It's been so long since I've had a proper chat with you, Auntie. My uncle is so old now, can he really keep up with you?"

The man's voice was laden with innuendo.

"You're so mischievous~"

What followed were some unmistakable sounds.

Xingxing listened, confused. Huya, however, blushed and quickly picked up Xingxing, hurrying away as if fleeing for their lives.

Only when they reached a safe spot, in a less secluded part of the garden, did Huya put Xingxing down.

Xingxing was still confused: "Sister Huya, what happened?"

Huya, her face red, murmured: "Young mistress, Madam Wang is carrying on with her husband's nephew."

Xingxing's face flushed instantly.

She knew what an affair was.

Last year, there was a widower in the village who had an affair with a young bride.

Xingxing vaguely recalled her grandparents mentioning it—the two were caught by the woman's husband, and the widower was beaten nearly to death, while the woman was divorced and sent back to her family. It was said that she took her own life not long after.

Xingxing knew that an affair was a shameful relationship between a man and a woman, and it was a very serious matter.

Now, Madam Wang was carrying on with her husband's nephew?

The Wang family was so scandal-ridden!

It was truly shocking!

Xingxing shook her little head and quietly returned to the banquet with Huya.