Chapter 611: You Must Think I’m a Fool!

Chapter 611: Do You Take Me for a Fool?!

To her surprise, Xingxing’s words were overheard by Zhu Yaoxu inside. Something slammed against the door with a loud *bang*!

Zhu Yaoxu shouted hoarsely, “No! I don’t want to talk to you! Get out!”

Madam Zhu turned pale in shock: “Yao Xu!”

She then apologized to Xingxing, her voice thick with worry: “Township Lady, please don’t take offense. My daughter must truly be afflicted—maybe possessed. Her temper has become so strange these days…”

Xingxing shook her head. She kept her thoughts to herself and didn’t say aloud that, in her view, Zhu Yaoxu didn’t seem to be under any supernatural influence. Instead, she said, “It’s fine. Please leave, Madam. I’d like a private word with Miss Zhu.”

Madam Zhu’s eyes flickered with gratitude. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Township Lady.”

Madam Zhu ushered her attendants toward the courtyard gate but couldn’t help glancing back at the tightly shut door.

Xingxing stood there, watching Madam Zhu depart, meeting her with a reassuring look.

Only then did Madam Zhu, clutching her handkerchief tightly, leave the courtyard—part relieved, part worried.

Now, only Xingxing remained outside the door, and Zhu Yaoxu inside.

Xingxing tapped lightly on the door, lowering her voice just enough for the person inside to hear: “Miss Zhu, there’s no one else in the courtyard now. Can we talk calmly? …Besides, you can’t keep pretending to be ‘possessed,’ can you?”

Her words were pointed.

Silence followed for a moment.

Then, with a *creak*, the door opened.

Zhu Yaoxu stood in the shadows inside, her hair loose and disheveled, her face unreadable as she stared at Xingxing.

Xingxing stepped inside calmly.

With another *bang*, Zhu Yaoxu slammed the door shut behind her.

The room was dim, all windows and doors closed.

Zhu Yaoxu drifted back to a small table like a ghost and collapsed into an armchair, her gaze fixed blankly on Xingxing. Suddenly, she spoke hoarsely: “…You’re here to laugh at me, aren’t you?”

Xingxing shook her head. “Madam Zhu is deeply concerned for you, and Princess Qing An is also very worried.”

Zhu Yaoxu snapped again, knocking the tray off the table and snarling at Xingxing, “Worried about what?! She’s already been secretly involved with Third Young Master Yu, yet she never told me! Do you take me for a fool?! Hiding it from me, watching me fall for him—has she been laughing at me behind my back a thousand, ten thousand times?!”

Tears spilled down Zhu Yaoxu’s cheeks as she covered her face and sobbed.

“All of you are so cruel…”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me? Watching me swoon over Third Young Master Yu, even going to the Peach Blossom Temple to pray for heaven’s mercy. Was Wei Yining secretly laughing at me in her heart, thinking I was an idiot?”

Zhu Yaoxu’s shoulders trembled violently.

Xingxing sighed deeply.

She had known all along—Zhu Yaoxu wasn’t afflicted by any evil spirits. She was simply consumed by resentment, stuck in her own bitterness, using this as an excuse to vent her anger.

Only when Zhu Yaoxu’s sobs quieted slightly did Xingxing speak calmly: “Miss Zhu, have you calmed down a little now? Can you listen to me?”

Zhu Yaoxu didn’t respond, but Xingxing knew her silence was tacit permission.

"The matter between my third brother and Qing An actually only happened a couple of days ago. My third brother went to the Ying estate intending to propose, but since the Prince wasn't there, he insisted on asking Qing An for her thoughts. She said she would follow her parents' wishes," Xingxing said softly. "What you called 'some shady business' is far too harsh. I understand Miss Zhu is all worked up right now, but such words are really insulting to both my third brother and Qing An."

"Miss Zhu, try to see it from her side. Since nothing was official yet, how could Qing An have told you? And how should she have told you?"

"Qing An treasures your close friendship. Even while recovering from her injury, she kept thinking of you and feeling blue. She has always felt guilty toward you, but in truth, she and my third brother haven't done anything wrong—they were simply waiting for Prince of Ying to return so my brother could formally propose. What exactly has she done to wrong you?"

"Just because Miss Zhu thinks highly of my third brother, does that mean Qing An should back off from this match for your sake?"

Zhu Yaoxu balled her fists and instinctively shot back, "I didn't mean that!"

Xingxing calmly met Zhu Yaoxu's gaze. "Good. If Miss Zhu says she didn't mean it, then why blame Qing An?"

The room was dim, but Xingxing's eyes stood out in the dim light, making Zhu Yaoxu unable to meet them directly.

"Miss Zhu, deep down, you know Qing An has done nothing wrong. You're just venting your frustration under the pretense of being 'cursed' or whatever."

"All you're doing is tormenting the family who loves you!"

Xingxing's direct questions left Zhu Yaoxu speechless.

Zhu Yaoxu's face flushed red, her lips trembling as Xingxing exposed her hidden thoughts. Finally, she broke down sobbing.

She collapsed over the armrest of her chair, crying her eyes out. "What else can I do? The thought of how foolish I must have looked, with Wei Yining seeing everything—I don't know how to face her! I can only resent her, blame her... What else am I supposed to do?!"

Zhu Yaoxu was a sobbing mess.

Xingxing didn't comfort her. Instead, she quietly found a seat and sat down, patiently waiting for Zhu Yaoxu to finish crying.

After crying for nearly half an hour, Zhu Yaoxu felt some of the weight lift from her chest.

But seeing that Xingxing still hadn't come to console her, she couldn't help but peek over at the seemingly distracted girl, growing a little anxious.

This Lady of Blessed Peace, with her sharp and perceptive nature—couldn't she see that Zhu Yaoxu really needed a way out right now?

Xingxing, spaced out, truly paid her no mind.

After another long while, Zhu Yaoxu's tears dried up, leaving her feeling empty and stupid.

Looking at the little girl sitting there, lost in her own world, Zhu Yaoxu felt even more desolate.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She shut her eyes, gritted her teeth, and blurted out, "Hey!"

Xingxing blinked as if snapping back to reality. "Ah? Has Miss Zhu finished crying?"

Zhu Yaoxu angrily wiped at her tears with a handkerchief. "Yes!"

Only then did Xingxing nod.

"Miss Zhu shouldn't feel burdened. I'm not here to force you to reconcile with Qing An," Xingxing said gently. "After all, friendship goes both ways. If there's resentment between you, forcing it won't do any good."

Hearing a little girl several years younger than her speak so insightfully only made Zhu Yaoxu feel worse.

Ugh! It's like I'm the one being unreasonable here!