Chapter 1 001 Caught in the Act

Chapter 1: 001 Caught in the Act of a Secret Affair

Waking up naturally was the most blissful thing for Qiao Wanyue.

She opened her eyes, paused for a moment, then sat up in bed and stretched. As she lowered her hands, she heard Zhu Qing outside speaking with someone. The voice of the newcomer seemed to belong to her elder sister's maid. For some reason, Zhu Qing sounded upset, her voice louder than usual.

She didn't think much of it, yawning as she lazily got out of bed. By the time she was dressed, the noise outside had died down. Zhu Qing came in grumbling, holding a pink dress in her hands.

"Every month, the eldest young lady gets first pick of everything, and then the leftovers are sent to us. It's bad enough that our things aren't as good as hers, but now this month's two new dresses have been cut down to just one."

Zhu Qing's complaints were plainly audible to everyone in the room. Qiao Wanyue glanced at the dress, her expression unchanged, still wearing a bright, cheerful smile that made her look warm and beautiful.

Hongmei glanced at her and said to Zhu Qing, "It's just a dress, not worth getting angry over. Even in plain clothes, the second young lady is still beautiful."

Qiao Wanyue couldn't help but laugh, teasing, "Hongmei, you're such a sweet talker!"

She fluffed out the dress, held it up to herself, and said cheerfully, "I'll wear this one out today. It's pretty."

Hongmei nodded and quickly helped her change. Hongmei knew her well—she never fought for anything and always deferred to the Qiao family. Sometimes Hongmei felt it was unfair, but Qiao Wanyue just laughed it off, eating and sleeping well as if nothing bothered her. Hongmei secretly thought she was carefree.

But Hongmei didn't know that it wasn't that Qiao Wanyue didn't want to compete—she simply had no right to.

Though her surname was Qiao, she had no blood ties to the family. From the moment she entered the Qiao household with her mother ten years ago, she understood that nothing of the Qiao family's belonged to her—neither the property nor any chance of a high-status marriage.

She was an insignificant person in the Qiao family. They fed and clothed her, even provided a maid, so she was content to eat well, sleep well, collect her small monthly allowance, and wait to be married off. That way, everyone was happy and trouble-free.

There was no need to fight or compete; it wasn't worth the effort and would only make everyone unhappy. A smaller allowance was fine as long as it came every month; one less dress was fine as long as she had a new one, even if it was leftovers. The food was decent, and she could sleep in every day. Qiao Wanyue felt this life was very comfortable. Aside from her sister's occasional taunts, which didn't matter, she still felt carefree and hoped her married life would be just as easy.

Dressed in her new clothes, she left the house without any trouble and headed straight to Qingxin Temple, where she had arranged to meet her friend Lin Susu. She had heard that prayers offered there were especially effective. Both she and Lin Susu had many wishes, so they decided to go.

The two knelt before the Buddha and recited a long list of wishes. Did the Buddha hear them? Would he find them annoying and greedy?

Coming out of the main hall, they sat on the veranda, enjoying the view and chatting.

Qiao Wanyue leaned against the railing, idly poking at flower buds with her fingers, looking completely relaxed. Lin Susu looked at her and asked, "Yueyue, what did you wish for?"

She had made many wishes, but she couldn't say them aloud.

"If I tell you, they won't come true."

Lin Susu leaned in and whispered, "We'll speak softly; no one will hear."

She stubbornly shook her head, refusing to say. Lin Susu didn't press her but tugged at her sleeve lightly. "Did you ask about your marriage prospects?"

She withdrew her hand and sat up a little straighter, her tone serious. "No. Why would I bother asking about marriage?"

After all, it would be decided by her parents, so there was no need to worry.

Seeing her nonchalant expression, Lin Susu opened her mouth in shock. "We're at the age for discussing marriages. Hasn't your mother started making arrangements?"

She hummed in acknowledgment. "She mentioned it a few days ago. It's either Scholar Chen, or Scholar Li... no, it was Scholar Liu. Anyway, some scholar."

She had been too sleepy at the time to hear clearly who her mother was talking about, but she was sure he was a scholar.

Qiao Wanyue's apparent indifference to her own marriage astonished Lin Susu. She said with pity, "Yueyue, are you really going to marry a scholar?"

Lin Susu cupped her face and looked at her from side to side, her voice full of concern. "Our Yueyue is as beautiful as a fairy. Those scholars aren't worthy of you. It would be such a waste."

Her tone made Qiao Wanyue laugh. She pulled Lin Susu's hands down and explained, "You know my background. It's impossible for me to marry into a noble family like my sister. Marriage should be between families of equal standing. A scholar is my best option. He can study hard and pass the imperial exams—that would be quite good."

Her biological father died young, and her grandparents had cut ties with her after her mother remarried. Since she was a girl, they didn't care about her. As for her maternal relatives, they had no influence and couldn't be relied upon. So, marrying a scholar would already be a lucky break.

A small, humble family would have fewer rules, and she would be free and easy.

After she finished speaking, Lin Susu fell silent, pouting as she thought about something. After a while, she suddenly asked seriously, "Yueyue, are you content with that?"

If it were her, she certainly wouldn't be.

Qiao Wanyue's eyes crinkled as she spoke lightly and calmly, "Marriage is always arranged by the parents. Why wouldn't I be content? Whether marrying up or down, what matters is whether life is good. Susu, don't be stubborn and make things hard for yourself."

Lord Lin had his eye on the new tanhua, but Lin Susu wasn't too pleased. She wanted to marry the zhuangyuan. However, the zhuangyuan said he already had someone in his heart and didn't want to delay Miss Lin. This had been bugging Lin Susu, which was why she had asked Qiao Wanyue to come to Qingxin Temple to pray.

They sat in silence for a moment, the scent of incense in the temple calming their minds and soothing their moods.

Lin Susu took a deep breath, bit her lip, and nodded. "I understand."

If only she truly did.

The spring breeze was warm as they sat on the veranda, stray strands of hair blown back and forth, tickling their ears. Qiao Wanyue rubbed her ear, her mind wandering. Suddenly remembering something, she asked Lin Susu, "My sister is going to marry Marquis Qin. Does that bother you?"

Lin Susu's elder sister was Qin Yan's first wife, whom Lin Susu called brother-in-law. Now Qin Yan was remarrying. How does the sister of his deceased wife feel about it? Qiao Wanyue hoped this wouldn't create a rift between them, so she decided to ask now.

"Why would it?" Lin Susu's worried expression vanished, replaced by her usual liveliness. She looked at Qiao Wanyue seriously. "This is how it is among the great families in the capital. When the first wife dies young, the husband remarries. If the second wife dies, he marries another. That's what men always do. Not to mention, Qin Yan is a powerful marquis—even ordinary men would remarry. It's inevitable. And it's not just men; women do the same. Your mother remarried, didn't she?"

"If he doesn't marry Qiao Yingxin, he'll marry someone else. It's better to marry her."

Lin Susu saw it clearly; she had grown up in the capital and seen it all before. After a pause, she chuckled and said, "I call Qin Yan brother-in-law, and now you will too. We'll both be his sisters-in-law. Haha!"

Now that she mentioned it, it was true. The capital really was a tangled web of relationships.

"So we're basically distant relatives now."

"Exactly. Qiao Yingxin is arrogant, and our brother-in-law is a strict, humorless man. We're in for some good drama ahead."

Lin Susu chattered on endlessly about Qin Yan, describing him as rigid, boring, serious, taciturn, and rarely smiling. She wondered if Qiao Yingxin could tame him.

Yes, Qiao Wanyue was also worried for her sister. She hoped he would be a good man.

After listening to Lin Susu for a long time, Qiao Wanyue felt that marrying a scholar was still the best option—young, handsome, and charming. The main thing was, he would be young.

Lin Susu's mouth was dry from talking, so she finally stopped. "Let's not talk about him anymore. Yueyue, let me tell you a secret."

She hugged Qiao Wanyue's arm, leaning close, and pointed at her chest. "Does it ever hurt right here?"

Seeing her mysterious expression, Qiao Wanyue knew it wasn't going to be a decent topic. But she still nodded honestly. "Sometimes. Does yours hurt too?"

"Yes," Lin Susu glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then grew bolder.

"I heard from a maid in our house that if you massage it with your hand at night, it feels better and even grows bigger."

Qiao Wanyue had never heard such things before. Her face flushed instantly as if on fire. Her chest heaved a few times, and her body trembled.

"You're such a pest, Lin Susu! Always saying such embarrassing things."

She pushed Lin Susu away and reached out with her slender fingers. "I'll get you back for that."

Lin Susu was very ticklish. Whenever they fooled around, Qiao Wanyue would tickle her, and soon she would give in.

"Yueyue, Yueyue, my little Yueyue, I won't say anymore. Haha, spare me!"

She surrendered after just a few rounds.

The two of them laughed and fooled around, hugging each other in a tight embrace. Their crisp, cheerful laughter carried a sense of delight and ease, soothing to the ear. The laughter echoed along the corridor, drowning out the sound of footsteps, so they naturally didn't notice the approaching figure.

After a moment, a cough came from the side, and they finally stopped their play.

Lin Susu looked up and her expression shifted slightly. She hastily stood up. Qiao Wanyue smoothed her slightly disheveled hair, rose as well, and stood by with her head bowed and eyes lowered.

"Brother-in-law," Lin Susu said weakly.

Qiao Wanyue didn't speak; she simply bowed in greeting. Her delicate face was flushed, the redness spreading to her earlobes. She was too embarrassed to look up.

The approaching man was tall and handsome, but his brows were furrowed, giving him a cold, stern air of authority. There was not a trace of a smile on his face, making him even more imposing.

"When did you arrive? Have you burned incense for your sister?"

His voice was deep and pleasant to hear; if he spoke with a gentle, smiling voice, it would be even more melodious. Qiao Wanyue thought to herself.

Lin Susu had lost her playful demeanor, and her attitude was so proper that Qiao Wanyue was surprised.

"Not yet."

Qin Yan frowned and said coldly, "Since you're here, go offer incense for your sister."

"Yes."

Lin Susu glanced at her, apologized briefly, and said she had to go. Qiao Wanyue murmured an acknowledgment. Burning incense was more important; they could meet anytime.

The memorial tablet of Qin Yan's deceased wife was enshrined at Qingxin Temple. She had almost forgotten. It seemed Qin Yan was truly devoted, coming to burn incense even on days that weren't the death anniversary.

Lin Susu followed him, turning halfway to smile at her. But the future brother-in-law never looked at her even once from start to finish. He probably didn't even recognize her as Qiao Yingxin's sister.

-

The backyard of Qingxin Temple had lovely scenery, and with spring in the air, Qiao Wanyue decided to take a stroll in the garden filled with the scent of flowers.

It was planted entirely with peach blossoms, a sea of pink and white—it was breathtaking. She stood under a peach tree, her pink dress blending into the scene, like an immortal stepping out of a painting.

She hadn't enjoyed the view for long when she suddenly heard a coy voice, followed by laughter. Voices were normal here—Qingxin Temple saw a constant flow of visitors, and though this backyard was a bit secluded, it still had occasional passersby.

The key was that this voice was familiar, so familiar that Qiao Wanyue instantly knew who it was. She pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and then walked over toward the noise.

Behind a rockery, a man and woman were nestled intimately together. The man had his hand on the woman's waist, looking at her with tender eyes. The woman shyly glanced at him and then lowered her head—a picture of mutual affection.

The woman was none other than her sister, Qiao Yingxin.

Discovering her sister's secret, Qiao Wanyue's face went pale with fright. She clutched her chest and hurriedly turned away, only calming down once she had left.

Her sister was secretly meeting a man. Judging by their gestures and expressions, it was clearly not the first time. They might be in love. When had they started? Her sister was already betrothed.

She hadn't had to think much lately, and this matter was too serious; her mind couldn't wrap around it.

Qiao Wanyue walked while thinking. What would happen to her sister's engagement? If anyone found out, it would be disastrous. Should she warn her sister? Or go back and discuss it with someone?

She walked with her head down, too fast. When she suddenly looked up, she almost collided with someone—and as luck would have it, it was Qin Yan again. He smelled of incense, having just come out of the temple.

She bowed, "Marquis."

The man gave a low hum, moved past her, and walked straight ahead. Qiao Wanyue turned and saw that the direction he was heading was exactly the backyard where she had just come from—the very place where her sister was meeting her lover.

Her feet moved faster than her mind. By the time she reacted, Qiao Wanyue was already standing in front of him, blocking his path.

Qin Yan looked down at the young woman who was much shorter than him and said, "Su Su came out, didn't see you, so she went back first."

Wait, Qin Yan recognized her.