Chapter 25 025 Overacting

Chapter 25 025 Overacting

Qiao Yingxin came back once yesterday and again today—two days in a row running to her parents’ home. It could only mean trouble. Qiao Zhuofan guessed as much, and Wang Shi and Qiao Wanyue naturally knew it too. Only Qin Yan, upon hearing the servant’s report, didn’t even twitch an eyebrow.

Qiao Zhuofan was stifling a bellyful of anger, but held back out of deference to Qin Yan’s presence. He forced a strained smile and awkwardly said he’d go check, telling the others to eat first.

Once he left, the rest couldn’t exactly start eating, so they sat waiting. Qiao Wanyue glanced at Qin Yan. “Hungry? You could eat a bit first if you want.”

She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth—why did her tone sound so ingratiating, like her father’s?

“Never mind. Let’s wait.”

Qiao Wanyue gave a soft “Oh” and fell silent.

Meanwhile, under the veranda, Qiao Zhuofan stopped Qiao Yingxin as she entered. He said impatiently, “Running back to your parents’ home every other day—you’ll become a laughingstock.”

With no one around, Qiao Yingxin could speak her mind openly. “I’ve been a joke for a long time. Strangers mock me, and now even my own father joins in.”

Qiao Zhuofan couldn’t be bothered to argue. He waved dismissively. “Fine, fine. Just tell me. What is it this time?”

Yesterday she’d come crying, saying her mother-in-law scolded her for waking late and made her stand in punishment. She’d refused, gone to reason with Ding Chengyou, only for him to side with his mother and chew her out again. So she’d run home in grievance.

And today—what now?

At the mention of today’s issue, Qiao Yingxin began to weep again. “He bought his mother a hairpin, but nothing for me! Said his mother had a hard life before and never owned any fine jewelry, so now that times are better, she deserves to enjoy herself. Said I have plenty of jewelry already, a few pieces missing wouldn’t matter. It’s not about the jewelry—he doesn’t value me at all! His eyes are only on his mother!”

She sobbed on.

Qiao Zhuofan grew irritated by the petty squabbles. He flicked his sleeves. “Buy it yourself. Stop pestering me with such trivial nonsense. Do you even see what day it is? Nonsense!”

“What day? Just Qiao Wanyue’s homecoming visit.”

She resented his favoritism and instantly stopped crying. “What? She doesn’t want me here?”

“Enough. Go home.”

Qiao Zhuofan was trying to shoo her away, not wanting to lose face before Qin Yan. As a father-in-law, being the butt of his son-in-law’s silent mockery would be unbearable. Qiao Yingxin understood his thinking perfectly. She had only come to vent, but her father was sending her away. Fury surged, and she strode straight toward the main hall.

“Hey, Yingxin, where are you going?”

Without looking back, she shot back, “To eat. With all of you.”

Qiao Zhuofan’s face turned white as a sheet as he hurried after her. “Nonsense, nonsense! Come back!”

The old man was no match for her younger legs. By the time he caught up, Qiao Yingxin was already seated in the main hall.

Qin Yan threw a blank look over her—neither rose nor stirred—then turned his eyes sidelong toward Qiao Wanyue, who had already stood up with Wang Shi to welcome her.

“Sister, what timing! You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Come, sit with us.”

Wang Shi promptly ordered a servant to bring another set of bowls and chopsticks. Qiao Yingxin nodded toward Qin Yan as she walked in, then sat down and acted like nothing was wrong, though her red, puffy eyes betrayed what had just happened.

Qiao Zhuofan leaned against the doorframe to catch his breath. Seeing the seemingly peaceful atmosphere inside, he relaxed a little, then smiled as he took his seat. “Everyone’s here—let’s start. Come, come.”

On the table was a jug of wine—likely fruit wine, judging by its sweet aroma. Qin Yan poured a cup for Qiao Zhuofan, then one for himself, and raised his glass in a toast. Qiao Zhuofan beamed and kept nodding.

Qiao Yingxin curled her lip at the sight, grossed out by her father’s sycophancy, but she said nothing. She just lowered her head and silently picked at her food. Her only purpose was to spite them.

Without Qiao Yingxin, the group had been at ease. Now that she was here, everyone spoke with caution, afraid that a careless word might provoke an open quarrel—and make the Qiao family look bad in front of Qin Yan.

Qiao Wanyue was quiet, eating with her head down, occasionally lifting it to exchange a word with Wang Shi. The meal went off without a hitch.

Then the man who had just set down his wine glass picked up a piece of meat and placed it in her bowl. Qiao Wanyue stared at him, astonished. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw everyone watching them closely, waiting to see how she’d react.

It was no big deal for him to put food in her bowl, but Qin Yan had given her something she didn’t like. She wanted to save face for him and eat the meat in her bowl, but when she saw the fat clinging to it, she couldn’t bring herself to eat it.

She leaned slightly toward him and said in a troubled voice, “I don’t eat fatty meat.”

The man paused, then calmly picked the piece from her bowl and put it into his own mouth. Qiao Wanyue was stunned before she could react. Then Qin Yan gave her another piece.

“This one’s lean,” he said matter-of-factly. “Eat.”

Too overacted, she thought.

Wang Shi and Qiao Zhuofan exchanged a glance. Their earlier worries vanished. The young couple were clearly getting along beautifully—so loving.

Qiao Yingxin watched their every move, bitterness churning inside her. Who are they putting on a show for? The uglier, the more she shows off.

In a snide voice, she said, “How loving my sister and brother-in-law are. Truly enviable.”

Qiao Wanyue knew Qiao Yingxin despised her, but she hadn’t expected her to go after Qin Yan too. Was she out of her mind?

She didn’t want a confrontation today, so she stayed silent, but her eyes shot a warning at her sister. Qiao Yingxin, however, was unafraid, even taunting her with a knowing smirk.

“Eat less and talk less,” Qiao Zhuofan quickly tried to ease the tension.

“So a married daughter is like water spilled—I can’t even speak anymore? Or are you saying that Lord Qin and my sister are not so loving after all?”

Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Qiao Wanyue was about to intervene when Qin Yan suddenly lifted his head and looked at Qiao Yingxin. With a calm expression, he replied, “You give us too much credit. We’re certainly nowhere near as loving as you and Scholar Ding. We still have much to learn from you.”

Qiao Wanyue’s mouth, which had just opened, snapped shut. Qin Yan had hit Qiao Yingxin right in her sore spot. She had come home today exactly because she’d quarreled with Ding Chengyou—her eyes were still red and puffy, which Qin Yan couldn’t have missed. He had done it deliberately.

Qiao Wanyue had to admit he handled it perfectly. This was exactly how to handle Qiao Yingxin—shut her up.

Sure enough, Qiao Yingxin’s face turned ashen. She gritted her teeth, unable to come up with a comeback.

After a long moment, she slammed down her bowl and chopsticks. “I’m done. You eat.”

She stomped off. Qiao Zhuofan, humiliated but unable to vent his anger, swallowed his anger with a grunt.

“She’s always been willful. Let’s eat.”

Wang Shi chimed in, “Yes, Yueyue, eat more. You look thin to me.”

Qiao Wanyue glanced down at herself and gave a slow nod. “A little.”

Under the same roof as Qin Yan, she behaved herself, not daring to act too bold. Once they had separate rooms, the room would be all hers.

With Qiao Yingxin gone, they could enjoy the meal in peace. She hadn’t eaten home-cooked food in days and ate with gusto.

As she focused on eating, someone secretly stole a glance at her waist. Thin? He thought she was actually a little plumper.

Still, watching her eat made him hungry, too.

-

In the hottest part of the afternoon, even the fish in the lake hid away, but Qin Yan insisted on heading back. She silently cursed him—what terrible timing! Why not head back after a nap? That way they could rest and avoid the heat. Wang Shi spoke up for him, saying they could always come back another time. Qiao Wanyue thought it over and agreed, so they went back under the scorching sun.

The carriage was a bit hot, so she pulled open the curtain. A light breeze came in, and she felt much better.

Qin Yan had drunk some wine at noon and was now resting his eyes, but he wasn't asleep, because his eyelashes fluttered.

She leaned over to look and said, "At the dinner table today, don't you think you overdid it?"

He had picked food for her several times, and she almost broke character.

"What act?"

Qin Yan opened his eyes, didn't understand what she meant, thought for a moment, then his brows moved slightly and he understood.

"It wasn't acting." He just wanted to see what she liked to eat and let her eat more.

Qiao Wanyue didn't believe him. If it wasn't acting, why would he pick food for her? He didn't seem like someone who would care about small things. Qiao Wanyue didn't press further, lazily said "Oh," and slouched back against her seat.

Qin Yan glanced at her, sighed and shook his head. She couldn't even sit properly, wasn't she afraid of hurting her back?

Back at the compound, they each busied themselves with their own affairs, the atmosphere was harmonious and they got along well.

The next day, Qin Yan headed to the imperial court, and as per custom, she went to pay respects in the morning, then came back to sleep. By the time Qin Yan returned, she was still asleep; when she got up, Qin Yan was already off handling business.

They lived in the same courtyard, but in the end, they only crossed paths at bedtime.

Qiao Wanyue was lying on the bed in a spread-eagle position, already asleep. Qin Yan frowned for a moment, then lay down carefully.

He curled up his tall frame, unable to stretch out, Qin Yan slept uncomfortably. He was tempted to wake her and show her how she slept.

She couldn't sit properly, and she was a messy sleeper too. Tsk.

After a night of discomfort, the next day, Qin Yan came back earlier, just as she was getting up. He sat aside waiting, and when she finished dressing and came out, he said flat-out, "Tonight I'll sleep in the guest room."

Qiao Wanyue nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

They had agreed on it before; she was still hesitating whether to remind him. It was better that Qin Yan brought it up himself.

"Mm."

He responded but didn't move, looking at her awkwardly, as if waiting for her to say something. After a long pause, all he got was: "Are you hungry?"

"Not hungry. Go ahead."

"Okay."

Qin Yan left, and she was the only one in the room. Qiao Wanyue hummed happily, thinking about the easy, carefree days ahead, and was in a very good mood.

From then on, they slept in separate rooms and only saw each other at mealtimes. Qin Yan was very busy, occupied with official business every day. After two days of idleness, Qiao Wanyue couldn't stay idle anymore. She was itching to go out; she had to do something.

She sat up from the chaise lounge and said to Hong Mei, "Go to the accounts room and draw some silver. I want to go out and go shopping."

"How much?"

Qiao Wanyue hesitated. Qin Yan had only said she could get silver from the accounts room, but didn't specify how much. Taking too little would make her look green; if she took too much, it would make her seem wasteful.

The young girl puffed out her cheeks and thought, then said, "Fifty taels."

Not too much, not too little.

Hong Mei went out and came back shortly, holding fifty taels in her hands. Qiao Wanyue picked up the silver with a smile and asked Hong Mei, "They didn't make things difficult for you?"

"I'm your personal maid – they know better than to cause trouble."

Qiao Wanyue nodded in satisfaction, hopped off nimbly, straightened her appearance, and prepared to go out.

Just as the mistress and maids stepped out the door, Madam Yang sent someone to invite her over, saying it was for tea and chat.

Qiao Wanyue felt it wasn't that simple. Just as she had taken the silver, she was called over. It looked like she was being called to account. But then she thought, it couldn't be that serious. It was only fifty taels, not five hundred.

She went with the fifty taels. Only when she arrived at the courtyard did she learn that the aunts from the other two branches were there too.

Qiao Wanyue couldn't help frowning. It seemed something bigger than fifty taels was waiting for her. Sigh, the silver was hot in her hands. But returning it was impossible. "Mother, both aunts are here too."