After Transmigrating as a Disabled Villain - Chapter 12

Qin Mo sighed emotionally. “Little Sister, you’ve become stupid. After studying for a few days, do you really want to become a law-abiding good person? Have you forgotten what Mother told us before she died? Do you know why no one dares say anything even though you beat people and keep a male concubine? Because we have money. Our Qin family has money. Money can make even ghosts grind mills, let alone a mere woman.”

Qin Chu looked at the arrogant expression on Qin Mo’s face and said solemnly, “Elder Brother, you’re wrong. Having money doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. Disregarding the law will only push you and the Qin family into an abyss of eternal damnation. As for the Qiu residence’s birthday banquet this time, forgive me, but I can’t help you.”

Hearing this, Qin Mo looked deeply at Qin Chu. “Little Sister, you really have changed.”

Qin Chu was silent. “I only know that if you don’t change, Elder Brother, sooner or later you’ll be eating prison food.”

What she was thinking about now was how to explain to Qiu Jinning that the cup of wine had been the work of the original owner and her elder brother.

And if this cheap elder brother remained stubborn and refused to repent, she did not mind sacrificing kinship for righteousness.

Qin Mo was choked by her words. Seeing that his younger sister’s nature had changed and she was unwilling to help him, he said sulkily, “If you won’t help, then forget it. Elder Brother won’t force you.”

After saying that, he no longer wanted to bother with Qin Chu and hurriedly left.

Qin Chu watched his back, her brows tightly furrowed. She made a decision in her heart. Although it was the original owner’s mess, whether or not she shouldered the blame, she should not help cover up the past mistakes of these siblings.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Qiu Jinning’s birthday banquet was held as scheduled. The Qiu residence opened its doors to welcome guests, and almost every respectable family in Jiuqu County sent family members to attend.

Qin Chu arrived neither early nor late. After entering the Qiu residence with the invitation, she was led to the main hall. Once she sat down, she quietly instructed Guanzi, “Pay attention. See whether my elder brother comes. If he does, tell me at once.”

She was still uneasy—uneasy about her cheap elder brother.

Madam Qiu was greeting everyone at the front. From afar, she glanced at the seat arranged in the middle. Seeing that someone had taken the seat, a trace of scrutiny flashed through her eyes.

That seat had been arranged for Eldest Miss Qin. It was neither too close nor too far from the main seat, neither showing importance nor seeming neglectful.

Qin Chu sat quietly in her seat, picked up a winter jujube from the fruit plate, and slowly ate it.

In Madam Qiu’s eyes, she was a slender, delicate-looking young woman in a pale blue dress. She looked elegant, quiet, and gentle, with a bit of beauty. Her expression even carried some obedient charm.

So one truly could not judge a person by appearance. Who could have expected that such an obedient-looking young lady would be bold enough to keep a male concubine?

Madam Qiu looked at her daughter beside her with a heavy heart. “Jinning, that Eldest Miss Qin has arrived.”

Why exactly had her daughter invited this unreliable Eldest Miss Qin?

Hearing this, Qiu Jinning looked toward Qin Chu and saw that Qin Chu’s expression suddenly changed after hearing something from her little maid. Her expression became extremely grave as she looked in one direction.

It was toward the Gu family across the hall!

Thinking of how Qin Chu and Third Miss Gu had always been at odds, Qiu Jinning sighed softly in her heart. She hoped the two of them could distinguish the occasion and not start fighting the moment they met, as they did at the academy.

Seeing her daughter look silently toward Eldest Miss Qin, Madam Qiu tugged at her sleeve. “Jinning, tell Mother honestly. Why did you invite that good-for-nothing from the Qin family?”

“Rumors cannot be fully trusted. Eldest Miss Qin is not bad as a person,” Qiu Jinning said calmly.

Her previous impression of Qin Chu had been very shallow. She had only heard others say that Qin Chu was a reckless good-for-nothing, but she had never had any real contact with her.

After their interactions these days, she felt Qin Chu was not as the rumors described. At the very least, her nature was still acceptable.

Madam Qiu neither agreed nor disagreed with her daughter’s words. Rumors could not be fully trusted, but they did not arise from nothing either. If nothing else, the matter of keeping a male concubine was certainly true.

She could not help warning her, “Mother knows you have your own ideas, but you should still associate with her less. Otherwise, she may ruin the reputation of our Qiu residence.”

“All right.” Qiu Jinning nodded helplessly. Then her gaze suddenly paused as she looked at the person walking toward her.

“This junior, Qin Chu, greets Madam Qiu. Miss Qiu, may I speak with you privately?” Qin Chu bent slightly and gave Madam Qiu a shallow bow, then looked toward Qiu Jinning.

Madam Qiu’s eyelid twitched, and she could not help looking at her daughter.

Unexpectedly, Qiu Jinning agreed readily. “All right. Let’s speak in my room.”

The two then left the main hall together.

Madam Qiu stood in place, stunned. Her daughter had nodded just now, right? She had agreed to have fewer dealings with Qin Chu, right? Then why did she turn around and invite the girl into her private chamber?

In Qiu Jinning’s room, Qin Chu entered and directly confessed. “My elder brother is here too. He’s among the Gu family’s people. The person who put the gu in you was my elder brother. You have to be careful.”

She could have tried to cover things up, but wrong was wrong. What she feared was refusing to repent and repeating the same mistake.

She was truly worried Qin Mo would do something to Qiu Jinning again.

Qiu Jinning froze for a moment, then quietly poured tea for Qin Chu. “What do you mean?”

Although she knew that the person who had schemed against her was either rich or noble, she truly had not thought of the Qin family.

That night, after she drank the wine and realized something was wrong with her body, her first thought had been to get off the boat and return home. But her rationality had drained away too quickly, not enough to support her until she reached the bow.

Hongshao, the head maid who had accompanied her onto the boat, was also nowhere to be seen. In her urgency, Qiu Jinning guessed what was happening to her and imagined what she was about to face. When she reached a deserted spot, she jumped off the boat.

The river water in early spring was icy cold and biting. Under the stimulation of the cold water, she regained some reason. Seeing that there was no one on the nearby boat, she climbed onto it and hid in a room. On the bed in that room lay a person she recognized: Qin Chu, the infamous good-for-nothing Eldest Miss Qin from the county school.

After that came the absurd, uncontrollable plea for help, and the first taste of intimacy…

So what happened with Qin Chu that night had been a coincidence. Together with their later interactions, which had repeatedly changed her view of this person from the rumors, Qiu Jinning had never suspected the Qin family.

But Qin Chu’s words at this moment were like a warning bell ringing in her mind, making Qiu Jinning unconsciously become guarded.

Qin Chu picked up the teacup, took a light sip, then put it down.

“I’m not clear on the exact details either. That night, I drank too much. When I woke up, I had forgotten many things. I only learned two days ago that it was my elder brother who schemed against you. Perhaps I wasn’t innocent either.”

The original Eldest Miss Qin must have participated, but Qin Chu did not know how she had participated. And she could not openly say that she was not Eldest Miss Qin, so she could only speak vaguely.

Qiu Jinning’s expression did not change, but the wariness in her heart did not fade. “The one who poured the wine that night was my head maid, Hongshao. After that, she never appeared again. Even now, she has not returned to the residence. Have you seen her?”

She had two personal maids, Hongshao and Luyao.

The one who had accompanied her to the poetry gathering on the Lantern Festival night was Hongshao. Later, Hongshao disappeared.

All these days, she had been searching privately but had not found her. If the Qin family’s eldest young master had acted, perhaps Hongshao might be in the Qin residence. That maid had grown up with her, and what Qiu Jinning worried about first was Hongshao’s safety.

Qin Chu shook her head. She did not know what Hongshao looked like, so even if she had seen her, she would not recognize her.

At this point, the two fell silent at the same time.

Just then, Luyao knocked on the door. “Miss, Madam is calling you to the front courtyard. Master has arrived, and the banquet is about to begin.”

The two looked at each other and stood together. Before leaving, Qiu Jinning said in a low voice, “If your elder brother stops here, I can let bygones be bygones. But aged strong liquor is difficult to find, and the Qin family is in the wine business. The Qin family must take responsibility for this matter. Otherwise, do not blame me.”

Listening to those seemingly threatening words, Qin Chu felt a little uncomfortable.

Qiu Jinning’s willingness to let bygones be bygones was already exceptionally generous. She should have been happy.

But looking at Qiu Jinning’s cold expression and the obvious wariness on her face, a faint trace of disappointment passed through Qin Chu’s heart.

Unexpectedly, just as the two returned to the main hall and took their seats, they heard County Magistrate Qiu raise his cup and say, “Thank you all for coming to my daughter’s birthday banquet. Let us drink this cup together.”

After saying that, County Magistrate Qiu drank it all in one go. Then he left for the side hall together with Madam Qiu. Since it was his daughter’s birthday banquet, the front hall had been arranged for the younger generation, while the elders of each family were in the neighboring side hall.

The guests on both sides were separated by gender. The men were seated on the left, while the women were seated on the right. On the men’s side, almost no one hesitated. They raised their cups quite boldly and drank them in one go.

On the women’s side, things were a little slower. Qin Chu looked worriedly at Qiu Jinning. Seeing her calmly raise her wine cup without changing expression, Qin Chu then realized this was the Qiu residence. Whether what Qiu Jinning drank was wine or not was naturally under her control.

She relaxed. But just as the wine entered her throat, her heart tightened.

She saw Third Miss Gu walking toward Qiu Jinning with two cups of wine. “Sister Qiu, happy birthday. I’ll toast you.”

“I am unwell today and should not drink too much—”

“Miss Qiu is unwell. She can’t drink—”