After Transmigrating as a Disabled Villain - Chapter 14

The corner of Eldest Young Master Gu’s mouth twitched, and he nearly failed to keep hold of the wine cup in his hand.

“Miss Qin’s reminder is correct. This Gu was too presumptuous. I have a deep friendship with Brother Qin, so I have always regarded you as a younger sister as well. I hope Miss Qin will not blame this Gu for misspeaking.”

This “Brother Qin” naturally referred to Qin Mo.

When Qin Chu heard that he and Qin Mo had a deep friendship, she silently marked a cross against him in her heart. This Eldest Young Master Gu was most likely also a villainous character.

Qin Chu stared at Eldest Young Master Gu for a bit too long—so long that the little maid could not help tugging at her young lady’s sleeve. “Miss, are you drinking this wine or not?”

If she was drinking, Guanzi would pour it. If not, she would not.

Don’t keep staring at him. Although Eldest Young Master Gu was indeed handsome and dignified, he was Gu Laosan’s biological elder brother, which meant he was also Miss’s enemy. Staring at him like this was inappropriate.

Qin Chu came back to her senses. “Young Master Gu, you are too serious.”

After saying that, she showed no intention of touching the wine cup.

What a joke. Qiu Jinning had been schemed against because she drank wine. Even though this was the Qiu residence, Qin Chu did not intend to drink anymore.

From now on, she would not drink no matter who toasted her—unless Qiu Jinning personally poured wine for her. Otherwise, she would give no one face.

Eldest Young Master Gu revealed an understanding smile. He drank the wine in his own cup, not feeling awkward at all, then cupped his hands again before turning to leave.

After returning to his seat, he instructed his servant, “Go investigate all the interactions Eldest Miss Qin and Qiu Jinning have had. I want every detail, no matter how small.”

He could tell there was something unusual between those two. If he wanted to deal with the Qin family, the Qiu residence would inevitably be the Gu family’s most reliable support. If Qiu Jinning and Qin Chu had an unusual relationship, things would become difficult.

Unlike Gu San’s petty squabbles, Eldest Young Master Gu was not concerned with his third sister’s little grudges. His target was the Qin family.

It was the Qin family’s position as the number one wine merchant in Jiuqu County. The Gu family, which had also started as wine merchants, had long wanted to replace them.

On the other side, Qin Chu also felt uneasy about this Eldest Young Master Gu who had suddenly approached her. “Guanzi, when we go back, ask around about what my elder brother’s relationship with him is like, and also what kinds of people the Gu family usually associates with.”

Guanzi fell silent.

Qin Chu turned to look at the little maid. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Miss, who should this servant ask?” Guanzi was troubled. She had never done this before. Asking around about gossip between young ladies was not difficult, but asking about relationships between men left her with nowhere to start.

Was she supposed to find a Gu family servant and ask? Wouldn’t that alert them?

Qin Chu was speechless. “How would I know who to ask? Whoever is close to the Gu family, go ask them.”

Guanzi fell silent again.

When the banquet ended, Qin Chu stood and prepared to leave. A flash of inspiration suddenly struck the little maid. “Miss, do you think Miss Qiu is close to the Gu family?”

The Qiu residence and the Gu family were related by marriage, and Gu San often circled around Qiu Jinning. They should be close, Guanzi thought.

Qin Chu: ?

“You mean you want me to ask Miss Qiu?”

Guanzi said thoughtfully, “You still haven’t given Miss Qiu her birthday gift. You can use this chance to ask.”

Only then did Qin Chu remember that she had forgotten the proper matter. But…

She looked at the little maid. “Are you the young lady, or am I the young lady? Is this sort of asking-around something I should do?”

Clearly, it should be the maid’s job.

Guanzi curled her lips and suggested softly, “Then this servant will go ask Miss Qiu?”

Qin Chu: “…”

Fine. She was the maid. She would do it.

Bah. She was not going to ask around.

However, the gift still had to be given.

The gift Qin Chu had prepared was a jade pendant. It was a piece of high-quality jade chosen from the Qin residence’s storeroom. According to her cheap father, this pendant was worth a thousand taels.

She remembered the jade tablet hanging at Qiu Jinning’s waist, which she had even borrowed as a ruler before, so she simply found a jade ornament to use as a gift.

Qiu Jinning accepted the jade pendant, her expression calm and light. “Thank you, Miss Qin, for blocking the wine for me.”

Qin Chu’s heart moved slightly. “No need to thank me. The fact that you cannot drink right now is originally my and my elder brother’s responsibility. Um, this jade pendant should look nice worn at the waist.”

Qiu Jinning’s expression paused. “Miss Qin’s gift is very valuable.”

But that was all. They were neither relatives nor close friends, and theirs was not the kind of relationship where she could wear an ornament gifted by the other.

Seeing this, Qin Chu could only say goodbye dryly. “Then I’ll return home first. I’ll keep an eye out for the aged strong liquor.”

“Thank you for troubling yourself, Miss Qin.”

Qin Chu had nothing more to say. Qiu Jinning kept saying thank you and sorry to trouble you, sounding far too distant. No matter how Qin Chu listened, it felt unpleasant.

On the carriage ride back, she suddenly realized something and pointed at her own waist. “Guanzi, why doesn’t your Miss wear any jade ornament?”

Why was there only a belt at her waist, with no accessories at all? It looked so plain.

Guanzi froze. “Then when we go back, this servant will find you a jade ornament to wear?”

Miss had never had this preference before. Ordinary young ladies also rarely wore jade ornaments at the waist. Could it be that Miss saw Miss Qiu wearing one and thought it looked pretty, so she became envious?

Qin Chu thought of the jade tablet at Qiu Jinning’s waist and instructed, “There’s no need to specifically look for a pendant. Any jade tablet, jade ruler, or something like that will do.”

Preferably something similar to Qiu Jinning’s jade tablet, and something that could also be used as a ruler.

Guanzi nodded repeatedly. She understood. As expected, Miss was envious.

The master and servant had just returned to the Qin residence when Qin Mo blocked them at the courtyard gate.

Looking at her cheap elder brother’s gloomy face, Qin Chu knew he had come to demand an explanation.

Qin Mo waved at Guanzi. “Keep watch outside. Little Sister, I have something to say to you.”

As soon as the two entered the room, he began questioning her. “Little Sister, why did you ruin my good thing?”

He did not understand. In the past, Little Sister had always supported his plan to marry Qiu Jinning and had even eagerly helped him. Why had she turned against him this time?

When Qin Chu heard this, her expression became solemn. “Elder Brother, I advise you to stop here. Crooked methods are ultimately not the right path. If you continue making mistakes, the Qiu residence definitely will not let our Qin family go. Father said commoners should not fight officials.”

“Father said? You only remember Father. Have you forgotten what Mother told us?”

“Did Mother tell you to plant a gu in Qiu Jinning?” Qin Chu did not believe the original owner’s late mother could have planned so far ahead for her son. At the very least, she would not have arranged, when the siblings were around ten years old, for Qin Mo to plant a gu in Qiu Jinning when he grew up.

“Qin Chu, don’t forget that I’m your elder brother. It’s fine if you don’t help, but you’re deliberately opposing me. Before Mother died, she said we siblings had to watch over and help each other—” Qin Mo gnashed his teeth. In his anger, he directly called Qin Chu by her full name.

Mother had said good people did not receive good endings. If they wanted to achieve their goals, they had to use any means necessary. As siblings, they were the closest people in the world. They had to discuss everything and help each other.

Qin Chu’s expression turned slightly cold. “Watching over and helping each other is not meant to be used for crooked and evil methods. As for the eight thousand taels, I will truthfully tell Father.”

Originally, she had considered that the original Eldest Miss Qin probably relied on being favored and often took blame for her cheap elder brother. She had also believed Qin Mo when he said the eight thousand taels had been spent drinking at pleasure houses. So without thinking too deeply, she had agreed and willingly taken the beating.

Now that she knew those eight thousand taels had been used to scheme against Qiu Jinning, she would be a fool to keep taking the blame.

This was also a good chance to test Master Qin’s attitude and see what kind of character her cheap father had. If this whole family was rotten, then she definitely could not sit still and wait for death.

Qin Mo took a deep breath. “You told Qiu Jinning everything, didn’t you? And now you want to report me to Father? You’ve forgotten everything Mother told us back then. Is this how you help me?”

“Forgotten. What did Mother say?” Qin Chu raised a brow. What exactly had the late Madam Qin told her children?

“Mother said this Qin family would all belong to us. When I grew up, if I met someone I liked, I could marry whoever I wanted, with no need to care about Father’s thoughts. Mother also said…”

“What else did she say?”

“Mother also said you could marry whoever you liked. If you didn’t want to marry, then after I inherited the Qin family business, I would support you until old age. That’s why I didn’t oppose you keeping a male concubine.”

Qin Chu sneered. “So did Mother say you should use crooked methods and plant a gu in Qiu Jinning?”

Qin Mo gritted his teeth and could not help pointing at Qin Chu. “I don’t interfere with you keeping a male concubine, so why are you interfering with how I marry Qiu Jinning? Otherwise, with your conduct, don’t even dream that I’ll support you in the future.”

“What conduct do I have?”

“With you, a toad with one lame leg, without virtue or talent, who would marry you in the future? In the end, won’t you still be relying on me to support you? You’d better know your place.”

Qin Chu: !!!

A toad with one lame leg? He was talking about her?

She endured and endured, but in the end, she could endure no more.

“Guanzi, come in!”

“Miss, what are your orders?” The moment Guanzi heard Qin Chu call, she immediately rushed in.

Qin Chu stretched out one finger and pointed at Qin Mo, who still looked angry and indignant. “Tie him up for me.”