Chapter 41

Inside the carriage, the evening breeze lifted the half-open curtain by the window, stirring the heart.

Qin Chu’s mind was in complete chaos. Should she let go or not? That was the question. A fatal question.

If she did not let go, and she had misunderstood, then how would she be any different from a despicable person?

But if she did let go, and she had also misunderstood, she would surely regret it until she beat her chest and stamped her feet.

“You… you came to find me today because of all this?” Qin Chu temporarily chose not to let go and confirmed again.

Qiu Jinning did not look at her. Instead, she lowered her eyes and stared at Qin Chu’s arm. “There was something else I wanted to discuss with you.”

“What is it?”

“Let go first—”

Qin Chu’s breathing paused slightly. A vague thought rose in her mind, only to be ruthlessly pressed back down. She took a deep breath and released her hand.

“What I said in the wine cellar was not me being fierce to you. [read the original at bailiantales.com]I was worried that smelling the alcohol would make your body uncomfortable again.”

Speaking of which, the scent of alcohol in the wine cellar had been so strong. Why did it feel like Qiu Jinning had not been affected at all?

Qiu Jinning glanced at her and silently sorted out her emotions, her face flushed red.

“It is fine. This time, it seems it did not flare up.”

After speaking, even she froze for a moment.

Before, even smelling a faint scent of alcohol would make the love gu impossible to suppress.

Why had she smelled an even stronger fragrance of wine this time, yet easily managed to restrain herself?

Could it be because of that sudden sense of grievance…

She raised her eyes to study Qin Chu, her gaze contemplative.

Qin Chu was just about to ask again when the carriage stopped.

She sighed inwardly. The winery was far too close to the Qin residence. For the ​stolen content​first time, she felt that a journey being too short was not very convenient either.

Outside the Qin residence, Qiu Jinning saw the person standing before the gate and walked over. “Elder Brother, why are you here?”

“And you still know to ask me? Such a serious thing happened, yet you did not even think to tell your elder brother. Hm? Wasn’t your leg said to be broken?” Qiu Shou’an stared at his younger sister’s leg. She had walked over just now, right?

Where was it broken?

She looked completely fine, not at all as if she had been injured. Could it be that his brother-in-law had lied to him?

How could Eldest Young Master Gu talk nonsense? He had worried to death.

Qiu Jinning smiled. “It was only a small injury. It is already fine. Elder Brother, would you like to come in and sit?”

Qiu Shou’an waved his hand. “As long as you are fine. It is late now. I will come again tomorrow.”

As the owner of the Qin residence, Qin Chu politely said, “What time will Brother Qiu come tomorrow? Miss Qiu and I can prepare some wine and dishes in advance to wait for you.”

Seeing Qin Chu speak, Qiu Shou’an revealed a faint smile. “I will come in the morning. There is no need to trouble yourselves too much.”

“It just so happens that the Qin family wine read the original at bailiantales.com shop has recently developed a new wine. Brother Qiu must try it tomorrow.”

“All right. Then I will trouble Miss Qin to host me.”

A refined and courteous young man, and a warm-faced young woman. The two stood opposite each other and spoke, and in Qiu Jinning’s eyes, it inexplicably made her irritated.

She moved two steps closer to Qin Chu, until they were almost standing shoulder to shoulder. “It is getting late. Elder Brother, go back early.”

Qiu Shou’an nodded. Why did he feel like his younger sister did not welcome his visit? It must be an illusion.

Qin Chu watched his back and thought that this was Qiu Jinning’s elder brother’s first time visiting the Qin residence. Tomorrow, she had to receive him properly.

Qiu Jinning looked at her gaze and raised her brows. “What does Miss Qin think of my elder brother?”

“Brother Qiu is handsome and dignified, upright in conduct, kind to others, and caring toward his younger sister. He should be a rare good man—”

Qin Chu was still praising him when Guanzi tugged her.

The little maid leaned worriedly to her ear and whispered, “Miss, Young Master Qiu is Miss Qiu’s elder brother. You cannot buy him back as a male concubine.”

The last time Miss had praised a man like this was when she saw Young Master He at the pleasure house.

That very night, Young Master He had been redeemed by Miss and brought home.

Standing beside them, Qiu Jinning heard the little maid’s words without missing a single one, and her expression could not help turning colder.

She pressed her lips together. “Elder Brother’s character is acceptable, but he uniquely loves beauty. He already has one wife and one concubine at home. Back in Jiuqu County, he had countless beauties around him. Now that he has come to the capital, where flowers dazzle the eyes…”

Her words stopped there. The meaning was that she feared he was even worse than before.

She could not bear to hear Qin Chu praise other men, even if that person was her own elder brother.

Qin Chu: “…”

Was there anyone who spoke about their own elder brother like this? Had she praised him wrongly just now?

Did Qiu Jinning actually dislike her own elder brother?

Seeing Qin Chu’s shocked face, Qiu Jinning fell silent for an instant, then directly turned and returned to the residence.

Qin Chu hurriedly called after her. “Miss read the original at bailiantales.com Qiu, you still haven’t said what you came to find me for.”

“Nothing.” The faint voice carried not a trace of emotion, as if its owner was in a bad mood.

The corner of Qin Chu’s mouth twitched. If there was nothing, why had she gone to the winery to find her so late at night?

And cried so pitifully.

No, she did have something.

Coming back to herself, Qin Chu hurriedly went after her.

Behind her, Luyao hooked her arm around Guanzi’s and probed, “Did your Miss really keep a male concubine?”

Guanzi answered smoothly, “She did.” One kept to embroider flowers. Unfortunately, as soon as Master returned, he sent the person away. The flowers had not even been finished.

The moment Luyao heard this, she flung away Guanzi’s arm and cursed, “Bastard, huge lecher! Neither master nor servant is anything good.”

That bastard Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing had actually really kept a male concubine. Her poor Miss—what would she do in the future?

Luyao had even thought the future son-in-law was not bad. She had not expected her to also be rotten at heart.

Guanzi was bewildered for a moment. Realizing she was being scolded, she immediately rolled up her sleeves. “Who are you cursing? Are you uncomfortable if you don’t get beaten?”

“Whoever answers is who I’m cursing.” Luyao glared at her, then turned and ran. Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing was a bad person. She had to hurry and watch her, so she would not harm her young lady again.

In the eastern side courtyard, Qin Chu had just caught up to Qiu Jinning and grabbed her sleeve.

“Why were you crying just now? Did the love gu not flare up when you smelled the alcohol?”

Qiu Jinning did not turn around and bit her lip. “Let go.”

“Let go!”

A loud shout drowned out Qiu Jinning’s awkward voice.

Luyao charged over and yanked Qin Chu’s hand away, protecting Qiu Jinning behind her. “Miss Qin, if you have something to say, then speak properly. Don’t pull and tug at people, lest others misunderstand.”

Wicked Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing. She had made Luyao misunderstand and made Miss misunderstand too.

Qin Chu frowned. What nonsense was this little maid saying?

“I have matters to discuss with Miss Qiu.”

Luyao looked guarded, like a mother hen protecting chicks. “You can talk while standing. There is no need to enter the room, and no need to pull and tug.”

She now agreed with Nanny Ziyun’s words. They should stop them. Qin the Great Good-for-Nothing was a bad person. She had already kept a male concubine, yet still came to provoke her young lady.

Qin Chu ignored the somewhat abnormal little maid and directly looked at Qiu Jinning, her eyes saying: Are you going to control your maid or not?

Expressionless, Qiu Jinning turned, entered the room, closed the door, and did not look back again.

Qin Chu wanted to follow again, but Luyao shadowed her every step, watching like a tiger eyeing its prey.

She sighed and stopped, her mind filled only with bewilderment. What had she done? And what was Qiu Jinning doing? So hard to understand…

The next day, Qin Chu went nowhere. She instructed Guanzi to prepare wine and dishes and waited for Qiu Shou’an to visit.

When she saw that Qiu Shou’an had not come alone, but had brought Gu San behind him, an uncertain thought rose in her heart. Perhaps Qiu Jinning really did find Qiu Shou’an unpleasant.

Because now she also found Qiu Shou’an unpleasant.

Qiu Shou’an did not know that the Qin family and Gu family were at odds. Seeing Qin Chu’s cold face and Gu San’s angry glare, he could not help remembering what Eldest Young Master Gu had said before he came: these two did not get along, and they were like children playing house, fighting whenever they met.

He did not take the exchange of looks between the two to heart and asked Qin Chu, “Where is Jinning?”

“Elder Brother, you are here.”

As soon as the voice fell, Qiu Jinning came over from the eastern side courtyard.

Seeing this, Qin Chu thought the timing was perfect. She no longer had to speak. She swept a glance at Gu San, and even her desire to properly host Qiu Shou’an disappeared.

Seeing that her elder brother had come together with Gu San, Qiu Jinning also froze for a moment.

“Sister Qiu, you came to the capital but haven’t gone to see me much. Since we parted last time, so many days have passed. I missed you.” Gu San did not treat herself as an outsider at all. Her gaze unnaturally glanced at Qiu Jinning’s right leg, and scrutiny flashed in her eyes.

She hugged Qiu Jinning’s arm, acting intimate as if they were still in Jiuqu County.

Seeing her behavior, Qin Chu’s face grew even colder. “Guanzi, serve the dishes.”

Qiu Jinning withdrew her arm. “Sit.”

She glanced at Qin Chu, knowing this person must be unhappy inside because of Gu San.

But the Qiu family and Gu family were related by marriage. The eldest daughter of the Gu family was her sister-in-law, and Gu San had come with her elder brother. She could not very well chase her out.

Several people took their seats. According to Qin Chu’s instructions, Guanzi poured wine and tea for them.

Across from them, Qiu Shou’an and Gu San both had wine in their cups, while Qin Chu and Qiu Jinning drank tea.

Qiu Shou’an did not think anything of it. If the women did not drink, then they did not drink. As long as his younger sister was happy.

But Gu San’s purpose was not that simple. Seeing Qin Chu and Qiu Jinning drink only tea, she raised her wine cup. “Aiya, this is the Qin Family Wine Pavilion’s fruit wine, isn’t it? It looks delicious. Miss Qin and Sister Qiu won’t drink?”

When it came to wine, she could not help feeling stifled.

The Gu family wine shop had opened, and they had watched as it snatched away part of the Qin family’s old customers. But then Qin Chu created that Qin Family Wine Pavilion and produced those fruit wines.

They had injured themselves by eight hundred, yet the enemy had not been hurt at all. Instead, the Qin family wine shop’s business was even more booming than before. The Gu family had not gained even the slightest advantage.

Qin Chu glanced sideways at her. “I don’t drink. Miss Qiu doesn’t drink either.”

Seeing this, Qiu Jinning gently nodded.

Gu San choked. She raised her head and drank the fruit wine in one gulp. Since she had never drunk this kind of sparkling wine before, it immediately made her throat choke.

“Cough, cough, cough. What is this thing? The taste is so strange. No wonder neither of you drink it.”

Qin Chu and Qiu Jinning exchanged a glance and each drank tea. No one paid attention to Gu San, who was deliberately looking for trouble.

Qiu Shou’an, sitting to the side, raised his brows and looked at the wine cup before him. Was it because it tasted bad that the hosts were not drinking?

That did not seem like something his younger sister would do.

He silently tried two sips. The mouthfeel was somewhat unusual, but it absolutely could not be called bad.

Qiu Shou’an put down the cup and remembered what the Gu siblings had told him. He looked at Qiu Jinning with concern. “I came today because I heard you offended the Second Prince. In the future, while moving about in the capital, you should make fewer enemies.”

Qiu Jinning nodded faintly and lowered her head to drink tea in small sips. She had no intention of explaining.

So Qiu Shou’an began lecturing again. “It is not that Elder Brother wants to criticize you, but the capital is different from Jiuqu County. You should be kind to others. Fortunately, Sister Gu has a close relationship with the Second Prince and came today specially as a mediator. The Second Prince has also said that he will let bygones be bygones. In the future, you must not be ignorant of what is important and offend noble people again.”

Qiu Jinning’s expression paused slightly. “I have made Elder Brother worry.”

She had no intention of explaining, but Qin Chu could not listen any longer. “Brother Qiu, where did you hear this news? Why is it different from what I understand?”