Chapter 11: Endless Aftertaste

Ahhhh, Zhang Yuge, I’m going to tear you to pieces!

Zhang Qingyao, who often frequented the pleasure quarters in her past life, knew exactly what she had swallowed.

She wanted to break free, to spit out that filthy, disgusting thing completely.

But Zhang Yuge pressed her head down firmly with both hands.

“Ugh, take your hands off, you’re pushing against my throat, it’s so uncomfortable…”

Stimulated by her tonsils, Zhang Qingyao started coughing violently.

“?!”

Zhang Yuge immediately reacted, pretending to cough louder to cover up her sounds.

“Yao’er, why are you coughing so badly? Are you sick?”

Lin Yi asked with a worried face.

Zhang Yuge shook his head.

“It’s nothing, Mother. Maybe caught a bit of a cold, no big deal.”

“Hmph, it must be Zhong Bailing… That bitch Zhang Qingyao didn’t take good care of you, causing you to get sick. I’ll have her transferred right away and make her carry heavy loads.”

Under the table, Zhang Qingyao listened and felt even more wronged.

Why is it always me?

It’s clearly Zhang Yuge’s fault!

It reminded her of the past when her own mother was like this—blindly protecting Zhang Yuge just as she was now.

In Lin Yi’s eyes, no matter how much Zhang Qingyao twisted facts, it seemed the servants were always at fault.

At this moment, Zhang Qingyao seemed to understand a little about how the servants who had served her before must have felt.

“Mother, it’s my own fault, really has nothing to do with her.”

Zhang Yuge tried hard to defend Zhang Qingyao, and only then did Lin Yi stop.

“Sigh, I’ll let it go this time, but if she dares to neglect you again and makes you sick, I won’t let her off.”

“Of course,”

Zhang Yuge nodded quickly.

Zhang Qingyao’s feelings were complicated.

She had listened through the whole thing as Zhang Yuge stood up for her.

In the past, when Lin Yi scolded the servants around Zhang Qingyao, she never once spoke up for them or helped them out.

But now, Zhang Yuge actively defended her, speaking on her behalf, and it felt like a clear contrast in status.

After calming Lin Yi’s anger, Zhang Yuge changed the subject.

“Mother, regarding the letter from the Ye family, what do the clan elders plan to do?”

“Mother doesn’t know either; the elders are still discussing strategies in the council.”

“Do you know the fiancé of Zhong Bailing?”

“Mother doesn’t know much, only that his name is Ye Xichen, the son of the Ye family head. He reached Qi Refining Level Three when he was seven.”

“Seven years old at Qi Refining Level Three? Isn’t that even stronger than Zhang Qing… than Brother? Then is there really any need for him to be betrothed to Zhang Qingyao?”

Zhang Yuge was surprised.

That guy was really powerful?

“The unfortunate thing is, Ye Xichen is now sixteen and still at Qi Refining Level Three. Meaning his cultivation hasn’t progressed since he was seven.”

Good grief, haven’t I seen this kind of story somewhere before?

“I see. Mother, you said that the five great families usually intermarry.”

“This Ye Xichen is precisely because of his stagnant strength that the other four families rejected him, forcing him to reluctantly get betrothed to the Zhong family.”

“Yes,”

Lin Yi nodded.

“But the problem is, the letter from the Ye family said that Zhong and Ye were already betrothed a month ago. They didn’t notify our Zhang family, otherwise you wouldn’t have gone to Qingyang to propose. So, the elders suspect this was a scheme targeting the Zhang family from the start.”

“I understand now.”

Seeing the girl under the desk seem to settle down, Zhang Yuge freed his hands, picked up the letter, and handed it back to Lin Yi.

“Mother, whatever decision the family makes in the end, I have no objections.”

Lin Yi took the letter, carefully studying Zhang Yuge’s expression.

But she saw no trace of disappointment or regret on his face.

Her lips trembled slightly as she hesitated, then turned and left with the letter in hand.

As Lin Yi finally left, Zhang Yuge breathed a sigh of relief.

Leaning back, he looked at the girl kneeling below with a pleased smile.

“Yao’er, if you don’t want to be given away, it’s fine, Mother supports you.”

Lin Yi reached the door, then suddenly turned back and encouraged Zhang Yuge from afar.

“Mm, thank you, Mother.”

Zhang Yuge had been thinking of teasing Zhang Qingyao with some words but was startled to find Lin Yi hadn’t yet left.

After confirming Lin Yi was gone, Zhang Yuge finally dropped the act and showed his true colors.

“Xiao Yao, isn’t the young master’s little thing delicious? Look at you, still unwilling to let go.”

Zhang Yuge gently patted Zhang Qingyao’s head.

Zhang Qingyao was actually spacing out, because she heard Zhang Yuge say no matter what the family decided, he had no objections.

She worried whether she would be sent to the Ye family to marry that Ye family young master.

What made her even sadder was that even without her big brother, Zhong Bailing wouldn’t choose to be with her and would rather pick that Ye family young master.

“Sit down.”

Zhang Yuge helped Zhang Qingyao onto his desk chair and let her have her breakfast.

“Eat it quickly while it’s hot. It won’t taste good once it’s cold.”

“Um, Young Master… I want to wash up first, is that okay?”

Zhang Qingyao stammered.

“No, just eat like this.”

As the situation became clear, Zhang Yuge showed a malicious grin.

“You worked so hard just now; you should like the taste of the young master’s flavor. Having breakfast can help you savor it again, isn’t that nice?”