After the Second Playthrough, the CP-Less Female Lead Kneels and Begs Me for Forgiveness [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 28

Today, Madam Pei was exceptionally joyful.

Seated on a lounge chair in the main hall, she looked at her eldest daughter, Pei Ming, who stood tall and straight before her. Madam Pei’s eyes crinkled with delight.

She stood up and took Pei Ming’s hand. “Ming’er, Mother has been longing for your return as one longs for the stars and the moon. You are finally home.”

Pei Ming gave a faint smile. “Thank you for your concern, Mother.”

Madam Pei suddenly slapped her forehead. “Oh, look at my memory! Xiao Cui, hurry and set the table. Ming’er must be hungry.”

Pei Ming shook her head with a smile. “There is no need, Mother. I am not hungry right now.” She squeezed Madam Pei’s hand. “Mother, I am already fully aware of the matters you mentioned in your letter. I will certainly be able to resolve your worries.”

Madam Pei said repeatedly, “Good, good! As expected of my wonderful Ming’er.”

“By the way, Xi’er has reached the age for marriage. I see that the third young master of the Wang family has always been quite fond of her. Ming’er, what do you think about betrothing Xi’er to him?”

A faint smile remained on Pei Ming’s lips. Upon hearing this, she merely lowered her eyes and asked calmly, “Has Mother asked for Xi’er’s opinion?”

Madam Pei waved her hand dismissively. “You know how she is—you can’t get a word out of her even if you beat her with three sticks. Besides, with a parent’s command and a matchmaker’s word, she won’t refuse.”

Pei Ming lightly caressed the small bell at her waist and said warmly, “Everything is as Mother arranges.”

Madam Pei smiled and patted Pei Ming’s hand. “Alright, alright. Come, let’s go see your father.”

The two arrived at Pei Qing’s bedroom.

Pei Xi was keeping watch there. When she suddenly heard the approaching footsteps and Madam Pei’s gentle voice from outside the door, she knew that Pei Ming had come along.

The door opened. Pei Ming followed Madam Pei into the room and immediately spotted Pei Xi sitting beside Pei Qing.

With just a single glance, Pei Ming retracted her gaze and turned her attention to Pei Qing, who lay on the bed.

Madam Pei spoke to Pei Xi: “Xi’er, you go out first.”

“Yes.” Without any hesitation, Pei Xi stood up and walked out, gently closing the door behind her.

Madam Pei pulled back the bed curtains. Looking at the gaunt, withered man on the bed, she gave Pei Ming a meaningful look. Pei Ming stepped forward to examine him and then nodded.

Madam Pei let the curtains fall back into place.

Pei Ming whispered, “Father has already lost consciousness. The spell was very successful. Within two days, he will surely perish.”

Madam Pei smiled with satisfaction. She added, “We must keep him hanging on for now; otherwise, he might actually leave something behind for that wench.”

Pei Ming nodded. She took a talisman from her small bag, burned it into ash using a candle flame, and dropped the ashes into a cup of tea.

“Mother, give this to Father. It will keep him in this state for a few more days.”

Pei Ming handed the ash-filled tea to Madam Pei.

Without hesitation, Madam Pei walked over and poured the tea into Pei Qing’s mouth. “Pei Qing, I hate you to death.”

Years ago, the destruction of her family had been orchestrated by Pei Qing. He had coveted her beauty, but at the time, the Chen family was as wealthy as the Pei family. Unable to take her by force, Pei Qing sent men to kill her parents and set the Chen manor ablaze. All the Chen family’s shops and assets then fell to her.

She was only sixteen that year. Having experienced such a tragic ordeal, she was vulnerable to Pei Qing’s advances. She was deceived into marriage by this man and his honeyed words, and all of the Chen family’s assets ended up in his hands.

Over the years, whenever Pei Qing got drunk, he would beat people like a madman, only to act as if nothing had happened once he sobered up.

These truths were things Pei Qing had blurted out while intoxicated. God knows how much strength it took for her not to kill him on the spot.

Madam Pei poured the last of the talisman water down his throat and smiled contentedly.

Suddenly, Pei Qing’s eyes flew open. He grabbed Madam Pei’s wrist, startling her.

Pei Qing screamed in a hoarse voice, “Xiao Xi! I want Xiao Xi! Someone, find Xiao Xi for me immediately!!! Go!”

Madam Pei’s brow furrowed. She shook off Pei Qing’s grip with ease. Pei Qing continued to cry out, “Xiao Xi… I want Xiao Xi…” clearly delirious.

“Damn it. Just what kind of demon or monster is this Xiao Xi that Pei Qing is still calling for her even in this state?”

Madam Pei stood up and straightened her sleeves. “I want to see for myself if she really is some kind of fox spirit.” She ignored the babbling Pei Qing on the bed.

Madam Pei took Pei Ming’s hand. “My dear Ming’er, come with Mother to take a look.”

Pei Ming nodded.

The two headed toward the small, secluded courtyard where Shao Xibei lived.

Meanwhile, Pei Xi had already climbed over the wall, carrying a food container.

She arrived at Shao Xibei’s door and knocked twice softly.

A pleasant voice came from inside: “Is that Pei Xi?”

Pei Xi replied, “Auntie, it’s me.”

After she spoke, she heard light footsteps. Then, the door creaked open, and Shao Xibei slowly appeared before her.

Shao Xibei had a smile in her eyes. “Pei Xi, come in.”

Pei Xi entered silently and placed the food container on the table.

Shao Xibei closed the door. “Bringing me food again, I see.”

Pei Xi opened the container and began taking out the dishes one by one.

“Mhm. My father… he is ill. He won’t be able to come for a while.”

Pei Xi gave a brief explanation.

Shao Xibei leaned in and said with a grin, “Your father is sick, and you were afraid I’d go hungry?”

Pei Xi’s hand paused, and she nodded.

Shao Xibei chuckled twice. She sat down in a chair. “Xiao Xi is so kind. I just wonder if anything was added to the food.”

Pei Xi snapped her head up. Her voice trembled uncontrollably. “You… you knew.”

Pei Xi had essentially confessed. Shao Xibei only smiled. She picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of tofu, and put it in her mouth. Changing the subject, she asked, “Did Xiao Xi make this herself? It’s delicious.”

Pei Xi lowered her head again. She set out the last dish and sat down quietly. For a moment, the only sound in the room was Shao Xibei’s soft chewing.

Shao Xibei’s body was weak; she couldn’t eat much, even though the food Pei Xi brought was very light.

She put down her chopsticks and couldn’t help but cough twice. Blood came out with the cough.

Shao Xibei wiped it away with a handkerchief, a practiced motion. “The first time you came, you wanted to poison me to death, didn’t you?”

“But later, you swapped the poisoned food for safe food. Was it because you saw I was already dying?”

Pei Xi just hung her head and listened quietly.

“The second time, you poisoned it too. But in the end, you didn’t give the food to me. I don’t know the reason for that one.”

Hearing this, Pei Xi stood up abruptly. She said in a hoarse voice, “…Then why did you still let me in? You clearly… you clearly knew everything.”

Shao Xibei gave a nonchalant smile. “Because I won’t live long anyway, so it doesn’t matter. Plus, I find you quite likeable.”

Pei Xi clenched her fists. “You… you must hate me.” No one likes the person who tries to poison them.

At the thought of being hated by the person before her, a surge of sorrow welled up in Pei Xi’s heart—a grief so suffocating it felt physical.

The air grew still once more. Pei Xi pressed her lips together tightly, as if waiting for a final verdict.

Shao Xibei spoke slowly: “Take a guess.”

The words were spoken almost like a joke, but they caused the tension inside Pei Xi to snap, allowing her to relax abruptly.

“Can I… still make amends?” I don’t want you to hate me.

This was the first time Pei Xi had ever spoken in such a pleading tone.

Shao Xibei broke into a wide smile. “Of course you can.” In truth, she had only been bluffing to test Pei Xi; she hadn’t expected the girl to crumble so easily. However, she wasn’t angry. After all, the girl hadn’t gone through with it in the end, had she?

She had fed the leftovers from that night to a rat, and the rat was still alive even now.

Granted, that didn’t strictly prove Pei Xi hadn’t attempted poisoning—toxins come in fast and slow varieties, after all. But Shao Xibei didn’t have much time left to live regardless.

Shao Xibei picked up her chopsticks and took another bite of food.

Pei Xi mumbled, “Aren’t you… afraid I’ve poisoned it?”

Shao Xibei countered with a question: “Well, did you?”

After a long silence, Pei Xi slowly shook her head.

“Then it’s fine, isn’t it?” Shao Xibei said.

Pei Xi didn’t dare look Shao Xibei in the eye. She stared at the dishes before her, her inner thoughts a tangled mess.

Meanwhile, Madam Pei and Pei Ming arrived at the entrance of the secluded side courtyard.

A few guards were still stationed at the gate. Upon seeing the visitors, they hurriedly bowed. “Greetings, Madam Pei.”

They did not recognize Pei Ming standing behind her, so they only addressed the Madam.

Madam Pei smiled. “Gentlemen, the Master has fallen ill these past few days. He has asked me to bring word that you no longer need to stand guard here. You may go to the steward; he will settle your wages in full.”

The guards hesitated. Master Pei’s behavior last night had indeed been strange; usually, this place required a night watch, yet he had sent them home to rest yesterday evening.

They hadn’t seen Master Pei at all today.

Seeing their hesitation, Madam Pei continued, “You have worked hard during this time. I have instructed the steward to add an extra two taels of silver to your payout.”

The guards’ eyes widened instantly. They exchanged looks and quickly bowed in thanks. “Since the Madam puts it that way, we shall take our leave. However, if the Master asks, this…”

Madam Pei laughed. “Oh, the Master is the one who told me to say this. Why would he ask? Please, rest easy.”

One guard opened his mouth to say something more but was cut off by another. “Hahaha! In that case, we would be remiss to decline. We’ll be on our way. Farewell!”

He grabbed his companion and led the way out, with the rest of the men following suit.

Finally, only Madam Pei and Pei Ming remained outside the courtyard gate.

Pei Ming stepped forward, reached out, and pushed with force. The heavy doors slowly creaked open.

The interior of the courtyard was revealed.

Madam Pei took one look and immediately sneered. “And here I thought Pei Qing doted on her so much. To think he didn’t even arrange a decent courtyard for her.”

Madam Pei only noticed the physical state of the environment, but Pei Ming saw something entirely different.

Over the years, she had learned much from her master.

This world was inhabited not only by humans but also by ghosts.

Humans possess human qi, while ghosts possess ghostly qi.

Ghostly energy is invisible to ordinary people, drifting through the air and settling in all corners. Even in the cleanest of places, there is usually a trace of black mist invisible to the naked eye—ghostly energy, or what some call “bad luck” or “ill omens.”

Pei Ming had previously set up a formation around the Pei estate to dispel such energies, but because the formation hadn’t been reinforced in a long time, it had weakened. Faint, sparse traces of ghostly energy had begun to seep back into the Pei manor.

Yet, this specific courtyard was extraordinarily clean. There wasn’t a single trace of ghostly energy to be found.

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