After the Second Playthrough, the CP-Less Female Lead Kneels and Begs Me for Forgiveness [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 31

Shao Xibei didn’t cough on purpose; she simply couldn’t help it.

To her surprise, before she could even speak, Madame Pei was already visibly incensed. It was as if Shao Xibei’s very presence was an affront.

Madame Pei seemed to have no intention of saving face for Shao Xibei in front of guests. She sneered, “What? Is being cooped up with the Master every day not enough for you? You’ve followed him all the way to the main hall now?”

“I believe the Master told you not to leave that side courtyard by even a single step.”

The Wang husband and wife exchanged a glance. Their years of shared understanding told them that this was not the time to stay.

Madame Wang cleared her throat awkwardly and stood up. “Madame Pei, we still have shop ledgers to review at home. Since you are busy, we won’t disturb you further.”

Master Wang nodded vigorously beside her.

Facing them, Madame Pei’s smile became significantly more genuine.

“In that case, Yuhua won’t keep you any longer. Regarding the wedding…”

Master Wang slapped the table and laughed. “Haha, in-law, didn’t we just set the date? When the time comes, my son Chen’er guarantees an eight-carrier sedan to marry Xi’er into the Wang family with the utmost dignity.”

Madame Pei stood up. “Good, good. I shall see our two in-laws to the door.”

Master Wang was about to agree when Madame Wang quickly interjected, “Just have a servant lead the way. You should attend to your own matters first, in-law.”

Throughout their conversation, the three of them never spared a single glance toward Shao Xibei and the others.

Shao Xibei’s gaze drifted over the three chatting figures. From their brief exchange, she grasped the gist of what was happening.

Standing in the center of the hall, her voice wasn’t loud, but it successfully halted their conversation.

“Why… don’t any of you ask Pei Xi if she is willing?”

Pei Xi clenched her fists. She hadn’t expected Shao Xibei’s first words to be these. Her heart was filled with a strange, tumultuous emotion.

However, upon hearing this, Madame Pei looked on in disbelief. She mocked, “What does my daughter have to do with you? Who are you to speak here?”

She was truly incredulous; she never expected this woman would dare to say such a thing.

Shao Xibei merely repeated, “Regarding marriage, why not ask the other party if they are willing?” Her eyes were dark and deep, seemingly impenetrable even by the sunlight.

Shao Xibei stared quietly at Madame Pei. Her eyebrows and hair were jet black, yet her skin was unnaturally pale. The striking contrast of these colors created a powerful visual impact. Her frame was thin—exaggeratedly so, like a sheet of paper.

Being watched like this, Madame Pei inexplicably felt a chill creep into her heart.

Realizing she felt intimidated, Madame Pei spat fiercely. Damn it, this woman really is sinister.

The Wang family sensed the atmosphere turning increasingly sour. The couple grabbed their son—who had been hanging his head the entire time—hastily bid farewell to Madame Pei amidst the strange tension, and fled.

The servants in the hall stood silently in the distance, heads bowed low.

Madame Pei no longer bothered with pretenses. Pei Qing’s death was a certainty; the Pei estate would fall into her hands sooner or later.

“You wench! It wasn’t enough to bewitch my husband; now you want to take my daughter too?! I’ll teach you a lesson today!” With the Wangs gone, Madame Pei dropped her mask entirely.

“My daughter’s marriage is my decision. It is the command of parents and the word of matchmakers. What right does she have to disagree?!”

Even though Pei Xi had long been disillusioned with her mother, hearing these words still made her heart turn cold. The contrast only made Shao Xibei’s kindness feel more precious.

Pei Xi suddenly spoke up: “Mother, are you really my mother?” This was a question she had asked herself in the dead of every night. This time, perhaps because someone was by her side, she finally asked it aloud to Madame Pei.

These words completely ignited Madame Pei’s fury. “Pei Xi, you’ve completely rebelled! Damn it, you must have been bewitched by this woman!”

She lunged toward Shao Xibei, raising her hand to deliver a slap.

She had clearly forgotten how Shao Xibei had pinned her down the day before, rendering her unable to move.

Predictably, Shao Xibei caught Madame Pei’s wrist with ease.

“Let go of me! Since ancient times, it is natural for a wife to discipline a concubine! You are revolting!” Madame Pei was both furious and frantic.

Shao Xibei frowned. The title “concubine” was irritating. For once, she felt inclined to explain. “Madame Pei, I want to tell you one thing: I have no relationship with Pei Qing.”

“As for why Pei Qing claimed I was a concubine he took in, I don’t know.”

Madame Pei didn’t believe a word of it. “Heh, do you think I’m blind? These past days, Pei Qing has been running to your quarters daily, staying for half an hour at a time. A lone man and woman… don’t you find your words laughable?”

Shao Xibei fell silent. She indeed had no evidence to prove that she and Pei Qing were merely chatting—or rather, that Pei Qing was one-sidedly chatting at her.

Shao Xibei pulled back her thoughts. She suddenly noticed that even though she was holding Madame Pei like this, the surrounding servants remained motionless, their heads still slumped.

Shao Xibei suddenly shoved Madame Pei’s hand away. A bamboo flute streaked through the air; had she not let go, her hand would likely have been broken.

The flute missed its target, curved in mid-air, and flew back.

A pair of slender hands caught the flute steadily.

Madame Pei looked over and cried out, “Ming’er, why are you here?”

It was Pei Ming.

Pei Ming walked in slowly. She said, “I heard from the servants that Xi’er brought a strange woman here.”

Meeting for the second time, Pei Ming’s gaze remained fixed on Shao Xibei.

The gaze was so direct that even Pei Xi noticed. She didn’t like Shao Xibei being stared at like that, so she took two steps forward to shield her. However, Pei Xi ignored the difference in their height and build; being a head shorter, it wasn’t exactly easy to block the view.

Still… the scent of the dead.

In her heart, Pei Ming had grown curious about Shao Xibei. This person truly had no “Qi” within her body.

Pei Ming was born with the ability to see things ordinary people could not. Because of this special talent, she had been chosen by her master and taken away to train. Every living person has “Qi” centered in their chest. It is the energy of life, usually gray for ordinary people.

Those who do evil things become tainted with “misfortune,” causing their life energy to turn black—the darker and thicker it is, the more evil deeds they have committed. Conversely, if someone does many good deeds, the gray energy turns white.

Usually, the only time Pei Ming saw a total absence of this energy was in a corpse.

Being stared at by Pei Ming made Shao Xibei feel annoyed. Ever since she woke up, her emotions had been flat, but Pei Ming’s inquisitive gaze made her feel uncharacteristically uncomfortable.

So, she said, “Madame Pei, can you control your eldest daughter? Her eyeballs are about to fall out onto me.”

Madame Pei had indeed noticed Pei Ming staring since she entered, but she believed Pei Ming always had a reason for her actions. Hearing Shao Xibei’s remark, she sneered unkindly, “Heh, Ming’er looking at you is giving you face.”

Shao Xibei visibly rolled her eyes. Because she was beautiful, the gesture looked rather cute. “Does your eldest daughter have that kind of preference?”

Madame Pei’s brow furrowed, and she was about to lash out.

Pei Ming spoke up, offering a faint smile. “If I say yes, what would the lady do then?” Pei Ming looked elegant and ethereal, possessing the air of a celestial being; her words made it impossible to tell if she was joking or serious.

Shao Xibei fell into a rare silence. She never expected Pei Ming to actually admit it.

Pei Xi, however, didn’t understand the underlying meaning of those words, but she etched the conversation into her memory.

Madame Pei’s expression was a kaleidoscope of emotions—turning blue, then white, then red. It was quite a comical sight.

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