The Abused Female Protagonist In The Angst Novel Is Actually A White Lotus - Chapter 13

Ling Qingyi’s courtyard was utterly remote. No one would ever mistake such a place for the residence of a young noblewoman.

Shen Sijing stood outside the courtyard, peering inside. Weeds grew unchecked, and the room itself was dark and gloomy, barely better than a storage shed in the Prime Minister’s Residence.

“Qingqing, do you actually live here?” Shen Sijing asked, her voice trembling with disbelief. How could a young lady from an official’s family possibly reside in such a place?

Before Madam Ling could respond, one of her attendants quickly interjected, “Young Miss Shen, you may not be aware, but our Third Young Miss was raised in the countryside by her paternal relatives. When she first arrived at the Ling Residence, she was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar surroundings. The Madam felt that this humble dwelling would help her adjust more easily.”

“Silence! When did I ask for your opinion, you lowly servant?” Shen Sijing’s voice cut through the air like a sharpened blade. Though she maintained a frail demeanor, her words struck the attendant’s heart with the force of a blunt knife.

The attendant immediately knelt, her instincts for self-preservation kicking in. Everyone in the Shen family knew better than to cross them.

“Your reprimand is just, Young Miss. This servant acknowledges her error.”

Shen Sijing watched the trembling attendant kneel before her, showing no trace of pity. She raised her head and gestured for Yun Nian to help her inside.

Yun Nian glanced at Shen Sijing, then at the courtyard, unsure of what to say. “Young Miss… how can anyone live in this place? Your health is still fragile. Residing in such a damp, dark room could worsen your condition.”

Yun Nian’s words sounded comforting, but deep down, she truly believed this room was beneath her Young Miss’s dignity. Shen Sijing sighed in dismay, realizing even a servant girl knew this place was uninhabitable.

How could Madam Ling be so heartless?

Suddenly, dark clouds pressed down on the city, and gusts of stiflingly humid wind swept through. Yun Nian couldn’t bear to leave her Young Miss standing in the wind, so she gritted her teeth and helped Shen Sijing into the room. Though it looked pitch-black from outside, the interior wasn’t as frightening as she’d feared.
The furnishings were utterly spartan, likely castoffs even the servants wouldn’t deign to use. Shen Sijing closed her eyes, refusing to look around. Ling Qingyi, who had been walking ahead, abruptly stopped and slowly turned back.

“Sister Shen… I’m so sorry… I’m powerless to help you. You don’t deserve this.” As Ling Qingyi spoke, tears streamed down her face. Shen Sijing, who always struggled to cope with others’ tears, especially Ling Qingyi’s, quickly let go of Yun Nian’s arm and rushed to Ling Qingyi’s side. She clumsily wiped away the tears clinging to the corners of her eyes, but no matter how many times she said “It’s alright,” the words rang hollow.

The wind outside gradually intensified, its howling against the paper windows sounding like the wails of ghosts. Shen Sijing clutched her chest, her heart pounding. She had always avoided such scenes, yet now she was trapped in the midst of one.

“Sister, I won’t cry anymore. You… you don’t look well…” Ling Qingyi’s tear-filled eyes gazed at Shen Sijing, her mature understanding only making her more heartbreaking.

Shen Sijing waved her hand, about to speak when a commotion erupted outside. Yun Nian, receiving a silent signal from her young mistress, hurried to the door to investigate.

What she saw brought relief at last: their savior had finally arrived.

“Madam! You’ve come!” Yun Nian nearly burst into tears of gratitude as she rushed to support Madam Shen, her face etched with concern. The more Madam Shen saw her distressed expression, the deeper her frown grew.

“What nonsense is this! When has Sijing ever suffered such injustice?” Madam Shen, resplendent in golden robes, had been hurrying home from a formal occasion when the worsening weather prompted her to return early. Upon learning from the servants that her eldest daughter had not yet returned, she immediately prepared a carriage and rushed here.

Her arrival was met with Madam Ling’s evasive stammering. After much persuasion, Madam Ling finally allowed a servant to escort Madam Shen to see her daughter. The more Madam Shen walked, the more her anger simmered. When Yun Nian came running toward her, disheveled and distraught, her fury reached its peak.

Madam Ling was utterly terrified. How had she not considered this? She frantically tried to explain, but Madam Shen wouldn’t listen. Lifting her skirts, Madam Shen strode into the room and glared at Shen Sijing, who sat on the tattered couch with a pale face. The sight filled her with fury.

Madam Shen hurried to Shen Sijing’s side, her eyes flashing as she glared Ling Qingyi away. She sat beside Shen Sijing, cradling her daughter with eyes full of heartache. “My poor girl… how could you have suffered such hardship?”

Only now did Madam Shen realize she couldn’t afford to be lenient with this family. In that moment, she resolved to make the Ling Residence pay dearly. She sighed deeply and helped Shen Sijing to her feet, guiding her toward the door.

Shen Sijing, however, didn’t want to return with Madam Shen. With each step, she glanced back, her meaning clear. But Madam Shen couldn’t understand why Shen Sijing valued Ling Qingyi so much. After all, every time Shen Sijing got close to someone named Ling, misfortune struck, repeatedly shattering her noble status.

Madam Shen suppressed her doubts and gently urged Shen Sijing, “Let’s go back first, shall we? Third Young Miss Ling will be fine.”

Ling Qingyi hesitated, watching Shen Sijing’s wavering expression. She knew that if Shen Sijing were truly taken away, her own life in the manor would become unbearable.

So she added fuel to the fire, “Sister Shen, please return to the manor without worry. I’m not seriously hurt. Whatever punishment Mother inflicts is only what I deserve.”

Her words were carefully crafted. On the surface, they seemed to discourage Shen Sijing from staying, but they subtly reminded her that she was still being targeted. If Shen Sijing left, Madam Ling would torment Ling Qingyi to death.

Hearing this, Shen Sijing quickly regained her composure. She clutched Madam Shen’s sleeve, her voice hoarse, “Mother… I want her to stay with me a little longer. I’ve never had any real friends.”

Shen Sijing knew that nothing else she said would matter. This final plea, however, struck Madam Shen’s Achilles’ heel. The woman had always felt guilty about her daughter’s isolation.

Madam Shen stopped in her tracks.

Madam Shen cast a deep glance at Ling Qingyi, her brow furrowing. The golden phoenix dangling hairpin, which had barely swayed before, now trembled violently in her hair, accentuating her inner turmoil.

“Let’s go,” she said. “I hope Madam Ling will allow Third Young Miss Ling to visit the Prime Minister’s Residence for a few days.”

Madam Ling, who had been nearly paralyzed with fear and was desperately trying to ingratiate herself with Madam Shen, seized upon these words as if they were a royal decree. She nodded frantically. “Of course… Madam, please make yourself at home. Ling Qingyi seems to enjoy the Prime Minister’s Residence and Sijing very much.”

Support