Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 16: Handsome Youth in a Green Robe, Lad of White Jade

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Handsome Youth in a Green Robe, Lad of White Jade

Zhuang Xilan hadn’t expected this turn of events, either. Recalling how she had just been defending Qiaoyue, she suddenly grew flustered.

She immediately turned back, her brow furrowed in a stern expression. "Qiaoyue, how could you wrongfully accuse someone without getting the facts straight?"

"I..." Zhuang Qiaoyue was at a loss for words.

"Looks like the truth is out."

Song Lianhe clapped her hands. Staring at Zhuang Qiaoyue, she enunciated each word clearly. "Miss Zhuang, when you do something wrong, you have to own up to it. There’s no escaping."

She reached out and put an arm around Chao Junyu. "Apologize."

Chao Junyu looked up at her in surprise. He wanted to say it wasn’t necessary, but the hand on his shoulder gave him two gentle pats, telling him not to be afraid—she had his back.

In that moment, Chao Junyu couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.

It was the first time anyone had been kind to him since he’d become a wanderer, and the first time he had cried.

The boy silently swore an oath in his heart. ’From this day forward, I’ll follow this Fairy Sister. I’ll spend the rest of my life repaying her!’

Zhuang Qiaoyue wanted to dig in her heels and deny everything, but Zhuang Xilan quickly grabbed her and whispered, "Just endure it for now and this will all blow over. Don’t act on emotion."

After speaking, she pointedly glanced at the crowd. There were quite a few onlookers, all waiting to see how Zhuang Qiaoyue would react.

Zhuang Qiaoyue gritted her teeth. Though filled with resentment, she took a step forward and said perfunctorily, "I was wrong to accuse you."

’She was the daughter from the Vice Minister Mansion! When had she ever been so wronged?’

’At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to tear Song Lianhe to shreds!’

Song Lianhe knew when to quit while she was ahead. She scoffed, "Since Miss Zhuang has offered such a sincere apology, we’ll be the bigger person and not stoop to your level. Otherwise, a trip to see the Prefect is something that I, a County Princess, have no fear of!"

She turned, her voice full of pride. "Shuang Ye, Ah Yu, let’s go!"

"Yes!"

Shuang Ye replied with a smile, feeling as if she were walking on air.

The onlookers dispersed, and a furious Zhuang Qiaoyue grabbed the hairpin and slammed it onto the ground!

"Song Lianhe! You and I are now irreconcilable!"

Song Xiyue shielded her face with a handkerchief, turning slightly to avoid the full force of her rage.

Her gaze drifted to the trio—master and servants—up ahead, the suspicion in her heart growing stronger.

Song Lianhe took the boy she had just taken in to a clothing shop and bought him a new set of clothes, from the undergarments out.

When the boy walked out looking a bit shy, Song Lianhe’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

’A handsome youth in a green robe... like a young lord carved from white jade!’

’This boy is simply gorgeous!’

The boy had delicate features—clear eyes, red lips, and white teeth, his face as handsome as polished jade. But because of his long-term wandering and malnourishment, he was rail-thin and small for his age. Though he was already fourteen, he looked more like a pre-teen. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Shuang Ye circled him twice, gushing about how handsome he was.

Song Lianhe was feeling particularly generous and bought all the outfits he had tried on. The shopkeeper grinned from ear to ear, but Chao Junyu’s heart ached at the expense of all that Silver.

Song Lianhe laughed and pinched his cheek. "Our Ah Yu is so good-looking; spending Silver on you is money well spent."

Chao Junyu’s face instantly flushed red again. His senses were filled with his Fairy Sister’s sweet fragrance, and he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Song Lianhe had Shuang Ye take Chao Junyu back to the mansion to get him settled, saying she would shop a bit more before heading back herself.

But her shopping trip ended up lasting until after nightfall.

Song Lianhe stepped down from the hired carriage, paid the driver, and turned toward the General Mansion’s front gate. To her surprise, the gate was shut tight, already bolted for the night.

She walked up and knocked with the beast-faced ring on the gate. "Hello? Anyone there? Open up!"

After a long delay, an impatient voice called out from within, "The Madam has given an order! The General Mansion’s curfew cannot be violated."

"I am a young lady of the General Mansion. How could I not know about a curfew in my own residence?"

"This is a new rule the Madam enacted earlier. My apologies, Second Miss."

Song Lianhe stared at the towering red gate. "I will ask only once: are you going to open this gate or not?"

The voice from inside drawled, "Second Miss, we servants are only following orders."

Without another word, Song Lianhe turned and walked away.

Not long after she left, Shuang Ye’s voice came from behind the gate. "Has the Second Miss returned yet?"

The gatekeeper answered impatiently, "No, no."

"Gatekeeper, sir, can you please let me out to find my lady? It’s so late, I’m worried something’s happened to her..."

"The Madam’s orders: during the curfew, no one is permitted to leave the mansion without authorization. Anyone who violates this will get thirty strikes with the plank before being kicked out!"

"But..."

"If you don’t want a taste of the plank, then get lost! Stop making a scene here!"

Outside the mansion gates, just as Song Lianhe walked away, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

She had intended to find an inn for the night, but when she fumbled for her purse, she realized all her Silver was gone. At that very moment, dark clouds blotted out the sky, and thunder began to roll ominously.

Song Lianhe looked up at the sky, on the verge of laughing from sheer exasperation. ’Are you serious?’