Hidden Shadow – CH 011

Chapter Eleven: Things Have Gone Wrong

“You! You!” Mo Sigui threw down his folding fan and reached for his belt. “You wait, I will show you what true magnificence is!”

An Jiu crossed her arms, looking like she was enjoying the spectacle.

How could a young lady act like this? Mo Sigui decided to scare her.

Mei Jiu had taken a nap and woke up to find herself in the red maple forest, with Mo Sigui in front of her, his face contorted with rage as he unbuckled his belt. Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively covered her face, screaming, “You pervert! You pervert!”

Mo Sigui quickly reached out to cover her mouth. He had not intended to strip naked; he just wanted to test how long she could keep up the act.

The patriarch and elders, who were discussing matters in the main hall, were startled by the scream and then rose to their feet.

Standing at the entrance of the main hall, they saw Wen-Cui supporting the trembling Mei Jiu, while Mo Sigui frantically fastened his belt opposite them.

“What happened?” the patriarch asked Wen-Cui as he approached.

Wen-Cui, skilled in martial arts, could hear their conversation from two zhang away, but she knew that if her young lady’s words were overheard by the elders, she would face dire consequences. “My Young Lady came out of the main hall, and the young master stopped her, saying he had something to ask her. I avoided him and only rushed over when I heard her scream. I saw… I saw the young master, his clothes disheveled, embracing my young lady…”

“Mo Sigui! Explain yourself to me! What exactly happened?” Elder Zhi roared in fury. He had not taken on any disciples for seven years, and now that he had, one had been taken in and then molested! This was outrageous! Did they think he was dead?!

“It’s all a misunderstanding! Fourteenth Young Lady said she wanted to see… to see…” Mo Sigui realized that explaining would only make things worse, so he quickly stopped and looked at Fourteenth Young Lady pleadingly.

Who knew that what he saw almost made him vomit blood—the girl who had just been exuding such a domineering aura was now cowering in her maid’s arms, trembling and weeping uncontrollably!

“Help Fourteenth Young Lady back to rest first,” the family head said to Wen-Cui, then turned to Mo Sigui. “You come with me.”

Mo Sigui followed, glancing pleadingly at Elder Qi as he went.

Elder Qi was actually just a passive observer, showing no sign of schadenfreude whatsoever, which terrified Mo Sigui.

He was an outsider, orphaned at a young age and raised in Meihua Lane. He did not know what stroke of luck had brought him to Elder Qi’s notice, allowing him to enter the Mei Clan Academy. If his frivolous behavior angered Elder Zhi today, his admission would most likely be ruined!

Mo Sigui gritted his teeth inwardly: Mei Ruxue! “If I do not get into the clan school, I will make sure you suffer!”

At this moment, he hated Mei Jiu intensely. It was not that he blamed her entirely, but he found her alternating shyness, arrogance, and feigned pitifulness utterly despicable and hateful!

Mei Jiu, still shaken, was carried back to Yuwei Residence, and it took her a while to recover.

“Hey!” An Jiu snapped, “Can you tell me what’s wrong that’s making you wail like this?!” The sudden, violent reaction in Mei Jiu’s heart had almost shattered her soul, followed by a prolonged period of irregular beatings, which An Jiu, accustomed to a steady heartbeat, found difficult to handle.

An Jiu had not been enraged in many years, but now she wanted to pick up an M134 and blast Mei Jiu to smithereens.

Mei Jiu was startled. “Why are you yelling so loudly?!”

“Damn it, what else can I do besides yell? You’ve pushed my limits of tolerance for idiocy!” The feeling of utter paralysis drove An Jiu to a frenzy. She’d rather have been blown to the bone and died than endure this torture!

Thinking of the word “torture,” An Jiu quickly calmed herself: it was not that there was no chance of escape; this was just a trial. How could she even consider backing down?! She had never shown the slightest fear in the face of challenges!

The thought flashed through her mind, and An Jiu said calmly, “Your cousin did not mean any harm; he was just teasing you. But your wailing just now alerted the elders, and his future might be ruined.” Mei Jiu, her eyes brimming with tears from An Jiu’s outburst, was about to unleash a torrent of abuse when she suddenly froze.

“I am asking you, did you see him naked?” An Jiu patiently guided her.

Mei Jiu said awkwardly, “No.”

“Did he touch you inappropriately?” An Jiu asked again.

Mei Jiu thought carefully. Mo Sigui had covered her mouth after she screamed, so she honestly replied, “No, he did not either.”

An Jiu said, “There are priorities. Why could you not wait and figure out the situation before reacting?”

Hearing An Jiu’s tone, it seemed like a trivial matter. Mei Jiu immediately retorted righteously, “A woman’s reputation and chastity are more important than life itself!”

“…” There was no way to reason with her!

Today’s events also made An Jiu reflect. Her rash actions without understanding the situation were the cause of the incident. Furthermore, she was not one to tolerate such behavior. Being harassed, she certainly would not let the person get away unscathed. However, since she dared to provoke Mo Sigui, she must have the ability to clean up the mess, but Mei Jiu might not be capable of doing so.

It seemed I would have to keep a low profile from now on…

“Alright, I was also at fault. The damage has been done, so we have to clean up the mess…”

Mei Jiu was pleased.

The two seemed to be in perfect sync for the first time. After a pause, they said simultaneously:

“Then I will explain to the family head and clear my cousin’s name.”

“Kill him, to eliminate future troubles.”

After a long silence, Mei Jiu asked in surprise, “You… what did you say? This was our fault; how could you treat my cousin like this?”

An Jiu believed it was her fault, but for some reason, when Mei Jiu used “we,” a ripple stirred deep within her soul. She paused, then asked the opinion of the person she considered an ‘idiot.’ “In situations like this, should we not usually prioritize our own interests?”

Mei Jiu said urgently, “Putting aside the fact that he’s my cousin, that’s a life. Murder is punishable by death. Besides, he might not even hold a grudge!”

An Jiu snorted, “Then we will see how you behave. If you startle me again next time, I will kill you without hesitation.”

“Alright.” Mei Jiu readily agreed.

By evening, Wen-Cui had learned of the family’s punishment of Mo Sigui.

Mo Sigui had failed the family examination and was barred from entering the family, ineligible for inclusion in the family genealogy, and also ineligible for the family school.

Upon hearing this news, Mei Jiu’s face turned deathly pale. Because of her uninformed scream, Mo Sigui’s chance to establish himself in the Mei Clan had been ruined!

“No! I…”

Before Mei Jiu could finish speaking, An Jiu interrupted her, “Going there now will only get you into trouble; it will not do you any good.” An Jiu admitted her mistake, but that did not mean he felt guilty towards Mo Sigui. After all, it takes two to tango; if he had not acted so frivolously, he would not have fallen into the trap he had dug.

“Ask Wen-Cui about Mo Sigui’s background,” An Jiu said.