Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Meeting of Love Rivals
Chapter 574: Meeting of Love Rivals
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
At the Ning Residence.
The head maid, Chunli, entered the study and bowed respectfully, reporting, “Young Master, Jiao Qinqin is looking for you.”
She wore a look of disdain. Jiao Qinqin abandoned the Young Master without a word back then. Why was she seeking him out now? Was she being shameless?
“Jiao Qinqin?” Ning Yuting had almost forgotten that name. After a moment’s recollection, he said, “Tell her I’m not available to see her.”
Chunli hesitated, “Young Master, I’ve already said that, but she insists on seeing you. She threatened to go to Miss Qingyue if you refuse.”
Ning Yuting’s expression darkened, and after a pause, he ordered, “Bring her in.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Led by Chunli, Jiao Qinqin approached the study. She looked around the Ning Residence as if she owned the place.
Chunli glanced at her with evident distaste. “Madam Liu, please wait here. Our Young Master is currently busy with something.”
Jiao Qinqin was impatient to wait for Ning Yuting. In her heart, Ning Yuting was a man she had abandoned. How could he put on airs in front of her? “Ning Yuting, come out quickly…”
Ning Yuting sat in his chair, engrossed in a book, completely ignoring Jiao Qinqin.
Jiao Qinqin became more aggressive, “Ning Yuting, can’t you hear me? 1 told you to come out!”
Chunli intervened, “Madam Liu, Young Master is busy planning his marriage. Please keep your voice down.”
Jiao Qinqin glared at Chunli, “Why should I lower my voice? He’s deliberately ignoring me. Can’t 1 even call him?”
Chunli muttered under her breath, “No one asked you to come, though.”
Jiao Qinqin pushed Chunli and scolded, “You wretched maid, who are you to talk back to me?”
Chunli didn’t want to cause trouble for Ning Yuting, so she endured, “Madam Liu, please behave yourself!”
“Get lost!” She kept calling her Madam Liu. Wasn’t this reminding her to pay attention to her identity as a married woman? How annoying!
At that moment, the door opened, and Ning Yuting appeared. His dark pupils were emotionless as he looked at Jiao Qinqin like a stranger, speaking coldly, “What do you want?”
Jiao Qinqin gazed at Ning Yuting, noting his handsome face and tall, straight figure, far more attractive than her husband, Liu Wenzhao.
Her demeanor softened in an instant, “Yuting, I heard you’re getting married. I came to offer my congratulations.”
Ning Yuting replied indifferently, “Thank you.”
Jiao Qinqin, mistaking Ning Yuting’s lack of enthusiasm as reluctance to marry Chu Qingyue, assumed, “Yuting, are you unhappy about getting married? You don’t have to marry a farmer’s daughter just to repay a favor. This is a matter of a lifetime; you must think it through.”
Ning Yuting was speechless.
Jiao Qinqin continued, “If you truly don’t want to, you should break off the engagement now. Otherwise, it’ll affect your entire life.”
“Enough,” Ning Yuting interrupted her. “Who said I don’t want to marry Qingyue? She’s the woman I want to marry most.” He was relieved not to have married Jiao Qinqin; her thought process was appalling. “You should leave now. Qingyue will be unhappy to know you’ve come to see me.”
Jiao Qinqin was stunned, “What did you just say? You’re asking me to leave? Yuting, how can you tell me to leave?”
Ning Yuting really wanted to throw her out of the mansion, “Why can’t I?
You’re not part of the Ning family.”
Jiao Qinqin pointed at herself, incredulous, “1 was once your fiancee. Are you so heartless?”
Ning Yuting was speechless.
He turned and entered his study, slamming the door shut, “Chunli, see the guest out.”
Chunli, feeling insufficient for the task alone, called two sturdy maids for assistance, “Please escort Madam Liu out.”
Jiao Qinqin banged on the door, “Yuting, you can’t treat me like this! Yuting, I haven’t finished talking…”
The two sturdy maids, one on each side, dragged Jiao Qinqin towards the entrance.
At the entrance.
Chu Qingyue had bought some items for Ning Yuting and came to deliver them. Arriving at the gate, she saw two maids escorting a lady out.
“Let me go, let me go…” Jiao Qinqin struggled, but she was no match for the two robust maids and was eventually thrown outside the gate.
She had just steadied herself when she saw Chu Qingyue standing nearby.
The maids of Ning Residence didn’t recognize Chu Qingyue, so they just glanced at her without any further action.
Jiao Qinqin, who had secretly met Chu Qingyue before, became arrogant upon seeing her alone, “Isn’t this Yuting’s fiancee?”
Chu Qingyue looked at Jiao Qinqin with unfamiliarity, furrowing her brows.
She didn’t know this lady, yet her first words were so pointed.
Her words reminded the maids who hadn’t gone far. Chunli quickly turned and approached Chu Qingyue politely, “Are you Miss Qingyue?”
Chu Qingyue nodded, “Yes, I am. Is your Young Master at home? I bought some things for him while shopping and wanted to give them to him.”
Jiao Qinqin sneered sarcastically, “What good things can a village girl buy? Yuting is from a wealthy family; he has seen it all. Aren’t you afraid of embarrassing yourself?”
Chunli, annoyed by Jiao Qinqin, led Chu Qingyue into the residence, “Young Master is at home. 1’11 take you to him.”
Jiao Qinqin ran over to block them, “Chu Qingyue, Yuting is only marrying you out of gratitude. Know what’s good for you and break off the engagement yourself.”
“What did you say?” Chu Qingyue initially didn’t want to engage with Jiao Qinqin, but she couldn’t ignore her words about the core issue.
“Wasn’t 1 clear enough?” Jiao Qinqin thought she had hit Chu Qingyue’s weak spot and looked smug.
Chunli quickly interjected, “Miss Qingyue, don’t listen to her nonsense. You know best how Young Master feels about you. Could anyone fake it so well?”
Chu Qingyue faced Jiao Qinqin squarely, “Who are you? Why are you saying this?”
Jiao Qinqin, assuming a superior air, said, “Didn’t Yuting tell you? I’m Jiao Qinqin, his former fiancee.”
“Your engagement with Young Master was canceled long ago. Don’t talk nonsense.” Chunli urged, “Miss Qingyue, she’s now Madam Liu and has nothing to do with Young Master.”
Ning Yuting had told Chu Qingyue about Jiao Qinqin, “Yuting has mentioned you. Heartless and faithless, shifting affections easily, marrying someone else while your fiance was missing. How dare you still claim to be Yuting’s fiancee?”
Jiao Qinqin’s smug expression slowly faded, and she stiffened, “Yuting said that about me?”
Chu Qingyue met Jiao Qinqin’s gaze, “Isn’t that clear?”
Jiao Qinqin, furious, retorted, “Chu Qingyue, don’t be so smug. You’re just a peasant trying to become a phoenix. Yuting doesn’t truly want to marry you. You’ll suffer in the future.”
Chu Qingyue responded firmly, “Whether 1 suffer or not is none of your business. Take care of yourself.”
Jiao Qinqin sneered, “Just wait, Chu Qingyue!”