Cheng Xiran's eyes flickered slightly, then she pretended to be cold and turned her head. She witnessed with her own eyes that Helian Duo threw Xiao Qi away.
There was a slight change in her complexion, but it was only for a moment.
"Don't think the prince doesn't know anything. You'd better do as she says. If you staged all this by yourself, the prince won't spare you."
He always had the ability to speak harsh words in the calmest tone. Perhaps this was the confidence of a person of his noble status. Unlike Cheng Xiran, who had to pretend.
Xiao Qi knew that she had really caused trouble this time, but where could she find it? She just thought that Cheng Xiran's writing was far better than hers, so she resorted to such a strategy. Even if she wanted to recite it now, she couldn't, for her mind was blank and she had long forgotten what Cheng Xiran had written.
Xiao Qi began to sob with her head down, as if Cheng Xiran had bullied her.
Cheng Xiran, however, coldly asked Helian Duo, "Why did you follow me here?"
"Afraid you'll cause trouble." Helian Duo sat down beside her.
Cheng Xiran also sat down. There was a strange warmth in her heart, but she was still angry with Helian Duo.
"Xiao Qi, if you want to get out of this safely, clarify it in front of everyone. Otherwise, swords and arrows are merciless."
Cheng Xiran issued her final ultimatum. After a long silence, Xiao Qi looked up at her and said, "Cheng Xiran, do you think you're so great? Your article is actually just so - so."
"Yeah, it's just so - so. Then why did you slander me and make trouble out of nothing..." Cheng Xiran squinted at her and continued, "I didn't come here today to argue with you, but you insisted on challenging my patience again and again. If you don't mind, I can tell everyone exactly what happened back then and let everyone judge. Let them see how cruel the seemingly weak Xiao Qi is inside."
"Qi'er, what's going on... Why is the prince here too?"
Suddenly, an old voice came to their ears. Cheng Xiran looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle - aged man in formal clothes.
Seeing his extraordinary bearing and righteous look, she guessed in her heart that he should be the Grand Tutor himself.
"Daddy, this Cheng Xiran bullied me!"
Cheng Xiran almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. How could she be so shameless?
Just as she was about to defend herself, Helian Duo stood up and stepped in front of her. He said coldly, "If the Grand Tutor trusts the prince, please step aside and let the prince explain the situation, so as not to make a wrong judgment."
The Grand Tutor invited Helian Duo aside.
Cheng Xiran crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking calm and composed, which made Xiao Qi extremely annoyed.
"What kind of seductive means did you use to bewitch the prince?"
Cheng Xiran shrugged pretending to be innocent and sighed, "How would I know? The Regent, who has always been indifferent to women, came forward for a weak woman like me. If you really want to know why, why don't you ask him yourself?"
Cheng Xiran did it on purpose, and Xiao Qi could hear it.
She really didn't understand why, although she and Helian Duo had been childhood sweethearts, she couldn't compete with the short - term acquaintance between the two of them.
Even more surprisingly, when Cheng Xiran used to pursue Helian Duo, he ignored her. Why was the situation like this now? So Xiao Qi couldn't help but suspect that Cheng Xiran had used some means secretly.
After all, she had read a lot of books. Maybe she had seen some evil spells in a book and secretly practiced them.
Seeing that Xiao Qi didn't reply but just looked aggrieved, Cheng Xiran felt nauseous and didn't look at her anymore.
Not long after, the Grand Tutor and Helian Duo walked over together.
The Grand Tutor bowed to Cheng Xiran and apologized, "I'm sorry, Miss Cheng. I apologize to you on behalf of Qi'er. From now on, I guarantee that such things will never happen again. Please forgive her willful behavior this time. I will definitely educate her well later..."
Xiao Qi frowned slightly and said coquettishly, "Daddy, what are you doing?"
"Shut up! I'll teach you a lesson later. Hurry up and apologize to Miss Cheng!"
The Grand Tutor immediately scolded her.
Xiao Qi rarely saw her father get angry. For the moment, she could only reluctantly apologize to Cheng Xiran. It was obvious that she was not sincere. Cheng Xiran was too lazy to pursue the matter and just gave a soft "um".
Helian Duo also said, "Thank you, Grand Tutor. This was originally not a big deal. It's enough to clarify it."
The Grand Tutor shook his head with a look of shame on his face, "Your Highness, what are you saying? It's almost noon. Your Highness and Miss Cheng might as well stay for lunch?"
Helian Duo looked at Cheng Xiran. Seeing that she had no intention of staying, he declined politely, "I still have some urgent official business to deal with. We'll get together another day."
After saying that, he winked at Cheng Xiran beside him, signaling her to bow before leaving.
Cheng Xiran obediently bowed to the Grand Tutor, "I was also wrong in today's incident. I shouldn't have scared people with a sword. I won't do it again in the future. I hope the Grand Tutor will forgive me."
Saying that, she bowed to the Grand Tutor. Without waiting for Helian Duo, she turned around and left directly.
After all, she was still angry because she didn't think she had done anything wrong.
After leaving the Xiao Mansion, she didn't feel happy. Instead, she felt even angrier. Mainly because Xiao Qi had falsely accused her, but in the end, a few words of apology had resolved the matter. Did she think this was a game? She was already an adult. Didn't she know how to be responsible for what she said?
She had actually expected that this matter shouldn't end like this. At least Xiao Qi shouldn't have apologized to her so perfunctorily.
Cheng Xiran threw the long sword to the side, and it fell to the ground.
Mu Li, who was on the side, deliberately lowered her voice and said, "How about I find some time to bully her again later to relieve your anger, Miss?"
"Forget it. With her frail appearance, you haven't even made a move yet, and she'll just fall down. How can you fight after that?"
Cheng Xiran walked aimlessly on the long street with a gloomy face. The more she walked, the more aggrieved she felt. On the one hand, she hated herself for having no power or influence, not being able to crush Xiao Qi. Clearly, she was the victim, but she seemed like the perpetrator.
Mu Li noticed Helian Duo following them first and gently called out, "Your Highness."
Cheng Xiran didn't even turn her head. She just quickened her pace and rushed towards the Cheng Mansion. She wouldn't go back to the agency either, after all, he was there.
There was no sound from behind. Instead, she felt a bit tired after running all the way back to the Cheng Mansion.
After making sure that Helian Duo didn't follow, she returned to her own courtyard. After a short rest, she found that the anger in her heart was still hard to calm down, so she could only find something to vent.
So when Zhuque was cleaning in the courtyard, she saw Cheng Xiran digging soil with a shovel in the corner, piling it up one by one, or pacing back and forth in the corridor. The key was that she deliberately made her footsteps louder. Zhuque really wanted to ask if her feet hurt.
She had drunk most of a pot of tea and eaten two whole plates of pastries. Besides feeling a bit uncomfortable in her stomach, she didn't feel any relief at all. She was still depressed.
"A Li, what on earth happened to Miss? She's completely different from her usual self."
Zhuque couldn't help asking Mu Li who was standing guard on the side.
Mu Li wanted to explain the whole thing clearly, but found that she couldn't. So she simply kept silent, "You'd better go and ask Miss. I can't explain it clearly."
Cheng Xiran thought for a long time about how to retaliate against Helian Duo. Finally, she came to only one conclusion. Since she couldn't harm him, she would target his money!
To be honest, she still felt a bit guilty in her heart, but she didn't care so much. She needed a way to vent her emotions.
With this in mind, she called Zhuque, Yun'er and Mu Li together. After gathering them, she proposed, "Let's go to the Drunken Immortal Tower for lunch today. Order whatever you want. I'll treat!"