Translator: Lonelytree
When Liu Lingling dragged Liu Jielan past Xiao Lingyu and Xiao Lingye, who were skewering the vegetables, Liu Lingling silently pulled Liu Jielan forward. Thanks to inertia, Liu Jielan tripped forward and fell on Xiao Lingyu.
Xiao Lingyu was working with skewers and leeks. The skewers were sharp. Due to the sudden pressure from behind, her hand that held the skewer was knocked aside. She quickly pulled back and accidentally sent Liu Jielan falling to the ground. If Xiao Lingyu didn’t do that, she might have injured herself or her little brother.
“Ah!” Liu Jielan shouted.
“What’s wrong with you?” Liu Lingling immediately scolded Xiao Lingyu, “How can you push people like that?” She was too busy interrogating Xiao Lingyu that she forgot to help Liu Jielan. Liu Jielan hit the ground with her butt. She grimaced in pain.
Xiao Lingyu frowned. She put down the things in her hand and helped Liu Jielan up. She asked, “Miss, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Liu Lingling finally realized she still needed to care about her stooge. “Sister Lan Lan, are you okay?”
Liu Jielan’s palms were scratched and bleeding. Liu Lingling shouted, “Sister Lan, you’re hurt!” Then, she turned to Xiao Lingyu and scolded her. “What is wrong with you? How can you push Sister Lan Lan and injure her like this? Sister Lan, don’t worry. I will seek justice for you.”
Liu Jielan glanced at her injured hands and frowned as she looked at Liu Lingling, who she had always considered her good friend. Liu Jielan stood up and sighed, “I’m fine. Forget it. Let’s go.”
When Liu Lingling heard Liu Jielan wanted to let this go, she was shocked. Then she huffed indignantly. “Sister Lan Lan, how can we leave just like that? You fell accidentally and brushed against her, but she pushed you with such force that you got hurt.”
Xiao Lingyu frowned. “Then what do you want me to do?” She thought this woman was very unreasonable. On the surface, she seemed to care about her Sister Lan Lan, but Xiao Lingyu noticed the envy and hatred in her eyes. ‘I don’t even know this woman, so why would she have those emotions against me?’
Liu Lingling’s goal was to get the attention of Gu Ziye and the others. Her goal was achieved. She noticed the men had put down their work and were walking over.
“Lingyu, what happened?” They were not that far from Xiao Lingyu and Xiao Lingye. Xiao Lingyu and Xiao Lingye worked in the skewers away from the grill to avoid the smoke. Everyone was working with their heads lowered. They only realized something had happened when they heard Liu Lingling’s loud complaints.
Xiao Lingyu shook her head. “It’s nothing. I accidentally pushed this lady down.”
Zheng Haiyang narrowed his eyes and looked around. He immediately asked in puzzlement, “Lingyu, you were just making skewers. Why would you suddenly push this young lady?” It made no sense.
Xiao Lingyu was confused too. “Actually, it was an accident. When I was skewering the vegetables, someone fell on me from behind, so I pushed back in reflex. Before I knew what happened, this girl beside the young lady accused me of pushing her friend down. She said I was being malicious.”
Qian Yifan asked, “Miss Liu, the road is flat and wide. Why would you fall? And so coincidentally on Lingyu?”
When Liu Lingling heard how close the men were to Xiao Lingyu, the envy within her burned stronger. However, when she heard Qian Yifan’s question, her heart skipped a beat. ‘Not good.’
Before Liu Jielan could speak, Liu Lingling interrupted, “Young Master Qian, Sister Lan Lan… broke her shoes, and she must have tripped because of that!” After spending so much time with Liu Jielan, Liu Lingling knew Liu Jielan valued her face a lot. Therefore, she would go along with the excuse Liu Lingling had provided her.
Zheng Haiyang looked at Liu Lingling and revealed a mocking look. He said meaningfully, “Miss Liu, your shoes really broke at the most inopportune timing.” Then, he added, “This sounds like you fell because of an accident, so how can you blame Lingyu? Furthermore, isn’t it strange that your friend came to accuse Lingyu as soon as you fell?”
Yuan Xuanhao added indifferently, “Miss Liu, shouldn’t this young lady be your good friend? When you fell, instead of checking on you, she left you on the ground and turned to interrogate Lingyu. In the end, it was Lingyu who helped you up. She sure cares about you!”
Liu Lingling’s face paled. She panic. She felt a little uneasy and clenched her fists. She was too anxious to attack Xiao Lingyu that she forgot about Liu Jielan earlier.
Now, her hypocrisy was exposed, and a rift was torn between her and Liu Jielan. Liu Lingling couldn’t afford to have a fallout with Liu Jielan. She still needed to use Liu Jielan to land a powerful and rich husband. After that, Liu Jielan could be abandoned.
Liu Lingling was anxious as Yuan Xuanhao exposed her. She defended herself as best as she could, “Sister Lan Lan, it’s not like that. I… I was simply too angry… Yes, too angry at the girl who pushed you. Sister Lan Lan, do believe me. I only wanted to help you seek justice.” Liu Lingling moved to pull on Liu Jielan’s sleeve. She put on her innocent act. She believed her explanation was believable.
Unexpectedly, Liu Jielan avoided her hands and looked at her with an unusually cold gaze.
She asked, “Lingling, why did I fall?”
“…” Liu Lingling did not expect Liu Jielan to ask this question. In her mind, Liu Jielan was a dummy. Liu Lingling stammered. “Sister Lan Lan… didn’t your shoes break, and you fell by accident?”
Liu Jielan sneered and said, “Really? It was because my shoes broke, and not because you pulled me with sudden force?” Her expression changed, “Liu Lingling, I’ve always treated you as my friend, but what about you? Do you treat me as your friend?”
Liu Jielan was not stupid. Now that she thought about it, she saw that Liu Lingling was only using her. She was stepping on her to find a better life. Today, the few men of high status had gathered at the campfire. Liu Lingling would never miss this precious opportunity. Now Liu Jielan understood why Liu Lingling insisted on coming over to greet the men. She wanted to get to know them.
However, her first tactic failed, so she came up with another tactic. Regardless, Liu Jielan was thankful because Liu Lingling’s eagerness to succeed revealed her true colors. Otherwise, Liu Jielan would be none the wiser.
Liu Lingling was interrogated, and the other shot questioning gazes at her. In that instant, she was unusually nervous and uneasy.
Liu Jielan had always been a toy in her hand. She had no idea when that toy grew a brain.
Liu Lingling tried her best to put on a smile and pretended to be ignorant. “Sister Lan Lan, are you sure I pulled you?” Then, she added innocently, “Perhaps you were walking too fast, and I was trying to hold you back? Sister Lan Lan, I’m sorry. I will be more careful in the future.”
Liu Jielan’s eyes filled with disappointment. Liu Jielan had already exposed her, but Liu Lingling was still trying to cover up her track.
Liu Jielan’s heart chilled from knowing the woman’s true identity. If she kept this unscrupulous woman by her side, eventually, Liu Lingling would be her downfall.
Liu Jielan said, “Liu Lingling, you have disappointed me! We are no longer friends!”
Ignoring Liu Lingling’s stunned face, and the others, Liu Jielan turned to Xiao Lingyu and said apologetically, “Miss, I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
Xiao Lingyu shook her head. “It’s fine.” She glanced at Liu Jielan’s hand and asked, “You’re injured. Do you need help?”
Liu Jielan shook her head and said, “It’s alright. I have more friends over there. They can help me.” Liu Jielan came kite-flying with a group of friends. Even without Liu Lingling, they could have fun on their own.
Xiao Lingyu didn’t know if Liu Jielan was being truthful or not. Regardless, she said, “Miss, take care of yourself then.”
Xiao Lingyu didn’t expect that tragedy would befall her at a barbeque party. Disaster really could strike at any time.
Liu Lingling saw Liu Jielan walk away. After she recovered from her shock, she quickly ran over, “Sister Lan Lan, I’m sorry, please forgive me!”
‘Without Liu Jielan, how am I supposed to get close to the rich and powerful in the future?’ Therefore, Liu Lingling had to abandon her mission and appease Liu Jielan first.
Gu Ziye smiled, “Hmm, Chief Liu’s daughter is not dumb after all. Or else, she’d eventually suffer under the hands of her friend.”
“Haha. Anyway, that is none of our business. Let’s continue the barbeque!” Zheng Haiyang said, “Lingyu, ignore that woman and don’t take it to heart!”
Xiao Lingyu smiled and said, “Okay!”