Rebirth of the Duke's Daughter and the Little Imperial Uncle

Chapter 82 Interrogation of Shen Xiaoran (1)

He Mingxuan continued, "What truly made me certain of my feelings was a conversation with my mother. She told me that when we like someone, we can't help but pay attention to their every move, and we might even frequently mention their name, longing to be with them. At the time, I didn't believe it, because I always thought I only felt disgust for Qin Zeyu; otherwise, why would we always be arguing?"

However, one day, I accidentally witnessed him with another girl. Although they were just discussing academics, the girl's gaze remained fixed on Qin Zeyu, and this scene made me incredibly heartbroken. At that moment, I finally understood that my mother's words were true; I had already fallen deeply in love with Qin Zeyu and couldn't bear to see him taken away by someone else. So, I started actively asking him questions, trying to use this as an excuse to stay by his side. Surprisingly, he didn't reject me.

However, the girl beside him was clearly dissatisfied. She knew my noble status as a princess and dared not offend me easily. But since I was known for my arrogance and domineering attitude in the academy, especially towards Qin Zeyu, she could only silently endure it all, helpless as she could.

So she deliberately "bumped into" me by the pond, and then, after Qin Zeyu arrived, she deliberately provoked me. Just as I was about to hit her, she suddenly jumped into the pond. Then, she pretended to be pitiful in front of Qin Zeyu, saying that I pushed her into the water and begged Qin Zeyu to save her.

When I saw Qin Zeyu appear, I immediately understood her intentions: she wanted Qin Zeyu to mistakenly believe that I had pushed her into the pond, thus making him think I was cruel and hate me; furthermore, if Qin Zeyu went into the water to save her, the two of them would have physical intimacy, which she could then use to cling to him. I was very worried that Qin Zeyu would actually go into the water to save her, but unexpectedly, he said he couldn't swim and instead found someone else to rescue her. Seeing her expression at that moment, I felt incredibly happy.

Cheng Ying frowned, looking puzzled, and asked, "Who is this woman? How can she be so despicable? She's really willing to do anything to achieve her goals."

Shen Xiaoran chimed in, "That's right. Fair competition is fine, but how can you achieve your goals by framing others? Who is this person? I'll definitely stand up for you next time I see them."

Cheng Ying pressed on urgently, "That's right, Xuanxuan, who exactly is she? Tell me quickly."

Qin Yaoyao also stared at her with unfriendly eyes, waiting for her to say that name.

Seeing how much her sisters cared for and supported her, He Mingxuan felt warm inside and said with a smile, "Her name is Gu Xi."

Qin Yaoyao suddenly realized and said, "Gu Cheng's daughter, the Vice Minister of War?"

Cheng Ying nodded: "That's right, it's her."

Shen Xiaoran seemed to understand something and said with relief, "So it was her. She deserved it."

Cheng Ying asked curiously, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Shen Xiaoran laughed gleefully, "I heard a while ago that she was discussing marriage with the second son of the Marquis of Pingyang. I was quite surprised by this, but after hearing what you said, I understand now. It's probably the second son of the Marquis of Pingyang who saved her from the water. They're discussing marriage because they had physical intimacy."

He Mingxuan said incredulously, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe her family has their eye on her?"

Shen Xiaoran retorted with a smile, "Impossible. In terms of status, the Pingyang Marquis's family isn't that high-ranking. And you might not know, but I met him once before, and his appearance was simply indescribable. Plus, he's an illegitimate son, so his family would never have taken a liking to him. The only explanation is that the two of them had physical intimacy and were forced into marriage. It's said they're already engaged. They really brought this upon themselves!"

He Mingxuan nodded in agreement.

Qin Yaoyao looked at He Mingxuan and asked, "Zeyu said he can't swim?"

He Mingxuan nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes, what's wrong?" Her tone was relaxed and natural, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Qin Yaoyao simply smiled slightly without saying a word. Her smile seemed to conceal some deeper meaning, yet remained enigmatic. He Mingxuan, seeing this, didn't dwell on it and casually said, "Alright, then it's next."

All eyes instantly turned to Shen Xiaoran, as if they had already anticipated what would happen next. And just as they expected, the scene from before repeated itself, only this time Shen Xiaoran was the one sitting alone on one side.

Shen Xiaoran smiled softly, a hint of helplessness and bitterness flashing in her eyes. She said softly, "It seems it's my turn this time." Her voice carried a faint sadness, evoking pity. However, she maintained a smile on her face, as if she didn't want others to see her inner vulnerability.