Free Web NovelChapter 86: Chapter 50: An Eye for an Eye
Lu Zhixue didn’t lower her voice, so Song Yunzhao, who hadn’t walked far, heard her loud and clear.
She turned her head, her jet-black eyes fixed on Lu Zhixue as she raised her voice. "What an interesting thing to say, Miss Lu. By your logic, since you follow Miss Qin around all the time, you must be trying to ride her coattails."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Lu Zhixue fumed. She and Qin Xiyue were of comparable family status; how could that be considered riding someone’s coattails?
"So, Miss Lu does know the meaning of ’nonsense.’ I was beginning to think you didn’t," Song Yunzhao sneered. "You fancy yourself a well-bred lady from a prominent family, yet you resort to talking about people behind their backs. It’s true what they say—you can’t judge a book by its cover."
When it came to trading insults, Song Yunzhao had never lost!
"You..."
"I know I’m great. I never talk about people behind their backs. After all, I’m an open and honest person who says things to people’s faces," Song Yunzhao said, her voice cold and laced with thick sarcasm. "Then again, I’m not from one of the wealthy families, so I can’t use my status to bully people. Nor do I look down my nose at others. Isn’t that right, Miss Lu?"
Lu Zhixue was so furious she wanted to roll up her sleeves, pin Song Yunzhao to the ground, and beat her senseless. Just then, people started emerging to watch the spectacle, and she felt utterly humiliated.
But just then, He Lan Yun came out and said to Song Yunzhao, "Right about what? You can know a person’s face, but not their heart. You’re just too kind, and that’s why you get bullied. Why else do you think Lu Zhixue doesn’t dare mock me? Or Han Jinyi? They’re picking on you because they think you’re an easy target! And you, you fool, are actually trying to reason with people like that."
Song Yunzhao stared at He Lan Yun in surprise. ’All right, not bad. That passive-aggressive tone is already half as good as mine.’ freewebnσvel.cѳm
’I guess bad company really does corrupt.’
"He Lan Yun!" Lu Zhixue trembled with rage.
"Whoa, my ears aren’t broken. Why are you shouting?" He Lan Yun wasn’t even afraid of Qin Xiyue; why would she fear Lu Zhixue? "Lu Zhixue, Song Yunzhao might be an easy target, but I’m not. She’s under my protection now. Try bullying her again. I dare you!"
A murmur went through the crowd, and all eyes fell on Song Yunzhao.
Song Yunzhao just gave up. With that one statement from He Lan Yun, she could feel Qin Xiyue’s gaze land on her like a meteor falling from the sky, trailing lightning and sparks as it crackled on its way down.
’Oh, I could just thank her for this,’ she thought. ’I was already cannon fodder, and now I’ve been reduced to dust.’
"Princess Ming’an, Zhixue didn’t mean anything by it. Please don’t misunderstand," Qin Xiyue said, stepping forward with a smile aimed at He Lan Yun. "It’s getting late, and we should be heading to Qiushui Pavilion. Let’s not hold everyone up. What do you say, Princess?"
Song Yunzhao listened as Qin Xiyue, in just a few words, pinned the blame for the delay on He Lan Yun. ’Back when I read the book,’ she thought, ’my impression of the female lead was great. She was an inspirational character. But now that I’m in the thick of it, why am I getting such a ’green tea’ vibe from her?’
He Lan Yun had a track record of getting testy around Qin Xiyue, so Song Yunzhao quickly stepped up beside her. She faced Qin Xiyue and said earnestly, "Miss Qin, it was clearly Miss Lu who started mocking me. The Princess was just speaking up for me. How is that holding everyone up? If we’re really talking about wasting time, shouldn’t the blame be on Miss Lu for starting this? I know you and Princess Ming’an have your misunderstandings, but you can’t just shift the responsibility to her, can you?"
He Lan Yun had been about to let loose with a string of curses, but Song Yunzhao’s words made her pause. ’That’s right,’ she thought, ’what does this have to do with me?’
’That Qin Xiyue really is no good.’
Qin Xiyue’s brow furrowed slightly. "Miss Song, you’ve misunderstood me..."
"Miss Qin, you’re always saying someone or other has misunderstood you. How is it that so many misunderstandings seem to happen around you? I’ve lived this long and have hardly ever had to tell someone they’ve ’misunderstood’ me."
’The classic catchphrase of a ’green tea’ is ’you’ve misunderstood me’.’
Song Yunzhao felt a complex mix of emotions. ’I must have been blind when I read the book. How did I ever think the female lead was both tragic and inspirational? I thought she was rational, not obsessed with romance, someone who knew what she wanted and pursued it with determination.’
’That kind of character design really wins over readers.’
’A strong female lead is supposed to be independent and capable, using her brain instead of acting foolishly.’
’But now that it was happening to her, now that she was being used as a stepping stone for the ’rational’ female lead, all she wanted to do was curse.’
’It’s true what they say: you don’t know how much it hurts until you’re the one getting stabbed.’
