Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 22: Chapter

The tense murmurs in the courtyard had barely settled when Old Madam Xi’s cane struck the ground once, a sharp, commanding sound that immediately cut through every lingering voice.

"Enough," she said firmly, her tone calm but carrying undeniable authority, "all of you, stop this discussion and return to your rooms. It is already deep into the night, and nothing more useful will come from arguing in circles."

No one dared to respond immediately, and even the louder voices gradually faded as the servants lowered their heads and stepped back.

Old Madam Xi’s gaze then shifted toward Xi Wenzhe, steady and unyielding.

"You," she said, "take care of your wife properly. Whether she is innocent or not will be decided in due time, not in this chaos. Do not let tonight’s confusion affect your judgment or your household."

Without waiting for agreement, she turned away with a final wave of her hand, already signaling the end of the matter, and slowly walked off with her attendants, her figure disappearing into the dim corridor light.

The remaining family members stood in uneasy silence for a moment longer before beginning to disperse, each carrying their own thoughts, doubts, and unanswered questions.

Lin Meiyun lingered slightly longer than the rest.

Her expression had softened, but there was still a trace of exhaustion in her eyes as she walked toward her son.

Xi Wenzhe turned to her, his expression still tense, though he did not speak first.

Lin Meiyun studied him for a brief moment before speaking quietly.

"No matter what you think right now," she said softly, "do not rush into conclusions. You saw what happened tonight with your own eyes, but even eyes can be misled when emotions are involved."

She paused slightly, then added in a lower voice,

"And also... do not treat your wife as someone who must always be watched. Whether she is strange or not, she is still part of this family now. Handle it properly, Wenzhe. Not with anger, and not with impulse."

Xi Wenzhe’s jaw tightened slightly, but he did not interrupt her.

Lin Meiyun sighed faintly, then reached up and adjusted his collar briefly, a rare gesture of maternal care amid the tension.

"Rest," she said at last, her voice softer now, "tomorrow will not be any less complicated than today."

With that, she turned and left as well, leaving Xi Wenzhe standing alone beneath the dim courtyard lanterns, his thoughts still heavy, still unsettled, and still unable to fully settle on any single truth from the night that had just passed.

Before he could leave, one of his right-hand men approached him quickly, bowing slightly.

"Young Master."

Xi Wenzhe turned his head slightly.

Without hesitation, he gave a direct order.

"Go to Li Mei’s quarters. Search her belongings. Especially her cupboards and personal storage. I want everything checked."

The subordinate’s expression sharpened slightly, but he did not question the order.

"Yes, Young Master."

He immediately turned and left without delay.

Xi Wenzhe stood still for a moment, his gaze lingering in the direction where Li Mei had been taken earlier for treatment.

Something about tonight still did not sit right with him.

Without another word, he turned and walked away from the courtyard, his robes moving quietly through the dim lantern light as he headed back toward his residence.

⸻

Su Yueqing was led through another corridor under the dim glow of lanterns.

The maid guiding her stopped in front of a large set of doors and carefully pushed them open.

Inside was Xi Wenzhe’s residence wa shave with many rooms.. and different houses.. there wa seven a beautiful fountain.

Then they took her to her own room. freewёbnoνel.com

The room was spacious, quiet, and far more refined than her previous quarters. Dark polished wood, elegant carvings, expensive silk drapes, and neatly arranged furnishings filled the space with a calm, restrained luxury that clearly belonged to the young master of the household.

Su Yueqing paused at the entrance for only a moment.

[So this is his room area.]

[Of course it’s nicer.]

[Even the air feels expensive.]

She stepped inside without much enthusiasm, glancing around as if evaluating a hotel she did not plan to stay in for long.

The maid lowered her head.

"Young Madam, your resting room has been prepared. If you need anything, please call for us."

Su Yueqing gave a small, tired nod.

"Mm."

The maid hesitated for a moment, then quietly withdrew, closing the doors behind her.

The moment silence returned, Su Yueqing exhaled slowly and loosened her shoulders.

[Finally.]

[No shouting. No fire. No accusations.]

[I can sleep.]

She walked further inside, only half-paying attention to her surroundings, until she reached the inner chamber where a large bed stood neatly arranged with dark, smooth bedding and thick blankets that looked far more comfortable than anything she had seen since arriving in this world.

She stared at it for a second.

Then slowly walked closer.

[At least they didn’t give me a slightly broken bed this time.]

[That’s improvement.]

She sat down at the edge of the bed and leaned back slightly, letting out a quiet breath.

But far away, in another part of the manor, Xi Wenzhe was still moving through the night with unresolved thoughts, and Li Mei was still under observation.

And somewhere between all of it...

The truth of tonight had not yet fully revealed itself.

...

Su Yueqing slowly walked around the spacious room until she finally located the inner chamber where a large bathing area had already been prepared for her, filled with warm mist rising gently from the water and soft lighting reflecting against the polished stone walls in a way that made the entire space feel unusually calm compared to the chaos outside.

She paused for a moment at the edge of the bath.

[At least this is acceptable.]

[If I had to die today, I would prefer it be in warm water and not in fire.] ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Without much further complaint, she slowly loosened her outer robes, letting them fall neatly aside before stepping into the bath and sinking into the warm water with a long, quiet exhale, her tense shoulders relaxing almost unwillingly as the heat began to ease the soreness she had been carrying since the fire incident.

[Just silence.]

She leaned back slightly, allowing the water to cover her collarbone as she closed her eyes for a brief moment, almost convincing herself that perhaps the night had finally ended peacefully, even if only for a short while.

But then—

Bang.

The bathroom door suddenly swung open with a sharp force that broke the stillness instantly.

Su Yueqing’s eyes snapped open immediately, her body freezing for half a second in pure disbelief as she turned her head toward the entrance, her wet hair clinging lightly to her shoulders while droplets slid down her skin, and her expression slowly shifted from relaxation to something dangerously close to irritation.

[What now.]

That was her first thought.

And the second—

[If this is another "villian scene," I am going to drown this system myself.]

Standing at the entrance was Xi Wenzhe.

He had not changed out of his dark robes yet, and faint traces of ash still clung to his sleeves and collar from earlier in the night, while his expression carried the same cold sharpness as before, except now it was mixed with something heavier, something unsettled, as though he had not expected to walk into a scene like this and had momentarily forgotten how to react.

For a brief second, neither of them spoke.

The silence stretched.

Only the faint sound of water shifting in the bath filled the space between them.

Su Yueqing blinked slowly.

Then she leaned her head slightly to the side.

"...Do you usually enter rooms like this without knocking?"

Her voice was calm, but the sarcasm underneath it was unmistakable.

[Is this man serious.]

Xi Wenzhe’s gaze sharpened instantly as he realized where she was.

His expression tightened, and for the first time since entering, something like hesitation flickered across his face, as though even he had not intended to walk into such an unexpected situation.

"I did not—" he began, then stopped, his voice cutting off briefly as if even explaining it felt unnecessary.

Su Yueqing slowly raised a hand and rested her cheek against it while still sitting in the bath, looking at him with complete lack of urgency, as though the entire situation was simply another inconvenience added to her already long list of problems.

[If he says he came to interrogate me while I’m half-drowned in warm water, I swear I will lose what little respect I have left.]

Xi Wenzhe’s jaw tightened slightly as his eyes twitched slightly at her thoughts. What a sharp mouth she had.

"Why are you here?" Su Yueqing shouted.

"Where else will I be if not here?" He said with a mischievous grin as he started slowly removing his robe,

"I’m here to bathe with my wife."