Chapter 3, Suspect

The young lady of the Cui family showed a hint of panic on her face, standing up with a pale, delicate countenance. Upon seeing Aunt Lu enter the room, she lowered her head and offered a respectful greeting: "Aunt."

Mother Lu was happily holding her young son when, unexpectedly, she saw the suspect who harmed her daughter standing at the door. Her expression instantly turned cold: "What are you doing here?!" Upon seeing her daughter sitting nearby, she couldn't help but be alarmed: "You wouldn't be planning to do something bad to my Chun'er again, would you?!"

A trace of hurt flashed across the face of the girl from the Cui family as she lowered her head and twisted the hem of her garment: "You said you forgot... Did you believe what others said? Do you also think that I caused you to fall ill?"

Cui's daughter paused for a moment, a look of grievance appearing on her face: "Sister, what is the matter? You have always been very close to me, so why have you suddenly become distant today? Do you really think that it was me and my mother who harmed you? By heaven and earth, you were there yourself; how could you believe the gossip of others?"

Perhaps ... ? ... this daughter of the Cui family believes that the innocent will clear themselves of suspicion

"No... not..." Chunying also twisted the hem of her clothes, wondering what she should say! Someone please help her!

Chunying blinked in confusion, could it be ...? ... Did the girl from the Cui family just lie?

She inquired again about Chunying's amnesia, asking what she had forgotten, what she still remembered, and whether she recognized anyone. Upon learning that Chunying had completely "forgotten" her embroidery skills, her eyes widened in disbelief: "What are we to do? My sister's needlework has always been exceptional. When the household was selecting people, they chose my sister precisely because of her excellent sewing skills. Now that she has lost this ability, how will she seek employment in the future?"

There were two more knocks on the door, and Chunying had no choice but to respond: "The door is not locked, please come in." She crawled out from under the covers and tidied herself up a bit.

Chunying smiled and felt her mood relax. Suddenly, she remembered that the girl from the Cui family had been in for quite a while, and she had not served any tea. She hurried to get the teapot, but then recalled that the water had already cooled down, hesitating whether to go to the kitchen to boil some. The girl from the Cui family quickly said, "It's not like we have guests, why serve tea? You haven't been this formal in the past, come back and sit down. Be careful not to catch a chill again; it wouldn't be good if you fell ill."

I know that Uncle Lu is a good man. The girl from the Cui family wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, saying, "Regardless of everything, our family has received considerable kindness from your parents over the years. If it weren't for Uncle Lu's constant care, perhaps my mother and I would have starved to death long ago. I do not blame you; this is just our fate..." At this point, her eyes reddened again.

Chunying was taken aback and was about to think of a way to make amends when she heard voices coming from outside the door; it turned out that Mama Lu had returned.

The girl from the Cui family continued, "That day, when everyone else was not in the courtyard, you went to the well to wash clothes. I was chatting with you while helping to wash a couple of pieces, when I heard my mother call out that she had a headache—perhaps you have forgotten, she has always had this ailment—so I went back inside to attend to her and help her to bed. Later, I dozed off as well and did not hear you fall, nor did I know that it was snowing heavily outside. When I woke up, I saw you lying in the courtyard, half-covered in snow, your body nearly frozen. My mother and I had quite a hard time dragging you inside. Afterward, we boiled water and covered you with quilts, but that goes without saying. Our family is not wealthy; to save you, we took out the only two quilts we had and used the coal we had saved for the New Year. Our family is currently facing famine, yet my mother and I did not mind. We are neighbors in the same courtyard; we could not just stand by and watch you come to harm, could we? We did not expect anyone to be grateful to us, but we also did not anticipate being treated as if we were the ones who harmed you. My mother, due to all this gossip, fell ill again. In a few days, I will have to go to the government office; what should I do in the future?" By the end of her speech, her voice was choked with emotion.

Thus, she casually replied to the girl from the Cui family, "Let's talk about future matters later. Even if I forget how to sew, I won't starve to death."

Chunying had no choice but to return to the house, helplessly looking at her mother: "Why do you scold her like this? She just explained that it was all an accident, she didn't mean it. Moreover, the two of them were just delayed in their rescue; they didn't intend to harm me."

Chunying hurriedly said: "No, Mom... Sister Cui did not harm me; she came to visit me while I was ill"

She entered the door, looked up at Chunying with a gentle smile, and said: "I heard that you have recovered well? I came specially to see you. By the way... is Aunt not at home?"

Did she not say she was going back to her parents' home to pick up the younger son? How could she be back so soon

The girl from the Cui family was momentarily taken aback and murmured, "You are truly very different from before now..."

Chunying exclaimed, "Mother! What are you saying?!" The girl from the Cui family felt her eyes redden, tears welling up. Biting her lip, she lowered her head and ran outside, with Chunying chasing after her, but she did not look back.

Chunying had already inferred the general situation of that day from her words. The Cui family mother and daughter claimed to be suspects, but it could only be considered a case of delayed rescue, right? Moreover, it was not intentional, so it really feels quite unjust. Thinking of how the Cui girl had been both kind and concerned towards her just now, Chunying couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, and awkwardly said: "My mother was just anxious for a moment, but my father trusts you. You... you don't need to take it to heart... your mother will get better soon..."

Chunying shook her head: "She has gone out. Do you... do you have something to say?" She hesitated, unsure of how to approach this suspect regarding the library. She knew nothing at all, and she must not raise anyone's suspicions. Perhaps... it would be better to be a bit aloof; after all, hadn't she already used the excuse of amnesia?

Chunying hurriedly found a handkerchief and handed it over: "What nonsense are you talking about? I already said it was a misunderstanding; in time, it will be fine. I will also persuade my mother... cough... my dear, just rest assured."

Chun Ying chuckled twice, yet in her heart, she thought to herself that she actually wished for it. Ever since she learned that her identity was that of a legitimate child, she had never considered serving any master in the manor. Even though life at home was somewhat difficult, it was still a form of freedom. Why should she endure the life of a servant? As for the future, she was still young (her current physical age was not yet eleven years old), and she could take her time to plan.

Chunying hesitated for a moment, seeing that the young girl from the Cui family had reddened her eyes again, and quickly nodded repeatedly: "I believe, I believe. I fell by myself; it was just bad luck that I encountered a heavy snow day, and there was no one else in the courtyard. This was all an accident. If it weren't for you and your mother saving me and bringing me inside, I might have frozen to death."

The girl from the Cui family lowered her head, lost in thought, and after a long while, she finally raised her head and smiled, saying: "You are right; my sister is quite open-minded. This time the job is gone, but we can always seek another in the future. Even if I cannot be a senior maid, there are still rough tasks like sweeping and watering that need to be done. Good sister, I have taken your good position this time, and if I ever rise in the future, I will definitely not forget you. You..." She bit her lip, "You can rest assured!" Good sister, I have taken your good position this time, and if I ever rise in the future, I will definitely not forget you. You..." She bit her lip, "You can rest assured!"

The girl from the Cui family cast a glance at her, her eyes downcast with a sense of melancholy: "If it were someone else, I would no longer pay any attention. But for you, I cannot bear it; I want to clarify things with you, so as not to betray the feelings we have built over these past few years"

Although the Cui family mother and daughter denied Mama Lu's accusations, they still appear highly suspicious in the eyes of others. Now that she is home alone, does the daughter of the Cui family not fear raising suspicions by coming over?

Upon hearing this, Mother Lu's face turned red with anxiety: "I knew it! In the past, you were easily deceived by her sweet words, even giving her the hard-earned savings you had set aside. This shows just how cunning she is! Just because she claims she hasn't harmed you, does that mean she hasn't? How much do you really know?! Is your mother the kind of person who speaks recklessly without any evidence?!"

The girl from the Cui family, moved, held Chunying's hands and said, "Good sister, with your words, I no longer care what others say."

Really? The girl from the Cui family looked up in surprise, "Do you really believe that I did not harm you?"

I only heard the girl from the Cui family say: "Among the five families living in this courtyard, the Liu siblings have always looked down on us, never considering us worthy of their attention. Lian from the Feng family in the southern wing and the two boys from the Ma family are skilled at flattery, which is why they get along well. Only you and I, who have always been clumsy with words and unable to curry favor, have been left out. Usually, we only work on needlework together, which is why we are closer than the others. If you still remember the past, you would naturally not doubt me—given our bond, if I truly wanted that position, you would have readily given it to me without a second thought. When the news came that day, I said the same thing, but it was merely a joke, and you took it seriously. This shows that I would never harm you over such trivial matters!"

Chun Ying bid farewell, yet said: "There is no need to worry, just focus on your own work. What is meant to be will come in due time, and what is not meant to be should not be forced. I do not care about this."

Chunying blinked her eyes, feeling somewhat confused

"Visiting the sick? Are you here to take a life?" Mother Lu let out a cold laugh, "You think you can play tricks just because there are no adults at home?" She glared at me with her almond-shaped eyes: "Get out! I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. You think you can scheme under my nose? Dream on!"

Chunying blinked her eyes; could it be that her previous incarnation, Chunying, was very close to this young lady from the Cui family

Chunying had no choice but to sit back on the kang and chat with the girl from the Cui family. The other party asked her very carefully about her condition, what medicine she was taking, the progress of her recovery, and whether there were any aftereffects, among other things. Upon learning that she was no longer in serious trouble and only needed a month of rest to fully recover, she let out a sigh of relief and said, "Amitabha"

The door fell silent for a moment before it was gently pushed open, revealing a small, exquisitely embroidered red shoe stepping inside. Following that, the young lady from the Cui family, who was under significant suspicion, entered the room

She was about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a slender and graceful figure, a beautiful appearance, and fair skin. Her thick black hair was styled into two buns, tied with a red ribbon, and a small red silk flower was pinned at her temple. She wore a slightly worn blue cotton jacket, and her lower half was adorned with a matching floral skirt, which had faded somewhat but was clean and neatly arranged. Beneath the skirt, half of a pair of red shoes was visible, with exquisitely embroidered plum blossom patterns on the surface.

Chunying felt somewhat uncomfortable: "Ahem... it is a bit warmer now..." She forcefully withdrew her hand and stepped back a few paces

Chunying hesitated for a moment and said, "No... I'm not... cough... actually, I don't remember anything. The doctor said I had a high fever, so I forgot everything from before."

"What?" cried the girl from the Cui family, her eyes reddening. "How could this happen..." She hurried over and took Chunying's hand, examining her from head to toe, and asked, "Are you alright now? Why is your hand so cold?" Turning her head, she noticed the window was open and quickly went over to close it. Turning back, she held Chunying's hand again, asking, "Is it warmer now?"

As she spoke to this point, she became somewhat agitated, lowering her head to take out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. Chunying caught a glimpse of the exquisite embroidery on the handkerchief and, upon seeing her raise her head, quickly averted her gaze