Everyone Thought The Fake Heiress Had Her Reasons Ch. 19
Tang Xiaoyu stepped out of the bookstore. After a moment’s thought, she sent a message in the group chat informing the others that she had brought a mission target who needed protection to stay at the bookstore. If they visited, they should remember to wear masks.
Then, she decided to head home first to check on things.
At home, aside from the servants, only her younger sister Ming Yue was present. Their mother, who was in poor health, had been staying at a sanatorium, and their older sister was still away on a business trip—otherwise, she wouldn’t have had to attend yesterday’s banquet.
Of course, because of Ming Jiao, even if her older sister had been home, she would have attended anyway.
Ming Yue was both delighted and surprised to see her return. “Sis, why are you back?” she asked.
Glancing around to ensure no one else was nearby, she lowered her voice. “Didn’t you say in the group chat that you brought the mission target to the bookstore?”
Leaving someone alone there didn’t seem quite right.
Tang Xiaoyu replied, “It’s fine. I’ll go back after dinner.”
Although her older sister was away on business and unaware of her movements, if she stayed away for too long, it would likely draw her sister’s attention.
Ming Yue nodded. “Then rest for a bit. I’ll go to the kitchen to see what’s for dinner tonight.”
Tang Xiaoyu’s gaze softened as she looked at her, gently patting her shoulder. “Alright.”
As an ability user, her physical stamina far surpassed that of an ordinary person. Moreover, her stay at the Rose Garden these past few days had been quite comfortable, so she didn’t feel tired.
Still, she hadn’t slept in her own room for many days and missed it dearly. She slowly made her way to her bedroom.
·
After resting in her room for a while, Tang Xiaoyu soon heard Ming Yue calling her for dinner.
Most of the dishes were tangy and sweet, flavors she particularly enjoyed.
Neither she nor Ming Yue were particularly talkative, especially during meals.
Though the meal passed in silence, it wasn’t awkward.
After dinner, seeing that it was still early, Tang Xiaoyu decided to visit her art studio. The spacious, bright studio had polished floors, and from the floor-to-ceiling windows, she could gaze out at the lush greenery surrounding the artificial lake.
Her mother had personally arranged this studio for her after she returned to the Ming family. Every piece of art supplies had been carefully chosen after consulting her preferences, as if afraid she wouldn’t like them or that it would be impossible to make up for the guilt in her heart.
But for something that was merely an accident, she held no resentment or blame toward her family.
Still, she was deeply moved by everything her mother had done. After all, no one would dislike their mother cherishing them.
Over this matter, Ming Jiao had sulked for a long time, hovering around her for over half a month, each time rolling her eyes so hard it seemed they might get stuck.
Once so jealous and resentful of her, now clinging to live with her. Tang Xiaoyu found the twists of fate amusing. Occasionally, when she recalled Ming Jiao’s annoying behavior, she’d entertain some idle fantasies.
What if Ming Jiao knew she was Tang Xiaoyu? Would her expression change instantly? Or would this life-saving favor move her?
Even though they had parted ways, Ming Jiao still occupied her thoughts during her moments of rest.
Tang Xiaoyu shook her head, dismissing these pointless, unanswerable musings.
She gathered a few frequently used art supplies, planning to take them along with the items she had already packed to the bookstore.
But as she carried her drawing board out of the studio, a sudden impulse struck her. For some reason, she felt a strong urge to visit Ming Jiao’s old room.
By the time Ming Jiao was driven out, the room had likely been emptied, with only a few large, hard-to-move pieces of furniture left behind.
Yet, as if guided by some inexplicable force, Tang Xiaoyu felt compelled to see it.
She set down the things in her hands in her bedroom and headed to the third floor.
Her and Ming Yue’s rooms were on the second floor, while Ming Jiao and her sister’s rooms were on the third floor. However, her sister, a workaholic who frequently worked overtime, rarely stayed there—she was either at the company or in a nearby apartment.
Most of the time, Ming Jiao was the only one living on the entire third floor.
The room was locked, but that couldn’t stop Tang Xiaoyu.
Space twisted slightly, her skirt fluttering as she spun and landed, and she found herself standing in the somewhat empty room.
The lights were off, and the room was dimly lit.
No matter how luxurious a house was, without human presence and exquisite decorations, it would inevitably show signs of decay and desolation.
Because it was locked, no one had cleaned it, and a thin layer of dust had settled on the few remaining pieces of furniture.
Tang Xiaoyu glanced around by the moonlight and suddenly felt that she was utterly bored.
For some inexplicable reason, she had wanted to see Ming Jiao’s former bedroom. But what was there to see in an empty room? No matter how large or spacious, it was still just an empty room.
She turned to leave using her ability but noticed a silver button on the floor beside the solid wood wardrobe.
The button seemed to gather a trace of moonlight, standing out vividly in the dim surroundings.
Tang Xiaoyu thought for a moment, walked over, and picked up the button. It felt much heavier than she had expected and didn’t look like a cufflink—it was larger than ordinary buttons.
Was this from Ming Jiao’s clothes? If her clothes had such a distinctive button, she should have remembered it.
Tang Xiaoyu pondered but still had no recollection. In an instant, she realized how seriously she was taking this and couldn’t help but feel amused.
Lately, it seemed anything related to Ming Jiao would capture her attention. Habits were indeed frightening.
With that thought, she placed the silver button on the table.
But just as she set it down and turned around, an idea flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning, causing her pupils to contract.
She picked up the silver button again and examined it carefully for a moment. Then, she took a photo and sent it to one of her teammates.
While waiting for her teammate’s reply, she scrutinized the former living space with a critical eye.
She had found the silver button near the wardrobe. If it was what she suspected, it wouldn’t have been left in plain sight.
Nor would it have been placed in a spot that seemed hidden but was actually easily discoverable. After all, the housekeepers used to clean the room daily, and over time, they would have likely found the object.
She opened the wardrobe doors and pulled out the bottom drawers to inspect them but found no traces of adhesive, as she had imagined.
Was it not here, or was she mistaken?
Tang Xiaoyu closed the wardrobe doors she had inspected.
Wait. Her jet-black eyes suddenly focused, and she exerted force to shift the heavy solid wood wardrobe, creating a wide gap.
Sure enough, in the farthest corner behind the wardrobe, she found traces of adhesive.
The wardrobe was extremely heavy. The housekeepers would only clean the dust beneath it during their routine cleaning, and unless something unusual happened, no one would move it. This object would have remained undetected.
Though her suspicion was confirmed, Tang Xiaoyu felt no relief or joy. Her lips pressed tightly together, as if she were facing an inexplicable puzzle, feeling a disturbing sense of confusion.
Just then, a ding-dong notification sound came from her phone. She quickly took out her phone to check and saw that her teammate had replied.
[“This? It’s a type of miniature listening device, quite rare on the market. Why are you suddenly asking about it?”]
The cold glow from her phone screen cast upon Tang Xiaoyu’s flawless cheeks, making her appear as if covered in a layer of frost, icy and detached.
·
Bookstore.
Ming Jiao was in rather good spirits at the moment. When she arrived, she noticed that beyond the small street where she was, the neighboring street was filled with numerous restaurants and snack stalls.
She had gone out to eat to her heart’s content and returned with a bag full of fresh fruits.
After polishing off half a plate of vibrant red strawberries, their sweet and fragrant aroma filling the air, she wiped her hands clean and leisurely browsed the bookshelves for her bedtime reading. It was also a good opportunity to learn about the local customs and culture of this world through the books.
So far, aside from a more advanced tech tree and the existence of supernatural powers, this world seemed quite similar to her original one.
System: 【Host, you’re so carefree.】
【One must seize the day and enjoy life.】 Ming Jiao replied with a cheerful smile, casually pulling out a travelogue. She initially thought the System was just making small talk out of boredom, but then it added, 【Host, while scanning this area, I discovered something. Would you like to see it?】
Playing coy now—it must be bored too. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and craned her neck curiously. 【Where is it? Let me see.】
The System said, 【It’s under the coffee table placed right in the center.】
Ming Jiao instinctively glanced in that direction but didn’t notice anything unusual. Taking a few steps closer, she spotted a small, elegantly crafted paper box for business cards tucked underneath.
Though the box was exquisitely designed, it wasn’t anything particularly rare. Brimming with curiosity, Ming Jiao tentatively pulled out one of the cards to examine.
The business card was clearly meticulously designed. Against a deep blue background, a beautiful bird poised for flight was printed, alongside the circular emblem she had seen on Tang Xiaoyu’s cloak. At the center of the emblem were the prominent characters “Flying Bird.”
Flipping it over, the back was adorned with decorative patterns along the edges and printed with several strings of phone numbers.
【Is this… Tang Xiaoyu’s team’s business card?】 Ming Jiao asked.
The System replied, 【It appears so. Her codename is Nightingale, and the organization is called Flying Bird. I suspect the other members’ codenames are also types of birds.】
Ming Jiao thought the same. After studying the card she had taken out for a moment, she promptly slipped it into her pocket and returned the box to its original place. 【I’ll just ask her when she gets back. She probably won’t mind sharing such a small detail.】
The System remained silent, and Ming Jiao didn’t pay it much mind, picking up the travelogue she had set aside earlier.
Just as she was about to sit on the sofa and start reading, the System spoke slowly, 【Host, there’s something unusual at the Rose Garden.】
It had been keeping an eye on that area, originally just waiting on the off chance, but hadn’t expected to get a lead so quickly.
Ming Jiao perked up. 【What is it? Is that assassin trying to pry open my window again?】
System 【…】
What should have been a serious, conspiracy-laden situation suddenly felt comical when described by its host, making the mysterious and formidable assassin seem rather cheap.
【Not exactly,】 it said. 【There’s a group of unidentified individuals lurking near the Rose Garden. From their posture, it seems they intend to monitor your movements.】
Ming Jiao set down the still-unopened travelogue once more, lost in thought. 【So they’re planning to strategize before making a move?】
Her first instinct was to suspect Xie Chu had sent them, but upon second thought, something felt off.
The System asked, [Host, are you saying those people were sent by your scumbag fiancé?]
Ming Jiao suddenly laughed, like the most vibrant and radiant summer blossom, [Just days ago you called him He Shuhuan, next time are you going to compare him to Hong Shixian?]
The System, [That depends on whether he’s being blatantly scummy.]
Ming Jiao shook her head, [At first I thought it was him too, but upon careful consideration, this doesn’t align with his usual methods.]
Her initial reaction had been that Xie Chu had contacted the assassin, and after comparing notes, they found her survival suspicious and decided to test the waters first.
To avoid charging headlong into a trap and exposing their weaknesses.
But upon second thought, that didn’t make sense either.
If Xie Chu wanted to surveil her, why wouldn’t he send the assassin directly? A professional would be more discreet. Instead, knowing she might have ability users protecting her, he’d send ordinary people – and more than one at that? It felt like delivering themselves on a silver platter.
Unless the surveillance had nothing to do with him.
The System agreed, [True, then who could it be?]
Ming Jiao’s smile gradually turned meaningful, [If there aren’t any other parties stirring trouble, it should be my dear aunt.]
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu
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