The Eldest Daughter is Delicate and Pretty, How Can She Be a Malicious Supporting Character - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Feeling Wronged

Indeed, Pei Lingyi’s heart sank.

Since she realized that the person on the Zhaixing Pavilion was Xiao Yan, her heart had already cooled down significantly.
Xiao Yan had personally participated in the imperial examination and chose not to be granted a title, which showed that he was not one of those idle and spoiled nobles in the capital.

The Imperial Guard was not a good name in the capital. Although it was said to be under the direct jurisdiction of the emperor, the waters were unknown to be deep. She rarely paid attention to these things. However, some things were well-known even if one didn’t pay attention. In recent years, the Great Ye dynasty had been stable and prosperous, with no wars to fight, and the national treasury was full.

Since it involved money and wealth, there were inevitably corrupt officials. The final outcome for those people was usually a mysterious disappearance, and the emperor would just brush it off lightly.

The result was obvious.
Those people had really offended the emperor, and even if the case was handed over to the Ministry of Justice, it would be hard to calm down the anger of the one on the dragon throne.

There was only one outcome. Pei Lingyi looked at the man in front of her, and her gentle eyes reflected his figure.

Xiao Yan was someone she had experienced since she was 12 years old. Now, he had become a sharp knife polished by the emperor, with all the roughness gone.
The former ruffian aura had disappeared completely. Now, he was more introverted and unpredictable. Even she dared not provoke him. He held the deepest handle over her, and she couldn’t imagine what would happen if he revealed even a little bit of those things.

She would be in a desperate situation.
Fortunately, he seemed to have forgotten her over the years. Except for recent events that kept happening one after another, she had almost forgotten about him.

“How can you give me the jade plaque?” Pei Lingyi finally managed to say after a long time.
Xiao Yan saw the cold expression on the girl’s face and felt a bit displeased.
His tone was also quite harsh, “Miss Pei is really calm. You’ve wasted so much time on the Zhaixing Pavilion. If you can’t get it from me, I’m afraid you won’t even have the qualification to join the gathering.”

“Are you sure… you still want to be so arrogant?” Xiao Yan leaned against the stool, supporting his head with his right hand and playing with the two jade plaques with his left hand. His tone was lazy.
Pei Lingyi had never felt so wronged. He was clearly trying to make fun of her.

He was convinced that she wouldn’t give up and wouldn’t walk down the stairs in defeat.
Xiao Yan looked at the woman in front of him. She was calm, and even after he said those words, she didn’t show any emotions. He had underestimated her.

However, when he saw her slightly red eyes, he was stunned. Even his mind went blank for a moment.
The girl’s figure was slender and delicate, with black hair and white skin. Her moist eyes were filled with worries, like pear blossoms blown by the wind and rain, beautiful and stunning.

Xiao Changyu had always detested those who had a delicate appearance but secretly manipulated others behind the scenes.
It was because he had been tortured by such a person for countless days and nights.

Four years ago, he had witnessed the whole incident while passing by the Imperial Garden.
The familiar feeling still lingered, even though he had killed that woman with his own hands. Seeing the same tactics used again, he felt like he was going to vomit.

He couldn’t believe that a delicate and beautiful young girl had such a sinister mind, pretending to be pitiful and playing on people’s sympathy, deceiving everyone.
Changle had been sincere with her, but she had taken advantage of her kindness. If Changle knew that all her feelings were calculated, how would she feel?

So, he had kept it a secret from everyone and came to see her alone, just to warn her to stop playing tricks.

Later, he was busy with the imperial examination and then joined the Imperial Guard. There were no women around him, not even a female cat.
After being busy with his duties, he rarely thought about his weak past.

However, when he saw her at the eldest princess’s mansion, surrounded by people, with men’s gazes stuck to her, he couldn’t help but notice her.
She seemed oblivious to it all, chatting freely, which made her look foolish.
But now, seeing her with red eyes, Xiao Yan felt a strange sensation in his heart.

The words he had just said now felt like sharp swords stabbing into his own heart. Four years ago, she was just a child, but she could manipulate everyone, always appearing gentle and dignified.

Even his grandmother had been deceived by her.
But now, he had just spoken harshly, and she showed such a vulnerable and pitiful side.
Xiao Changyu, Xiao Changyu, had he forgotten what his mother said before she died?
Never be fooled by a woman’s tears; she would lead him to his grave.

Even though he knew she was pretending to be pitiful, Xiao Yan couldn’t bring himself to say those words again.
Pei Lingyi thought of many things. The experiences in her dream reminded her every moment that if she made one wrong move, the consequences could be the downfall of the Pei family. She couldn’t let the thing that was almost within her grasp slip away so easily.

Even though Xiao Yan had humiliated her, she had to endure.
The hand hidden in her sleeve was clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palm, and she forced herself not to cry. Her body trembled slightly, and she was about to turn around and leave.

But then, Xiao Yan spoke again, his tone softer, “You want the jade plaque, I’ll give it to you. You don’t need to act like this. Consider it a gift for dragging you into the Imperial Guard case last time.”

“Are you… serious?” Pei Lingyi hadn’t expected this, and she found it hard to believe.
“Here, take it,” Xiao Yan handed the jade plaque to Pei Lingyi. But as their fingers touched, he felt a slight numbness and tried to hide his discomfort, afraid of being noticed.

Pei Lingyi didn’t care about him; her focus was on the jade plaque.
She glanced at the man in front of her and sighed softly, “You’re not giving me the other one?”

Xiao Yan’s expression turned cold again, and he replied in a disagreeable tone, “What? One isn’t enough for you? I’m the commander of the Imperial Guard. If I can’t even get a jade plaque at the gathering, wouldn’t it be a joke?”
“Don’t you know?”

“Should I know something?”
Pei Lingyi stopped talking when she saw Xiao Yan’s suspicious gaze. It seemed that Xiao Yan didn’t know the purpose of this pair of jade plaques, and he was unaware of the new rule.

Now, she had no choice but to team up with him. His talent was undoubtedly exceptional, possibly even the best among the people there today.
She hadn’t considered him before, but since they had met and things had turned out this way, she had no other choice.

At least he was still useful.
As for today’s events, she had taken note of it. Along with the matter of being attacked that day, one day she would make him pay for today’s humiliation.