Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 16
by Little PandaUnexpected Change
Third Miss is a very good person
Shiyi had a good sleep. It was the first time she slept so soundly since coming to the Wei family. Perhaps it was because Wei Hui had told her her purpose and choice, so she didn’t have to worry constantly about when her eyes might be dug out or when she might lose an organ. Or maybe it was because she ate too much last night, and the feeling of being full was too wonderful. Even until the next day at dawn, she could still feel this subtle sense of happiness.
She woke up before six o’clock.
Shiyi got up and folded the blanket, then opened the window. The cold wind mixed with moisture blew in. Early mornings and evenings were very cool in early November. She hugged her arms and sneezed twice before closing the window, feeling fully awake now.
After washing up, she went downstairs. There was no one in the living room; it was empty. Shiyi checked the time on her phone again, confirming it was indeed 6:30. Usually at this time when she came downstairs, others would have already started cleaning, but now there was no one?
Puzzled, Shiyi took a few steps towards the kitchen. She only saw a chef in a white coat busy working, with no sign of anyone else. Out of curiosity, she asked, “Where’s Zhang Ma?”
The chef heard the sound and looked up at her, replying: “Outside.”
Shiyi thanked him softly and walked out of the living room. Sure enough, she saw Zhang Ma, and in front of her stood a row of servants. Zhang Ma was scolding them lightly: “Who exactly took it? You’d better hand it over to me. It’s not too late to tell me now. If you wait until Third Miss is disturbed, you’ll all be in for it!”
“Nobody’s talking, huh?”
“You, speak!”
Zhang Ma pointed at the woman on the far left, who was tall and thin. When she saw Zhang Ma looking at her, she hesitated for a moment before replying: “I don’t know. I didn’t take it.”
“Zhang Ma, it definitely wasn’t us who took it. We’ve been here for so long, you know whether our hands are clean or not, don’t you?”
“That’s right, how could we possibly touch Third Miss’s things unless we didn’t want to work here anymore?”
“Zhang Ma, we really didn’t take it!”
Bits and pieces of complaints and explanations came through. Shiyi stood behind Zhang Ma and heard the woman who just spoke say: “Zhang Ma, you’re only asking us, why don’t you ask Miss Shiyi?”
“She’s the one with sticky fingers…”
“She was just beaten…”
“She wasn’t even here yesterday…”
“Maybe she’s already sold it…”
Shiyi stood frozen in place, feeling cold all over. She saw Zhang Ma slowly turn around, looking at her with a gloomy gaze, and said coldly: “Miss Shiyi, have you been to Third Miss’s jewelry room?”
Jewelry room? Shiyi shook her head lightly and said in a slightly low voice: “No.”
Zhang Ma stared at her for a few seconds. The voices of criticism from the crowd continued. She said: “Let’s do this, after Third Miss finishes breakfast, we’ll search everyone together. Miss Shiyi, since you say you didn’t take it, do you mind if we search your room?”
Shiyi shook her head and was about to say she didn’t mind when a cool voice came from behind: “What room are you searching?”
Everyone was surprised, no one had noticed Third Miss approaching.
Wei Hui was still wearing the nightgown Shiyi had seen last night, with a light pink cardigan draped over her shoulders. The cold wind howled, lifting the edges of her cardigan and her beautiful hair, creating an attractive arc in the air. Her pretty face wore an indifferent expression, her phoenix eyes slightly narrowed: “Zhang Ma, you explain.”
Hearing her stern voice, Zhang Ma cleared her throat and said: “Third Miss, when I went to tidy up the jewelry room this morning, I found a necklace was missing.”
Wei Hui frowned: “A necklace is missing?”
Zhang Ma still kept her head lowered: “I’m sorry, Third Miss. It’s my fault for not watching carefully.”
Wei Hui glanced at her coldly, her thin lips barely moving: “So you suspect this child?”
Zhang Ma immediately shook her head: “I wouldn’t dare. I just wanted to search everyone after we finish eating.”
Wei Hui laughed lightly: “Alright then.”
She looked at Shiyi: “I’ll search.”
Zhang Ma’s expression changed slightly: “Third Miss.”
“I brought this person back, so I should be responsible.” She looked at Shiyi: “Come with me.”
Shiyi didn’t even look at the others, obediently walking to Wei Hui’s side. Only after their figures disappeared from sight did the others start muttering: “Could it really be that she took it?”
“If it’s true, Third Miss will definitely kick her out.”
“Third Miss hates people with sticky fingers the most.”
“I don’t think it’s her, she looks quite honest.”
“What do you know, some people just look well-behaved on the surface, who knows how bad they are behind your back!”
Zhang Ma heard their voices and her gaze darkened. If Third Miss searches Shiyi’s room, she should find the necklace, right? This way she’d have a reason to kick Shiyi out. At her age, it was her first time framing someone like this, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit unsure. But when she thought about a thief being close to Third Miss, she couldn’t eat or sleep well.
She’d rather accept the condemnation of her conscience, even compensate Shiyi a bit extra, than see Shiyi bring any trouble to Third Miss.
Zhang Ma said to everyone: “Go do your work first.”
She said as she walked towards the villa.
In the room on the second floor, Shiyi opened the door and Wei Hui walked in. The two stood there for a few seconds before Shiyi remembered Wei Hui’s cleanliness obsession. She said, “I’ll search for you to see, okay?”
“No need.”
Wei Hui looked around the room. There wasn’t much in the guest room. Between the bay window and the bed was a space the size of two nightstands. The dressing table was placed against the wall, the desk next to it. The whole room seemed spacious due to the lack of things, with no extra decorations, not even a potted plant. The wardrobe door was open, inside hung the clothes she had sent over, with old clothes folded on the bottom layer. She looked like a tourist staying here temporarily, ready to leave at any time.
The blanket on the bed was neatly folded, the bed sheet pulled without a single wrinkle. The desk was also bare. Except for the makeup she had sent earlier on the dressing table, this place looked the same as when no one was living here before.
Wei Hui opened her lips: “Open that drawer over there.”
She was referring to the drawer under the desk. The drawer handle was the same color as the desk, not easy to notice if you weren’t paying attention. Shiyi had never rummaged through things since living here, so this was the first time she opened this drawer.
After opening it, there were a few facial tissues inside. Shiyi moved the tissues aside and saw the dazzling necklace.
The platinum necklace sparkled brightly in the sunlight. She looked up in shock and immediately said: “Third Miss.”
Footsteps came from behind, Wei Hui took three steps in two to reach her side, reached out to grasp the necklace in the drawer. Zhang Ma’s voice came from behind: “Third Miss, do you need my help?”
“Come in.” Wei Hui opened her lips faintly: “Search it once.”
Shiyi had already closed the drawer first.
Zhang Ma searched the room once, especially inside the drawers. She looked several times but didn’t see the necklace, even the facial tissue she used to wrap the necklace was gone. Could it be that she had tied herself up (meaning: made things difficult for herself) and let Shiyi change its location?
Her face suddenly turned ugly.
Occasionally servants passing by the door glanced inside, whispering: “It’s not there?”
“It doesn’t seem to be in Shiyi’s room.”
“Then who took it?”
“Don’t know.”
Zhang Ma, seeing that she couldn’t find it, took the initiative and said: “Miss Shiyi, I’m sorry, I misunderstood you.”
Shiyi’s hands were twisted together, and she didn’t make a sound.
She was slow but not stupid. The necklace wasn’t stolen by her, so someone must have deliberately placed it here. If the Third Miss hadn’t taken it away just now, then her stealing would have been a certainty. This was completely different from when she was forced to steal before, so she didn’t say anything.
Zhang Ma was a bit embarrassed: “Third Miss, let’s have breakfast first.”
But Wei Hui opened her lips and said: “Let’s check my room while we’re at it.”
Zhang Ma was about to say it wasn’t necessary when she saw her tense profile, sharp brow bone, and her gaze piercing like a blade. She swallowed and said: “Alright.”
Wei Hui walked out first, with Zhang Ma and Shiyi following. Shiyi stood at the doorway of Wei Hui’s room. Unlike the quick glance before, now she could clearly see the layout and decoration inside. It was somewhat different from what she had imagined. She thought that for someone like Wei Hui, the room should be like an office, giving a very cold feeling, but what she saw wasn’t like that at all.
The entire room was covered with thick brown carpet, long-haired, just looking at it felt very comfortable. Two rows of large wardrobes were built into the walls. The bed was placed in the center, with a sofa next to the foot of the bed, very exquisitely styled. On the wall opposite the sofa hung a TV as big as the one downstairs. The screen was currently black, and Shiyi could see her own reflection when she turned her head.
If Shiyi had looked more closely, she would have noticed that all the sharp edges in the room had protective covers.
Zhang Ma followed behind Wei Hui and said: “Third Miss, there’s no need—”
Before she could finish, Wei Hui took out a necklace from her hand and smiled lightly: “Is this what you’re looking for?”
“This…” Zhang Ma was speechless: “How did it end up with you?”
Wei Hui carelessly tossed the necklace onto the dressing table, her voice cold and clear: “Zhang Ma, you’re getting old. Have you forgotten that I wore this to the banquet last time?”
Hearing this, Zhang Ma immediately said: “Third Miss!”
Wei Hui’s face was cold, her jaw tightened, her voice filled with frost: “I see you’re not just getting old! You’re also becoming more muddle-headed!”
Zhang Ma, scared pale, quickly said: “Third Miss, I’m doing this for your own good!”
Wei Hui’s phoenix eyes swept over her, her tone becoming even more fierce: “Zhang Ma, I remember telling you the day you entered the Wei family, I hate excessive concern the most.”
“But…”
“No buts.” Wei Hui casually interrupted her words: “With me, buts are not accepted.”
“Later, Pei Tian will send you back to your hometown. You should go back and rest.”
Zhang Ma’s momentum suddenly softened, still calling out stubbornly: “Third Miss, I’ve been by your side for ten years! Ten years! You’re just going to send me away like this? Just for a child of unknown origin? I’m doing this for your own good! I don’t want you to get hurt!”
Wei Hui’s expression was cold and detached, her gaze towards Zhang Ma was indifferent, showing no sign of any emotional connection from their time together. She opened her lips and said: “Zhang Ma, do you know where you went wrong?”
Zhang Ma looked at the person she had served for ten years, realizing she had never truly understood her. After a few seconds of silence, Zhang Ma said: “Was it wrong to frame this child?”
“It has nothing to do with this child,” Wei Hui said calmly. “It also has nothing to do with this incident.”
“The mistake is yours. You overstepped your boundaries.”
Hearing these words, Zhang Ma’s face drained of color, her lips trembling slightly, the white hair at her temples more noticeable. Wei Hui coldly glanced at her and turned to leave, but Shiyi walked over to Zhang Ma’s side, wanting to support her.
Zhang Ma turned her head, her lips moving several times before she finally spoke: “Are you very pleased? Third Miss is driving me away because of you?”
Shiyi quickly shook her head: “No.”
Zhang Ma sneered: “Don’t be so smug. She’s driving me away today, but tomorrow she might drive you away.”
Hearing this, Shiyi lowered her eyes and said clearly: “Third Miss is a very good person.”
She didn’t take out the necklace in her own room, considering Zhang Ma’s face (meaning: to save Zhang Ma’s reputation or dignity), not wanting others to know that the necklace was found in her room.
She didn’t expose Zhang Ma on the spot, considering Zhang Ma’s face, not wanting others to know that Zhang Ma had framed her.
If she was truly cold and heartless, not caring about anything, she could have easily confronted Zhang Ma in her own room. How could she possibly have come back to this room?
So, the Third Miss is not what she appears to be on the surface.
Zhang Ma, hearing her words, looked at her with a gaze she had never used before, staring deeply for a few moments before saying in a gruff voice: “I’ve truly grown old.”
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