Lin Meiyun gave a light cough before looking back at the servants.
"What are you trying to say?"
The older maid immediately lowered her head until it was almost touching the ground.
"Young Madam... ordered all of us to leave the kitchen."
The entire courtyard instantly fell silent.
Another servant hurriedly spoke up.
"Young Madam said she wanted to be alone."
"We did not dare disobey."
The rest immediately followed.
"Yes!"
"Young Madam sent us away!"
"We were only obeying orders!"
Su Yueqing slowly lifted her head.
She looked at the kneeling servants.
Then at the burning kitchen.
Then back at the servants again.
Inside her mind—
[...Ah.]
[So we’re at this part of the story.]
Xi Wenzhe’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Su Yueqing looked far too calm.
Almost unnaturally calm.
Inside her mind, she let out a small sigh.
[Poor people.]
[They’re trying very hard to hint that I burned the kitchen myself.]
[Honestly, if I had seen my knife skills earlier, I might suspect me too. Too bad I lost to a cucumber.. it was an accident though]
Xi Yunchen bit the inside of his cheek.
Gu Yue quickly lowered her head.
Little Xi Anran blinked in confusion before lightly tugging at her sister’s sleeve.
"Sister..."
Xi Qianqian looked down.
"...What is it?"
Anran whispered softly,
"Can someone accidentally lose to a cucumber?"
Xi Qianqian nearly choked.
Beside them, Gu Xing wore an unusually serious expression.
"I think Sister-in-law can."
His twin sister, Gu Yue, nodded immediately.
"I think so too."
Su Yueqing remained completely unaware of the conversation around her.
She simply looked down at the burnt sleeve once more.
Inside her mind—
[That cucumber won in the end.]
[I should have respected my opponent.]
Xi Yunhao silently raised his eyes toward the sky.
Even Xi Jianyu’s expression became slightly strange for the briefest moment.
Then Zhao Rui suddenly spoke.
"If she was alone..."
Her sharp eyes slowly swept across the entire courtyard.
"...then where is Li Mei?"