Reborn to be a Stepmother

Chapter 98:Unfortunately, It’s Too Late

When Xie Jingtian saw this, he found it incredible. Why is this girl so strange? He thought for a while and finally followed them.

“Miss, please stay.”

Xiao Ting could hear his voice. She asked without looking back, “What’s the matter with you?” How could this man be like sticky candy?

Xie Jingtian approached them and said, “Well, I also want to go back to the Capital. Why don’t I give you a ride?”

He didn’t know why he had this idea. Originally, today was the day he’d return to the mansion, but he was delayed to save Xiao Ting and her sister, so he didn’t plan to go back today.

But now that he heard Xiao Ting was leaving, this thought came to him. He didn’t know why he wanted to stay with this woman for a few hours longer.

He felt that she’s different, innocent, and was also the first woman who dared beat him. Even his mother had never beaten him.

Xie Jingtian cautiously proposed, afraid of being rejected by Xiao Ting. After all, in accepting the kindness of a stranger, any sensible person will be vigilant and not easily trust the other. He had already thought about it. If it didn’t work, he could declare his family and show his identity to prove himself.

But he didn’t expect that as soon as his voice fell and his thoughts were still flying in his head, Xiao Ting surprisingly said, “Ah, you are so kind. Thank you, let’s go!”

Only Xiao Ting was talking along the way, while the other two acted as listeners. A group of three finally rushed to the Imperial City at sunset.

Seeing the familiar sight, Xiao Ting looked very excited, raising the carriage’s curtain and showing Xie Jingtian the way, “Go to Jiu Wangfu.”

The black-clothed woman felt a little weird in her heart when she saw her casually directing the other man. Jiu Wangfei didn’t regard herself as an outsider at all and treated this rich-looking young master as a coachman then directing him to send her home.

Hearing this, Xie Jingtian was taken aback for a moment and thought about Xiao Ting’s possible identity. He hadn’t heard of any girls in Jiu Wangfu and the only little master in that family was only four years old this year!

Who is this girl? Is she staying there?

Forget it, what does it have to do with him!

After a while, the carriage stopped and Xiao Ting jumped out.

She then smiled at Xie Jingtian and said, “Thank you. I’m home now, so you can go back to save your mother the worry.”

After speaking, she turned and left. Housekeeper Mu passed by and immediately greeted her, “Wangfei, welcome back. You worried this old servant.”

Xiao Ting smiled and raised her arm to greet him, “Aiya, Housekeeper Mu, you’re still the best. It’s like three autumns if I haven’t seen you for a day. You being worried for this consort really flatters me.”

She raised her right hand, revealing a white-jade wrist and her birthmark.

“Wangfei is joking, wangye is the one most worried about you, so please hurry inside.”

“Wangye is worried about me?”

Xiao Ting snorted, obviously not convinced, “This consort doesn’t believe it!”

Otherwise, why didn’t she see him looking for her?

“By the way, this consort picked up a maid, hey, what’s your name again?”

Halfway through the introduction, Xiao Ting suddenly remembered that she didn’t know this woman’s name, so turned to ask her.

The black-clothed woman coldly spits out two words, “Bing Ning.”

Xiao Ting nodded, and then looked at Housekeeper Mu: “She’s called Bing Ning, and she suffered some injuries. Let a doctor see her and then send her to Hong Shao.”

“This old servant took note. Wangfei should go see wangye first.”

The people in front of Jiu Wangfu went inside, leaving only Xie Jingtian standing alone by the carriage, dumbfounded. Only after a long time passed did he came back to his senses.

Turns out she’s Jiu Wangfei, the famous Sixth Miss Xiao, Xiao Ting.

Then he suddenly turned around and drove away in the carriage.

Xie Jingtian returned home a little disappointed. As soon as he walked in, he heard his mother crying miserably.

“Son, you’re back, you really worried mother. When did you stop going to the Hanshan Temple?”

Xie Jingtian made a stern face and didn’t respond.

“That Xiao’s Sixth Girl married a long time ago. You also said at the beginning that as long as she marries, you’ll come back. It’s been a few months, so what were you doing there?”

Father Xie also walked out and sadly said, “My son, you are almost done. The Emperor asking you to take such a long vacation was to give your grandfather face. Do you know how many people are staring at that seat now?”

“If you hadn’t come back, your future career will be ruined.”

Xie Jingtian knew that this was the result when he came back, so he didn’t want to go home.

When he stayed in Hanshan Temple, he had a lot of leisure time.

“Father, mother, this child is tired, so let me go and rest first.”

“Son, what’s the matter with you? Did you have a bad time there? What are you doing? To be tired like this, son, son, talk to me.”

Mother Xie followed behind Xie Jingtian and kept asking until he closed the door, almost touching her nose.

Father Xie pulled her over and said, “Don’t disturb your son. He’s also very annoyed at heart, so let him rest. He’ll come back when he figured it out. Let father-in-law accommodate the Emperor first.”

“Accommodate? The Emperor has had a lot of things recently, so he didn’t think of this. Otherwise, Tian’er’s Assistant Minister position couldn’t be kept. If we can’t persuade him to come back, his future career will really come to an end.”

Mother Xie always wanted to persuade her son to come back after hearing what her father had said.

“What can I do?” Father Xie clasped his hands and stomped anxiously.

“Otherwise, let’s have our son marry first?”

Mother Xie felt that things weren’t right. The reason why Xie Jingtian resigned and became a monk was to avoid the Emperor’s marriage edict. The Emperor felt ashamed for their family because of this. And with Mother Xie’s father’s intervention, he saved Xie Jingtian’s Assistant Minister position.

Now that Xiao’s sixth girl is married and became Jiu Wangfei, her life was pretty good and she never heard the news of Jiu Wangye divorcing his wife. The Emperor probably won’t mention this again. Moreover, as soon as Xiao Guifei‘s affairs came out, it affected everyone in the Xiao family. Even if Xiao’s sixth girl got kicked out of Jiu Wangfu, this had nothing to do with the Xie family anymore.

Now they should set a marriage for their son first so that their son might be at ease.

The old couple settled it like this and left.

Xie Jingtian naturally heard what they said, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, revealing a wry smile.

Unexpectedly, after hiding for a long time, he still couldn’t avoid Sixth Miss Xiao.

“Young master, Commander Xu has arrived. Master invites you to the reception hall.”

This interrupted Xie Jingtian’s musings. He frowned and said, “Go back to the master and directly invite Commander Xu to my courtyard!”

After a while, Xu Zhi walked in. Seeing his friend look entangled, he asked: “I heard the madam say that you’re getting married?”

Xie Jingtian glared at him and angrily said: “It’s so late yet Commander Xu came to my house. Could this be a once-in-a-lifetime event of condolences to me!”

“It wasn’t originally, but I now have this plan.”

Xu Zhi and Xie Jingtian have a small relationship. Speaking of which, he’s not as rigorous as when dealing with outsiders.

“Sit down!”

Xie Jingtian invited him to a seat. The maids offered refreshments and then stepped back. Xu Zhi looked around and said, “It’s a pity that you only get to live in such a good place a few times a month.”

“We haven’t met for several months, but when did Commander Xu learn to be roundabout when speaking?”

“Ahem…” Xu Zhi coughed and said, “Actually, I came this time by the Emperor’s order.”

“The Emperor ordered you to return to court.”

Like Xu Zhi, Xie Jingtian came to this point by his own ability. Although his backing was hard, he never relied on his family.

As the number one in both civil and military exams, they were handpicked for their positions.

Seeing his friend not reply, Xu Zhi continued: “A few months ago, the Emperor gave you a marriage. We have all heard the rumors that Sixth Miss Xiao is really not a good match, so the Emperor left you alone.”

“Now, Sixth Miss Xiao is Jiu Wangfei, but you’re still like this. Even if the Emperor is tolerant, you can’t continue like this without reason. I’m afraid it’ll also hurt your loved ones.”

Xie Jingtian understood what Xu Zhi wanted to say, but…

“I saw her.”

“Who?”

“Xiao Ting.” Xie Jingtian faintly spat out those two words, without sorrow or joy.

Xu Zhi was stunned for a moment, then asked: “You saw her?”

“So?”

He’s a little puzzled by his friend’s reaction. What does this mean?

As a very dedicated and righteous person, Xie Jingtian made no exceptions for anyone, including the Emperor.

Such a person will not compromise for anything, let alone act unpredictably for a woman.

Especially Xiao Ting, a woman he once felt ashamed of and would never even mention.

Xie Jingtian slightly shook his head and smiled, “It’s a pity that it’s too late.”

This stunned Xu Zhi as turmoil rose in his heart, “What do you mean? Y-you, like her?”

“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” Xie Jingtian’s answer was a yes.

“Y-you just met her once and you say you like her? Of course, it’s ridiculous.”

Xu Zhi didn’t understand.

“I don’t know if I like her, but when I saw her in Jiu Wangfu and heard others call her Jiu Wangfei, I felt empty.”

“You…”

Xu Zhi didn’t know what to say at all. He came here by the Emperor’s order this time to make Xie Jingtian return to court.

Now that he heard this bad news, he didn’t know what to do.

“But then, you escaped the marriage in the first place…” He didn’t finish, but the meaning was obvious. Xie Jingtian escaped from the marriage to avoid Xiao Ting and even became a monk.

Now that he’s been a monk for several months, Xiao Ting has also married and became Jiu Wangfei. And now he says he met her too late, which was incredible.

“Sure enough, I complied with Buddhism’s words. All things in the world have a cause and effect, we are not destined at all.”

Xu Zhi didn’t know how to persuade him, let alone what to say, “Jiu Wangfei is indeed different.”

He only said this, but Xie Jingtian looked at him in surprise, asking, “You actually call her Jiu Wangfei? And still made such a comment?”

“Otherwise?” Xu Zhi asked rhetorically.

“I thought you’d hate her at the very least.” Xie Jingtian wondered.