Xiao Yun's commotion had already attracted the attention of the surrounding tourists. Tian Yu and Huang Xuanming, who had been sitting idly, now walked over.
Upon seeing Tian Yu, Bai Jun Chun felt even more wronged. Everything she had done was for him! Yet, he knew nothing.
Hearing Bai Jun Chun's accusations, Wang Qing Lin was neither angry nor upset. She said softly, "Cousin, you've misunderstood my meaning."
With a single word, "misunderstood," she absolved herself of all responsibility.
"You are always so quick to misinterpret others' thoughts. If your uncle and aunt knew, they would scold you again."
Mentioning her father and stepmother, a look of fear crossed Bai Jun Chun's face. Her father relied on Wang Da in official circles; she couldn't afford to fall out with Wang Qing Lin. If the Wang and Bai families became estranged because of her, her father would surely beat her to death!
Thinking of this, Bai Jun Chun, like a defeated rooster, turned to Wang Qing Yao with a pale and ashen face and said, "I'm sorry, second cousin. I misunderstood my elder cousin's intentions. Please don't be angry. I was just joking with you. The jade spider... I won't ask you to compensate me for it."
Bai Jun Chun gritted her teeth, her face pale.
Xiao Yun curiously asked, "What jade spider?"
Fang Yuan stepped forward and recounted the events. Xiao Yun said, "This is just your own doing."
Bai Jun Chun's lips trembled, "Yes, it is my own doing."
Wang Qing Lin glanced at her with disdain. Useless, unable to accomplish anything and only good at causing trouble. She couldn't even handle such a small matter!
This matter could have ended here, but Wang Qing Yao was relentless. She hadn't expected her broken engagement with Tian Yu to lead to so many complications. If it wasn't clarified in public, who knew what accusations might be leveled against her in the future.
Her gaze fixed on Wang Qing Lin, she asked, "Then, elder cousin, did you say that I broke off the engagement with Young Master Tian because of Young Master Xiao?"
Tian Yu looked at Wang Qing Lin in surprise. Before Wang Qing Lin could retort, Xiao Yun excitedly interjected, "Yes, yes, that's exactly what she told me just now. Oh my, do you like me that much?"
Wang Qing Yao: "..."
Wang Qing Lin: "..."
The crowd: She probably likes your money.
Wang Qing Lin said guiltily, "I'm sorry, second sister. I shouldn't have spoken about your private matters. Your cousins were just concerned and asked a few extra questions."
While this sounded like an apology, it actually solidified the accusation that Wang Qing Yao was seeking a powerful connection and was materialistic.
Wang Qing Yao didn't want to play these mind games. She directly asked, "Elder cousin, have you confused the cause and effect? Don't you know why I broke off my engagement with Young Master Tian? Wasn't it because you and Young Master Tian secretly developed feelings for each other, and you were determined to marry only him, so the family forced me to break off the engagement?"
What?!
This news was sensational. Even the young ladies from the Bai family heard it for the first time. Bai Jun Chun looked at Wang Qing Lin in disbelief. Had she been manipulated?
The onlookers, who had come to watch the spectacle, pricked up their ears, subtly shifting their positions to get closer, and closer...
Wang Qing Lin's dignified and beautiful face was filled with shock, her beautiful eyes widening more than a bull's: "Second sister, how can you twist right and wrong like this? It was clearly the family's decision to compensate the Tian family that led me to take your place."
Each side presented their own version of the story, and the onlookers couldn't discern who was lying.
Wang Qing Yao looked coldly at Tian Yu, "Young Master Tian, you were involved. You tell us."
Although Tian Yu and Wang Qing Lin had developed feelings for each other over time, they had never crossed any boundaries. In his heart, his relationship with Wang Qing Lin was above board and had nothing to hide.
Furthermore, he was already resistant to arranged marriages and had never liked Wang Qing Yao, so he had never felt guilty towards her.
He didn't understand why Wang Qing Lin was saying this.
He wanted to openly announce his relationship with Wang Qing Lin, but seeing Wang Qing Lin's pleading gaze, his heart softened. He said softly, "Miss Wang Er, I have never blamed you."
As soon as he said this, the onlookers let out a collective "Oh!"
Wang Qing Yao, enraged, laughed mockingly. She had thought Tian Yu had some backbone, but now she saw that he and Wang Qing Lin were birds of a feather, neither of them good.
Xiao Yun couldn't stand it and was about to intervene, but Wang Qing Yao stopped him with a look. He had no choice but to retreat.
Wang Qing Lin looked smug. Wang Qing Yao looked at the two of them coldly and said, "If that's the case, then elder cousin and Young Master Tian have no private dealings?"
"Naturally," Wang Qing Lin nodded without hesitation.
Tian Yu hesitated for a moment and then nodded as well.
Wang Qing Yao smiled faintly, then suddenly reached out and snatched the sachet hanging from Wang Qing Lin's waist.
Wang Qing Lin's face changed drastically, "What are you doing?" Her voice became shrill, and she reached out to grab it back.
With a glance from Xiao Yun, Zhen Zhu and Ma Nao blocked her from the left and right.
Tian Yu's expression also changed.
Wang Qing Yao quickly pulled out a paper folded into a heart from the sachet, sneering, "So romantic, folding a love poem into a heart shape."
She unfolded the heart and spread out the paper, holding it outwards for everyone to see as she recited: "My heart is filled with longing for you, though I do not go to you, will you not send word? My heart is filled with yearning for you, though I do not go to you, will you not come? Oh, how I long for you, how I miss you. One day without seeing you feels like three months."
At the end, there was a signature: For my dear Lin.
Wang Qing Yao emphasized the last four words as she read them.
Wang Qing Lin's face turned ashen, inch by inch.
This was a love poem she and Tian Yu had written for each other during their passionate days. Tian Yu's sachet also contained a similarly folded heart-shaped paper with a love poem written by her.
This was just a small romantic gesture between her and Tian Yu. Why would Wang Qing Yao know about it?
Wang Qing Lin felt an inexplicable panic. Had something gone beyond her control?
Bai Jun Chun, a fan of Tian Yu, had many of his poetry collections at home. She recognized the handwriting with just a glance at the poem: "This is Young Master Tian's handwriting."
Wang Qing Yao looked at Tian Yu, "Young Master Tian, if I'm not mistaken, your sachet with the soaring roc on your waist also hides a love poem, doesn't it? What else do you have to say?"
Tian Yu stared at her blankly. She was meticulous, brave, and resourceful. Wang Qing Yao was truly completely different.
He opened his mouth, wanting to apologize, but his throat was hoarse, and he couldn't utter a sound.
The surrounding people cast looks of contempt and disappointment at him, pointing and whispering. His face burned, and he wished the ground would split open so he could hide within it.
Xiao Yun clapped his hands, "Wonderful, truly wonderful. More exciting than the storytellers at Sangjia Wazi."
Wang Qing Lin was utterly humiliated. She didn't understand how things had escalated to this point. Everything had been under her control before.
Bai Jun Chun finally realized at this moment that she had been incited and used by Wang Qing Lin!
She looked at Wang Qing Lin in anger, "It's all your fault! You pay for my jade spider!"
Wang Qing Lin stared blankly at the moving lips of this fool, hearing the whispers of the crowd. Those embarrassing gazes pierced her like sharp swords. She had never felt so humiliated.
Suddenly, she rolled her eyes and fainted.