Mistakenly recognized as a cousin, thousands of pampered

"Since you know that I will be unhappy if I hear it, why do you still say it?"

Tao Jiuxi gritted his teeth, steeled his resolve, and said, "Father said he ran into Uncle Xie today, who asked about our whereabouts. Father was worried that others would criticize him for his close relationship with you, so he lied and said we were staying in a restaurant. When Uncle Xie found out, he invited father to stay at the Xie Mansion temporarily. Father felt that living in your mansion for a long time wasn't appropriate, so he agreed."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Father is going over, and my eldest sister and I should accompany him."

"what about me?"

"Are you going too?"

"I don't want to joke with you. Are you going to the Xie family?" Shen Zhiyi's tone turned cold.

"Yeah, I have to go."

In an instant, Tao Jiuxi felt as if the air around him had cooled down. An invisible pressure enveloped the room, making it hard to breathe.

For a long while, Shen Zhiyi did not say another word.

Tao Jiuxi could only slowly look up at Shen Zhiyi, only to see that his face was tense.

She clearly felt the anger emanating from Shen Zhiyi, and that anger was like a surging wave that could drown her at any time.

She thought to herself that it was not a good idea to continue in this stalemate.

"It's just a temporary stay. We'll move out as soon as the house His Majesty has gifted us is ready. This is our only relative in the capital. Uncle Xie's invitation was so kind that my father couldn't refuse, so he agreed to stay with us for a while."

Shen Zhiyi said resolutely: "You can't leave." His tone left no room for doubt.

"But I can't let my father and elder sister go and leave me alone." Tao Jiuxi looked embarrassed.

"Tao Jiuxi, when you entered my house that day, I told you that you can't come and go as you please." Shen Zhiyi's eyes revealed majesty.

"We're just staying there temporarily. If we can clean up the house quickly, we'll probably move out in a month or so." Tao Jiuxi tried to explain, with helplessness in his voice, hoping to gain Shen Zhiyi's understanding.

"Stop it. I won't allow it."

"But my father won't agree with you." Seeing Shen Zhiyi's firm attitude, Tao Jiuxi brought up his father to try to persuade him.

"Don't use your father to pressure me."

"I won't use him to pressure you, but you should also be reasonable."

"If you still want to see your father in the capital, don't mention this matter again." Shen Zhiyi's face was cold, as if covered by frost. After he finished speaking, he stood up and was about to leave.

"Cousin, don't be anxious. Can't we just talk it out?" Tao Jiuxi hurried forward and grabbed his arm, his eyes full of anxiety.

"Don't call me cousin, I'm not your cousin." Shen Zhiyi waved away Tao Jiuxi's hand that was grabbing his sleeve and was about to leave.

"Shen Zhiyi, can you please be reasonable? You can't lock me up all day long." Seeing this, Tao Jiuxi also became a little angry.

"What do you mean? If I don't lock you up, you're going to leave on your own?"

Shen Zhiyi glared at him, his voice full of questioning.

"I just want to tell you that you can't restrict my freedom." Tao Jiuxi did not back down, he straightened his chest and spoke in a firm tone.

"Is it your father who is going to the Xie family, or you who are going to the Xie family?" Shen Zhiyi stared at Tao Jiuxi, his eyes full of suspicion.

"Shen Zhiyi, don't look for trouble. I'm not your cousin. I can go wherever I want."

Tao Jiuxi also refused to give in, raised his chin, and looked unyielding.

"Don't say that."

"Shen Zhiyi, if you are like this, I don't think I can communicate with you." Tao Jiuxi's voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were full of disappointment and helplessness.

Shen Zhiyi felt a tightness in his heart when he heard this.

He didn't expect Tao Jiuxi to say such a thing.

He stared at Tao Jiuxi in a daze, not knowing how to respond for a moment.

He knew Tao Jiuxi's personality to some extent. She was stubborn and independent. If the stalemate continued, she might really say something that he couldn't accept.

Thinking of this, Shen Zhiyi felt that he needed to calm down before dealing with this matter.

He looked at Tao Jiuxi deeply, then turned and left.

Tao Jiuxi looked at the direction where Shen Zhiyi left, feeling angry and annoyed.

She fell weakly into the chair, her mind full of thoughts.

She began to reflect on her words and actions, wondering if she was too impulsive.

Maybe I should be soft on Shen Zhiyi?

However, when she thought of Shen Zhiyi's arrogance and stubbornness, the grievances in her heart surged up again.

"Why can't you just listen to others properly? This is cold violence, Shen Zhiyi!" Tao Jiuxi shouted in the direction Shen Zhiyi left.

Before Shen Zhiyi left the yard, he met the guards who were talking to him.

This guard was sent by Shen Zhiyi to question the coachman and investigate Tao Jiuxi's movements yesterday.

Shen Zhiyi was confused yesterday. He felt that Tao Jiuxi would not deliberately hide his whereabouts from him. Did he get into trouble outside yesterday and that’s why he hid it from him?

The guard whispered a few words to Shen Zhiyi and then withdrew.

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhiyi stared ahead for a long time, his deep gaze seeming to penetrate the endless void.

It took a long time before he returned to the study.

When he came back, his steps were a little heavy.

At this moment, his heart was full of contradictions and entanglements, and he didn't know how to face Tao Jiuxi.

There was silence in the study.

Tao Jiuxi was still sitting on the Arhat couch, thinking about how to convince Shen Zhiyi, when she saw Shen Zhiyi coming back and immediately went up to him.

"Have you changed your mind?" Tao Jiuxi's eyes flashed with anticipation.

"What did you do yesterday?" Shen Zhiyi's tone was emotionless, but his plain words made Tao Jiuxi's heart tighten.

"I, I stayed in the mansion all day yesterday, and went to the lantern festival with you in the evening."

Tao Jiuxi was a little insecure, but she felt that she had been very careful yesterday, and she had made special observations when she met Xie Jinghuan, so no one should know.

Seeing Tao Jiuxi say this, Shen Zhiyi took a few steps forward and directly opened the drawer where Xie Jinghuan's pendant was placed. The drawer was now empty.

Shen Zhiyi chuckled at himself. He had already given Tao Jiuxi a chance, but Tao Jiuxi still lied without batting an eyelid, only trampling on his sincerity and toying with his feelings.

There was a flash of disappointment and anger in his eyes, and that cold look made Tao Jiuxi shudder.

Tao Jiuxi was stunned on the spot.

Did Shen Zhiyi know?

"I...yesterday...I yesterday..." Tao Jiuxi stammered, not knowing how to explain.

Ever since Shen Zhiyi confirmed his love for Tao Jiuxi, he has never shown such a cold expression in front of her.

Tao Jiuxi was immediately terrified. She wanted to explain, but she didn't know where to start.

However, before she could speak, a voice came from outside: "Master, Mu'er has been brought here."

"Bring him in." Shen Zhiyi sat back at the desk where he read and worked, his expression cold, just like when Tao Jiuxi first saw him in the study.

When Mu'er came in and saw Shen Zhiyi, she knelt down immediately.

Seeing this, Tao Jiuxi had a bad feeling in her heart. She looked at Mu'er kneeling on the ground, her heart filled with guilt and worry.

"Your servant greets the young master." Mu'er's voice trembled slightly, and her heart was filled with fear.

"Where did you and the young lady go yesterday?" the guard who had just come to report asked behind Mu'er.

"Yesterday, the young lady and I stayed in the mansion all day. In the evening, we went to East Street to meet up with the young master."

Mu'er had been following Tao Jiuxi. Seeing the situation in front of her, she remembered that the girl had gone to meet a young man yesterday. If she told anyone, it would probably harm the girl. She absolutely could not betray the girl at this moment.

However, just as he finished speaking, he heard Shen Zhiyi utter a few cold words.

"Drag him out and beat him to death with clubs."