Mistakenly recognized as a cousin, thousands of pampered

After being busy in the mansion for half a day, Tao Jiuxi decided to go out.

She came to Xianpinzhai and asked Li Dachun to prepare some pastries for her to take on board.

Afterwards, she carefully checked every detail of the shop. Li Dachun managed the shop in an orderly manner, which made Tao Jiuxi very satisfied.

However, when she was about to leave, she met Xie Jinghuan who had been waiting there.

Tao Jiuxi didn't want to pay attention to him, but Xie Jinghe kept begging her in front of everyone in Xianpinzhai.

He also said that if Tao Jiuxi ignored him today, he would come to Xianpinzhai every day to wait for her.

Tao Jiuxi didn't want to delay her business because of him, and she felt that instead of letting Xie Jinghuan pester her endlessly, it would be better to make things clear with him to avoid any trouble in the future.

So, despite his reluctance, Tao Jiuxi decided to have a talk with Xie Jinghe.

The private room of Xianpinzhai is quiet and elegant.

Tao Jiuxi sat elegantly on one side of the tea table, concentrating on making tea.

Xie Jinghuan sat quietly opposite her, staring at her with infatuated eyes.

When he was downstairs, Xie Jinghuan's heart was like a wave of thousands of words surging in the sea, but at this moment, looking at Tao Jiuxi who was calm and composed, he seemed to be frozen, and his throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't say a word.

Tao Jiuxi seemed to have no emotions towards him, as if he was just a passing cloud and not important at all.

Tao Jiuxi skillfully brewed a cup of tea and gently pushed it to Xie Jingyan, saying, "Try it! This is Xianpinzhai's unique milk tea, which I personally developed."

Xie Jinghuan had imagined the scene and result of meeting Tao Jiuxi in his mind countless times, but he never expected that Tao Jiuxi could be so calm and stay with him in this private room.

He picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip. The fresh and fragrant taste instantly bloomed in his mouth like a flower. His originally tense nerves gradually relaxed as if gently brushed by the spring breeze.

That day, he accidentally heard that the fortune-telling Taoist priest on Xihou Street had become the owner of Xianpinzhai.

Following this clue, the people he sent out learned from Li Dachun's neighbors that the owner of Xianpinzhai was a young and beautiful woman.

So, in the past few days, after Xie Jinghuan came out of the Hanlin Academy every day, he would come here to wait, hoping to see Tao Jiuxi.

"Xie Jinghe, since you can find this place, you should know that Xianpinzhai belongs to me. It is really rude of you to come and pester me like this." Tao Jiuxi spoke first, his voice as calm as water.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't find you anywhere." Xie Jinghuan said.

"Where do I live? Didn't you go there a few days ago? But you were afraid of Shen Zhiyi and didn't dare to come." A hint of sarcasm flashed in Tao Jiuxi's eyes.

Xie Jinghuan was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond.

"I think that after that day, the grudge between me and your Xie family should be written off. Since you know you can't afford to offend Shen Zhiyi, you shouldn't continue to pester him."

Xie Jinghuan asked anxiously, "Is it because he's a Duke and holds a high position that you never even glanced at me?"

Tao Jiuxi just thought that Xie Jinghuan in front of him was very funny.

"Xie Jingyan, I've clearly rejected you several times. Yet, your mother and grandmother still believe I was seducing you. May I ask, what did you say to them? You knew I had no interest in you, yet you still told your mother you wanted to marry me. Where does that leave me?"

Tao Jiuxi's words were like a string of cannonballs, and every word hit Xie Jinghe's heart hard.

"Also, if you had saved me that day, I would have looked upon you with a higher regard. For the sake of the Xie family, you, like your mother, refused to let me go. Although you knelt down to reflect on your mistakes and didn't restrict my freedom, you let Mammy guard the gate. Did you intend to release me, or did you not intend to? Or did you simply want to hand the dirty work over to someone else?"

Tao Jiuxi stared at Xie Jinghe with sharp eyes.

Just as Xie Jinghuan was about to speak, Tao Jiuxi continued, "If I hadn't taken precautions earlier, you could have asked your dissolute eldest brother what would happen to me. So, at this point, do you still have the nerve to come to me?"

Tao Jiuxi's words were like sharp blades, leaving Xie Jinghe speechless.

Tao Jiuxi didn't even mention the fact that the Xie family didn't treat half-brothers and half-sisters as human beings. After all, this was Xie Jinghuan's family affair, and no matter how unbearable it was, it was not convenient for her, an outsider, to comment too much.

"Xie Jinghuan, the matter was already over. But you insisted on coming here and asked me to tear off this fig leaf that you and I both knew was the truth and show it to you." Tao Jiuxi's voice echoed in the private room with a hint of determination.

"The past, the past was my fault... I shouldn't have done that. Can you give me a chance?" Xie Jinghuan's voice was filled with pleading.

"Haha." Tao Jiuxi didn't expect that Xie Jinghe would dare to speak so shamelessly. She was speechless.

"Don't you have anything else on your mind? I know you have a lot on your mind at your age. Can't you think more about the affairs of the court and the people?"

Tao Jiuxi didn't want to provoke unnecessary hostility towards Shen Zhiyi, otherwise she would really compare Shen Zhiyi with Xie Jinghuan in front of her.

Shen Zhiyi gets up early and goes to bed late every day. Even though he is a duke, he is still very busy.

But Xie Jinghuan in front of him only thought about love all day long.

There is such a huge gap when comparing people.

Xie Jinghuan opened his mouth and uttered only one word: "I..."

"Don't be so sarcastic, Xie Jinghuan. In fact, you may not like me that much in your heart. It's just because you are talented and handsome, and naturally you are surrounded by people who are very attentive to you. That's why you find me new. Don't be obsessed with these illusory things anymore." Tao Jiuxi's words were like a gurgling stream, seemingly soft but with indifference.

"Although I can no longer be your cousin, with your talent, you should do more things that benefit the people. When you are busy, you will know what is the most meaningful thing."

After Tao Jiuxi finished speaking, he bowed and turned away resolutely.

After taking a few steps, she turned back.

"Please go downstairs and settle the tea bill. It's ten taels, no family price."

After saying that, she hurriedly left the private room, leaving Xie Jinghuan alone there, lost in deep thought.

On the way back to the mansion, Mu'er, who was sitting on the other side of the carriage, couldn't help but say, "Miss, I heard everything you said to Master Xie."

"Little girl, how come you have learned to eavesdrop?" Tao Jiuxi gently pinched Mu'er's cheek with a smile in his eyes.

"I was guarding there, so it would be hard not to hear it. But I don't understand why the young lady was so harsh in the beginning and then praised Mr. Xie?" Mu'er blinked and asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"At the beginning, it was to reveal the whole truth so that Xie Jinghuan would know that I have no chance with him here." Tao Jiuxi explained patiently.

"What happened next?" Mu'er asked anxiously again.

"Later, I thought that since I would have no further contact with the Xie family and would no longer hold them responsible, there was no need to be so harsh or push them too hard. What if he got really angry and wanted to retaliate? It would be better to say something nice and make peace."

"Mu'er understands. Thank you, young lady. But I think this Mr. Xie is really annoying." Mu'er wrinkled her nose and said with disgust.

"He was just young and naive. He fell in love with the wrong person and didn't take responsibility. If he hadn't liked me, maybe his life would have gone as he wished, and he wouldn't have revealed these dark sides of himself. People can't stand the test."

Tao Jiuxi sighed softly, with a hint of emotion in his eyes.

"The young lady knows so much and is so smart. No wonder Lord Shen is so devoted to her."

Tao Jiuxi smiled when he heard this. Shen Zhiyi didn't know this before.

In Shen Zhiyi's eyes, she was probably ignorant of etiquette, eloquent, and selfish.

However, Shen Zhiyi is the one who can accept her worst side and still likes her.

For the next two days, Tao Jiuxi spent most of his time with Tao Qingwan. He was filled with reluctance to leave. If his father, Tao Hongyuan, wasn't due back in seven or eight days, he would have wanted to take Tao Qingwan with him. But Tao Qingwan didn't want to be a third wheel between them.

On the day of her departure, Tao Jiuxi didn't let Tao Qingwan see her off. She really couldn't bear to see Tao Qingwan cry.

The boat drifted downstream, and Shen Zhiyi put a cloak on Tao Jiuxi before letting her out of the cabin.

When Tao Jiuxi came out, he saw Xie Yushu standing motionless at the stern, looking at the capital city gradually disappearing into the distance.

"What are you looking at?" Tao Jiuxi asked softly.

"I never want to come back again." There was a hint of determination in Xie Yushu's voice.

"Then I wish you a smooth, free and happy life for the rest of your life."