Chapter Five: The Foolish Daughter Wants to Attend the Imperial Academy?

"A-Yu, why are you here instead of following the Young Miss?" Liu Shuang’er asked with a puzzled expression.

"My Lady," A-Yu replied hurriedly, curtsying. "I don't know what got into the Young Miss, but she suddenly started running. I have no idea where she was heading, and I lost track of her."

Liu Shuang’er felt a headache coming on. Her daughter truly never gave her a day of peace.

"Very well, just wait outside her room. There is no need to look for her anymore," Liu Shuang’er commanded.

"Yes, My Lady." A-Yu stepped back.

Li Xiu, with her sharp eyes, caught sight of something and whispered, "My Lady, look—is that the Young Miss?"

Liu Shuang’er narrowed her eyes and peered into the distance. Behind a house not far away, Chu Ying was peeking out, scouting the surroundings with a stealthy air, followed by Lin Xiaoyue, whom she had just rescued, dressed in disheveled and revealing clothes.

Liu Shuang’er glanced at Li Xiu, who immediately understood the silent instruction and stepped forward.

Chu Ying, still busy observing the path ahead for anyone else, remained completely unaware of the dangerous gaze fixed upon her from behind—that of her own mother, Liu Shuang’er.

*Is it really so easy to protect Big Brother’s reputation?* Chu Ying fretted. She had to get the female lead back to her room secretly before anyone else spotted her. Otherwise, even if no one knew the female lead had been alone with her brother, the mere sight of her in this suggestive, barely-there bath-robe attire would be enough to spark scandalous rumors.

"Young Miss," Li Xiu’s voice rang out.

Chu Ying was startled, nearly letting out a cry.

"Young Miss, the Mistress is waiting for you behind us." Li Xiu’s sharp gaze darted toward Lin Xiaoyue, who was exposing a large expanse of skin.

"Mother?" Chu Ying looked over and, sure enough, saw Liu Shuang’er standing not far away, wearing a gentle smile and an air of elegant nobility.

*Oh, no…* How did Mother get here? Chu Ying felt a surge of panic. Her mother was always the strictest when it came to disciplining all nine of her children. And in her mother’s eyes, she was the most hopeless daughter of the lot. Now that she had been caught with the female lead dressed in such a provocative, "come-hither" manner, her mother would surely assume it was her idea. After all, to her mother, the female lead was merely a pitiful, ignorant, simple-minded girl, while she—well, she had a long list of past transgressions.

Chu Ying’s face fell, and she resigned herself to moving slowly toward Liu Shuang’er. Li Xiu tactfully blocked Lin Xiaoyue with her own body, ensuring no one could get a glimpse of her.

When she reached her mother, Chu Ying lowered her head and muttered miserably, "Mother..." She prayed that her mother would only punish her lightly; otherwise, she wouldn't be able to accompany her brother to the Imperial Academy, nor would she be able to find out who her future sister-in-law was.

"What are you doing with her?" To Chu Ying's surprise, Liu Shuang’er didn't scold her immediately but asked in a gentle tone.

"Huh?" Chu Ying looked up in stunned confusion. Her mother usually punished her on the spot; why was she asking for an explanation today?

*[My daughter has been wild since she was little, doing countless things that defy understanding. But she would never make a simple-minded girl dress like this and drag her around,]* Liu Shuang’er’s inner voice mused.

Hearing her mother’s thoughts, Chu Ying froze, her eyes shimmering with tears. So, her mother... trusted her this much. Her nose stung, and she felt like crying.

*[Besides...]* Liu Shuang’er glanced at Lin Xiaoyue, who was gazing around with a look of pure innocence, and thought, *[Whether this girl named Lin Xiaoyue is truly a fool remains to be seen.]*

"Hmm?" Liu Shuang’er realized Chu Ying’s eyes were red. "What's wrong?" Thinking of something, she sighed helplessly. "Did you not eat enough at breakfast in the dining hall? If that’s the case, I’ll have the small kitchen prepare two extra meat dishes and send them to your room."

*[Sigh, my silly daughter who can't live without her meat. She gets this upset over just a few missing bites at breakfast.]*

"It's not that," Chu Ying said, wiping the tears from her eyes and grinning until her eyes turned into crescents. "It's just that I’m so happy to be going to the Imperial Academy with Big Brother later."

"Oh," Liu Shuang’er nodded.

*[Wait. Did I just hear something strange? Where? The Imperial Academy? Who is going? My silly daughter?]*

Chu Ying coughed twice, terrified of hearing any more thoughts that would shatter her current emotional state.

"Mother, Lin and I just came from Big Brother’s study," Chu Ying said, getting down to business. Her mother’s inner thoughts were already suspecting that the female lead wasn't truly a fool. Perhaps she could use this opportunity to make her mother pay even more attention to the girl. It would be best if someone were assigned to keep an eye on her so she couldn't move about freely. Without the ability to cause trouble using her "Heartthrob System," the female lead wouldn't be able to ruin her brother and future sister-in-law’s marriage—and she could help them find their happy ending!

"Hengyang’s study?" As expected, upon hearing this, the way Liu Shuang’er looked at Lin Xiaoyue changed completely.

*[It seems this girl, Lin Xiaoyue, is indeed faking her simple-mindedness.]*

*[A supposedly foolish girl managing to sneak into Hengyang’s study without a sound, wearing clothes that are practically non-existent—the implication of her intentions is all too clear.]*

*[Hmph. I suppose the Chu family is too prominent, and someone has grown jealous. They’ve specifically sent a spy to infiltrate my household and ruin us.]*

*Exactly!* Chu Ying agreed in her heart. As long as her mother confirmed the female lead’s impure motives, their whole family would be on guard. At the very least, they wouldn't be caught off guard by her schemes.

"Mother, since I’ve run into you, it’s perfect," Chu Ying said, acting spoiled. "I brought Lin out of Big Brother’s study specifically to take her back to her room. Now that you’re here, I don’t need to do it anymore! I’m going to find Big Brother and head to the Imperial Academy!"

"Yes, go ahead," Liu Shuang’er said, looking at Chu Ying with tenderness. *[My daughter did this to protect Hengyang’s reputation. I never realized she could be so thoughtful.]*

Listening to her mother’s thoughts, a hint of pride blossomed on Chu Ying’s face as she turned to leave.

*[But this trip to the Imperial Academy is truly absurd. My daughter can barely write a few characters; she gets sleepy when she looks at a book and starts snoring the moment she picks up a brush. Is she going to the Imperial Academy just to sleep?]*

Chu Ying stumbled, nearly falling face-first onto the ground.

"What’s the matter?" Liu Shuang’er asked, worried.

"Nothing!" Chu Ying sped up and fled. As long as she didn't hear it, she was still her mother’s good girl!

...

In Chu Hengyang’s study, Chu Ying knocked on the door, trembling with excitement. "Big Brother, are you ready?" Soon, she would finally know who her future sister-in-law was!

"Coming, Little Sister," Chu Hengyang opened the door, holding a stack of items in his hands: brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and several thick, heavy books.

Chu Ying’s smile vanished. "Big Brother, what... what are these?"