Chapter 48 Defending One's Own

Cheng Yuan smiled and gave a slight nod to acknowledge she understood. She then turned to look at Xie Yanzhi. "Yanzhi, do you have anything to add?"

By this time, Xie Yanzhi had recovered his composure. He glanced around the room and sniffed.

"There is nothing to add. That is simply how it happened. However, ever since I went over there at noon, I truly never touched that gold ring, nor do I have any idea when it was slipped onto me."

Seeming to gather his wits a bit more, he added, "I find those fellows extremely suspicious, and I want to question them in person."

Xie Tingjun gave Aunt Sang a calm yet pointed look.

"I hope this matter is just a misunderstanding. Otherwise, those two children of A-liang's already dislike studying as it is..."

Aunt Sang’s face turned pale for a moment before she averted her gaze.

"I certainly hope it's a misunderstanding myself! Besides, I knew nothing about any of this."

With that, she drained her teacup completely and stood up.

"It is getting late tonight. Tomorrow after the midday meal, I will call those young lads over so the lot of you can question them properly."

Cheng Yuan rose a step ahead of her, blocking her path with a radiant smile.

"There is no need to drag this out until tomorrow. It is merely a matter of asking a few questions. If we truly cannot get any answers out of them, I happen to be heading into the county town tomorrow. I am on good terms with the magistrate's daughter, and I can ask the honorable magistrate to lend a hand. That way, we can surely restore everyone's good name."

The expression on Aunt Sang's face faltered for a fraction of a second. "The magistrate's daughter? When on earth did you start mingling with those young ladies, Miss Cheng?"

Cheng Yuan replied, "I merely started a small trade. I am certain that given our friendship, Aunt Sang has no need to worry..."

Suddenly raising her voice, Aunt Sang exclaimed, "Oh, goodness! Why didn't you mention this to your aunt earlier? I always knew a smart girl like you would amount to something! Let's just drop this business about the gold ring. It's late at night, and there's no need to put others to so much trouble. Wouldn't it be much more pleasant for us all to have a nice, warm meal?"

Things had reached such a point that even Cheng Zhi could tell something was amiss.

The smile on Cheng Yuan's lips widened, but then a shout rang out beside her ear.

"Well, aren't you a crafty old woman! You must have framed me and now you're feeling guilty, right? You want to sweep this under the rug and let it go, don't you? Elder Sister Yuan! Look at her! She isn't just bullying me; she is slapping you right across the face!"

Xie Yanzhi's voice was sharp, his anger almost nearly lifting the roof off.

Cheng Yuan's mouth twitched slightly, though she managed to keep her smile intact.

"Aunt Sang, if this is how it is... if you are truly bullying a member of my family, then I am afraid I cannot help you minimize a major issue or dismiss a grave wrong."

Xie Tingjun's expression had already been poor, and at this, his face grew instantly chillingly cold. "Aunt Sang, if this is truly the case, then you needn't bother sending those two boys over here tomorrow."

He tutored the children out of the goodness of his heart, but since their family had failed to treat his own kin with kindness, he no longer felt any need for misplaced charity!

Xie Yanzhi rolled his eyes, cast a glance at him, and a flicker of light crossed the depths of his gaze.

Aunt Sang's lips turned white, but she pressed on stubbornly. "This matter has already been over for an entire afternoon. I'm afraid even the magistrate might not be able to sort it out clearly. Miss Yuan, why don't we just drop this? Perhaps the child was merely playing and slipped it into Yanzhi's pocket by mistake. How about this: I will apologize to Yanzhi and send over another basket of eggs for you shortly."

Xie Yanzhi pouted, let out a hump, crossed his arms, and turned his head away, lowering his eyelashes to avoid looking at anyone.

Cheng Yuan narrowed her eyes, a dark shadow flashing through her gaze. This only made her more certain that someone else was pulling strings behind Aunt Sang's back.

She smiled, her voice unhurried. "Aunt Sang jests. By now, this affair concerning Yanzhi has likely been spread across the entire village by those young fellows. If you simply sweep such a major issue aside and let it go, how is Yanzhi supposed to hold his head high among everyone else from now on?"

Xie Yanzhi swung his head back, his eyes now bright with satisfaction.

A gust of cold wind swept past, causing the candlelight on the table to flicker even more violently.

"Precisely! This afternoon they were shouting 'thief' at the top of their lungs. Am I, this young master, someone you can slander at whim and then brush aside whenever you please?"

Backed by Cheng Yuan as his shield, Xie Yanzhi took a step behind her, poking his head out with a sideways grin.

Yet the next second, he was yanked aside by Xie Changzhi.

"Aunt Sang, Yuan'er watched you grow up and knows you are not a bad person. Perhaps some unspeakable difficulties led you to make a mistake."

Cheng Yuan smiled gently, guiding her patiently. "You may refuse to speak, and Yuan'er can understand that. However, Aunt Sang only needs to clarify things before everyone tomorrow to clear Yanzhi's name. When we turn to the authorities, all we seek is a shred of justice."

In the end, Aunt Sang finally capitulated, agreeing to clear Xie Yanzhi's name before everyone at the village square tomorrow afternoon.

With the guests seen off, everyone returned to their respective tasks.

Cheng Yuan retreated to her room, sitting by the edge of the bed and toying with an object in her hand, when a knock sounded at the door.

Hiding the object behind her, she called out, "Come in!"

Xie Changzhi's head appeared in the doorway. His lips were pursed slightly, and his expression lacked its usual cheer.

Cheng Yuan's eyes shifted, comprehension dawning on her as she beckoned him over directly.

"Looking for me? Come and sit down. I happen to have a new idea I'd like to discuss with you in a moment."

Xie Changzhi walked over slowly and sat on the wooden chair opposite Cheng Yuan. He placed his hands obediently on his knees and rested his feet on the lower crossbar, looking rather comical for a moment.

Cheng Yuan tilted her head, gesturing for him to speak, but he remained silent for a long while without uttering a word.

Seeing that Xie Changzhi was practically about to wear away the fabric at the hem of his tunic, Cheng Yuan spoke up helplessly, "What is it? Are you displeased because I spoke up for Xie Yanzhi?"

If she hadn't mentioned it, it might have been fine, but the moment she spoke, the rims of Xie Changzhi's eyes instantly reddened, looking as though Cheng Yuan had committed some heartless betrayal.

He snapped his gaze toward Cheng Yuan, his eyes filled with grievance.

"You know very well that I dislike him. Back at the manor, he was always bullying me."

Seeming to realize this sounded like a young child tattling to a parent, Xie Changzhi's face flushed slightly. Yet perhaps emboldened by Cheng Yuan's favoritism today, a trace of spoiled petulance crept into his tone despite himself.

The moment the words left his mouth, Xie Changzhi regretted them instantly.

How old was he now? The past was the past, and he wasn't someone so fragile.

Xie Yanzhi had been behaving well lately, and everyone's lives were improving by the day. His words now would only put Cheng Yuan in a difficult position between them.

As Xie Changzhi let his mind wander, he grew all the more annoyed with himself. He wanted to open his mouth and ask Cheng Yuan to pretend she had heard nothing, but the next second, Cheng Yuan's warm little hand wrapped directly around his wrist.

"Do you trust me, Changzhi?"

Her voice was soft yet steady, like a warm spring breeze that smoothed away the turbulent ripples in Xie Changzhi's heart.

"The reason I spoke up for Xie Yanzhi today is, on the one hand, because he is, in a sense, a member of our family now. For him to make a fool of himself is equivalent to our entire family making a fool of ourselves—it is a direct slap to our faces, which is precisely what the person behind the scenes wants to achieve. Besides, even a fool knows that someone with Xie Yanzhi's temper would never do such a thing. Whoever framed him like this must be out of their mind."

Cheng Yuan smiled radiantly. "Therefore, I had to speak up for him, regardless of my personal feelings or attitude toward him. On the other hand, it is something I have been pondering recently..."