After breakfast, Xiao Wei said she wanted to go out.
Tian Jing called her to wait.
"Wait for what?"
"For your paternal uncle and second uncle. Yesterday you fainted, and the matter wasn't settled. I believe they'll come again today."
"After the matter is settled in front of you, I won't stop you no matter what you do."
"Hmph," Xiao Wei snorted lightly, "Of course you won't stop me. Once this place is sold, you won't be the owner anymore. You'll be the one driven away."
"Then just watch, and see who among us gets driven away."
Tian Jing's words easily provoked Xiao Wei. "Fine, I'll wait and see."
This time, Master Xiao and Second Master Xiao didn't arrive until past eight.
If they had arrived early, they would have only been offered tea by the host, which was less desirable than having breakfast first and coming later.
Seated in the guest room, the two sipped their tea, not in a hurry to speak.
But Xiao Wei was anxious. She still had to find Qiao En. "Uncle, Second Uncle, if you plan to buy this courtyard, go ahead. I won't compete anymore, as long as I can occasionally stay here."
Master Xiao looked at his niece in surprise at her concession. "Weiwei, you're really not competing anymore?"
Xiao Wei shook her head. "I'm not competing anymore. As you know, I'm out of money."
"That's fine then."
Master Xiao turned to Tian Jing. "Then let's discuss the price of this courtyard."
Tian Jing waved her hand. "There's nothing to discuss about the price. I have a matter concerning Miss Xiao Wei that requires Master Xiao and Second Master Xiao to be witnesses. Otherwise, we can't discuss the courtyard."
Master Xiao glanced at his niece, only to see a bewildered look on her face.
Tian Jing produced the betting agreement. "Please, Master Xiao, Second Master Xiao, and Mr. Xiao Xueqi and Mr. Xiao Xueping, all four of you, sign and leave your fingerprints on this agreement. Then we can continue discussing the courtyard."
The Xiao family servant stepped out from behind Master Xiao, reaching for the document in Tian Jing's hand.
However, Tian Jing had already stood up and handed it to Master Xiao personally.
"This is something that shouldn't be known by the servants. I'm worried they might be so surprised they tear up this agreement."
"I'm more worried that your niece might use the excuse of the agreement being destroyed to refuse to admit she lost the bet."
These words made Xiao Wei so angry she spoke without thinking. "You look down on people."
Tian Jing smiled nonchalantly. "I'm a dog? Then what are you? A bitch?"
Xiao Wei stumbled back, nearly fainting again.
Aunt Xu quickly dropped her teapot and rushed to help her.
"Miss, please take care of yourself."
Xiao Wei covered her face and threw herself into Aunt Xu's arms. "Wuwuwu, Aunt Xu, I can't live anymore. Ever since I met my own daughter, I've either been beaten or scolded. Why doesn't heaven strike down this beast, er, this unfilial daughter?"
Aunt Xu gently patted her mistress's back. "Miss, you truly are pitiful. You missed little miss day and night while abroad, worried about her suffering, but who knew..."
A pair of pitiful mistress and servant instantly appeared before everyone.
Tian Jing ignored the dramatic pair of mistress and servant, and asked Master Xiao, who had paused.
"Are you going to watch the rest of this play, Master Xiao, or shall we proceed with the testimony?"
"Ahem." Master Xiao coughed lightly. "This agreement, does Weiwei agree to it?"
"Doesn't Master Xiao recognize her signature? Speaking of which, she was willing to sign this agreement because she had great confidence in her two uncles. Who knew... alas, innocence can also be a sin."
"Cough, cough, cough, cough." Master Xiao genuinely coughed, handing the agreement to his second brother. "Take a look."
Second Master Xiao scanned it almost at a glance, then passed it to his eldest nephew.
"Big Brother~"
Master Xiao glared at his second brother, wondering why he was impatient again.
Second Master Xiao met his older brother's gaze. "These are all matters between Weiwei, her third brother, and her daughter. We are merely acting as witnesses to prevent Weiwei from going back on her word. We Xiao family members must always keep our promises."
"Second Brother is right, let's be witnesses then."
Tian Jing clapped her hands. Li Zhengguo, standing outside the door, entered with a pen and an ink pad.
The four individuals signed and left their fingerprints. Li Zhengguo then collected the pen and ink pad and left the reception room.
Tian Jing carefully folded the agreement as if it were a treasure.
"Miss Xiao Wei, your remaining life has nothing to do with me anymore. The Xiao family must keep their word, otherwise, you will have brought utter disgrace to the Xiao family."
Tian Jing's glee made Xiao Wei even angrier. "Don't worry, I'd rather die than let you live comfortably in your old age."
Tian Jing nodded. "Mm-hmm, you must remember what you've said. In the future, don't be so naive and believe things easily just because of what some people say."
"Ahem."
Second Master Xiao stopped the mother and daughter, who sounded like enemies, from continuing. "Jingjing, it's time to discuss the courtyard. We are very busy."
Tian Jing, however, looked at Aunt Xu. "You first? Or should I go first?"
Aunt Xu was stunned. Did the little miss know something? But she had no other choice.
She let go of the young lady in her arms. "Miss, you must take care of yourself from now on, and even if you disregard your own health, you must care for the child in your belly."
Tian Jing smiled, her words having a double meaning. She left a good impression in Xiao Wei's heart and also completed her first task.
Master Xiao and Second Master Xiao exchanged glances, seeing satisfaction in each other's eyes.
"Aunt Xu," Xiao Wei quickly grabbed Aunt Xu. "Where are you going?"
Aunt Xu pulled her hand away. "Miss, I'm going back to my son."
She turned and knelt before Master Xiao, then took out a paper packet from her person.
"Master, Second Master, Eldest Young Master, Second Young Master, every time you visit, the tea you drink has been poisoned. Little Miss forced me to do it."
"You all know how high little miss's martial arts are. I was forced to obey. This is the poison."
"Scoundrel!"
Master Xiao suddenly stood up, sweeping the teacups on the table. "Jingjing, you actually poisoned us?"
Tian Jing looked at the teacups on the floor. "Alas, they're no longer a set and can't be used. You can pay one thousand yuan."
Master Xiao was so angry he was about to explode. Even at this moment, this illegitimate child was still asking him to pay for the teaware?
"You? I'll report this to the authorities immediately. I want you to pay with your life, no, pay with money and your life. This courtyard, worth only twenty thousand, isn't even enough as collateral."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk."
Tian Jing shook her head. "Master Xiao, don't be in a hurry. Aren't you going to ask where the medicine came from?"
Master Xiao was startled. "Where did it come from?"
"Seeing that I had high martial arts, Aunt Xu immediately pledged her loyalty to my maternal grandfather, saying that her son's family was held hostage by you, Master Xiao."
"She said that you, Master Xiao, assigned her to Xiao Shuyuan and gave her two tasks."
"One was to corrupt Xiao Wei, turning her into a high-class socialite. The second was to monitor my maternal grandfather and poison him."
"My maternal grandfather coughed up blood and rushed back to handle affairs. Aunt Xu still urged her young lady to marry Qiao En immediately and go on honeymoon."
"Seeing that she was sincerely pledging her loyalty, I believed her and asked her to continue bringing me the poison."
"She was very obedient and listened to everything I said. I told her to treat you with the same attitude she treated my maternal grandfather. And then, this scene occurred."
"Of course, the prerequisite for this scene to occur was that Xiao Wei was pregnant and also a discarded woman, which was enough to make my maternal grandfather frantic. She overfulfilled this first task."
"She completed half of her second task, but she intends to save your lives in exchange for the opportunity to return to her son."
"Are you going to give her this opportunity or not?"