Chapter 18: Who’s the fat old man?!

Lan Yue watched helplessly as Zhao Lingxi calmly finished the last bite of the pastries.

Her mouth hung open.

She stared.

Then stared harder.

“…She actually ate all of it,” Lan Yue muttered.

She smacked her lips, feeling irrationally offended.

Not even one piece.

Not even a crumb.

Lan Yue snorted and crossed her arms. “Tch. Stingy female lead. Serves you right.”

She turned her head away in a huff, convincing herself she didn’t care. Those pastries were clearly poisoned anyway. She was doing herself a favor by not touching them.

Still… they smelled really good.

Her gaze drifted back—and that was when she noticed it.

Qin Wen’s gentle smile hadn’t faded, but there was something sharp hidden beneath it. Zhao Ruoqing stood beside him, fingers tucked into her sleeves, her lips curved in a subtle, satisfied smile.

They exchanged a glance.

Quick.

Silent.

But unmistakable.

Lan Yue’s spine tingled.

Yeah. No. Those two were absolutely up to something.

She frowned and rubbed her temples. “Okay, think. Think, Lan Yue. What happens after this again?”

She racked her brain.

Hard.

But all she got was static.

“…Damn it,” she hissed under her breath. “If only I hadn’t skipped half the Chapters just to get to the male lead’s scenes.”

Past Lan Yue, you traitor. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Just then, Zhao Lingxi spoke.

“Thank you for the pastries, Brother Wen,” she said softly. “They are… very delicious.”

Lan Yue snapped her head up.

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

What was with that expression?

Zhao Lingxi’s cold, distant face had softened—just slightly—but enough to make Lan Yue’s skin crawl. Her eyes weren’t sharp anymore. There was even the faintest hint of warmth in them.

No.

No way.

Don’t tell me—

Lan Yue’s eye twitched.

“She still has feelings for him?” she whispered in disbelief. “After everything he did in her previous life?!”

If that was true, then the female lead wasn’t just tragic.

She was stupid.

Zhao Lingxi straightened, as if realizing something belatedly.

“I will be back,” she said, sounding reluctant. She glanced at Qin Wen one last time, then steeled herself and turned away.

And walked off.

Just like that.

Leaving Lan Yue behind.

Lan Yue stared at her retreating back.

“…Wow,” she said flatly. “Forgot your maid exists again. Classic.”

She sighed and followed after her, instantly slipping back into the role of a quiet, obedient servant.

Zhao Lingxi walked ahead, her posture straight, steps steady, expression unreadable.

Too steady.

Lan Yue narrowed her eyes.

Something felt wrong.

Was she remembering the plot incorrectly? The drug should have done something by now… right?

But no matter how she replayed the scene in her head, one thing stayed consistent—

Qin Wen never did anything out of goodwill.

Never.

“There’s definitely a catch,” Lan Yue muttered. “There’s always a catch.”

A bad feeling curled in her stomach.

A small voice whispered, Stop her. Don’t let her go to that courtyard.

Another voice—louder and far more annoying—argued back.

What could possibly go wrong? The Crown Prince invited her himself. This is literally a main plot point. Don’t mess with it.

Lan Yue clenched her fists.

“I’m just a side character…” she whispered. “I shouldn’t interfere…”

As she hesitated, Zhao Lingxi turned a corner—

And vanished.

Lan Yue blinked.

“…Huh?”

She hurried forward.

“…Mistress?”

Nothing.

The corridor stretched empty in both directions.

Lan Yue spun around, baffled. “What the duck?! How does she keep disappearing like a ghost?!”

Before she could search further, footsteps approached.

Two palace maids strutted toward her, their expressions smug and mocking.

“Oi,” one of them sneered. “Where do you think you’re going, you little rat?”

Lan Yue froze.

She slowly pointed at herself. “…Me?”

Rat?

Her gaze sharpened as recognition hit.

Oh.

These were Zhao Ruoqing’s maids.

Figures.

Her expression cooled instantly. “Out of my way.”

She stepped to the side, but the two maids blocked her path. One of them shoved her hard.

Lan Yue stumbled and fell to the ground.

The other maid laughed cruelly.

“Trash like you should know your place.”

“Exactly,” the first added, stepping closer. “A useless maid with no backing. You should be groveling at everyone’s feet, begging not to be beaten to death.”

“Who do you think you are?” the second sneered. “Even dogs have more value than you.”

Lan Yue felt a vein throb in her temple.

Oh.

Oh, these idiots really chose the wrong day.

She pushed herself up slowly, brushing dust from her sleeves. Her eyes were cold, lips curling into a dangerous smile.

“You want some of this?” she asked calmly, rolling up her sleeves. “Come at me.”

The two maids stared at her, stunned.

“…Is she insane?”

“Beat her!”

They charged.

A messy, undignified fight broke out—pulling hair, slapping, knees flying, curses echoing down the corridor. Lan Yue fought dirty, using every cheap trick she knew from her old world.

A few minutes later—

Two bodies lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious.

Lan Yue leaned against the wall, panting heavily. Her eye was bruised, scratches burned across her arms, and her hair was a mess.

But she was standing.

“I’m done being the useless side character,” she muttered between breaths. “People think I’m an easy target just because I don’t cultivate. I’m not going down without a fight.”

She wiped blood from her lip and laughed bitterly.

She wanted to quit.

Gods, she wanted to quit this maid job and run far, far away from Zhao Lingxi and her disaster-magnet fate.

But in this world, maids weren’t employees.

They were property.

Bound by contracts. Sold, traded, inherited. Leaving without permission was punishable by death—or worse.

Lan Yue stared at the palace roof above her.

“…This world really sucks.”

Her eyes burned with determination.

“I’ll grow stronger,” she whispered. “I’ll survive. I’ll take revenge on this forsaken world—”

She burst into unhinged laughter.

“I’ll make everyone bow at my feet! I’ll turn the male lead into my obedient little pet! I’m going to…hey hey wait!”

Her evil thoughts were interrupted when she saw to figures passing by, one oddly familiar.

Ahead, in the shadows, a fat old man grabbed Zhao Lingxi’s wrist.

Zhao Lingxi struggled weakly, her movements sluggish, her face pale.

They disappeared around a corner.

Lan Yue’s heart dropped.

“Oh hell no.”

She took off running.

“I’m coming to save you, Mistress!” she shouted—then skidded to a stop, muttering to herself. “Not because I care or anything. You’re just my meal ticket in this world. My only hope.”

She grinned fiercely and sprinted forward.

“But anyway—here I come!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep