After The Coquettish Fake Master Was Driven Away - Chapter 3

The hole discovered in the corner wasn’t very big, but Xie Jinning’s frame was more delicate than the average man’s. He tried it out, found he could fit, and didn’t mind that it was probably more like a dog hole. So he started to crawl through.

Shouldering himself and turning sideways, he passed through most of it easily. He twisted his body, braced his arms on the ground, and awkwardly crawled forward—but suddenly, his body got stuck.

He turned his head, disbelief written all over his face, and looked back. The spot he usually used to sit was now blocking the hole completely, with only a thin sliver of light escaping through a small gap.

He vaguely remembered a few friends teasing him, often draping an arm over his shoulders and joking, “If my dear brother were a girl with a figure like yours, I’d marry you into my household and have a big, healthy boy soon,” sometimes even patting him.

At the time, he’d thought it was just normal banter between men, scolded them with a “You’re crazy!” and kicked back, laughing at the footprints they left on his robes, never taking it to heart.

But now, Xie Jinning truly realized that his body had flesh in places it probably shouldn’t.

His current position was genuinely awkward. Embarrassed and anxious, he let out a low whimper, his face burning red.

Worried about being delayed too long and attracting the guards’ attention, he tried to wiggle out bit by bit—but the more he tried, the tighter he got stuck.

As his robe rolled up, from the courtyard’s perspective, the narrow hole revealed two long legs connected by smooth, rounded hips. The fabric clung tightly, like white fruit hanging from a branch, trembling with each movement.

Kicking and struggling, Xie Jinning finally managed to pull himself free with a tremendous effort. Fortunately, no one was passing by outside, so no one saw his embarrassing predicament.

His hips and thighs ached from rubbing against the stone walls. He lay on the ground for a moment to catch his breath, then slowly pushed himself up, holding onto the wall.

Carefully avoiding the guards, he made his way to the main courtyard to find his mother, only to be told by a maid that she wasn’t there—she had gone with his eldest brother to the family ancestral hall.

And Xie Zhu was with them.

The ancestral hall was sacred to the Xie family. As an illegitimate child, Xie Zhu’s presence there could mean only one thing: being officially recognized as part of the family.

No wonder they restricted his movements. If he had stayed put for the full five days, Xie Zhu would already have been confirmed as a Xie family son.

Thinking of this, Xie Jinning’s hair practically stood on end. Clenching a hair ribbon in his hand, he had no time to tie it or look for Ah He; he dashed straight toward the ancestral hall.

He absolutely would not let Xie Zhu enter the family!

Xie Jinning ran wildly, ignoring the servants trying to stop him, and burst inside.

As he pushed the door open, the four people inside all looked toward him. Like thunder, a shock struck him directly in the heart.

The ancestral hall was dimly lit. When the door opened, sunlight poured in, illuminating him. Across from him stood four people whose facial features were astonishingly similar—more so than he had thought even a family could look.

The sight hit him like a blow; all the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. His pupils trembled, and he froze in place.

The ceremony had been interrupted. Xie Qing looked back in surprise and saw Xie Jinning disheveled, his robes in disarray, his pale face smudged with dirt.

He scrutinized him carefully, relaxed, then raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you supposed to stay in the courtyard? Why did you run out?”

“I…”

He had run too fast; his heart was pounding, throat dry, veins showing, legs weak, almost collapsing. He barely managed to stand straight by sheer will.

His mind screamed warnings of danger like a frightened young animal, but he instinctively tried to cover it up.

Deliberately avoiding Xie Zhu, he scanned the three others and forced his voice to sound steady, “Father, mother, brother, what are you doing here?”

No one responded.

Xie Zhaoming took a handkerchief from his sleeve and stepped forward to wipe his face, but Xie Jinning tilted his head to avoid it.

He stared at Xie Zhaoming—his closest, most trusted elder brother—grabbing his sleeve carefully and shaking it. “Brother, tell me, what are you doing in the ancestral hall? Why didn’t you call Ning’er? And why haven’t you visited me these past few days? Am I not your most beloved younger brother?”

Xie Jinning’s feelings of grievance grew, his lips pouting, tears streaming down like pearls.

Xie Zhaoming, unable to bear the sight of his little brother crying, felt a mix of pain and helplessness.

He straightened Xie Jinning’s robes and brushed his hair behind his ear, speaking softly: “Ningning, listen to your brother. Go back to the courtyard first. After a while, I’ll come apologize properly, alright?”

“After a while!”

Xie Jinning flung his sleeve angrily. “Every time the maid answers for you, she says you’re busy and can’t be with me. But when I go looking for you, you’re clearly with him!”

He wiped his face haphazardly, glared at Xie Zhu, and shouted, “You have time for him but not for me? You big liar, Xie Zhaoming! I don’t like you anymore!”

“Ningning…”

Seeing his tantrum, Xie Qing’s head ached.

Of the two children, Xie Jinning was the one who worried them the most.

He was pampered, emotional, and could cry at a story, feeling miserable for days. Xie Qing couldn’t imagine how heartbroken he would be if he ever discovered the truth—that he wasn’t their biological son.

So when they first investigated, they decided to hide the truth from him, letting him continue as the carefree, innocent young master.

How long they could keep it a secret… ideally, for life.

“Enough!” Xie Qing shouted, “The Xie ancestral hall is not a place for your mischief! Someone, take the young master back.”

Xie Jinning shrugged at the order, frowning with grievance. Seeing the family genealogy in Xie Qing’s hand, his suppressed tears spilled again. “I won’t go!”

“Father, you know this is the Xie ancestral hall. So why is he allowed here?” He sniffled, stomped toward the hall, tears in his eyes, and pointed at Xie Zhu, demanding fiercely, “I think he’s the one who should leave!”

“Xie Jinning!”

Xie Zhu’s fur bristled.

The cat-like claws were almost at his nose, but he didn’t flinch. Calmly, he said, “Why should I leave? I am a Xie too.”

His tone was flat, but Xie Jinning, who already disliked him, felt it sounded mocking in every way.

“You… you illegitimate—who do you think you are!” Xie Jinning’s anger flared. He clawed at him, but Xie Zhaoming swiftly caught him around the waist.

Xie Jinning thrashed, struggling to break free, red-faced. “Brother, let go! I will chase him out of this house today, or else, I won’t even keep the Xie name!”

His voice echoed through the hall. Dust fell from his robes as he thrashed about, ruining a perfectly good ceremony.

Xie Qing held his forehead, muttering, “Look at the son you’ve raised.”

Lin Jinhua pinched him secretly. “As if you don’t pamper him every day.”

Everyone knew Xie Jinning’s stubborn nature—once he set his mind, not even ten oxen could pull him back. They had to wait for him to tire himself out. That day, they had feared he might discover the truth, so they confined him in the courtyard. They hadn’t expected him to escape.

The couple exchanged a sigh.

Once he tired himself out, Xie Zhaoming released him gently.

Lin Jinhua wiped the sweat and dust from his forehead. “You must be tired, my dear. Look at all this sweat. Come, let’s go back, change your clothes, and have a meal together.”

“Mother, I won’t go! I know you’ve suffered, and if my brother won’t help you, I will!”

Xie Jinning grabbed Lin Jinhua, who was utterly confused. “Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess. Father, you want to add this person to the genealogy, don’t you? I tell you, I do not agree!”

He didn’t even want to call him by name.

Xie Zhu smoothed the folds of his robe, watching Xie Jinning leisurely, curious about what was going through his mind.

“What suffering did your mother endure, and how is that your brother’s business?”

Xie Qing knew he had lost all authority over his son. He put down his brush, rubbed his aching temple, and said firmly, “Xie Jinning, I’ll say it again—this is the ancestral hall. Do not cause trouble in front of our ancestors.”

“I want to expose him in front of the ancestors!”

Xie Qing’s stance seemed to protect Xie Zhu, which only fueled Xie Jinning’s anger.

His brain went blank with fury. He straightened his neck and shouted:

“Xie Qing, you bastard! You promised to be faithful to mother for life, yet you had someone else behind her back, and now you want to let an illegitimate son join the family? How can this be!”

“…”

The room fell silent. Even Xie Zhu’s lips twitched.

What do you mean, someone else outside? Illegitimate son? What nonsense is this?

“See, I was right!” Xie Jinning, completely carried away, hadn’t noticed the strange atmosphere. Hands on his hips, he sneered and was about to continue, but Xie Zhaoming quickly covered his mouth.

Looking at Xie Qing’s darkened expression, Xie Zhaoming draped Xie Jinning over his shoulder, half-carrying him toward the door. “Father, I’ll take Ningning downstairs. You continue.”

“Zhaoming, let go,” Xie Qing said. “Let him speak. I want to see what lies you are telling about me in private.”

Xie Jinning’s face, delicate as it was, quickly showed red marks from the grasp. Xie Zhaoming noticed the damp heat of his hand and wondered if he had been too rough.

“I can endure mother, but not this. Father, I’ve heard of a family that let an illegitimate child in, and the whole family was killed. It’s so terrifying—you better kick him out! Otherwise, the next one will be the Xie family!”

As if on cue, thunder rumbled outside.

The boy’s nonsense even involved stories from plays now—completely absurd.

Xie Qing’s temple vein throbbed. He didn’t want to argue further, closed his eyes, waved his hand, and the waiting servants came in, restraining Xie Jinning and lifting him up.

Xie Qing instructed the steward: “Find out how the young master got out of the courtyard. Seal the route. Add two more days to his confinement. Also, today’s incident must not leave the house. If it does, you will answer to me.”

“Right away, master.”

“Xie Jinning, I won’t go! I do not agree!” The boy struggled violently, but there were too many servants. He could do nothing but watch helplessly as they carried him farther from his family.

As they neared the door, he clutched the doorframe, tilting his face toward the two others in a plea: “Mother, brother, help me!”

The two exchanged awkward, embarrassed glances.

The servants, afraid of hurting him, dared not use force. Xie Jinning’s voice rose hoarsely, and amidst the stalemate, a soft, eerie voice came from behind:

“Oh? Why is the Xie residence so lively today? Is there some joyous occasion?”