C53 His Reputation Was like Dog Shit!
Since her rebirth, Yuvyuv had never underestimated the women in her household, not even the Fourth Concubine, who was usually as quiet as a shadow. She knew all too well that the tragedies that befell the Ye family in her past life couldn't have happened without some inside betrayal. She didn't trust anyone in the family except her father and older sister. Not the maids, not the drivers, and certainly not the concubines with their own hidden agendas.
These women were full of schemes, and who knew what they were plotting in their minds? As for Xiaoqi and Zijun, Yuvyuv didn't count them in her suspicions. After all, Xiaoqi was just a kid—a pesky little kid who always tried to meddle in her affairs. Thinking of Xiaoqi actually lightened her mood a bit.
She turned to the Second Concubine, whose eyes were struggling to hide her thoughts, and smiled faintly. "Second Concubine, do you have something important? It's late, and I'm about to go to bed. If not, I'll be heading back."
Yuvyuv gestured toward her room but didn't move, noticing the Second Concubine rushing over despite the pain in her chest. She quickly handed Yuvyuv an invitation.
With a forced smile, the Second Concubine said, "Yuvyuv, my memory must be slipping with age. I forgot to give you and your sister this invitation this morning. Just remembered now and hurried over."
She pointed at the invitation in Yuvyuv's hand, her face filled with envy. "You young folks have all the fun. The messenger said it's a modern costume party, where you have to dress up in strange outfits to attend. They really hope you and your sister can make it tomorrow night."
"Oh, a costume party?"
Yuvyuv casually glanced at the invitation, her lips curling slightly in disinterest. Under the eager gaze of the Second Concubine, she suddenly smiled and handed the invitation over. "Since you're so keen on it, why don't you take it and broaden your horizons? It'll save you from falling further behind the times as you get older."
The Second Concubine's face immediately darkened.
Yuvyuv's smile was as radiant as a blooming flower, her fair, delicate hand brushing her cheek. "After all, my sister and I are still young, in the prime of our lives. We'll have plenty of opportunities in the future, so I'll let you have this one."
With that, she turned away, not sparing another glance at the invitation, and headed for her room.
"Wait, Yuvyuv!" The Second Concubine grabbed her wrist.
Yuvyuv spun around, her eyes cold and piercing. "Let go!"
"Oh, Yuvyuv, I didn't mean to hurt you. Let me rub it for you," the Second Concubine stammered, startled by the icy depths of the young woman's gaze.
But she had her own agenda and wasn't about to leave without achieving it. She held onto Yuvyuv's hand, trying to soothe her while reaching out to rub it.
Yuvyuv recoiled in disgust, pulling her hand back, her eyes fixed coldly on the Second Concubine. "Have you forgotten your place?"
She stepped closer, her voice chilling. "Remember who you are."
"You're just a concubine, someone my father keeps around for his amusement."
"If I hear you call yourself 'Second Mom' again, I swear I'll cut that forgetful mouth of yours with scissors."
"Yikes!"
The Second Concubine stumbled back a step, startled by the cold, menacing aura of the girl in front of her. Her eyes widened in horror, as if she had seen a ghost. Her face turned a ghastly white, and she began to tremble. Her voice cracked and came out in a harsh rasp, "Yuvyuv, how can you speak to me like that? I'm your elder, after all. You can't be so disrespectful."
"Elder? You?" Yuvyuv suddenly laughed, but it was a laugh full of sarcasm. Each word was spat out with disdain, "You—think—you—deserve—that?"
"Yuvyuv, don't go too far. Just because the master spoils you doesn't mean you can do whatever you want in this house. Your grandmother is still here," the Second Concubine retorted, her face twisted with anger.
Her usually restrained, sharp nature was finally laid bare, provoked by Yuvyuv's words.
Yuvyuv watched the Second Concubine, who now revealed her true, spiteful nature, and smirked coldly. "Indeed, a malicious person, no matter how they try to pretend to be kind, will eventually show their true colors."
Like the Second Concubine, who now wore an ugly mask of anger.
Yuvyuv shot her a cold glance and spat out a single word, "Leave!" before turning away. She couldn't be bothered with the Second Concubine's ugly, exposed face. She opened the door and returned to her room.
As for the ridiculous invitation to some so-called new-style masquerade ball that she had thrown back at the Second Concubine, Yuvyuv didn't even spare it a second glance.
After all, it's like the saying goes: when a wolf wishes a chicken a happy New Year, it's never out of kindness.
The Second Concubine, chasing after her with a fake, ugly smile late at night, couldn't possibly have good intentions.
She was probably plotting something nasty, scheming against her, right? Oh, no, to be precise, she was thinking of scheming against both her and her older sister. Just a moment ago, that wretched Second Wife mentioned that the invitation was for both her and her sister. As for the authenticity of the dance party? Yuvyuv knew that the invitation was real. In her past life, she had seen that invitation. Some self-important fool of a woman had flaunted it in front of her while she was drowning her sorrows in a bar, devastated by her sister's tragic death.
What did she do back then? Oh, she was in a terrible mood! That foolish woman had the nerve to flaunt a silly invitation in her face, bragging about meeting her dream guy at the dance. The moment the woman revealed who her dream guy was, Yuvyuv, numbed by alcohol, instinctively grabbed the bottle of whiskey beside her and smashed it over the woman's head.
The woman's screams, the smell of blood, and the chaotic noise around her—Yuvyuv had no idea how she left that place. She only found herself waking up in her own room the next morning. Soon enough, the entire town was buzzing with her notorious reputation. They said she not only caused her sister's death but also behaved like a thug, smashing bottles over people's heads whenever she was displeased.
When Yuvyuv heard the servants gossiping about her, she couldn't care less. Reputation meant nothing to her at that time—it was as worthless as dirt.