CHAPTER 373: CHAPTER 366: I’M JUST A FACE-LOVER 8

Upon rising in the morning, Anning calculated once again with her fingers, and indeed, those things she saw last night were all real.

Yue Zhong truly has a despicable character.

And this world is quite interesting, too.

Anning originally thought Xu Bao’er was a fine girl, and since the people from the Xu Family were not extremely bad and were rather decent, she figured she had won in this life by default.

Yet she never expected such a situation to pop up halfway.

Moreover, this world also has ghosts and sprites, which is indeed far more interesting than the previous few worlds.

Now that she knew the differences in this world, Anning thought about picking up some of her lost cultivation, otherwise, if she really encountered an evil ghost and couldn’t defeat it, that would be a truly huge embarrassment.

After finishing her calculations, Anning got out of bed to wash and dress.

She first went to pay her respects to Mrs. Xu, then went to see Xu Bao’er, and had breakfast with her.

After breakfast, Anning went to meet Xu Pengju.

Xu Pengju was in the study at that time, and when Anning arrived, he was the only one there.

"Uncle."

Anning entered the room, performed a courtesy, and then sat down beside him.

Xu Pengju smiled upon seeing Anning: "Have you eaten? If you’re free today, help your aunt with the accounting. She has been frightened these past few days and hasn’t had time to manage household affairs."

Anning smiled and agreed, then pointed at Xu Pengju: "Uncle, you’ve been schemed against."

Eh?

Xu Pengju was stunned: "What do you mean?"

Anning said softly: "Uncle, you know that when I was young, my father raised me as a boy. I was not ladylike and used to run around outside. One time, I came across a Taoist in a dilapidated temple. I saw he was pitifully poor, so I gave him all the silver and copper coins I had on me. A few days later, the Taoist found me and said he wanted to impart some Taoist skills to me. I was very curious at the time, so I learned a bit from him."

Xu Pengju exclaimed: "Your father never said anything about this."

Anning smiled: "My father didn’t know about this either. I didn’t want to scare him. If you had not been behaving differently than usual, I wouldn’t have mentioned it."

Xu Pengju wasn’t confined to just home life and had some worldly experiences; having seen many strange things in the world, he believed what Anning said.

"What’s different about me?"

Xu Pengju was quite nervous when asking this question, holding his teacup for a long time without drinking.

Anning leaned in and looked closely again: "Uncle, someone has controlled you. They used a Confusion Talisman to muddle your mind. In fact, I saw it last night but it wasn’t good to say it in front of aunt, and I also didn’t want to scare Baobao."

Xu Pengju nodded in approval: "That’s how it should be, your aunt and your sister are faint-hearted."

Anning admired this uncle of hers, seeing that although he was very anxious, he was not overly scared.

"Shall I resolve it for you?"

Anning asked.

Xu Pengju pondered for a moment: "Can you figure out who used the talisman on me?"

Anning lowered her eyes and her fingers flew swiftly as she calculated. After a long time, she lifted her head and looked at Xu Pengju firmly: "It’s Yue Zhong."

"What?"

Xu Pengju was shocked.

When learning that a talisman had been used to control his mind, Xu Pengju was able to remain composed. However, now he was completely out of control, startled to the point of standing up and dropping his teacup.

Anning quickly extended her hand to catch the teacup and put it back in place.

"It’s certainly him, beyond doubt."

Xu Pengju narrowed his eyes: "Is he afraid I will call off the marriage?"

Anning’s face immediately turned ugly.

Xu Pengju also noticed something was amiss: "What exactly does he want to do?"

Anning hung her head, looking a bit sad and slightly guilty: "He, he wants Uncle to switch my and Baobao’s marriage on the wedding day."

This time, Xu Pengju was even more shocked to an ashen face: "He... that wretched boy, how dare he."

Even cursing out "bastard" shows just how furious Xu Pengju really was.

Swap the marriage?

How daring of Yue Zhong to come up with such an idea. If the marriage were changed, what would become of the Xu Family’s reputation? After his death, how could he face Scholar He under the nine springs?

Besides, Xu Pengju knew very well that Xiao Yuan and Anning had grown up together as childhood friends.

If the marriage were really changed, would Xiao Yuan not realize that his bride had been switched on the wedding night?

Would the elders of the Xiao Family not understand?

What kind of married life would Xu Bao’er have in the Xiao Family?

With a father like him, betraying and deserting her, Xu Bao’er wouldn’t just lose face, she’d have to endure and submit if ever treated poorly by the Xiao Family, suffering a life of extreme frustration.

Xu Pengju’s mind raced with these thoughts, his complexion growing worse and worse.

What kind of grudge or hatred did Yue Zhong have against his family to inflict such harm upon them?

He was causing trouble for both the He Family and Xu Family’s daughters, leaving them restless for life. His heart was too vicious, truly not a good match.

Xu Pengju, enraged, slammed the table: "Such a despicable scoundrel, even if I bear a tainted name, I cannot let Baobao marry into the Yue Family."

Anning nodded in agreement, "Uncle is right, sister Baobao is virtuous, Yue Zhong does not deserve her."

Xu Pengju, supporting himself on the table, waved Anning away: "Go ahead, I need to think this over carefully. Also, don’t mention this to your aunt or sister."

"Okay."

Anning obediently complied, leaving behind a talisman for Xu Pengju before she left: "Uncle, once you’ve thought it over, burn this talisman, turn it to ash and drink it. Remember to drink it early, otherwise the night is long and full of restless dreams."

"I understand."

Xu Pengju managed a strained smile towards Anning: "These past few days you’ve worked hard, help me look after your aunt and Baobao."

"I understand."

Anning hurried out, carefully closing the door for Xu Pengju as she left.

Once Anning had gone, Xu Pengju collapsed weakly into his chair.

Holding the talisman, his eyes filled with malice: "Yue Zhong, what a character you are."

Xu Pengju undoubtedly trusted Anning greatly.

Having raised her all these years, he knew Anning to be a loyal and righteous child, and like her father, He Juren, highly valued trustworthiness, never speaking nonsense.

Since Anning said it was Yue Zhong’s wrongdoing, Xu Pengju believed her without hesitation.

If he couldn’t trust his own foster child, should he trust strangers instead?

Heeding Anning’s advisory about a restless night, he hastened to pour a cup of water, burned the talisman into it, and drank the talisman ashes straight down.

He couldn’t tell if it was psychological, but after drinking the talisman ashes, Xu Pengju felt much lighter.

He had been unable to sleep at all during the latter part of the previous night; it felt as though something was weighing on his heart, stifling his breath.

Now, he felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his heart, a breath of relief flowing through him.

This convinced Xu Pengju all the more that he had indeed been schemed against.

Thinking of Yue Zhong’s malevolent intentions, Xu Pengju lost even the last shred of remorse for the Yue Family and any pity he might have felt for Yue Zhong.

Thinking back on the support he’d given Yue Zhong, he cursed bitterly: "As if feeding a dog."

Following this, Xu Pengju began summoning doctors throughout the city, as he had initially planned.

Mrs. Xu also began to wear an expression of mourning every day.

The Xu Family’s servants, going out and about, all shook their heads and sighed, as if someone in the family had died.

A somber cloud seemed to hang over the entire Xu Family.

Yue Zhong also heard about these matters and began to worry.

If anything truly happened to Xu Bao’er, how could he still marry Anning?

At the same time, the Xiao Family also started to worry.

They were concerned for Anning because any trouble in the Xu Family would affect her mood as well.