Chapter Eleven: Seeking Thrills
“Today, with so many officials attending this banquet, could it be that one of the madam’s husbands has become involved with Miss Zhao?”
As soon as this speculation was voiced, a concerned madam rushed forward, saying, “I want to go see which shameless person has come to someone else’s residence looking for excitement!”
The crowd was speechless.
After all, this adulterer was not the Marquis of Qingyuan, yet such a commotion stirred everyone to cluster in small groups, drawing closer.
The study door, once firmly shut, was suddenly kicked open by someone.
Approaching nearer, the noises from inside grew clearer.
“I can’t go on, I’m too weak!”
“No, Marquis, don’t leave! Let me— I can...”
The crowd was dumbfounded.
Since the study faced away from the light, the area behind the folding screen was dim.
Quick-eyed Madam Li grabbed a candle and lit it, revealing faint shadows behind the screen to all.
Most notably, Zhao Shuangshuang’s head and torso appeared above the screen, positioned on top.
Lin Zhaozhao exclaimed, “Ah?” She covered her eyes with a narrow gap between her fingers, cheeks flushed, turning away and saying, “It’s well past midnight, why does it seem like Aunt Biao isn’t wearing any clothes?”
Madam Bai couldn’t help but chuckle.
At that moment, Lin Zhaozhao pointed at the figure with his back to the crowd, who appeared to be the man beneath Zhao Shuangshuang, raising her voice further.
“Hey, who is this? Why does it look like he’s not wearing clothes either, and he’s in my father’s study? My goodness, what on earth is going on?”
Lin Yuanzhi was speechless.
Don’t pretend you don’t know what’s going on!
“Quick, pull that man out! I want to see who has such audacity to impersonate the Marquis and cause trouble in the Qingyuan Marquis’s residence!”
The housemaid summoned by Madam Li took a few steps inside, glanced quickly, and nearly fainted, lacking even the courage to intervene.
She immediately rushed out from behind the screen and reported, “Master, Madam...”
“Did you clearly see who it was inside?” Madam Bai asked.
The young maid hesitated, glanced at Grandmother Han, and kept silent.
Grandmother Han was puzzled.
Why look at me like that? Speak up!
Madam Li lost patience. “I’m asking you— which master inside is pretending to be the Marquis? Are you mute?”
“Replying to Madam Li, no one behind the screen is impersonating the Marquis, it’s just that...” the timid maid knelt down, stumbling over her words, “The one behind the screen is the Marquis, but... not the Young Marquis...”
The crowd: ...Then who?
“It’s... the Old Marquis!”
What?!
[Good heavens! This white lotus isn’t just trying to seduce my scoundrel father, but she’s also involved with my grandfather?]
[Is this the real-life version of “If I can’t have you, I’ll seduce your father and become your stepmother”?]
Madam Li was speechless.
She wanted to see the Qingyuan Marquis residence’s scandal, but this was too shocking for the entire family.
True to the Old Marquis’s generation—conservative in thought, yet openly licentious in behavior!
Not only was he involved with his daughter-in-law’s niece, but he also picked a banquet as the setting, shamelessly running to his son’s study to fool around in front of everyone, utterly embarrassing.
“Qingyuan Marquis, don’t blame me for saying this bluntly, but your father’s actions make me so ashamed on their behalf. What nonsense is this!”
Lin Yuanzhi chuckled. “I really didn’t expect you to have such thin skin!”
As these two exchanged barbs, Grandmother Han nearly fainted from anger.
“This is impossible!”
She steadied herself against the desk, took a deep breath, and just as she straightened up, she slapped the maid sharply.
“Nonsense! How could the Master be involved with Zhao Shuangshuang? Someone, drag this malicious liar away at once!”
“Old Madam, I’m not lying! Master, Madam, please save me!” The maid sobbed uncontrollably.
Madam Bai, feeling compassion, said, “Mother, I don’t think the maid is lying. Perhaps—”
“Not lying? So you’re saying your father-in-law is disrespectful in his old age?”
“That’s not what I mean, I just—”
“What she means is—” Lin Zhaozhao interrupted, “Seeing isn’t believing; hearing is doubting. This maid dares to slander my grandfather in front of everyone! I say, drag the man out, and send both her and that man to court for slander!”
“Miss is right!” Madam Li, eager to expose the scandal of the Qingyuan Marquis’s residence, kicked open the screen. A loud thud followed by a flash of pale flesh.
“Zhaozhao, don’t look!” Madam Bai instinctively covered her daughter’s eyes.
But she wasn’t as quick as Lin Zhaozhao.
[Wang Defa! What a southern village woman, defying my old age, the serf overturns and sleeps with me!]
[Zhao Shuangshuang looks delicate, but turns out to be a wild girl!]
[Good thing my father didn’t take her in, otherwise, would the child born from this double affair call my father “big brother” or “dad”?]
[Tsk tsk! No wonder this circle is chaotic!]
Madam Bai was speechless.
Why did she want to laugh?
Lin Yuanzhi tried to calm his daughter, but just then the Old Marquis turned his head.
Everyone was stunned. “Ah? That really is the Old Marquis...”
“I thought it was some shameless lord running wild in someone else’s residence. No wonder these two are so uninhibited!”
Lin Yuanzhi couldn’t watch this farce any longer and cleared his throat softly.
“Father! Don’t you see where we are? You and your cousin, stop this immediately!”
But Zhao Shuangshuang, completely under the influence of drugs, seemed mad, showing no shame or embarrassment despite being caught.
She kept writhing her waist persistently.
The Old Marquis, Lin Feili, was nearly hoarse from shouting, “Unfilial one, hurry, save... save your father’s life! My old back, if this goes on, I’m afraid my old life will end here...”
Lin Zhaozhao gasped and, feigning innocence, said, “Grandmother, why would grandfather die here? What does he mean? Please think of a way to save him!”
Grandmother Han was at a loss.
Ask, ask, ask! What else could he mean other than leaving instructions for his descendants?
She felt like having a heart attack!
She always said that bastard should never have been brought back to the Qingyuan Marquis residence. Not a word of it did she want to hear!
Lin Yuanzhi: an angry mother, a hysterical daughter, an irresponsible father, and himself—escaping disaster but clueless on how to handle the mess.
Sighing, Lin Yuanzhi dashed outside the study, grabbed a large bucket of water, and splashed it over the two inside.
“Splash!”
The cold shock finally brought Zhao Shuangshuang back to her senses.
She slowly lifted her head, eyes wide in disbelief upon seeing everyone.
“Marquis, you—you’re not? Then the man beneath me is—?!”
[Heh heh, it’s your uncle. Surprised? Excited?]