Transmigrated As My Former Uncle's Sweetheart

"That's none of your business," Lu Tingchen replied coldly before turning on his heel and striding away.

Ji Lingxiu remained in place as she watched his aloof figure disappear into the distance.

When she turned around, she caught sight of Chu Jiu standing in front of the tent with one hand holding the flap up. Chu Jiu merely cast a furtive look in her direction before heading back inside.

After considering it briefly, she started toward Chu Jiu's tent.

At that moment, Chu Jiu was sitting inside.

Recalling the scene she had just witnessed, she wrinkled her brow.

What had Ji Lingxiu and Lu Tingchen been talking about?

Due to the distance, all she had heard was Ji Lingxiu calling him Big Bro Tingchen.

She did not know Ji Lingxiu and Lu Tingchen were that close.

For some reason, the thought upset her.

"Miss Chu Jiu, can I come in?"

Ji Lingxiu's voice came from outside the tent.

Startled, Chu Jiu got up and lifted the flap of the tent. "What's the matter?" There was an unfriendly edge in her voice.

Ji Lingxiu raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Chu Jiu hesitated briefly, then turned sideways. "Come in, then."

"Thank you for saving me yesterday." Ji Lingxiu took a seat on a stool. She was still feeling unwell, and her voice was weak. "Madam Lu told me everything."

"It was no big deal. Don't mention it," Chu Jiu said flatly as she poured a cup of tea and passed it to Ji Lingxiu.

Ji Lingxiu took it and held the cup between her palms. Her eyes swept over Chu Jiu, and she smiled faintly. "You talk just like Madam Lu. She said the same thing."

Chu Jiu glanced at her in surprise.

However, she was not good at making conversation with people she did not know well, so she had no idea what to say—both of them fell silent.

"About what happened just now… Please don't misunderstand," Ji Lingxiu suddenly said.

Chu Jiu lifted her gaze to her. "I didn't misunderstand anything."

"I'm glad to hear that." Ji Lingxiu was taken aback for a moment before a rueful smile appeared on her lips. "To tell you the truth, I've always had feelings for Big Bro Tingchen. In the past, I wasn't brave enough to confess to him because of my sister's hatred for Lu Liangwei. I had to muster all my courage to travel here. Alas, I didn't know my friend was plotting against me, and I was almost…"

She stopped herself short, too embarrassed to continue. Chu Jiu knew what she had been meaning to say, but did not comment about it.

"I came here to confess my feelings to Big Bro Tingchen in hopes that he'd marry me, since there seemed to be no other woman close to him. But I was too late—you've already taken the spot." Ji Lingxiu ran her eyes over Chu Jiu scrutinizingly.

Chu Jiu shot her a look and said, "Even if you hadn't been late, and even if I hadn't taken the spot beside Lu Tingchen, I don't think he'd marry you just because you confessed to him. That's a very bold assumption to make, Miss Ji."

Flustered, Ji Lingxiu bowed her head, but she could not help challenging, "You're not him. What makes you think he wouldn't accept me?"

"And what makes you think he'd accept you for sure?" Chu Jiu retorted.

After a moment of speechless silence, Ji Lingxiu said, "Actually, you don't have to worry about me. There's nothing between Big Bro Tingchen and me; we were just catching up just now."

Chu Jiu was dumbfounded by her assumption. "I wasn't worried about you at all. Don't think so highly of yourself."

A noncommittal smile tugged at Ji Lingxiu's lips. "Our home is close to the Grand Duke Mansion, so I used to hang out with Big Bro Tingchen when we were children. In fact, he saved me when I almost drowned once. But later on, we started growing apart because of Lu Liangwei."