The Birth Of A Villainess

"How come fourth cousin is here too?" Lin Hua Lou asked without thinking and when she realized that she said it in an alienating tone, she corrected herself, "Fourth Cousin, why didn't you send a letter informing us that you will come today? Now, it will make us look horrible for not coming to greet you."

"There is no need to greet me. We are family." Lin Xiaofei ignored her underlying meaning, she couldn't be bothered with the filthy words that her cousin uttered. She continued, "Besides, grandfather personally met me at the front gate so there's no need for uncles and everyone to welcome me."

Her words might sound appropriate and humble but in truth, those who have discerning eyes and ears could understand what she meant by her words.

Lin Xiaofei not only did she let others think that Lin Hua Lou was being rude for treating her like an outsider but also saying that she was being petty over a simple matter.

Not only that, but she also mentioned where her place was in Lin Xiaomeng's heart for him to personally meet her at the front gate.

These two points were all seen by Wu Jing Yan and the other two men who came with the Lin family members. She didn't say a word as she was already frightened by Lin Xiaofei and didn't want to experience what happened last time..

"So this is the Fourth Young Miss of the Lin family. I, Prince Jing personally greets Miss Lin." The other man who introduced himself to be Prince Jing smiled at her. His charming smile tugged on his lips as he looked at her beautiful face.

He could still see the lady he saw during the banquet in her. Her goose egg-shaped face and fair skin. Her rosy red lips. Her straight eyebrows that softly curved at her temples and amber eyes. The lady before him was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman his eyes had laid upon.

Suddenly, the ambiguity and desire he had forgotten after not meeting her for a couple of weeks already returned, and he couldn't get his eyes off her.

Being greeted by a prince, Lin Xiaofei naturally couldn't avoid greeting him back especially when both Lin Xiaomeng and a stranger stood on one side as a witness.

She stood up and bowed to him slightly that it didn't even look like she was bowing to him at all. She said, "It is my fortune to meet his highness, Prince Jing."

After saying so, she turned to the other man and questioningly stared at him.

With a slightly disturbed heart, Lin Hua Lou said before the other man could open his mouth and let his eyes land on her cousin for a bit longer, "Fourth Cousin, come and greet his royal highness, Prince Ziyin. He is one of the people the Chu empire has sent to our Zheng empire."

Lin Xiaofei's eyes widened slightly in shock but the expression on her face didn't change as she bowed her head genuinely this time. She repeated the words she said to Prince Jing towards Prince Ziyin before she sat on her chair.

The others also sat on their chair but because the two princes were of high status, they had to relinquish the two higher chairs to them and sat on the lower ones.

It was only Lin Xiaofei who didn't bother to move and Lin Xiaomeng also let her.

"Miss Lin, I heard that you have been ill for three years. I have several boxes of Dragon ginseng in my palace. Allow me to send a few boxes to you." Prince Jing directed his attention to her as soon as they all sat down on their respective seats.

Lin Sang's eyes brightened when heard that and said, "Your highness is really kind. To give a few boxes to my niece, it is Lin Xiaofei's blessing to be rewarded without doing anything."

Lin Xiaofei coldly swept her eyes towards Lin Sang. She didn't really expect the Lin family members to change after she left the residence but to think that Lin Sang was this shameless that he would accept anything from somebody else, who knows what kind of favor would the prince ask of him in exchange for these gifts.

But Lin Xiaofei wouldn't entirely blame Lin Sang for acting like this. Dragon ginseng was quite rare and very expensive. A gram of it was worth a thousand gold and because it could only be found in the royal garden, no one but the royal family was able to get access to possess these ginsengs.

Hence, no matter who it was, they would be blinded by the extravagance of this gift and feel quite proud of it.

Since Lin Sang was already basking with greed and joy, he repeatedly said his thanks to Prince Jing, albeit knowing that these gifts were not for him but Lin Xiaofei. To Lin Sang, what his niece owned, it wasn't unnatural for him to also own it.

And quite fortunate of him, Lin Xiaofei didn't care whether Lin Sang took all the boxes that Prince Jing sent to her or steal it from her. She never wanted any of these ginsengs anyway and most of all, she wouldn't let herself touch any of what the prince sent to her anyway.

Lin Xiaofei drank from her teacup and from her lashes, she casually glanced towards Prince Ziyin who has been quite silent and had a smile on his lips all this time.

He occasionally joined the conversation between her uncles and Prince Jing but when there's no need for him to say anything, he would go silent and just watch on the side. It only shows that this prince was not as foolish as Prince Jing.

But why would he come to the Lin residence? Shouldn't he be demanding compensation for what happened to the Tianli cave from Emperor Yun?

Just as she was about to retrieve her gaze, her eyes accidentally met his and because of that she was unable to look away and nodded at him once.