She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 380 - 379 Failure

Chapter 380: Chapter 379 Failure

Wong Qiao, upon hearing Ye Xinyan’s question, smiled and raised a roll of paper in his hand, saying, "I’m going to double-check the space for the dairy workshop. What’s up with you? Why are you standing here daydreaming? Have you encountered some difficulty?"

Ye Xinyan’s heart skipped a beat, indeed she had encountered a difficulty. Rather than mulling over it alone here, it would be better to ask directly and make a clean break of it.

She glanced over Wong Qiao and those from Anshun’s Household, then said to the latter, "Nanny Qiao, I have something I need to discuss with Wong Qiao alone."

The scrutinizing gaze of someone from Anshun’s Household lingered on Wong Qiao for a moment, the inspection quite evident; it made Wong Qiao feel somewhat uncomfortable. He said, "Is there really something wrong? It’s not convenient here, shall we go back and talk?"

Ye Xinyan’s expression immediately reminded her of Qi Younian’s words; if such scrutiny was a future Wong Qiao would have to face, most men would probably not want to accept it.

"Nanny Qiao?" Ye Xinyan looked towards those from Anshun’s Household.

They only intended to give the young man a warning and had no plans to go against Ye Xinyan’s wishes. After making Wong Qiao feel the weight of their gaze, they had already looked away, bowed their heads in acknowledgment, and signaled for the maidservants to retreat to a distance.

Wong Qiao, seeing those from Anshun’s Household walking away, asked with a hint of unease, "What’s the matter, Ye Zi? Why do you need people to step back?"

"It’s a bit of an issue that wouldn’t be good for others to overhear," Ye Xinyan nodded and went straight to the point, asking, "What do you think of Miss Zhou?"

"..." Wong Qiao hadn’t expected Ye Xinyan to ask such an abrupt question, and was immediately at a loss for words.

Only after speaking did Ye Xinyan realize something was amiss. She rubbed her forehead, thinking, damn, why does she feel like a matchmaker!

Ye Xinyan gathered her thoughts and softened her tone, suggesting tactfully, "I see that you and Miss Zhou seem to get along well, and it appears you have a rather good impression of her."

Wong Qiao froze for a moment, hesitating on what to answer. Meeting Ye Xinyan’s unavoidable gaze, he hesitantly said, "... She’s alright, I guess."

Ye Xinyan frowned, "Either you have feelings or you don’t, what do you mean by ’alright’?"

Wong Qiao also furrowed his brows slightly, pondering for a moment before saying, "I think she’s not bad. Why are you asking me this, Ye Zi?"

"Does that mean you have feelings for her?" Ye Xinyan pressed on.

Wong Qiao frowned again, with a sigh of resignation, "Ye Zi, as a man, it’s inappropriate to discuss Miss Zhou in such a way, it’s harmful to her reputation."

Ye Xinyan’s heart sank further; she had already asked so directly, yet Wong Qiao’s answer was still so vague. If he didn’t like her, he could just say so clearly; there was no need for all this beating around the bush.

With a cross of her heart, Ye Xinyan asked softly, "Since you’re worried about affecting Miss Zhou’s reputation, then let’s talk about me. What do you think of me?"

Wong Qiao was taken aback, stunned for quite some time, still not comprehending the situation, and said in bewilderment, "Ye Zi, is there a need to even ask? Aren’t you very good?

Heavens! With all this beating around the bush, when would she ever get an answer, "Good enough to marry and bring home as a wife?"

"..." Wong Qiao was once again dumbstruck, not just dumbstruck, as if his jaw could drop at any moment.

Ye Xinyan raised her eyebrows and asked, "What’s the matter? Didn’t you say everything was very good? Why have you fallen silent at the crucial point?"

"That... I, I am Ye Zi’s third uncle, aren’t I?" Wong Qiao’s face turned red.

"That’s not a reason. Is there anything else?" Ye Xinyan pressed insistently.

Wong Qiao, a straightforward man, shifted his gaze away, staring at the Qi Family Courtyard for a long while before finally declaring firmly, "I have never thought in that direction. You are the granddaughter of the Great Uncle, the granddaughter of Duke An, and most importantly, you are someone I have to look up to. I am but a craftsman, even Miss Zhou is out of my league, let alone Ye Zi."

Just like grandfather had said, she was someone he had to look up to. Was there anything more sorrowful than that?

"What if I weren’t the granddaughter of Duke An?" Ye Xinyan insisted on asking.

Wong Qiao’s tone was strained. "Given Ye Zi’s talents, even without the birthright of Duke An’s Mansion, no one could overshadow your brilliance. Just like the Sixth Master, whose status is so noble, yet he indulges and is extremely close to Ye Zi. Lord Jiang is also outstanding among men and was once Ye Zi’s sworn husband. Your fourth uncle said that Lord Jiang is bound to have a limitless future. In front of these two men, any other man would feel abashed, let alone a craftsman like me."

"What if I lacked these talents? What if neither the Sixth Master nor Lord Jiang paid attention to me?" Ye Xinyan asked again.

Wong Qiao paused for a moment before responding, "...then would you still be Qi Ye?"

Indeed, if she had nothing, what could she possess that would captivate a man?

Ye Xinyan furrowed her brows tightly. Aren’t there women who rely merely on beauty, or even without beauty just on their dependency and gentle temperament, or their kindness and liveliness to make men dote on them? Why is it that she lived two lives and had yet to meet even one?

After all, Miss Ye’s appearance was beautiful and her figure was graceful. She considered herself quite kind as well. Why then did couples, who seemed well-matched, fail to come together?

"What if Zhou Biyao was set on marrying you? I’ve heard Biyao say that you once told her you aspired to become a Master Builder, to bring honor to your father and the Wong Residence. That you could share such ambitions with her probably means she holds a special place in your heart, right?"

Was it because Zhou Biyao was mentioned, or because he aspired to become a Master Builder, that Wong Qiao’s face turned slightly red? Nevertheless, he replied composedly, "It’s still too early to discuss that. With my current status, aspiring to marry Miss Zhou is like a fool’s dream. As for becoming a Master Builder, I believe that as long as I diligently work with the Great Uncle and have Ye Zi’s guidance, that day will eventually come."

Ye Xinyan narrowed her eyes. So, Wong Qiao still favored Zhou Biyao. If he could talk about marriage like this, could it be they had discussed it before, touching upon the subject of marriage?

If the two of them had discussed matters to this extent, her persisting with the questioning would appear rather aggressive. At this moment, didn’t she seem like someone trying to exploit her power to snatch her friend’s boyfriend? Was it that she acted too slowly and Biyao had seized the initiative? And what her grandfather had said, did it imply that even without Biyao, she stood no chance with Wong Qiao?

Ye Xinyan withdrew her wandering gaze and looked at the roll of blueprints in Wong Qiao’s hands, saying, "Aren’t you supposed to verify the workshop’s space? Go ahead with your work."

Wong Qiao appeared somewhat concerned as he looked at Ye Xinyan, unsure of what to say, "Ye Zi, you...actually, you..."

Ye Xinyan waved her hand, cutting him off, "No need to say it, I know what you’re about to say. Go on with your tasks, there’s plenty to be busy with."

She knew what Wong Qiao wanted to say; it was nothing more than the classic line that she deserved better and questions of who was worthy of whom. Such words were just a way of giving each other an out, and she certainly didn’t need that.

Watching Wong Qiao hesitantly walk away, Ye Xinyan felt her mood darken even more, unsure of where to go. Should she return to her room and dismiss the attendants, claiming she wanted some quiet? That would surely attract more attention, and admitting to a failed confession was quite embarrassing.

In the past, she had truly experienced heartbreak once, that kind when she thought her love was deep, only to be abruptly told she and the man were not suited for one another. Back then, she had gone to a small KTV booth and sang alone all night, then she told herself she didn’t have so much time to dwell on the pain. She gave him a three-day period to reconsider, no more than that.