Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot
Chapter 64 -
Back in her own courtyard, Su Yueqing was the absolute picture of lazy luxury. She was laying back across her plush daybed in a very comfortable way, her hand propped up lazily to hold her head. On the outside, she looked like a spoiled master resting after a long morning of tormenting people. On the inside, she was still checking her mental scoreboard.
She tapped her fingers against the silk cushions, then glanced over at her personal maid standing nearby.
"Bring her in," Su Yueqing ordered, her voice dropping into a smooth, cold tone.
The maid nodded quickly. She turned and signaled to the heavy estate guards waiting outside the doors. A moment later, the guards pushed another servant into the room.
It was the pale-looking maid, the exact one who had spoken up earlier and testified against Li Mei during the chaotic courtyard search.
The second the girl crossed the threshold, she dropped straight to her knees. She was bowing so low her forehead almost touched the floor, her shoulders shivering slightly in absolute fear. She knew how cruel the Young Madame could be, and standing alone in this room made her skin crawl.
Su Yueqing slowly sat up, her silk robes rustling. She didn’t look at the shivering girl right away. Instead, she swept her eyes across the room, landing on her other personal servants.
"All of you, leave us," Su Yueqing commanded, waving her hand casually. "I wish to speak to this one alone."
The personal maids hesitated for a split second, exchanging nervous glances. Leaving their unpredictable, short-tempered mistress alone with a witness felt wrong, but one look at Su Yueqing’s narrowing eyes made them change their minds. They nodded quickly, bowing their way out, and shut the heavy wooden doors behind them.
The room fell into a heavy, suffocating silence, leaving only the sound of the pale maid’s ragged, terrified breathing.
Su Yueqing didn’t waste any time. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she stared down at the trembling girl.
"You stole the jade didn’t you?" Su Yueqing said, going straight to the point. Her voice was flat and cold. "But you stealing my jade is not even my main concern. What I want to know is why you framed Li Mei of all people for your crimes. Speak."
The pale maid flinched, her heart dropping into her stomach. She opened her mouth, desperately trying to construct a lie to save her skin.
"Young Madame, I—I didn’t—"
"Don’t bother lying to me," Su Yueqing cut her off sharply, her eyes narrowing. "Knowing that your lies won’t get you anywhere today would be the smartest thing you do. Tell the truth, or the guards won’t just take you to the woodshed."
Realizing she was completely trapped, the maid’s shoulders slumped, and she burst into heavy, miserable tears. She pressed her forehead against the floor, finally admitting everything.
"It was me! I put it there!" the maid sobbed out, her voice thick with pure hatred and grief. "But she deserved it, Young Madame! Li Mei... Li Mei has bullied me for so long now! She has been torturing me inside the servant quarters for months!"
Su Yueqing raised an eyebrow, staying perfectly quiet to let her talk.
"Before she was demoted to an assistant maid in Master Wenzhe’s courtyard, she was one of the head maids at the Duchess’s courtyard!" the girl cried, her hands gripping the floor rugs.
"Back then, she used her power and her high position to bully all the young girls. She got rid of anyone that annoyed her or stood in her way! My... my little sister was an innocent servant here, but Li Mei framed her for a mistake. Because of her, my sister was beaten and sold off into the slave market! I have never seen her again!"
The maid wept bitterly, her whole body shaking as the painful truth finally came pouring out.
On the outside, Su Yueqing kept her face completely stiff and unbothered, like a true unfeeling villainess. But the second the word ’slave market’ left the maid’s mouth, her inner mind completely flipped upside down, and her silent thoughts started screaming in absolute disbelief.
[WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL?!] Su Yueqing’s inner voice shrieked, her mental jaw hitting the floor.
[Wait, wait, wait! Nine! Hold the phone! Li Mei isn’t just a revenge seeking white lotus maid?! She’s a literal monster who sells people into slavery?! Oh my god, the book completely lied to me! The male lead’s favorite maid is a total psycho!]
Su Yueqing didn’t move a muscle on the outside, forcing her face to look like stone even though her brain was short-circuiting. She slowly leaned back against her plush cushions, keeping her sharp eyes locked onto the weeping servant.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The slow, rhythmic sound of her finger hitting the wooden armrest echoed in the quiet room. It was a terrifyingly calm sound that made the pale maid choke back her sobs, freezing in absolute terror.
While her mind was busy rewriting the entire plot of the book, her physical body kept up the perfect act. She stopped tapping her finger and tilted her head, looking down at the maid with cold indifference.
"A sister sold into slavery because of a servant’s jealousy," Su Yueqing said, her voice dropping into a dangerous whisper. "A very touching story. But a crime is still a crime in this estate. You used my dowry to settle your personal grudge."
Su Yueqing scoffed, waving her hand dismissively as she leaned back against the cushions.
"You used my dowry to settle your personal grudge," Su Yueqing said, her voice dropping into a harsh whisper. "You are lucky I am in a merciful mood today. Pack your things and leave the estate before Li Mei finds a way to get back at you. Once she gets out of that woodshed, she will make your life a living hell. Consider this your only warning."
The pale maid gasped, her eyes widening as tears poured down her face. But instead of running away in relief, she threw herself forward, grabbing the edge of Su Yueqing’s robes.
"Young Madame, you are so kind..." the maid sobbed out, her voice thick with genuine emotion. "Everyone says you are cruel, but you are protecting me! Please, Madame... this young maid wants to keep serving you! I don’t want to leave. Let me stay by your side and be your loyal dog!"
Su Yueqing’s outward expression instantly twisted into a look of absolute disgust. "Let go of me! Who wants a thief serving them? Get out of my sight!"
[What do you mean ’kind’?! I am threatening you! I am kicking you out into the streets! Why are your eyes shining with loyalty?! I’m a villainess, not a charity worker! If you stay and become my loyal servant, my villain reputation is going to be completely ruined! Wenzhe will think I’m a good person! Go away! Please, just run away!]
The heavy wooden doors suddenly swung open with a sharp, echoing thud.
The pale maid gasped, instantly letting go of Su Yueqing’s robes and shrinking back into a ball on the floor. Standing in the doorway was Wenzhe. His long military cloak was gone, but his face was still as unreadable and cold as stone.
He didn’t look at the shivering servant on the ground. Instead, his dark eyes locked straight onto his wife, a tiny, dangerous smirk playing on the corner of his lips.
"A kind person, huh?" Wenzhe stepped into the room, his smooth voice dripping with a mix of amusement and mockery.