By the time we returned to the main residence, it was already bustling with activity.
Jing Ning saw us and coldly averted his gaze. What’s with him? Did my actions earlier injure his ego?
I couldn’t care less about him and looked around for my target.
Miss Jing Yan was sitting beside my little uncle who was playing chess with Old Master Jing. Jing Tian sat on the other side and watched the game too.
Gee, what a coincidence! I walked towards them and called out when I was standing behind Jing Yang, “Old Master Jing! Teacher! Little uncle!” Jing Yan turned around with annoyance, probably to scold the person who dared to shout in such close proximity to her ears.
However, the next second her body leaned back and she knocked into the chessboard. “Ah!” She screamed. That scream caught everyone by surprise, including me.
I was not expecting her to react so violently. Regardless, I hurried forward to help her. “Big Sister Jing Yan, are you alright?”
Jing Yan batted my hands back and slithered away from me. “Ghost! Don’t come any closer! Ghost!”
“What ghost?” The other young misses yelped in fear. Jing Ni was frightened too. I hugged her and realized she was shivering.
Old Master Jing was so incensed by this show of impudence that his face was white. He demanded, “Calm down!”
I immediately pulled Jing Ni to hide behind Jing Tian and my uncle.
Jing Yan hugged her head and cowered on the ground, trembling. “This is impossible! She is a ghost! She has to be a ghost!”
Old Master Jing demanded angrily, “Jing Yan, what is your problem?” Jing Yan couldn’t hear him.
Old Master Jing shouted, “Where is Jing Ning? Jing Ning!” Jing Ning hurried over. “Grandpa, I’m here!” At the same time, he pulled Jing Yan up from the ground. Jing Yan curled into her brother’s embrace and cried, “There’s a ghost!”
Jing Ning frowned and tried to talk to her. “Jing Yan? Open your eyes and look at me. I’m your big brother. What nonsense are you talking about?” He shook Jing Yan whose face was getting paler by the seconds. Jing Yan finally opened her eyes. When she saw my face behind Jing Tian, she erupted in tears immediately.
Jing Ning pulled her tighter into his embrace. He patted her back and consoled. “What’s wrong? What did you see? What have frightened you so? There is no such thing as ghost. Jing Yan? Don’t you see that grandpa is here? You really can’t scare him like that.”
Then I realized Jing Ning was quite a schemer. In my previous life, I must have been incredibly foolish to not notice it. The last sentence he made was for the sake of Old Master Jing, perhaps this whole show for his grandfather to see.
In any case, Jing Yan slowly calmed down with Jing Ning’s help.
Jing Ning pulled her back and asked gently, “Jing Yan, what happened? Why did you get so scared? Go and apologize to grandpa, you have ruined his game.”
Then Jing Yan realized the trouble she was in. She hurried forward and knelt down before Old Master Jing’s still angry face. “Grandpa, I’m so sorry.”
Old Master Jing’s expression softened. “Okay, get up.”
My little uncle was holding two pieces of chess in his hands. He toyed with them and then asked gently, “What came over the first young miss? You were only watching the game, weren’t you?” My little uncle turned to glance at Old Master Jing and then at Jing Tian, “So what really happened?”
Jing Tian didn’t speak and looked at Jing Yan sternly.
“This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have spoken so suddenly. I must have frightened Sister Jing Yan.” I said with deep apology.
Jing Yan’s body shook. I moved forward to help her up from the ground. Her hand was cold and clammy. “Sister, please stand up.” I moved in closer to help her.
When I was close to her ear, I whispered softly, “Big sister, it’s so scary here at South East Asia! But I’ll be getting you to come accompany me!”
“Ah!” Jing Yan screamed and pushed me away. She staggered backwards and fell into Jing Ning’s arms.
I also lost my balance being shoved by Jing Yan. Jing Tian materialized behind me to catch me before I fell.
I regained my composure and asked Jing Yan with concern. “Sister Jing Yan, what’s wrong? It’s me, Nanxing!”
Jing Yan suddenly knelt down before me. “I’m sorry, Nanxing! I shouldn’t have plotted against you and have you sold to South East Asia!”