Breaking Off the Highest Branch

[Scheming Beauty vs. Proud, Sharp-Tongued Jealousy Fiend]

Rong Jiujin is a concubine-born daughter of the family.

Her father doesn't care for her, her stepmother doesn't love her, and her legitimate elder sister is domineering.

For years, she has bided her time and carefully plotted every step, all to marry into a powerful family.

Lu Qinglang is the legitimate eldest son of her stepmother's family, a man of utterly exalted status.

Sharp-tongued and arrogant, he comes to stay at the Rong residence for a while.

The first time, he catches Rong Jiujin secretly accepting a love token from an admirer.

He gives a soft click of his tongue. Startled, Rong Jiujin loses her grip on the sachet, and it rolls into the dust.

The second time, he catches her secretly slipping a handkerchief to another young master.

He gives a cold laugh, making Rong Jiujin's heart tremble. She feels especially guilty about giving away that handkerchief.

He catches her a third time, too.

"Tsk. Cousin, your behavior is no different from that of the girls in a brothel."

Born to a lofty station, he doesn't understand how precariously Rong Jiujin has to tread.

From then on, they become enemies.

Lu Qinglang can't stand Rong Jiujin's hypocritical vanity: she acts docile and obedient on the surface, but flirts with everyone.

Rong Jiujin can't stand Lu Qinglang's frivolous arrogance, always looking down on others because of his noble status.

They can't stand the sight of each other.

Until one day.

After Rong Jiujin has flirted everywhere without winning anyone's heart, she passes Lu Qinglang's courtyard with a newly embroidered sachet in her hand.

Lu Qinglang stands in the wind, his sleeves filled with the cold air.

His gaze fixed on the sachet in Rong Jiujin's hand, he speaks with an unusually jealous edge.

"Tsk. Cousin, you've embroidered this sachet rather well."

Rong Jiujin blinks. It is a rare day indeed when a dog's mouth produces ivory.

But then he adds,

"Cousin, would you care to marry into my prestigious family?"