Crying While Filling the Pit I Dug - Chapter 53

The more Song Miaomiao dwelled on it, the more she became convinced that there was only one explanation: the dress was deliberately provided for her as part of her task.

After Gu Jiaren finished measuring her size and departed, Song Miaomiao realized a dilemma. Her aim was to punish Gu Jiaren, the female lead, yet she had only requested a minor alteration to the waist of the dress. Was it too lenient? Considering Gu Jiaren’s evident skill and professionalism, finding fault with her work might seem petty.

Song Miaomiao had completed many missions, but she had never encountered such a task of “persecuting” others. However, if she didn’t find fault, how could she punish Gu Jiaren?

She sympathized with Gu Jiaren, but she considered that at least the female lead had Yi Qing, the male lead, who would shoulder the blame for her. When the time was right, Song Miaomiao would still make a reason, no matter how unreasonable it might be.

But no, the excuse had to hold weight. Gu Jiaren was highly skilled professionally; claiming the clothes didn’t fit or were ill-sized wouldn’t suffice. She opted to assert that she simply disliked the style she’d changed into. However, how could Yi Qing take responsibility and shoulder the burden alone? It was implausible for him to admit fault, to claim he’d misinterpreted the Princess’s intentions. What did the Princess’s preferred style have to do with him? It was so far-fetched.

Otherwise, she could claim the dress was torn, or that Gu Jiaren accidentally damaged it, conveniently placing the blame on Yi Qing. In any case, whether directly or indirectly, the male lead needed a compelling reason to intervene. The type of authoritative president who unconditionally supports his wife, taking responsibility for everything the female lead faced, wasn’t feasible given Yi Qing’s current status. Put simply, that role was reserved for the Emperor or the Princess. A mere guard couldn’t wield such authority unless they were the Emperor or the Crown Prince, heir to the throne.

The more Song Miaomiao thought about it, the more she felt that damage to the clothes was a better reason. But since the clothes were in the embroidery hall, Yi Qing wouldn’t typically appear there. Even if she went to the embroidery hall to make a move, there was no guarantee that the clothes would be damaged. The damage to the clothes was related to Yi Qing. If he didn’t appear at the event at all, the mission wouldn’t be successful.

He wouldn’t go to the embroidery hall, so the incident should have happened when the female lead was on the way to deliver the clothes to Sishui Hall. Which meant that after they met, an accident happened.

Song Miaomiao instructed Yan Yu to find a maid to keep an eye on the progress of the embroidery hall, to grasp the time when they sent the altered clothes to Sishui Hall. Although only the waist was to be changed, it affected the whole garment. If the waist was small, the shoulders wide, or the hem too large, the clothes would look awkward. All these aspects needed coordination, making it a significant project. Seeing Princess Changrou’s emphasis on the garment, even the maid questioning daily about the progress, the workers in the embroidery hall workshop worked overtime, ensuring no negligence in rushing out the garment.

Three days later, Song Miaomiao received a report from Yan Yu, stating that Gu Jiaren would finish the dress the next morning.

She had no choice but to keep someone watching Gu Jiaren all the time, searching for opportunities to find faults in the embroidery hall continuously. This would make her more sincere and cautious, ensuring no mistakes were made.

She could go find Yi Qing after lunch. However, Song Miaomiao wasn’t sure if Yi Qing would deliberately avoid her after her love confession mission last time, even staggering his patrols to avoid her.

After all, the current situation was that the male lead was confessed to by the female supporting character. An upright gentleman like the male lead wouldn’t behave evasively or refuse direct confrontations. But, Yi Qing didn’t hide from her when she gave away those little things more than ten days ago, which was enough to give Princess Changrou face.

Otherwise, should she try again this time? If she didn’t meet him, she could then look for the next opportunity. Anyway, she could still ask Gu Jiaren to make more clothes, but it would be a little troublesome. Indecision would just keep the workshop staff in a constant state of upheaval, prolonging the process. Moreover, if Yi Qing wasn’t found this time, could it be guaranteed that he would be found next time?

After pondering, Song Miaomiao decided to exchange Yi Qing’s coordinates as she did in the previous world. According to the previous world’s situation, one exchange of coordinates could be used in one mission world. So the sooner the coordinates were exchanged, the more cost-effective it would be. The story revolved around the male and female leads; having coordinates would make things much more convenient. She hadn’t redeemed it at the beginning because Song Miaomiao didn’t have enough points. With two thousand two hundred points now, and the male lead’s coordinates requiring nine hundred points, there would still be some balance. Though the world was an abuse novel, it was a normal ancient Chinese novel without scenes of wits fighting tigers, and certainly no danger. She could redeem points without worrying about a lack of them for life-saving events in the future.

Song Miaomiao: [System Oppa, I want to exchange for the male lead’s coordinates.]

System Oppa: [According to the rules of the points mall, 900 points are required to obtain the coordinates of the male lead’s location, and your current points are 2200 points. Do you agree to exchange?]

Song Miaomiao: [Exchange.]

System Oppa: [Exchanging, please wait.]

System Oppa: [The exchange has been successful. 900 points were deducted, and the current balance is 1300 points. The male lead’s location has been marked in red on the map, and he is at the East Gate. Your location is marked green on the map and is  in Sishui Hall.]

Song Miaomiao could probably guess Gu Jiaren’s route. At least she could specify when and where to send the dress, and the route could be manipulated. She didn’t need to exchange points for Gu Jiaren’s coordinates for the time being. It was better to keep some points in hand.

As long as she arranges for Gu Jiaren to come to her according to the location where Yi Qing would appear, the two of them would bump into each other on the way.

As long as they bumped into each other, she could take advantage of it and do something. 

‘I’m sorry, Gu Jiaren!’

Song Miaomiao seemed to be resting with her eyes closed, or staring at the book in a daze, but in reality, she was observing Yi Qing’s movements on the electronic map. Within a day, Song Miaomiao had figured out Yi Qing’s routine. He only walked around the palace gate. The Longevity Hall, Fukang Hall, Fanghua Hall, and Sishui Hall were all arranged around the Imperial Garden, with a five-meter road connecting them. Yi Qing’s route was to walk around the avenue outside the Imperial Garden first, inspect the palace gate, and then inspect the interior of the Imperial Garden.

What Song Miaomiao didn’t expect was that Yi Qing didn’t avoid the gazebo in the southwest corner of the Imperial Garden, which was the place where Song Miaomiao waited some time ago. Yi Qing would still visit that place.

Did her act of giving a sachet and confessing her love bring him trouble? Or did he not care much, just pretending it didn’t happen?