Lan Xiang glimpsed at her timidly before choosing her words carefully. “Perhaps, perhaps Missy has been in a poor mood these few days—”
“Then it’s a yes, isn’t that so?” Gu Fangzi cut her off.
“Yes,” Lan Xiang sighed and nodded, “I won’t speak for anything else, but Missy shouldn’t provoke the young master and make him unhappy. Nubi has observed that in these two days, the young master seems to have changed quite a lot. Missy will have to let go of your fixation and loosen a little of your attitude, lest—”
“Enough!” Gu Fangzi roared. Her face had turned pale. She was standing right beneath the sunshine, but her entire body felt extremely cold.
Even without Lan Xiang telling her, her memories were enough to make her realize her mistake.
To deal with men, a woman must be erratic and act flirty to arouse sexual appeal. But sometimes, giving in is necessary because not just women but also men need to be coaxed.
During the days she was not around, Big Cousin must have been fallen prey to Sang Wan that sly vixen!
Gu Fangzi was secretly pissed! To think he’d neglect her!
“Your loyalty to me is extremely clear in my heart. If not for your reminder, I’m afraid I might have continued to remain in a daze! I’ll properly reward you in the future!” Gu Fangzi turned before speaking gently to Lan Xiang.
“Missy, nubi’s life is linked to yours. Nubi being loyal to Missy is something that’s ought to be!” Lan Xiang quickly smiled to express her thought.
Missy finally woke up. As long as Missy doesn’t have nubi go and invite Young Master over, nubi is willing to do anything!
“It’s good that you think that way!” Gu Fangzi laughed, “Don’t worry, I’ll never treat you badly, even in the future! Let’s go back to Peony Park2Peony ParkGu Fangzi's place of residence!”
They wanted her to be filial, then so be it. They wanted her to remember her position clearly, then she would remember it to heart. If someone irks her, then she would just be more considerate towards them! How hard could it be?
When he sees her good side, his feelings for her would naturally change.
For two to three consecutive days, other than greeting Wang Shi early in the morning, she diligently remained in Peony Park to mourn for her father. She also did not go and bother Shi Fengju, except for the occasional concerns she had for her big cousin and aunt when she greeted Wang Shi.
Shi Fengju just thought that she had finally understood her position, and so he asked for nothing more.
But one day, Gu Fangzi claimed to have dreamt about her father the night before, so she would like to visit Guangling Temple and ask a master to chant scriptures for her.
That was all from an accumulation of virtues, thus Wang Shi sure did not stop her from going. Instead, she praised her with a few words before instructing Sang Wan to arrange for a carriage and send someone to accompany Gu Fangzi as she went to the temple.
Gu Fangzi politely thanked Sang Wan and was not fussy about the arrangements made by Sang Wan. On the next morning, Gu Fangzi left and was expected to return home three days later.
The Mid-Autumn Festival was coming soon. Sang Wan and a few other management ladies were busily preparing a banquet for Shi family’s relatives and friends. Seeing that Gu Fangzi had suddenly quietened down and left Shi household for three days, the situation was, in any case, a good thing for Sang Wan.
And just two days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, two guests suddenly arrived at Shi household.
They could not really be classified as guests because they were Shi household’s eldest daughter and Shi Fengju’s older sister, Shi Yumei, and her husband Ren Zhixian.
At this day during noon, the two brought along Cui Zhu, Ren Zhixian’s concubine as well as Shi Yumei’s servant, into Shi household.
This Shi household’s eldest daughter was rather similar to her mother. Overall, she had far exceeded her mother. She was just as foolish as her mother, but she was even more arrogant than her. Once she considered herself correct, no one could say otherwise!
Two people of such disposition mixing well with each other would have been tough, but in this case, the eldest daughter was extremely spoiled by her mother to the point where there would be wind or rain whenever she wanted it. Really, no one would dare to say otherwise!
The moment they arrived, the servant watching the gate hurriedly went over to greet the two, “Sir and Eldest Miss, you’ve arrived!”
Shi Yumei puckered and she joked, “What? Is there a problem with me returning to my own home? Seeing your startled face, it’s almost like your eyes are about to fall off! Monkey, why are you still standing here? Go and call someone to guide us! I want to see my mother!”
“Yes, yes! Eldest Miss, this way!” The servant nodded and personally brought the three to the second gate. Seeing them, the servant at the second gate nodded and smiled before guiding them in as a young servant dashed ahead of them to inform Wang Shi of their arrival.
With the eldest daughter’s return to her own parental home, no one would dare to let her wait unless they wished to court death, so a servant went in to report her arrival.
Hearing the news, Wang Shi was startled and she frowned. “Are you sure? Lass, you aren’t speaking nonsense right? Why would she arrive without informing me beforehand?”
Wang Shi could not believe what she just heard, and she ordered Nanny Jiang to send another servant to check the second gate.
Shi Yumei and Ren Zhixian were already heading to where Wang Shi was, and Concubine Cui Zhu followed closely behind with her head held low.
Ren Zhixian watched as the servant who led the way kept conversing with Shi Yumei, while Shi Yumei kept laughing and joking without any cares for her man, and his face turned a little gloomy. He slowed down his pace and cleared his throat before turning to ask Cui Zhu gently with a smile, “Did the two-day journey tire you out?”
Shi Yumei heard him and stood in her tracks. She turned and glared at Cui Zhu, and she was about to scold her a few words when she found out that her husband’s eyes were no longer upon Cui Zhu. His eyes were now gazing towards a distant direction, and his face was showing nothing but admiration and amazement.
Damn b*stard! Shi Yumei could not help but scold him in her heart. She walked up to Ren Zhixian and looked over at the direction he was gazing at. All she saw were servants gathering around an elegant and graceful woman who was heading towards the direction away from them. That woman was wearing a tangerine orange top with red date palm flowers embroidered on it, matching well with her outer coat and her yellow daisy pleated skirt. Her smooth black hair was tied beautifully, and the side of her hair was hanging loosely by her temples, exposing her pearl earrings which joggled under the sun.
That woman was extremely elegant and graceful, and her disposition was outstanding. Just by looking at her back, they could not help but admire and not look away from her. Clearly, her looks were irresistible.
A beauty ah! A real beauty! Ren Zhixian was so engrossed that his heart could not help but think that the elegant and noble woman must be of a scholarly background. His mind could not help but flash the poem called “Reading Accompanied by a Beauty at Night.” He found it a pity that her hair was combed and tied up. Still, when he thought about it, which other man was as knowledgeable as him!
“Dear, we should get going now! Let’s not have Mother wait anxiously for us!” Shi Yumei glanced fiercely at him. But who would have thought that Ren Zhixian would remain motionless and take no notice of her? Shi Yumei angrily glared at the figure that had already left before deliberately shouting into Ren Zhixian’s ear.
Because he was unprepared, Ren Zhixian was startled, and he covered his ear before frowning, “What are you doing!”
Undisciplined! Truly undisciplined! How can there be such an undisciplined woman beneath the heavens! Comparing the two, Ren Zhixian considered the woman whom he saw just now much better than the one now in front of him. Glaring at Shi Yumei, his eyes showed some disgust.
Shi Yumei was furious, but she refused to quarrel with her husband in front of such a crowd, let along hear others say that her husband was unfaithful. And so, she smiled coldly. “I was just reminding you! We should get going now, or Mother will be waiting too long for us! You’re Shi family’s son-in-law, so it isn’t appropriate to keep her waiting, no?”
Ren Zhixian groaned faintly and continued walking. Shi family? So what if this is Shi family? Don’t think you’re all so great just because of some stinky money! A family which stinks of money! A clean scholar like me will want no stench from all of you!
Watching as he publicly swept her reputation across the floor, Shi Yumei’s face turned dark. She turned and saw that there was no change among the servants’ expressions, and her heart felt relieved a little as she asked one of them, “Who is the woman who was over there just now?”
The servant obviously knew, but she did not dare to say it and acted foolish with a smile. “To answer Eldest Miss, she was too far, so laonu did not see her clearly. Laonu wonders whom Eldest Miss is referring to?”
“Who else can it be, the one who wearing clothes that are extremely striking! You really didn’t see her clearly? I think you must be getting too old!” Shi Yumei grunted, and her gaze was as sharp as knife when she said the words “getting too old.”
The servant’s face immediately changed. The eldest miss, even after marrying out, had never thought of herself as an outsider. Kicking a servant out would be as easy as opening her mouth!
“I think it may be Ma’am…” The servant hurriedly changed her tone and thought for a while before adding, “But she really was too far away for laonu to see clearly!”
“Our family’s Ma’am?” Shi Yumei raised a brow. “The lass who married in from the broken Sang family?” When Shi Fengju got married, there were matters in her house so she did not return. Thus, she had never seen Sang Wan before.
Her reply to the servant made the expressions of the other few servants around change. They could only laugh awkwardly at the answer, but they dared not say anything else.
Shi Yumei sneered, “I didn’t say anything wrong. If I’m not afraid, why should all of you be? Hmph, if she has the capability, then have her come forward and face me ah! Seriously! All she is doing is using our wealth on her, but really, she should first look whether she’s worthy or not to even wear them!”
Why does a lass from a shabby family get to enjoy affluence while a rich and haughty daughter of a wealthy family has to lead a bitter life with her husband! Just from that thought, Shi Yumei became even angrier, and she scolded them a few more times before walking in the direction of the courtyard where her mother was.
And the group just happened to run into Xiu Chun whom Nanny Jiang had sent. Xia Chun recognized Shi Yumei and knew that the eldest miss loved being gratified and respected. Her eyes glistened before doing a kowtow in front of Shi Yumei. “It really is Eldest Miss! Mistress has been thinking of you!”
“Quickly, get up! Get up! You’re my mother’s senior servant, so you shouldn’t be kneeling at me!” Shi Yumei was extremely happy, and she bent over to help Xiu Chun up before giving her a smile. “Only my mother truly cares about me! to even have someone come to fetch me!”
Of course, Xiu Chun was not foolish enough to explain that Nanny Jiang was the one who had sent her here to verify the news. Supported in the arm by Shi Yumei, Xiu Chun smiled while heading back with them. “That’s a given! Who doesn’t know that the mistress cares the most for her eldest daughter!”
