Sumr day.
A gentle breeze blows.
The rice seedlings sway like shy young ladies, bowing their heads.
"Hyah!" A young girl rides freely on horseback.
Her hair tied in a high ponytail, round eyes and curved eyebrows.
She gallops back and forth, her long hair flying in the wind.
Jiang Mianmian sits on a small chair under a big tree. Incense sticks are planted in the ground to repel mosquitoes, and a small table is placed nearby with cheese snacks, sweet water, and bitter tea.
The sweet water is hers, the bitter tea is for Great-aunt.
Jiang Mianmian watches her Elder Sister practice horse riding with a touch of envy.
This is Great-aunt's reward for Elder Sister, saying that she perford well in her walking training, so she's rewarded with horse riding lessons.
Elder Sister is very happy.
Jiang Mianmian thinks horse riding looks quite dashing and beautiful.
However, Great-aunt's words seem a bit off, like a teacher saying your math is good, so here's a Chinese workbook as a reward, go practice...
By the way, they've actually flattened a hilltop to create a horse racing track.
Jiang Mianmian hopes she'll grow up quickly; she wants to ride horses too, real horses.
She's tired of riding wooden rocking horses.
Mianmian has noticed that besides Elder Sister practicing walking, her mother is also secretly making efforts.
At midnight, she hears noises and sees her mother practicing walking in the courtyard.
It's like those aunties who secretly practice extra moves in the corner while doing square dancing.
Her mother's aptitude seems a tad better than Elder Sister's. Now when she walks with that air, it's quite impressive.
Elder Sister can only pretend for a short while, enough to fool outsiders.
Her mother can already fool most people.
Jiang Yu rides the horse for five or six laps, full of energy, and finally stops in front of Jiang Mianmian.
She gracefully flips off the horse's back.
Aunt Yin wants to say it's unladylike, but considering Yu's skills, it's actually quite alright, just a bit showy.
She's quite adaptable, tailoring her thods to circumstances. If she were teaching an ordinary young lady, strict adherence to etiquette would be fine, engraving the rules into their bones so they wouldn't be at a disadvantage after marriage, and no one could find fault with their manners.
But for soone with a different status, naturally, the teaching thod differs.
She sees that Mr. Jiang is extrely satisfied with her teaching thods.
Jiang Mianmian sits on the small chair, her chubby hands clapping enthusiastically.
"Elder Sister is so amazing."
Jiang Yu smugly dismounts and reaches out to pinch Mianmian's cheek.
It makes her voice waver.
Jiang Mianmian looks at her Elder Sister's face close to hers, feeling that Elder Sister has indeed changed a lot.
Great-aunt is skilled at grooming, and she's trimd Elder Sister's eyebrows a bit. Elder Sister, whose brows were originally a bit thick, looks at least three tis prettier now.
Great-aunt is also good at hairstyling. Though it's still a ponytail, there's actually more to it. There are many braids in the front, and small curls by the forehead and temples, looking incredibly beautiful.
Jiang Mianmian just feels she's too young. When she's a bit older, Great-aunt will help her with her hair, and she'll surely look beautiful too.
She prays that Great-aunt will live to be a hundred years old.
With Great-aunt around, Elder Sister not only looks prettier but is also dressed more elegantly.
It's still the sa cotton jacket and skirt as before, not fancier silk or anything, but when worn, after Great-aunt's grooming and matching, it looks very pretty.
There's an indescribable beauty of freshness and radiance.
Besides the external improvents, more importantly, there's Great-aunt's daily brainwashing education.
It has made Elder Sister very confident and proud now.
Although Great-aunt's curriculum seems extensive, Jiang Mianmian doesn't find it botherso at all, because Great-aunt advocates for praise education. Even if Elder Sister does sothing improper, like climbing trees, Great-aunt can smile and praise first, affirm, and then point out the problem.
It's the sa for Mianmian.
For instance, she likes to suck her thumb. Although Great-aunt's eyebrows twitch at the sight, she has never once forced her to take her hand out of her mouth. Instead, she applied coptis to her hand. Later, when Great-aunt found that coptis didn't work, as Mianmian thought it was okay - it's just Chinese dicine, not too bitter - and continued sucking, Great-aunt switched to applying garlic juice... This quickly cured her thumb-sucking habit, as she doesn't like onions and garlic.
Now Jiang Mianmian doesn't casually suck her thumb in public anymore.
The habit is cured.
Elder Sister is now very confident and no longer gossips about the village girls like she used to.
Great-aunt says: "If you dislike soone, and you talk behind their back, no matter what, it will eventually reach that person's ears. If they are truly bad, you've offended a petty person without knowing; if they are not bad, you've slandered soone and you're the petty one. If you really don't like soone, it's better to say it to their face than behind their back."
Jiang Yu tried saying things to people's faces a few tis... and almost lost all her friends.
Aunt Yin: ...
Jiang Mianmian: ...
Well, teach slowly, there's plenty of ti.
After finishing her horse riding practice, Jiang Yu happily asks, "Great-aunt, didn't you say we're going to the county town today? When are we leaving?"
"As soon as you're ready."
"I'll be ready in no ti." Jiang Yu disappears in a flash after speaking.
Aunt Yin: ... exhausting.
Jiang Mianmian is also a bit excited because they're going to the county town to pick out jewelry today.
Although she's young, what girl can resist gold and silver?
Today, all the won in the family are going out.
Mother, Elder Sister, Mianmian, and Great-aunt.
They've arranged a horse-drawn carriage as their mode of transport.
Jiang Mianmian sits in the carriage, swaying back and forth excitedly.
Qin Luoxia is actually a bit excited too. Although she feels the carriage is slow and not as fast as walking, riding in a carriage feels different, sohow making her feel like her status has improved.
And seeing her two daughters sitting in the carriage, not having to be exposed to the elents, makes her very happy.
If her mother knew she could ride in a carriage now, and even take her daughters in a carriage, she could probably rest in peace.
Jiang Yu is even more excited, so thrilled that she wants to push open the carriage top to take a look.
She even wants to sit on top of the carriage, the view must be great.
But Great-aunt said to behave well outside, she'll be watching her performance, to see if she can maintain her composure. If she can, she'll buy her jewelry.
Wow, thinking about new jewelry, Jiang Yu can barely contain her smile.
In front of Great-aunt, she demurely covers her mouth with a handkerchief.
Holding the handkerchief feels quite useful, haha, if she wants to pick at so at stuck between her teeth, with the handkerchief covering, no one can see.
Mianmian sees Elder Sister's body shaking slightly with laughter, impressed that she still manages to appear dignified and graceful on the surface. Great-aunt's teachings are effective.
She's also very happy, unable to help drooling as she smiles.
Great-aunt reaches out with a handkerchief, gently wiping her drool.
The carriage sways back and forth, carrying three won about to see the world, and one Aunt Yin who has seen too much of it.
This was the smallest jewelry store she had ever visited, yet it turned out to be her most joyful experience.
Seeing how delighted the three mistresses were, Aunt Yin couldn't help but be infected by their happiness.
She occasionally helped the little one wipe her drool, then advised, "Don't show your emotions when we're outside. We must maintain our composure. Keep a straight face, and they won't be able to guess what you're thinking. This way, we can bargain better."
Upon hearing about bargaining, Little Yu imdiately understood and nodded.
Qin Luoxia also expressed her understanding and appreciation for the lesson.
Jiang Mianmian thought to herself: ...Thank you for your efforts, Great-aunt.
Even lessons had to be taught in a way that related to real life.
The largest jewelry shop in the county town was called "Jinya Pavilion."
Aunt Yin got off the carriage first, critically eyeing the small shop. It was only two stories tall with a tiny storefront, looking quite shabby.
Hearing Little Yu's giggles from inside the carriage, she felt both helpless and a bit sad.
Oh well, she was actually quite happy too.
She maintained her stern, ticulous deanor.
Inside the jewelry shop, the manager saw the elderly servant who first stepped down from the carriage and held the curtain. Her posture and aura needed no introduction or inquiry about which family she belonged to. Instinctively, he scurried out, bowing to welco the guests.
In the shop that day, Jiang Wan had also co to select jewelry. She had quite an entourage, bringing two maids and four guards.
However, the manager hadn't personally co out to greet her. What a snob, judging people by their appearance.
Although Jiang Wan looked down on the jewelry in this small shop, as she had high standards, beggars can't be choosers. After all, she was going to seek refuge with soone. She had ordered two hairpins according to her preferences – one for herself and one as a gift for her aunt.
Today, she ca to collect her items.
She wondered who could have such prestige to make the manager personally co out to greet them.
Jiang Wan turned slightly and saw the servant woman. She had to admit that the other's bearing was indeed extraordinary.
The elderly woman stood there, making people feel they shouldn't approach her casually.
If a re servant was so formidable, how powerful must the master be? Jiang Wan couldn't help but feel a desire to make their acquaintance.
Then she saw the curtain being lifted, and an elegant, dignified young lady stepped down, followed by a graceful madam and a beautiful little girl.
The little girl threw herself into the servant's arms, looking every bit the pampered young miss.
To her shock, the young lady with the elegant deanor turned out to be that unsophisticated Jiang Yu?
And the graceful madam was actually the rural woman she had always looked down upon.
Jiang Wan's heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hamr. This couldn't be right, it was impossible...
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