Zhang Su’s marriage had no other impact on Shen Hua. Although both resided within the West Garden, they were hardly close acquaintances. Days passed, and Shen Hua finally left the Marquis Yangling Mansion.
The carriage headed purposefully for the rouge shop, and the girl’s delicate and fair little finger hooked a corner of the carriage curtain, peering out slightly. Suddenly, she paused and focused on a particular spot. She lost her composure and blurted out.
"Stop the carriage!"
Cheng Gui imdiately pulled on the reins.
Yingwu furrowed his brow: "Madam, what’s wrong?"
Shen Hua did not speak, rely looking on with extre indifference as You Qing, arm in arm with her mother-in-law, entered the nearest cloth shop amidst laughter and chatter.
You Qing’s smile at the corner of her mouth was indeed irritating to the eye.
Shen Hua was truly consud with envy.
The girl’s mouth curled into a mocking sneer. Her fingernails turned white from gripping the curtain too tightly.
"It’s nothing, just saw the most despicable person."
"Let’s go."
After reaching the rouge shop and the carriage stopped, she alighted gracefully with Yingwu’s assistance. The rouge shop was bustling with good business, and the stream of custors was endless. The old woman and shop boy of the shop were too busy to attend to her properly.
Shen Hua didn’t mind and proceeded to carefully select a rouge.
"Lady Xie, that box of makeup powder in your hand is just what I’ve been looking to buy, but unfortunately, this is the last box. I know you are most generous—would you mind letting have it?"
The voice from the right front side reached her ears. Then a timid voice responded: "But... I saw it first."
Shen Hua recognized the voice and paused what she was doing, lifting her eyes slightly. She saw Xie Yinong holding the box of makeup powder, taking a step back to subtly indicate her refusal.
Yet the purple-clothed lady confronting her had a smile on her face.
"You are a lady from the Duke Mansion, by all accounts shouldn’t be this petty."
"Lady Xie’s status is noble, what does she lack that she has to compete with over a box of makeup powder?"
Xie Yinong felt awkward, her breathing beca even more labored. Her maid behind her was extrely anxious but refrained from stepping forward to help Xie Yinong.
Lady’s life is hard; she got separated at the lantern festival as a child and the people from Duke Fu’s Mansion searched for her for three whole years. By the ti she was found, Xie Yinong had been tornted to the point of being unrecognizable.
Lady was abducted from Shengjing when she was young and due to her tender age and naive looks, she was sold several tis without knowing how much suffering she endured.
She gets scared when soone approaches her.
She would cry and scream.
Especially when she had just been brought back, even the Duke and Madam dared not get close to her.
Everyone in the mansion was extrely cautious.
Xie Yinong didn’t want to see people.
So she didn’t see them.
Xie Yinong hid in her room.
So she stayed in her room.
Over the years, Lady’s condition had indeed improved, but only with her own family mbers.
The Imperial Physician said it was illness. If not eradicated from the root, the shadow of those three years would be hard to dispel in a lifeti.
But the Duke didn’t care; if Xie Yinong was never healed, he would take care of her for a lifeti.
Yet the Imperial Physician also said that it was feared an incident might trigger a relapse and worsen the condition. Lady might beco even more closed-off than before.
A while ago, Lady was frightened, and she had a high fever for three full days and nights.
In response, the Lord could only order that Lady interact more with people outside the mansion.
Thus, in recent tis, Xie Yinong was often made to go out.
At this mont, Xie Yinong’s eyes flashed with fear and panic. She hurriedly bowed her head, intending to move forward to pay and settle the bill, but the purple-clothed lady, Qiu Lan, was persistently unrelenting.
Yet she spoke in the posture of soone weak and fragile.
"I won’t lie to you, Lady Xie, I’ve been waiting three months for this little box of makeup powder. If I can’t buy it, I’m afraid I’ll have trouble letting it go."
Xie Yinong quickly looked towards her maid.
Please help her.
The maid could only harden her heart and act as if she didn’t see.
Xie Yinong, with a downturned face, placed the makeup powder on the counter and timidly went to select sothing else.
Having gotten what she wanted, her greed clearly distorted her visage.
She first praised her: "Lady Xie really is kind-hearted and benevolent."
Subsequently, the request was made: "How about you settle the bill on your way out?"
"I don’t have enough silver on . But to you, a box of makeup powder is probably just like a trivial amount of money slipping through your fingers."
Shen Hua: ...
Xie Yinong seed to have made a great resolve. She mustered her courage, her voice very soft: "But I don’t know you."
"We’re acquainted now, aren’t we?"
"Why bother with these details?"
"Is that okay, Lady Xie?"
Shen Hua: ...
Xie Yinong is such an easy mark.
How co, with one pair of siblings, all their concern is for Xie Xun?
Shen Hua couldn’t be bothered.
She continued choosing rouge.
Xie Yinong timidly: "After I give you the silver, will you stop bothering ?"
"I have no interest in getting to know you."
"Don’t do this, I’m scared."
Shen Hua: ...
She took a deep breath.
Uh-oh, the signs of euphoria.
The girl could not hold back, she approached and, without saying anything, parted the two and stood with her chin raised high, full of arrogance.
"No money and you still want to buy rouge?"
"How could you be so shaless to say those things earlier?"
"So, Lady Xie owes you sothing? Or did you save the entire Duke Mansion’s family, and you don’t feel embarrassed?"
Shen Hua very politely: "I suggest you might as well go and learn from the beggars on the street. If you don’t have enough silver, maybe kneel on the ground with a broken bowl, and the few coins from passersby might just be enough for you."
She looked down from her height at the astonished Qiu Lan: "At least the money would be obtained properly, sothing you’ve earned on your own skills."
Qiu Lan’s face turned red imdiately.
She could behave like this only because not a few girls had ntioned it in front of her and successfully taken advantage of Xie Yinong.
Over the past few days, it has been widely spread in Shengjing that Lady Xie is the most ’charitable’.
"How can you talk with such disrespect!"
Shen Hua was confused: "Are you so noble figure that I need to revere?"
"The thick face you have for demanding makeup powder isn’t enough; you even expect others to pay your bills. I bet even those rascals would bow to you as a master. It’s only because of Lady Xie’s patience. If it were you t, and if you dared say a word, I’d knock out two of your teeth. Look at the nerve you have."
Very soon, the shop beca utterly quiet.
All eyes turned their way.
Shen Hua was unbothered.
Xie Yinong was uneasy.
Qiu Lan was too ashad to face anyone, she tried hard to remain calm: "Lady Xie is willing to do it, do you need to act like a good person here?"
Shen Hua turned her head, looking at Xie Yinong.
"Are you willing?"
Xie Yinong bit her lip: "No."
There’s still hope.
Shen Hua turned her head back.
Qiu Lan had never been treated this way before, but seeing the increasing whispers and the scrutinizing glances that fell on her, it was as if she was being executed little by little.
And just at that mont, a voice ca from outside: "From a distance, I heard there was an argunt. Places with lots of girls are so interesting. What’s the point in quarreling? Let’s have a fight instead!"
"I enjoy watching girls fight the most."
As he spoke, Ji Huo strode in, only to clearly see Shen Hua and the cowering Xie Yinong behind her.
Ji Huo: "..."
He changed his frivolous deanor instantly, his emotions surged: "What’s going on! Who dares to bully you! Tell your Brother Huo!!!"
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