When she heard the words “children,” Cheng Chun’s heart skipped a beat, and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant. Still, she forced a smile: “Fifth Master treats me really well—I lack nothing in food or clothing. It’s all good!”
The shopkeeper’s wife held Cheng Chun’s hand, her eyes even glistening with tears: “Good, good!”
This street wasn’t particularly long, but it wasn’t short either. As they walked along, they inevitably encountered familiar faces. Some pulled Cheng Chun aside to talk, their hearts and eyes filled with pity for her. Others hid in corners, casting sidelong glances at Cheng Chun with twisted mouths, clearly not saying anything kind.
Hongdou saw it all and remembered it in her heart.
As Cheng Chun strolled outside, being a young woman—even though married—she naturally still liked brightly colored things. From time to time, she would glance at jewelry or fabrics. Though she never said she liked anything, Hongdou would already have paid and arranged for the items to be delivered to the mansion.
With so many purchases, it was inevitable that envious people would say unpleasant things.
Passing by a silk shop, Cheng Chun had only taken a brief look when Hongdou nudged her inside. Big or small, as long as Cheng Chun gave something a second glance, Hongdou bought it.
Unexpectedly, the shop’s young owner—the owner’s daughter—happened to be in the store. As soon as she saw Cheng Chun, she sneered. Hongdou, puzzled, turned to look and heard the girl say sarcastically: “Look at all those bags—clearly a wild chicken that flew up a branch, here to show off. But a wild chicken is still a wild chicken, no matter what. It can never become a phoenix…”
“How dare you speak like that!” Hongdou couldn’t hold back and rushed forward to argue before Cheng Chun could even grab her.
The young shop owner was also sharp-tongued. Seeing that she had been exposed, she showed no sign of guilt, stiffening her neck and shouting: “Did I say anything wrong? Just a peasant girl who latched onto a rich old man and now comes here to flaunt it?”
Cheng Chun’s ears flushed slightly, and her face grew somewhat pale. She stepped forward and took Hongdou’s hand: “Hongdou, let’s go…”
But Hongdou was indignant: “Our lady was properly carried through the gates in a sedan chair! Our master dotes on her and said that anything she so much as glances at, regardless of the price, should be sent to the mansion. Who are you, a little nobody, to act like a big shot here?”
Anyone who could open a silk shop in this town had some family backing and lived comfortably, spoiling their daughters to the point of arrogance. Seeing Hongdou’s insults, the girl reached out to grab Hongdou’s hair but was seized by the collar by Songlan, who had just arrived, and flung aside.
The young girl was thrown to the ground, landing hard on her backside with a pained “Ow, ow!” Coming to her senses, she was about to curse, but when she looked up, she saw an exceptionally handsome young man of noble bearing standing before her. Staring at him, she forgot what she had meant to say!
Songlan had no time to bother with such a girl—his heart and eyes were entirely on Hongdou: “Are you all right?”
Just moments ago, Hongdou had been shouting at the top of her lungs in an argument, but upon seeing Songlan, she immediately put on a pitiful expression. “I’m fine, but it’s Madam who has been wronged. Madam is frugal and unwilling to buy anything. I dragged her to this shop, only to be insulted by this little girl. It’s truly… truly…”
Cheng Chun, standing to the side, watched Hongdou’s sudden display of grievance. Aside from surprise, she felt more understanding. After all, girls have their little tricks, and with a bit of attention, it’s easy to see through them.
Upon hearing Hongdou’s words, Songlan glanced back at the little girl who had fallen to the ground, then walked over to Cheng Chun, asking respectfully, “Madam, are you hurt in any way?”
“No, it’s just a young girl being a bit spoiled. It’s nothing serious!” Cheng Chun glanced at the girl, who was still sitting on the ground and hadn’t gotten up, and spoke softly.
Though Cheng Chun spoke gently, to the little girl’s ears, it sounded like condescending mockery. Furious, she sprang to her feet. “What are you saying! What do you mean by ‘a bit spoiled’? You’re the one doing shameful things and expecting others not to talk about it…”
“You ungrateful wretch!” Hearing the girl’s renewed outburst, Hongdou instantly flared up again, shouting as she tried to step forward and teach her a lesson, only to be stopped by Songlan, who shielded her behind him.
Seeing the two of them unwilling to back down, Songlan grew truly annoyed and called out, “Where is the shopkeeper?”
The shopkeeper had gone to the storeroom to fetch some fabric. Upon returning and hearing Songlan’s furious voice, he hurried out. As soon as he stepped out, he saw his daughter shouting at the customers and immediately knew she had caused trouble.
The shopkeeper rushed forward, and upon seeing Songlan up close, his expression changed drastically. “Sir, what brings you to my humble shop today?”
“I have no time to visit your shop,” Songlan replied. “But my master noticed that Madam had been out for a long time and sent me to look for her. Little did I expect your daughter to be so bold, calling her a ‘wild pheasant’ one moment and ‘shameful’ the next. Our Madam was properly and openly brought into the household by a matchmaker. How did she become ‘shameful’ in your daughter’s mouth?”
Songlan usually stood at a distance, and Cheng Chun had no strong impression of him, only thinking of him as a handsome young man. But now, with his imposing presence and relentless questioning, he left the shopkeeper speechless, a stark contrast to the quiet, well-behaved young man she usually saw.
The shopkeeper’s face had already paled upon seeing Songlan, and now, hearing his accusations, he grew even more fearful. He pulled aside the little girl, who was still looking up defiantly. “It’s my fault for not disciplining this wretched girl properly and offending Madam. I truly…”
Hongdou watched the shopkeeper bowing and scraping before them, then cast a cold glance at the girl behind him, who still hadn’t grasped the situation. She snorted. “Someone this old should be properly disciplined. With a temper like this, even an ordinary family would think twice before marrying her!”
The innkeeper’s face had already turned quite ugly, but he never expected this little girl to have absolutely no sense of discretion. Hearing Hongdou speak to her like that, she angrily shouted, “Even if I marry an ordinary family, it’s better than her marrying someone as a concubine! Put nicely, she’s a concubine; put bluntly, she’s just an object that serves with her looks, summoned and dismissed at will…”
“Slap!” The innkeeper suddenly swung his right hand in a wide arc, striking the girl so hard she fell to the ground. “Shut up!”
The girl was stunned by the blow, sitting dazed on the floor, her face filled with disbelief.