Inside the carriage, Zhou Ru Yan gently curled her lips into a smile. Xiao Tao really knew how to read the situation.
Previously, the Zhou family had always tried to curry favor with the Lan household, but now they were being snubbed—finally, she could vent her frustration.
“Bah! I don’t need it!”
Min Shi, also a woman of backbone, stood in front of the others, radiating her presence.
“Even without your charity, we can live very well.”
“First Lady, now isn’t the time to talk about backbone. If you don’t want it, plenty of others do.”
Xiao Tao deliberately tossed some small silver coins into the crowd. The commoners scrambled to pick them up.
Min Shi’s chest heaved with anger.
Humiliation!
This was deliberate—an attempt to shame the Lan family!
Even Old Madam Lan, who had seen countless high-level affairs, turned pale with anger.
“No! We don’t want it!”
Little Lan Su, though small, had plenty of spirit. He glared fiercely at Xiao Tao. Though only a child, he understood they were being looked down upon.
At that moment, Lan Shuang quickly approached, smiling faintly.
“The Zhou family really has a lot of swagger.”
“Shuang Mei.”
Zhou Ru Yan lifted the carriage curtain, eager to see Lan Shuang’s supposedly pitiful state.
Once she had tried so hard to please Lan Shuang, and now she could hardly wait to see her fall from grace.
But when she saw Lan Shuang clearly, her pupils contracted slightly. She clenched the handkerchief in her hands in silent frustration.
Though Lan Shuang wore coarse linen clothes, her hair fell like a waterfall down her back, and her demeanor was still extraordinary.
Lan Shuang deliberately suppressed her own jealousy.
“We grew up together, and I couldn’t bear for you all to suffer. Since you’re ungrateful, let it be—we’ll just do good deeds.”
As she finished speaking, some beggar children rushed over and picked up the scattered silver coins. This seemed to relieve Zhou Ru Yan somewhat.
Lan Shuang stepped closer and looked at Zhou Ru Yan.
“Ru Yan jiejie, you’re really kind-hearted.”
Her words praised Zhou Ru Yan, but with a subtle flick of her finger, a trace of medicinal powder floated toward her.
After all, wasn’t she dreaming of becoming a palace consort?
Lan Shuang hated people who kicked others when they were down, so this powder would trigger a prolonged allergic reaction for Zhou Ru Yan.
For two months, her face would swell and itch from the allergies, and without Lan Shuang’s antidote, no one could treat her.
After two months, the effect would wear off naturally, but her scratched-up face would likely never fully recover.
Zhou Ru Yan didn’t notice Lan Shuang’s little trick, clutching her handkerchief over her mouth.
“Ah, Shuang Mei, you won’t regret this, right?”
“No. I just wanted to see Ru Yan jiejie clearly, so I could tell my Third Brother not to have any vain hopes.”
Lan Shuang’s eyes curved into a smile—so beautiful that even Zhou Ru Yan, another woman, nearly lost herself.
Fuming, Zhou Ru Yan tightened her handkerchief and forced a smile.
“Shuang’er, you jest.”
Could she not tell Lan Shuang was mocking her? Even in misfortune, she retained her temper. She had a lot of suffering to endure in the future.
“I’m not joking.”
Lan Shuang smiled, the corners of her mouth curling.
“I just see from your features that your marriage will be full of obstacles~”
“You—!”
Zhou Ru Yan’s face twisted slightly with anger, and Lan Shuang emphasized her point.
“I’m very accurate with physiognomy!”
Everyone: …
Exasperating. Lan Shuang was a professional at irritating people. The onlookers just assumed she was venting and didn’t take her words seriously.
“Miss, the Great Princess’s banquet might be delayed.”
Xiao Tao deliberately raised her voice slightly to remind Zhou Ru Yan, diverting the topic while showing off a little.
Zhou Ru Yan finally regained her composure and reluctantly replied, “Old Madam, Shuang Mei, I have other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave first.”
She let down the carriage curtain. Thinking of Lan Shuang’s flawless, radiant face made her furious.
She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but her face suddenly felt a little itchy.
Zhou Ru Yan didn’t take it seriously. Thinking about how she would soon shine at the Great Princess’s banquet, the corners of her mouth lifted in satisfaction.
Lan Shuang, in the future, was destined to be beneath her. Any words she spoke were obviously out of jealousy.
Min Shi glared at the Zhou carriage and snorted coldly.
“Look at her, acting all high and mighty! And to think, Third Brother once treated her like a treasure. It wasn’t that she was forced to break off the engagement—she probably couldn’t wait to cut ties with us!”
“D嫂, wasn’t she kindly giving us silver?”
Xu Shi looked up, confused. She had been too preoccupied with sadness to hear clearly what had been said.
Everyone: …
“弟妹, are you missing a few screws? That’s not kindness—she just wanted to see us in a sorry state!”
Min Shi’s head hurt with anger, and even Xu Shi’s well-meaning nature couldn’t save her from scolding.
Even little Lan Su understood that the other party had no good intentions.
Old Madam Lan rubbed her temples in fatigue.
“Enough. It’s good she doesn’t understand—no need to take it to heart. Too much cleverness can be harmful.”
“Grandmother is right. I’ll fetch some food so we can fill our stomachs.”
Lan Shuang handed Xu Shi and Lan Su a bun each. The little boy was probably starving.
But the manners of a noble household still remained—he wiped his hands carefully before taking the bun.
“Thank you, auntie.”
“Eat slowly, there’s more.”
Lan Shuang took a bun herself, subtly scanning the surroundings with her peripheral vision.
It would be safer to reach Xu Shi’s ancestral home soon; otherwise, the Emperor’s men would be watching, and even eating something good would require hiding it.
After they finished the buns at a leisurely pace, supporting each other as they walked, the sun blazed overhead. Lan Shuang pushed the cart steadily.
After walking for about two hours, they finally saw a village with smoke curling from chimneys.
Xu Shi wiped the sweat from her forehead and pointed excitedly.
“Grandmother, D嫂, that’s our Xu family village!”
“Finally, we’re almost there!”
Min Shi, a woman unaccustomed to exertion, was nearly fainting while holding Lan Su.
Lan Shuang had to take care of both Old Madam Lan and Xu Shi, and try to share some of the burden.
“My family’s ancestral home is at the foot of the mountain, with few neighbors—it’s quiet.”
Xu Shi finally smiled. This was the place she had grown up in; returning now, she felt a mix of nostalgia and nervousness.
“It’s a beautiful place, surrounded by mountains and water.”
Lan Shuang took a careful look as well. The location wasn’t far from Kyoto, yet it was far enough from those in the capital who wanted to see them suffer—perfect.
Later, she could also return to Kyoto to earn silver conveniently.
“Mom, I can walk myself.”
Lan Su thoughtfully wiped his mother’s sweat. Though young, he knew how hard she had worked.
“If you get tired, tell me and I’ll carry you.”
Min Shi, exhausted, set down Lan Su and held his hand as they walked.
Soon, they arrived at Xu family village. Though they wore coarse linen, their natural demeanor couldn’t be disguised.
Curious villagers stared as they entered.
Finally, a bold woman stepped forward.
“Chahua—is that Chahua?”
She looked at Xu Shi carefully. Xu Shi felt slightly embarrassed.
“Aunt Hua, long time no see. Yes, that’s me, and these are my in-laws.”
“Oh my, Chahua, why have you returned?”
Aunt Hua wanted to ask how such graceful people ended up in a rural village but didn’t have the courage.
Xu Shi opened her mouth but didn’t know how to answer; the villagers didn’t know she had married into a high-ranking family.
If they knew the Lan family’s current situation, she dared not even imagine…
“Hello, ma’am. I’m D嫂’s younger sister-in-law.”
Lan Shuang took the lead in speaking calmly.
“My D嫂 missed home, so we came back to stay a little while.”
“Ah?”
Aunt Hua slapped her thigh in exaggerated surprise.
“Chahua, your return couldn’t have come at a worse time! Your uncle’s family is living in your house now!”