“Nanny Liu.” After Lu Guizhou left, the inner chamber fell into a deathly silence.
Su Wan took the initiative to speak to Nanny Liu.
“I came to Shangjing City precisely to bear children for my sister. This is what Grandmother repeatedly instructed me to do. But with my sister acting like this, it’s very difficult for me to proceed. How about we write a letter to Grandmother, asking her to think of another solution, and I’ll return to Liuzhou for now?”
With these words, she directly shifted the blame for today’s conflict onto Su Lin.
What had she done wrong? So what if she seduced her sister’s husband?
This was what Grandmother demanded, and what her sister had agreed to. As a mere low-born daughter, she was only following orders.
“Didn’t Sister summon me today precisely to let me cultivate feelings with your Lu Lang?”
Su Wan cast a slightly provocative glance at Su Lin.
Su Lin was still immersed in the sorrow of being abused by her husband, her eyes swollen from crying like walnuts. She wept and cursed Su Wan at the same time.
“I always knew you were born a lowly wretch, just like your mother.”
“Lu Lang is a name only I can call him. How dare you address him as Lu Lang?”
“I don’t care who sent you here. Get out right now!”
Look at this face that turns hostile without a second thought.
It’s truly utterly ugly.
What’s the point?
Lu Guizhou, a man who could be so easily swayed and infatuated with just a little manipulation, was clearly a candidate for a scoundrel. What was worth Su Lin throwing away all dignity for?
Moreover, Su Lin’s infertility likely had some hidden trickery behind it, which Su Wan suspected was related to Madam Zhou.
In the end, this marriage that Su Lin had snatched was far from perfect. Perhaps this was retribution.
Su Wan put on her shoes and socks, and as she stood up, she also picked up the several bolts of brightly colored Hangzhou silk.
“I’ll take these fabrics with me. I’ll alter them myself and make a few sets of dresses. Thank you for Sister’s kind intentions.”
The moment Su Lin remembered that one of the bolts had been used by Lu Guizhou to cushion Su Wan’s feet, she felt disgusted.
She cursed loudly, “Take them all! I don’t want anything you’ve touched anyway.”
Su Wan smiled at Nanny Liu. “Please make a decision soon, Mammy. Whether I stay or leave, and what exactly should be done, please give me a clear answer as soon as possible. I don’t want to stay here and annoy Sister any further.”
Only after Su Wan left did Nanny Liu sigh and take out a handkerchief to wipe Su Lin’s tears.
“Eldest Young Lady, why must you torment yourself like this! As the principal wife, you must have the magnanimity to tolerate others. You endured Concubine Chen, so why can’t you tolerate Su Wan?”
“It’s not the same.” Su Lin buried herself in Nanny Liu’s embrace, weeping in agony. “I just can’t bear the thought of Lu Lang being with Su Wan. Whenever I close my eyes and imagine that scene, I feel sick.
Mammy, let’s go see a few more doctors, spend more silver to nurse my health. I’m sure I can bear a child. I don’t need to rely on Su Wan.”
Nanny Liu’s heart ached for her. Seeing her so grief-stricken, she didn’t know what else to say and could only nod. “Alright, alright. Let’s wait a little longer. Perhaps Eldest Young Lady will conceive soon. When that happens, we’ll kick Su Wan back to Liuzhou and spare you these tears.”
Then she added softly, cursing under her breath, “With her seductive appearance and her lost chastity, she can forget about hoping for a good marriage in this lifetime. Don’t cry, Eldest Young Lady. Su Wan will be beneath your feet for the rest of her life. She’s the one who should be crying!”
Su Wan returned to Xiangfei Courtyard and handed the fabrics to Can Yan, instructing her to find time to take them to an outside tailor shop to make a few sets of dresses.Can Yan took the Hangzhou silk, marveling, “It’s rare to see the Eldest Young Lady be so generous. She didn’t scold you in other ways, did she?”
Su Wan held back a smile and told Can Yan not to worry.
“Bring me a bowl of white fungus porridge.”
As she ate, she thought about that Third Young Master Chen.
Her background was well-known to Madam Wei. If Third Young Master Chen had any interest in her, a little inquiry would reveal her identity.
Perhaps in a few days, that Third Young Master Chen would come to “accidentally” run into her.
Su Wan had no time to dwell on that messy business with Lu Guizhou. These past few days, she had put all her effort into improving herself.
She exercised her posture even more diligently, went to bed early and rose early, and strictly maintained her skin condition.
After anxiously waiting for four or five days, there was still no movement.
Su Wan’s heart felt a chill.
What was going on? Why wasn’t Third Young Master Chen coming to find her?
After puzzling over it for a while, she went to find Lu Jiayu.
When Lu Jiayu saw her, she exclaimed in amazement, “Sister Wan, what magic have you been using? I feel like you’ve become even more beautiful. Teach me quickly.”
Su Wan pressed Lu Jiayu down in front of the dressing table and applied a beautiful makeup look for her.
Lu Jiayu was extremely satisfied. Seizing the opportunity, Su Wan asked, “I’ve dried another bag of lilies. Do you still want them?”
Lu Jiayu smiled and said, “Yes,” then explained somewhat sheepishly, “Actually, the lilies I got from you last time, I gave them to Brother Qiansheng.”
Su Wan had already found out about this, which was why she deliberately brought up the dried lilies.
“Why didn’t you say so earlier? If you’re giving them as a gift, sending just one bag seems too stingy.”
Lu Jiayu thought so too and quickly said, “Should I send another bag then? I’ll have the stewardess deliver it to the Chen residence.”
“Ah, why trouble someone else? Can’t you deliver it yourself?”
“But how can a young lady casually go to someone else’s residence?”
Su Wan felt a rare moment of awkwardness; she hadn’t considered the social constraints of a young lady in ancient times.
To visit someone else’s residence, you had to send a visiting card in advance.
Just as she was worrying, she saw Lu Guizhou walking over, holding two kites in his hand.
“Jiayu, the weather is lovely today. Don’t stay cooped up at home all the time. Go out and fly a kite. I bought them for you.”
“And your Sister Wan is new to the Upper Capital. Aren’t you going to show her around?”
One of the two kites was prepared for Su Wan.
Lu Guizhou glanced at Su Wan, who shyly lowered her head, holding a teacup and not daring to look at him.
“Second Brother, come fly kites with us by the Xiling River.”
Lu Jiayu’s clever little mind started working. She linked arms with her dear second brother and said with a smile, “On the way, when we pass by the Chen residence, you can help me deliver this bag of lilies to the eldest son of the Chen family.”
Lu Guizhou readily agreed.
But Su Wan was unhappy. Her original intention was to encourage Lu Jiayu to take her to visit the Chen residence, hoping to “accidentally” run into Chen San along the way.
Now that plan was completely ruined.
She wondered how long Chen San would remember her stunning glance from a few days ago.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of regret, as if she had carelessly lost a great opportunity. If only she had accepted Madam Wei’s invitation that day. Instead, her tactic of playing hard to get not only failed to capture Chen San but might have also offended Madam Wei.
“Sister Wan, why do you suddenly look so unhappy?”
Su Wan was lost in regret when Lu Jiayu tugged at her sleeve. She forced a smile and changed the subject.
“It’s nothing. I just had a little argument with my sister yesterday, and I’m feeling upset.”
“Why did Sister-in-law argue with you?”Lu Jiayu let out an “oh,” “Is it related to Second Brother?”
After saying this, he gave Second Brother a meaningful glance.
Lu Guizhou was directing the coachman to harness the carriage. Upon hearing this, his ears flushed red.
“Jiayu, what are you, at such a young age, asking about? Hurry into the carriage. Don’t pry into matters that don’t concern you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he met Su Wan’s gaze.
Su Wan put on a pitiful expression. The more Lu Guizhou felt sorry for her, the more incomprehensible Su Lin became to him. He decided that for the next few nights, he would rest in Cousin Jing’an’s room.
The carriage carried them to Xiling River. When passing by the Chen Mansion, the carriage stopped for a while.
Lu Guizhou took the lilies and entered the Chen Mansion, while Su Wan and Lu Jiayu remained seated in the carriage.
Su Wan occasionally lifted the carriage curtain to examine the Chen Mansion, exclaiming, “The two stone lions in front of the Chen Mansion are truly imposing.”
Lu Jiayu told her, “The stone ornaments at the Chen Mansion were all transported from Lingbi from thousands of miles away. They are authentic Lingbi marvel stones.”
Pointing ahead, he said, “On this street, the Chen family occupies half of it.”
That was truly extravagant, surpassing the Lu Mansion by several streets. Su Wan grew even more interested in Chen San. She lifted the carriage curtain and was about to jump down.
Lu Jiayu grabbed her hand, anxiously asking, “What are you doing?”
“The carriage feels stuffy. I want to stand outside for a while.” Su Wan found a reasonable excuse and smoothly stepped out of the carriage. She leaned slightly against the front of the carriage, gazing at the empty street, hoping for Chen San’s appearance.
A refined and luxurious carriage slowly emerged from the side gate of the Chen Mansion. The curtain was half-drawn, and Chen Luosheng sat inside, instructing several servants outside.
“Just received news that Feng Chi has returned from the Northwest Camp. I expect to accompany him for several all-nighters, so I definitely won’t be at the mansion these days. Chen Fu, inform Old Madam not to save meals for me.”
He added, “Chen Yong, go to Red Plum Tower and find a few sensible, beautiful, slender-waisted, fair-skinned girls to send to Snowflake Retreat.”
“And the rest of you, go to the street and buy some snacks Feng Chi likes. You all know his tastes, right?”
After speaking, the servants scattered to attend to their respective tasks.
Chen Luosheng was about to lower the carriage curtain when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a graceful figure in front of his mansion’s gate. He immediately ordered the coachman to stop.