“Haha…”
A sudden, jarring burst of laughter rang out. Everyone’s eyes shifted toward the sound, only to see Cheng Ruyi slapping the table in gleeful mockery. The crowd couldn’t help but feel a collective “black line” of frustration crossing their foreheads.
If memory served, she and the accidentally fallen Cheng Qingyao were paternal cousins. To laugh so blatantly at her own cousin was truly speechless.
Of course, there were a few others who disliked Cheng Qingyao and were secretly snickering into their sleeves—they just hid it well. The behavior of these young ladies from official families would eventually reach the ears of the noble matrons through observation. To secure a good marriage match, they wouldn’t dare be as reckless as Cheng Ruyi; instead, they had to put on their best performance.
Consequently, no one stepped up to lecture Cheng Ruyi; they simply looked away, treating her like a one-woman show they’d rather ignore.
Her disrespectful behavior was noted by many socialites and noblewomen, deepening their distaste for her. To them, she was a “tumor” in the side of the Lotus Appreciation Poetry Gathering.
Only Prince Pingnan, seated high on the platform, remained indifferent. He was clearly accustomed to such scenes. In his eyes—having seen imperial concubines who smiled like sisters while dealing lethal blows behind each other’s backs—this was child’s play. An accident at a banquet was standard fare; nothing about it caused the “War God” Prince to flicker an eyelid.
As the organizers of the event, the “Twin Beauties of the Capital” saw that an accident had occurred and hurriedly dispatched elder maids to check the situation. The drawing of lots was temporarily suspended.
Lin Jinxun, the heir of Marquis Jinyang, had developed feelings for Cheng Qingyao lately, thanks to frequent interactions and his sister Lin Xin’er constantly whispering praises of her in his ear. Seeing her fallen and disheveled from afar, a flash of heartache crossed his brow. Simultaneously, he glared at the heartless, laughing Cheng Ruyi.
Cheng Ruyi wasn’t oblivious just because of the distance; her supernatural powers weren’t for show.
To her, Cheng Qingyao’s fall was merely the interest on a debt. To be honest, Cheng Ruyi’s moral compass wasn’t exactly straight. After transmigrating, she hadn’t planned on seeking revenge for the original owner of the body. As long as Cheng Qingyao didn’t plot against her, she was too lazy to care.
But this woman simply wouldn’t give up. Had Cheng Ruyi not read the original book and known the plot inside out, she wouldn’t have struck first to block Cheng Qingyao’s path to glory.
With the help of her maid, Cheng Qingyao rose, blushing with shame and anger. She calmly inspected the red carpet but found nothing. Even when her maid helped her up, she purposefully stepped on the spot again—nothing. She clearly remembered a great force hitting the sole of her foot, yet now there was no trace of it, as if it had been a hallucination. Find the original chapter at novelping dot com.
A sliver of terror grew in her heart. Could it really be a vengeful ghost?
No, she had to stay calm. She couldn’t scare herself. But her erratic heartbeat betrayed her inner turmoil. Having made a fool of herself, injured her waist, and bruised her face, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and forfeit the talent display. Compared to making a stunning impression, she cared more about whether her face would be permanently scarred.
And yet, Cheng Ruyi was still there, adding fuel to the fire with her mockery.
Cheng Qingyao lowered her eyes, nearly biting through her lip. She clenched her fists, her body trembling as she suppressed her rage and hatred. She respectfully informed the five judges and Prince Pingnan that she was injured and could not perform, then walked away with her back straight, supported by her maid.
Watching this, Cheng Ruyi sighed inwardly. As expected of the female lead; even in this state, she doesn’t forget to farm favorability points.
Sure enough, the noblewomen who witnessed her dignified exit expressed their satisfaction, and the Marchioness of Jinyang’s eyes lit up. Even Lin Jinxun watched her with a trace of admiration.
As for the male lead (the Prince), his expression remained bland. The poetry gathering was supposed to be Cheng Qingyao’s chance to win Prince Pingnan’s favor and kickstart her romance with the male lead, but Cheng Ruyi had thoroughly sabotaged it.
Beside her, the maid Moxiang looked like she had lost the will to live. Her mistress was too much of a troublemaker. If this continued, she’d truly never get married.
With Cheng Qingyao gone and the fall ruled an accident, the gathering resumed. Cheng Ruyi spent the time bored, snacking on melon seeds and fruit. Had she not wanted to participate in the upcoming lotus-picking boat ride, she would have left long ago.
When the poetry session ended, the “Twin Beauties” gave a breathtaking finale. Ye Wanlin, the daughter of the Left Prime Minister, took first place. Her masterful painting and fitting poetry narrowly beat out Princess Qingling by a single point.
Cheng Ruyi used her powers to observe the male lead. Seeing his slight nod of appreciation for Ye Wanlin, she cheered internally. In their “past lives,” they were destined to be husband and wife. Without Cheng Qingyao’s interference, the Prince’s impression of Ye Wanlin seemed good.
Of course, to rekindle that destiny, both would need to put in some effort. Cheng Qingyao, after all, was a reborn female lead with “protagonist halos.” Someone might just try to bend the plot back into place.
During the lotus-picking activity, Cheng Ruyi had a blast. She rowed her boat fast and well, gathering plenty of lotus seeds. After she “accidentally” dunked Zhao Yalan and her cronies into the water when they tried to sabotage her, no one dared get near her.
Prince Pingnan, who usually left early, stayed for a surprisingly long time. His departure took the hearts of many young ladies with him. Only Cheng Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief. That cold gaze of his had swept over her repeatedly—he had clearly taken her “dream” to heart.
Once the event ended, Cheng Ruyi happily took the carriage back to the Marquis of Changle’s estate. Upon entering, she saw her father, her mother, her brother, and her “crippled” cousin all waiting. Seeing them look at her with such concern made her heart swell with sweetness. This chapter was copied from novelping . com without permission.
“Daughter, are… are you alright?” her father asked cautiously.
Rong Susu and Cheng Yu stared intently at her. Only Rong Mo remained calm, though his gaze was somewhat strange.
Seeing this, Moxiang muttered internally: Lord Marquis, you’ve got it wrong. My lady is perfectly fine—it’s everyone else who’s in trouble!
Cheng Ruyi beamed. “Dad, Mom, I’m great! It’s the others who had a bad time. I have great news: Cousin Qingyao fell and made a total fool of herself at the gathering! Haha!”
She seemed completely unaware that her own behavior was hardly better than “making a fool of oneself.”
The Marquis was overjoyed. His daughter’s luck was excellent today! The one who suffered was that ill-intentioned girl from his older brother’s house next door. Serves her right!
“As expected of my daughter!” Rong Susu smiled happily.
“Hehe, that bad cousin finally got what was coming to her!” Cheng Yu cheered.
This family was quite the eccentric bunch; they were thrilled to hear about someone else’s misfortune. Moxiang wanted to cry. Were the Master and Madam celebrating too early? Her lady hadn’t “fallen,” but her actions were… indescribable.
Only the relatively “normal” Rong Mo cast a glance at the soul-weary Moxiang. Recalling the reports of his cousin’s “extraordinary” poem and behavior at the gathering, his gaze toward Cheng Ruyi became increasingly subtle.
Sansukini: They’re a weirdly adorable family.
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