Chapter 102: CH 74.1

T/N: Season’s greetings to you guys! I had been flooded with stuff to do irl last month so I couldn’t update (had nothing stacked up for this novel) so please forgive me for disappearing TT

Zuo Xiuyan felt aggrieved after being reprimanded by her mother.

Unexpectedly, not only did the people of the Ruiding residence not believe her but her own mother also refused to do so.

Why wouldn’t anyone believe that she had been framed by that few months old baby?

The more Zuo Xiuyan thought the more she detested. But she gnashed her teeth and muttered: “I am definitely going to marry Xiao Heng. When that happens and I become his Princess Consort, I wouldn’t need to mind the thoughts of these people!”

While mumbling this, she used ice to compress her swollen cheek so that it was not conspicuous and returned to the Ruiding residence.

But after she went back, she noticed a change in Xiao Jin’s behavior which baffled her.

She still spoke and laughed like usual and was fond of discussing poetry with her. However, she seemed not to be as cordial as before.

Zuo Xiuyan felt uneasy, so she deliberately fawned over Xiao Jin, overdid stuff when Xiao Jin was composing poetry, and even told her exaggerated interesting anecdotes about her past days in Liaobei, hoping to capture her interest.

However, Xiao Jin was not as intrigued: “It’s always about Liaobei. That’s not interesting.”

Zuo Xiuyan laughed dryly, feeling more and more in her heart that something was wrong.

This day just happened to coincide with the eldest Young Madam’s birthday. The Old Madam had arranged for a banquet so the whole residence was buzzing with vigor.

According to the usual rules, the female members were naturally seated inside while the young masters were all outside.

The eldest Young Madam was a good person and treated each one of her sisters-in-law1T/N: By sisters-in-law, I meant both the daughters-in-law and the daughters of the family here. English doesn’t have different words for the wife of one’s husband’s brother (妯娌 / zhóuli) and the sister of one’s husband (小姑 / xiǎogū). Why so stingy, English! very well. Now that it was her birthday, everyone gave her a lot of presents one after another.

Gu Sui’er didn’t have anything proper enough to give, so she personally embroidered a pair of copper hand warmer covers for the eldest Young Madam. When the days became cold, the young ladies and mistresses all liked to hold on to small and exquisite copper hand warmers. These hand warmers were often wrapped in covers.

One shouldn’t think it was a mere cover; because these hand warmers were generally carried around by both the unmarried and married ladies, the covers which would envelop the hand warmer were all tastefully chosen and had meticulous and ornate designs.

Gu Sui’er knit and embroidered flowers with her own hands. And since she emulated the pattern from an ancient famous painting that Xiao Heng gave her, it naturally became displayed its uniqueness.

Gazing at the embroidery, everyone praised her skill for being precious.

“Our family’s Sui’er is so prudent and gifted. The things made by the embroideress of the Palace also cannot compare to the ones she makes.”

“She is blessed with dexterous hands.”

To say that the skills of the embroideress of the Palace cannot match hers was undoubtedly an exaggeration but the little things stitched by Gu Sui’er had a kind of ingenuity that greatly delighted people.

While they were praising her, Zuo Xiuyan also took out the present she prepared.

It was a calligraphy painting made personally by herself.

When the eldest Young Madam accepted the present and thanked her, the others also took a look and uttered a few words of praise without much thought.

Zuo Xiuyan felt that the praise was not sincere enough. They seemed half-hearted.

The feeling that something was amiss became increasingly stronger in her heart.

Did they believe she had framed that little baby? She was accused unjustly, why would no one trust her? But if she were to give an explanation now, it would be the same as saying that there were no 300 silver taels there2300 silver taels not hidden here [此地无银三百两] – It means that if you are being too assertive to provide a justification, you would make others wary and ultimately reveal what you intended to hide..

Uneasiness gripped her heart. So when everyone was busy playing cards, she quietly followed Xiao Jin out, who had left for the lavatory.

She raised her hand and wiped her eyes lightly after getting outside and noticing that no one was present there.

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Seeing that the rims of her eyes were red, Xiao Jin asked with raised brows, “Sister Xiuyan, what’s wrong with you? Why are your eyes red?”

Zuo Xiuyan, who had been waiting for these words to be asked, immediately put on a sorrowful expression and said helplessly: “Ah Jin, although we haven’t known each other for very long, I have come to like you the most. However, I’m afraid that I would not be able to spend much time with you in the future.”

Xiao Jin was bewildered: “Why?”

It was only a matter of not marrying her third elder brother. No one said that she would not be allowed to come to their Marquis Ruiding’s residence again.

Zuo Xiuyan lowered her eyes and let out a long sigh: “I’m afraid that I am born the sort of person who attracts everyone’s dislike so I figured it would be better to not come here in the future.”

Between her words, two streams of tears slid down her cheek, making her appear wronged and pitiful.

Xiao Jin was a little startled. She blinked her eyes: “Really? I don’t dislike you ah! Who said everyone dislikes you?”

Zuo Xiuyan whimpered softly and muttered: “Ah Jin, you don’t have to conceal it from me. I know you are sick of me so you treat me differently now.”

Xiao Jin felt frustrated. She stamped her foot and proclaimed, “I really don’t!”

Taking a peek at Xiao Jin and realizing that she had taken it seriously, Zuo Xiuyan seized the opportunity: “We treat each other as sisters so I know you won’t dislike me. But I fear that the Old Madam and the Madam are not much fond of me. After all, they and the others may have developed some misunderstandings after little Ah Chen fell from the bed that day.”

Xiao Jin hastily denied: “That’s not true! My mother didn’t say that. She just… just—”

She began to hesitate.

Noticing this, Zuo Xiuyan burst into tears. She grasped the former’s hand: “Ah Jin, if anyone is dissatisfied with me, you must let me know so that I can fix it. You know what sort of a person I am. I am too foolish to think before doing anything so I always end up offending people without realizing it.”

Xiao Jin couldn’t bear to see her cry. She sighed and explained patiently: “Actually, it’s nothing. My Mother just said that the marriage between our families might not happen. I heard that this is the Old Madam’s intention.”

Hearing this bolt from the blue, Zuo Xiuyan froze.

If Xiao Heng didn’t marry her, whom would she marry then? Given her age, would her parents be able to find someone anytime soon?

And even if they did find someone, would that man possibly compare to his stature and prestige?

Zuo Xiuyan clasped Xiao Jin’s hand tightly: “Really? Did Madam say that? Old Madam also said that? Are you certain?”

Xiao Jin let out a cry from the pain in her hand, “Let go of my hand, it really hurts.”

Zuo Xiuyan quickly let go this time.

Xiao Jin rubbed her red wrist and said a little unhappily: “I don’t know. I just a bit about it. Anyway, my Mother said so.”

After that, Xiao Jin turned around and went back into the room, leaving Zuo Xiuyan standing there blankly. A long time later, when she finally returned in a daze and noticed everyone’s attitude towards her, realization dawned in her heart.

It turned out that the sense of closeness was all because they expected her to become Xiao Heng’s wife. However, now that she had been forsaken, they had also turned estranged and polite.

These people were so haughty. All of a sudden, they decided not to acknowledge her.

Zuo Xiuyan felt incredibly humiliated; she was filled with hatred and was unwilling to leave it be. She had to come up with a way to salvage the situation.

She will make them all regret it.

But how would she do that?

At this moment, she happened to see the brothers from the Xiao family drinking on the outer side.

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