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墨書 Inktalez
Cheng Mosu quietly groomed herself in front of the mirror. Today, Shangguan Yiting and Xia Yixiang went out to shop for Qipao, while Xiao Jing and Shen Deputy Officer were also out enjoying themselves, leaving her alone at home. Initially, she planned to pass the time reading a book, but unexpectedly, Yeh Zhenzhen called her, inviting her to stay at Ye Family for a while.
With nothing much to do, she decided to go; it was better than being troubled at home.
She slightly turned her water-like eyes, picked up a fountain pen, and wrote a neat note on plain white paper, stating that she would be staying at Ye Family. Her rose-colored lips curled into a light smile as she placed the note in a prominent spot. After glancing around, she packed a few casual outfits and pajamas before setting off.
The house at Ye Family in New Beicheng was not large but had an air of antiquity. Yeh Zhenzhen had an older brother who worked in the Ministry of Finance. He was a rare talent among wealthy young men, and many women came to Ye Family hoping to catch his attention. This made the guards at Ye Family particularly vigilant; they would verify identities three times before allowing anyone to enter.
When Cheng Mosu walked into the living room, Yeh Zhenzhen was chatting with several ladies. A set of tea-colored porcelain adorned with blooming floral patterns exuded elegance and antiquity. She approached Yeh Zhenzhen, who then looked up as if seeing a savior. "Cheng Mosu, you’re here!" She stood up and addressed the other ladies, saying, "Everyone, my friend has arrived; I’ll excuse myself now. Enjoy your tea."
"Isn't that Consort Shangguan?" one sharp-eyed lady exclaimed upon seeing Cheng Mosu. The other ladies immediately turned their attention to her; due to Shangguan Shaoyi's influence, she had become quite a topic of conversation in high society.
"Oh? Is this Consort Shangguan?" another slightly plump lady hurriedly stood up, extending her hand to shake Cheng Mosu's. With a bright smile, she said, "What a pleasure! My husband is Minister Jin from the Ministry of Industry; I hope Consort Shangguan will look after us in the future!"
Cheng Mosu smiled politely, though her beautifully shaped brows concealed her embarrassment. "Mrs. Jin is too kind."
As a result, neither of them could escape the clutches of these ladies and were forced to stay for tea and conversation. Cheng Mosu cast a helpless glance at Yeh Zhenzhen, who playfully stuck out her tongue.
The conversation initially focused on Cheng Mosu, but as she remained too understated, the ladies lost interest and shifted their attention back to Yeh Zhenzhen. Cheng Mosu was glad for the distraction; she savored the rice porridge from Ye Family while slowly stirring it with a spoon, watching as the intricate patterns on the spoon changed color.
"Miss Yeh Zhenzhen, your brother must be twenty years old this year?"
"Yes, my brother just turned twenty."
"Oh." Mrs. Jin's gaze inadvertently swept over Cheng Mosu as if worried about neglecting her while she enjoyed her porridge. Unbeknownst to her, Cheng Mosu actually preferred peace and quiet but was pulled into the conversation nonetheless. "Shangguan Shaoying should be twenty-one this year, right?"
Cheng Mosu quietly ate her porridge, unaware that Mrs. Jin was asking her something. Yeh Zhenzhen gently nudged her, and only then did she come to her senses, quickly raising her bright Eyes and smiling, "What did Mrs. Jin say?"
"Why are you so distracted? Are you feeling unwell?" Mrs. Jin frowned, and seeing Cheng Mosu shake her head in denial, she relaxed her brow. "I just asked Consort Shangguan if Shangguan Shaoying is twenty-one this year."
"Yes." Cheng Mosu nodded, not quite understanding the meaning behind Mrs. Jin's words. Sure enough, Mrs. Jin changed to a different smile and said, "Yeh Zhenzhen, look at Shangguan Shaoying; she's the same age as your brother. Now the Young Commander has married a wife and will soon take another concubine. Shouldn't we be concerned about your brother's marriage as well?"
Cheng Mosu's heart sank; although she understood that Mrs. Jin was trying to suggest a match, the mention of "concubine" still struck a painful chord in her heart.
She put down her bowl and chopsticks, her eyes slightly narrowing. Yeh Zhenzhen noticed this and quickly exchanged glances with her. Experienced as Mrs. Jin was, she immediately realized she had misspoken and forced a few awkward laughs, trying to ease the tension. "Well... Miss Yeh, when your brother is home another day, we should visit again so you can chat more with Consort Shangguan."
The other ladies hurriedly got up and walked away, their footsteps fading. Cheng Mosu reined in her smile, her expression blank, feeling as if she were engulfed by a wave of coldness.
"Cheng Mosu, now that those ladies have left, our ears can finally enjoy some peace," Yeh Zhenzhen observed Cheng Mosu's complexion but didn't know what to say. She deliberately raised her voice to feign happiness. As for other matters, she wanted to ask but seeing Cheng Mosu's poor complexion made it hard for her to speak up. Instead, she reached for Cheng Mosu's suitcase and said with a smile, "I'll help you put your luggage in the Guest Room. By the way, the Guest Room is right next to my room; we can talk all night long, haha."
Cheng Mosu lifted her Eyes and smiled faintly, which momentarily stunned Yeh Zhenzhen. In her memory, Cheng Mosu had never seemed so helpless and fragile; she appeared like a delicate porcelain vase that made one want to protect her in their palms. Gathering her thoughts, she said, "Are you still thinking about that Xia Yixiang matter? If you don't like it, I can help you deal with Xia Yixiang right now!"
"No need." Perhaps due to the arrival of autumn, she felt an intense chill in her Fingertips. They say ten fingers are connected to the heart; the coldness from her Fingertips traveled straight to her heart, making it hard for her to breathe and turning her fair rosy face pale like frost.
Suddenly remembering something important, Yeh Zhenzhen exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no! At such a critical moment, I actually invited you to my house! What if Xia Yixiang takes advantage of your absence? What should we do?"
Cheng Mosu was taken aback; she hadn't considered this aspect either, but...
Her heart sank further as she replied, "It's okay; sooner or later she'll be part of the Shangguan Family anyway. What's the difference if she gets ahead or lags behind? Besides, she's already taken advantage of it before; I don't want to guard against it."
“Cheng Mosu……” Yeh Zhenzhen called out, unsure of what to say, and fell silent.
Shangguan Residence.
The large room was quiet, with an inexplicable sense of pressure quietly spreading. Shangguan Yiting opened the door, followed by Xia Yixiang, both carrying various colorful bags containing new-style Qipao. Shangguan Yiting took out a hand fan to chase away the heat, saying, “It’s already autumn, and it’s still so hot just moving around. It’s really annoying.”
“Isn’t it? I’m completely overheated,” Xia Yixiang said, lightly wiping her forehead. Although she hadn’t broken a sweat, she still put on a show.
“I’ll go call Cheng Mosu down. We made her five new Qipao today to give her a big surprise.” Shangguan Yiting smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling like stars. Xia Yixiang felt a pang of jealousy; she had accompanied Shangguan Yiting shopping and helped carry bags and open doors, yet Shangguan Yiting only remembered to make clothes for Cheng Mosu. If she hadn’t gone along, would there have been any share for her? The entire Shangguan Family seemed to be enchanted by Cheng Mosu, intoxicated beyond measure!
Though she thought this way in her heart, she still wore a smile. “Sister, let me go call the lady for you.”
“Okay, that works. I’ll take a break.” Shangguan Yiting slumped onto the chaise lounge, loosening her hair, which cascaded down over the pure white fabric.
Xia Yixiang lowered her gaze and went upstairs. Upon opening the door, she found no sign of Cheng Mosu. She felt puzzled; Cheng Mosu rarely went out, so how could she not be home? Just as she was about to turn and leave, she noticed a note left by Cheng Mosu.
She picked up the thin piece of paper and a cold smile spread across her lips.
Happiness must be fought for rather than passively awaited. She crumpled the note and tossed it into the corner.
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