“Who knows.” In any case, it probably wasn’t just because she was bored at home, thus came with her old man to the Luo Manor for a quick stroll. Then, Ruan Fang Fei’s true purpose in coming here was worth pondering over. Jing Wan felt she most likely came for her. Coming to this conclusion, Jing Wan felt unwell all over. How to put it, Jing Wan was always relatively puzzled, how did she randomly get targeted by this pervert? Originally, she’d already planned on actively avoiding her, yet she(RFF) unexpectedly even came to her home.
(T/N: I guess I should clarify that although it’s not wrong to translate the word as pervert as RFF is very perverse, but it’s more so trying to say she’s abnormal, however I like calling her a pervert so I’m going to stick with that.)
“Little sister Wan, I keep feeling that Ruan Fang Fei is somewhat strange. In the past, we may have not interacted much, but it wasn’t that we never interacted before. Seemingly, there wasn’t this kind of feeling back then.” Sun Yi Jia was somewhat puzzled.
Jing Wan casted a glance at her. Of course, in the past, you were never targeted by her before, that’s all. But now, heheh, the reason why a pervert is called a pervert is because those people have an abnormal thought process that is different from ordinary people. However, she probably can understand why Ruan Fang Fei targeted this older sister-in-law of hers again, it was nothing more than just the same as some of Liu-shi strange thought process———–unable to bear seeing other people be well.
When Sun Yi Jia married into the Luo family, it was originally when she was suppose to marry Jin Qinwang, and as Jin Qinwang’s soon-to-be side consort, Ruan Fang Fei should’ve ‘married’ into the Jin Qinwang Manor shortly after. However, this specific time, from the start, was never set. From what Jing Wan learned from her grandfather Luo Pei Shan, it seems even now, there weren’t the slightest movements, as if Le Cheng Emperor had simply forgotten that he’d bestowed such a marriage before, as if Ruan Fang Fei’s marriage was being deliberately suppressed, and also having that bit of desire to delay indefinitely.
Ruan Fang Fei may appear to be nonchalant, but was she anxious inside? She most certainly was anxious. Never mind that without Sun Yi Jia she was still just a soon-to-be side consort, she was even unable to marry over. That was the man that she’s always yearned for. Clearly just a step away, and she’ll be able to legitimately approach him, but this one step that in her eyes, should be a very easy step, kept feeling abnormally difficult. Just exactly where was the problem, why was it deliberately being delayed? Don’t say something like ‘the main consort hasn’t married in’, this kind of excuse no one would believe. If they truly had that intention, couldn’t they just let her marry him as the main consort?
Ruan Fang Fei was very clear the problem wasn’t on Le Cheng Emperor, nor would it be Noble Consort Su. For marriages that were already set in stone, even the Empress can’t disrupt. After contemplating through the possibilities, the reason could only be on Jin Qinwang himself. Perhaps her past actions made him very discontent towards her? No, he wasn’t someone who would bother with these kinds of things. She was unmatched in beauty and talent, and will be his best wife. Moreover, he has always cared about her, no? Then, there definitely must be another reason, just she didn’t think of it yet, that’s all.
Ruan Fang Fei wanted to personally ask Li Hong Yuan. However, from beginning to end, she never had the opportunity to meet with him. She rather wanted to directly go to Jin Qinwang Manor, but if she really goes, then she might as well throw away the good reputation that she’s been building.
If Li Hong Yuan were to learn of Ruan Fang Fei’s thoughts, he probably would continue to have her thoroughly ignored.
He was currently looking for the opportunity to ‘eliminate’ her. However, Ruan Fang Fei was very much an expert in the various ways to ruin someone, using similar methods on her, afraid won’t be that easy. Moreover, there weren’t any opportunities recently.
And if Jing Wan were to learn of Ruan Fang Fei’s thoughts, she would probably be very speechless. Someone like Jin Qinwang, did he encounter any less women that were both talented and beautiful? The only thing that you, Ruan Fang Fei, had that was better than them was nothing more than your birth. How narcissistic did one have to be to be able to come up with this kind of thought?
“Whether she’s strange or not has nothing to do with you.” This older sister-in-law of hers, in Ruan Fang Fei’s eyes, should just be an extra. There was still her(JW), this ‘hinderance’, in front blocking after all.
“You’re right.” Since she had her engagement cancelled with Jin Qinwang, she naturally no longer have any relations with Jin Qinwang’s soon-to-be side consort. Moreover, she has now settled down, so why bother caring about her. “Oh right,” Sun Yi Jia leaned closer to Jing Wan, smiling somewhat mischievously, “my fifth brother also came today.”
Jing Wan rather helplessly smiled, “Your fifth brother is the same as the other officials, all lovers of flowers. For him to come, is there anything strange about it?” With Jing Wan’s face being this thick, this bit of teasing was nothing.
Sun Yi Jia smilingly side-glanced at her. Want to pretend to not understand and brush over it? Fine! “Little sister Wan, say, after you marry my fifth brother, how should we address each other, you call me older sister-in-law, and I also call you older sister-in-law[1]?”
“It’s still early, big sister Jia can call me whatever you want.”
“Big sister Jia? Ever since I married into the Luo family, you never addressed me as such anymore, this is trying to hint at something?”
“However you want to interpret it.”
Sun Yi Jia suddenly reached out and stroked Jing Wan’s face, carrying a bit of worry and tenderness. “You and my fifth brother, to me, are both extremely important. For you two to be able to come together, it is naturally for the best. However, truthfully speaking, ever since marrying into the Luo family, I no longer approve of you marrying my fifth brother, especially after seeing my mother’s conduct. What kind of temper my mother has, I know all too well. Little sister Wan, if she truly wants to make things difficult for you, you will have a very hard time living under her. In the past, I thought it was only natural, because I was used to it, and because there weren’t any comparison. In addition, some things my mother also hid from me. That’s why, I believed being her daughter-in-law actually wasn’t anything much. But ever since I married into the Luo family, I no longer want to return to that rear court. That place, just as you said, really is a dragon’s lair, tiger’s den. Letting you become confined there for the rest of your life, I can’t even bear to think about it.”
“Why did you suddenly bring this up?”
“In reality, when you were discussing marriage with my fifth brother, I already want to let you reject this marriage, but such a big matter isn’t something I can blindly get involved in. Moreover, you’ve always had your own views, and have your own reasons. But some words when bottled up inside, it is truly suffocating, and one can’t help but pour them out. In any case, little sister Wan, you don’t have any feelings towards my fifth brother either…………..so if possible, just cancel this engagement, alright?”
Jing Wan rather surprisingly looked to her. This change in style was a bit abrupt. Just earlier, she was still talking about what to address each other in the future, yet in a blink of an eye, she was already letting her cancel the engagement? “You really think this?”
Sun Yi Jia very firmly nodded her head, “In the end, girls can’t compare to men. For us, getting married is just like getting born a second time[2], it is truly too significant. For men, if the wife they marry isn’t to their liking, they can just take a concubine, and if one isn’t enough, just take another. But for women, if they are unsatisfied, they can only just keep everything bottled up inside. My fifth brother, even if he can’t have his desire fulfilled, as time goes on, it will slowly fade with time, and won’t have too big of an impact. However, I also know, some things, I at most can only casually say. If others were to find out that I urged you to withdraw the engagement, I will definitely be scolded on all sides. Especially my fifth brother, he will certainly hate me for a lifetime.”
Jing Wan helpless smiled, pinching a bit of dessert and shoving it into Sun Yi Jia’s mouth, “Only you would blindly worry all day.”
Sun Yi Jia nearly choked, covering her mouth, finally having the dessert swallowed down, quite unsatisfied, “Who am I worrying for?”
“Yes, yes, yes, for me, for me. This thought of yours, I have received. Don’t worry about me, these days are all lived by people. And I’m not a pushover either, if I really get bullied, would I continue being a punching bag?” One has to know, a person’s fighting strength was all forced out by others. Perhaps at present, her manor battle skill-points were low, but haven’t you seen the countless girls that were simple and pure like a white sheet of paper, after entering deep into the inner palace, all becoming great masters of palace fights with ample fighting power. Even a cornered little white rabbit would bite. Have her cornered, and she will also turn dark inside.
In the past, she perhaps regarded herself too little. She should be better to herself, need to learn from Jin Qinwang, best let all those who upset her all suffocate to death. Her future husband, even if frivolous and fickle, she still won’t obediently yield her place. Why be some virtuous wife and kind mother, even if she doesn’t care, she should still look for some trouble for him, and just treat it as looking for entertainment for herself. If the days are too bland, then it would truly be very boring. Sigh, unfortunately, she didn’t have Jin Qinwang’s life. In front of many people, one was unable to wave one’s might.
In the front courtyard, the others all reluctantly left. Luo Pei Shan had expended all his mental and physical energy to protect these treasures from those shameless old bastards who were covetously eyeing them. Heavens, next time, never letting these bastards come visit.
Among this bunch, where the youngest was already approaching forty, and the oldest already sixty seventy, Sun Yi Lin truly couldn’t be more tender. After he learned that these people were coming to the Luo Manor, he also tagged along, being the first to arrive, and even moved over quite a few good things from his own courtyard, saying they were for Luo Pei Shan. And now, he stalled till the end.
Sun Yi Lin actually very rarely come in contact with the older generation. The old officials he normally saw, those were all imposing, upright, and strict, not a hair out of place. But what he saw today finally made him realize, that was perhaps just one side of these old officials. In private, when encountering things they like, they were the same as small children, mutually fighting one another with their faces flushed red.
[1] Depending on the relationship, the word for sister-in-law is different in chinese, but they all end up translating to just ‘sister-in-law’ in english. For example, xiao gu (husband’s younger sister), da gu (husband’s older sister), sao zi (older brother’s wife), di mei (younger brother’s wife). Currently, Jing Wan refers to Sun Yi Jia as ‘sao zi’, while to Sun Yi Jia, Jing Wan is her ‘xiao gu’. But if Jing Wan marries Sun Yi Jia’s older brother, they are both each other’s ‘sao zi’ and ‘xiao gu’ at the same time.
[2] The expression is actually more like ‘getting reincarnated a second time’ but to avoid confusion I didn’t translate it as such. The idea is that getting married is like casting yourself into another family, which in chinese, the word for reincarnation literally means ‘casting your fetus’. The idea of reincarnation is very much ingrained into chinese culture, which is why there’s the saying that your children are people who you owe debt to in your past life.
T/N: The first time Ruan Fang Fei started killing off LHY’s fiancees was when she was twelve so I feel like calling her an expert is an understatement. Also Ruan Fang Fei isn’t an ordinary young lady, there are still secrets about her that haven’t been revealed yet.
Random side note, last night I opened up twitter for the first time in a long time, I’m not a very social media person, but occasionally I come across some psycho spreading extreme rhetoric, and I just think wow you guys make cnovel villains look sane. Like last night I saw someone going on about how they are justified in harassing, attacking, and pretty much abusing content creators, artists, and authors they deem are ‘creating abusive fictional content’. Basically they will abuse real people over fictional content that contain what they think is abuse, where the logic is in that is beyond me. The social media is a scary place.
