Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 43

“A union between a woman and a woman is inherently an affront to the natural order!”

The voice was high-pitched and impassioned, piercing through the ears of everyone present. The banquet fell into a sudden silence, and the focus shifted instantly to Pei Qilang, the one who had uttered those words.

Pei Qilang was the only son of the fourth branch. Grand Secretary Pei had two daughters and three sons; the current head of the household was the eldest daughter, Pei Wu, who served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. At the moment the voice rang out, she was exchanging pleasantries with Yan Linlang. Hearing this, she frowned and instructed a nearby attendant, “Qilang is ill. It appears he will need to recuperate for a while.”

The attendant bowed his head and murmured his assent. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Pei Qilang was humiliated as he was “escorted” away to recover. Since the head of the family hadn’t specified a duration, no one knew when he would be allowed out again.

This brief interlude was not enough to ruin the festive spirit of the New Year, and the banquet soon became lively once more. Pei Liuniang remarked with schadenfreude, “Serves him right. Just because he has an extra bit of anatomy, he thinks he can look down on us sisters.”

“He didn’t even stop to consider who’s in charge of this house now.”

Pei Sanniang took a sip of tea and offered a mild rebuke. “That’s enough. He is our brother, after all.”

Pei Liuniang made a sarcastic face. “Just you wait; there’s going to be a scene.”

By “scene,” she meant the fourth branch. The couple had only this one son, so naturally, they doted on him. Fortunately, they knew their place well enough not to cause a commotion on the spot.

The matter was handled so quickly that Pei Mingjiao had no opportunity to intervene. She sat there huffing, taking the insult personally. “He must be out of his mind. He wants to manage heaven and earth, and now he’s trying to manage us?”

Cui Yi placed a Tangyu embroidered meatball into Pei Mingjiao’s bowl, her expression calm. “To get angry is to fall right into his trap. Why let him have his way?”

Pei Mingjiao thought this made sense. She picked up the meatball Cui Yi had given her and popped it into her mouth. The warm meat juice burst forth, instantly soothing her anger. She said magnanimously, “For the sake of the New Year, I’ll let it slide this time.”

Cui Yi smiled faintly. “Good.”

After dinner, Cui Yi exchanged pleasantries with the younger generation of the Pei family. Pei Sanniang was Pei Wu’s only daughter; she was over twenty and not yet married. Her nose was similar to Pei Mingjiao’s, and Cui Yi found it very comfortable to converse with her.

Pei Liuniang was openly sizing up Cui Yi from the side. Having not seen her for a while, Pei Mingjiao’s wife still looked sickly; at a glance, she didn’t look like she would outlive the bouncy Pei Mingjiao.

Pei Mingjiao didn’t need to be glued to Cui Yi every single second, but Cui Yi had only come to the Pei Manor because of her. Here, she was the only one Cui Yi was truly close to. What if she didn’t keep a good watch and Cui Yi got bullied?

Pei Liuniang couldn’t stand Pei Mingjiao’s clingy behavior and jabbed at her out of habit. “Look at you. Why don’t you just stuff her in your pocket and be done with it?”

Pei Mingjiao looked at her sideways with her nose in the air. “What do you know?”

Pei Liuniang flared up instantly. “What don’t I know?”

Pei Mingjiao rested her head on Cui Yi’s shoulder and said with a beaming, “bitchy” smile, “Do you understand now?”

Pei Liuniang felt like gagging. She felt that Pei Mingjiao had lost her mind after getting married.

Cui Yi, who was still talking to Pei Sanniang, bore the weight on her shoulder with a perfectly stoic face.

Pei Sanniang was only slightly surprised before her expression returned to normal.

Tang Wensi, who had originally intended to come over and play, silently retracted her foot and turned to leave.

Time ticked by. At the first watch (approx. 8:00 PM), firecrackers began to roar in succession. Fireworks bloomed over the Pei Manor, and those still talking looked up in unison, the brilliant sparks reflected in their eyes.

Ancient fireworks lacked the variety of modern ones. Cui Yi looked up slightly. Through the pyrotechnics, she suddenly thought of the New Year celebrations of the modern Cui family—how the relatives would put on a grand performance every year. She wondered if the ancient version of the Cui family could handle it as well.

Pei Mingjiao turned her head to look at her wife, who was quietly watching the fireworks. Imitating her memory of her father, she took Cui Yi’s dangling left hand in hers. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was looking, she quickly gave her a “peck” on the cheek.

It was a kiss like a butterfly lightly alighting.

Cui Yi turned her head to see Pei Mingjiao’s face full of proud, mischievous laughter.

Amidst the bang-bang-bang of the fireworks, Cui Yi’s heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm.

The next day, the atmosphere of the New Year in the Pei Manor remained strong.

Many relatives came to offer New Year greetings. The Pei family rarely hosted banquets, opening their gates only for major occasions. In Pei Mingjiao’s memory, the people who came every year were always different.

The juniors were ushered away after meeting a round of people. Pei Mingjiao breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness the adults are holding the fort.”

Pei Liuniang immediately found an opening. “You’ve already started a family, yet you still think of yourself as a child? Aren’t you ashamed?”

Pei Mingjiao wasn’t affected by the attack at all; instead, she was smug. “It’s because my parents dote on me.”

Pei Liuniang was so jealous she couldn’t stand it, cursing the heavens for being blind. How could someone like Pei Mingjiao be so lucky? It was truly unfair.

Just then, a servant approached. “Sixth Lady, Third Lady has sent items to your courtyard.”

Pei Sanniang was currently helping her mother host the guests and was incredibly busy.

Pei Liuniang’s eyes lit up. She lifted her chin, swished her skirts, and left behind a parting shot: “What’s so great about you? I have my Third Sister.”

Pei Mingjiao rolled her eyes and didn’t bother arguing. She whispered to Cui Yi, “She’s about to be married, yet she talks about her Third Sister all day. Is she going to take Third Sister with her when she gets married?”

Pei Mingjiao, who talked about her parents all day, said this without the slightest hint of guilt.

Cui Yi remained silent and did not interject.

Pei Liuniang’s betrothed was the youngest son of the Marquis of Anyuan. His reputation was good, and he was currently actively preparing for his imperial exams.

While Pei Mingjiao was grumbling to herself and Cui Yi was staying quiet, they happened to run into the couple from the fourth branch. Both their faces looked grim. Following yesterday’s incident, the couple had been sidelined by Pei Wu. Her reasoning was: if they couldn’t even teach their child properly, how would she dare entrust the manor’s affairs to them?

Seeing Pei Mingjiao and Cui Yi looking so harmonious, Lady Xun could no longer control herself. “Jiaojiao, we’re all family. Go plead with your Eldest Aunt to let Mingcheng out.”

Fourth Uncle Pei smiled genially. “Indeed, we are all one family. Surely you wouldn’t have the heart to let your Seventh Brother be all alone?”

Pei Mingjiao might be simple, but she wasn’t stupid. Her Eldest Aunt had stepped in to punish someone for slandering her. If she turned around to plead for him, wouldn’t that make it seem like Eldest Aunt was meddling, and that she enjoyed being insulted in public?

Pei Mingjiao kept her patience and said politely, “I do have the heart. Seventh Brother is alone because he has a foul mouth.”

The couple hadn’t expected their niece to be so disrespectful to her elders. Their faces darkened instantly, especially Fourth Uncle Pei. “Jiaojiao, how can you speak to your elders like that? Is this how your Fifth Brother taught you?”

Pei Mingjiao knew that Fourth Uncle Pei didn’t get along with her father. Seeing him try to pin the blame on him, she sneered, “What? Does Fourth Uncle intend to teach me the rules personally?”

The blood of the Yan family flowed through Pei Mingjiao’s veins. In this world, the only ones qualified to teach her the rules were the Imperial Family. Fourth Uncle Pei was not up to the task, but he failed to realize it. “What? Do I, as an elder, not even have the qualification to teach you?”

Lady Xun also puffed out her chest.

Cui Yi spoke coldly. “Then please, Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt, petition His Majesty first before coming to teach us the rules.”

Fourth Uncle Pei suddenly snapped back to reality, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Lady Xun said timidly, “There’s no need for that. We’re all relatives.”

Cui Yi didn’t respond, leaving the floor to Pei Mingjiao. Pei Mingjiao mocked them, “So, Fourth Uncle and Fourth Aunt, do you still want Seventh Brother released?”

The couple was very tactful now. “No, no. It’s good for Mingcheng to learn his lesson.”

Once they left, Pei Mingjiao huffed. “How can there be such stupid people in the Pei family? I really wonder if they were switched at birth.”

Cui Yi remarked, “Your eyebrows are quite similar.”

Pei Mingjiao was aghast. “I don’t believe it!”

Cui Yi chuckled but said no more.