Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 50

“If even Yan Yuanyi can have such fantastic ideas, why can’t I?”

The sharp voice rang out abruptly. Pei Mingjiao and her companions peered out curiously through the dense, hanging willow branches. Beyond the fresh greenery stood a slender young lady with a veiled bamboo hat  obscuring her face. Opposite her was the Consort of Prince Zhao, whose face was etched with undeniable distress and helplessness.

Pei Mingjiao instantly guessed the identity of the veiled woman: Yan Qihua, her cousin, County Princess Duanmin. It was a title with an auspicious meaning, yet ever since her fiancé died, she had rarely appeared in public. She had once declared she would never remarry; as a result, everyone praised County Princess Duanmin for her extreme grit and noble character. This cousin was already twenty-five years old.

When she was younger, Pei Mingjiao had sighed over how deeply devoted this cousin was, lamenting that fate had been so cruel.

In their line of sight, the Consort of Prince Zhao appeared humble and pleading, but the words she spoke were chilling. “Qihua, think of your younger brother and sister, especially Yongrong. She is about to be married. Do you really want to ruin her?”

Yan Qihua’s cold voice drifted out from behind the veil. “If a family comes for me because of my reputation and leaves because of it, could they possibly be a good match?”

The Consort of Prince Zhao’s lips trembled and tears shimmered in her eyes. To think a mother would actually weep before her daughter.

Yan Qihua’s eyes remained calm and indifferent as she dropped one final sentence: “Mother, put away your tears. This time, I am going to live for myself.”

Having said her piece, she turned away without a second thought, running right into Pei Mingjiao’s group, who hadn’t had time to move away. Yan Qihua showed not a hint of shame or anger at being overheard; instead, she greeted Pei Mingjiao with perfect composure. “There are quite a few camellias blooming up ahead. They are quite lovely and well worth a look.”

The slight awkwardness Pei Mingjiao felt vanished. “Cousin, I will go see them.”

Yan Qihua smiled and walked away. The Consort of Prince Zhao, following behind, felt extremely embarrassed upon seeing Pei Mingjiao’s group. She forced a greeting and hurriedly chased after Yan Qihua.

Pei Mingjiao and Gu Yue exchanged a knowing glance. Zheng Liuniang pursed her lips and spoke up tentatively, “The way I see it, there seems to be more to the story of County Princess Duanmin remaining a widow to guard her virtue.”

Pei Mingjiao gave a steady “Mm.” Gu Yue, knowing her temperament well, spoke plainly. “Back then, because of the County Princess’s situation, the Prince Zhao Estate and the Shen family gained a great deal of prestige. Because of that ‘wholesome family style,’ the children of both families all managed to secure excellent marriages.”

Pei Mingjiao immediately followed up, “I knew it! What loving parent would want to watch their own child suffer just to ‘guard their virtue’ for a dead man?”

The three of them continued whispering.

In the evening, Pei Mingjiao held Cui Yi, prattling on about the gossip she had encountered that day.

Cui Yi listened quietly.

Pei Mingjiao, feeling a bit indignant, nudged Cui Yi and said with genuine emotion, “How could they be like that? Back then, I really thought Cousin was so deeply in love with Shen Duoyu that she couldn’t move on.”

Cui Yi found her face smothered by Pei Mingjiao’s fluffy hair. She calmly patted Pei Mingjiao’s head. Pei Mingjiao instinctively moved her head to rest against Cui Yi’s soft chest. For a moment, Cui Yi felt a heavy weight against her; she gently soothed her wife, who was throwing a small tantrum. “Isn’t this for the best? Now that Cousin has seen through it, no one can bind her anymore.”

Pei Mingjiao was easily coaxed and calmed down.

Cradling the soft body and surrounded by a pleasant fragrance, Pei Mingjiao grew increasingly sleepy. Cui Yi felt the same, her breathing becoming light and rhythmic. Just as she was about to drift off in this warm comfort, she heard a murmur from Pei Mingjiao in the darkness.

“Yi-niang, I don’t want you to ‘keep watch’ for me… it’s too much suffering.”

Cui Yi’s sleepiness vanished instantly, and she became wide awake. However, the culprit, Pei Mingjiao, had already fallen fast asleep, leaving Cui Yi unable to sleep for a long time. Listening to the faint snoring of Pei Mingjiao buried against her neck, Cui Yi pursed her lips and decisively shook the instigator awake.

Pei Mingjiao opened her eyes groogly, her mind still a fog. “What’s wrong?”

Cui Yi turned over so their noses were touching and their breaths intertwined. In the darkness, Cui Yi’s fingers traced Pei Mingjiao’s face until they found her soft lips. She probed inside slightly, her fingertip enveloped by moisture. In the dark, Cui Yi commanded, “Open your mouth.”

Dazed, Pei Mingjiao opened her mouth, and a cold fragrance covered her face.

It was an exquisitely tender kiss.

Pei Mingjiao nearly drowned in the kiss, finding it so comfortable that she fell back into a deep sleep.

In the darkness, Cui Yi let out a soft, lingering sigh.

The next day.

A refreshed and energetic Pei Mingjiao woke up. With a mischievous grin, she hugged Cui Yi, who was at her dressing table. “Yi-niang, I dreamed last night that you secretly kissed me,” she said boastfully.

Cui Yi lowered her eyes. Her wife’s mischievous look reminded her of a little bear that had successfully stolen some honey. She amusedly pinched the other’s fair, tender cheek and admitted frankly, “It wasn’t a dream.”

Pei Mingjiao’s eyes widened in disbelief, her expression looking as if she had missed out on a billion-dollar fortune. “Ah! It’s all because I was too tired!”

After saying this, she looked at Cui Yi suggestively. Cui Yi simply smiled and didn’t take the bait.

Pei Mingjiao puffed out her cheeks and made a startling comment: “Yi-niang, next time don’t mind me. Who knows, I might even wake up halfway through.”

Cui Yi: “…”

Cui Yi firmly pushed away her wife, who was being “open-minded” in every sense of the word. “Go wash up first.”

Pei Mingjiao pinched Cui Yi’s reddened earlobe and ran off giggling.

After the two finished breakfast, Pei Mingjiao took Cui Yi to South Garden to watch a play.

South Garden was a private theater troupe kept by the Eldest Princess; ordinary people had no chance to visit. As the weather in Chang’an gradually warmed up, Cui Yi was now able to go out and enjoy herself without worry.

There was a young male actor (xiaosheng) in the garden. Upon seeing Pei Mingjiao, his eyes brightened remarkably, and his operatic singing was even better than usual. The play was also quite engaging—a story about a fairy descending to the mortal realm to meet her lover and enduring three lifetimes of trials before reaching a happy ending.

It could be described as a masterpiece of melodrama.

It had been a long time since Cui Yi had seen a plot that so thoroughly defied logic.

After watching, Pei Mingjiao felt she hadn’t had enough and started a discussion with Cui Yi. “It was so poignantly beautiful. No matter who he became, Wang Sheng would always firmly choose Fairy Liu.”

Cui Yi looked at the sincerely moved Pei Mingjiao. “…In the second lifetime, didn’t Wang Sheng fall in love with another girl?”

Pei Mingjiao said indignantly, “That was only because Wang Sheng mistook her for the wrong person!”

Cui Yi calmly took a sip of tea. “Mhm, Wang Sheng is truly the most devoted.”

Pei Mingjiao huffed. Since there was some time before the next show, she got up to go change her clothes.

The young actor, hearing that Pei Mingjiao had left her seat, used the excuse of going to the restroom to leave. The other actors who were changing didn’t suspect anything.

The actor’s timing was perfect; he happened to encounter Pei Mingjiao under the long eaves as she was walking back. He boldly approached her with a perfectly measured smile. “Greetings to the County Princess.”

Pei Mingjiao felt well-disposed toward his portrayal of Wang Sheng and praised him a few times in a good mood.

The smile on the actor’s face deepened, and he boldly offered himself as a bed-companion. “This lowly one has admired the County Princess for a long time. I do not seek to grow old together; I only beg for a bit of the County Princess’s pity.”

The attendants standing by Pei Mingjiao’s side looked at each other.

Pei Mingjiao frowned, looking down at the actor kneeling at her feet. “In light of the fact that your performance today was truly excellent, I will pretend I didn’t hear that.”

The actor’s body trembled. He looked up, meeting Pei Mingjiao’s exceptionally cold gaze, and finally lowered his head deeply, not daring to say another word.

After Pei Mingjiao returned, she acted as if nothing had happened, but Cui Yi still keenly sensed her subtle displeasure.

Cui Yi placed a peeled almond into her hand and coaxed her gently, “Why are you unhappy?”

There was nothing that couldn’t be said. After Pei Mingjiao explained briefly, she spat out, “Does he think I’m truly stupid? He didn’t even know how to hide his ambition.”

Cui Yi patted her hand. “Then he is even less worth getting angry over.”

Pei Mingjiao gave an “Mm.” After a moment, she spoke: “It’s better if such a foolish person doesn’t stay in South Garden.”