[Quick Transmigration] I Cried After Scumming the Little Puppy - Chapter 19

Before stepping into the front gallery of the main courtyard, Ren Xingxian’s expression was dark. However, the moment she reached the gate, a bright smile appeared on her face. She adjusted her attire, and as she pushed the door open, Fang Yu took the opportunity to grab her hand.

Ren Xingxian hesitated for a heartbeat, but she did not pull away.

Inside the main hall, the masters and maids alike stared with jaws agape. They remained in a daze for quite some time, utterly bewildered by the sight of the two leaning so intimately against one another.

Enduring the weight of their collective scrutiny, Ren Xingxian acted as if nothing were amiss. She paid her respects to those seated in the high chairs one by one. “Greetings to Mother, Aunt, and Sister Han.”

The elegant and opulent Madam Song watched her approach. Setting down her teacup, she spoke with a face full of doting affection. “Xian, dear! Come quickly to your Aunt!”

Ren Xingxian nodded in agreement. Fang Yu, still clutching her hand, refused to let go and followed right along, using Ren Xingxian’s momentum to keep pace.

The three women seated above watched this scene with a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts.

Madam Song started off composed, but as she reached out to stroke Ren Xingxian’s face, she suddenly burst into tears. “My poor Xian, you’ve thinned so much! Seeing you like this, my heart aches as if pierced by a blade.”

Her performance was dramatic and thorough; in an instant, Madam Song had soaked through a silk handkerchief with her tears.

Ren Xingxian’s eyes held a hidden sneer, and her lips curved with a trace of coldness, yet her voice remained filled with frantic concern. “Aunt, please do not say such things. It was Xian’er’s fault for causing you worry.”

Since she wants to play a part, I’ll perform right along with her.

Madam Song felt satisfied, taking the “exit” Ren Xingxian provided. “A while ago, your Sister Han’s husband concluded several business deals in Fuzhou and made a tidy profit. He invited us to the Fuzhou Gardens to admire the rare sights. We never received word of your illness. Your Aunt has come so late to see you; surely you won’t blame me, dear?”

“I have heard that Fuzhou is famous for its jagged peaks and beautiful scenery. It would be a pity not to visit. Xian’er has truly troubled Aunt’s thoughts.”

Madam Song continued to observe her secretly. She had heard that Ren Xingxian’s illness was severe enough to keep her bedridden for half a month, but she didn’t know the cause. Beyond her worry, she wanted to confirm the state of the relationship between Ren Xingxian and Fang Yu.

“Aunt can see that the bond between Xian and her husband has warmed significantly; the two of you are inseparable wherever you go.” There was a hint of probing in Madam Song’s tone. She remembered that in the past, whenever Fang Yu and Ren Xingxian appeared together in public, the distance between them was wide enough for a person to walk through unhindered. Privately, they must have been even more estranged.

Madam Song and the Ren Matriarch were half-sisters, and they had never gotten along since childhood, competing over everything. This rivalry had persisted until they both gave birth to daughters. By chance, both children were born in the same year—one at the beginning and one at the end.

As the younger generation grew up together, they naturally inherited their mothers’ competitive spirits.

Madam Song’s daughter, Mo Han, was neither as beautiful as Ren Xingxian nor as talented academically. Furthermore, she had married a mere merchant. In the social hierarchy of Scholar, Farmer, Artisan, and Merchant, a merchant held the lowest rank. Mo Han was overshadowed by Ren Xingxian in every aspect.

However, that merchant husband treated Mo Han exceptionally well, cherishing her deeply. Within a year of marriage, she had given birth to twins.

To Madam Song’s surprise, the ever-capable Ren Xingxian had shown poor judgment in picking a spouse. Although Fang Yu was a scholar, her cold indifference was sharper than a bandit’s blade. Every time Madam Song sent gifts to the Vice-Magistrate’s manor, the small talk afterward allowed her to hold her head high in front of the Ren family.

“Aunt is joking,” Fang Yu cut in. “Xian’er and I have always been of one heart.”

As Madam Song prepared to respond, Fang Yu added another blow: “Aunt has seen her and touched her; surely it is time to return Xian’er to her rightful owner?”

The Ren Matriarch, seated at the head, let out a low chuckle. “Sister, you should just let the two of them sit together.”

For the next hour, Mo Han and Madam Song sat in a daze. They bore witness to Fang Yu blowing on Ren Xingxian’s tea to cool it, peeling her grapes, and maintaining a smile that never left her face.

By the time lunch was served, the guests had lost their appetite and promptly took their leave.

“Fresh cakes! Hot cakes, fresh from the oven!”

The cries of street vendors filled the air. Fang Yu lifted the carriage curtain, looking out at the city streets with great interest. Ren Xingxian sat inside the carriage in silence, wondering exactly how she had been talked into going out to buy clothes.

Perhaps I was just lightheaded from seeing Aunt and Sister Han’s frustrated faces, she thought.

The driver brought the carriage to a sudden halt. “Miss, the garment shop is just ahead, but the crowd is too thick to drive through. What are your orders?”

“No matter, we’ll walk the rest of the way,” Fang Yu answered briskly. She found a veil in the carriage and put it on Ren Xingxian. She tried to help her down, but Ren Xingxian gave a light, graceful leap and landed steadily on her own.

Fang Yu’s hands felt empty, and she felt a bit of melancholy. She realized she preferred the “soft and weak” version of Ren Xingxian from before her martial strength began to return.

Inside the carriage, the noise had been a dull roar; standing on the street, it was a true torrent of people.

“Catch me if you can!”

“Hahaha, don’t run!”

A group of children with small braids chased each other. The leader held a rattle drum, swinging it with a loud thump-thump. It seemed they were taking turns, but he was cheating, prompting a chase.

As they watched the play, the child suddenly veered toward them. Reacting on instinct, Fang Yu grabbed Ren Xingxian by the waist and pulled her aside. “Careful!”

Then, using the excuse of “not getting separated,” she kept her arm around her waist and refused to let go.

Bi He followed behind, her eyes glued to the hand on her mistress’s waist. She found it an absolute eyesore; with every glance, she wanted to reach out and pry that hand off.

“This place will do.” Ren Xingxian stepped over the threshold. Fang Yu looked up at the sign: Zhu’s Ready-to-Wear Shop.

Quite a grounded name, she thought.

The interior was a world of its own, elegantly decorated and bustling with customers, from commoners to noble young ladies. The shop assistants were polite but firm, treating every customer with equal respect. Fang Yu liked the atmosphere immediately.

She pulled Ren Xingxian toward a display, holding up garments to measure them—her natural shopping instincts from her original world coming to life.

“Xian’er, which style do you think looks better on me?”

Before Ren Xingxian could even finish looking, Fang Yu’s eyes lit up as she grabbed another. “This color is fantastic!”

Ren Xingxian decided to stop commenting altogether.

Bi He, still young and having held her tongue for the whole journey, finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Miss Fang, we are already inside the shop. There is truly no need to keep clutching the Miss.”

Fang Yu’s temper flared at this. Not only did she refuse to let go, but she leaned in and kissed Ren Xingxian on the cheek.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be more intimate; it was because Ren Xingxian’s knee was currently pressed firmly against the back of her leg—a clear warning.

“You, you’re too much!” Bi He’s face turned beet red with anger, but she couldn’t find a more aggressive word. She stomped her foot and stood in front of Ren Xingxian, terrified of what Fang Yu might do next.

A shop assistant finished with another customer and approached them with a bow. His eyes respectfully scanned the two of them. “May I ask which lady is looking to purchase new attire?”

“Oh, it’s me,” Fang Yu said.

The assistant began his practiced introduction.