Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Stirring Up Trouble

Outside, the weather was beautiful and the sun was shining, but inside the tent, Lü Guiyan was a picture of gloom. She lay motionless on her couch, looking as if her soul had been hollowed out.

Money, money, my money… my jade bracelet, my jewelry…

She had been here for less than forty-eight hours and had already gambled away her entire net worth.

Gambling ruins lives! Lü Guiyan shed tears of deep regret, having entered a state of total social withdrawal.

Qiyun, quickly, comfort me.Nine out of ten gamblers lose; it’s not like you didn’t know. You should have stopped after a few rounds, but you insisted you could win it all back in one go.

That was the gambler’s fallacy: wanting to keep winning when ahead and wanting to break even when behind. Lü Guiyan buried herself under her quilt, consumed by self-reproach. She felt she had failed the original host of this body, who had worked so hard to save that money.

Yan Yan, I’ve been curious—why didn’t you ask for my help?Huh? What do you mean?I am your spirit guide. I can help you cheat.You… you have that skill?!Of course. Qiyun’s tone was brimming with pride.

Hearing this, Lü Guiyan’s heart shattered into a million pieces. She was ready to explode. If Qiyun were a physical being she could touch, Lü Guiyan was certain she would have dismantled the spirit into spare parts.

All her rage condensed into one sentence: GET OUT!

Don’t be sad. I have a piece of good news and a piece of bad news. Which do you want first?

At this moment, Lü Guiyan desperately needed good news to soothe her wounded soul.

The good news, obviously.My display shows that Wei Chengyan’s hatred toward you has decreased by 40%.

Lü Guiyan roared: [How is that good news?! What’s the bad news then?

If Wei Chengyan didn’t hate her, where would her motivation to “blacken” (turn villainous) come from? If she didn’t turn into a villain, how could Lü Guiyan become a wealthy woman in her next life?

The bad news is that she was so happy last night that she overslept today. She missed the scene where Mu Yan heroically saved Zou Sheng-sheng.

In the book, this plot point was supposed to be the first time Wei Chengyan formally encountered Zou Sheng-sheng—the true beginning of her descent into villainy. How could it have been skipped?

Qiyun quickly reminded her: Today is the last day of the spring outing. You’d better pull yourself together and go annoy Wei Chengyan. Otherwise, once you’re back at the manor, it won’t be easy to run into Zou Sheng-sheng again.

Right. She needed to stir up trouble, not lie here rotting.

Lü Guiyan immediately got up and did some basic tidying. Since Xiao Tan wasn’t there, she didn’t know how to style a complex bun. Plus, since she had lost all her jewelry, she just tied her hair up simply and headed out.

She rushed to Wei Chengyan’s tent. By this time, the plot had already progressed to Mu Yan rescuing Zou Sheng-sheng from a group of hooligans; the male lead was currently helping her apply medicine. If she dragged Wei Chengyan there now, they might catch the moment where Mu Yan accidentally holds Zou Sheng-sheng.

Thinking about how this scene would make Wei Chengyan vomit blood with rage, Lü Guiyan felt her spirits lift. Without waiting for an announcement, she flipped the tent flap and walked right in—just as Wei Chengyan had done to her the day before.

Wei Chengyan had just woken up and was at her mirror. To please the Marquis, she always wore male hairstyles and clothing; in the original story, she only returned to female dress after killing her father in despair. Seeing Lü Guiyan barge in panting, she was confused.

“Is something the matter?”

Lü Guiyan had jogged the whole way. Out of breath, she wheezed, “We… we should go to Yunhua Tower to look at the flowers together.”

After the events of the previous day, Wei Chengyan assumed Lü Guiyan was now on her side. Although she still disliked her, she needed to use Lü Guiyan to take down Lady Lan. She decided to give her a little “sweetness” so she would continue to do her bidding.

“Fine. I happened to want to take a walk anyway.”

Without another word, Lü Guiyan grabbed Wei Chengyan’s hand and pulled her outside, muttering, “We have to hurry, we have to hurry.”

“Why?”

To see the drama, obviously.

On the surface, Lü Guiyan said, “Today is the last day. I want to see more varieties of flowers. You know my status is low; I can’t go out every day like you can.”

The regret in her voice was genuine—thinking about being trapped in a mansion without a phone or computer was truly a depressing thought.

Wei Chengyan wasn’t used to being touched, especially by someone she disliked. She pulled her hand away with a look of disgust. “Look at you, acting like you’ve never seen the world. Remember, you represent the Marquis of Pingyang’s estate. Mind your image and don’t embarrass us.”

Lü Guiyan knew she was being looked down upon. She thought: Mind my image? Just wait, I’m going to make sure you can’t even force a smile.

With Qiyun’s guidance, Lü Guiyan led the disgruntled Wei Chengyan to the secret meeting spot of Mu Yan and Zou Sheng-sheng. It was by the river near Yunhua Tower—a place with no flowers, only greenery, so very few people visited.

The sun was bright, and birds were singing. Lü Guiyan strolled along leisurely, but Wei Chengyan behind her was losing patience.

“Why are we here? Weren’t we going to look at flowers?”

Lü Guiyan smiled sweetly and turned around. “It’s quiet here. The other places are too crowded, and you’re so worried about me embarrassing the manor.”

“Then stroll as you like. I’m leaving.” Wei Chengyan had no interest in a place with nothing to look at; she remembered she still needed to find Mu Yan.

Since they were almost there, Lü Guiyan wasn’t about to let her go. She immediately hugged Wei Chengyan’s arm and started acting cute. “Oh, don’t be so cold! Just think of it as accompanying your future comrade-in-arms.”

“Does that mean you’ve agreed to help me deal with your cousin?”

Lü Guiyan didn’t answer but pulled her forward. After about a dozen steps, the voices of Mu Yan and Zou Sheng-sheng reached their ears.

“Thank you, Master Mu, for the rescue, and for such expensive ointment.”

“No thanks are necessary. Those people behave lawlessly in the capital; I simply couldn’t stand their behavior.”

Upon hearing Mu Yan’s voice, Wei Chengyan’s expression sharpened instantly. she moved behind a pine tree to watch the scene. There was the “refined as jade” Mu Yan, carefully applying medicine to a low-born girl.

“Damn it!” Wei Chengyan hissed in rage.

Lü Guiyan, ever the instigator, leaned in with fake curiosity. “I recognize that girl! She’s the one who was delivering flowers yesterday. She’s quite pretty, isn’t she?”

“Pretty? Her looks are bland and boring, like everyone owes her money. She hasn’t even half the beauty of your… cousin.” Wei Chengyan was so angry she was becoming incoherent.

“It seems your taste is just like your father’s; you like the bright, aggressive type of beauty.”

“Shut up!” Wei Chengyan raised her voice intentionally, startling the pair by the river.

Lü Guiyan, having been yelled at, put on a look of wronged innocence, but she was cheering inside. By the river, Zou Sheng-sheng immediately yanked her hand away from Mu Yan’s. To Wei Chengyan, this looked like a deliberate attempt to act coy and seduce him.

Infuriating!

Lü Guiyan waved cheerfully at Zou Sheng-sheng. “Good morning, Miss Zou! What are you doing here?”

“I… I tripped and scraped my hand,” she said, showing the injury.

Wei Chengyan glared at her coldly, mocking, “It’s just a scrape. You’re not some delicate noble lady; what do you need medicine for?”

Zou Sheng-sheng knew that the people here were all powerful officials and nobles. She couldn’t afford to offend them. With a look of respect and a timid voice, she replied, “The lady is right.”