Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Has Her IQ Hit the Floor

The screams of the female family members caught Wei Chengyan’s attention. Turning back, she couldn’t help but find it amusing to see several concubines tumbled together like a human pyramid.

However, seeing Lü Guiyan looking the most pathetic, Wei Chengyan’s expression turned solemn. She barked at the dazed maids standing by, “What are you staring at? Help them up!”

Each maid hurried to assist their respective mistress. Lü Guiyan, who had been at the bottom of the pile, was the most seriously injured.

“Who was walking without eyes?!” the Sixth Concubine’s shrill voice rang out.

By now, Lü Guiyan’s leg injury had worsened, her waist was bruised from the weight, and her forehead was bleeding.

Xiaotan helped Lü Guiyan up. Seeing the blood on her forehead, she cried out, “Oh no, your forehead is bleeding!”

Just as she spoke, Auntie Lan appeared at the front, supporting the Marquis. Seeing the blood on Lü Guiyan’s face, Auntie Lan paled in shock and asked urgently, “Who did this?”

The Third Concubine chimed in, “I saw Heyu stick her leg out to trip Sister Nine.”

“You brat! Look at what you’ve done!” The Marquis’s reprimand followed immediately after the Third Concubine finished speaking.

Wei Chengyan looked innocent and explained, “Father, it wasn’t me. I didn’t do it.”

“Still making excuses!” He raised his hand, preparing to strike Wei Chengyan.

Perhaps Lü Guiyan’s brain was foggy from the fall, but she blurted out, “Marquis, this has nothing to do with the Heir.”

Everyone was stunned. No one expected Lü Guiyan, who was usually at odds with the Heir, to plead for her. Auntie Lan shot Lü Guiyan a confused and questioning look from the side.

Lü Guiyan clutched her forehead, her head spinning, and she was already regretting it in her heart.

My brain must be broken. Why didn’t I just watch the show? Why did I have to open my mouth?

But since the words were out, she had to grit her teeth and continue. “Heyu didn’t see me, and I wasn’t paying attention myself.”

The Marquis lowered his hand but glared fiercely at Wei Chengyan a few more times before flicking his sleeves and storming off. Auntie Lan followed him.

The Third Concubine asked concernedly, “Sister Nine, hurry back and bandage that wound. It would be a shame if it left a scar on your face.”

“Thank you.”

Xiaotan supported Lü Guiyan back to the Muhe Courtyard. The courtyard was desolate; usually, aside from a few old nannies who came to clean, there were no other servants. Lü Guiyan wasn’t used to being served, so the maid for the spring outing had been borrowed from Auntie Lan’s side.

The courtyard was silent. Xiaotan rummaged through boxes and cabinets for a long time but couldn’t find a medicine kit. She told Lü Guiyan to endure it for a bit while she ran back to Auntie Lan’s Lanxin Courtyard to fetch one.

Lü Guiyan waved her off, telling her to go quickly. Once Xiaotan was gone, Lü Guiyan let out a long sigh.

“Sigh… Talk about a ‘bloody’ good start to the day.”

Hearing this, Qi Yun said sympathetically: You sure are optimistic. Heyu clearly did that on purpose; why did you help Wei Chengyan?

Lü Guiyan limped to the dressing table, found a white handkerchief, folded it, and pressed it against her forehead to stop the bleeding. She didn’t know how to answer Qi Yun’s question. I hit my head; my IQ must have fallen out.

After pondering for a long while, she came up with a clumsy excuse.

To earn her trust. Being hurt by someone you trust makes the ‘blackening’ rage skyrocket later.

Are you sure about that?

Of course!

Lü Guiyan sat on a wooden stool. Through a gap in the window, she saw a kapok tree in the courtyard. The bright red flowers danced in the wind, drifting onto the windowsill.

“I haven’t seen kapok flowers in a long time.” Her pale, slender fingers picked up a flower from the sill, and she fell into deep thought.

Xiaotan rushed back into the Muhe Courtyard with the medicine kit, only to see Lü Guiyan in a daze. Gazing up at the kapok tree, Lü Guiyan’s eyes shimmered, and the corners of her eyes were slightly red.

“Ninth Mistress?” Xiaotan called softly at first. When Lü Guiyan didn’t seem to hear, she raised her voice, “Ninth Mistress! Ninth Mistress!”

The sharp voice rang in her ear like thunder. Lü Guiyan’s hand jerked, the kapok flower fell, and a flash of loss appeared in her eyes.

“I brought the medicine kit. Auntie Lan said to give you a simple dressing first; a doctor will come to the manor shortly.” Xiaotan babbled as she opened the kit, completely failing to notice Lü Guiyan’s melancholy.

Lü Guiyan turned away to hide her emotions, then teased with a smile, “I just looked in the mirror. The wound isn’t big. No need for a doctor; just wrap it up and it’ll scab over in a few days.”

“No, it’ll leave a scar, and scars are ugly. You weren’t that pretty to begin with; a scar will just make you uglier.”

Lü Guiyan was happy with the first two sentences, thinking Xiaotan cared about her. The last two sentences made her wish she was deaf.

“Uh… thank you for that.”

Xiaotan dampened a cloth with water, wrung it out, and carefully wiped the blood from Lü Guiyan’s forehead.

“Hiss—ow, ow, ow!”

Xiaotan pulled a long face. “Now you know it hurts. You shouldn’t have stopped the Marquis earlier; you should have let him hit her.”

“Oh, you’re so silly. I told you, I’m going in as an undercover agent. I have to show them some goodwill first.”

Xiaotan replied, “Fine. I’ll tell Auntie Lan that was your reason.”

After the simple bandaging was done, Xiaotan had to return the medicine kit. She took a few steps out but then circled back. “Can you manage on your own?” Xiaotan belonged to the Lanxin Courtyard and had chores to do there.

“I’ll be fine.”

Having food delivered three times a day, not having to clean or do laundry, and having no one spying on her—this was Lü Guiyan’s dream life as a shut-in. However, having been dead for so long, she had forgotten a very cowardly weakness of hers: she was afraid of the dark! This was a flaw she had never overcome since childhood.

The Muhe Courtyard wasn’t very large, consisting of one master bedroom, a hall, and four small rooms. Lü Guiyan took a turn around the yard. It had pavilions, flowers, trees—everything one could want. There was a small pond on the left and a swing nearby. Overall, she was very satisfied with it.

There was still an hour until dinner. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the courtyard, making it look like a beautiful oil painting. Lü Guiyan leaned leisurely on the swing, closing her eyes to feel the warmth. She muttered, “Been dead too long; it’s been a while since I felt the sunlight.”

Knock, knock, knock…

A sharp knocking sounded. Since her leg wasn’t fully functional, Lü Guiyan stumbled over to open the door.

Creak— A strange woman stood there. “And you are?”

“I am the doctor. I came to see the Ninth…” Seeing the wound on Lü Guiyan’s forehead, she corrected herself, “…to see your injury.”

Lü Guiyan smiled brightly. “It should be fine.” I have no money; better not get treated. Doctors are expensive.

“We won’t know until I’ve looked at it,” a familiar voice rang out. Lü Guiyan frowned and looked toward the source. Wei Chengyan stood there with an impatient expression, looking as if she had a knife to her throat.

“What are you doing here?”

“Taking a walk.”

Lü Guiyan couldn’t figure out what Wei Chengyan was thinking. But if Wei Chengyan was here, the doctor shouldn’t be asking her for money. Free medical care? Might as well use it.

“Please, come in.”

Wei Chengyan didn’t enter the courtyard. Instead, she turned to head back to her own quarters. Seeing the “payer” about to run off, Lü Guiyan immediately called out, her voice sweet and gentle, “Heir, why don’t you come in and sit for a while~?”

Wei Chengyan loathed Lü Guiyan’s fawning face the most. Every time she saw this expression used to tattle to her father, she felt like vomiting.

“Can you be normal for once?” she snapped, her voice sharp and not at all gentle.

Lü Guiyan pouted and cursed inwardly: Fine, you’re definitely paying for this today.