Reborn As The Wicked Little Sister-in-Law - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Woken by Wei Chengyan in the Dead of Night

The silver moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool light upon the kapok blossoms. The interplay of red and white was strikingly beautiful.

Lyu Guiyan, dressed in a pale madder-colored nightgown, leaned her small head against a lacquered red pillar in the corridor, her gaze fixed on the towering, straight kapok tree.

Xiaotan arrived with the medicine box. Seeing the sorrow in Lyu Guiyan’s eyes, she asked, “Ninth Concubine, do you still like the kapok flowers?”

The voice brought Lyu Guiyan back to reality. She smiled and replied, “Aside from using them to make soup, these flowers don’t have much use.”

“What? They can be used for that?” Xiaotan had never heard of such a thing.

Lyu Guiyan shrugged helplessly. “Yes, that’s about all they’re good for.”

Xiaotan took out the golden sore ointment and removed the white bandage from Lyu Guiyan’s forehead. “Alright then, I’ll take some to the kitchen tomorrow and have them make it for you.”

“No need. Throw all those flowers away tomorrow. Don’t let them stay in front of me as an eyesore.”

Lyu Guiyan sat obediently while Xiaotan changed her dressing. Xiaotan couldn’t understand her behavior—why would someone who once loved kapok flowers so much now want to chop down the tree? She wanted to know the reason, but she knew that knowing too much in this manor was rarely a good thing.

“Don’t worry, I’ll clear the fallen flowers tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Xiaotan looked at her in disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “Did you… actually just say thank you to me?”

“I did.”

Lyu Guiyan thought Xiaotan was acting a bit strange today. Since returning this afternoon, the maid had been dazed, clearly having something on her mind. “Xiaotan, do you have something bothering you?”

After a moment of hesitation, Xiaotan denied it. “No. You should rest early.”

Since she didn’t want to talk, Lyu Guiyan didn’t press further. She thought to herself: Anyway, Xiaotan isn’t a key character in my main quest line; I won’t waste energy guessing.

That night, Lyu Guiyan finally had a good sleep—no nightmares, and no midnight disturbances. Since she was scheduled to meet Jing Hongyi at Cuiyun Restaurant in two days, she decided to spend this time cultivating her mind: staying in her courtyard, not causing trouble, just eating, sleeping, and playing.

During dinner, Xiaotan finally reached her breaking point. She complained, “Ninth Concubine, surely you can see that something is wrong with me.”

Lyu Guiyan picked up a piece of fish. “I can see that.”

“Then why didn’t you ask me?”

Lyu Guiyan: “…”

She was momentarily speechless. Lyu Guiyan wasn’t a naturally nosy person; she believed people needed space, even between husbands and wives. Prying only led to irritation. Moreover, they weren’t even officially master and servant. If she annoyed Xiaotan and the girl quit, what would she do? Xiaotan was from the Lanxin Courtyard; Lyu had no real authority over her.

But since Xiaotan was practically demanding to be asked, Lyu Guiyan felt a bit put on the spot. “So… what exactly is making you so miserable?”

Xiaotan opened her mouth, but then seemed to think better of it. She hesitated before blurting out, “I just felt a bit dizzy. I’m fine now.”

Lyu Guiyan stuffed the fish into her mouth with a blank expression. “Xiaotan, how old are you?”

“Seventeen. A year and a half older than you.”

“Oh~” I see. Xiaotan was at that adolescent age; it was perfectly normal to have “secret worries”—she just didn’t know which man it was about.

After the meal, during the dressing change, Lyu Guiyan noticed the scabs had already fallen off. “Alright, no more medicine. I’m not some delicate young lady; I don’t need this much pampering.”

Xiaotan disagreed. “We must continue, or it will scar. You aren’t exactly a great beauty to begin with; you mostly rely on being charming and cute. A scar would ruin your spirit.”

This remark felt like a knife to the heart. Lyu Guiyan nearly coughed up blood. Xiaotan was sometimes excessively honest. Lyu Guiyan promptly shut the door to the main room, sending Xiaotan to sleep in the side room.

In the middle of the night, while Lyu Guiyan was sleeping soundly, she was shaken awake. Her eyes were blurry and her mind was in a fog. She rubbed her eyes and saw a shadow swaying in front of her. Reaching out a fair hand, she pressed down on the shadow’s head.

“Stop moving. You’re making me dizzy.”

Once the figure stabilized, Lyu Guiyan’s vision cleared. It was Wei Chengyan.

The Heir’s face was slightly flushed, and her expression was awkward. Lyu Guiyan looked toward the window; it was pitch black outside. Dawn was still far off.

Her mood plummeted. She collapsed back onto the couch, pulling the covers over her head. “Why are you here in the middle of the night? You ruined my dream.”

Wei Chengyan yanked the covers away and pulled Lyu Guiyan up, forcing her to make eye contact. “You lied to me.”

Lyu Guiyan yawned widely. “About which thing?”

Wei Chengyan was already in a foul mood; Lyu Guiyan’s indifferent attitude was like pouring oil on a fire. But seeing how “honest” Lyu Guiyan was being, she suppressed her rage.

She let go and said each word deliberately: “You said you would help me get the management rights of the household. But you spent the whole day playing. You haven’t taken any action.”

“I spent the day—” Wait. She hadn’t even left the courtyard today. “You’re spying on me?”

Wei Chengyan turned her back, her expression hidden. “That’s not the point. You said you’d help; why is there no plan?”

Lyu Guiyan flopped back into the soft bedding. “I have a plan, don’t worry. It’s only been one day—why are you rushing me? I’ll give you the results, isn’t that enough? And you’re spying on me? I’m very unhappy about this.”

“Whether you’re happy or not is irrelevant to me. I haven’t seen any action or attitude from you. Why should I trust you?”

Lyu Guiyan’s sleepiness had vanished entirely. “Don’t be so anxious. Good results take time. I’ve been busy lately; I need a breather. Rest assured, I support you 100% on the management rights issue.”

Lyu Guiyan changed her strategy, using a gentle, persuasive tone. It worked; Wei Chengyan’s anger gradually subsided, though her words remained sharp: “I hope you’re a woman of your word.”

“I am, I am. Truly.” Lyu Guiyan flashed a bright smile.

Finding no further reason to pick a fight, Wei Chengyan left sullenly.

The moment she was gone, Lyu Guiyan’s face dropped. This reminded her of being called by her boss in the middle of the night back in the modern world. Hateful capitalists. A worker gives you their labor, not their life.

Her sleep quality was already poor; now she was wide awake. There was still an hour and a half until dawn. She would have to stare at the ceiling until sunrise.

Qiyun, do you think Wei Chengyan has a screw loose?

She’s the second female lead and the villain; her brain is bound to function differently from the main characters.

Lyu Guiyan really wanted to crack open Wei Chengyan’s head just to see what kind of gears were turning inside.