The Scandalous Actress Needs to Strive GL - Chapter 35

September, the Prime Minister’s Residence in the capital.

Early autumn, the sky was bright and the air clear, suitable for an outing.

“Miss, wake up quickly, Miss…”

A chorus of calls came from her ears. Qiu Wan slowly opened her eyes. Where was this? Huh? It was her own room. Had she returned from the modern world?

In front of her was the head maid who waited on her. She pinched the bridge of her nose, then was startled this action was so familiar.

“Qing Chen…” Qing Chen always did this when she was thinking.

“Miss, what did you say? Do you feel heavy? Should I call a doctor?” the head maid asked solicitously. Miss had slept so soundly today. Usually, she would have been up and dressed by this time.

Qiu Wan was stunned for a moment, then looked around the furnishings of the room, frowned, and asked, “What year and month is it today?”

“The Qing calendar year, the tenth day of the ninth month. Miss, were you too tired from climbing the mountain outside the city yesterday? Is anything wrong? Perhaps we should call a doctor to check?”

The head maid was puzzled. How could Miss be so muddled after sleeping? It must be that she was too tired from the Double Ninth Festival climb outside the city yesterday.

Qiu Wan was taken aback again. The tenth day of the ninth month. She had fallen asleep on the night of the ninth and woke up in the modern world. Had she returned now?

It had only been one night. Was it merely a long dream?

But that dream was too real, and there was the person who had promised a lifetime together…

“Miss?”

“It’s nothing. Get me ready,” Qiu Wan recovered her senses, a hollow feeling in her heart. If it was truly just a dream, why let her wake up? If it was not a dream, separated by hundreds of years, would there be a day of reunion?

“Miss, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” The head maid spoke anxiously. How could Miss start shedding tears while she was combing her hair?

She had practically watched Miss grow up and had never seen her look so fragile.

Qiu Wan looked at herself in the bronze mirror, tears visibly streaming down her face. Was she crying?

She hadn’t even sorted out if it was a dream or an illusion, so why was she crying?

The head maid carefully wiped her face, distressed. “Is Miss worried about the embroidered ball marriage proposal? No one can say for sure about this matter. In my opinion, tomorrow is a good day, and the future son-in-law is certainly a match made in heaven.”

Qiu Wan’s breathing hitched, and her memories gradually sharpened. Her face couldn’t help but turn pale.

Not long ago, several princes had expressed interest in proposing marriage, but her father had refused all of them to prevent the Emperor from suspecting the Qiu family of forming factions for selfish gain. He said he would arrange an embroidered ball marriage proposal.

“The day to toss the embroidered ball is tomorrow?”

The head maid was somewhat concerned. How could Miss forget such an important matter?

“Yes, it is tomorrow.”

Qiu Wan raised her hand to rub her brow, then froze again. When had she picked up that person’s small habit?

Was it really just a dream?

No, that was definitely not a dream.

She looked up and asked casually, “Have you heard of any family in the capital surnamed Mu ($text{木}$)?”

Her surname was Qiu and her given name was Wan. She hadn’t changed her name or surname in the modern world. If Qing Chen was here, would she also be the same as in the modern world?

The head maid frowned and thought for a moment, then quickly replied, “The surname Mu is quite rare. Among the court officials, I only seem to have heard of the Minister of Revenue, Lord Mu, who is surnamed Mu. There is also the owner of the largest rouge shop in the capital, whose owner also seems to be surnamed Mu. As for others… I don’t know.”

Qiu Wan pondered for a while, then stood up and said, “Let’s go. To the rouge shop, the biggest one in the capital.”

The Prime Minister’s carriage stopped outside the rouge shop.

Qiu Wan did not linger downstairs but went straight up to find the manager to ask her questions.

Since the Prime Minister’s daughter had questions, the manager naturally dared not speak nonsense. As long as the questions were not sensitive, she would answer everything she knew.

“Our owner is indeed surnamed Mu, but the owner’s residence only has two young masters and no young ladies.”

Qiu Wan was silent for a moment. After thanking her, she rerouted to the Minister of Revenue’s residence.

Lord Mu had gone to court, but his wife and several daughters were at home.

Qiu Wan usually had no interaction with them. To find that person, she could only feign enthusiasm and invite the young ladies and young masters of the Mu Minister’s residence to come and watch the embroidered ball toss tomorrow.

Madam Mu was the main wife and had given birth to one son and one daughter. Besides these two children from the main line, there was also a concubine’s son and two concubine’s daughters.

Qiu Wan looked at the three young ladies of the Mu residence; none of them were the person she held in her heart. As for the young masters of the Mu family…

Suddenly, she considered another possibility: What if Qing Chen was a man in this time period?

Qiu Wan curved her lips, her eyes gentle. As long as it was Qing Chen, as long as it was that person, gender did not matter.

However, at present, it was inappropriate for her to meet with men privately, so she could only meet these young ladies.

Qiu Wan left with a sense of disappointment. Qing Chen and she were both women. Since these Mu family young ladies were not her, the young masters were probably even less likely.

“Go and find out if there is anyone in the capital surnamed Mu who is named Qing Chen.” She took out the silver she had saved over the years and handed it all to the head maid.

The embroidered ball toss was tomorrow. If she didn’t find her soon, it would be too late.

She already had someone in her heart, so how could she promise herself to another? She could only try her best to search and find her on this day…

The head maid didn’t know why her Miss was doing this. She could only follow the order, hiring more people to inquire. She also wondered why Miss was looking for someone named Mu Qing Chen.

Qiu Wan waited for a long time until the sun began to set, but she still didn’t hear the news she longed for.

The head maid handed over the remaining silver. “Miss, there are a total of seven families surnamed Mu in the capital, including the two we visited during the day. None of their residences have someone named Mu Qing Chen.”

Qiu Wan pinched the bridge of her nose and waved for the head maid to withdraw. She needed to be alone. What should she do if she couldn’t find her?

It seemed there was only one last path left, which was to properly negotiate with the person who caught the embroidered ball tomorrow, allowing him to take as many concubines as he wished.

As for her, she could only provide him with the title of the Prime Minister’s son-in-law. He should not expect anything else, or else she would cut her hair and become a nun. In this lifetime, she only wanted Qing Chen and would only give herself to Qing Chen. This was the promise they had made.

And she would keep the promise until death.

The next day, Qiu Wan held the embroidered ball and was supported by the head maid as she stepped out of her room.

Prime Minister Qiu nodded with satisfaction. “Go. Bring a live-in son-in-law back.”

Their Qiu family did not need to depend on others, so they should find an ordinary person. Since he was ordinary, he should be a live-in son-in-law. It would be reassuring to have him nearby, ensuring his daughter would not be wronged.

Qiu Wan hesitated for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Father, can women also catch the embroidered ball?”

“Nonsense! What if a woman actually catches the embroidered ball? Quickly put away your impractical ideas and honestly toss the embroidered ball down. Your father will be watching. If the person is not of good character, I will naturally send them away. Just go and toss it without worry.”

Qiu Wan pursed her lips and suggested, “Then, can I not wear a veil?” What if Qing Chen was down there? If she could see, she could aim better, avoiding a miss.

“Absolutely not. Once the embroidered ball is tossed, there will be the wedding ceremony. How can it be proper not to wear a veil? Hurry and help her to the embroidery building.”

Good night.