There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Fallen Republican Era Young Lady X The Overseas-Educated Paternal Aunt

What Jiang Peifeng hadn’t expected was that the “fox-like female director” truly captivated the little white flower.

“Peifeng, did you know? Sister Meng studied in Hollywood! That’s incredible…”

“Sister Meng plans to return to Shanghai to film a women’s movie, and the entire production team will be female employees…”

“She even has a scholarship fund partnered with a charity girls’ school. I told her about our clan school, and she gave so many suggestions…”

Watching the little white flower’s face fill with adoration, and the frequency with which she mentioned “Sister Meng” increasing daily, Jiang Peifeng finally realized that she might have genuinely miscalculated this time.

“She’s a big director, so she must be very busy,” she lectured her little white flower. “Since she’s so amazing, Sister Ruan, you should focus on making her a beautiful dress.”

Ruan Jiyun nodded in agreement: “You’re right, but I haven’t decided on the fabric yet. Sister Meng is so thoughtful; she said she’d accompany me to the workshop near the Champs-Élysées this afternoon…”

Jiang Peifeng’s internal alarm bells went off. She asked: “Didn’t she say she can’t speak French? Yet she’s made plenty of French friends.”

“Yes, isn’t Sister Meng amazing?”

Before Jiang Peifeng could say anything more, a car horn sounded outside the door. Ruan Jiyun drank the last sip of coffee and clasped her hands together, pleading sweetly: “I’ll only be out for an hour. I’ll come back this afternoon for dinner, okay?”

Jiang Peifeng couldn’t refuse that eager, puppy-like look. She waved her out the door but remained uneasy. Hesitantly, she moved to the window and saw Meng Fanshi getting out of the car.

Even Jiang Peifeng, who was accustomed to powerful female protagonists, had to concede that “Meng the Fox” was stunning. In September Paris, the autumn wind was already chilling, yet Meng Fanshi wore a light, thin black gauze dress. Her snow-white skin contrasted with the crimson on her lips. Perhaps sensing Jiang Peifeng’s gaze, she looked up and waved.

Jiang Peifeng nodded coolly in response, then watched her little white flower fly out like a swallow, happily slipping into the car.

She hadn’t even remembered to glance back at her.

A feeling of “a grown-up daughter not heeding her mother” welled up.

And that wasn’t the end of it. Jiang Peifeng waited in the apartment for three full hours that afternoon. It wasn’t until the agreed-upon dinner time with Jiang Zhiyu was near that she heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

Ruan Jiyun had likely run all the way up. Her face was slightly flushed. She carried a huge bag in her hand and rushed to apologize before even setting it down.

“I forgot the time at the workshop… Peifeng, please don’t be angry, okay?” She carefully observed Jiang Peifeng’s expression.

What could Jiang Peifeng possibly say? She sighed inwardly, but first took the bag from Ruan Jiyun.

“It’s just dinner with Big Brother; a little late is fine…” She placed the bag on the table. “Catch your breath first.”

After saying this, she noticed the bag in her hand looked familiar. Looking closely, she saw a famous brand’s logo embroidered on it. It looked like a piece of clothing.

Ruan Jiyun took a sip of water and said: “There’s a cocktail party at the consulate this Saturday… Sister Meng insisted on having me as her dance partner, saying she’d introduce me to a few designer friends. Of course, if you don’t agree, I’ll turn her down!”

If she was going to refuse, why did she bring the dress for the party back with her? Jiang Peifeng didn’t bother to expose her, again admiring Meng Fanshi’s tactics. It had taken her a great deal of effort to get Ruan Jiyun to slowly engage with the outside world. Yet, Ruan Jiyun agreed without hesitation to this kind of social dance?

“Is there someone you particularly want to meet at the cocktail party?” she asked after a moment of thought.

Ruan Jiyun lowered her eyes shyly: “…Not exactly. It’s just that Sister Meng happens to know Master Francis. I know I’m not qualified to speak to the Master, but Sister Meng said that getting advice from him would be good for me.”

Jiang Peifeng felt a twinge of jealousy over “Sister Meng’s” thoughtfulness but maintained a facade of casualness: “Since she’s vouching for you and the opportunity is so rare, you should cherish it.”

As she spoke, her peripheral vision caught Ruan Jiyun pulling out the gown, and her expression immediately darkened.

The dress was undoubtedly in line with Meng the Fox’s taste: an enticing, fiery red, with a section scooped out in the back, connected by thin chains of crystal beads. Jiang Peifeng gritted her teeth and asked: “Did your Sister Meng choose this too?”

Ruan Jiyun was also a bit embarrassed: “I actually feel it’s not very suitable for me… but I couldn’t say no to her. Maybe I should just wear my own clothes this weekend…”

As she spoke, she held the dress up against herself. She looked up at Jiang Peifeng: “Sister Meng has a better figure. She’d look beautiful in a dress like this.”

Jiang Peifeng snorted: “What’s so beautiful about her? She’s so plump and still wears tight dresses. You have fairer skin, and I think you look much better than she does.”

As she spoke, she secretly glanced at the dress again: “It’s getting late. Let’s go out and find Big Brother.”

Ruan Jiyun followed her suggestion, hanging the dress in the closet with a slight curl of her lips: “Okay.”

In the end, Jiang Peifeng didn’t actually stop Ruan Jiyun from wearing the dress to the party. She just wrapped her little white flower’s shoulders tightly in a shawl before handing her over to Meng Fanshi.

“I’m going to visit an old acquaintance with Big Brother today, so I can’t go with you,” she said, looking at Meng Fanshi. “I will come to the consulate to pick her up tonight. I’ll leave our Yunniang in your capable hands, Miss Meng.”

Meng Fanshi was also elaborately dressed that day. Standing next to Ruan Jiyun, they each possessed their own distinct charm. She smoothed her long hair back and laughed freely: “Miss Jiang, rest assured. I will take her there safely, and return her safely to you.”

Jiang Peifeng then instructed Ruan Jiyun: “It will be chilly tonight. Keep this shawl on. Don’t cause trouble for Miss Meng.”

She was rambling, even feeling a bit embarrassed by her own fussiness.

Jiang Zhiyu was aware of the situation and fully approved: “I’m surprised Sister Ruan has such opportunities. Times have truly changed. I hear that Miss Meng is quite famous. Maybe she can even help Sister Ruan once they return to Shanghai.”

Jiang Peifeng, annoyed that she wouldn’t be able to escape Meng the Fox even back in Shanghai, glared at her brother: “Sister Ruan is capable! Why would she need her help?”

Jiang Zhiyu, who was inexplicably scolded, was confused: “I didn’t say anything wrong. Peifeng, why do I feel like you’re less and less like your old self these days? Besides, we were raised by Father this way since childhood. Why such a big reaction when it comes to Sister Ruan?”

“I just feel that Miss Meng is too good to Sister Ruan.”

Jiang Zhiyu laughed heartily: “What could she possibly want from Sister Ruan? She herself is wealthy and famous…”

Jiang Peifeng sighed internally at her brother’s casual words.

What if Meng the Fox is truly interested in the little white flower as a person? What then?

Filled with such wild thoughts, she got out of the car with Jiang Zhiyu and was quite distracted throughout the entire dinner, which prompted a host of questions from her brother.

“I’m more worried about you than Sister Ruan,” he handed the car keys to his sister. “You used to be distant to everyone, but since Sister Ruan came to our house, you’ve been a changed person. Now that she’s making a success of herself, you should be happy. After all, she will eventually leave our family.”

Jiang Peifeng felt an indescribable emotion. Her brother was right. Ruan Jiyun came to the Jiang family because of their engagement. Now that both were clearly uninterested in the engagement, Ruan Jiyun could very well leave the Jiang family afterward.

And possibly even meet someone else, marry, and have children…?

A wave of suppressed heartache washed over her. She took the car keys and turned to leave: “I’m going to pick her up.”

The consulate was nestled in a garden, brightly lit. It seemed the party hadn’t ended yet. Jiang Peifeng parked the car by the roadside. Instead of rushing out, she leaned against the seat, lost in thought.

She had never felt this way before. In her previous lives with the female protagonists, her relationship with them was more like that of comrades. They could fight side by side and part with sincere well wishes for each other’s futures. But why was it so difficult to feel that sense of liberation with Ruan Jiyun?

She had thought that all she needed to do was stay by the little white flower’s side, but why did she feel so unwilling to watch her pursue happiness with others?

Jiang Peifeng’s mind wandered until she was startled back to reality by a car horn.

She saw her little white flower.

Ruan Jiyun wore the exquisite red dress. Her graceful, alluring figure was encased in the gown, as beautiful as a standing flower. She seemed slightly tipsy, holding onto Meng Fanshi’s arm, leaning half of her body on her shoulder.

Meng Fanshi didn’t seem to have expected Ruan Jiyun to have such a low alcohol tolerance. She was currently hugging her like one would comfort a child, waiting for her driver to arrive.

The girl in her arms was soft and fragrant, murmuring unintelligible things under her breath. Meng Fanshi said jokingly: “Wake up quickly, or I won’t be able to protect you.”

Ruan Jiyun mumbled groggily: “I’m not going home.”

“If you’re not going home, where do you want to go?” Meng Fanshi asked with a gentle smile.

Her playful mood grew. She reached out to brush a strand of hair from Ruan Jiyun’s forehead, but before she could make any other move, her wrist was seized.

“You promised to take good care of her for me.”

Jiang Peifeng looked at Meng Fanshi’s hand resting on Ruan Jiyun’s waist, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.

“I’m a woman of my word. Why else would I be waiting here for you for so long?” Meng Fanshi saw her displeased expression and released her hand with a smile. “She’s all yours now.”

Before Ruan Jiyun could react, the handover was complete. Her steps faltered. Seeing the familiar face, she melted into the embrace: “Peifeng—”

Jiang Peifeng supported her, feeling like she was holding a cloud. She ignored Meng Fanshi’s knowing, spectator’s smile and, with a cold face, picked Ruan Jiyun up in a bridal carry and walked toward her parked car.

Ruan Jiyun was rarely so intoxicated. Jiang Peifeng opened the rear passenger door, gently put her inside, and then, suppressing her anger, walked around to the driver’s seat.

The car seemed to be filled with the mixed scent of alcohol and perfume. Jiang Peifeng rolled the window halfway down, wanting to air out the space, but unexpectedly, the door on the other side suddenly opened, and someone sat inside.

Ruan Jiyun was still in a half-drunk, hazy state, leaning lazily against the window: “I want to sit in the same row as you.”

Jiang Peifeng wasn’t sure if she was conscious or confused: “The back seat is more spacious.”

Ruan Jiyun chuckled softly: “But I just like being with you.” Then she shifted closer to the driver’s seat, and her arms naturally wrapped around her.

Jiang Peifeng’s heartbeat instantly intensified.

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