There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: The Fallen Republican Era Young Lady X The Overseas-Educated Paternal Aunt

“Sister Ruan,” Jiang Peifeng said, pressing on the other person’s waist, forcing herself to stay calm, “You are drunk. I am not your Sister Meng, nor anyone else.”

Ruan Jiyun giggled softly: “Is Peifeng jealous?”

“I am not!” Jiang Peifeng’s ear tips turned red, affected by her unknowingly seductive tone, yet she persisted, “But you are no longer marrying my Big Brother, so naturally, I have no right to interfere with you anymore… Go to whatever party you want, meet whoever you want, as long as you are happy.”

The more she spoke, the more the sourness in her heart became unbearable, as if she truly saw the little white flower’s future unfold, and her voice became slightly shaky.

A hand gently covered her lips.

With a “thud,” the car key in Jiang Peifeng’s hand dropped to the floor. The light from the streetlamp shone through the window, illuminating the slightly tipsy and beautiful face before her.

The light made Ruan Jiyun’s pupils appear misty. Her red lips were more striking than her wine-flushed cheeks, moist and vivid. Her hair was loose, and the dark strands cast shadows over her face, swaying with every movement, gently stirring Jiang Peifeng’s heart.

She heard Ruan Jiyun’s voice: “Jiang Peifeng, I never actually wanted to marry your Big Brother. The reason I was happy to break off the engagement with him is because… I didn’t want to rely on that kind of reason to stay by your side.”

“The person I have wanted all along is you. So, do you want me?”

Do you want me?

Jiang Peifeng was stunned by the question. She stared blankly at the person in front of her. Ruan Jiyun also seemed a bit flustered after speaking, covering her face and saying with a regretful voice: “Ah! Why did I just say that… You, you…”

This shy appearance was more consistent with Jiang Peifeng’s impression of her. She looked at Ruan Jiyun hesitantly, then suddenly realized something, as if enlightenment had struck: “You… you’re not drunk right now, are you?”

Ruan Jiyun’s earlobes were completely red. Her pale, delicate neck was as if coated in a blush glaze. She turned her face away, refusing to look at her.

Jiang Peifeng understood instantly. Seeing Ruan Jiyun turn to open the car door, she grabbed her arm and pulled her back into her embrace.

“Of course, I want you.” She held Ruan Jiyun’s slender waist tightly. “I want you forever.”

Ruan Jiyun was held tight and couldn’t move. That confession had already exhausted all her courage. Hearing Jiang Peifeng’s response now, she lowered her voice and whispered: “Me too.”

The small joy and shyness in her heart were thoroughly magnified. They were so close. Jiang Peifeng felt the person in her arms was sweet and soft. The sweetness of the wine on her body surged into her breath as if alive, making her feel slightly drunk as well. The pair of lips was inches away, drawing her forward…

Ruan Jiyun had not yet recovered, her large, watery eyes open obediently, her eyelashes trembling like a butterfly’s shy wings.

However, just at that moment, they heard a light tap on the car window.

“It really isn’t because I absolutely must interrupt you now.” Meng Fanshi stood outside the window with an amused expression. “It’s just that the security has been poor recently, and I really must remind you to save the sweet moments for home.”

Ruan Jiyun was completely mortified, burying her head in Jiang Peifeng’s neck, unwilling to look up.

Jiang Peifeng exchanged a glance with Meng Fanshi: “Thank you, Miss Meng. We’ll be going now.”

Meng Fanshi smiled and waved. After watching the couple’s car drive away, she turned around gracefully. A black sedan timely pulled up beside her, and a young man stepped out.

If Ruan Jiyun were still present, she would have recognized that this was the same assistant of Miss Meng whom she had rescued at the train station a few days prior.

The young man smiled as he opened the car door for his boss: “You seem to be in a particularly good mood today.”

“It’s good to help romance along, after all.” Meng Fanshi smiled charmingly, as if recalling something amusing. “Miss Ruan helped us once, so it’s only right that I help her in return.”

“But how did you know that she felt that way about Miss Jiang…”

Meng Fanshi raised a fair index finger and lightly touched her lips: “I am a director, after all. The look in Little Sister Ruan’s eyes when she mentioned Miss Jiang never lied. I just gave them a gentle push to make them clear about their feelings.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly: “Young love… it truly is enviable.”

Shanghai – Fenghua Textile School

The roadsides were completely occupied by reporters, their cameras in hand, eagerly looking toward the school gate.

A curious passerby asked: “Why are there so many reporters? Is some celebrity coming?”

A reporter with a work pass around his neck turned around and said: “Not a celebrity. It’s the popular designer, Miss Ruan Jiyun, who is here to preside over the opening ceremony of the girls’ school.”

“Just a woman, huh.” The passerby shook his head. “Times have truly changed. Women running around outside every day, showing their faces, and presiding over an opening ceremony? Tsk…”

The reporter rolled his eyes at the comment. Of course, old fogeys like you can’t understand. This Miss Ruan is famous overseas, having designed costumes for many movie stars. Moreover, she is dedicated to education, spending a fortune to establish this textile school, offering a path for girls from poor families to study and make a living.

He was about to say more when he heard people up front shouting, “They’re here! They’re here!”

Cameras of all sizes immediately focused on the slowly opening school gate.

Several bodyguards in suits escorted a woman out. She was an extremely young and beautiful woman, wearing a champagne-colored blouse and a silk knee-length skirt. She had a tranquil smile on her face and greeted everyone with grace and composure.

“Miss Ruan! We heard that Fenghua Girls’ School offers free tuition for poor girls, is that true?”

“You and Director Meng Fanshi are about to collaborate for the second time. Could you share some information?”

“Miss Ruan, why is the school called Fenghua? Can you tell us?”

Ruan Jiyun listened to the reporters’ questions with a smile: “Today is the school’s opening ceremony. The focus should be on the children. I invite all reporter friends to enter the school first to observe the commencement ceremony. We can discuss your questions later.”

A young girl in a white uniform skirt stepped out beside her. Her face bore a slight resemblance to Ruan Jiyun’s. The girl held a pink and blue school flag aloft and slowly raised it, guiding the crowd forward.

The sunlight quietly enveloped the Fenghua Girls’ School playground, where more than a hundred girls, also in neat uniforms, stood.

After finishing the commencement ceremony, Ruan Jiyun was invited by several familiar reporters for an interview. Before she could rest, staff members came to consult her about design drafts. She expertly handled the numerous tasks until someone walked over and handed her a glass of water.

Jiang Peifeng looked at her with a smile: “If I don’t watch you, you forget to drink water for another whole morning.”

Ruan Jiyun smiled, pressing her lips together: “Because you’re here.”

They exchanged a smile, and Jiang Peifeng reached out to touch Ruan Jiyun’s hair.

In the 26th year of the Republic of China, Shanghai.

Trucks full of girls were parked by the dock. Ruan Jiyun stood in front of a truck, checking off her students one by one. Not far away, Jiang Peifeng and several men who looked like bodyguards were distributing transit visas to the children.

“The older girls must look after the younger ones. There will be senior students from the Fenghua branch school in Guangzhou to meet you,” she gently reassured the group of teenage girls. “No matter how difficult the circumstances are, you must remember…”

“To study hard.” The girls responded softly, tightly gripping their suitcases.

In 1986 AD, Hong Kong.

The sky was clear. A small birthday party was being held in front of a villa in Repulse Bay.

The star of the party was a five or six-year-old girl. She wore a sailor suit, like a boy’s, and was running wildly on the lawn with several siblings.

“Alice, we need to take pictures later. Come change into a dress,” an elderly woman in a xiangyunsha qipao appeared at the gate. “Your Granny Jiyun and the others will be here today. You mustn’t be naughty.”

The little girl turned around and skipped to her grandmother’s side, arguing self-righteously: “Granny Jiyun said that clothes are meant to be worn by people, and you don’t need to wear a skirt as long as you are happy and comfortable.”

Ruan Jining had absolutely no way to deal with this mischievous granddaughter. She could only barely manage to sternly say: “Then your Granny Jiyun also said you must study hard. Have you done your homework today?”

The little girl stuck out her tongue, and just as she was about to plead, she heard a car horn. She happily shouted: “Granny Jiyun is here!”

A white sedan appeared outside the gate. A pair of sharp, vigorous women stepped out of the car.

Ruan Jining’s eyes welled up, and she followed her granddaughter to greet them…

The little girl’s birthday party was simple, primarily serving as a reason for the scattered families to gather. After the cake was distributed, Jiang Peifeng accompanied Ruan Jiyun to sunbathe on the lawn. She carefully retrieved a plush blanket to cover Ruan Jiyun and reminded her: “You shouldn’t eat too much cake. Just try one bite.”

Ruan Jiyun was clearly unhappy with her control and quietly negotiated: “I feel much better. Two bites.”

Jiang Peifeng stroked her hair. The hair that was once as soft as clouds was now speckled with white. She whispered: “Be good, Yunniang.”

Ruan Jiyun smiled at her: “Getting old really makes one greedy. I often think recently that I wish there was a next life.”

“I will still be with you in the next life.”

“Then you must always remember me.” A flicker of light shone in Ruan Jiyun’s eyes. “Peifeng, you must promise me never to forget me.”

Looking at Ruan Jiyun, Jiang Peifeng had a premonition that her time in this world was coming to an end.

Ruan Jiyun in this world lived safely to the age of seventy-four. She dedicated her life to her career, established her own clothing brand, and used most of her income to support education, establishing schools and nurturing countless people.

She was no longer the daughter or wife of someone else, trapped in the deep courtyards without a name. She had genuinely lived a life that belonged solely to Ruan Jiyun.

Jiang Peifeng silently held her hand: “Don’t worry. Even in the next life, I will still recognize you at first glance.”

As she spoke softly, the setting sun in the distance flowed with dazzling brilliance, dyeing half the sky in a magnificent pattern.

“The main plot line of World Number One has been corrected. Correction Agent is preparing to load World Number Two…”

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