There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Fallen Republican Era Young Lady X The Overseas-Educated Paternal Aunt

Three years later.

“All these are correct. Just that analytical problem, you can directly use the formula when calculating the area…” The two young women sat side-by-side at the desk, looking at an exam paper. Sunlight streamed through the glass window, casting a healthy, light pink glow on the girls’ faces.

Jiang Peifeng tallied all the scores, deliberately staying silent first. Sure enough, she heard Ruan Jiyun ask anxiously: “Did I not do well…?”

Her face was etched with tension. She instinctively clutched Jiang Peifeng’s sleeve, her eyes bright as she looked at her: “It must be math dragging me down… Those numbers make my head spin. Is it very bad? Oh no, I probably misspelled a few English words too…”

Jiang Peifeng took in her nervous expression, the corners of her lips involuntarily curving into a smile. Only after letting the little rabbit stew in suspense did she slowly say: “Nah—not really. While you didn’t get a perfect score, an A-grade is definitely achievable.”

Ruan Jiyun’s eyes widened in disbelief: “Really an A-grade? I actually passed?” Heaven knew how anxious she had been these past few days. Several times, she dreamt of the exam situation—either forgetting a formula or her pen suddenly running out of ink. She even lost her appetite for the custard buns that Nanny Wang specially made, her favorite.

She pursed her lips and playfully hit Jiang Peifeng with the smallest amount of force: “You, Peifeng! You deliberately scared me!”

Jiang Peifeng just laughed twice as Ruan Jiyun softly thumped her shoulder: “Young lady, are you reassured now? The entrance exam next month will be a piece of cake.”

“I still can’t relax. After all, this was last year’s paper. What if the difficulty increases this year?” Ruan Jiyun carefully smoothed out the papers one by one and returned them to the folder, then put the folder into the desk drawer.

Jiang Peifeng rested her chin on her hand, watching her tidy up. She thought Ruan Jiyun probably had a bit of a hamster nature. Over the past few years, all the notebooks she used for writing practice and the used practice papers were neatly stored in the drawer, not a single sheet wasted.

She then remembered another important matter: “Oh, right, since your mourning period is over, why don’t we go shopping at the department store? We can buy a few new outfits for when you start school.”

“Buy clothes?” Ruan Jiyun hesitated. Due to observing mourning for her father, she had barely left the house for three years. Apart from studying with Jiang Peifeng, she had no other form of entertainment.

Hearing her suggest going out, Ruan Jiyun’s sense of inferiority surfaced again: “I don’t understand Western dresses and things like that. I’m afraid I’ll embarrass you, Peifeng.”

Jiang Peifeng was already used to her indecisiveness. She grabbed her arm: “It’s fine if you don’t understand, I do! It’s perfect timing since Father and the others aren’t coming back for lunch. We’ll buy clothes first, and then go to the International Hotel for Western food.” With that, she ignored Ruan Jiyun’s hesitation and directly dragged her up.

The moment she got into the car, Ruan Jiyun still felt as if she were dreaming. She sat up straight, her posture rigid with nervousness. When the car drove out of the private road, the fresh, lively street scene rushed into her view. She cautiously glanced once, then again, finally unable to resist her curiosity, fixing her gaze longingly out the window.

She thought she was being discreet, but Jiang Peifeng couldn’t help but sigh inwardly at her appearance. In the original world’s storyline, Ruan Jiyun was taught by those relatives to be chaste and reserved, making her extremely cautious and almost never setting foot outside the gate.

She was originally a vibrant young girl; she shouldn’t be confined to such a small world.

The car drove all the way to the Sincere Department Store on Nanjing Road. This was a popular department store in the city, beautifully and exquisitely decorated, with the two glass revolving doors polished to a brilliant shine. Ruan Jiyun felt timid. Like a little shadow, she followed closely beside Jiang Peifeng, her fingers lightly hooked onto her sleeve.

Jiang Peifeng could easily see her cautiousness. She simply took her hand and led her through the revolving door.

“They have sales ladies dedicated to serving female customers here. Fashion, hats, and shoes are all complete… If you see anything you like, you can try it on,” she introduced as they walked. “I’ll take you to look at dresses first.”

It was Ruan Jiyun’s first time entering such a department store, and she felt truly eye-opened. She looked dazzled at the goods on the shelves. The colorful fabrics were things she rarely saw, and there were some shimmering foreign goods, many of which she couldn’t even name.

As they strolled, a sharp-eyed sales lady quickly came up to greet them. Jiang Peifeng was clearly familiar with her, smiling as she said: “Today we are mainly picking clothes for my older sister here. Just bring over any beautiful new styles you have.”

The sales lady immediately said respectfully: “Miss Jiang is very talented, and this young lady is also a beauty. We just received new French summer dresses that would suit the two of you perfectly. Please follow me this way to take your time choosing…”

She personally led the two to a spacious area, hanging several new Western-style dresses of various designs on a rack for them to choose from.

Jiang Peifeng immediately spotted the white lace dress: “Sister Ruan, this color suits you best.”

Ruan Jiyun looked at the skirt, which billowed like a flower bud, and vehemently shook her head: “I can’t wear that! I… I’m not suitable…”

Her look of being under siege made Jiang Peifeng smile: “You haven’t even tried it on and you say you’re not suitable. Summer is almost here. This kind of dress is cool and light. You’ll know once you try it.”

Ruan Jiyun whispered: “This dress is a bit short. I’m afraid I’m not used to it… I can wear the traditional guaqun (blouse and skirt) that I make myself.” Since childhood, her clothes were provided by the needlework room of her clan, and she had never worn a Western dress. One year, her father brought back a few Western dresses from Shanghai, but her cousin from her aunt’s room saw them and managed to coax them away. Her uncle even complained that her father was wasting money on a girl.

How can I be worthy of wearing such delicate and expensive clothes?

But Jiang Peifeng held her hand and encouraged her: “Sister Ruan, clothes are meant to be worn. If you don’t like it, we can just change it immediately, but at least try it on.”

She pushed Ruan Jiyun toward the changing room. A moment later, Ruan Jiyun hesitantly peeked out from behind the curtain, her face flushed: “This is too indecent.”

The Western-style dress had a waist cinched to a delicate grasp, but the hem flared out like petals two inches below her knee, exposing a small section of her pale calf. Ruan Jiyun was struggling to try and cover it up.

“It’s so beautiful!” Jiang Peifeng praised, leading her to the mirror so she could see herself. “Sister Ruan, you look like a little fairy in this dress.”

In the large floor mirror was a slender girl. The pearl-white satin seemed to float with a layer of light, making her look radiant and gentle. Ruan Jiyun stared blankly for a few seconds: “This… the dress is too beautiful. I’m afraid I won’t have an occasion to wear it, right?”

“For your birthday, for the school entrance ball… there will be plenty of opportunities to wear it!” Jiang Peifeng was determined to change her from head to toe. Hearing this, she immediately said, “Stay put for a moment. I’m going to pick out a pair of small leather shoes for you.”

After saying that, she immediately trotted toward the nearby counter, fearing Ruan Jiyun might change her mind. Ruan Jiyun couldn’t stop her and didn’t dare to chase after her, so she could only wait anxiously where she was.

She carefully touched the lace trim on the skirt, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Yunniang? Is that really you!” Her aunt (Da Bumu) clapped her hands and laughed: “I said the person I saw from afar looked like you. Tsk, what a coincidence…”

After three years apart, her aunt looked noticeably heavier. She was wearing a gaudy silk qipao that was a bit too tight at the waist, squeezing out a roll of flesh. She squinted as she looked Ruan Jiyun up and down: “The Jiang family’s fengshui truly nourishes people. Seeing your grand appearance now, your Aunt almost didn’t recognize you.”

Ruan Jiyun was embarrassed by her loud, bustling voice, and her face flushed bright red. However, her aunt only paid attention to her new dress: “You’re living the life of a young lady now, but you haven’t thought about helping your younger siblings…”

She spoke while trying to pull at the dress: “This dress looks quite nice. How much does one cost?”

The sales lady responsible for watching the rack replied: “This is English taffeta. It costs twenty silver dollars.”

“Oh my god! Just this one dress, twenty silver dollars!” Her aunt’s voice rose in shock: “That’s almost half a year’s expenses for a farming family! Yunniang, you’re really rich now. Twenty silver dollars for one dress, tsk… And you dare to wear it on yourself!”

Ruan Jiyun awkwardly smoothed her skirt. She was already hesitant to try it on, and now hearing the price made her want to take it off immediately, fearing she might damage it. Her silent appearance infuriated her aunt even more.

How could this silent, money-wasting girl be so blessed?

Thinking this, she touched the dress repeatedly, finally speaking: “I think this dress is nice, but it doesn’t flatter your complexion. Your cousin, Jiqing, just got engaged, and we were planning to come to Shanghai to purchase some dowry. Why don’t you let your cousin have it?”

Ruan Jiyun lowered her head and said: “If Cousin likes it, I’ll change out of it and let her try it on.”

Her aunt rolled her eyes, clearly disdainful of her dullness: “Trying it on back and forth is too much trouble. It’ll definitely fit. Just take it off and give it to her. Sigh… everything in the city is so expensive. We country folks are clueless. Thankfully, we ran into you, Yunniang. Why don’t you accompany your cousin and help her pick out some more clothes and jewelry?”

Ruan Jiyun was always somewhat afraid of her aunt. At this point, she could only say helplessly: “I’ll go change out of this dress first.”

From the moment she first saw her, the aunt knew that Ruan Jiyun was definitely not suffering at all in the Jiang family. They had long heard rumors of the Jiang family’s wealth. Now seeing the originally frail and pale Ruan Jiyun, looking elegant and composed in such an expensive Western dress, she was convinced she had become rich.

Thinking this, her eyes darted to the other exquisite Western dresses on the rack. Her eyes spun, and she motioned for the sales lady to take them all down.

It’s all the Jiang family’s money anyway! Is it too much for Ruan Jiyun to give her marrying cousin a little gift?

By the time Ruan Jiyun emerged from the fitting room, her aunt had already instructed people to take seven or eight new outfits, along with a pile of colorful hats, handbags, and other items, waiting for her with smug satisfaction.

“Aunt, are you buying so many clothes?” Ruan Jiyun was startled by the items in their hands.

Did my uncle’s general store make a fortune?

Her aunt smiled mysteriously: “It’s rare to visit. Oh, right, Jiyun, we also want to buy some jewelry. Will you take us to see it?”

Ruan Jiyun hesitated: “This is my first time in this department store too. I really don’t know where the jewelry is. My Miss Jiang will be back soon. Should we wait for her and ask?”

Hearing this, the aunt immediately said: “Then never mind. Next time. We have things to do this afternoon, so we’ll just buy these.”

Then she smoothly ordered Ruan Jiyun: “Will you go with them to sign the bill? Or pay cash?”

At her aunt’s words, Ruan Jiyun’s eyes widened in confusion: “Didn’t you buy these… Why are you asking me to sign the bill? I don’t have that much money?”

Her aunt cursed inwardly: Why is she playing dumb now! But on the surface, she said casually: “Your cousin is getting married. You’re in mourning, and we don’t want to bring bad luck to her. Buying something is just fulfilling your good intentions.”

Under her greedy gaze, Ruan Jiyun stared blankly at them and at the equally shocked sales lady nearby, unable to utter a single word.

“That’s interesting. Since you dislike her being in mourning and bringing bad luck to the bride, aren’t you afraid that the things she buys might also be unlucky?” A cool female voice interrupted. “It seems you’re only saying that money is the only thing that doesn’t conflict with you.”

Jiang Peifeng walked up to Ruan Jiyun and instructed the sales lady: “Please ask them to pay for their items themselves. Don’t mix them up with ours.”

The sales lady had likely witnessed too many melodramatic scenes and immediately nodded in agreement. She turned around, tidied and re-hung the clothes, and politely asked the aunt to settle the bill.

The aunt’s face was ashen. She couldn’t bear to pay such a large bill herself. She could only manage a sharp sniff: “Yunniang, treating your family like this will surely ruin your reputation.”

Ruan Jiyun’s face went pale, but Jiang Peifeng was not someone to be easily fooled. She held her head high and said proudly: “I have never heard that when a cousin gets married, the sister has to spend hundreds of silver dollars to buy her a dowry. I don’t know if your family is facing some difficulty, but if you truly can’t afford a dowry, you should discuss it properly with the in-laws, instead of having to knock out your front teeth just to save face!”

Her words were sharp, and her tall figure carried a subtle sense of threat. The aunt was left speechless, having been cornered by her. She resorted to making a scene: “Oh dear, oh dear—this is outrageous… The girl is grown up, and she’s being so harsh to her biological aunt…”

Her voice was loud, and she deliberately pounded her chest and stomped her feet, drawing the attention of many onlookers. Ruan Jiyun was mortified that her aunt would humiliate her like this. Her eyelashes instantly dropped, and she began to tremble all over.

It’s always like this. Every time it’s like this. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but her aunt always had this knack for distorting the truth, focusing on the fact that she was a girl, as if… being a woman was some heinous crime.

Miss Jiang must also think I’m terrible, right? she thought sadly, her eyes welling up with tears.

Just as Ruan Jiyun was feeling heartbroken and helpless, her right hand was grasped by a warm hand.

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