Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 40

Ji Yan’an didn’t feel embarrassed. Instead, she tightly wrapped her arms around Song Yi’s waist, confirming the impression of “throwing oneself into someone’s arms.”

Huo Xiuyuan couldn’t stand the humiliation anymore: “If you leave the Huo family, you will be nothing. Your legitimate older sister won’t let you off!”

This was his final threat.

Ji Yan’an wasn’t surprised. In this dynasty, it was somewhat common for a woman to divorce a man. Although noble families and officials viewed it as a disgrace, it wasn’t unprecedented.

Whether Huo Xiuyuan truly loved Chang Wan or was just concerned about his reputation remained unknown.

“What about the Chang family, and what about Chang Yunjie? Do you think your few words of threat will have any effect?” Ji Yan’an was still embracing Song Yi, but her voice was cold and her brow furrowed, which made Huo Xiuyuan feel a little lost.

“Yan’an, I… I genuinely like you…”

Even at this moment, Huo Xiuyuan continued to shamelessly say these words to Ji Yan’an in front of Chang Wan and Song Yi. Not only did this disappoint Chang Wan to the extreme once again, but Song Yi also slightly lifted her eyelids, looking at Huo Xiuyuan with great interest.

“It seems, Young Master Huo, you really won’t give up until you see the coffin.” If Ji Yan’an hadn’t been hugging her, Song Yi could have easily used her qinggong to dart over and fiercely grab Huo Xiuyuan’s neck again.

Huo Xiuyuan also knew how capable Song Yi was and didn’t dare to speak to her directly. He nervously averted his gaze, only daring to look at Ji Yan’an in Song Yi’s arms. But Ji Yan’an refused to give him a single glance. Helplessly, seeing that more people from downstairs were starting to inquire about the commotion, Huo Xiuyuan couldn’t afford to lose face. He took his attendant and fled, not even sparing a thought for Chang Wan.

After watching Huo Xiuyuan run away, Chang Wan once again collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Her hairpin was precarious, making her look pitiable in her distress.

This time, Ji Yan’an did not help her up. Instead, she went to close the door of the private room on the second floor. Le Yan and a waiter were cleaning up the room. Seeing the scene, they also sighed. She and Song Yi both sat down beside Chang Wan.

“Chang Wan… do you have any plans?” After a long time, and once Chang Wan’s emotions had somewhat stabilized, Ji Yan’an cautiously spoke. Indeed, someone like Chang Yunjie would surely find ways to torment Chang Wan.

“I have no plans. I’ll continue to return to the Chang estate to be a maid for those people.” Chang Wan hugged her legs in the corner, her eyes vacant, and her voice hoarse, barely able to speak.

Ji Yan’an accurately caught the word “maid.” Combining this with what she had previously heard about Chang Yunjie, the Chang family often did not treat their concubine-born daughters as proper young ladies. Seeing the utterly exhausted Chang Wan now, Ji Yan’an once again deeply condemned Ji Tong’an in her heart. Look at others; though also born of a concubine, one would rather suffer the disgrace of returning to her family to continue as a maid, while the other courts disaster in every possible way!

“I don’t think that’s necessary. Get up first and come back to my residence with me to discuss things further. You can’t go back to either the Huo estate or the Chang family right now.” Ji Yan’an did not forcefully insist that Chang Wan return with her, but rather gently persuaded her, without any impatience, offering her kind advice.

Chang Wan pondered for a long time in her heart, then nodded. After securing her hairpin, she and Ji Yan’an stood up together, forcing a smile as they bowed to them: “I was judging a gentleman’s heart with my own narrow mind just now. I thought Miss Ji and Huo Xiuyuan were in love, but I didn’t expect it to be that scoundrel’s one-sided affection. It was indeed my offense…”

Ji Yan’an finally got the apology she was waiting for. Her eyes curved into a smile. When Chang Wan called her out earlier, she was furious, wondering if she was being mistaken for a mistress.

She appeared very gracious, taking Chang Wan’s arm to leave. After walking a few steps, she seemed to remember something, quickly letting go of Chang Wan’s arm and turning around with a smile. Song Yi was still standing in place.

Dressed in blue, with her hands behind her back, in this exquisite room, Ji Yan’an’s eyes only held Song Yi. She almost sprinted back to Song Yi, then tugged on the blue corner of her clothes and complained petulantly: “What’s wrong? Are you not going to leave unless I come back for you?”

Song Yi lowered her gaze, looking at the floor, but couldn’t suppress the upward curl of her lips. She hadn’t realized that she had been sulking with Ji Yan’an just now. When Ji Yan’an returned to find her, Song Yi was genuinely surprised and delighted.

Ji Yan’an didn’t notice Song Yi’s curved lips and pulled her by her sleeve towards the exit. Seeing that her own young lady had left, Le Yan saw no reason to stay and help. She happily handed the bowls and chopsticks in her hand to the poor waiter and followed Ji Yan’an, leaving the mess behind for the Xingzui Tower.

The three women descended from the second floor under everyone’s gaze. The shopkeeper downstairs was already frantic. Seeing Chang Wan, he rushed over to complain: “Madam! Young Master Huo smashed all our things! What should we do!”

Quite simply, the shopkeeper merely wanted Chang Wan to promise compensation. After all, with Huo Xiuyuan’s wealth, this amount of money was nothing. The shopkeeper had seen Huo Xiuyuan rush out of the Xingzui Tower in a fit of pique and hadn’t dared to approach him for payment. He thought he would have to secretly swallow the loss, but now seeing Chang Wan was like seeing walking money, and he eagerly approached her to complain.

Chang Wan looked at the shopkeeper with great embarrassment. She couldn’t bring herself to say that she was no longer the Huo family’s madam. She just stood there somewhat awkwardly. Seeing more and more people gathering around, Chang Wan’s courage, which she had shown when confronting Huo Xiuyuan, vanished without a trace.

Seeing that she was about to cry again, Ji Yan’an quickly came to her rescue, making her statement very high-profile: “Everyone, stop your idle discussion. Today, the Second Miss Chang merely divorced her husband, and things got a little unpleasant. Now, Second Miss Chang is a guest of our Ji residence, so please make way. Oh, and all the things on that table were smashed by Young Master Huo. If you want money, go ask the Huo estate.”

After saying that, and ignoring the even more shocked discussions of the crowd, she had Le Yan forcefully squeeze a path through the throng. The three women walked out of the Xingzui Tower amongst the crowd, a sight that couldn’t have been more high-profile.

“Miss Ji… isn’t that a bit too disrespectful to the Huo family?” On the way back, Chang Wan clutched her handkerchief, looking worried and a little hesitant.

Ji Yan’an felt sorry when she saw Chang Wan’s timid and cautious manner. She had grown up carefully in the Chang estate, so her temperament certainly wasn’t fiery. However, the fact that she could say such things to Huo Xiuyuan today meant she must have been utterly disappointed.

“That scumbag acted like that, and you’re still thinking about him? If I were to marry someone like that, I would rather…” Ji Yan’an paused here, her eyes darted around a few times, and finally, her gaze settled on Song Yi. Song Yi still stood there expressionless, as if the commotion just now had nothing to do with her, as if she wasn’t even a bystander.

“I would rather marry Song Yi!!” Ji Yan’an deliberately raised her voice, wanting Song Yi to hear it. Her goal achieved, Song Yi turned around with a frown, stopping Ji Yan’an, who was about to move forward. Those mesmerizing eyes held only Ji Yan’an, and her red lips slightly parted: “Rather?”

Ji Yan’an thought Song Yi was going to warn her not to bring up such things involving her, but Song Yi’s focus was unexpectedly on the word… “rather.”

Her mind quickly spun, and Ji Yan’an finally managed to blurt out a sentence: “No, not rather! Being with you is the happiest and best thing!” After all, she could just coast through life!

Thinking of this, Ji Yan’an felt a hint of silent jealousy. She wondered if the woman’s earlier statement about having someone she liked was true or false.

Ji Yan’an’s expression slowly changed from very happy to downcast, which left Song Yi confused. She no longer blocked Ji Yan’an, and she took the lead, stepping forward: “Don’t talk about those frivolous things. Let’s go back to the residence.”

Ji Yan’an said “Oh” and walked alongside Chang Wan. The afternoon was somewhat lazy. Even the movers by the river had a short break, leaning against the bare trees, wrapped in cotton padded coats and taking a nap. The rolling sound of the river hitting the shore and the scattered footsteps of a few people created the atmosphere. The beauty of Songzhou was not just in its landscape, but also in these simple, honest people.

If you exclude the scumbag Huo and the cannon fodder Chang.

They didn’t take a sedan chair or a carriage. Chang Wan, gently caressed by the breeze, was much calmer. She pulled her cloak tighter and proactively spoke: “This visit was an oversight, as I failed to bring a gift for the Old Madam. I apologize for my lapse.”

Ji Yan’an widened her eyes and was very generous: “No need to prepare gifts. Today’s event was sudden, and none of us expected it. We should rather focus on your future plans.”

Ji Yan’an and Chang Wan walked behind Song Yi. Song Yi could hear their conversation, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of joining in.

“Hmph, Song Yi, always wearing a cold face.” Ji Yan’an muttered quietly to herself. She got angry looking at that tall, straight back. This person even said she had someone she liked!

Ji Yan’an had remembered this matter until now, and the more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt, like her own cherished possession was being taken away. Ji Yan’an was lost in thought for so long that she didn’t hear what Chang Wan said.

“What do you think, Miss Ji?” It wasn’t until Chang Wan tilted her head and asked her that she finally snapped back to reality.

But she was clueless about the question. She hadn’t heard anything just now and was too embarrassed to ask the other person to repeat it, so Ji Yan’an stammered: “I think… well, this… you have to think about it this way, it’s…”

Just as Ji Yan’an ran out of words, Song Yi stopped, turned around helplessly, and finished Ji Yan’an’s sentence: “It means that Chang Yunjie will not make things easy for you, so don’t think about going back to the Chang estate.”

Ji Yan’an was stunned by Song Yi’s words. Was Song Yi bailing her out? It must be! Ji Yan’an couldn’t help but feel a warmth in her heart and smiled sweetly, meaning to thank her. Song Yi helplessly slowed her pace and walked beside Ji Yan’an, looking as if she would intervene to save Ji Yan’an at any moment.

However, Ji Yan’an didn’t want to lose focus anymore and listened carefully to Chang Wan.

“But, although my mother is no longer alive, the Chang estate is still my home. If I don’t return to the Chang estate, where else can I go?” Chang Wan sounded very dejected. Her mother had passed away from illness before she could see her married, and yet Chang Yunjie and her mother continued to exploit her.

Ji Yan’an fell silent. Sure enough, people like Chang Yunjie were incapable of doing good deeds. Her previous impression of concubine-born children was only of that little schemer, Ji Tong’an. But after meeting Chang Wan, Ji Yan’an felt even more strongly that perhaps most of the time, concubine-born children were at a disadvantage, and many, like Chang Wan, were treated no better than maids.

“You really shouldn’t go back. Come with us to the capital. There are many talented people in the capital. Even choosing a scholar with good character would be better than a scumbag like Huo Xiuyuan!” Ji Yan’an tried her best to align her views with those of these ancient people. Although she advocated for free love, these ancient people still believed that marriage was something to be arranged.

“The capital?” A spark of hope appeared in Chang Wan’s eyes. For people in Songzhou, longing for the capital was a common feeling.

“C-Can I?”

Chang Wan wasn’t thinking of marrying a scholar; she wanted to witness the sights of the capital once in her short life.