Chapter 36: Eating Melons, Losing a Wife
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation
Yu Zhi Yi’s faint yet breathtaking smile caused Red Luan to freeze, her expression stiffening as she abruptly turned her gaze away, no longer daring to look.
What was happening?
Why was her heart racing today for a friend she’d known for years without issue?
No, she couldn’t look anymore—she felt like her heart wasn’t her own anymore.
Yu Zhi Yi was momentarily stunned, but then she lowered her eyes, a flicker of dimness crossing her gaze.
As expected… she was still unwanted.
Suppressing her emotions, she said in a low voice, “The viewing banquet later might have some trouble. Be cautious of the embroideress in the white dress. If you return to your room now, you still have time.”
At the mention of trouble at the banquet, Red Luan’s fleeting romantic thoughts vanished instantly. When Yu Zhi Yi brought up the woman in white, a name immediately came to mind—Bai Tian Er, a silver-ranked embroideress.
“You go ahead and wait in the building. I’ll check it out.”
Without questioning why Yu Zhi Yi knew about Bai Tian Er or how she foresaw trouble, Red Luan lifted her skirt and hurried toward the back courtyard of the Splendid Embroidery Pavilion.
Zi Yuan opened her mouth as if to speak, but quickly closed it again.
She understood the rules.
Although Miss would sometimes confide insider details to her, this only happened after everything had been perfectly resolved.
Before that, Miss would only inform the people directly involved.
Asking questions would lead Miss to suffer some backlash in exchange for revealing information.
Yu Zhi Yi, busy calculating the outcomes of Red Luan’s situation, didn’t notice Zi Yuan’s conflicted expression. After a moment, she withdrew her hand, her demeanor returning to calm.
Though there would be some complications, the result would be favorable.
Just as the two were about to enter the building, a familiar, irritating voice rang out behind them. “Isn’t this my sister, the one who lets a peasant girl run wild over her?”
Yu Zhi Yi turned around and saw Yu Jiao Jiao strolling toward her.
After some time apart, Yu Jiao Jiao appeared thinner.
If there had been outsiders present, she would surely have put on a performance of sisterly affection, speaking words that cut like knives wrapped in silk.
But since no outsiders were around, she didn’t bother to hide her malice. “I didn’t expect you’d have the leisure to attend the viewing banquet. I thought you’d be crying your eyes out by now.”
Unfavored at the Yu Mansion, unwelcome at the Chancellor’s Mansion—if it were her, she would’ve found a rope and ended it long ago.
Seeing the gloom between Yu Jiao Jiao’s brows, Yu Zhi Yi smiled faintly. “You’ve endured an entire courtyard of concubines running wild without breaking down. Why would I cry?”
Though her connection with the Yu family was tangled in karmic ties due to her upbringing, those ties had weakened with her rebirth and marriage.
Soon, they would be severed entirely.
She would no longer toil for them, nor would they be able to manipulate her with so-called familial affection.
Even though Yu Jiao Jiao’s face was still shrouded in a thin mist, Yu Zhi Yi could easily discern her marital fortune lines.
It was evident that her husband was already entangled with countless rotten peach blossoms, and changes were occurring in her child palace.
This meant Yu Jiao Jiao would soon have a child in her household—but the child would not share her bloodline.
In other words, she was about to become a stepmother.
Being a stepmother was something people viewed differently.
Yu Zhi Yi, for instance, had no desire for children and was happy to let concubines bear heirs for the Du Mansion, leaving her free to enjoy life and cultivation.
Yu Jiao Jiao, however, was proud and ambitious—she would never accept such a situation.
Just as Yu Zhi Yi didn’t mind You Bing Yue loving Du Zi Heng so long as she wasn’t provoked, Yu Jiao Jiao couldn’t tolerate Zhang Tian Shun’s harem full of concubines.
Yu Jiao Jiao hadn’t expected to be outwitted during her attempt to provoke Yu Zhi Yi. Taking a deep breath, she sneered, “My husband may have concubines, but they all fear me like mice fear cats. Unlike you, being dominated by a mere peasant girl!”
Yu Zhi Yi didn’t bother with such meaningless arguments. “Right, right. You’re absolutely correct. Having dozens, even hundreds of concubines call you ‘Sister’ must be thrilling.”
“You can act indifferent all you want, but it’s a fact that Du Zi Heng doesn’t care about you. The more you pretend, the harder you’ll cry when you’re alone.”
“Right, right. Dozens, even hundreds of concubines calling you ‘Sister,’ and in three days, you’ll gain a few more. If that makes you happy, so be it.”
Yu Jiao Jiao was so furious she could almost spit blood.
Waving her sleeve angrily, she stormed off. “We’ll see how long you can stay smug!”
Though the current circumstances differed slightly from her previous life—Zhang Tian Shun hadn’t dismissed his harem—Yu Jiao Jiao clung to the belief that he would one day become a great general.
As for Yu Zhi Yi, she was certain she’d meet the same tragic end as before, schemed against by Du Zi Heng.
Why waste energy arguing with someone destined to die?
Their quarrel was meant to be private, yet by coincidence, a nobleman and his fiancée had come to see the banquet and overheard every word.
The young woman, stunned, asked, “Is Du Zi Heng really that kind of man?”
The nobleman, Shen Yun Jing, second son of the Minister of Personnel and one of Du Zi Heng’s few close friends, hesitated before reluctantly replying, “Well, You Bing Yue is indeed remarkable, though her birth is… unfavorable. It’s true Madam Du doesn’t like her.”
Trying to defend his friend, he added, “But it’s not like he’s neglecting his wife or anything. Don’t believe everything Young Madam Zhang says. Zi Heng isn’t like that.”
Unbeknownst to him, this explanation was a grave misstep.
The young woman’s expression turned icy. “Neglecting a properly wedded wife for some nameless woman—isn’t that neglect?”
“Shen Yun Jing, do you approve of Du Zi Heng’s behavior?”
“It seems you’d treat your wife the same way for some mistress. Fine—I’ll inform my parents. Our engagement is off!”
Shen Yun Jing stood dumbfounded, unable to believe that defending his friend had just cost him his fiancée.
When he tried to chase after her, her guards blocked his path until her carriage vanished.
He could only stand there, speechless.
Du Zi Heng, you owe me a wife!
Meanwhile, Yu Zhi Yi, unaware that her own drama had nearly cost someone else their marriage, calmly took her seat.