Chapter 119: What a Joke—One Laugh Erases All Grudges

Early the next morning, after seeking permission from the Old Madam, Madam Di took Qin Yuru out on a grand shopping spree. They purchased a great deal of fine fabric and even ready-to-wear garments in the latest styles currently trending in the capital. Qin Yuru was so delighted that she remained beaming with joy upon their return. Clad in a new outfit, she brought her maids, Meixue and Meiyan, who were carrying several items with fresh, fashionable patterns, to Qin Wanru’s courtyard.

As soon as she entered, she greeted Qin Wanru with a playful smile. "Second Sister, come quickly and look! I’ve brought you a stack of the most popular handkerchiefs in the capital. The fabric is truly exquisite—far better than what we used back in Jiangzhou. I saw my cousins at our uncle’s house using these."

As she spoke, Qin Yuru signaled for Meixue to place the stack of handkerchiefs before Qin Wanru. She then reached out to unfold them one by one. "Look at these patterns, Second Sister. Aren’t they beautiful? I specifically picked out some for you and kept some for myself. You’ll look very presentable wearing these at the banquet."

"And this outfit," Qin Yuru added, gesturing toward the clothing in Meiyan’s hands, "Mother said it would definitely suit you. She bought it specifically for you."

The clothing looked magnificent and exuded an air of nobility. The intricate embroidery made it clear that the set was quite expensive. Madam Di had certainly been generous this time!

"Second Sister, look at this. If you wear this to the banquet next time, you will surely dazzle all the young ladies in the capital." Qin Yuru carefully hid the jealousy in her eyes, heaping praise upon Qin Wanru as if the clothes were a one-of-a-kind treasure, unmatched in heaven or on earth.

If Qin Wanru were truly just a child, she might have been swept away by such flattery—a common tactic used by Qin Yuru and Madam Di.

Qin Wanru’s watery eyes fell upon the garment. A ripple of light flickered in her gaze before she shook her head and pushed the clothes away. "Many thanks to Mother and Elder Sister for their kindness."

"You don't like it?" Qin Yuru suppressed her growing impatience and kept a smile on her face; her mother had insisted she appear good to Qin Wanru.

"I truly do not," Qin Wanru blinked her limpid, watery eyes and shook her head without hesitation.

"You..." Qin Yuru felt an urge to shove the clothes into Qin Wanru’s face. How dare this lowly girl reject her mother’s "kindness"!

"Then I’ll take you to pick out something you like next time. You should keep this set; there isn't another girl in this manor as short as you!" Qin Yuru gritted her teeth, swallowed her anger, and forced a stiff, insincere smile. She dropped the clothes and turned to leave with her two maids.

Naturally, she did not take the handkerchiefs back either.

"Elder Sister, are you going to attend a banquet? Is it the one at the Marquis of Fengyang’s residence?" Qin Wanru smiled slightly, resting her chin on her hand. She asked with the innocent, delicate charm of a young girl, showing no sign of anger at Qin Yuru’s previous remarks. She looked very much like her former self, before her rebirth.

"Yes... yes, Mother is taking us with her!" Hearing Qin Wanru’s tone soften—behaving just as she had in the past—Qin Yuru assumed she was easy to manipulate once again. She immediately turned back, beaming with delight.

"Are you taking me too?" Qin Wanru raised her elegant, willow-leaf eyebrows.

"Of course we are! If it weren't for us, Mother wouldn't have gone to such lengths. You know that an invitation to the Marquis of Fengyang’s residence isn't something one can just easily obtain. If not for the Earl of Yongkang’s manor, our household would never have received an invitation!" Qin Yuru said with immense pride, casting a glance at Qin Wanru filled with unconcealed triumph and disdain.

A wild child adopted from who knows where—how could she compare to her? If it weren't for Shui Ruolan, Qin Yuru felt that dealing with Qin Wanru would be effortless.

She had always believed that the reason Qin Wanru had changed was due to Shui Ruolan’s guidance.

"It... wouldn't be very appropriate for me to go, would it? Mother won't let me," Qin Wanru lowered her head. From Qin Yuru’s perspective, she appeared dejected and sad.

"Aunt Shui will let you go. If you don't go this time, you might never have another chance. We have just arrived in the capital; if we cannot attend gatherings within the circle of noble families, we will be relegated to associating with low-class families. That would be a terrible thing for us!" Qin Yuru sat back down, speaking with apparent sincerity, as if she were truly looking out for Qin Wanru’s best interests.

Qin Wanru kept her head lowered in silence, appearing to hesitate and ponder, unable to make up her mind.

"Second Sister, don't worry. I will make sure Mother takes you. I will never let you be relegated to associating with low-class families," Qin Yuru laughed. After saying this, she pushed the handkerchiefs toward Qin Wanru again. "Look at these handkerchiefs. They are absolutely top-tier in the capital and very expensive. I begged Mother for a long time before she bought a few for us. When you use them at the banquet, no one will look down on us!"

"Then many thanks to Mother," Qin Wanru said, her brows slightly furrowed as she looked at Qin Yuru with a hint of suspicion.

"What is there to thank? Now, prepare yourself. If you need anything, just tell Mother or me. Anything we can do to help, we will. This... this can be considered my way of atoning for my previous guilt. My situation with my cousin was, after all, partly thanks to your... help!" Qin Yuru blushed as she said this, standing up with a touch of shyness. "Second Sister, I’m heading back now!" She turned and walked away with her maids, her face still red.

Watching her leave, Yujie blinked. She had come to serve Qin Wanru later on, and although she knew some of what had happened, she lacked the details, leaving her genuinely confused by Qin Yuru’s words.

"Miss, did the Eldest Miss come to thank you?"

"It’s not thanks. It’s her way of saying that regardless of what happened before, she acknowledges the favor I did her. Otherwise, she would have already been married to Qi Tianyu and would have lost the chance to marry into a higher family."

Qin Wanru looked up, a silent, cold sneer tugging at the corners of her lips. Madam Di and Qin Yuru were both putting on a show, even investing a significant amount on her. It seemed they were planning something major.

Back in Jiangzhou, Madam Di had never been willing to buy such fine fabric for her, though she had often seen such material on Madam Di and Qin Yuru. When she was young and naive, she had asked why her clothes were inferior to Qin Yuru’s, only to be told she was still small and would ruin expensive clothes, so she should wear something more durable.

"If the Eldest Miss acknowledges your favor, why are she and the Madam still trying to harm you?" Yujie asked, her voice filled with confusion.

"That is exactly why it isn't true gratitude. It’s just talk—a gesture to show they want to reconcile and a payoff for the help I provided." Qin Wanru pursed her pink lips. She intentionally blurred the memory of the day they had tried to harm her, even feigning a look of gratitude.

It seemed like a reasonable assumption! At the very least, Qin Yuru had benefited: her reputation was ruined in Jiangzhou, but the capital knew nothing of it. She could break away from Qi Tianyu and become engaged to Di Yan—a truly fortunate turn of events for her. Since it was a good thing, it seemed everyone could forget the past. After a superficial reconciliation, they offered their "gratitude." Madam Di and her daughter really did think they could fool her like a foolish child!

"Miss, should we keep these?" Qingyue, who had been present for the previous events and had witnessed Madam Di and Qin Yuru’s repeated attempts to frame Qin Wanru, looked at the handkerchiefs and clothes with great wariness.

"Give them to Qi Rongzhi!" Qin Wanru picked up the garment and gave it a shake. Seeing that it was slightly too long, she held it up against Qingyue and said, "It was a fake gesture of kindness to begin with, so why should I care? It’s just for show, after all."

"Give them to the Eldest Miss Qi? But... can she wear this?" Yujie shook her head. "Miss, I believe the Eldest Miss Qi is about the same height as you. It would probably be a bit short for her!"

"It doesn't matter. It simply shows that I dislike the clothes Qin Yuru gave me, and it serves as a reminder to Qi Rongzhi to hurry up with whatever she is planning. Keep one of the handkerchiefs." Qin Wanru picked up her teacup, took a sip, and replied with serene composure.

She believed Qi Rongzhi was more desperate than anyone to mingle with the noble circles of the capital. She was no longer young, and with her marriage prospects ruined by her reputation, she must be striving to secure a good match. Attending the banquet was inevitable.

This life was not the last. Qi Rongzhi and Qin Yuru had long since grown distant. Qin Yuru would not help Qi Rongzhi, but Qi Rongzhi would certainly not be resigned to her fate. Sending an ill-fitting garment was simply a reminder that a banquet was imminent.

Besides, that day behind the rockery, she had seen it clearly: it wasn't just Qi Rongzhi who was full of longing; even the maid behind her had been blushing deeply...

The waters surrounding Di Yan were becoming increasingly murky.

When the clothes and handkerchiefs were delivered to Qi Rongzhi’s guest quarters, she was busy rummaging through her own wardrobe. The bed and tables were covered in clothes. Before coming to the capital, Madam Li had made many for her, but she didn't like any of them. She threw them onto the bed one by one, fuming with anger.

Hearing that Qin Wanru had sent someone, she allowed Yujie into the courtyard, though still half-skeptical.

"What does Qin Wanru want?" Qi Rongzhi asked, looking at Yujie with impatience.

"These are clothes and handkerchiefs that our Miss is gifting to you. They are said to be the most popular styles in the capital," Yujie said with a smile, placing the items on the table and bowing respectfully.

Hearing they were the most popular styles, Qi Rongzhi stood up in a hurry and inspected them. She was quite satisfied; both the fabric and the patterns were to her liking. However, upon realizing they were a gift from Qin Wanru, her mood soured. She put down a handkerchief, shot Yujie a side-eye, gave a low, cynical cough, and said, "Tell me, what is your mistress up to? She barely has any good clothes herself, so why would she be so generous as to give me such fine things?"

"Eldest Miss Qi, these clothes were given to our Miss by Madam Di and the Eldest Miss for our Miss to wear to the banquet—the one at the Marquis of Fengyang’s residence, the maternal home of the Countess of Yongkang. But our Miss doesn't like the clothes the Eldest Miss gave her, nor does she want to attend that banquet, so she decided to give them to you instead," Yujie said with a sharp tongue.

So, these clothes were actually from Qin Yuru to Qin Wanru? Qi Rongzhi picked them up and examined them casually. When she saw a particular corner, her eyes suddenly lit up. A new idea formed in her mind: she really did need these clothes!