Perfect Encounter - Chapter 16.1
PROOFREAD BY AFREANA
Chapter 16.1
An Ruochen lowered her eyes and did not say a word. She could not have a conflict with her second sister. She needed to live through this half a month in peace. But the second sister’s reaction was odd. Did something happen? An Ruochen had an ominous feeling in her heart.
An Ruoxi saw An Ruochen sulking like a gourd and was even angrier, but some words could not be spoken. She was so furious that she paced back and forth, cursed a few more words, and then left.
The old nanny and the maid hurried into the room after An Ruoxi left. The old nanny wanted to protect An Ruochen but understood that An Ruochen did not want to cause trouble. Still, just listening to her girl getting scolded for no reason made her heart ache.
When she came into the room, An Ruochen said to her: “Nanny, after the death of Xu Matchmaker, Master Qian replaced her with Li Matchmaker to discuss the marriage, has there been any movement?”
The old nanny froze: “I’m not sure about this, but every time Li Matchmaker came, she came directly to Mrs. Tan’s courtyard.”
An Ruochen thought about it and asked, “Is there anything happening in the concubines’ houses lately?”
“Nothing. It’s still the same as usual.”
An Ruochen stopped talking. There must be something going on, it’s just that she doesn’t know about it.
For several days, An Ruochen did not leave her room, but she asked her maid and old nanny to keep an eye on Mrs. Tan’s house. The maid reported the second girl had taken the fourth girl out to play today. That night An Ruofang quietly came to visit An Ruochen and brought her some snacks, saying she had bought them when the second sister took her out to play.
An Ruochen asked if An Ruoxi had said anything and whether she had taken her to see anyone.
An Ruofang shook her head: “It’s just ordinary playing and buying food without meeting the outsiders.”
An Ruofang reassured An Ruochen: “I heard the second sister came to the big sister’s place to make a scene. Big sister, do not mind her. She is always nice at one time and mean at another. Don’t let her think you betrayed her in something, and she will be nice to people.”
An Ruochen smiled and stroked this fourth sister’s head. Even a twelve-year-old girl can see the second sister’s mind. If her interests are not touched, she will not be too bad to people. An Ruoxi came to scold her for no reason and must think she has done bad things. Is it possible that if she were to withdraw from the marriage, the second sister would have to marry instead? Father and the second mother must have discussed this.
An Ruochen became alert.
What about the fourth sister? Why is the second sister suddenly so good to the fourth sister? The second sister has always been arrogant because Mrs. Tan is in charge of the family and always overpowers her sisters.
“Big sister.” An Ruofang suddenly whispered: “Does big sister have to marry Master Qian? Can you not marry?”
An Ruochen smiled: “What silly words are you talking about? How can one not marry when one is promised to marry?”
An Ruofang bit her lips, lowered her head and twisted her fingers, and then said in a small voice: “I think, big sister ……” she paused, “big sister grew up without a mother. We all had mothers who loved us, but you didn’t. You should marry a person who will cherish you. That Master Qian is very scary.”
An Ruochen did not speak. She knew what the word the fourth sister swallowed back into her mouth.
Pity.
She wanted to say that her big sister was pitiful.
But An Ruochen did not think so. She was not pitiful, resigning to her fate was pitiful. She put her arm around her fourth sister’s small shoulders, not knowing how to explain it to her, and not daring to explain. If she said too much, it would be all too easy to attract suspicion.
“Big sister, I have saved some private money.” An Ruofang hung her head and whispered, “Although it’s not much, at least it can help you last for a few days. How about, how about you escape, big sister?”
In the end, her voice was almost inaudible. She lifted her head and looked at An Ruochen.
An Ruochen was shocked, never thought the fourth sister would say such words. The first thought in her mind was whether her plan was somehow revealed.
She quickly calmed down, hugged An Ruofang, and said: “Silly sister, don’t think like that. You can’t have this thought. The world is big. Where can it be better than home? The outside world is dangerous. Where can a girl escape to? Isn’t that seeking one’s death?”
An Ruofang frowned and opened her mouth but was stopped by An Ruochen: “Don’t say anything stupid. Parents’ orders, matchmaker’s words, how can we disobey them?”
An Ruofang bit her lips, looking at her elder sister. Her eyes were moistening, her tears swirling around without daring to fall. “If only I had the ability to earn money. If you were bullied, I could protect you, but unfortunately, I cannot do anything. I have only saved a little bit of money ……”
An Ruochen embraced the fourth sister into her arms, no longer looking her in the eyes, with mixed feelings.
An Ruochen did not dare to forget that at the time An Ruofang was five and she was eleven, when her mother had just passed away, each house deceived her because she was young, taking away all of her mother’s jewelry. There was one piece of jewelry her mother specifically told her to keep when she was on her deathbed, the one belonging to her grandmother. An Ruochen went to Mrs. Xue’s place in the third house and stole that piece of jewelry back, hiding it so well that no one knew about it. No matter how the houses asked, she said she didn’t know. But later on, An Ruofang talked about her mother when she was with her and she was defenseless against her little sister. She said that at least she had something to keep as a memento of her mother. But she didn’t expect An Ruofang to be taught by her mother to set up such a conversation.
The story was exposed. An Zhifu beat An Ruochen, and Mrs. Xue of the third house took her jewelry. The hateful thing was Mrs. Xue didn’t care about that piece of jewelry, and in revenge, she deliberately pawned it.
Afterward, An Ruofang cried. She didn’t know what had happened, but she cried when they beat her sister. An Ruochen did not blame An Ruofang, but she has learned one thing, some people don’t intend to harm you, but others will use them to harm you.
An Ruochen hugged An Ruofang tightly and said, “Don’t ever think like that. You can’t have such thoughts.” With a gentle voice, she lied to her sister.
The next day, the court summoned An Ruochen. An Ping accompanied the eldest miss.
When they arrived at the magistrate’s office, they were questioned, but also learned the identity of the man in the green clothes. The man’s surname was Xie, named Xie Jin. He was the owner of the city’s western Laijin restaurant, knew some martial arts and often bullied neighbors, but until that day had not committed any major crimes. He had two employees in the restaurant. The staff did not know about Xie Jin having these kinds of clothes and said the material was of good quality, which Xie Jin could not afford. The magistrate then searched Xie Jin’s house and found a box of old and new silver under his bed, which seemed to have been saved for some time. There were also several pieces of fancy clothes, all in Xie Jin’s size. The staff was astonished and said they were not aware that Xie Jin had hidden these things. After carefully pondering, they said that there were times when they did not know where Xie Jin had gone. The invitation to the Oath Ceremony was not found on Xie Jin’s body. His staff was not aware that Xie Jin had attended the Oath Ceremony, so how Xie Jin managed to enter the venue remained a mystery.
Yao Kun asked An Ruochen to come because he wanted to ask her whether she could remember anything else. Did she ever come into contact with the restaurant or did she ever hear anyone talk about anything? What did Xie Jin do on the day of the Oath Ceremony, and did she find anything wrong? Did she ever see Xie Jin talking to anyone else? Was there an accomplice?
An Ruochen’s heart jumped when she heard the man’s surname was Xie. Still, she kept her speech in line with the statement she made that day. Mainly that she was not feeling well, got lost and while alone, happened to stumble upon the thieves. Did not know any Xie Jin, never heard of him. Yao Kun asked again and again, then let her go back.
An Ruochen sat in the sedan chair, carefully considering the intention behind Yao Kun’s questioning. Does Yao Kun suspect that Xie Jin may have been a spy? According to what Big Long had said earlier, spies usually have a concealed poison on them. If the task failed, they would take poison to kill themselves. That Xie Jin died in such a way. But if he is indeed Mr. Xie, the spy ……
The thoughts in An Ruochen’s head flashed, then she heard someone call out, “Steward An.”
The voice was familiar. It sounded like Zong Zeqing.
An Ruochen lifted the sedan curtain and noticed that they stopped outside a restaurant. Zong Zeqing was waving at them from the window of the elegant room upstairs. He saw her peeking and nodded as a greeting. He said to An Ping: “How could there be such a coincidence? Why did Steward An come to the court today? How is Master An doing lately? How about coming up here?”
An Ping couldn’t wait to curry favor with Zong Zeqing. He naturally agreed, told the sedan bearer to wait for a while, and did not even bother talking to An Ruochen, leaving her and going upstairs.