Just like that, Ruan Fang Fei came and went, seemingly as if she’d just felt stuffy staying in her room and came out for some fresh air, afterwards cutting a branch of peach blossom while she was at it.
The two continued breaking off flowers, “Little sister Wan, do you think Miss Ruan appearing here is just a coincidence, or something else?”
“En?” Jing Wan turned her head to look at her. Sun Yi Jia currently had her hand raised, breaking off a branch of peach blossom. After breaking off a branch, she reached out again towards another branch. She was entirely quiet, and this in silence, there seemingly was also a bit of something else. “Regardless of what, it probably doesn’t have anything to do with us.”
Sun Yi Jia finally turned around to look towards Jing Wan, “Little sister Wan, what do you think of Miss Ruan?”
“I’ve only just met her for the first time, and before and after, there was only just that bit of time, and only a few words, no feeling in particular.”
“Little sister Wan, did you know, when I was little, my mother always said to me, ‘That Ruan family’s miss that’s two months younger than you did this and that. She never needs for her parents to worry. And you? Only thinking about playing around all day.’ If Miss Ruan learned something, and I didn’t know how, or didn’t learn it well, my mother would let the female teacher hit my hand. It was unbearably painful. At that time, I very much hated Miss Ruan. Every time I saw her, I would always want to charge up and hit her, but I couldn’t. Afterwards, I studied with all my might. I just thought, if I surpass her, then mother won’t say she’s good, and won’t hit me either. Later, I got used to it, and didn’t need anyone to supervise me anymore. I would learn on my own. It’s not that I know everything she knows. Rather, I learned the things I liked. All the way until now, she is still that perfect, perfect to the point of unreal.”
Jing Wan predicted that Sun Yi Jia had grown up under high pressure, just she didn’t expect that in her life, there was also a ‘someone else child’. And this person’s influence towards her wasn’t small either. However, Jing Wan noticed Sun Yi Jia’s last words, ‘Perfect to the point of unreal’. This type of person, more often than not, all hid an unknown side to them. Humans will always have that ‘seven emotions and six desires[1]‘. When negative emotions taint the body, there always needs to be a way for one to vent it out. In places where people could see, she would never show them, then what about in places that couldn’t be seen? If it was just an ordinary outlet, such as crying and whatnot, then naturally it wasn’t a problem. But there was also another kind of person called perverts(abnormal).
Of course, Jing Wan wouldn’t speculate about others with malicious intentions. Perhaps Ruan Fang Fei was just meticulously chasing after perfection, or perhaps she was really the same as her and has already lived through one lifetime, thus her emotions weren’t easily moved. As for whether the other party was or not, Jing Wan never thought of deliberating going to confirm. Wasn’t all this unrelated to her anyways?
However, if it wasn’t a coincidence, and Ruan Fang Fei also really wasn’t as beautiful as she was on the surface, then her purpose in coming here perhaps was just to personally see whether Sun Yi Jia, who was equally as famous as her, actually ruined her appearance or not? In the past, there were two number ones, but now she became the one and only. This should be something worth being happy over, right?
“Big sister Jia cares very much?”
“How could I still care.”
Thus, Ruan Fang Fei’s appearance was thrown to the back of their heads. They each held two branches of peach blossom in their hands, while large basket in the servant girls’ hands was also filled. However, they didn’t directly go back. They also went to quite a few other places to stroll around. Although White Dragon Temple was known for their peach blossoms, this didn’t mean that there weren’t other kinds of flowers. They more of less also cut some. Jing Wan even let the servant girls pick quite a few wild flowers to take back altogether.
Because Yuan Qiao Qiao and Zhou Ying Shuang resided in the same courtyard, they just had the two both moved into the courtyard. It wasn’t convenient for them to move around, so they just watched and smelled from the side.
Towards Jing Wan’s flower arranging, the people at her side have long gotten used to it as the norm, even though every time they see it, they still feel very impressed.
As for the others, it was their first time seeing. The peach blossoms although were beautiful, having cut so many and thrown together in a large pile, not to mention there was also the other miscellaneous flowers, looking at it, it was just that. However, under Jing Wan’s hands, having them cut and trimmed, regardless whether it was in a basket, or a vase, she was able to quickly create various different arrangements. And in addition to a few other adornments, even though they were clearly just those things, it gave off a different kind of feeling, practically just too beautiful.
Sun Yi Jia fixedly stared at Jing Wan with Yuan Qiao Qiao. She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, so incredible!
Jing Wan smiled and didn’t speak. Seeing Zhou Ying Shuang’s anxious and desolate expression, she had the finished flower arrangement moved to within her reach, “Ying Shuang, smell it.”
Not far away from them, the two madams also instinctively nodded their heads. Madam Zhou turned to Jing Wan’s paternal aunt Luo Rong Hui and said, “This skill of your family’s young lady is spectacular.”
“Before, she’d always lived with my mother in Qi’an Fu. Today is also my first time seeing.” A moment of silence later, Luo Rong Hui continued speaking, “My mother loves her the most. Deep down, my mother is actually someone who has clear likes and dislikes. Like is like, and dislike is dislike. She doesn’t allow a single grain of sand in her eyes. It’s very difficult for normal people to enter her eyes, yet she’s always had this third girl placed at the tip of her heart and pampered. Even us siblings, in our childhood, far can not surpass. Actually, third girl really is a good child.”
Madam Zhou understood Luo Rong Hui’s meaning. Seeing Jing Wan from beginning to end care for her own daughter, she said, “I know this matter isn’t her fault either. I just momentarily have a hard time accepting. More importantly, our family’s Ying Shuang is currently in the middle of discussing marriage with the young master of the Head of the Imperial Academy’s[2] family, and we were even about to exchange their eight character cards[3]. But now her eyes suddenly can’t see, this matter nine times out of ten will fall through. How can I not be upset?” As she spoke, her tears uncontrollably fell.
“Quickly don’t cry. Right now, they’re currently in a good mood. If they hear, how much of a downer will that be. —Besides, the Head of the Imperial Academy is a generous person. And it’s not like it’s impossible for your family’s Ying Shuang to restore her vision. Perhaps the engagement won’t fall through.” Luo Rong Hui consoled.
Madam Zhou wiped away her tears, “I hope so.”
“Little sister Wan, how about you teach us?” Sun Yi Jia eagerly looked to her.
“Alright, it’s actually not that hard.” Jing Wan said and sat down next to Zhou Ying Shuang. She then let the servant girls bring over the clippers and everything else. Afterwards, she began explaining as she held Zhou Ying Shuang’s hand to teach her how to cut, occasionally even whispering a few words to her.
[1] Seven emotional states in chinese traditional belief are joy, anger, anxiety, thought, grief, fear, and fright; the six desires are sight: greed for seeing pretty things, hearing: greed for hearing pleasant sounds, smell: greed for fragrance, taste: greed for delicious food, body: greed for pleasure and comfort, thought: greed for fame and love. Wow, so this is why I’m so salty all the time. It all makes sense now.
[2] The original term is called ‘Ji Jiu’, which loosely translates to ‘offering wine for sacrifice’; it’s a revered position in imperial China established during the three kingdoms period by Cao Cao, but I couldn’t find any information of the actual functions of the position other than it’s related to the Imperial Academy. So this information I recently cross checked with academic sources and my translation is actually pretty much accurate. The title is either an honorary title for distinguished older ministers, or for the head of the highest institution of education in the time period, like a Chancellor.
[3] Eight Character Cards – In order to get an engagement, both sides need to exchanged cards that have their full name, eight characters of their birthdate, place of ancestry, and three generations of ancestors.
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