CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67: A TOKEN OF GRATITUDE

"He is serving as an attendant student for my brother."

Meng Ruyu could hear this sentence echoing in her ears.

How could it be possible?

No, she didn’t believe it.

Such a handsome man, with such exceptional grace, how could he just be an attendant student?

Zhao Xiaohua spoke to herself, "I heard their family fell into hardship, so he had to sell himself. He used to be educated. Both my mother and my second brother say he is quite good. I also think he’s pretty decent. Anyway, he works swiftly. Cousin Ruyu, if you like him, you need to ask aunt to come and see if it’s possible."

If her mother knew she fancied a servant, wouldn’t she skin her alive?

Her mother’s hope was that she could become an official’s wife.

Not marry someone of low status.

Also, it’s said that once someone enters low status, unless the master agrees, they can’t start a family. If they do, their children would also be of low status.

"Cousin Ruyu, why aren’t you speaking?" Zhao Xiaohua asked.

Meng Ruyu’s thoughts were reluctantly pulled back; she tried to muster a smile, "I am thinking about something."

"My mother asked me why bother about Si Mo." Zhao Xiaohua muttered.

Meng Ruyu was anxious, "How did you tell your mother?"

"I just said that you don’t like my second brother anymore, you like Si Mo." Zhao Xiaohua replied innocently.

Meng Ruyu turned pale.

"Cousin Ruyu, what’s wrong?"

She actually fancied someone of low status, and now, her aunt knew about it, how would she explain this when her mother found out?

Surely, her mother would be angry at her for not being ambitious!

Meng Ruyu suddenly raised her head, "Zhao Xiaohua, tell me, did you already know he was your family’s servant? You pretended not to know just to see me make a fool of myself. You even took the chance to tell your mother. Do you want her to catch this point and humiliate my mother?"

This truly is...

All the initial shyness and deep emotions vanished.

Replaced by anger and blame, this is the Meng Ruyu she knew.

"Did I invite you to my home? Did I make you see Si Mo? Did I make you get attracted by his looks at a glance? Did I make you like him? Meng Ruyu, you truly think highly of me! If I really had the ability to influence you, I would definitely keep you far away from my house, don’t come annoying people every day! Have we not made ourselves clear enough? Or have we not torn our family’s face enough? You keep going and coming back, clearly with ulterior motives, now you’re trying to reverse blame, isn’t that disgusting?" Zhao Xiaohua looked at Meng Ruyu with disdain, speaking slowly.

"You—" Meng Ruyu was so angry that her chest was heaving, her face full of rage.

"Don’t I know you? Upon hearing Si Mo was of low status, you immediately regretted it. Too late, I’ve already told my mother and brother that you don’t fancy him. Meng Ruyu, if you have any ambition, don’t think of plotting against my second brother anymore." Zhao Xiaohua said, "Because no matter what you do, you’ll never win over my second brother."

Without giving Meng Ruyu a chance to argue, Zhao Xiaohua continued, "My second brother is the most vengeful person."

Meng Ruyu’s face was terribly unpleasant.

"Oh, right, you don’t fancy Si Mo, but Si Mo doesn’t fancy you either. Hmm, before Si Mo’s family fell, even his family’s lowest maids were prettier than you." Zhao Xiaohua added another jab, "Strange pity, although my uncle’s character is mediocre, his looks are fairly good. Why didn’t you inherit any of those good looks?"

Lin’s appearance barely counted as delicate.

Meng Ruyu was truly furious.

So angry she was about to explode.

Yet, she had no idea how to argue back with Zhao Xiaohua.

"Why are you still lingering after I’ve said all that?" Zhao Xiaohua looked surprised, "Indeed, the thickness of your face is... unmatched."

Meng Ruyu finally couldn’t bear it anymore, covering her face, she ran off angrily.

Zhao Xiaohua scampered behind Meng Ruyu, "Cousin Ruyu, don’t be upset, aunt loves you so much, even if someone enters low status, for your happiness, aunt will definitely compromise. As for Si Mo, my mother and I will help persuade him."

Even though her words were incoherent and even though there were few people on the street.

The shout from Zhao Xiaohua was still enough to capture the imagination of those who heard it.

With this, there was no need to worry about Meng Ruyu reversing the blame.

Moreover, Meng Ruyu was blinded by rage, unable to explain anything.

Meng Ruyu held back her tears and rushed home in one breath.

Lin was startled by her appearance, "Your cousin teased you again?"

"You’re still too thin-skinned. If he wants to tease, let him tease, listen to it and don’t take it to heart, isn’t it done?"

"Mother!" Meng Ruyu stomped her foot, furious, and returned to her room.

Lin followed inside, continuing to nag, "Why can’t you handle being spoken to? Didn’t mother tell you? A temporary setback isn’t a big deal!"

"Mother, I’ve been schemed against by Zhao Xiaohua." Meng Ruyu said.

"How did she scheme against you?" Lin asked.

"Aunt found a student attendant for my second cousin, Zhao Xiaohua led me to believe he was a gentleman of stature, I..." Meng Ruyu understood that speaking half-truths had a better effect than explaining everything.

Moreover, her mother was smart, how could she not understand?

"What’s wrong with you... don’t you have a brain?" Lin was fuming, "Where would the Zhao Family come into acquaintance with any gentleman of stature?"

"He is good-looking and graceful. Before, he indeed counted as a gentleman of stature. But later, when his family fell into hardship, he had no choice but to fall to a low status." Meng Ruyu quietly defended.

Lin tapped Meng Ruyu’s head, "What good should I say about you? Falling into low status means completely hitting rock bottom. If one had any way out, who would willingly degrade themselves? What grace can such a person have?"

"Mother, stop scolding me. No matter how much you reprimand, it’s no use now!" Meng Ruyu covered her face and said, "You should help me think about what to do."

Meng Ruyu recounted Zhao Xiaohua’s shouting to Lin.

Fortunately, Lin didn’t die of anger.

"A little girl shouting, as long as you aren’t caught, just deny it." Lin took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, "Stay home for the next few days and don’t go anywhere."

Meng Ruyu nodded, "What about my second cousin..."

"Don’t worry about it." Lin was confident, her eyes glinting, she already had a plan.

On the sixth day, Meng Zhu brought Li Chang’an and Li Changning over.

The mother and two sons came in two carriages.

One was the Li Family’s carriage, the other was arranged by Meng Yao through Meng Zhu, asking Li Baixia to purchase it.

"Your brother-in-law said this horse is just mature, strong and in its prime, he painstakingly selected it through someone." Meng Zhu said, "The carriage frame and compartment were made by a familiar carpenter, with good craftsmanship and wood, you can use it with confidence."

"The folding fan you gave me before the New Year, a friend’s wife of your brother-in-law took a fancy to it and I gifted it to her." Meng Zhu babbled on, "She was happy and told her husband, as a result, her husband reserved a huge batch of precious fabric, giving more than half to your brother-in-law. Your brother-in-law said this carriage is a token of thanks to you."