CHAPTER 47: CHAPTER 24: XIAO QUE’ER HIDES THE EVIL

"Unfortunately, Fangzi caught a cold a few days ago and is feeling a bit unwell, so she’s resting in her room. Otherwise, she would have definitely come to pay her respects to you!" Mrs. Wang managed to suppress her urge to show her discontent and replied with a forced smile.

Sang Wan’s indifferent expression couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows slightly at Mrs. Wang’s words. Gu Fangzi was clearly energetic and lively, so why did Mrs. Wang say she was sick?

However, it worked out for the best. If Gu Fangzi were to come, who knows what Mrs. Zhuang would try to instigate?

Little did Sang Wan know, Gu Fangzi was also extremely afraid of Mrs. Zhuang’s sharp tongue and feared she would not be able to save face, so she simply decided to pretend to be ill and avoid the situation.

Mrs. Zhuang sneered coldly in her heart, clearly not believing it but unable to question it. She mocked, "Sick? Is it serious? This weather is indeed easy to catch a cold! On another note, if it’s a physical illness, it’s fine, but if it’s a heartache, that’s difficult to cure! Hehe, Fangzi is about the same age as Young Master Shi, right? Young Master Shi has already gotten married, so Fangzi, you should also start preparing for her future! Time waits for no one!"

Contrasting her previous and subsequent remarks, it was clear she was insinuating that Gu Fangzi was feeling sentimental because she saw her cousin getting married and was worried about her own unsettled future, leading to her illness. In harsher terms, it is "spring fever"! It also implied that Mrs. Wang, as Gu Fangzi’s aunt, was not doing her job and was not looking after the interests of the orphan.

Mrs. Zhuang’s words were spiteful, but unfortunately, she overestimated Mrs. Wang. Sang Wan, who was alert and careful, understood her hidden meaning, but Mrs. Wang did not. She was just irritated that Mrs. Zhuang mentioned Shi Fengju and Gu Fangzi in front of Sang Wan.

This matter was ultimately the Shi family’s fault for being unfair to Sang Wan, making Mrs. Wang even angrier.

Her anger and embarrassment turned into fury, and she could no longer restrain herself as she coldly laughed, "Thank you for your concern! It’s just a small cold, nothing serious. She’ll be fine in a few days! Once she’s better, I’ll bring her to visit you! Dear sister-in-law from the Zhuang family, don’t hesitate to share any good food or entertainment with us! Oh, I don’t know if you’ll have time, though. Has Young Master Zhuang’s marriage been settled yet? Hehe, Young Master Zhuang has high standards, and I wonder which girl will catch his eye!"

The Young Master Zhuang the Mrs. Wang spoke of was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang, Zhuang Weixian. Like Shi Fengju, Zhuang Weixian was also a business genius, and at a young age, he managed over a hundred shops for the Zhuang family. He was stubborn and had declared that he would only accept a wife who met his standards, even if she was the most beautiful woman in the world! Over the past two or three years, Mrs. Zhuang introduced him to many women, but he never found any of them suitable, resulting in the delay of his marriage year by year!

Mr. and Mrs. Zhuang, who were eager to embrace a grandchild, were burning with impatience but could do nothing about their son. In the end, he left Qingzhou to conduct business in other regions, staying away for more than half a year.

Mrs. Wang’s words once again successfully struck Mrs. Zhuang’s sore spot, and Mrs. Zhuang felt black before her eyes and her head was spinning.

She didn’t check the calendar before leaving home today. How did her day turn out to be so frustrating?

"Alright! I’ll host a banquet when the time comes. Sister Wang, you must come and bring Miss Wan too, so it’ll be lively!" Mrs. Zhuang smiled amiably, but secretly swore in her heart: Once she returned home, the first thing she would do was settle Weixian’s marriage! She couldn’t believe her own son would dare defy her!

"Of course, of course! That goes without saying!" Mrs. Wang laughed, but thought to herself that it was time to properly discipline Sang Wan.

She had been careless for a while, forgetting that the legitimate daughter-in-law of the Shi family was not only a woman in the inner courtyard but also had social obligations among the upper-class ladies of Qingzhou and had to entertain relatives and friends. There would be plenty of occasions for her to appear in public in the future, and she must not disgrace the Shi family.

"So, it’s settled!" Mrs. Zhuang stood up gracefully and bid farewell with a smile.

Today’s outing turned out to be ill-fated! She had come in a hurry, only to leave in a huff. When did it become her turn to swallow her anger in Mrs. Wang’s presence?

Having sent Mrs. Zhuang off and returned to the hall to take her seat, Mrs. Wang’s face suddenly darkened. She slapped the tea table next to her and coldly scolded Sang Wan, "What’s the matter with you? Didn’t I tell you to dress more elaborately when you came? Look at yourself!"

Sang Wan stared in disbelief. In all honesty, when did Xiao Que’er say that? She only mentioned that her mother-in-law asked her to hurry over and said nothing else! Sang Wan didn’t expect Xiao Que’er to withhold information. She was about to explain herself but bit her tongue and held back.