After the snow had cleared, sunlight gently streamed down upon the magnificent "Shangxin Garden" of the Li Mansion. Inside, a fireplace burned brightly, its glowing charcoal radiating warmth and dispelling the winter chill. Twenty or so noble ladies, dressed in splendid attire, sat gracefully beneath a winding corridor. The corridor twisted and turned like a sleeping dragon, quietly guarding this joyful world.
The table was filled with a variety of exquisite and tempting pastries and fruits. The frozen pears resembled round amber, exuding a refreshing sweetness. The sugar-coated peanuts were plump, their icing shimmering in the sunlight like tiny stars. And there were the freshly-made plum blossom pastries, shaped like plum blossoms, golden in color, and fragrant, mouth-watering. I gently picked up a piece of plum blossom pastry and took a bite. The crispy crust crumbled between my teeth, and the sweet flavor instantly spread across my taste buds. At the same time, I looked up at Miss Li, who was standing on tiptoe, eagerly peering out the Moon Gate.
"Sister Su, do you think the people sent by Liu can come today?" There was a hint of curiosity and worry in Miss Li's voice. Her eyes were fixed on the direction of the Moon Gate, as if someone would suddenly appear in the next second.
"Come, why not." I calmly wiped the remaining icing sugar from my fingertips, my expression calm, but a slight sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of my mouth, "How can she sleep at night if she doesn't watch me make a fool of myself?" My words were filled with disdain and insight towards Liu, as if I had already seen through her thoughts.
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Yuru, Liu's niece, appeared, supported by a maid, as she entered the garden with a light yet pretentious gait. She wore a lilac-colored, gold-woven skirt, the gold threads of which shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight, seemingly outshining everything around her. The dazzling array of pearls and jade ornaments adorning her head jingled as she moved, making the viewer dizzy. She glanced haughtily at the rather plain furnishings in the corridor and snorted softly, a sound filled with contempt and disdain.
"Oh, is this the 'Jinxiu Poetry Society' of my sisters? I thought it was so grand, but it turns out they just get together to eat frozen pears?" Liu Yuru's tone was full of sarcasm, and her eyes revealed a condescending sense of superiority, as if everything in front of her was not worthy of her attention.
Miss Zhang has always been straightforward. When she heard Liu Yuru's rude words, she retorted without any hesitation: "It's better than some people who rely on secretly wearing their stepmother's pearl hairpins to save face." Miss Zhang's voice was crisp and loud, like a sledgehammer, hitting Liu Yuru directly.
Liu Yuru's face turned red instantly. She was embarrassed and annoyed. She stomped her feet and said loudly, "You are talking nonsense!" Her voice was sharp and piercing, like a cat whose tail was stepped on.
"You know whether I am talking nonsense or not." I looked calm, slowly put down the snacks in my hand, unfolded the rice paper leisurely, and looked at Liu Yuru calmly, "Since you are here, just take a seat. The theme of today's poetry club is 'Winter Leisure'. There is no format, you can write whatever you want." My words were steady and powerful, as if they were the magic needle that stabilized the poetry club, calming the slightly chaotic scene.
Liu Yuru snorted coldly and sat down next to the nanny. Her eyes rolled around a few times, as if she was pondering something. Suddenly, she clapped her hands, a malicious smile on her face. "Since you sisters are so elegant, why not do something more interesting? I have a suggestion - let's draw lots to determine the rhyme. Whatever word we draw, we will write a poem based on it." Liu Yuru's smile was calculating, and her eyes flickered with a hint of pride, as if she had already seen me making a fool of myself.
Miss Li frowned slightly, her face showing worry: "This...what if I draw an uncommon character?" There was a hint of hesitation in Miss Li's voice. She knew very well that Liu Yuru's move might contain hidden meanings.
"Then it depends on the talents of each of you sisters." Liu Yuru smiled even more proudly, took out a brocade bag from her sleeve, and waved it in front of everyone, "I'll draw one first, as an example for everyone." As she spoke, she reached into the brocade bag and took out a slip of paper. After unfolding it, she read: "The word 'plum'. Then I'll show you my ugly face——"
She deliberately cleared her throat, shook her head and chanted, "The cold plum blossoms alone in the snow, admiring its own beauty without any need to guess. It does not compete with hundreds of flowers for beauty in spring, but waits for the east wind to bring warmth." Liu Yuru's voice was delicate and artificial, as if she was deliberately showing off her so-called "talent."
The nanny beside her immediately seized the opportunity to applaud, with a flattering smile on her face: "What a great poem, young lady! It's so elegant and refined!" The nanny's voice was sharp and exaggerated, echoing in the corridor.
I sneered in my heart, but still had a gentle smile on my face: "Sister Yuru's poem is... quite standard. But I'm afraid it's inappropriate to use the phrase 'self-admiration' here. Our poetry club emphasizes 'fun', not 'loneliness'." My words seemed gentle, but they were like a sharp blade, piercing Liu Yuru's poem directly.
Liu Yuru's face froze when she was choked by me. She was angry but couldn't show it. She pushed the sachet in front of me in a huff and said, "Then let me draw one?" There was a provocative look in Liu Yuru's eyes, as if she was declaring war on me.
I looked calm as I casually took out a piece of paper from the brocade bag and unfolded it - there were two words written on it: "Toilet".
Instantly, the entire corridor fell into a deathly silence, so quiet that time seemed to have stopped, and even the sound of a pin drop could be heard clearly. Miss Li couldn't help but let out a soft "Ah," her voice filled with surprise and worry; Miss Zhang was so surprised that she almost dropped her teacup. Seeing this, Liu Yuru raised her chin triumphantly, her eyes full of gloating.
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