Chapter 333 Framing
Women's jealousy is never reasonable. Lin Yuesha recalled Li Ruoxue's gaze and felt a headache coming on. She was short of money and had to fleece a fat sheep, but because Bai Dingfeng was being so attentive, she was unfairly blamed and aroused the suspicion of the Li sisters. She was having a really tough time.
"Sister Bai, you have to thank Young Master Bai for me. He's given me a lot of trouble."
Lin Yuesha sighed as she looked through the calligraphy copybook. The thought of not getting enough sleep and having to get up half an hour earlier to practice calligraphy made her feel utterly hopeless.
Bai Youran nodded seriously, but remembering that Bai Dingfeng was her elder brother, she could only explain, "My elder brother meant well. He brought out his treasured collection after seeing that Young Master Xiao was looking for calligraphy for you."
With a single sentence, the blame was shifted eastward, and the source was once again placed on Xiao Qi.
“My older brother is an honest man; he’s doing this for my own good.”
Lin Yuesha earnestly made excuses for Xiao Qi. Although this troubled her, Lin Yuesha believed that her stepbrother was her family and that everything he did was for her sake. She believed that only by enduring hardship could one rise above others.
Yes, yes.
Both Bai Dingfeng and Xiao Qi sent calligraphy samples, but Bai Dingfeng did so to cause trouble for Lin Yuesha, while Xiao Qi did so out of consideration for Lin Yuesha.
Bai Youran thought to herself that Lin Yuesha was also biased, genuinely believing that her stepbrother was a good person and that they were the real siblings.
Bai Youran didn't quite understand this. She and her older brother Bai Dingfeng had always fought over food since they were little, showing no sense of sibling affection. It was only after they grew up that they got along better.
Lin Yuesha and Xiao Qi are not siblings, so how do they get along so well?
"Sister Bai, family isn't just about blood ties."
Speaking of her stepbrother, Lin Yuesha felt a warmth in her heart. Whenever anything happened, Xiao Qi would rush to the front to protect her; he was truly good to her.
“My stepbrother had no money, so he copied books for the teacher just to buy me a pair of red hair ties to wear for the New Year.”
If it were a wealthy family, giving a red ribbon would be the most shabby gift. However, since her family was already poor, Xiao Qi couldn't even afford a scholar's robe, but he was extremely willing to buy her an expensive red ribbon, and he never pretended to ask her if she liked it.
Although they have no money, they will do what they can and never boast about their achievements.
Lin Yuesha felt a little guilty when she thought about how she had tricked her stepbrother into standing up for her and outsmarting the pockmarked man. To make up for it, she just wanted to treat her stepbrother even better.
So what if they're not blood brothers? As long as you keep them in your heart, they're the closest of family.
"That sounds really good."
Bai Youran found herself somewhat envious of Lin Yuesha. Xiao Qi would brave the winter wind and frost to set up a stall and write Spring Festival couplets, just to buy something for his sister. As a scholar, he abandoned the integrity of a scholar and accompanied his sister to sell melon seeds.
Anyway, Bai Youran's older brother definitely couldn't do these things.
“My older brother isn’t without flaws. His flaw is that he’s too easygoing and doesn’t know how to argue with people.”
When her stepson was mentioned, Lin Yuesha became quite talkative. Xiao Qi had unwittingly attracted many unwanted romantic advances and had caused her no shortage of trouble. Her stepson was kind-hearted and always considered a woman's feelings, so he couldn't bear to refuse her advances. Even when he was looked down upon or bullied, he would silently endure it and never utter a word of complaint.
He would readily lend a hand to any neighbor who wanted to borrow his tables, chairs, or benches, and then feel embarrassed to ask for them back after they were borrowed.
Thankfully, my stepbrother is studying at the academy recently, otherwise the tables and chairs at home would have been ruined again.
“I’ve discovered that my stepbrother is just that kind of good-natured person, and he can’t change his ways. So I can only make more money. With more money, I won’t be afraid of him squandering it, and I can make up for any missing items immediately.”
Lin Yuesha believes that although she transmigrated into a blended family, this family is not complicated at all; on the contrary, it is more harmonious than that of ordinary families. She is pampered at home and wants to reciprocate by spoiling her family members in the same way.
Thinking about it this way, Lin Yuesha no longer felt that owing the three hundred taels of silver to the pockmarked man was a burden, and she was motivated to earn money again.
Bai Youran had no idea what Lin Yuesha was thinking, but she admired her in her heart. Anyway, she couldn't do these things for her own brother. How could she go into debt to buy her brother a book? She didn't even have enough money to buy jewelry!
"By the way, Sister Bai, my second cousin is getting married. What should I add to her dowry?"
Most of the jewelry in Lin Yuesha's hands was a gift from Zhang Qing'er, so it definitely couldn't be given away again. The rest were things left behind by Xuan Yao, and it would be too unlucky to use things given to the dead as dowry.
"Jewelry, jade pendants, hairpins."
Upon learning of the family Chen Xiaohua was marrying into, Bai Youran decisively said, "It would be best to send gold and silver as gifts."
Small business owners often have times when they are short of cash and don't have enough on hand. Gold and silver are easier to exchange and they feel more secure holding them.
Lin Yuesha nodded. Bai Youran's words made sense. She had a few silver ingots, some in the shape of gold ingots and others in the shape of peanuts, which she gave away for good luck. She also wanted to give Chen Xiaohua a set of silver hairpins or bracelets.
"I lack nothing, except money."
Not all the young ladies at the girls' school are generous; most are quite stingy. Moreover, Lin Yuesha only has nodding acquaintances with the others, so it would be difficult for her to make money off them.
The Li sisters were easy targets, but it was all Bai Dingfeng's fault. Li Ruoxue had a falling out with him, so there was no way she would pay him.
"Sigh, let me think about it some more."
At this moment, Lin Yuesha thought of Pockmarked Face again. She already owed three hundred taels of silver, and Pockmarked Face probably wouldn't lend her any more money.
Lin Yuesha was figuring out how to make money off Li Ruoxue, while the two sisters, Li Ruoxue and Li Ruoshuang, were plotting against Lin Yuesha.
"Sister, I think we should call Lin Yuesha over and give her a piece of jewelry."
Li Ruoshuang suggested to Li Ruoxue that it was simple to kick Lin Yuesha out. That little bitch was greedy for money; she might not even be happy to see hundreds or thousands of taels of silver.
"Then, my sisters and I went to Granny Fang and told her that we had lost our hairpins and jewelry."
In that case, the room will definitely be searched. Lin Yuesha has the two sisters' jewelry in her hands, and she will be embarrassed in front of everyone. She will definitely be kicked out on charges of theft.
With such a reputation, how will she ever hold her head high in front of others? The Bai family certainly won't want such a daughter-in-law.
“Sister, what you say makes sense, but have you thought about it? Even the cheapest gold hairpin we have would be worth hundreds of taels of silver.”
Such valuable jewelry, if given to Lin Yuesha, she might not dare to accept it. If she doesn't accept it, it might alert her and arouse her suspicion.
Therefore, the approach of sending gifts and then falsely accusing someone is not feasible.
"Sister, what do you suggest we do?"
Li Ruoshuang was furious, believing that her sister had overestimated Lin Yuesha. Lin Yuesha's eyes lit up when she saw the silver; if there were more valuable jewelry, would she refuse it? Impossible.
"We need to come up with a way to kill them with one blow, something simple and effective."
Li Ruoxue agreed to frame her, but the method had to be changed. They would put the jewelry in Lin Yuesha's bag and then frame her, catching her red-handed, so Lin Yuesha couldn't explain herself!
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