Chapter 364 You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub.
Yan took a sip of tea, and years later, she still felt uneasy.
"Now, my sister is in the capital, and her husband has become a fourth-rank official, while I have gone far to the north, and I don't know if I will ever have the chance to return to the capital and settle down again."
As Li Ruoshuang listened, she sensed something was wrong.
Yes, if Li Ruoxue marries Bai Dingfeng, her marriage cannot supersede her sister's; that's the rule.
“I used to be easygoing and didn’t compete for anything, thinking that I would get my family’s attention. Now, more than 20 years have passed in the blink of an eye.”
Yan smiled bitterly, and to dispel Li Ruoshuang's resentment, she spoke frankly, "I rose to prominence through Dingfeng, and at least I live better than my sister, so I have no choice but to find him a woman from a high-class family."
The mother was caught in a dilemma. Everyone knows it's not fair to look for a better option while still having a good one, but given Yan's situation, she had no choice but to be shameless and do it this way.
"Auntie, how is your sister doing?"
Li Ruoshuang's heart trembled, but she couldn't help but ask a question.
“Great, better than me. She has her family in the capital to take care of her, and her husband holds a high position. Although his official rank is similar to your Uncle Bai's, the capital is different.”
In their eyes, the North was a desolate, godforsaken place, and serving as an official there was no different from being exiled.
Yan was speaking from the heart, which is why she tried to scheme to keep Bai Dingfeng in the capital so he wouldn't have to suffer in an unfamiliar place.
At that moment, something inside Li Ruoshuang burst forth. If she didn't fight and compete, she would end up like Yan Shi, still being suppressed by her sister for over twenty years, and having no one to rely on when she wanted to return to the capital to depend on her family.
"Look at me, why did I say all this?"
Yan rubbed her eyes with a handkerchief; her eye sockets were red.
“Auntie, it’s good for you to be free in the North, without so many restrictions.”
Li Ruoshuang comforted Yan Shi, feeling a surge of excitement as she thought she was being treated differently.
"Seeing you reminds me of my past self, Ruoshuang. Your aunt and I get along quite well, and I won't hide it from you, but I really don't like your sister's personality."
Knowing that saying more would only lead to more mistakes, Yan was well-versed in this technique, but she was convinced that Li Ruoshuang had already taken the bait.
A teenage girl like her doesn't have many tricks up her sleeve. She can easily see through what she's thinking and is very easy to fool.
“I didn’t ask you to stay to say these things. You Ran told me that you lost your ruby bracelet.”
As Madam Yan spoke, she instructed a maid to fetch a small box, which she then opened for Li Ruoshuang to see.
"Auntie, what do you mean..."
Li Ruoshuang was still immersed in emotion, and her words were incoherent. Her mind was blank, and she didn't know what she was saying.
"These rubies are my private collection. I originally intended to give them to You Ran as part of her dowry when she got married."
Yan stroked the ruby with her hand, her heart bleeding. "You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub," she thought. "Anyway, I'll get this money back from the Li family sooner or later. Consider it a big piece of meat to lure the wolf into my trap."
"Auntie, this is too precious, I can't accept it."
Li Ruoshuang understood what Yan meant, and tears streamed down her face.
She was the one who plotted against Lin Yuesha, lying to the nanny and entering Lin Yuesha's room. Later, when the ruby bracelet was not found, she was bound to get a scolding from her mother when she got home.
Li Ruoshuang had already made preparations, but she still felt a little wronged.
Now that Yan Shi had brought out her private stash, Li Ruoshuang was even more upset. An outsider was showing her such concern, but her own sister had just sat by and ignored it, never mentioning it again.
Last night, Li Ruoshuang was provoked and couldn't stand it, so she questioned Li Ruoxue. Li Ruoxue nonchalantly replied, "What does that have to do with me?"
Li Ruoshuang's heart sank little by little. All the grievances and sisterly affection she had felt turned into anger. Why?!
“You silly girl, you don’t need to hide anything from your aunt. I’ve been through this before. If you lose the bracelet and go back home, you’ll be blamed and no one will speak up for you.”
Madam Yan patted Li Ruoshuang's head again, a faint smile on her face. "I won't give you the ruby yet. I'll have You Ran borrow Ruoxue's bracelet and have one made exactly the same for you."
"This won't do!"
Li Ruoshuang stood up, her face flushed with excitement.
A ruby bracelet costs two thousand taels of silver to make, which the Li family doesn't care about, but it's more than the dowry of many young ladies.
This gift is too valuable; Li Ruoshuang absolutely refuses to accept it.
Losing her jewelry was no big deal; she'd just get scolded. She was thick-skinned and wouldn't mind being beaten up. She'd been used to it since she was a child.
"You're just like me before, a stubborn person."
While Yan cursed the Li sisters' ancestors in her heart, her face remained as gentle as a spring breeze, like an elder who dotes on her juniors. She said, "I dare not refuse a gift from an elder. It is your kind intention, so please take it. If your sister asks, just say you have found it."
If Li Ruoxue were told, that person would be even more petty and would target Li Ruoshuang even more.
When Madam Yan said this, she was always thinking of Li Ruoshuang's best interests, and Li Ruoshuang simply didn't know what to say.
"Alright, I'll have someone build it in a few days and then send you a message through someone else."
Yan dismissed Li Ruoshuang, fearing that she would lose her composure and vomit blood if she kept up the act. She couldn't help but curse now.
Yes, the mother of these two sisters was just a merchant's daughter. No matter how rich she was, she couldn't change her short-sightedness and gave birth to such a pair of fools.
Madam Yan thought that if her daughter was so stupid, she would just push her into the river and let her be reincarnated.
"Thank you, Auntie."
Li Ruoshuang's face flushed red as she left, completely satisfied.
When Li Ruoshuang arrived at the back garden, Li Ruoxue keenly noticed that her younger sister was somewhat different. She saw that Li Ruoshuang was no longer as obsequious and subservient as before, and there were subtle changes in her.
In the back garden, the young ladies were scheming and plotting against each other, while Lin Yuesha's side was peaceful and harmonious.
Taking advantage of a free day, Lin Yuesha prepared a lot of food and put it in a food box. Even though her stepbrother wasn't with Bai Dingfeng, Lin Yuesha wasn't entirely at ease even though he was traveling to the capital with the caravan.
When it's time to buy a house in the capital, someone will need to run errands for us. Liu Quan is a very capable person, so it's safe to have him go along.
"Madam, Fang Dazhuang is a strong man."
Bai Cha actively recommended Fang Dazhuang, not only because he was strong, but also because he was very obedient. In the capital, so far from the north, the most dangerous people were those with ulterior motives.
Xiao Dazhuang and Fang Dazhuang, these names are really the same.
Lin Yuesha thought of the big, gluttonous boy and Fang Dazhuang's younger sister, Fang Xiaoni, who had both been left at the manor.
The An family of three are researching greenhouse vegetable cultivation and cannot leave. Jiang Baozhu also needs a maid, and Fang Xiaoni must follow Jiang Baozhu. It shouldn't be a problem to have Fang Dazhuang run errands.
"Little sister, your brother only brought a limited amount of food. I'm worried that Fang Dazhuang won't have enough to eat."
Xiao Qi didn't want to bring anyone along; it was easier that way, and he didn't have to bother getting rid of the tagalongs. Bringing Liu Quan and Fang Dazhuang along would only make things more difficult.
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