Chapter 368 Temptation
Li Ruoxue was punished, and her legs felt like lead. She went back to her room, sat on the bed, and said angrily, "I really don't understand why women have to learn rules and regulations, torturing themselves to the point of being neither human nor ghost."
When it comes to learning etiquette, Li Ruoxue complains bitterly. If she had known earlier that she was engaged to Bai Dingfeng, she would have stayed at home to prepare for her wedding and would not have had to suffer at the girls' school.
"Sister, I've prepared a basin of hot water for you. Soak your feet and relax first."
Without a maid, the two sisters had to fend for themselves. Li Ruoshuang quietly took over the maid's duties and said obediently.
"It's all your fault. If you had helped me up today, would I have been punished by Granny Fang?"
Li Ruoxue gets angry whenever she thinks about it, blaming Li Ruoshuang for being tactless. She and Li Ruoshuang are about the same age, and she married into the Bai family. She doesn't believe her younger sister has no thoughts about this.
Honestly, if the two sisters were to switch places, Li Ruoxue, as the younger sister, would never be content.
"Sister, how can you blame me? I was just a step slower; who knew Granny Fang would release the toads!"
After careful consideration, Li Ruoshuang decided to stick to the same approach as before. Li Ruoxue, being perceptive, wanted to avoid being noticed.
"Release snakes, release toads, what will you release next time?"
Li Ruoxue cursed Granny Fang in her heart, but she was also worried that others might overhear and complain, which would make her suffer even more. These despicable lowly people thought they were superior just because they were governesses, but in essence, they were still just old servants.
"Sister, calm down. If you want to get angry, you should wait until you graduate from the girls' school."
Li Ruoshuang pretended to persuade her, and stammered, "When Madam Bai spoke to me that day, I still felt that she didn't like us sisters. She only agreed to the marriage because of the large dowry that Mother gave you."
At the critical moment, Li Ruoxue was clear-headed and self-aware. If Li Ruoshuang didn't expose her secret, she would have to say something from the bottom of her heart.
"Yes, it's all about interests, but Dingfeng, he..."
Thinking of Bai Dingfeng's protection of her, Li Ruoxue felt a sweet warmth in her heart. She didn't care what Yan Shi thought. In the future, Bai Dingfeng would stay in the capital, and as his legal wife, she would definitely follow him to the capital, far away from Yan Shi.
"Good sister, how can you be so naive?"
Li Ruoshuang knelt down and massaged Li Ruoxue's feet. She said, "If Yan is pretending to be sick so that you can stay and take care of her, and your brother-in-law is filial, he has no excuse to take you away. You can only stay."
Ultimately, her husband's feelings were paramount, but she also needed to appease Madam Yan.
Li Ruoshuang's address of "brother-in-law" made Li Ruoxue feel completely at ease. She nodded and accepted the title with peace of mind.
Now, all that's left is for the Bai family to send an official matchmaker to propose marriage, and then the two families will become in-laws.
“That’s right, but the Yan family is short-sighted; they’ll do anything as long as they have money.”
Li Ruoxue looked down on Yan Shi. Her own backyard was a mess. Bai Zhifu had several alluring concubines, and Yan Shi couldn't do anything about them. If it weren't for her son, Bai Dingfeng, being successful, she might have already replaced the head of the household.
For a woman, pleasing her mother-in-law is important, but winning her husband's heart is even more important.
If Bai Dingfeng cared about her, she was left in the north, and Bai Dingfeng felt even more guilty and only wanted to make amends, which deepened the couple's relationship.
"But sister, you and brother-in-law don't have much contact. He's going to the capital to take the imperial examination. I've heard there are many well-educated young ladies in the capital. Brother-in-law may not have any designs on you, but that doesn't mean others don't. What if one of those ladies takes a liking to you..."
It must be said that the two are twin sisters, and Li Ruoshuang understands Li Ruoxue's thoughts the best. As soon as she said this, Li Ruoxue immediately frowned and pondered.
The Li family has money, but there are even wealthier young ladies in the capital. If the other party's family background is better than hers, given Yan's personality, then the marriage will be uncertain.
Li Ruoxue was not yet married to Bai Dingfeng, and she knew there were countless changes in the future, so she was also a little anxious.
However, Bai Dingfeng is leaving in the next two days, and she is still at the girls' school, so the two of them will not even have a chance to meet.
How could she win Bai Dingfeng's heart? Li Ruoxue was troubled, resting her chin on her hand and frowning in thought.
From the first moment she saw Bai Dingfeng, Li Ruoxue decided that she would marry no one but him. Bai Dingfeng was handsome, talented, and, more importantly, took responsibility when he learned that he had been tricked. Such a responsible man was hard to find even with a lantern.
"I heard there's a Jade Sandalwood Temple near the city. Why don't we bring some incense and money to pay our respects?"
Li Ruoshuang clasped her hands together, her face full of piety, "Sister has found a good home. I would be content if I could have half of your luck."
Li Ruoxue nodded, sneering inwardly. Li Ruoshuang was ambitious, but destined to marry a lowly merchant.
However, there was one point that Li Ruoshuang hit the nail on the head.
Hearing that there was an old monk at Yutan Temple who could perform marriage rituals and even help people find a partner, Li Ruoxue, being an impatient person who couldn't bear to leave the girls' school, decided to find her own way instead of going to Yutan Temple.
"I've heard that engaged couples exchange tokens of love. Did you and your fiancé exchange tokens, sister?"
Li Ruoshuang washed her hands with warm water and asked casually. Li Ruoxue had ulterior motives; as long as she tempted people from the sidelines, she was sure they wouldn't take the bait.
Not to mention the schemes she devised against Li Ruoxue, the two sisters were of one mind, and if Li Ruoxue's reputation was ruined, she, as the younger sister, would not fare much better.
Therefore, Li Ruoshuang, in order to scheme against others, inevitably had to be cautious and did everything she could to avoid getting herself into trouble.
If Li Ruoxue had treated her well, Li Ruoshuang would have accepted it. As for her sister marrying Young Master Bai, she could only be envious.
"A token?"
Li Ruoxue rolled her eyes. Only that day, when she was alone with Bai Dingfen, was she nervous when she plotted against Bai Dingfeng. She was also an unmarried girl and felt shy, but in order to achieve her goal, she had to take the initiative.
Fearing that Yan might deny it later, Li Ruoxue was very decisive. She first took the jade pendant that bore Bai Dingfeng's identity, and then used scissors to cut a piece of fabric from Bai Dingfeng's underpants as evidence.
Afterwards, Bai Dingfeng comforted her, saying that these things were not needed and that Li Ruoxue had put them in a small package and taken them to the girls' school.
These were her own plans, carried out in secret, and even her younger sister, Li Ruoshuang, was unaware of them.
"Yes, for example, if Sister embroiders a purse for Young Master Bai, Young Master Bai can give Sister something as a keepsake."
Li Ruoshuang spoke casually, mentioning some novels she had recently read. She said that when a man and woman fall in love, they are bound to be a little bold. Li Ruoxue assumed that being secretive would keep things quiet, so she let them be.
"What kind of storybook?"
Both sisters enjoyed reading storybooks and listening to operas, but unfortunately, they couldn't find an opera troupe at the girls' school in the prefectural city. They were constantly tormented by Granny Fang and had no leisure or refined tastes at all.
"I bought it secretly."
Li Ruoshuang blinked. She was surprised by the contents of the storybook she happened to see. In the storybook, a man and a woman were engaged, but the man admired another woman as if he had lost his soul. He did everything he could to break off the engagement. The young lady who was engaged to him felt something was strange and asked someone to investigate in secret. She then discovered that the man had been subjected to witchcraft.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
