Chapter 194 Friends
Cheng Susu entered the room and asked with a smile, "What brings Father here?"
Cheng Shilang dotes on his daughter, but he doesn't approve of Cheng Susu's insistence on buying Fang Rui. Now that Xue Quan has approached him, he's even more dissatisfied.
"Is Fang Rui alright?"
Cheng Susu was taken aback by the question, then smiled slightly and said, "She's fine."
"Go back and take her to the teahouse; someone wants to see her."
Cheng Susu was even more puzzled: "Who wants to see her?"
"Don't ask about this. Knowing too much won't do you any good," Minister Cheng said sternly.
If I had known there would be more trouble later, I shouldn't have spoiled this girl.
Full of curiosity, Cheng Susu returned to her residence and called out, "Fang Rui."
Fang Rui, who was tending the stove in the side room, brought in a teacup and bowed, saying, "Please have some tea, Miss."
Cheng Susu glanced at her, her tone indifferent: "I didn't say I wanted tea. You've been here so long, and you still haven't learned how to serve people?"
Fang Rui bit her lip, her hand holding the tray trembling slightly.
Humiliation surged like waves, crashing against her heart, one after another, endless and suffocating.
She could only endure the suffocation as long as she wanted to live.
Fang Rui had considered suicide, but when she actually had the chance, she hesitated.
She was only a teenager, her life had just begun, and she was unwilling to die like this!
She doesn't believe in gods or reincarnation; she believes that death means the end of everything. As long as you're alive, no matter how difficult things get, there's still a chance.
It's much better to be Su Su's maid than to end up in prostitution.
Cheng Susu—Fang Rui recited this name word by word in her heart, her eyes filled with deep hatred.
At first, she was grateful to the Cheng family for buying her during those desperate days. She thought it was because Cheng Susu cherished their years of friendship, but it turned out to be to humiliate and mock her.
"You can't even stand being waited on?" Cheng Susu looked at Fang Rui and felt a sense of pleasure. "Fang Rui, do you still think you're the daughter of a high-ranking official?"
Seeing Fang Rui lower her eyes and remain silent, Cheng Susu thought of when Fang Rui first arrived and actually asked her, "Aren't they friends?"
It's ridiculous. They are friends, that's true, but Miss Fang treats her friends the same way she treats her lackeys.
Cheng Susu was also a noblewoman from a high-ranking family. Her aunt was a second-rank imperial concubine in the palace. For many years, she had been ordered around by Fang Rui. Did Fang Rui think she liked that?
Therefore, she insisted that her family buy Fang Rui, wanting to see with her own eyes what Fang Rui would be like as a slave, since she couldn't go to places like the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment district).
"Alright, come with me for a bit." Cheng Susu curled the corners of her lips and went to change her clothes.
It was terribly cold outside. Cheng Susu, dressed in a light and warm fox fur coat, boarded the carriage carrying a hand warmer.
Fang Rui sat quietly near the door, guessing why Cheng Susu had taken her out.
Since she entered the Cheng family, she has not been allowed to leave Cheng Susu's courtyard. She is only there to entertain Cheng Susu. Now, she can't be taking her shopping.
Why is that?
Could it be that she's going to meet someone? Thinking of this, Fang Rui's heart skipped a beat, and a faint sense of anticipation arose within her.
She's already suffered so much, so any change might be a good thing.
The carriage stopped, and Cheng Susu led Fang Rui into the teahouse, where a waiter led them to the reserved private room on the second floor.
"No need to serve me anymore." After dismissing the waiter, Cheng Susu drank half a cup of tea before saying to Fang Rui, "Go to the private room next door."
Fang Rui hesitated for a moment, then walked out when Cheng Susu looked impatient and went to the door of the next room.
A servant-like man at the door asked, "Miss Fang?"
Fang Rui's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She hadn't heard that title in a long time.
"It's...it's me..."
The servant opened the door.
Fang Rui walked in and was stunned when she saw the person sitting there: "Eunuch Xue?"
Xue Quan had some recollection of Fang Rui, and upon confirming it was her, he said gently, "Come and sit down."
Fang Rui sat down gently, feeling extremely uneasy.
Why would it be Eunuch Xue who wants to see her?
Yes, everyone says that Grandfather and Xue Gong were lovers—no, no, it was Xue Quan's adopted son, Xue Han, who forced his way into the Prime Minister's residence and caused their family to end up like this!
Fang Rui's face turned pale, and her mind was in turmoil.
"It must be cold outside, have a cup of tea to warm yourself up." Seeing Fang Rui's anxious look, Xue Quan pushed the teacup towards her.
Fang Rui subconsciously touched the teacup, and the heat emanating from the cup startled her. She couldn't help but look at Xue Quan.
This eunuch, known as the Hidden Prime Minister, had a fair complexion and no beard, with long, narrow eyebrows and eyes. Although he smiled, Fang Rui felt apprehensive.
So this is how timid she is without the protection of her family—this thought flashed through Fang Rui's mind, and her eyes welled up with tears.
But she knew she couldn't cry. Given Xue Quan's status, his meeting with her meant he still had a use for her; crying would only make him think she was useless.
"Don't be nervous, we'll ask you a few questions."
"Please ask, Eunuch Xue."
Do you know anything about Qiuheng?
Fang Rui's pupils contracted, and she involuntarily increased her breathing.
Qiu Heng, he actually asked her Qiu Heng!
She recalled the day Cheng Susu kicked over a stool and gritted her teeth as she told her that Qiu Heng had been granted the title of County Princess.
Cheng Susu was anger, while she was hatred.
Qiu Heng's position as county princess was obtained by stepping on the corpses of her family members, and she wished she could tear Qiu Heng to pieces!
"There's something wrong with her!" Fang Rui blurted out in her excitement, then immediately regretted it.
Xue Quan's adopted son, Xue Han, and Qiu Heng are a pair of adulterers; they're in cahoots!
Upon hearing this, Xue Quan's expression softened even more: "What's wrong with her?"
Fang Rui looked at Xue Quan with surprise and suspicion.
Seeing Fang Rui's expression, Xue Quan looked troubled and said, "To be honest, Miss Fang, we've always been worried that Qiu Heng's relationship with Xue Han isn't innocent. We just want to know more about her. Parents always have so many worries."
Fang Rui understood: Xue Quan disliked Qiu Heng.
She is now worlds apart from Qiu Heng in terms of status, and she can't do anything to her. In any case, this is an opportunity.
Calming her rapidly beating heart, Fang Rui spoke up: "Eunuch Xue, there's definitely something wrong with Qiu Heng. My mother has always doted on me and dislikes people who act strangely, especially women. Yet, she's been so protective of Qiu Heng that she's even more protective of me than her own daughter. This can't be explained by Qiu Heng being likable."
"An irrational liking?" Xue Quan frowned.
“The way my mother looked at Qiu Heng didn’t seem like she liked her,” Fang Rui shook her head. “Because my brother passed away, my mother was devastated, but she suddenly became much better after Qiu Heng came… Eunuch Xue, I think Qiu Heng uses witchcraft and has bewitched my mother!”
Xue Quan was startled; he didn't find Fang Rui's words absurd at all.
Is it witchcraft?
Did Yuan Chenghai and his group get into trouble because of this?
And Han'er, why is he so attentive to a girl from the countryside? Is he also under a spell?
"Is this your guess?" Xue Quan quickly calmed down and asked solemnly.
"It's not a guess, it's a deduction, an intuition!" Fang Rui was a little anxious, raising one hand: "Eunuch Xue, in the days before my family's accident, besides my mother and Granny Su, I was the one who had the most contact with Qiu Heng. If I'm lying, may I die a horrible death!"
(End of this chapter)
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