CH 37

After a quarter of an hour, give or take a few, Ruan Xi brought Qi er gongzi to Ruan san niang’s courtyard.

As Qi er gongzi was confronted with the careless and lawless servants, his brows wrinkled imperceptibly for a moment, whereas Qian Gui’s complexion changed instantaneously when he witnessed the entire scene, and the molars of his teeth gnashed together.

The servants in Ruan san niang’s courtyard were truly vile; they actually dared to treat his Young Master like this.

“What are you standing for, go and report this instant, Qi er gongzi has arrived.” Ruan Xi frowned as she stared at these servants who were not masking their blatant revulsion in the slightest, her pretty face darkening slightly.

For the sake of tormenting Ruan san niang, Zhang shi was genuinely unafraid of throwing the Earl Residence’s face.

When the servants in the courtyard saw the Fourth Young Lady’s expression becoming chilly, they inwardly thought that this was bad, especially the uninformed servants who had revealed their revulsion. Their complexions changed immediately, and they started to kneel down to beg for mercy.

“Fourth Young Lady please forgive, Qi er gongzi please forgive.”

Ruan Xi was too lazy to spare them a glance, and a quick-witted maidservant spoke up.

“Please hold on for a moment, Qi er gongzi and Fourth Young Lady. Nubi will go and make a report now.” Having said that, she bowed respectfully before she swiftly went inside to report to the Third Young Lady.

Ruan san niang, who had been ardently and desperately hoping for Qi Yue An’s arrival inside the room, revealed a wide smile on her face upon hearing her maidservant’s report. Excited, she urged: “Invite Qi er gongzi inside quickly.”

Yao Hong: “……”

Once Ruan Xi brought Qi Yue An inside the room, she saw the delicately made up Ruan san niang who looked more florid and pampered than anyone else. She was leaning against a soft pillow, and her wood-braced legs were covered by a thin blanket.

Ruan Xi raised her eyebrows slightly.

Upon seeing two people step into the room one after another, Ruan san niang’s eyes brightened at first, but when she subsequently saw the man standing beside her fourth sister, who had a face smeared with cosmetics and clad in a brightly coloured and gaudy robe, her pretty face blackened instantaneously. Where did this ladyboy come from?

人妖 (pinyin: ren yao) – ladyboy, transsexual, tranvestite.

As the pair approached, the cosmetic fragrance that was thick enough to choke people surged forward.

Ruan san niang felt a wave of disgust and a desire to puke. She quickly covered her nose and mouth, naked revulsion colouring her eyes.

“Si mei, where is Qi er gongzi? Wasn’t it said that he was visiting me, why can’t I see his person? And where did you find that herdsman by your side, chase him away quickly. He’s a fully matured man, and yet he truly disgusts by smearing his face with rouge and powder. He’s stinking up my entire room too.”

The maidservant Yao Hong and the other servants in the room were stunned in the beginning, but they quickly lowered their heads right after, trying their hardest to shrink their sense of existence.

When Ruan Xi saw the utterly undisguised revulsion on Ruan san niang, to the extent where she wanted to chase the guest away, she could not resist tilting her head sideways to look at Qi er gongzi, who did not look affected in the slightest. A glint of amusement flashed past her eyes, like she was ready to watch a good show, and she spoke with a smile:

“San jie, the individual by my side is Qi er gongzi.”

“What? He’s my fiancé Qi er gongzi? I don’t believe it, si mei, don’t try and fool me, how could Qi er gongzi possibly have such a disgusting appearance!”

Ruan san niang’s expression abruptly distorted as she screamed, her finger trembling uncontrollably as she pointed at the man with vulgar tastes, whose face was smeared with a thick layer of cosmetics which looked so white he looked horrifying. Her eyes were teeming disbelief.

A hint of doubt flickered past the bottom of Qi Yue An’s eyes.

Didn’t his Father say that Ruan san niang broke her legs from the fall, and it was very serious? Judging from her more than abundant energy, and the fact that she was scolding him like a lively dragon and animated tiger, how did she look like someone who broke their legs?

The words that Ruan san xiaojie said at the beginning of the year banquet were still vivid in his mind. Since she declared that she would make do and live out her days, she should stop stirring so many moths.

First she wanted to break the engagement only to renege, then she sent flowers and letters saying that she wanted to cultivate their feelings, and now her legs were broken… He did not know what kind of shenanigans she would pull in the future…

Qi Yue An felt a wave of exhaustion in his heart.

He recalled Ruan san xiaojie’s performance at the flower banquet a few days ago, and he could not help but wonder which one was the real Ruan san niang.

It was apparent that her conduct and manners were quite normal the first time they met. Although she was prideful, it was nothing like her current appearance.

Could this be her real personality then?

Qi Yue An suddenly felt like this trip was worth it.

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Ruan Xi peered at Ruan san niang whose complexion was exceedingly ugly, secretly speechless in her heart. Qi Yue An was slightly sadistic too. It would be stranger if Ruan san niang could recognise him after he made himself into this ghostly appearance.

“Ruan san xiaojie is truly an eminent person with a short memory for things. Have you forgotten the conversation we had at the banquet at the beginning of the year? It hasn’t been three months and yet you have forgotten it cleanly.” Qi Yue An suddenly said.

Ruan san niang was startled and guilty because of his response. She did not come into possession of the original owner’s memories in both lifetimes, how could she possibly know that the original owner had met Qi Yue An early on?

She only remembered that while Qi Yue An could not compare to Wen gongzi in her previous lifetime, he was still an eminent and handsome man with his dashing countenance and tall and straight stature.

What kind of ghost was this man, whose facial features were indiscernible because of all the rouge and powder he had smeared on himself?

She refused to believe that he was Qi Yue An, someone must be putting on a pretence.

Laughing coldly and full of ridicule, Ruan san niang sneered at Qi Yue An: “I have indeed met Qi er gongzi, but he certainly wasn’t a man who smeared so much rouge and powder on his face that his appearance can’t even be discerned, and was so disgusting with such vulgar tastes.

“Truly, there are all kinds of birds once the forest has grown large; you even dare to pass yourself off as Marquis Huaiyang Residence’s Qi er gongzi. Why don’t you look at yourself? If you’re sensible enough, roll out of the Earl Residence, or else I’m reporting you to the authorities to lock you up.”

What a waste of her meticulously done get-up. Ruan san niang was short of throwing up.

Upon seeing her Young Lady’s confident and sarcastic smile, Yao Hong became bewildered and uncertain in her heart. Was it possible that the man in this unbearable disguise was not Qi er gongzi in truth?

Hence, Yao Hong did not step forward to give her salutations.

Since Yao Hong did not move, the other servants in the room did not move either.

“Ruan san xiaojie has an elegant taste, while I am just a meagre illegitimate son from a Marquis Residence who likes rouges and powders made for women. How could I possibly be worthy of a legitimate daughter from an Earl Residence?” Qi Yue An chortled.

As expected, the type of master defines the type of servants.

The line ‘有其主必有其仆’ comes from Dream of the Red Chamber.

As Qi Yue An continued to observe, he became increasingly disappointed with Ruan san xiaojie.

Ruan san niang was so angry her chest was throbbing with pain. This damnable ladyboy actually dared to undermine Qi Yue An’s reputation, how despicable!

“Hold your tongue, I know what kind of person Qi er gongzi is better than you. Men come hither, drag this person that is neither male nor female outside!”

Covering her nose and mouth, Ruan san niang gritted her teeth and stared at the ‘counterfeit’ viciously as she called for her servants to come.

She had enough of this unbearable and disgusting man in front of her eyes, especially when his thick and pungent fragrance of cosmetics made her want to throw up.

Ruan Xi: “……”

Once Ruan san niang issued the command, a few hard labour older woman-servants barged in aggressively.

“Young Lady!”

Even though the room was thick with the choking smell of cosmetics, those hard labour older woman-servants did not furrow their eyebrows at all.

“Tie this counterfeit up and send him to Marquis Huaiyang Residence for Qi er gongzi to deal with now.”

Ruan Xi was originally watching the scene develop with relish, but who could have known that Ruan san niang would actually want to truss him up? Hence, she immediately stopped her.

“San jie…”

Just as those words left her mouth, she was intercepted by Qi Yue An.

“Si xiaojie does not have to worry. Ruan san xiaojie and I have seen each other before. Once I wash away the make-up on my face, I presume that she will recognise this face of mine.”

When he first made himself into this ghastly appearance on purpose, he merely wanted to repulse his mercurial and agonising fiancée, but who could have expected that she would give him such a huge ‘pleasant surprise’.

Wasn’t she supposed to be a noble daughter fostered with the utmost care? Why did he feel like her head was stuffed with rice straw?

“Qi er gongzi speaks correctly. San jie, what do you think?”

Ruan Xi was actually planning to allow Qi Yue An to ‘remove his make-up’ and attain a formal title as well, but the fact that he was suggesting it on his own was even better.

Ruan san niang laughed coldly. “Sure, I would like to see the real face of this counterfeit.

“Yao Hong, fetch a basin of water.”

While Yao Hong was fetching the water, Ruan san niang criticised Ruan Xi with gritted teeth and a tone of ridicule.

“Si mei, you’re truly something. For the sake of disgusting me, you actually brought this thing to deceive me!”

Ruan Xi returned Ruan san niang’s gaze calmly as she clarified: “San jie should guard her own tongue. I did not deceive you; he is Qi er gongzi. Mother can also testify.” Subsequently, she turned towards Qi Yue An and said apologetically. “Qi er gongzi, san jie has spoken insolently. I apologise to yõu in her stead, in hopes that yõu will not place it on your heart.”

Qi er gongzi looked at Ruan Xi deeply, his lips twitching. “No matter.”

Ruan san niang laughed coldly as she watched her fourth sister interact with that counterfeit. She might make it sound real, but she refused to believe her fourth sister’s nonsense. Her fourth sister was definitely doing this on purpose, and she would ensure that the news of her recognising the wrong person would travel to the real Qi Yue An’s ears later.

She would never fall for her ploys, no matter how diligently done or sinister.

“Heh, even Mother was hoodwinked by him. I scarcely realised that liars were breeding like flies in this world.” Ruan san niang glowered at the man fumigated with the smell of cosmetics in disgust.

Ruan Xi: “……”

What was growing in Ruan san niang’s brain exactly? Putting aside whether Qi Yue An was real or fake first, since she had seen the other party being in this appearance, was verifying his identity that difficult? Why did she have to blow the matter out of proportion?

“Si mei, you’ve really gone through great lengths. In order to put up this show, you’re even staying so close to him, are you not afraid of being fumigated to death?”

The impression that Ruan san niang had towards Qi Yue An was deeply rooted; she did not believe that the ladyboy in front of her was Qi Yue An at all, and correspondingly, she had no scruples when she was speaking.

The corners of Ruan Xi’s mouth twitched.

What was Ruan san niang supplementing in her head, such that it would make her words increasingly outrageous? Ruan Xi simply decided to keep quiet and ignore her.

Seeing that her fourth sister had nothing to say, Ruan san niang thought she had hit the nail on the head and her already burgeoning confidence increased. She glared at Qi Yue An like she was looking at something dirty.

Qi er gongzi could not bear to look at her. This Ruan san xiaojie is an idiot.

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“Young Lady, the water has been brought.”

Once Yao Hong’s voice travelled over, Ruan san niang became excited immediately.

“Come in quickly and wash that liar’s face.”

That liar was probably deceiving someone for the first time, and her piercing and discerning eyes saw through him at once.

Who knows if this liar would have another tactic, he must be walking into his own trap.

The liar Qi Yue An: “……”

Ruan Xi stared at the excitable Ruan san niang, speechless.

Following Yao Hong inside the room was Qian Gui who was previously waiting outside the door. Once he learned of the fact that Ruan san xiaojie abhorred his Young Master and cursed at him in rage, he felt righteous indignation swelling in chest, and he hated the fact that he could not tear apart Ruan san xiaojie’s mouth.

“Young Master, are you alright?” Qian Gui went straight to Qi Yue An once he stepped in.

Qi Yue An shook his head calmly.

“Enough, stop acting. Wash your face clean right now.” Ruan san niang sneered, under the assumption that they wanted to drag out the time. Her eyes were filled with contempt and loathing.

Ruan Xi: “……”

She sincerely hoped that Ruan san niang’s heart was strong enough after this.

As Qi Yue An’s trusted young male servant, it was very normal to hand the task of ‘removing the make-up’ to Qian Gui.

However, Ruan san niang was a particularly imaginative person; she did not trust the liar’s male servant, so she asked her trusted maidservant Yao Hong to undertake the task.

“Yao Hong, help that liar wash his face.”

Qian Gui glared at Ruan san niang, enraged. His entire body was trembling in anger.

“Yes, Young Lady.” Yao Hong answered with due haste.

Qi Yue An did not mind.

He was just washing his face, anyone would do. Either way, it meant that he could wash off this thick layer of rouge and powder.

Honestly speaking, he could not endure it any further.

Hence, under Qi Yue An’s cooperation, the handsome face that was concealed by a thick layer of cosmetics was slowly revealed.

Ruan san niang stared at him without blinking once. When she eventually saw the ‘liar’ becoming increasingly familiar looking with his silhouette, a bad premonition abruptly surged in her heart. Biting her lower lip, she continued to stare at the face of that ‘liar’ fixedly, while her hands unconsciously gripped onto the thin blanket on her body tightly.

Why is he starting to look like Qi Yue An more and more?

Ruan san niang thought before her brain exploded.

Impossible, how could this be, why did Qi Yue An like rouges and powders meant for women!

However, when the entirety of Qi Yue An’s handsome face was revealed, the last string known as luck inside Ruan san niang’s head snapped in an instant.

It was really Qi Yue An!