Chapter 8: Not a Coincidence

Chapter 8: Not a Coincidence

After all, Zhao Lijie was an assistant manager at the bank, and no one believed he would be brought down so easily. So, relatives and friends were willing to come forward and offer their advice.

Lin Yufan had refused to lend money to save Zhao Lijie last night, which had offended everyone in the Second Branch.

The servants were always quick to adapt to the situation. When Gui Xiang went to fetch breakfast, there was only half a bowl of rice soup, and nothing else.

Gui Xiang took matters into her own hands. She cut the lean meat prepared on the chopping board for the old lady's soup and cooked a pot of porridge.

When Sun the Cook came in and saw the meat was gone, he couldn't help but argue heatedly with Gui Xiang.

Gui Xiang was sharp-tongued but knew how to judge the situation. Even when arguing, she kept a smile on her face.

"How was I supposed to know this was the lean meat reserved for the old lady? Our Fourth Madam is waiting for breakfast, and there's nothing in the kitchen. If I didn't take action, would I wait for her to come and skin you? Just tell the old lady the truth that the lean meat was eaten by Fourth Madam, and let the old lady go to her. Let's not make trouble for each other, alright?"

As she spoke, Gui Xiang was already carrying a large bowl of lean meat porridge out of the kitchen.

Sun the Cook could only stare in frustration, helpless.

He went into the kitchen and locked away the important ingredients before turning to report to the First Madam.

Lin Yufan savored the fragrant lean meat porridge while listening to Gui Xiang's soft grumbling beside her.

"From now on, I'll be the first to get the meals and see what tricks they can pull."

"If this happens again, come and get me," Lin Yufan said, having only eaten a small bowl and leaving the rest for Gui Xiang.

Footsteps were heard outside, and Gui Xiang peeked out, "Third Madam is here."

Third Madam Jian Suzhen came in with a small plate of peanut candy, smiling, "Yufan, you're just having breakfast? My cousin brought over some sesame peanut candy yesterday, so I thought I'd share some with you."

Lin Yufan didn't refuse but replied indifferently, "Thank you, Third Sister-in-law."

Jian Suzhen glanced at Lin Yufan and sat down before saying, "Last night, Third Master had no other choice. It was the First Madam who made him pressure you. Don't take it to heart. You know how the First Madam is—she lashes out when she's upset."

If the First Madam was a woman skilled at changing her demeanor, then Jian Suzhen was a venomous woman with honeyed words and a heart of a snake.

Lin Yufan detested her to the core and had no interest in gossiping about the First Madam with Jian Suzhen. She simply inquired, "Any news about the Master?"

Jian Suzhen lowered her voice, "Third Master, Nan Geer, and Uncle Duo went to Jinghua Tower early in the morning to find Zhao Zhiao, but Zhao Zhiao is a very busy man. They didn't see him; it was a subordinate of his, surnamed Shen, who handled the connections. With Zhao Zhiao's influence, it shouldn't be a big problem. Thankfully, you didn't hand over the gold bars last night, or I'd be afraid they wouldn't return."

Lin Yufan didn't want to engage with this topic.

Gui Xiang brought over two cups of tea.

Lin Yufan took a sip from her cup, knowing that Jian Suzhen's visit today wasn't just to deliver peanut candy.

Jian Suzhen glanced at Lin Yufan and continued, "Let's not talk about other things. Let's talk about your marriage. I heard from Uncle Thirteen that Zhao Ding has put forward his name, and there aren't many other options, but he's the most suitable. Zhao Ding's second aunt is my cousin, so I know him quite well. He's honest and dependable. If you marry him, you'll surely live a blessed life."

Zhao Ding again!

Lin Yufan's cousin-in-law had found out for her that Zhao Ding was an alcoholic who would beat his wife when drunk.

His first wife couldn't even escape his fists during her postpartum confinement.

Is this what they call honest and dependable?

Lin Yufan suddenly asked, "Third Sister-in-law, are you so eager for me to marry Zhao Ding?"

Jian Suzhen was startled and hastily defended herself, "No, last night, the eldest sister-in-law didn’t mean to scare you. Zhao Ding might regret it. I only had good intentions, wanting to comfort you, worried you might dwell on it too much."

Lin Yufan didn’t call her out on her little ploy, "Have a cup of tea."

Jian Suzhen finally picked up the teacup and took a small sip. She cautiously asked, "I overheard them saying yesterday that you went to the temple to offer incense the day before yesterday?"

"Yes. I also went to ask for a divination. It was a bad omen; the Bodhisattva didn’t approve of the idea either of Dong Geer being adopted by me."

Jian Suzhen’s heart sank. Their guess was spot on!

"Fourth sister-in-law, your matters are ultimately for you to decide. I’m just worried you might miss out on a good match. I have some chores to take care of in my room, so I’ll take my leave now."

After saying this, Jian Suzhen stood up and left, just as Gui Xiang walked in with a big plate of waxberries. She heard Lin Yufan’s soft voice from behind her.

"We plan to make sour plum soup. Once it’s ready, we’ll send some over to you, third sister-in-law."

Hearing the words "sour plum soup," Jian Suzhen’s face changed dramatically. She swallowed and softly declined, "I haven’t felt like eating anything sour recently."

Lin Yufan smiled, "Sour plum soup is both sweet and sour, not just sour. It’s really tasty."

An hour later, Zhao Mingjie and his wife stared at the pink-purple sour plum soup on the table, their stomachs churning uncontrollably.

Jian Suzhen’s expression nearly froze, "Is it poisoned?"

"Whether it’s poisonous or not, we definitely can’t drink it."

After being reborn against all odds, they couldn’t let that woman poison them again.

"I never expected her to have been reborn too... What do you think she’s up to now?" Jian Suzhen was unsure.

Zhao Mingjie was just as puzzled about Lin Yufan’s intentions.

Jian Suzhen had a sudden idea and called her trusted maid, Sang Zi, to take the sour plum soup to the new daughter-in-law of the eldest sister-in-law’s house.

If it really was poisonous, the new daughter-in-law would die, and the murderer would be Lin Yufan.

This idea was brilliant, and Third Master silently watched without stopping her.

After a while, Sang Zi brought the glass bowl back, saying that the new daughter-in-law had drunk the sour plum soup and felt no discomfort.

Only then did Zhao Mingjie understand Lin Yufan’s intention. After Sang Zi left, he said, "Lin Yufan might also be testing us."

Jian Suzhen instantly understood.

She lowered her voice, "Haven’t we fallen into her trap?! We didn’t dare to drink the sour plum soup and instead gave it to the new daughter-in-law. She must know that we have also been reborn."

In the past, they had wronged Lin Yufan. Zhao Mingjie, feeling guilty, immediately made up his mind.

"From now on, we’ll interfere less with her matters. Once she marries Zhao Ding, Zhao Ding will naturally torment her."

Jian Suzhen gritted her teeth, unwilling to let it go, "Are we just going to let her off like this? Didn’t we suffer in vain in our previous life because of her?"

Zhao Mingjie was more rational, "We are a large family, and she is just one person. She has nothing to lose. If we confront her directly, we’ll be at a disadvantage. The best strategy is to quickly send this jinx away."

That indeed made sense.

"Then let’s wait until she marries Zhao Ding. We can spread a few rumors about her and let Zhao Ding torment her to death." Jian Suzhen couldn’t wait to take revenge and grind Lin Yufan to death.

At this moment, Lin Yufan was sitting by the window, sipping the sour plum soup in small sips.

The third brother and his wife wished her dead, and she wished the same for them.

We’ll see who outlives whom.

*

At yesterday’s wedding banquet, Gui Xiang used the commotion to sneak the valuable furs from the house over to Sun Jingxi’s place at the He Mansion.

After lunch, Lin Yufan and Gui Xiang headed to the He Mansion to pawn some of the less valuable mink coats.

They took a rickshaw to a pawnshop in a remote area, and as soon as they stepped off, they saw the shopkeeper putting up a "Closed for Rest" sign.

Gui Xiang darted over: "Shopkeeper! Shopkeeper!"

The shopkeeper glanced at them: "We’re closed for lunch. Come back this afternoon."

"I checked the day before yesterday, and your assistant said you stay open during lunch. That’s why my mistress and I came now. Shopkeeper, don’t make me look bad." Gui Xiang stuck her foot in the doorway, stopping the shopkeeper from shutting it.

Just then, a policeman was shooing away street vendors nearby, so the shopkeeper gave in. "What are you pawning?"

Gui Xiang went in and placed the packages on the counter: "Shopkeeper, take a look. If you give us a good deal, we’ve got even better stuff at home."

Lin Yufan stood by the door, silent. She glanced inside and spotted a curtain in the back room, with a bit of blue fabric peeking out from under it near the door...

There was someone behind the curtain.

A woman wearing a blue dress.

Lin Yufan looked away, didn’t linger, quickly settled on a price with the shopkeeper, and left.

As they stepped out, they spotted a rickshaw driver crouching at the street corner. Gui Xiang called to him, but he waved her off, saying he wasn’t taking fares.

No other rickshaws were around. Lin Yufan knew the area well, and Gui Xiang had been coughing lately. Xi Gu had given her a cough remedy, so they decided to walk to the pharmacy up ahead to get it.

As they got close to the pharmacy, Gui Xiang suddenly said, "Oh no, I lost the prescription the lady gave me."

It wasn’t in her pockets or her bag.

"Must’ve dropped it at the pawnshop."

Mistress and servant had to head back. Before they got to the pawnshop, they saw a woman in a blue dress step out and climb into a rickshaw waiting at the corner.

The woman looked familiar. Lin Yufan peered closer.

It was Liang Yue, the Communist she’d met at the café a few days back.

The rickshaw headed off in another direction.

"Miss, stay here." Gui Xiang hurried forward. As she reached the door, someone else stepped out of the pawnshop with the "Closed for Rest" sign.

Gui Xiang hurried in without looking closely, but Lin Yufan, standing at a distance, saw everything clearly.

The person coming out of the pawnshop was none other than Zhao Zhiao.

He was wearing a plain gray robe today. The moment he stepped out, he scanned the area sharply, his eyes locking onto Lin Yufan by the street.

They were about ten meters apart, and with just a fleeting glance, Lin Yufan pretended not to recognize him and looked away.

Liang Yue, Zhao Zhiao, the shopkeeper who hurriedly hung the "Closed for Rest" sign at noon, the rickshaw driver who refused to take passengers...

So, Zhao Zhiao’s appearance at the café to pick them up last time wasn’t a coincidence.

Lin Yufan didn’t want to think about things that had nothing to do with her. It was better to pretend she didn’t know.

When she looked up again, Zhao Zhiao was gone, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought she would never cross paths with Zhao Zhiao again, but little did she know that their paths would cross sooner than she imagined.

That night, while she and the matron were arguing in the kitchen over dinner, the thirteenth uncle arrived unexpectedly with a list of potential candidates for Lin Yufan’s remarriage.