Chapter 345 The Stiff Wife in Republic of China Novel (2)

Chapter 345: The Stiff Wife in a Republic of China Story (2)

Qu Wanran actually came to me first?

That was unexpected.

Tang Qing was still processing this when Xiao He rushed into the room, grumbling loudly, "Miss, that bitch really has no shame at all..."

When she looked up and saw her mistress, Xiao He stood frozen, her eyes widening in shock!

This was...

Miss?

The same face, but everything else was entirely different.

Xiao He had always known her mistress deserved the title of the most beautiful woman in the world, but... while she was always pretty enough, she had never been like this before...

It took Xiao He a long moment to finally blurt out a word.

Like a goddess! she thought.

Just like an immortal from a storybook. This version of her mistress only needed to stand there, and Xiao He felt she wasn't worthy to speak to her.

Almost instinctively, Xiao He lowered her voice, her earlier loudness vanishing in an instant. "Um... Miss..."

"Uh, Qu Wanran is here."

Heavens, she couldn’t even bring herself to swear now.

It felt like saying such words would dirty her mistress’s ears...

"That woman doesn't know her place, Miss. Should I chase her away?"

She carefully observed her mistress’s expression, ready to grab a broom and throw that bitch out the door at the slightest frown from her.

"No need." Tang Qing spoke, her voice the same as before, but much calmer. "Let’s see what she wants."

"Huh?"

"But that’s what bad luck..." Xiao He muttered under her breath, her eyes still filled with resentment.

Having followed her mistress since childhood, in Xiao He’s eyes, her mistress was truly the kindest person in the world, she thought.

The young master had terrible taste—how could he not appreciate someone as perfect as her mistress, and instead fall for that funeral-loving shrew!

At this thought, Xiao He suddenly remembered something and hurriedly tried to get her mistress to change clothes. "Miss, where are all your hairpins?"

She grabbed the fanciest one and gestured excitedly, "Miss, this one’s the most expensive!"

"Later, we’ll also change into that new pink cheongsam. Let that bitch see clearly who really belongs here!"

Just as she was about to pin the hairpin into Tang Qing’s hair, her mistress stopped her.

Tang Qing’s voice was calm but firm. "This is enough."

"Xiao He, from now on, we'll go for simpler looks."

All that makeup and jewelry were beautiful too, but... to Young Master Fang, they likely just seemed cheap-looking.

Xiao He was stopped mid-action, still reluctant, but upon meeting Tang Qing's gaze, she immediately changed her attitude!

Exactly!

Miss’s word is law!

Leading Xiao He, who was puffed up like a gamecock, Tang Qing caught sight of the female lead of this story—Qu Wanran.

No wonder Xiao He kept insisting Qu Wanran looked like she was dressed for a funeral—she was indeed dressed all in white.

A pure white lace dress, cinched at the waist with a leather belt that accentuated her graceful figure. Qu Wanran also wore a new-style French wide-brimmed hat, and through the semi-transparent white veil, Tang Qing could see that Qu Wanran was strikingly beautiful.

"So, you're Fang Zhuo's wife?" Qu Wanran was the first to speak.

After getting a clear look at Tang Qing's appearance, Qu Wanran's expression flickered through a range of emotions.

On the day she disembarked upon returning to the country, she had only heard that Fang Zhuo's wife had come. In the crowd, she had caught a fleeting glimpse but hadn't paid any attention to what this lawful wife actually looked like...

How could she be this gorgeous?!

Qu Wanran considered herself a beauty with countless admirers, yet the moment she saw Tang Qing clearly, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of insecurity—no, outright jealousy.

Did such beauty even exist?

Before seeing Tang Qing, Qu Wanran had felt smugly superior, certain she surpassed Fang Zhuo's neglected wife in every way!

But after meeting her, the superiority she had built up shattered in an instant!

Gulping, Qu Wanran didn't forget her purpose. Composing herself, she spoke, "I came to see you because I want to ask you..."

"To voluntarily step aside from the love between me and Fang Zhuo!"

Her words were ringing with conviction!

Beside them, Xiao He, upon hearing what Qu Wanran had said, was itching to march over and slap her!

"You b—" Just as she was about to curse, Tang Qing held her back.

Meeting Qu Wanran's gaze, Tang Qing betrayed neither fear nor anger, and calmly asked, "Why?"

"What else?"

Qu Wanran's tone was sharp. "Because Fang Zhuo and I are truly in love!"

"Tang Qing..."

Deliberately avoiding the title of "Madam," Qu Wanran looked at the woman before her with disdain. "Love should be free, passionate, and unrestrained."

"Fang Zhuo and I met overseas. We share the same education, background, and ideals. We've already promised each other to be each other's only partner."

"And you! You shouldn’t chain Fang Zhuo to this archaic marriage."

"There's no love between you two—not even the barest affection!"

"Even if you stay with Fang Zhuo, it would only be a living hell for both. A marriage without love brings pain to both." Qu Wanran stated her true purpose, her gaze blazing. "If I were you, I’d bow out gracefully."

"Tang Qing, you can’t force love."

The system was right. This Qu Wanran is indeed hopelessly romantic and naive, daring to say such things in front of the official wife.

Biting back a scornful laugh, Tang Qing remained as calm as ever.

Even after hearing her husband's lovey-dovey talk with Qu Wanran, Tang Qing barely batted an eye.

"Miss Qu."

"By your reasoning, if you truly love Fang Zhuo, next time you come to me, you should enter through the side door."

What does loving Fang Zhuo have to do with which door one enters through?

For a moment, Qu Wanran blanked, not getting it. "What do you mean?"

Xiao He, who had been holding back for too long, let loose a stream of curses!

"So eager to be the side chick? Of course you should enter through the side door!"

"Mistresses don’t use the front door!"

What did she say?

She actually wants me to be a concubine!

Realizing what Tang Qing meant, Qu Wanran’s face flushed crimson with rage!

Her fancy lace couldn’t hide her rage now—what a joke!

As an independent woman of the new era, how could she ever lower myself to some man’s second woman!

Utterly ridiculous!

Total disrespect!

"You!" Her chest heaved violently with anger, and Qu Wanran all pretense of grace gone.

From a distance, Tang Qing calmly watched Qu Wanran’s face darken, her tone bone-chilling. "You refuse."

Of course I refuse!

"I’m a Qu family heiress!"

"How could I ever be a concubine!"

Gasping for air, Qu Wanran’s expression even contorted in outrage.

"So..." Tang Qing spoke coolly, spelling it out. "Miss Qu wants both love and reputation."

"Not giving up a damn thing."

"Xiao He, what do we call Miss Qu’s behavior?"

Yes! My turn to shine!

My turn!

My turn!

Right in front of Qu Wanran, Xiao He shouted right in her face: "A whore who still wants to act chaste!"

She barked, and Xiao He added another line: "Trashy!"