Chapter 35: Jiang Wan Isn’t a Kind Person

Chapter 35: Jiang Wan Isn’t a Good-Natureed Person

"Anything is fine, as long as it's simple."

Jiang Wan got out of bed, slipped on her shoes, walked over, picked up the clothes, and put them on.

"In a while, the academy will probably issue uniforms, so you won't have to rack your brain every day wondering what I should wear."

Hong Zhu, while helping her mistress adjust her collar, chuckled and teased, "Miss, don't blame me for having nothing better to do and fussing over these things all the time. It's just that the academy is full of hidden talents. Look at how meticulously dressed the young ladies from other families are, and then look at you and the second young miss?

"People who don't know might think our family is dirt poor! As the old saying goes, clothes are a person's face. There's no shortage of snobs who 'judge the robe before the man.' Miss, you'll just have to make a small sacrifice and go with the flow."

Jiang Wan smoothed her sleeves without even looking up. "Did you and Sister Lü Guo go sit through my mother's lecture again last night? Sister Hong Zhu, next time you see my mother, could you suggest she switch up her spiel? Hearing the same old tune every day, her daughter is getting a bit tired of it."

"Alright. Since our young miss has spoken, I'll definitely relay your message to the madam."

"Your double agent game isn't very refined, is it? You just come out and say it right in front of me? You're not even trying to hide the fact that you're my mother's informant, are you?"

Hong Zhu turned to fetch the wash basin, attending to her duties while nodding and smiling in agreement. "Isn't that how it is? I earn a monthly wage serving you, and if I turn around and whisper a few words to the madam, I can earn an extra reward.

"Then, if I come back and pass along what happened on the madam's side to you, wouldn't I be able to earn yet another reward?

"Oh my, with all this playing both sides, I'll probably have enough to buy out my indenture in three to five years. Just thinking about it makes me so happy."

When the mistress was in the mood for banter, it was only natural for a servant to play along to amuse her.

Jiang Wan indeed laughed. After brushing her teeth, she took the damp cotton towel handed to her and carefully wiped her face and hands. As she placed the towel back into the water, she looked up and met Hong Zhu's gaze directly.

"Just focus on your duties. I won't do anything improper. You're only fourteen this year; there's no need to worry so far ahead.

"If I remember correctly, you and Sister Lü Guo both signed ten-year indenture contracts, right? If, when the time comes, you really can't scrape together the money to buy your freedom, won't I be here for you?"

These words didn't exactly constitute a promise, but they implied everything. Although Hong Zhu hadn't served the young mistress for long, she knew Jiang Wan was someone who stood by her word.

Tearing up, she knelt down excitedly and bowed deeply to her mistress with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, young miss! Don't worry, I will be loyal to you without fail. If I break this vow, may I never know peace again in this life!"

"There's no need for such words. Get up."

Jiang Wan wasn't born with a kind nature. She couldn't emulate the saintly aura of some transmigrated heroines in novels. She would never utter such nonsense as "all people are born equal" or "the poor and the powerful should be treated the same."

What she could promise was to be a noble who didn't oppress commoners. After all, the only difference between her and servants like Hong Zhu and Lü Guo was that she had been luckier—and her biological father had been luckier too.

Once she was all put together, she hurried off to meet up with the second and third young misses. After a quick bite to eat and some pep talk from the elders, they made a beeline back to the Li family's academy without delay.

This time, her mindset had shifted slightly. But unexpectedly, she wasn't the only one whose attitude had changed.

No sooner had she taken her seat that morning, before she could even take out her books, she saw that dumbass Li Laosi hobbling over to her.

"Wan Jieer, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten physical with you yesterday. I came specifically today to apologize. I hope you, Miss Jiang, can find it in that big heart of yours to forgive a simpleton like me."

After receiving the message from his mother yesterday, he had waited nervously until the dead of night before daring to return home, only to be caught by his mother waiting in the courtyard and beaten with a stick.

She had given him explicit orders: he must go and apologize to that fierce Jiang girl. Otherwise, even the bond between mother and son might not save him from that no-nonsense rod.

Being stuck with a mother like this in this lifetime—what a misery!

Li Chengxiu sighed miserably, circling around the fierce girl who wasn't biting. It was a pity he didn't have a tail, or he'd surely be wagging it like crazy.

"Wan Jieer, Wan sis, please cut me some slack! I promise I'll never dare lay a hand on you again. Next time anyone dares speak ill of you, I'll help you kick their asses! Please, just say you forgive me!"

Jiang Wan finally gave him a look.

Noting the injuries on his face that clearly weren't from her beating yesterday, she smirked with schadenfreude. "What, you got a beating when you got back?"

"Uh-huh."

There were benefits to being not the sharpest tool—whatever he was thinking was painted on his forehead. Li Chengxiu nodded eagerly, complaining to his creditor about his mother with equal enthusiasm.

"You have no idea how pitiful I am! Last night when I got back, my mother caught me, pinned me down, and tanned my hide again and again!

"She's just biased. Since we were kids, she's always disciplined me but never laid a hand on my brother. Isn't it just because my brother has a prettier face?

"Tell me, I'm her own flesh and blood too. How can a mother play favorites based on looks? It's so hurtful…"

This time, Jiang Wan took a careful look at him and offered a fair assessment in good conscience. "You're actually easy on the eyes."

"Really?"

Li Chengxiu, whose ego was in pieces, felt instantly restored. This was the first time a young girl had seen his brother and still said that he, Li Laosi, wasn't bad-looking!

He was utterly moved.

"Wan Jieer, I was wrong. I won't listen to Old Chang and the others spouting nonsense again. You definitely don't have a thing for my brother—I believe you now! Really!"

Oh, so this genius had come to pick a fight with her yesterday because someone else had been feeding him lines behind the scenes?

Jiang Wan's gaze swept to the right. Chang Yukang instantly felt a wave of anger directed at him and looked up to meet the Jiang family's eldest daughter's amused eyes.

"Wan Jieer, do you really think I'm not bad-looking?"

This kid must have been put down so many times that he'd developed a deep insecurity about his quite handsome face.

To be fair, the two brothers were born to the same parents. If Li Laosan was as pretty as a peach blossom, how could Li Laosi be ugly?

It was just that compared to his clever and good-looking older brother, and given his knack for spectacularly dumb moves, the contrast was stark.

"Right, of course you're not bad-looking."

Indifferently withdrawing her gaze from the right, Jiang Wan smirked mischievously, looking at the guy across from her whose face was much more bruised than hers, her eyes curving happily.

"You're just not *obviously* handsome, that's all."