Chapter 412 - 359: That’s Not Good
Chapter 412: Chapter 359: That’s Not Good
To avoid disrupting business at the shop while still hosting Xiao Man, Lu Jianling insisted on minding the store herself. She told Yang Liu’er to take Weiwei and go out with Xiao Man to eat, and maybe do a little shopping and sightseeing.
Just like every other time they met, the three of them found a place selling snacks. They started at a herbal tea stall, drinking sodas and iced soy milk while eating some local specialties. Afterward, they walked and browsed along the nearby streets. With the easing of the Reform and Opening-Up policies encouraging the rise of private enterprises, state-owned stores were still operating as usual, but all sorts of private shops were now sprouting up like mushrooms after a spring rain, vying to get ahead. These new street-side shops were now almost all privately owned, selling a dazzling variety of goods. Weiwei excitedly pulled Xiao Man from one shop to the next, pointing things out as his eyes darted everywhere, completely mesmerized. Yang Liu’er simply followed behind them with a smile, secretly keeping a close watch. She showed no sense of novelty whatsoever, and occasionally, her gaze toward the two of them held a trace of pity. Xiao Man could almost hear her sighing internally: ’Ah, these two unworldly children!’
Xiao Man was speechless but also helpless. She couldn’t just rush up to Yang Liu’er and reveal their connection: ’Hey, we’re actually the same kind, you and I! Let’s swap our experiences as reincarnators—what year did you live to? I died in such-and-such year...’
’How creepy is that? It’s better to just pretend I’m like little Weiwei. Unworldly is unworldly. Hmm, actually, it’s probably better to call it blissful ignorance.’
Wandering around with an energetic little guy who found everything curious and interesting was quite relaxing, especially since they didn’t need to buy anything and had no particular destination. They were just window shopping. Before they knew it, they had walked quite far. By the time the little one finally got tired, the three of them were several kilometers from where they had started. Since they decided to take a bus back, Yang Liu’er picked up Weiwei and suggested they might as well check out the export-oriented store not far ahead. Xiao Man didn’t have anything urgent to do anyway, so she nodded in agreement.
But unexpectedly, in the export-oriented store, they ran into Bai Qingyue and her nieces.
They were at two different counters, not far from each other, when their eyes met. Yang Liu’er’s expression stiffened. She had left the Bai Mansion without a word and really didn’t want to run into the Bai family like this. Xiao Man also cursed her bad luck internally. On the day Tang Qingshan and Ai Wenli got married, Xiao Man had cornered Bai Qingyue with a few pointed remarks, nearly causing her to lose her composure and start trouble. But even after that, she had shamelessly continued to interact with the Tang family as if nothing had happened, still pretending to be concerned and caring toward Xiao Man. She even had the Bai sisters come look for Xiao Man to hang out. Xiao Man was thoroughly sick of the aunt and nieces’ hypocrisy and shamelessness and had no patience for dealing with them.
Bai Qingyue quickly walked over with her two nieces. Bai Yifen and Bai Yifang affectionately called out, "Sister Manman," their faces beaming as they greeted her warmly. They didn’t spare so much as a glance for Yang Liu’er, who was standing beside her.
At first, Yang Liu’er felt a little self-conscious around the aunt and her two nieces; after all, they were Brother Junfan’s family. But seeing their attitude, the scenes from her past life—where they had treated her like an animal, ordering her around at their whim—flashed vividly in her mind. Steeling herself, a defiant malice rose within her. With a cold expression, she lifted her chin high, her posture even more arrogant than that of the Bai women.
Bai Qingyue acted as if she didn’t recognize Yang Liu’er, not even glancing in her direction. Maintaining her dignified and elegant demeanor, she looked at Xiao Man with a gentle and affectionate gaze, smiling as she spoke. "You silly child, why didn’t you call your auntie when you wanted to go shopping? I have connections at all the major stores. If you’d just called before heading out, I could have found out what you wanted, and you wouldn’t have had to run all over the place. You could have gone straight to the right shops! Still, a lot of stores got new stock in today, especially clothes and dresses. Every piece is so new and pretty. Your two older sisters and I couldn’t help but spend half the day shopping. We found so many good things."
Bai Yifang laughed. "Sister Manman, did you buy anything? Why don’t you shop with us? You have great taste, you can help my sister pick some things out. She’s preparing her trousseau, you know! Every single item has to be chosen carefully; we can’t be careless in the slightest!"
Bai Yifen pretended to be shy and nudged her twin sister. "You and your silver tongue!"
Then she turned, took Xiao Man’s hand, and said, "Dear sister, this only happens once in a girl’s life. My engagement party is the day after tomorrow. You absolutely have to be there!"
Xiao Man pulled her hand back and offered a few perfunctory congratulations. "Of course, I’ll be sure to send a nice gift. I wish you a happy and blissful marriage, Sister Yifen. May you and Mr. Meng love each other and grow old together!"
Yang Liu’er, who was being treated as if she were invisible, kept her face carefully nonchalant, but inwardly she was sneering. ’I can’t believe I forgot. Bai Yifen really is getting engaged this summer, married two months later, and then Bai Yifang gets married next fall!’
’In my last life, fate didn’t grant this pair of wicked sisters a happy ending. Bai Yifen married the eldest son of the Meng Family, who turned out to be a drug addict. Less than two years into the marriage, he got himself killed. Instead of mourning properly, Bai Yifen copied Bai Qingyue’s style and started fooling around with several men. Later, when she got pregnant, she hastily grabbed a man and arranged a wedding. But who would have known that the man wasn’t actually divorced? His first wife showed up and crashed the wedding banquet with their children, her brothers, and a whole flock of female relatives and busybodies. What a scene that was... Bai Yifang was even unluckier than her sister. Her husband died just a few days after they got married. She remarried, and that husband also died during their newlywed period. The third time she married, her husband simply disappeared. After that, no one dared to marry her!’
Recalling these events from her past life, Yang Liu’er felt a rare sense of satisfaction and couldn’t help but let out a couple of soft chuckles.
Bai Yifen shot a quick, vicious glare at Yang Liu’er, which only made Yang Liu’er’s smile grow wider. ’What’s there to be so smug about? You truly can’t recognize Mount Tai when you see it. Don’t you know that I’m practically a fortune teller who can predict your fate? If you had apologized to me nicely, I might have even given you a pointer or two to help you avoid that swampy road ahead. But since you’re so arrogant and ungrateful, then by all means, carry on!’
Bai Qingyue naturally heard Yang Liu’er’s laughter as well but simply assumed she was trying to get their attention, making her even less inclined to acknowledge her. She only said to Xiao Man in a soft voice, "Whether you bring a gift or not doesn’t matter; you’re still a student, after all. But you absolutely must come to Yifen’s engagement party. And when she gets married, you’ll be one of her bridesmaids! It’s settled then. The morning after next, I’ll send someone to pick you up!"
Yang Liu’er scoffed inwardly. ’A cursed marriage like that, and she wants Manman to be a bridesmaid? Not to mention Manman dislikes the Bai Family and doesn’t want to go because she hates Bai Lihua. When the time comes, I’ll definitely have to remember to stop her. She shouldn’t even go to the banquet, lest she get tainted by their bad luck!’
As if she could read Yang Liu’er’s mind, Xiao Man spoke to Bai Qingyue and her nieces with an apologetic tone. "Ordinarily, I would have loved to come and celebrate, but unfortunately, I already have plans. I’m leaving on a trip to another province the day after tomorrow, so the timing just doesn’t work. I’m so sorry. As for being a bridesmaid, I’m not qualified for that either. Where I’m from, a woman who already has a fiancé can’t be a bridesmaid."
Seeing the expressions on Bai Qingyue’s and Bai Yifen’s faces freeze instantly, Yang Liu’er felt a surge of delight, and her smile became even more charming.
Bai Yifang bit her lip and said, "Manman, really... you haven’t had a formal engagement ceremony with anyone. It’s probably best not to mention having a ’fiancé’ so casually in front of others. It doesn’t look good!"