Chapter 98.2: Doubt, Game, Flower, Qin

If his guess is correct, then Wan Wan’s ‘original’ age shouldn’t be too big either, and born of an uncommon background. And after encountering great misfortune, she rapidly matured. However, this change didn’t make her become dark, blaming the heavens and resenting the people, but rather, made her tough and unyielding, undaunted by repeated setbacks, having all the wind and frost transform into a grindstone, and having herself polished into a piece of the most delicate treasure jade, blossoming magnificently. And at her side, perhaps there was also someone similar to Luo Old Madam, this kind of wise and farsighted elder. That’s why she was able to have that ability to oversee everything, even if it was only for show. Of course, not excluding the possibility that it was Luo Old Madam’s influence. But, a person, whose nature has already formed, was actually very difficult to be influence again. He himself was the best example.

He was very certain, the current Wan Wan was still the same person from his past life. He sometimes had the reason to doubt that the her back then was precisely someone who possessed an extraordinary history. After all, the Luo family, that kind of place that can be said to be simple and peaceful, for what reason was there to raise that kind of girl. Moreover, in this life, he’d long understood Wan Wan’s life. In her childhood, she was quiet, clever, precocious, and often times people would feel she wasn’t like a child. And as she got older, this kind of out of sorts feeling finally dispersed slowly. Even now, if one doesn’t carefully pay attention, then for the most part, she matched her age. Did that mean that the her right now was currently approaching her true age? Then, it was very obvious, she wasn’t inserted midway, but rather, from the start, she was precisely the Luo family’s third miss to begin with, and there doesn’t exist another Luo Jing Wan……………….

Only by linking these together can one finally explain the little doubtful points found on Wan Wan.

Gongbi painting never once appeared in history before, so Wan Wan’s origins was worth pondering over. She probably wasn’t like him, repeating the same life again, but possibly similar to reincarnating into the Luo family carrying a lifetime of memories from another world?

Li Hong Yuan reached out and covered his eyes. Although this was just his guess, the possibility was very high.

Li Hong Yuan suddenly began crazily laughing, “Hey, Wan Wan, you ought to be mine. We’re practically a match made in heaven. Regardless whether you’re an old monster, or delicate young miss in your prime, regardless whether you’re an immortal from the ninth heavens, or a demon from the netherworld, even if you’re a man, since you’ve fallen into my eyes, then in this lifetime, don’t think about escaping. As for the secrets on you, no matter, this prince can slowly dig, and have you peeled open layer by layer, exposing your most tender and most delicate innards, hehe……….”

Jing Wan suddenly shivered a little. Why did she strangely have a kind of feeling like she was getting watched by a beast again? She subconsciously lifted her head and looked around. There doesn’t seem to be anything particular.

Wang-shi couldn’t help but sigh, “Mother, it’s still you that knows how to instruct.” Inside, she was also a little jealous. Her own eldest daughter was also raise in front of Luo Old Madam before, but how come she wasn’t raised to be this outstanding.

Luo Old Madam although was happy, but, “This, I can not take credit for. Raising Wan Wan, I’ve always thought to have spoiled her more, so for her to be like this now, is all on her own. Sometimes, even I find it strange. With her father and mother like that, how were they able to give birth to a child that was completely different from them in personality? However, this way was also very good. Those two were both the unreliable type.” Although Luo Old Madam liked her second son, she sometimes still very much disdained him.

“Third girl takes after you and father.”

Although these words were flattery, Luo Old Madam was still happy to hear them.

Among the noble madams, there were still quite a few that recognized Wang-shi, thus Luo Old Madam’s identity was self-evident. They’d all heard that she’d just entered the capital not long ago, so the young misses at her side must be the Luo Family’s remaining few young misses. Those that were tempted couldn’t help approaching, first making some friendly connections. And those that were slightly more familiar naturally began talking about their children’s marriages, “Your family’s third miss, from looks, doesn’t seem too old, does she have an engagement?”

Luo Old Madam smiled, “Just got engaged a few days ago.”

“Oh my, didn’t you all just enter the capital not long ago? How come she got engaged this fast, was it agreed on long ago?”

“Not really, it was brought up after we entered the capital.”

“Which dignified noble family’s young master is it then? Presumably must be a first class handsome gentleman, thus one is uneasy, else there wouldn’t be the need to be this anxious, no?”

Luo Old Madam’s smile weakened a little. In society’s eyes, getting engage this fast must mean that the other party’s status is very prominent, and if one is slow, they’ll be snatched by others. “Not some dignified noble family, just the grandnephew of my maiden family, merely just a candidate for the imperial exam. That younger brother of mine has also retired to the countryside some time ago.”

That madam was obviously very surprised, and quite a few people in the surrounding was also more or less the same. Afterwards, their gaze once again, intentionally or otherwise, landed on Jing Wan. Seeing such a good girl, could it be that she has some unspeakable illness? Else, why would they pick such a person to get engaged to? Or could it be that this young miss only appeared well-regarded, but in actuality didn’t receive Luo Old Madam’s favor? Or perhaps, this Luo Old Madam, despite being in her elderly years, was still thinking of the people of her maiden family, wanting to shove anything good back to her maiden family?

In this short amount of time, they immediately pictured dozens of different possibilities, but not a single one was identical to Luo Old Madam’s original intentions. What kind of person was Luo Old Madam? How could she not understand what they were thinking? “Our family’s third girl is a pure-hearted one. Places that are too complicated, she definitely won’t live well. For her, rather than brocade garments and jade meals, a life of luxury, she’d much rather have a simple and ordinary life. As her grandmother, I don’t expect for her to be able to bring this family anything either. As long as she lives well and according to her wishes, and her in-laws and her husband treat her well, and don’t have a pile of messy worries, it is enough for me.”

Luo Old Madam’s words made the people in the surrounding somewhat embarrassed. These words appear to be plain, like she was just talking about her own family’s young miss, but to people like them, who only ever speak of dignified noble families and status, it was somewhat soul-crushing. To have her underlying meaning put bluntly, it was just, ‘you all, who only think of benefits, not at all considering whether or not your own family’s daughters will truly be happy, are practically unfit to be one’s mother’.

Since there was nothing inherently wrong with Luo Old Madam’s words in itself, even if they understood some of her hidden meaning, they couldn’t lash out and could only walk to the side with embarrassed expressions. And those that felt Luo Old Madam’s words were extremely right, all couldn’t help coming forward, consulting Luo Old Madam on her experiences in child rearing. She although said she didn’t take credit, but with such a elegant and refined young lady placed there, who would believe it?

Since they wanted to asked, Luo Old Madam wasn’t stingy either. In reality, those things weren’t anything that needed to be concealed, but most was still on Jing Wan herself. At such a time, she also was the same as those elders who liked to show off their own family’s child. Besides, it’s not like she was exaggerating, purposefully raising Jing Wan’s status. There wasn’t the need, no?

“Oh my, is your family’s miss really that good at raising flowers?”

“Certainly, that girl doesn’t have any other hobbies, just fond of those plants and flowers. Those that she raises, even her grandfather wants to get his hands on, yet doesn’t dare to raise them himself, fearing he might accidentally ruin them. He’d be heartbroken to death.”

“Our family’s child also likes plants and flowers, yet is a ‘flower destroyer’, killing every one they’ve raised.”

“Then most likely, there’s places they didn’t pay attention to. Our family’s third girl treat those rare and valuable breeds all very carefreely, yet those breeds all grow very well. According to her, one should just pay attention to what one needs to pay attention to. There’s no need to be that cautious.”

“If one has to say, it’s that your family’s miss has a connection with nature, even the plants and flowers all become spirited with her.”

These words made even Luo Old Madam can’t help but laugh out loud.

T/N: So very important, I made a mistake in translation on one of the character’s name. Tbh you can’t really blame me because this surname is wayyyy too obscure, and it has that double meaning. The Fifth Head Magistrate, turns out, Fifth[第五 Diwu] was his surname, it also literally means fifth, but it is an actual surname. I came across it at the very bottom of the Hundred Family Surnames book and came to realization. And because it is an error in translation I will have to change it in past chapters and subsequent chapters. He will now be called ‘Head Magistrate Diwu’. Thank god he only appears in a few chapters so far. If they’d given his full name I would’ve been less confused. Sighhhhs.