Chapter 235 She's just waiting to reap the benefits.
Chapter 235 She's just waiting to reap the benefits.
She was just worried about not having a chance to see him, and this was perfect timing—it was delivered right to her doorstep. That ugly woman probably wouldn't let her go with him, so she could have a chance encounter to increase her chances of getting along with him. She was still shaken by how she had lost face in front of that man last time, and she had to get her revenge. She quickly dragged Xiaochun back and fussed around for half an hour before following her older brother after he left.
When Qin Zhenzhen was excitedly planning to go out and have a chance encounter, she had just gone back to dress up again, putting on new clothes, thinking that she would definitely save face later.
As a result, without checking the almanac before leaving home, he ran into the playboy Wang Shengxian not far from his house. After seeing Qin Zhenzhen, his squinty eyes lingered on her, and his unrestrained gaze annoyed Qin Zhenzhen, but she couldn't show it and could only respond with a smile.
In the first month of the lunar calendar, when the spring chill was still in the air, a gust of cold wind outside would make one shiver. Wang Shengxian, who considered himself dashing and debonair, was dressed in a brocade robe that was so big that his belly looked like it was about to burst. He opened a fan with a "whoosh" and started waving it. His greasy smile was disgusting.
"Oh, isn't this little sister Zhenzhen? We're really on the same wavelength! I was just about to come looking for you. I got some little trinkets the other day and was planning to give them to you to play with. I just stepped out and ran into you. No wonder the magpies on the branches were chattering non-stop this morning. It seems there must be something good happening today, right, little sister Zhenzhen? Come on, I'll take you to the garden to watch a play and have some tea to warm you up. Look at your little hands, they're all red from the cold."
After Wang Shengxian finished speaking, he tried to take her hand, but Qin Zhenzhen couldn't help but roll her eyes and subtly avoid him. In such cold weather, there were still magpies chattering. If anyone was going to make noise, it would be this black crow that was making a racket. She had no self-awareness at all.
The last time she went to the county school gate, her bright green dress was quite unique, but it made her shiver with cold. She even coughed for two days and took medicine for several days afterward. This time, she learned her lesson and heard that those talented men all liked women who were as beautiful as orchids in a secluded valley.
She had dressed herself up too extravagantly before, and she sensed something from Meng Jiuhe's disgusted look. So these days she tried to dress herself up simply, so that Meng Xiucai wouldn't feel inferior looking at her plain clothes and hands with only a silver bracelet on them. She herself was a little disgusted.
She usually liked the golden bracelet and the emerald green color. It was another friend who gave her the idea, saying that since the person was already poor, if she dressed up with jewels, the person would definitely feel inferior. She should lower herself and say that these scholars were very principled and that she would be able to control the person.
Qin Zhenzhen then changed her usual attire, becoming much more serene and giving people a refreshing and new feeling.
Wang Shengxian couldn't take his eyes off her. He thought to himself that Qin Zhenzhen's usual glittering and jeweled attire was rather vulgar. If it weren't for her good looks, she wouldn't be able to pull off those golden jewelry. It was a blessing for her family that the daughter of a clerk could be his concubine. He wondered what this woman was so fussy about. He had condescended to find many trinkets to please her, but every time she saw him, she would find an excuse to leave after only a few words. Today was a rare opportunity, and he wouldn't leave so easily.
Father was right. Women are all pretentious, but once they're in bed, they have to be obedient. If it weren't for the fact that her father is still somewhat useful, why would he have thought of taking this woman back?
Wang Shengxian tried to please her with flattering words, while Qin Zhenzhen wore a perfunctory expression. This man was haunting her like a ghost; how could she possibly meet with Scholar Meng? Each of them harbored their own thoughts.
Qin Zhenzhen almost bit her lip until it bled, but this person still followed her. It just so happened that today was a day off from the county school, and Xu Chaoyan and Meng Jiuxia set up a stall on the street corner again.
Over the years, they gradually accumulated some silver. She carefully calculated that if they continued like this for a year, they would still have some potential.
"Little sister Zhenzhen, wasn't what I just told you funny? How about I tell you another one?"
Qin Zhenzhen didn't hear what she said at all, and gave him a perfunctory smile: "Young Master Wang, there's a snack stall up ahead. I heard they've put some new food on the menu. How about I take you there to try some?"
Wang Shengxian looked confident, thinking to himself, "Could it be that I've finally won this woman over? I knew it! With my family background, no woman would look down on me."
So what if she's not the daughter of a minor official? She still has to rely on her father. He couldn't help but become a little arrogant, and his voice became somewhat unpleasant: "Those cheap street snacks are not clean and hygienic. Be careful not to get an upset stomach. Why don't we go to Juxianlou, where they gather delicacies from all over the country?"
Wouldn't it instantly create a romantic atmosphere if we got a nice private room and had a few drinks? Just thinking about it made him shudder; he had never experienced anything so exciting before.
Seeing his bloated and irritated appearance, Qin Zhenzhen knew he was probably daydreaming. Instead of dwelling on her displeasure, she pointed to Xu Chaoyan's stall in the distance and changed the subject: "Look, the aroma is wafting over here. I've heard some of my girlfriends say that the woman sells delicious snacks with a unique flavor. I happen to be craving some myself."
Wang Shengxian was a lecherous man who was most fond of women with graceful figures. He suddenly had an idea, and then Qin Zhenzhen gave him a sweet smile, and he immediately relented.
Qin Zhenzhen was delighted to see him agree. Although the ugly woman's face was somewhat ugly, pockmarked, and scarred, her figure was quite good from a distance. Coincidentally, she was wearing a veil today, which made her look hazy and mysterious from afar, giving her a unique charm.
Since she had no one she could use, why not borrow this person's power to kill someone else? She couldn't help but feel secretly pleased with herself, thinking that she could reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
Wang Shengxian reluctantly looked into the distance and saw a young woman with a graceful figure, her hair simply tied up and a veil covering her face. Just looking at her eyes made him feel a little distracted. He wondered what her face looked like under the veil, and he couldn't wait to lift that annoying thing.
He couldn't help but swallow hard. His face had been stinging from the wind these past few days, so Xu Chaoyan covered it with a gauze scarf. The moisturizing cream was quite expensive, and she was worried that the wind might make her face even uglier.
Zhang Yueniang didn't come out to set up her stall today. Ya Ya wasn't feeling well, so she stayed home with her daughter. Meng Jiuxia was lighting a charcoal brazier nearby, her little face covered in soot.
Xu Chaoyan picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped her face: "It's windy today, why don't you go home first, so your face doesn't get all dry." The young girl is at an age where she cares about her appearance, so her face shouldn't be ruined by the wind.
I've been so busy before the New Year that I haven't had any time, but I've finally had some free time these past few days. I'll make some lard and astragalus face cream to apply; my face really needs some pampering.
Shen Siheng came early in the morning to pick up the two of them and they went over together. Meng Jiu and the others could hear his chattering voice from afar, and somewhat helplessly folded a corner of the book and put it aside.
As soon as Shen Siheng entered the door, he waved to greet the old lady: "Auntie, you look much better than when you first came. It must be because your tofu pudding is good for you. Look at my pale and sickly complexion, I look so pitiful. When you have time, please make me a bowl."
Zhang Xuyang happened to come out of the house and saw him looking shameless. He couldn't help but roll his eyes and say a few sarcastic words: "Shen Siheng, how old are you? You're still so greedy and shameless. Besides, this is my mother. What are you doing holding her arm? Get off me right now."
Shen Siheng stuck out her tongue and made a face at him: "I won't, I just won't."
Just as the two were about to start fighting again, Meng Jiuhe appeared at just the right moment to stop them.
"Didn't we say we were going to eat at your restaurant? What are you dawdling about?"
The two stopped, and the old woman smiled kindly but with a hint of helplessness: "You two monkeys, get lost! You're making this old woman dizzy."
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