Volume 1 Chapter 9 Who Wouldn't Disguise Themselves

  This life, let's have our cousin serve their household instead! Isn't this exactly what Grandmother and Zhao Qiusheng would be delighted about?

  Whatever, no one informed me, I just pretended to be dead, let my grandmother arrange everything for me! Being despised and suspected by their family, and finally breaking off the engagement, is what I need most.

  The next morning, Xie Wenjing was woken up early by her wet nurse, Du Mama.

  "Miss, when you go to pay respects to the old lady, stay by her side and serve her for a while. The old lady is so good to you, so be more considerate and make her happy. Only then will she treat your parents with even more affection."

  The wet nurse was combing Xie Wenjing's hair while gently instructing her.

  Is your grandmother good to you?

  She is arch-enemies with her own grandmother, can she be good to herself? She is just concerned about her own reputation, otherwise, she would have used a pot of rat poison to directly kill her whole family and Third Uncle's family!

  This old woman, her means are not ordinary, she was considered by herself as her own most beloved person from her previous life to her death. If it weren't for her soul not dispersing, how could she know her own foolishness? How could she know the ruthless and venomous thoughts of that old woman?

  Her viciousness was not only invisible to everyone, but the world also said she was a kind and generous stepmother. Everyone in the Xie family thought she was a good person, and I used to think so too.

  "Hmm, I get it!" Xie Wenjing used to be foolish, but after dying once, she couldn't be foolish anymore. To take revenge on this old woman, she had to put some thought into it and not be too rough, or else people would see through her and it wouldn't be good for her reputation.

  In this world, reputation is very important! In the past life, I thought that for the sake of my parents and family, I didn't need to care about my reputation. But it was precisely my own reputation that caused my parents endless heartache and even helped our enemies.

  In this life, I will settle all scores and make a name for myself!

  Old woman! I've followed you with my life for a lifetime, and I will definitely repay you well! Be patient and wait! I absolutely won't let you down!

  "Grandma, have some tea!"

  Xie Wenjing greeted her grandmother and, as expected, was asked to stay for breakfast. The other younger relatives who came to pay their respects were also invited to stay, but today, her cousin was not present.

  A heartwarming scene of family harmony, the servants in the Xie household all praised this elderly lady.

  "Good kids, your body has just recovered, don't rush to come and pay respects. Grandma is happier seeing all of you in good health than anything else."

  You few, it's time to enter the school and read books, follow the teacher well. Those who should learn needlework and embroidery from the lady teacher, go too!

  "Wenjing's body is just recovering, let's delay for a few more days before following Fuzi to learn, taking good care of her body is the most important thing."

  The grandmother accepted the flower tea that Xie Wenjing personally handed to her, holding it in her hand without drinking it immediately, but instead smiled warmly at the younger generation around the table.

  Xie Wenjing watched as the old woman called all her other brothers and sisters to study, leaving only herself behind. She pretended to be obedient and followed the old woman, suppressing the hatred in her heart and hypocritically flattering her, waiting to see how she would dote on her.

  "The old lady is really the grandmother of our Yangzhou's most beloved children, look at these kids, each and every one of them loves the old lady, relies on the old lady, it's truly enviable for us servants!"

  The old man beside grandma, Li Ajie publicly praised grandma with a face full of praise.

  "I'm old now, I like these kids, I like it when the family is harmonious and happy, a harmonious family brings prosperity! Haha!"

  The grandmother was flattered by the old servant beside her, and smiled with her eyes narrowed, a face full of kindness and joy.

  "The old lady is kind-hearted, and these children are lucky to be born as her grandchildren, it's the blessing of their good deeds in their past lives!"

  Old servant Li continued to flatter and praise her grandmother.

  Xie Wenjing sneered inwardly, if she hadn't been reborn, she would have also thought that being a daughter of the Xie family was a blessing.

  Now hearing Li Ayi often boast about her master in public, Xie Wenjing only wants to vomit.

  The reputation of this old woman was spread by these maidservants of the Xie family, so that people in Yangzhou all knew how virtuous and magnanimous the elderly lady of the Xie family was, and how well she treated her step-children.

  Behind the scenes, everything is done with shameless and despicable intentions. Nowadays, I am in a difficult situation, all the Xie family members, including my parents, three uncles and three aunts, think that my aunt is a good person, how can I deal with this old woman?

  "Wenjing, what's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?" Just as Xie Wenjing was lost in thought for a moment, her grandmother suddenly turned around and asked her.

  "Thank you, grandma. I'm all better now. I was just thinking of my parents and wanted to go to the bamboo garden to see them. But since my cousin didn't come, should I bring her along to see my parents later? Yesterday I promised my cousin that we would go see my parents together!"

  Xie Wenjing replied innocently to her grandmother's questioning.

  Grandma was very pleased, with a smile on her face: "Wenjing, since you're all better now, you can go to your parents' place and show them some filial piety. Your cousin sent someone over this morning saying she wanted to spend more time with your aunt today, even skipping school. And don't bother calling your cousin to follow you to the bamboo garden either."

  "Spend some quality time with your parents today, and starting tomorrow, you'll be going to school to study hard under the teacher's guidance. After all, you're going to be a great matriarch of our family in the future!"

  The great aunt smiled warmly and lovingly stroked Xie Wenjing's head.

  Xie Wenjing suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. However, in her heart, she had an even deeper dread of this old woman.

  This old woman knew that the Zhao family was coming to see her today, but she deliberately didn't say anything and waited until they arrived before making them feel her lack of manners without realizing it.

  Even if she herself was certain that her cousin would not come today, her aunt would definitely find an opportunity to let her take her place and entertain her own fiancé, Zhao Qiusheng.

  The abacus of aunt grandmother, in the past life I didn't understand it myself, but now I do.

  "Hum! Old woman! Your abacus is in line with my mind! That irresponsible and unaccountable man can be given to your niece! I look down on him!"

  "Grandma, are you teasing me?" Xie Wenjing's face turned red with embarrassment as she tried to please the old woman in front of her.

  The art of disguise, this life I have to learn myself. Only by disguising oneself can one deliver a fatal blow to the enemy without affecting one's own good reputation. This is what the old woman who is skilled at pretending taught me.

  "Alright, alright! Grandma won't tease you anymore. You go to the bamboo garden now! When you see your parents, tell them more of what they like to hear and smile at them often. If your father is happy, he'll recover from his illness faster!"

  The aunt and grandmother were another pair of doting parents who spoiled Xie Wenjing.

  "Thank you, Grandma. I'll go now. If Father's body is a bit better, I'd like to stay and have dinner with him. Is that okay?"

  Xie Wenjing asked intentionally.

  "Alright, you want to have dinner with your father, then go ahead. It's rare that you show such filial piety, you're a good kid! Go on! Li Ayi, take the two hundred-year-old ginseng I bought for Master and give it to Wenjing to bring along."

  "Grandma, it can't be helped, such a good person is gone, and grandma is still here."

  Xie Wenjing immediately showed a look of surprise and embarrassment.