The woman was not a talkative one. It seemed that she had only come to give her a box of newly made rouge. After saying that, she turned around and left.
Fu Zhen watched her back. Even with the long hood on, she could vaguely see the woman's beautiful face and graceful figure.
"She seems kind of familiar. How come?" she murmured softly. The woman walked downstairs unhurriedly. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Fu Zhen's mind. She suddenly called out to the woman's back, "Sister Zhang Lan!"
The woman stopped in her tracks and looked back at her. Fu Zhen slowly widened her eyes. Then, the woman suddenly lifted her veil hat and gave her a faint smile.
Sure enough, it was her!
Fu Zhen took a few steps towards her, but Zhang Lan shook her head and waved at her, indicating that she didn't need to come over. Then she put the veil hat back on and turned away.
This fleeting encounter stirred up ripples in Fu Zhen's heart.
No wonder she had felt a sense of familiarity when she saw Zhang Lan at the Liu family last time. This feeling was even stronger today. Maybe because Zhang Lan often made rouge and ointments, every time she saw her, she felt a faint fragrance on her, which was refreshing.
Thinking of the pleasant conversation they had at the Luhua Pavilion last time, and how Zhang Lan had reminded her to be careful of Chen Huanyun at the Liu family, Fu Zhen couldn't help covering her chest. She stared blankly at the place where Zhang Lan had disappeared for a long time without saying a word.
What was this?
Were they... friends now?
"Miss?" Bi Yu looked at her curiously. "What's wrong with you?"
Fu Zhen shook her head. She took one last look at the place where Zhang Lan had disappeared, then turned back and resumed her usual relaxed look. "It's nothing. I'm just a bit surprised."
This life was truly different.
Just like last time, she picked out a few things, paid for them, and then returned to the mansion. Who would have thought that as soon as the carriage stopped, a maid came up to greet her at the door and said, "Greetings, Second Miss. Miss Jin is here. She's in the Zhuqing Courtyard right now."
"Hmm?" Fu Zhen was a bit surprised. Jin Xianghuan was the kind of person who never came without a reason. She thought the Marquis Mansion was boring and cold. Whenever she invited Fu Zhen out, it was always at the Jin Mansion or a restaurant. This was the first time she had come to the Marquis Mansion in person. "I'll go there right away."
The door of the Zhuqing Courtyard was wide open. Jin Xianghuan didn't know the meaning of being polite. When she came to Fu Zhen's courtyard, she was completely at ease. She was sitting on the rocking chair in the courtyard. A maid was making tea and serving pastries beside her. She looked very comfortable.
Fu Zhen walked in with a smile. "You're a rare guest! What brought you here today? You didn't even let me know in advance. I just came back from the Luhua Pavilion. I bought a few boxes of rouge. You can pick one to take back later."
Jin Xianghuan didn't stand on ceremony with her. When she saw Fu Zhen coming, her eyes lit up. She quickly got up and pulled her to sit down beside the rocking chair. "What a wealthy Marquis Mansion miss! Buying rouge from the Luhua Pavilion. Tsk tsk. You're really used to living in luxury and don't know the hardships of us common people."
As soon as Fu Zhen heard this, she knew she was talking nonsense again. She couldn't help but pick up the round fan on the table and tap her on the forehead, scolding with a smile, "Bah! What common people are you? Aren't the rouge in your family better than mine?"
The rouge from the Luhua Pavilion was always expensive, but it was of good quality. Wealthy families all liked to use it. Jin Xianghuan naturally used it too. The words she just said were all just for fun.
Jin Xianghuan giggled. "Then I won't be polite to you. You can give me two boxes later."
Then she pulled her and whispered, "I heard that the annoying girl next door to you got married?"
Fu Zhen raised her eyebrows. Chen Huanyun's marriage was not a glorious one. A concubine's family always had their heads down, especially since Chen Yi considered himself a scholar. It was said that when he found out that his daughter was going to be a concubine, he almost beat Chen Huanyun half to death with a stick. It was only because Chen's mother protected her daughter desperately that he didn't succeed.
After doing something disgraceful, this family naturally wouldn't publicize it. They might as well walk around with their heads covered, for fear that others would notice them.
"How did you find out?" Fu Zhen was a bit curious.
Jin Xianghuan snorted with a laugh. "Chen Huanyun offended me. Do you think I would let her off easily? Naturally, I had someone keep an eye on her early on, just waiting for an opportunity to teach her a lesson. Who would have thought that before I could do anything, something happened to her first."
She giggled twice. Her face was full of schadenfreude. "I heard that the Fang family didn't want her at all. It was her mother who cried and made a scene, turning the Fang family upside down. Only then did Mrs. Fang agree to let Chen Huanyun into the family with a铁青 face. As expected, the wicked will be punished by the wicked. These two families are not good people. It's just right that they're together now! It's really satisfying!"
Jin Xianghuan was well - informed. As soon as something happened to Chen Huanyun, she found out about it.
In fact, the Chen family couldn't hide this news even if they wanted to. So many people were watching. Now their family had really become a big joke in the capital.
Fu Zhen just smiled and didn't say a word.
Chen Huanyun had opposed her again and again. She had endured many times, not wanting to cause trouble. But Chen Huanyun became more and more excessive. She even asked her own father to pester her and ruin her reputation.
This really stepped on her bottom line.
Since the other side didn't know what was good for them and insisted on provoking her, then don't blame her for being ruthless.
Jin Xianghuan came up and pinched her cheek, scolding with a smile, "What are you pretending for with me? If you want to laugh, just laugh out loud. I don't believe you don't hate her."
She was straightforward. She always showed her feelings on her face and never beat around the bush. Fu Zhen always felt relaxed and comfortable when she was with her. Hearing this, she covered her mouth and laughed. "Okay, okay. I know you have sharp eyes. Don't make fun of me. Do you think I could like her? It's just that we have to be careful. If we're too happy about her misfortune, won't people laugh at us instead?"
"Who dares to laugh? I'll tear their mouths off!" Jin Xianghuan snorted and said, "You just care too much about what others think. You're just adding a lot of worries to yourself for no reason. In my opinion, why should we care so much about them? Let them talk. Can these rumors eat me?"
Fu Zhen lowered her head to drink tea and just smiled faintly without saying a word.
Jin Xianghuan was loved by her relatives and accompanied by her friends. Even before her brother became an official, there was never a shortage of money in the family. She was always the one being flattered. If someone offended her, without her doing anything, her family would take care of it for her first. How could they let her suffer even a little bit of grievance? Naturally, she didn't need to be afraid of others' eyes.
But Fu Zhen was different.
She was like a wild grass, growing up under others' cold looks since she was a child. She was sensitive and suspicious. She might never be able to change this in this lifetime.
Moreover, she twirled the round fan in her hand and thought that the experience of being betrayed by everyone in her previous life was still fresh in her memory. It was constantly reminding her how important a woman's reputation was.
She had nothing but a little knowledge and the skill of embroidery, which would make people laugh out loud if she showed them. The only thing worth mentioning was the good reputation she had painstakingly maintained in this life.
Living for herself was probably impossible in this lifetime.