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Round-faced girl Qi Lin saw Qi Yiran’s displeasure and watched as she flicked her sleeve, a trace of contempt flickering in her eyes.
Hmph, when she had just been pulled away, she didn’t see her putting up a fight, and now she was putting on a show.
She looked at Qi Yiran and chuckled, “So, Bai Miaqing just returned home not too long ago, and I heard she’s quite favored in the Bai family…”
Qi Yiran couldn’t stand hearing about who was favored at home. Her face immediately darkened.
Qi Lin quickly noticed the change in Qi Yiran’s expression. As someone who often followed Qi Yiran like a shadow, she knew exactly what to say to make her happy.
She immediately changed her tone with a smile and said, “A country bumpkin and a merchant’s daughter, why bother getting angry with them, dear Yiran? People like them don’t even deserve to shine your shoes.”
Indeed, when Qi Lin spoke these words, Qi Yiran’s complexion improved considerably. She even lifted her chin proudly.
“You’re right. I can’t be bothered to contend with those country bumpkins. Let’s go. They’re nothing compared to me,” Qi Yiran said with an air of calmness as she walked ahead. But in her clenched palm, her handkerchief was crumpled.
Thinking about the moment when Shen Yu’an had bumped into her earlier, for some reason, Qi Yiran suddenly recalled the day when Shen Yu’an had kicked her and sent her flying far enough to hang from a tree branch. She shivered slightly at the memory.
Well, she would let the country bumpkin off the hook for now. After she returned, she would discuss with her brother and then thoroughly teach Shen Yu’an a lesson.
Qi Yiran walked ahead, and Qi Lin quickly followed.
Observing Qi Yiran slightly ahead of her, Qi Lin silently let out a cold chuckle. She was just a lesser daughter in the household and not favored at all.
She couldn’t possibly fit into the circle of legitimate daughters. She had managed to align herself with Qi Yiran by having a knack for pleasing people with her words.
However, she looked down on Qi Yiran, seeing her as a foolish, jealous person without a brain.
She kept her true thoughts concealed, and with quick steps, she caught up to Qi Yiran, laughing and chatting as they both boarded a carriage.
On the other side, after Qi Yiran and her group had left, Bai Miaqing instructed the shopkeeper to have the rouge and face powder they had selected wrapped and sent to her residence.
She then walked out of the shop with Shen Yu’an, heading towards a clothing store.
On the way, Bai Miaqing whispered, “An’An, what did you sprinkle on that annoying person just now?”
Shen Yu’an knew that the person Bai Miaqing referred to as “annoying” was the one they had encountered earlier.
She playfully smiled and whispered just like her, “It’s the medicinal powder you prepared for me. Once it sticks to the skin, it immediately seeps into the pores, causing itching and irritation.”
With this explanation, Bai Miaqing instantly knew who she was talking about.
Shen Yu’an had provided Bai Miaqing with various exotic medicinal herbs to create these powders, whether for pranks or for real harm.
The type of powder she had sprinkled on Qi Yiran just now wouldn’t be fatal, but it would certainly make a woman who valued her appearance above all else wish for death.
Moreover, to counteract this type of powder, whether ingested or applied externally, required the use of medicinal ingredients that were extremely nauseating. Most people wouldn’t be able to bear it.
Shen Yu’an and Bai Miaqing walked together, continuously sharing whispered laughter.
Bai Miaqing recalled what Qi Yiran had said earlier about Shen Yu’an allegedly stealing her clothes. Even though she knew the reality was likely different from Qi Yiran’s claims, Bai Miaqing was still curious about what had actually transpired.
Once she learned the truth, Bai Miaqing was left even more speechless.
The General’s residence’s Third Miss turned out to be so petty.
Bai Miaqing waved her hand dismissively and boldly said, “Come on, who cares about her shabby clothes? Let’s buy our own.”
In the clothing store, Bai Miaqing treated Shen Yu’an like a living doll, layering her with one piece of clothing after another. Each outfit looked good, and the servants helped her put them on.
On the other side, Qi Yiran was engrossed in examining the newly arrived fabrics and clothing styles in the store, not paying attention to the occasional itching sensation on her skin.
Meanwhile, Qi Lin, observing the red marks on Qi Yiran’s neck, asked in surprise, “Why are you scratching like this?”
Qi Yiran, puzzled, asked, “What?”
Qi Lin pointed to Qi Yiran’s neck and explained, “On your neck, it’s almost scratched to the point of bleeding. Get a damp cloth to wipe it.”
Only then did Qi Yiran realize her hand was still resting on her neck.
Being reminded of this, Qi Yiran suddenly felt intense itching on her neck and arms. There was even a slight stinging sensation, and she had scratched it quite vigorously, causing red marks.
“Hiss!”
Qi Yiran let out a soft hiss and furrowed her brow, lowering her hand. She said, “What’s going on?”
One of her maids had already fetched a damp cloth and handed it to Qi Yiran. She placed the wet cloth over the itchy area, and it did relieve some of the discomfort.
Seeing Qi Yiran’s displeased expression, Qi Lin consoled her, “It’s probably because you came into contact with something dirty outside. Once you return to the mansion, take a bath and change your clothes, and it should be fine.”
Automatically, Qi Yiran replaced the “dirty stuff” in Qi Lin’s words with Shen Yu’an’s presence.
Waving her hand in disdain, she muttered, “Indeed, it’s something dirty. Nothing good comes from encountering it. Such bad luck.”
Despite briefly wiping with the damp cloth, the itching intensified even more. Qi Yiran’s frustration grew.
Instantly losing interest in looking at clothes, Q Yiran turned around and said, “Let’s head back.”
Seeing her turn away, a shop assistant who had carried quite a few fabric samples quickly tried to explain, “Miss Qí, have a look at these fabrics…”
Qi Lin lagged behind, hesitating as she glanced at the high-quality fabrics the shop assistant was holding. She decided to catch up with Qi Yiran.
These fabrics had come all the way from the capital, and she couldn’t afford to buy so many with her own money. Qi Yiran had promised to give her a piece of emerald-green fabric, and if she left suddenly, Qi Lin might lose that fabric as well.
She politely blocked Qi Yiran, who was about to leave, and said, “If we leave like this without finalizing these fabric selections, the shop assistants might be disappointed.”
Feeling the increasing itchiness in her neck and arms, Qi Yiran impatiently turned and said, “Just put it on my account.”
Both Qi Lin and the shop assistant smiled with satisfaction.
Qi Lin pretended to console Qi Yiran and then said, “Qi Yiran, you can go back now. When the shop assistants have everything prepared, I’ll have my servant deliver them to you.”
“Understood.”
With that said, Qi Yiran eagerly got into the carriage. As soon as she was in, she pulled up her sleeves and looked at her own arms.
Her arms were covered in red marks from her scratching, making her extremely irritated.