The hiccup in Dewas temple passed and Ruan Di 'bribed' Ning Zi by sending the ashwood bow and arrow over.
"Eldest Lady."
"Eldest Lady."
There was a new saying among the servants, "Provoke the Master, provoke the God, but never provoke the Eldest Lady."
They were courteous and never neglected her.
With Madam Ruan on vacation in the mountains, Mrs. Li was the housekeeper now. The concubine might be greedy and temperamental, she might scold and threaten to punish them, but the servants were more afraid of the unknown and unpredictable Eldest Lady.
She was after all, emptied out her courtyard and the kitchen in on fell swoop.
Ruan Di was walking aimlessly, but then she stopped at the most remote room in the west courtyard where her parents live.
The door was open, and there were a few simple pieces of furniture in the room, but they were all covered with white cloth, and only the shape of the furniture could be roughly seen.
There were several mahogany boxes placed in the center. Ruan Cheng was leaning on one of the boxes, holding a gold hairpin inlaid with flowers.
Maybe he felt the figure at the door, and her father turned his head and looked over.
Ruan Di planned to salute her father and leave.
"Ruan Di," her father said before her, "Come here."
She gently crossed the threshold, feeling a sense of awe the moment she entered the room.
"Father." She stood in front of Ruan Cheng and called in a low voice.
Ruan Cheng was still sitting upright. She was about taller as her father in that posture.
Her father looked at her, his eyes were slightly red, seemed a little moist, and there was some sadness that she was familiar with.
Her father looked at her with that look for a long time, then suddenly smiled, then stood up, opened the wooden box on which he was sitting, and called her: "Ruan Di, come here and take a look."
Ruan Di stood next to Ruan Cheng, and looked into the box together.
There were a lot of good things.
Silver flasks, wine glasses, and a set of silver bowls and chopsticks were all engraved with exquisite patterns.
There were also many jewelry pieces, which are better than those worn by Madam Ruan. People who just look at them were dazzled.
Ruan Cheng put the hairpin in his hand into it, and then stroked her head: "These are left by your mother, and they will be given to you when you get married."
The things in this room should be the dowry of my biological mother, the late first Madam Ruan - Wu Lin.
"Do you have someone in your heart?"
Ruan Di felt awkward hearing this from her father, but this was the same process from the last life.
"I don't have a sweetheart, Father."
"What kind of man do you want to marry?"
"A responsible man, won't take concubines, and live in the capital."
Ruan Cheng raised his eyebrow, "Shouldn't you ask for a man who loves you?"
"How can we love someone before we get along with them? That's why I ask someone who lives here, Father. So we can get to know each other before actually getting engaged, let alone getting married."
"Alright, I'll remember that."
"Oh! He must be handsome and rich too!"
Ruan Cheng finally burst into laughter .
This is how a girl should've thought!
***
Ruan Di's birthday was in August, it was 2 months from now. Her father's question made her realize her time in the Ruan house was numbered. The reason her father accepted the An fmaily's proposal was because Ruan Di had a good impression on An Jing. The past's Ruan di also thought An Jing had a handsome and scholarly look.
But after years of living with Xu Kai and looking at An Wangyi up close.. An Jing was nothing.
Talking about that piece of shit that wrote her heartfelt poem and love letters, promising her life until old age and prosperous life full of children and grandchildren, yet broke the engagement with her because her chickenpox's scar then proceeds to marry Ruan Shu..
She can't marry that guy!
Ruan Cheng had ask about her future husband's criteria, but since Ruan Di didn't say his name, they won't be engaged. Then, who should she marry?
Ruan Di would be 18 in a few months, by that time she would be busy preparing for the wedding. If the families came to agreement, the wedding could be held when she was 20, but if not, it would be maximum 6 months after the engagement ceremony.
"Eldest Lady." Ruan Di found Miu saluting, "The master asked My Lady to the front hall."
"Why?"
"I heard it's My Lady's cousin."
"Cousin? Do you mean the Nings?"
"I don't see the guests and the carriage has no family emblem, it is just spacious and they brought many gifts. The Butler is currently carrying things over."
Cousin? What cousin? Even the Nings just related to her because Madam Ruan - Ning Wei was married to her father. Where is this cousin from?
The chickenpox's scar was all gone, but there was a stubborn scar on her cheekbone, as long as people didn't look too closely or she wore enough make up, no one would notice it.
Passing through the threshold, Ruan Di saluted them.
Her father was on the host chair, the guest was on his left and it consisted of a middle aged couple and a tall guy about Ning Zi and Ruan Di's age.
"Ruan Di, greet your uncle and aunt properly."
Ruan Di came over to their side, hands on her left waist and bent her knee slightly while lowering her head: "May peace be upon you, Uncle. May peace be upon you, Aunt."
"Look at you, such a beautiful young lady! " The middle aged woman gripped her hands, "The last time I saw you, you were still a baby! Brother Cheng, what are you feeding my niece? Fairy dew?"
Ruan Cheng laughed, followed by the Uncle.
"Mom, you scared her. She doesn't even remember you,"
"You brat! What do you know!"
The young man was correct though, Ruan Di had no idea who these people were. She was letting her hold her hand only because it was verified by her father they were indeed relatives.
"Ruan Di, this is your mother's younger sister. Your Aunt Wu."
That's why the last time the woman saw Ruan Di was when she's a baby, and no wonder Ruan Di couldn't remember the woman.
"Auntie Wu," she immediately changed the call.
"Good! Such a good girl! Here," The woman took off the row of bracelets on her wrist and shoved it to Ruan Di, "It's a meeting gift from your elder, you must take it!"
After getting the nod of approval from her father, Ruan Di saluted: "Thank you, Auntie."
"What do you mean 'Thank you', we're family! It's nothing!"
"At this point the treasury will be emptied out," The boy muttered, but it seemed like onlY Ruan Di could hear him.
"Ah, Ruan Di, this is your little cousin," Auntie Wu finally remembered her son's existence. She slapped his shoulder, "Hurry up and greet your sister!"
With a very unwilling expression, he stood up and did a proper salute; "Wu Lei has meet sister. May peace be upon you."
"May peace be upon you, Little Cousin." Ruan Di saw the corner of his mouth twitch, "Then Father, Uncle, Auntie. Can I take Wu Lei for a walk?"
Auntie Wu's eyes sparkling with excitement, "Of course you can! Go, go!"
Ruan Cheng added, "Bring more guards if you're going out."
"Yes, Father."
Ruan Di could feel the eager eyes on her back and she purposefully almost tripped on her gown, but Wu Lei held her hand: "Are you alright?"
"No worries."
The hands were let go and they resumed walking.
After they were far enough Wu Lei opened his mouth; "You did that on purpose."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Don't you see Auntie is very eager for us to get close?"
Wu Lei stopped at his track, looking pale.
"Don't worry about it. I told Auntie that we're better off as siblings."
Wu Lei's eyes almost popped out, looking at Ruan Di like seeing a ghost.
"It's just obvious. Calm down already."
He was still looking at her with suspicion.
"I'll tell Auntie I'm ready to marry," Ruan Di pretended to turn her back.
Wu Lei held her sleeves, "Stop!"
Ruan Di chuckled and they walked to the front gate.
A group of people stood outside, the servants beside the carriage were unloading boxes from the carriage and were very busy, but when they saw Ruan Di, they stopped and greeted her with respect.
"Eldest Lady,"
Ruan Di nodded, her house cleaning was working just right. At least if someone tried to harm her parents, they would think twice now. She just needs to be more vigilant to ensure her parents and the baby's safety.
"Eldest Lady. Young Master." Butler Hu immediately came over, "My Lady, do you need a carriage or guards?"
Ruan Di sized Wu Lei up and down, then got back at the butler: "6 strong men and the big carriage."
Wu Lei was somehow insulted, but he didn't exactly know why.
It was early summer and the spacious carriage had changed its curtain to lighter material and slightly transparent, even without opening the window, they could see the crowd outside.
"Where are you going?" Wu Lei had long learned that when women went shopping, it was never men's turn to decide on anything.