‘Damn it, damn it! What the hell is happening! Meiana, that woman, leaving this matter to me and then she…!’
Vainty muttered curses under her breath as she stomped along. Her forehead was hot with anger. She understood to some extent why Meiana had entrusted her with this; she had, after all, brought it upon herself.
Foolish, but she could at least make that judgment. It all started because of that button…
Meiana had entrusted Vainty to keep an eye on Grete whenever she had the chance. And to not stop her even if she was snooping around Ariante’s room. What Meiana was thinking was beyond comprehension.
If it were as Meiana said, and Grete was snooping around Ariante’s room, shouldn’t she catch Grete red-handed and report it to Head Butler Joslyn? Even if Joslyn disliked Ariante, he wouldn’t protect Grete. Because…
‘She’s creepily loyal, as if she’s some kind of hunting dog.’
Vainty recalled an event from last year.
A maid who had been there for two or three months was going between the kitchens, delivering tea. She was caught by Joslyn, having tucked a small silver teaspoon into her apron pocket.
But anyone could see she had no intention of stealing it. If she wanted to steal silverware, she would’ve aimed for bigger items like a plate or tray late at night. What could she do with a teaspoon that was the size of a finger?
However, Jocelyn thought otherwise. She had summoned all the servants to one place and pointed at the maid, making her step forward. Then she took out a switch made of a tree branch and struck the maid’s back.
The maid cried out in injustice. She had simply picked up a teaspoon that had fallen to the ground and absentmindedly put it in her pocket. She had intended to put it back in the kitchen but had momentarily forgotten… Anyone who heard this would find it plausible. These things happened to everyone now and then.
Jocelyn was the only one who did not believe her. The switch was elastic and sturdy, not even breaking. Eventually, the maid, who had been beaten until blood seeped through her clothes, was thrown out of the mansion just before fainting. She did not receive a single penny, of course.
Even spiteful Vainty trembled at the thought of that spectacle. The face of Jocelyn, the housekeeper, became even more unbearable to contemplate.
She swung the switch like a madwoman, and while she did not flinch at the maid’s ear-piercing screams, she appeared utterly indifferent. There was anger but no loss of reason, no excitement filled with malice.
‘What a woman. How could anyone think like that?’
Shaking off the terrible thought, Vainty crept quietly towards Arianne’s room. Fortunately, the door was open so she could enter the living room without making a sound. It seemed all the maids were idly scattered elsewhere. It was quiet and desolate.
‘Is nobody here?’
Just then, she heard rustling from somewhere inside. Startled, Vainty bit the tip of her tongue. A tingling and numbing pain shot through her body, bringing her to her senses.
She moved even more cautiously towards the sound. It was clearly coming from Arianne’s bedroom.
The door was ajar but the gap was narrow. Vainty peered in and unconsciously covered her mouth with her hand.
“Damn it, where is it? Where did you put it?”
It was Grete. Gone was her usual frail demeanor, replaced by a torrent of foul language as she ransacked Arianne’s room like a madwoman. She overturned the bed sheets, pulled down dolls, and even tipped over boxes filled with toys or books. As a result, Arianne’s room looked like it had been bombed.
“You insignificant girl… who do you think… do you know who I am? I am also of noble birth. If only my house had not fallen! Damn it! Where the hell is it! What are you hiding! I want to kill you!”
A ripping sound followed. It was the sound of Arianne’s pillow being torn apart. Vainty realized that Grete held a small knife she had secretly taken from the kitchen—a knife used for cutting fruits.
As Grete wildly flailed the contents of the pillow, soft feathers scattered all around. Vainty tore her eyes away from the door and stepped back. At that moment, something softly touched her heel and made a clattering noise.
Almost simultaneously, Grete turned her bulging eyes toward the door, and Vainty sucked in her breath.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
