Chapter 227: Chapter 170: Ning Zhen’s Kept Pretty Boy

After leaving Quanju Building, Zhen’er looked extremely disheveled.

Ruoxi glanced over and quickly said, “I’ll hire a carriage, wait a moment.”

Zhen’er seemed not yet recovered from the earlier panic, responding softly, “Alright.”

Such a state of Zhen’er was something Ruoxi had never seen before. She assumed Zhen’er was severely hurt and thought once they were on the carriage, she must check on her.

Once Zhen’er was helped onto the carriage, Ruoxi eagerly said, “Let me take a look at you.”

Yet Zhen’er gently shook her head and said, “I’m not hurt; how could she injure me? It’s just a twisted ankle, no big deal.”

“Then why?” Ruoxi was utterly puzzled as to why Zhen’er still seemed terrified.

Zhen’er lifted her eyes to look at her and slowly said, “I’m roughly aware of what you went through at the Xiao Family.

I’ve always wondered, given how the Xiao Family treated you, I held a heart full of bad intentions back then, but why didn’t you retaliate?”

She was truly frightened to see He Hongying’s mouth slapped with a shoe; if someone treated her like that, she would have nothing to say.

So it was about this matter.

Ruoxi’s expression was calm, her gaze seeming to drift toward a distant past, she said leisurely: “My family suddenly underwent great change, at that time, I was truly in extreme pain inside.

Finally, finding relatives who joyfully embraced you, only to end up leaving one after another.

I understand my mother’s thoughts; she was terrified something untoward might happen to the only remaining member of the Shen Family, hence forcing me to be a virtuous woman in the household.

Little did she know that shortly after my marriage, she also departed from me.

At that time, I was entirely hollowed out, having suffered so much pain, becoming somewhat numb.

I resolved to do something to divert my pain.

Though life at the Xiao Mansion was indeed oppressive, I cannot deny the Xiao Family provided at least a place to stay.

If I had always stayed at the Shen Mansion, perhaps I truly would have been driven insane by endless pain.

Therefore, the Xiao Family was not wholly without merit, and Mrs. Zhou treated me fairly well, although she was overly timid and couldn’t decide anything.

After you arrived, I indeed disliked you, but since Xiao Chengyi could do such a thing, even without you, there would be someone else.

Making a huge fuss was really unsightly; moreover, you were pregnant at the time, even if I truly wanted to teach you a lesson, I would have to think carefully, right?”

Hearing this, Zhen’er’s eyes turned red, “I was truly foolish!”

“Didn’t you say before that men affect your ability to earn money? Let the past be the past; let’s look forward.” Ruoxi comforted.

“But I don’t have your magnanimity; I will absolutely not let Xiao Chengyi off easily.

I curse him to never find true love in this life, to live in pain as he claims to love but cannot attain.” Zhen’er was filled with hatred, gritting her teeth.

“He loves no one, only himself.”

Zhen’er, however, gave a mocking smile; she understood Xiao Chengyi well, knowing he regretted deeply now, wishing he could return to the past.

Now he faces the situation of having had what he wanted, then suddenly losing it; how could he be content? His suffering is yet to come.

At this moment, the coachman’s voice rang out, “Madame, we have arrived.”

Ruoxi expressed her thanks, cautiously helping Zhen’er down the carriage, then handing money to the coachman.

The place where Zhen’er lived was indeed narrow, merely a small, shabby courtyard.

Ruoxi supported her into the yard, able to see its entirety with a glance.

A man was chopping wood, turning his eyes dangerously at the sound, clutching the axe tightly, looking as though he might split Ruoxi in two at any moment.

Ruoxi certainly didn’t expect this stranger to harbor such murderous intent toward her; she raised her voice and called, “What’s your name, young man? Hurry over and help your mistress inside; she’s hurt.”

The man lowered his eyes, put down the axe, and walked over slowly.

“My name is Hu Lin, and you are?” he restrained his hatred, speaking calmly.

Ruoxi looked him up and down, internally noting, calling him a pretty boy was quite fitting.

This young man appeared seventeen or eighteen, with rosy lips and white teeth, his skin exceptionally fair, indeed a handsome youth.

Unfortunately, despite Ning Zhen’s good taste, this young man carried a somewhat sinister aura, especially his eyes, which made people feel uneasy.

“She is Princess Consort Zhan, you’ve seen her before!” Ning Zhen said calmly, seemingly unconcerned about any conflict arising between them.

“I’ve seen Princess Consort Zhan.”

“There are no outsiders here, no need for formalities, quickly help her inside.”

Following her words, Hu Lin helped Ning Zhen over, then lowered his voice to ask, “What’s wrong with Zhen’er?”

“She got into a fight with someone else.” Shen Ruoxi said frankly.

“No worries, the other one is worse off. I just twisted my foot.” Ning Zhen remembered how she had beaten He Hongying badly and how Shen Ruoxi had hit her with a shoe, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“I’ll fetch some water for you,” Hu Lin said.

“Thank you.”

Shen Ruoxi couldn’t help but be a little surprised; this wasn’t the typical interaction between a mistress and a pretty boy. These two seemed to treat each other as equals, where would you see a master thanking a servant?

“Damn it, I didn’t take a single piece of clothing from the Xiao Mansion, and this is already the best dress at home. It can’t be cleaned; it’s all ruined.” Ning Zhen frowned at the grease stains on her clothes.

Even with modern detergent, these stains would be hard to get out, let alone with just soapberry, which was ineffective.

“Why don’t you go tidy up? After all, they’re your belongings,” Shen Ruoxi suggested.

“Forget it, they’re bad luck to wear anyway. I’ll buy my own in the future. I want to become the richest person in the Capital City, I want the Xiao Family to see if I’m really a harbinger of doom.” Ning Zhen gritted her teeth, her eyes full of determination and stubbornness.

Shen Ruoxi smiled lightly, her expression tranquil, “Same here, they say I’m a harbinger of doom too. We’ll both leave and see if the Xiao Family can become wealthy.”

“With Old Mrs. Xiao being so selfish, the Xiao Family can forget about ever getting rich.” Ning Zhen couldn’t help but complain, her face full of indignation.

She moved her foot and suddenly cried out in pain, “Ouch!”

“Let me take a look at your ankle,” Shen Ruoxi said, squatting down.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Ning Zhen replied.

Shen Ruoxi carefully adjusted Ning Zhen’s ankle, and the pain made Ning Zhen’s lips turn pale.

She couldn’t help but express her anger, “That He Hongying is just outrageously bold. If I didn’t know martial arts for self-defense, she might have really taken advantage of me.

She fights without restraint, hell-bent on causing injury; she’s simply a shrew!”

Shen Ruoxi smiled slightly and consoled her, “She’s in worse shape; thinking about it this way, do you feel a bit more balanced?”

Ning Zhen listened and couldn’t help but laugh, “Indeed, much better.”

At this time, Shen Ruoxi glanced around Ning Zhen’s home; the room was nearly empty, almost bare to the walls.

She couldn’t help but secretly wonder how Ning Zhen managed to lure a pretty boy here.

Shen Ruoxi pulled a silver note worth two hundred taels from her sleeve, extending it to Ning Zhen, “Here’s a silver note for two hundred taels. Use it to get some outfits, or people will think you’re my maidservant.”

Ning Zhen just stared straight at Shen Ruoxi, her eyes a bit surprised, “You trust me like this, aren’t you afraid of losing out?”

Shen Ruoxi laughed openly, “Investment always carries risk. Since I decided to partner with you, I haven’t been afraid of losing out. I’ve got plenty of dowry!”

Ning Zhen listened, her expression earnest, “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let you lose out. Tomorrow we’ll draw up a contract, I’ll take forty percent, you take sixty, since all the money is yours, my technical shares can only earn that.” She was straightforward.

Shen Ruoxi nodded with satisfaction, “Deal.”

At this moment, Hu Lin brought water and found a clean piece of clothing for Ning Zhen.

Then Ning Zhen unabashedly gave him a silver note worth one hundred taels, “Go buy us some good food; the original feast was entirely ruined by a shrew.”

Shen Ruoxi watched from the side, sighing inwardly; Ning Zhen really trusted Hu Lin.

“I won’t eat here, I’m heading back to the Prince Mansion.” Shen Ruoxi said.

“Hu Lin, escort Princess Consort Zhan.” Ning Zhen instructed.

“No need, you take care of your mistress; I’m leaving,” Shen Ruoxi said and turned to leave.

Hu Lin stared at Shen Ruoxi’s back for a long time, his gaze seeming to bore holes into her figure.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep