Chapter 55: The First Thread
Young Lady Gu angrily stomped her foot the moment she stepped out of the restaurant. She abruptly stopped in the middle of the street before turning around once more. Her gaze slowly lifted toward the second floor.
Although she could no longer see inside, she could almost picture the two of them sitting together by the window.
Perhaps... They had already begun eating.
Perhaps... Xie Rong was even accompanying Shen Taotao as though nothing had happened.
The mere thought made her chest tighten.
"Shen Taotao..." She slowly repeated the name through gritted teeth as her brows knitted tightly together, "Who was it that said the Shen Residence’s adopted daughter was a fool?"
She had heard those rumors countless times. A fool, timid and cowardly. Unable to distinguish right from wrong. Someone who would never survive among the noble families of the capital.
But the woman she had just met was nothing like those descriptions. Not only had Shen Taotao remained calm throughout the confrontation, she had even dared slap her maid in front of everyone.
And more importantly, she had somehow caused the cold Xie Rong to stand on her side without the slightest hesitation.
Young Lady Gu slowly clenched her fists.
"No..." Her eyes gradually narrowed, "That wasn’t Shen Taotao."
She refused to believe it. The fool described in the rumors could never become the woman she had witnessed today.
Someone must have been pretending or maybe The Shen Residence had hidden her true nature all along.
A dangerous glint quietly flashed across her eyes.
"If that’s the case..." A faint, cold smile slowly curved upon her lips. "Then I shall personally uncover who you really are."
With those words, she turned and continued walking. After only a few steps, however, she suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
The maid following closely behind failed to react in time and accidentally bumped into her back.
Young Lady Gu’s expression instantly darkened.
"You useless servant..." She gritted her teeth, her voice deliberately lowered to avoid drawing attention from the passersby, "You embarrassed me in front of everyone today."
The maid immediately fell to her knees despite the stinging pain still lingering on both cheeks.
"This servant deserves punishment... This servant failed Young Lady."
Young Lady Gu slowly turned around, her gaze landed upon the maid’s swollen face. Instead of feeling the slightest sympathy, she found it even more infuriating.
"If you had not acted so rashly..." She narrowed her eyes, "Would I have lost face before Xie Rong Gege?"
The maid’s body trembled, "This servant... This servant merely wished to defend the Young Lady’s dignity..."
"Dignity?" Young Lady Gu let out a cold laugh, "You call this defending my dignity?"
She stepped closer until only a short distance separated them. "You have only made me look like a laughingstock."
The maid immediately lowered her forehead to the ground. "This servant begs Young Lady’s forgiveness."
Young Lady Gu stared at her for a long while before flicking her sleeve in annoyance. "Get up... I am in no mood to look at your pitiful appearance."
The maid hurriedly stood, not daring to utter another word.
Young Lady Gu took a deep breath. The image of Xie Rong calling another woman "Furen" surfaced once again in her mind.
Her fingernails unconsciously dug into her palm.
"Shen Taotao." She whispered the name once more. "This matter is far from over."
With that, she flicked her sleeves and strode away. Her thoughts remained occupied by everything that had happened inside the restaurant.
Just as she rounded the corner, she collided with another woman.
Several neatly wrapped parcels slipped from the other’s arms before scattering across the ground.
Young Lady Gu’s brows instantly furrowed.
"Watch where you’re—" The words came to an abrupt halt, "An’an?"
The young woman looked up. A bright smile immediately bloomed across her face.
"Ruyan!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Xie An’an stepped forward and naturally linked arms with her, "What a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here."
Gu Ruyan’s expression softened slightly. "I didn’t expect to meet you either."
Xie An’an tilted her head with a smile before her eyes casually drifted toward the maid following behind.
Her brows lifted slightly, "Hm? What happened to her face?"
Gu Ruyan’s expression immediately darkened once again, "Don’t ask."
Xie An’an blinked, her smile slowly faded into concern. "Did something happen?"
Gu Ruyan let out a long sigh, "It’s a long story."
Xie An’an gently squeezed her arm, "Then allow me to keep Ruyan company today." She gently patted Gu Ruyan’s hand. "You shouldn’t bottle everything up by yourself... Tell me what happened. Perhaps I can help."
Gu Ruyan remained silent for several moments. She was never someone who enjoyed exposing her embarrassment to others.
However, the frustration weighing upon her chest had nowhere to go. With a quiet sigh, she finally began walking once more.
Xie An’an naturally matched her pace.
"It all started at the Prosperous Fragrance Restaurant..." Gu Ruyan slowly recounted everything that had happened. From the moment she entered the restaurant, to the maid’s confrontation with Wang Gege. And finally, Xie Rong’s arrival.
"He didn’t even look at me." Gu Ruyan lowered her eyes, unable to conceal the bitterness in her voice. "He called her ’Furen’..."
She forced out a self-mocking laugh. "And in front of everyone... He even ordered his guard to slap my maid."
Xie An’an quietly listened without interrupting. The smile on her face had disappeared.
"So..." she asked softly after a long silence. "The woman you met... was Sister Taotao?"
Gu Ruyan nodded, "I had heard she was nothing more than a foolish adopted daughter." She clenched her fists, "But honestly, she was nothing like the rumors."
Xie An’an lowered her gaze thoughtfully, "Is that so?"
No one could tell what she was thinking but after several breaths, she smiled once more.
"I’ve only met Sister Taotao one time since she entered the Xie Residence. So..." She pressed her lips and tilted her head slightly. "Perhaps I don’t know her very well either."
Gu Ruyan let out a cold snort. "I don’t care whether she’s pretending or not. I’ll remember today’s humiliation."
Xie An’an remained silent for a brief moment before speaking gently, "Perhaps... There was simply a misunderstanding today."
Gu Ruyan frowned, "A misunderstanding?"
Xie An’an nodded with a faint smile, "Brother has always been protective of those around him. If he only witnessed the latter half of what happened, it isn’t strange that he would stand beside Sister Taotao."
She sighed softly, "I’ll find an opportunity to speak with both of them another day. Perhaps... I can help clear up today’s misunderstanding."
Young Lady Gu’s expression eased slightly. "If it’s you... I suppose they might listen."
Xie An’an smiled warmly, "I only hope everyone can get along."