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Chapter 36: Sisters on an Outing

When they heard the command, Fang Yunxiu and Fang Yuxiu were in Fang Jinxiu’s room. Fang Jinxiu had been forbidden from leaving, but her homework could not be delayed, so the sisters went to study at her place.

Fang Jinxiu laughed coldly without saying anything.

Fang Yuxiu thought for a moment, then stood up.

"Eldest Sister, do not go. I will," she suggested.

Fang Yunxiu’s personality was simple and kind. After Fang Jinxiu had the awful fight with Miss Jun, she had specially accompanied Miss Jun out for enjoyment. In the end, Miss Jun had written a ridiculing verse about her in front of a group of the other young misses from official families. The mocking verse had been pasted onto Fang Yunxiu’s back, and she had walked for some time with it before finding out.

Fang Yunxiu had cried and ran off. Although she would not speak ill of Miss Jun, from then on she avoided her as much as possible.

"You will?" Fang Yunxiu was hesitant and worried.

"Eldest Sister, do not worry about Second Sister. Second Sister is amazing. It’s only people like Jun Zhenzhen who won’t admit that. If Second Sister really wanted to, Jun Zhenzhen would be no match for her," affirmed Fang Jinxiu. "Second Sister, bring out that fierceness and make her see it."

Fang Yunxiu gave way.

"She also would not like to see me. I won’t go," she said. She exhorted, "You must be careful. Accept any slights; do not lower yourself to her level."

Fang Yuxiu smiled and nodded.

Old Lady Fang knew of Miss Jun going outside, but she hadn’t said anything. She accepted the pieces of paper the maidservant handed to her.

"Miss Jun has not written many words. This last month, she has written a few poems," said the maidservant quietly.

Old Lady Fang took a look over the poems. The handwriting on the drug list was the same, all in beautiful script. The contents were about the sorrow of the changing seasons and the inner feelings for the Tenth Noble Son.

"Put them back," she said, handing them back to the maid. Frowning, she muttered to herselff, "It is better when she isn’t writing such poems."

Such delicate, artificial poems really made one lose their appetite.

...............

When Miss Jun went out, Fang Yuxiu was already standing by the carriage, waiting.

Miss Jun stopped to think. This was the first time she was seeing the daughters of the Fang Family. The original Miss Jun did not have many memories related to these sisters, so when she saw them she felt they were unfamiliar.

Fang Yuxiu was the second daughter born of the legal wife, Lady Fang. She looked like the Lady Fang, gentle and refined. She was the only one in this family who had not been through an experience with Miss Jun.

She seldom appeared in front of Miss Jun.

When she saw Miss Jun arrive, Fang Yuxiu respectfully called out to her.

According to custom, she should be called Little Sister, but Miss Jun had previously not wanted to follow this custom.

Miss Jun returned the nicety, not calling her anything or saying anything.

Fang Yuxiu\'s expression remained as before. She was not like Fang Jinxiu, who felt that Miss Jun looked down on them and got angry and she was not like Fang Yunxiu who lowered her head and gave way. She did not say anything more and took the initiative to climb into the carriage.

Liu’er motioned to Miss Jun, wanting her to ride a different vehicle, but Miss Jun gestured that she should go on her own.

"There is no need for another carriage," she said.

Before, Miss Jun would not ride together with the young misses of the Fang Family, so the Fang Family and their personal servants would ride in one vehicle while Miss Jun and her servant girl would ride in another. The other two maidservants would sit in a third carriage.

If Miss Jun rode together with Miss Fang, then the two servant girls and the two maidservants would be crammed into the other carriage.

"Since we are to be family, this is much more intimate," added Miss Jun.

Yes, if they were putting on an act, they had to go all in.

Liu’er understood, nodding at Miss Jun.

"Young Miss, just relax. I know what to do," she said in a low voice.

She turned and walked several step backward, pulling on Fang Yuxiu’s servant girl.

"Big Sister, let’s sit together," she said, sugar-sweet.

Fang Yuxiu’s servant girl almost somersaulted in shock.

Fang Yuxiu, already in the carriage, remained unperturbed. A sneer flitted across her face. She looked at the approaching Miss Jun and gave her own servant girl a look. The servant girl left with Liu’er.

Toward Miss Jun’s sitting arrangement, Fang Yuxiu was not the slightest bit surprised. She acted as if this had always been the case. After they had all been settled, the two vehicles made their way out through the gates.

The Fang Residence was located in the business district, which was also the busiest place. It didn’t take long for them to reach a major road after leaving the gates, and a steady clamor fell around them.

Miss Jun lifted the carriage curtains with interest, taking a look around.

At present, business and official families were located in clearly demarcated districts. Although the Fang Family’s residence was beautiful, Miss Jun had always felt ashamed of walking out, afraid of being seen by others. She was always itching to completely cover the carriage.

Lifting the curtains like this to look at the streets was a new occurrence.

It was like she was putting on a show of accepting her status as a woman of a merchant family.

Fang Yuxiu’s expression was warm as she poured some tea.

"Would Miss Jun like to drink some tea?" she asked.

Miss Jun did not rebuff Fang Yuxiu’s offer and set down the curtains to hold her teacup.

"Where are we going first?" she asked.

It was rare that Miss Jun would take the initiative to ask for the thoughts of sisters of the Fang Family. However, Fang Yuxiu remained unflappable, as if they always interacted like this.

"We will need to buy jewelry and hair ornaments, so we should go to the Jin Hall first." She did not brush off the question, and instead seriously proposed an idea.

Buying those things were just a cover. The end goal was to go to the large pharmacy.

Miss Jun smiled and nodded.

Fang Yuxiu called out instructions to the outside of the carriage. Soon, it stopped.

"Is this alright with you?" asked Fang Yuxiu as she pointed to something outside the curtains.

Miss Jun gave it a cursory glance. This Jin Hall was decorated in a dazzling fashion. There were many people coming in and out. Obviously, this was a famous shop.

Miss Jun noncommittally nodded and was the first to get off the carriage.

Running up to help her down was Liu’er, who quietly tugged on her sleeve.

"Young Miss, there are many people here," she said quietly.

"So what if there are many people here?" asked Miss Jun.

Liu’er turned back to look at Fang Yuxiu, who was currently getting off the carriage.

She was thinking of saying that entering and exiting with the young miss of the Fang Family would be shameful and would damage Young Miss’s face, but when she thought of how Young Miss said they must pretend they are intimate with the Fang Family, she choked down her words.

"There are many people, many people makes it busy," she tittered.

Miss Jun smiled and did not say anything else. Fang Yuxiu was also smiling.

Yes, it was very busy when there were a lot of people.

Their entrance into the Jin Hall caused a disturbance.

On one hand, the Fang Family was a big presence in Yangcheng. On the other, because of recent trends, there were young misses from government and scholarly families out choosing jewelry, as well as rich young misses of merchant families. Miss Jun had made extensive acquaintances throughout Yangcheng, so there were a number of people who recognized her. Soon, everybody knew.

The attention of people in the Jin Hall immediately concentrated around her.

This was the first time that Miss Jun had gone outside with Jun Zhenzhen’s identity. Her memories told her that the young misses of Yangcheng held respectful and admiring fondness for her. She didn’t know whether those memories were mistaken or not, or if because of the rumors, everybody’s opinions had changed.

But when she recalled these memories, she sneered.

This stupid child.

No matter how hard it was, to be alive was always a happy thing.

Miss Jun laughed. She did not say anything or paid it any more attention.

"Miss Jun, what do you think of this?" Fang Yuxiu was warm and kind as she pointed to an accessory held by one of the store employees.

Miss Jun gave it a look.

"Not nice," she said.

Fang Yuxiu anticipated as much. With a smile, she gestured for the employee to change it for another one.

Miss Jun was picky another three, four times until something caught her eye.

"This one," she said, pointing.

There was another hand pointing at it at the moment.

"I want this one," said a female voice at the same time.

Miss Jun felt a fragrance assail her face and turned to see a girl standing next to her.

The girl was sixteen or seventeen years old and was very beautiful.

Zuo Yanzhi.

Miss Jun’s memories immediately flashed through her mind without any fuzziness or delay. These memories were much clearer than the ones she had about the Fang Family.

This was not because Miss Zuo was one of the young misses of the official families that Miss Jun so favored, but rather because her great-aunt was Old Madam Ning.

She was a relative of the Ning Family.

And just because she was a relative of the Ning Family, Jun Zhenzhen endeavored to associate with her. However, Miss Zuo had avoided her.

If she could have gotten Miss Zuo to talk to her of her own initiative, Jun Zhenzhen would have definitely been very pleased.

Miss Jun smiled and pulled back her hand and pointed at another piece.

"I want that one," she said.

Just as she changed where she was pointing, Zuo Yanzhi also moved her hand.

"I also want this one," she said.

Everybody saw what was going on. The atmosphere in the Jin Hall grew tense.

Fang Yuxiu stood next to Miss Jun, silent as a quail.

"Miss Zuo, what do you mean by this?" asked Miss Jun, neither angry nor backing off.

"Nothing. I just want to buy these accessories," said Miss Zuo with a smile.