Volume One, Chapter 10: Did Shen Yuan Deliberately Dress Up to See Me?

As dawn approached, a thin layer of mist rose in the valley, enveloping the entire village like an inescapable gloom.

It wasn’t until Shen Yuan pushed open the gate that the morning light instantly pierced through the fog, casting golden rays upon the thick piles of straw in the courtyard, bringing a touch of warmth.

“So sleepy!” Shen Yuan yawned, clutching the box in her arms, ready to return indoors for more sleep.

But Granny Liu stopped her, her gaze falling on the money box freshly dug from the muddy field in Shen Yuan’s arms. “Yuan Yuan, what exactly happened last night?”

Shen Yuan knew she couldn’t hide the truth from Granny Liu. After all, she had been raised by her, and she was the only one in the world who truly understood her. So Shen Yuan confessed everything from the previous night.

Afterward, she looked at Granny Liu anxiously.

Would Granny Liu blame her for being too ruthless?

Granny Liu’s face did grow stern after hearing Shen Yuan’s words. Seeing this, Shen Yuan immediately stood obediently, like a child who had done wrong, sneaking glances at her.

Granny Liu, noticing she avoided eye contact but kept stealing secret looks, couldn’t help but laugh at her guilty expression.

Seeing Granny Liu smile, Shen Yuan quickly said, “Granny, don’t be angry. I won’t keep doing things like this behind your back anymore!”

“You little girl…” Granny Liu quickly regained her serious demeanor. “Do you still plan to play these tricks? You were lucky last night. Do you really think that burying the silver and the medicine dregs ahead of time would keep you safe? It’s only because the scandal involving the Zhao family and the village head was so serious that the Chu clan leader didn’t bother with you. But if someone with sharp eyes investigates closely, some of your words won’t hold up. You can’t be so reckless anymore. Whatever you do, you must discuss it with me first!”

Her words were laced with unmistakable concern.

Shen Yuan froze where she stood.

Granny Liu wasn’t blaming her for using underhanded tactics to harm others; she was worried that Shen Yuan’s methods weren’t clever enough and feared she might be exposed, bringing harm to herself.

Her only concern was whether Shen Yuan could come through unscathed.

“Granny!” Shen Yuan’s eyes reddened, as if unable to believe it. “You don’t blame me for being ruthless, for destroying the Zhao family and hurting the village head?”

“You said it yourself—they wanted to harm you first. What you did isn’t ruthlessness; you were just protecting yourself. As for those two adulterers, they got exactly what they deserved!”

The more Granny Liu thought about it, the angrier she became, unable to hold back her scolding: “I never expected Zhao Dayong to be in cahoots with them, tricking you into the mountains. He probably set a trap long ago, just waiting for you to fall into it! And you even used to give him medicine for his wounds—what a heartless and ungrateful wretch!”

Hearing Zhao Dayong’s name, Shen Yuan’s eyes darkened.

Granny Liu, seeing her silence, suddenly changed the subject and asked, “Yuan Yuan, why have you grown to despise the Chu family so much all of a sudden? What happened in the city this time? Did that Chu brat do something to wrong you?”

Shen Yuan shook her head. “I just suddenly realized the person I liked is weak and incompetent, hypocritical and disgusting. He doesn’t deserve my affection or the years I’ve devoted. So I want him and his family to repay everything they owe me!”

Granny Liu pondered for a moment and nodded. “I understand.”

After a pause, she added, “I’ll make you a bowl of patchouli egg noodles. Eat it before you sleep, or you’ll get hungry.”

“Okay!” Shen Yuan obediently agreed.

Soon, Granny Liu came out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of steaming noodles. She placed the porcelain bowls on the wooden table in the courtyard. The hand-rolled noodles were evenly thick, topped with two golden fried eggs, and garnished with freshly picked patchouli leaves from the garden. The vibrant green leaves resting atop the eggs were visually enticing, and the aroma was captivating.

Shen Yuan blew on the noodles before bringing a spoonful to her lips, finishing the entire bowl in no time.

Full and satisfied, she went inside and slept until the next morning—twelve full hours.

Awakening, Shen Yuan felt refreshed and clear-headed.

In both her past and present lives, this was the first truly restful sleep she’d had. She thought to herself that after rebirth, everything was moving in a better direction. Every night from now on would be peaceful sleep.

She no longer had to sell medicinal herbs in the city before dawn, nor gather herbs in the mountains until the moon was high and still be unable to return home.

She no longer had to exhaust herself over a man.

Climbing out of bed, Shen Yuan planned to take advantage of the good weather to go into town with Granny Liu and buy some new clothes. Now that autumn had arrived, the cold would come soon, and new garments needed to be tailored in advance.

The two boarded a cattle cart at the village entrance and headed to Jian’an City.

By the afternoon, they arrived. Shen Yuan first went to the bank to withdraw one hundred taels of silver notes, exchanging ten taels into smaller silver coins and saving the rest.

After leaving the bank, Shen Yuan led Granny Liu from shop to shop, purchasing many items.

Though Granny Liu was reluctant to spend money, seeing Shen Yuan so joyful, she didn’t want to dampen her mood. Secretly, she resolved to take on more orders next month to save more money for her granddaughter.

By the time they finished shopping, night had fallen. Granny Liu urged, “Yuan Yuan, we must hurry. The city gates will soon close, and we won’t be able to get back.”

“We’re not going back tonight,” Shen Yuan said. “We’ll find an inn in the city to stay.”

Granny Liu was stunned. “Even the cheapest ground-floor room at the Lucky Inn costs one tael a night. How can we afford that?”

“One tael is nothing—I have it!” Shen Yuan replied.

She took Granny Liu into the inn.

“Innkeeper, a ground-floor room, please!” Shen Yuan pulled out a silver coin and placed it on the counter.

Hearing the sweet, cheerful voice, Chu Yuning, who was descending the stairs, suddenly froze. He looked toward the source of the sound and saw a young maiden dressed in a peach-pink embroidered blouse and skirt. Her jet-black hair was styled into a bun, adorned with two matching silk flowers that made her even more lively and beautiful.

Is that Shen Yuan?

In just a few days, how had she changed so much?

Where did this outfit come from?

She used to never spend on herself, never buying clothes or silk flowers.

In Chu Yuning’s memory, she always wore the same patched, brown cloth garment, and her hair was tied up simply with a strip of cloth. How did she suddenly start dressing up?

There’s an old saying: a woman dresses to please the one she likes. Could it be that Shen Yuan knew he would come to the Lucky Inn tonight and deliberately dressed this way to see him? Did she realize her mistake and want to win him over again?

Chu Yuning’s mood lifted immediately, and the humiliation he suffered earlier selling calligraphy at the inn’s owner’s hands vanished. He took a step forward toward Shen Yuan.

But just as he was about to reach her, he stopped.

The last time Shen Yuan had created a scene at the Ziyun Academy, ruining his reputation, if he greeted her now, wouldn’t that make him seem easily placated? Too lacking in pride?

Thinking this, Chu Yuning said nothing and turned to leave the inn.

He wanted Shen Yuan to know he was truly angry! He would never forgive her so easily!

Not unless she knelt and begged him!

Not unless she returned the ten taels she snatched from him that day tenfold!

“Oy! Yuan Yuan, slow down!” came Granny Liu’s startled shout from behind.

At the inn’s entrance, Chu Yuning smiled slightly, secretly pleased. He’d known Shen Yuan would chase after him once she saw him.