Rebirth of a Farming Wife

Chapter 373: Chapter 380: Distressing to Watch
Chi Feifei wasn’t one to admit defeat easily. She quickly adjusted her attitude. So what if the other woman was beautiful? She wasn’t much less striking than Su Wenyue. She was nothing but a pretty vase simply put there for decoration. Unlike Chi Feifei, who had been learning the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age – all the skills that young misses from prominent families were expected to master. She had acquired these skills initially to increase her value and marry into a better household, but now they served as her reliance. She believed Lord Han wasn’t such a vulgar man who only cared for appearances; he would surely see her worth.

“Are you the woman Han Yu has been raising outside, the one he brought back from the brothel?” Although Su Wenyue had some inkling of what was going on, she was not the least bit courteous to Chi Feifei. She asked bluntly, clearly upset by Chi Feifei’s provocative demeanor earlier. No matter what Han Yu thought, this woman was definitely not the demure type.

Chi Feifei hadn’t expected Su Wenyue to be so forthright in her questioning, which left her red and pale by turns. She felt even more strongly that Su Wenyue was an intolerable commoner, no different from the daughter of any merchant: all shallow and lacking in experience. They didn’t have her sophistication.

“This must be Miss Su, then. Miss Su, there’s no need for such harsh words. My family met with misfortune, and I was fortunate that the Master took pity and rescued me. I have nothing with which to repay him except to dedicate myself to him to show my gratitude. It’s certainly not as unsavory as you describe. There is affection between the Master and me.” As she spoke, Chi Feifei’s face flushed with a shy expression, as if embarrassed, and her eyes conveyed a hint of flirtation – making it seem like there was something between her and Han Yu to the unknowing observer.

Aunt Li and the servants who had accompanied Su Wenyue were loyal retainers, and they were utterly disgusted by Chi Feifei’s behavior.

“What a shameless thing, a lowly creature from a brothel who dares to refer to herself as the sister of our Madam and young misses! She’s truly lost all sense of decency and hierarchy!” Aunt Li couldn’t wait for Su Wenyue to respond, scolding sharply. Some things were not fit for the mistress to say, being too crude, so it was appropriate for them, the servants, to step forward.

Seeing Aunt Li’s shocked demeanor, Chi Feifei thought to herself that this old woman clearly held great sway and was Mrs. Su’s strong arm. If she were to enter the Han Mansion, her first move would be to get rid of this maid. Of course, if she could take advantage of this opportunity to teach her a lesson, all the better. In the future, when Chi Feifei entered the Han Mansion, the maid would have to be more respectful and wary. But all of this would depend on Lord Han’s attitude this time.

“Sister, what are you doing? I am merely repaying the Master’s kindness. I have no intentions of competing for the Master’s affections with you, sister. Why must you press me so hard? There is really nothing between the Master and me as you imagine. You insult me so, how can I bear it!”

Chi Feifei had planned to mock and provoke Su Wenyue, but upon catching sight of a figure appearing behind her, she quickly changed her tune and began sobbing and weeping, tears flowing as if she’d been terribly wronged. Especially seeing Su Wenyue’s and the servants’ increasingly angry expressions, she felt somewhat triumphant inside. A triumphant smile curled her lips – she was eagerly hoping Su Wenyue would erupt in anger now and reveal her true nature to the Master.

Su Wenyue didn’t miss any of Chi Feifei’s reactions, especially her insincere remarks. Su Wenyue guessed what was happening. What a joke; she wasn’t very clever, but these tricks were performed over and over in the backyard of the Sikong Mansion, and she didn’t even bother to turn her head and look. A trace of disdainful mirth crossed her face, and she finally understood the feelings of those mistresses toward the concubines and mistresses.

“So, you’re saying I’m pressing you hard and insulting you?” Su Wenyue said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, her tone light and tinged with ambiguity, which made Chi Feifei somewhat uneasy.

Although Chi Feifei was somewhat worried and frightened by Su Wenyue’s reaction, she didn’t intend to miss such a good opportunity and persisted with her teary, aggrieved manner. “Sister, I… I dare not… Please don’t misunderstand my relationship with the Master. It’s really not like what you’re thinking. The Master is a good man.”

Su Wenyue’s smile grew more gleeful, her gaze fixed on Chi Feifei with a somewhat mischievous look. “Since you put it that way, if I did nothing, wouldn’t I be letting down your impressive and energetic performance?”

“You… what do you want to do? Don’t mess around, huh.” Chi Feifei was eager to provoke Su Wenyue, but things weren’t going quite as she’d hoped. Nonetheless, the thought of Han Yu’s arrival gave her a sense of security, believing Su Wenyue wouldn’t dare to act rashly in the Master’s presence.

“What are you standing there for? Get moving! She dares to frame and insult the mistress while putting on such a disgusting act – teach her what the rules are!”

As soon as Su Wenyue finished speaking, Aunt Li charged toward Chi Feifei with the servants. Aunt Li was experienced in dealing with such matters. Chi Feifei hadn’t expected Su Wenyue to get physical so quickly, and forgetting everything else, she tried to call out desperately to Han Yu for help.

In the brief time it took for this to happen, Han Yu, even if he moved slowly, had already arrived, and with one glance at Chi Feifei’s antics, he saw right through her tricks. However, it wouldn’t be good to expose her outright, as he still had a drama to perform for those in hiding. He helplessly called out for his wife.

“Wife, why are you here?” Even as he played along, Han Yu couldn’t bear to raise his voice against his wife.

By now, Su Wenyue had looked over. She hadn’t seen Han Yu in some time, and he seemed to have lost weight, looking rather haggard, a sign of restless sleep. Su Wenyue felt a pang of pity and longing, but recalling the nonsense he’d been up to these past days, and then seeing the pitiful Chi Feifei crying, her expression chilled. Regardless of whether it was true, the sight was unsettling.

“Yes, I came at a most inopportune time and spoiled your lovely moment! Seeing the Beauty look so pitiable must tug at your heart, huh?!” Su Wenyue said with a cold, mocking laugh, her words laced with venom.

“Wife, I don’t mean it that way. Just calm down. Getting mad is harmful to your health,” Han Yu said helplessly, knowing his wife was indeed furious. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have spoken those words, but just as he finished, he saw a sign from the shadows.

Chi Feifei felt dejected, considering her zealous performance had been for naught – accomplishing nothing. Looking at Han Yu’s behavior toward Su Wenyue, a chill settled in her heart. Han Yu had previously warned her not to harbor illusions and had offered very reasonable conditions: complete their deal and leave. She hadn’t taken it to heart and was even less willing to give up so easily. After all, it wasn’t often she met such a fine man. Giving up on him would be foolish. She figured that with the right strategies, relying on her talents and beauty, she could surely captivate this man. Now, it seemed she had been too optimistic. Not to mention that Su Wenyue and her retinue were no easy targets, but Han Yu’s attitude alone meant she wouldn’t find any favor.