Chapter 47 - 24: Xiao Que’er Hides the Evil
"Unfortunately, Fangzi caught a cold a few days ago and is feeling a bit unwell, so she’s resting in her room. Otherwise, she would have definitely come to pay her respects to you!" Mrs. Wang managed to suppress her urge to show her discontent and replied with a forced smile.
Sang Wan’s indifferent expression couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows slightly at Mrs. Wang’s words. Gu Fangzi was clearly energetic and lively, so why did Mrs. Wang say she was sick?
However, it worked out for the best. If Gu Fangzi were to come, who knows what Mrs. Zhuang would try to instigate?
Little did Sang Wan know, Gu Fangzi was also extremely afraid of Mrs. Zhuang’s sharp tongue and feared she would not be able to save face, so she simply decided to pretend to be ill and avoid the situation.
Mrs. Zhuang sneered coldly in her heart, clearly not believing it but unable to question it. She mocked, "Sick? Is it serious? This weather is indeed easy to catch a cold! On another note, if it’s a physical illness, it’s fine, but if it’s a heartache, that’s difficult to cure! Hehe, Fangzi is about the same age as Young Master Shi, right? Young Master Shi has already gotten married, so Fangzi, you should also start preparing for her future! Time waits for no one!"
Contrasting her previous and subsequent remarks, it was clear she was insinuating that Gu Fangzi was feeling sentimental because she saw her cousin getting married and was worried about her own unsettled future, leading to her illness. In harsher terms, it is "spring fever"! It also implied that Mrs. Wang, as Gu Fangzi’s aunt, was not doing her job and was not looking after the interests of the orphan.
Mrs. Zhuang’s words were spiteful, but unfortunately, she overestimated Mrs. Wang. Sang Wan, who was alert and careful, understood her hidden meaning, but Mrs. Wang did not. She was just irritated that Mrs. Zhuang mentioned Shi Fengju and Gu Fangzi in front of Sang Wan.
This matter was ultimately the Shi family’s fault for being unfair to Sang Wan, making Mrs. Wang even angrier.
Her anger and embarrassment turned into fury, and she could no longer restrain herself as she coldly laughed, "Thank you for your concern! It’s just a small cold, nothing serious. She’ll be fine in a few days! Once she’s better, I’ll bring her to visit you! Dear sister-in-law from the Zhuang family, don’t hesitate to share any good food or entertainment with us! Oh, I don’t know if you’ll have time, though. Has Young Master Zhuang’s marriage been settled yet? Hehe, Young Master Zhuang has high standards, and I wonder which girl will catch his eye!"