Transmigrated as the Villainess, She Made the General Blush - Chapter 34

“To be honest, I’ve never actually seen Han Gongzi up close. What about you, Cousin? He used to personally protect Uncle and often came to the Xiao Mansion. You must have seen him up close, right?”

After Fang Qiluo asked, Xiao Wangshu nodded again and said, “I have seen him up close. His looks and figure are both excellent, and he’s easy to get along with.”

In his earlier years, Han Feiyu was a sunny young man who liked to help others. After Xiao Caiyi entered the palace, he started to keep company with wine, becoming unrestrained and carefree.

When sober, he enjoyed his wine; when drunk, he lay on a beauty’s lap.

Whether sober or drunk, there was always someone in his heart he could not obtain.

Pitiful, lamentable.

“What are you saying? Praising his looks and figure-can’t you speak properly?”

Fang Qiluo’s tone was playfully reproachful as she raised her hand to pat Xiao Wangshu’s shoulder, but her gaze never left the screen.

Her words were proper, but her eyes were honest-she was the very embodiment of that saying.

Xiao Wangshu curled her lips into a slight smile and retorted, “Isn’t that exactly what you wanted to hear, Cousin?”

Fang Qiluo patted her shoulder again. This time, after the pat, she smiled and didn’t refute Xiao Wangshu’s words, only sighed softly, “What a pity, he’s such a romantic. Otherwise, I might really be tempted.”

Xiao Wangshu just smiled and said nothing, her gaze lingering on the screen, watching the blurred, shifting shadows of people behind it.

Suddenly, a large dark shadow on the screen turned to face her, its gaze fixed directly in her direction.

After staring for a while and confirming Xiao Wangshu’s identity, the shadow slowly turned back around and continued eating and drinking.

Xiao Wangshu raised her brows and muttered, “Is he really that vigilant?”

This General Chen Chu always seemed a bit dull when at the mansion, even slow to respond in casual conversation. She hadn’t expected him to be so alert outside.

No wonder Chen Chu appeared so frequently in the book-he was the general Xiao Hong kept closest by his side, and part of that was due to his martial talent.

Chen Chu might be a bit straightforward and slow to pick up on social cues, but his physical senses were extremely sharp.

Just now, for example, they had only glanced his way a few times, and he immediately sensed their gaze, even turning to pinpoint its source.

Such sensory acuity was a gift-not everyone possessed it.

“Cousin, what are you muttering about?”

Fang Qiluo asked, still scanning the room. She whispered, “Why can’t I see my brother? Really, where has he gone off to?”

With the screen separating the men’s and women’s seats, it was hard to see anything clearly. Now that Fang Huaijin had shifted his seat, he was even harder to find.

Xiao Wangshu looked around with her, then raised her hand to point at Xiao Fuguang in the corner and asked, “Is that Cousin Huaijin next to Fuguang?”

Fang Qiluo followed her finger and, sure enough, it was.

“Had me searching for ages-this brother of mine! You really have sharp eyes, Cousin.” Fang Qiluo complained playfully, then added, “What are Fuguang and my brother talking about? They seem so engrossed.”

Before Xiao Wangshu could reply, Fang Qiluo waved her hand and said, “Forget it, let them be. Let’s just eat.”

Xiao Wangshu swallowed her words and smiled at her.

Only after spending time together did she realize that her cousin, who seemed like a cool and aloof noble lady, was actually quite the chatterbox.

Fang Qiluo didn’t care what Xiao Wangshu was thinking and simply started eating.

At that moment, Mu Xiaoxiao walked over, stood beside Xiao Wangshu, and greeted them softly with a curtsy, “Fourth Sister Xiao, Sister Fang.”
Xiao Wangshu raised her head to look at her, not even bothering to stand up, sitting there with an air of calm authority. She replied unhurriedly, “Fifth Miss Mu.”

Out of courtesy, Fang Qiluo put down her chopsticks and rose to return the greeting.

“I am here to apologize to Fourth Sister Xiao,” Mu Xiaoxiao got straight to the point. “The words my fourth sister used to provoke and fabricate were truly inappropriate. I feel deeply uneasy about it and must offer a formal apology to Fourth Sister Xiao.”

Glancing around at the others, Mu Xiaoxiao asked, “Fourth Sister Xiao, may I have a word with you in private?”

“Oh?” Xiao Wangshu sized Mu Xiaoxiao up and down. “Fifth Miss Mu, I believe you know well enough how bad my temper can be. Right now, I have no fondness for anyone with the surname Mu. It would be best if you didn’t come looking for trouble with me.”

Her anger was feigned; what she truly wanted was to avoid contact with Mu Shuhao and Mu Xiaoxiao, the pair of siblings.

These siblings were rather secretive. In the book, much was written about the vastness of their hidden enterprises and how easily they could mobilize resources, but since they were side characters, their perspectives were never explored in detail.

She would investigate quietly first, and only approach them once she had learned enough. There was no benefit in making contact too soon.

After all, she still held considerable value to these siblings; no matter how coldly she treated them, they would inevitably be drawn by the scent of power.

As expected, Mu Xiaoxiao’s face showed a hint of disappointment at these words.

She then lifted her head and continued earnestly, “Alright, since Fourth Sister Xiao is unwilling to hear me out now, I’ll leave it be. When you’re ready to listen, I’ll come and apologize again.”

Xiao Wangshu remained as proud as ever, responding with a casual “Mm,” her sense of superiority evident in her demeanor.

“Then I won’t disturb Fourth Sister Xiao and Sister Fang any further. I’ll take my leave,” Mu Xiaoxiao bowed once more.

Xiao Wangshu maintained her haughty posture, nodding slightly without saying a word.

It was Fang Qiluo who, seeing the forlorn look on Mu Xiaoxiao’s face, felt a pang of sympathy and offered comfort: “What your sister did really has little to do with you.”

Mu Xiaoxiao forced a stiff smile and replied gently, “Thank you, Sister Fang. I’ll head back now.”

Fang Qiluo nodded to her.

After Mu Xiaoxiao left, Fang Qiluo still felt a bit regretful and said to Xiao Wangshu, “If only she hadn’t been born into the Mu Family, I would really like her temperament.”

Xiao Wangshu smiled, her meaning unclear, and replied, “Is that so?”

Fang Qiluo didn’t sense anything amiss and nodded sincerely, showing that she truly liked Mu Xiaoxiao’s character.

—

Halfway through the birthday banquet, the star of the day, Old Lady Gu, finally made her appearance.

This time, Old Lady Gu kept a tight hold on Gu Yongjia, not daring to let her out of sight for a moment, showing just how much of a shadow Mu Chengyang had cast over her.

At the banquet, Gu Yongjia kept smiling at Xiao Wangshu, while Old Lady Gu was busy thanking and apologizing to Fang Qin’er.

She held Fang Qin’er’s hand, expressing gratitude for Xiao Fuguang’s protection of Gu Yongjia, and apologizing for the many servants of Gu Mansion failing to look after Xiao Wangshu, completely disregarding whatever expression Mu Furen might have beside her.

Fang Qin’er’s two children hadn’t suffered any real loss, and seeing Old Lady Gu’s intention to draw closer, she was happy to chat idly with her, the two exchanging polite pleasantries.

The latter half of the birthday banquet proceeded smoothly, with music and dancing, and glasses raised in celebration.

Compared to the earlier disturbances caused by Mu Chengyang and Xu Tian, everything afterwards seemed harmonious and pleasant.

In the end, the grand feast concluded perfectly. After the birthday wishes, the guests departed, and Gu Mansion returned to its usual tranquility.