Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 16
by Little PandaVolume 2: The Captivating Splendor of Jingdu
What an amorous sickly person
The mother of the Su Family Head was a concubine’s daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, and she herself was also her mother’s concubine’s daughter. After two generations, apart from the family connection, their status was no different from ordinary landlords.
So when they arrived at the Su Family Head’s maternal home, which was Su Yi’s grandmother’s residence, Su Yi found it incredible that her mother still had to pay money just to have the Su family’s servants announce their arrival.
Heavens, even for one’s own mother, money was required for entry – how tragic.
After the Su Family Head paid, the female guard at the gate went in to announce them. Shortly after, a luxuriously dressed woman emerged, her face wrinkled but bearing an imposing dignity that made her difficult to look at directly.
She cast a glance at Su Yi in the wheelchair, her expression sour, “Why have you come so late this year?”
Su Ming [čéø£ | sÅ« mĆng] immediately lowered her head and respectfully replied, “Family Head, my daughter just got married this year. I thought to bring her to broaden her horizons. As you know, she’s frequently ill, and we were delayed on the journey, so we’re a few days late.”
“Hah, if you were any later, you’d lose what little land you have. Then let’s see how you feed that sickly plant [ē ē§§å | bƬng yÄng zi | derogatory term for a chronically ill person] of yours with nothing but the northwest wind.”
The one Su Ming addressed as Family Head was none other than Su Yi’s grandmother, Su Jie [čč | sÅ« jiĆ©].
Though she now held a title, albeit a minor one, she was still an official. As her sixth concubine-born daughter, Su Ming could only address her as Family Head, not mother. The mother and daughter only met during birthday celebrations over the years.
“The Family Head’s teachings are correct.” Su Ming hurriedly apologized, then carefully raised her head, “Then… we can still make it to Grandmother’s birthday celebration, right?”
Su Jie let out a cold laugh, “If you’re three days later, you can take that sickly plant of yours and go beg on the streets! That weakling probably can’t even hold a begging bowl! Let’s see how you manage alone!”
Su Ming repeatedly bowed and apologized, “The Family Head’s teachings are correct, the Family Head’s teachings are correct, I was thoughtless…”
Though the Su Family Head was normally quite influential in Fengcheng, she could only bow her head and accept the scolding as her mother berated her like a child who had done wrong.
Seeing how bad-tempered her grandmother was, to avoid bringing trouble upon herself, Su Yi sat motionless in her wheelchair, not daring to even blink, trying her best to be a little quail [é¹é¹ | Än chĆŗn | being timid and trying to avoid attention].
Ji Qingchi found her statue-like appearance amusing, but mindful of her current status, also stood still like Su Yi, acting as mere background scenery.
After sufficiently lecturing her disappointing daughter, Su Jie finally had time to attend to her supposedly terminally ill granddaughter.
Walking up to Su Yi, one glance was enough to generate goodwill. The reason was simple – the Su family was known for producing beauties and appreciating beauty. Su Yi’s good looks naturally earned Su Jie’s favor.
However, upon seeing Su Yi’s sickly aura and pale complexion, she immediately frowned.
This was clearly the face of someone destined for an early death.
“Your name is… Su Yi?”
Su Yi obediently answered, “Yes.”
“You’re a good child. What a pity you’re so ill.”
Seeing her mother taking notice of her precious daughter, the Su Family Head hastily seized the opportunity to ask, “May I inquire, Family Head, do you know of Silver Pearl Cardamom?”
Su Jie asked curiously, “What is that?”
The Su Family Head immediately relayed what Feng Ruoqing had told them.
After listening, Su Jie continued shaking her head, “That’s tribute for the imperial family. How would people like us ever see it? In our capital, everyone knows the Ninth Princess loves charity and helping others. If the Ninth Princess were in Jingdu, we could ask someone to inquire with her. The Ninth Princess has a kind heart and wouldn’t ignore someone in need.”
Hearing the words “Ninth Princess,” Su Yi’s drowsiness vanished from fright.
Good heavens, had her grandmother’s eyes grown dim with age? How could she think that Ji Qingchi, that angel of death, had a kind heart?
She glanced sideways at Ji Qingchi and saw her lips curling up slightly, making her even more terrified, causing her spine to straighten considerably.
Ji Qingchi was indeed in a good mood, seeing that her cultivated image of being just and loving towards the common people had worked well. Her efforts hadn’t been wasted – everyone now knew her as a princess who loved her people.
The Su Family Head carefully asked, “Is the Ninth Princess not in Jingdu?”
Su Jie lowered her voice and said, “No, I heard the Ninth Princess was injured during a hunt, and quite seriously. Her Majesty specially decreed that she should recuperate in the Xicheng’s [č„æå | xÄ« chĆ©ng | Western City] palace.”
Ji Qingchi’s raised corners of her mouth immediately dropped. She knew that if her Fifth Princess Sister dared to make a move, it meant she must have made thorough preparations.
The one supposedly recovering under imperial orders was likely a body double she had arranged beforehand.
But how could Ji Qingxuan make everyone believe this lie?
Most likely, there was a spy among her people.
She had originally planned to contact her shadow guards and return to the palace undetected upon reaching Jingdu, but now it seemed too risky. Who knew if Ji Qingxuan had stationed assassins outside the palace? She would have to proceed slowly and carefully.
The day of returning to the palace would have to be postponed again. Ji Qingchi’s smile vanished, her gaze growing increasingly fierce.
Watching Ji Qingchi’s expression change faster than the weather, Su Yi was stunned.
Indeed, a female protagonist was still a protagonist – her good reputation must have been earned by playing the wolf in sheep’s clothing.
She needed to find a way to send this angel of death back to the palace quickly, or she feared she would die of fright sooner or later.
The two of them were making their own calculations while the Su mother and daughter remained completely unaware as they spoke.
Hearing that her mother had no information about the Silver Pearl Cardamom, the Su Family Head felt very disappointed, but after a moment, she forced herself to rally.
Her mother didn’t know, but what if her grandmother did?
“Then shall I ask Grandmother? The elderly madam frequently visits the palace, she might know.”
“Let’s see if you can even speak to her first.” Su Jie glared at her presumptuous daughter, “Do you think your grandmother is like me, your old mother? That she would personally come out to receive you?”
The Marquis of Pingyang, Su Ban [čē | sÅ« bÄn], had many daughters and granddaughters. During birthday banquets, the place would be crowded with people. For concubine-born daughters like them, not being able to exchange even a single word with her all day was a common occurrence.
The Su Family Head’s eyes grew moist, “Indeed.”
She had diligently attended her grandmother’s birthday celebrations for nearly twenty years, yet her busy grandmother had only spoken to her once in total.
That was only because she had been young and ignorant then, blocking the elder’s best view of the opera, resulting in being scolded, “Concubine’s daughter shows no manners.”
And that was the end of it.
A year later, she was banished by her mother to Fengcheng, where she had to endure yellow sand daily and was forced to appreciate the rough men of Fengcheng.
Just speaking of it brought bitter tears.
“Let’s think if there are any other ways.” Su Jie looked rather pitifully at her sickly granddaughter, “Alright, alright, we’ve been talking outside for so long, let’s go in quickly, or these old arms and legs of mine will give out.”
“Yes.” The Su Family Head hurriedly agreed, directing people to carry their brought items into the residence, while Ji Qingchi pushed Su Yi’s wheelchair, falling behind.
When she heard they were going to her grandmother’s residence, Su Yi was quite excited.
She thought, since her grandmother was an official after all, her home must be larger than theirs, with much more beautiful decorations.
But upon entering the residence, Su Yi was dumbfounded.
Though there were two human-sized stone lions guarding the entrance, the interior was surprisingly small. The main hall was only half the size of their guest room at home. Past the main hall was just a small courtyard, and beyond that were about a dozen small rooms.
Each was built like a rabbit’s burrow, tiny indeed. As soon as her grandmother led them into the courtyard, those doors opened, and a crowd of people emerged.
There were both men and women, and many children. As soon as the Su Family Head saw these people, she quickly grabbed Su Yi’s hand and had her greet each person, “Come, this is your First Aunt, this is your Second Aunt, this is your Third Aunt, this is…”
She called out seven aunts, two uncles, and dozens of cousins and nieces and nephews.
By the end, she was completely dizzy from all the greetings.
Facing the person before her, without even seeing clearly what they looked like, she bowed her head and called out, “Greetings, Sister.”
“Pfft…”
As her words fell, everyone around burst into laughter.
Su Yi was confused until she looked up and saw it was Ji Qingchi standing before her.
“Wife Master, it’s this slave.” With many people around, Ji Qingchi put on her mask of the virtuous and delicate husband again, tugging at Su Yi’s sleeve coyly, “This slave is Wife Master’s fulang, not any sister.”
“I truly apologize to my fulang, I mistook you earlier.” Su Yi coughed once, her hand trembling as she tried to retrieve her sleeve from the malicious and cringe-inducing female protagonist’s grasp.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she moved, Ji Qingchi immediately grabbed her hand, gently biting her pearl-like teeth, her eyes showing bashfulness and restraint, saying, “However, if Wife Master wishes to call this slave sister, that’s fine too. Whether sister or younger sister, Wife Master can call this slave whatever you wish.”
After saying these words, Ji Qingchi felt so nauseated she mentally vomited several times.
Su Yi was also quite shocked by this, but she couldn’t show her disgust. Even if Ji Qingchi had gone crazy, had a mental short circuit, or been struck by lightning into insanity, she still had to play the role of a loving top-ten Wife Master who cherished her husband.
What if the female protagonist decided to knife her otherwise?
So Su Yi endured the creepiness, went against her conscience, and said in a voice as gentle as water, “I still think ‘fulang’ sounds better.”
“This slave follows whatever Wife Master says.” Ji Qingchi pretended to be disappointed but was actually relieved inside.
If Su Yi really called her sister, she feared she might one day mistake Su Yi for that princess sister who had harmed her, and end up knifing her.
The others in the courtyard who heard their back-and-forth dialogue were so shocked that no one dared to speak for a long while.
Calling one’s husband “sister” – this was bedroom play! Who would have thought this sickly plant would be so amorous and flirtatious, daring to speak such things in broad daylight.
The younger ones admired Su Yi, thinking how impressive she was, truly a role model for them all.
The older ones, however, looked at them disapprovingly, thinking this young wife-and-husband pair really didn’t understand proper etiquette.
But since the Su Family Head, as Su Yi’s mother, didn’t step forward to rebuke their shamelessness, they didn’t feel it was their place to speak up. So they could only smooth things over with some pleasantries, offering welcoming words to move past the incident.
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