Transmigrating into the Female Supporting Character with a Good Life in a Laid-Back Novel

Terms used in Chapter 3

When Yao Hong saw Lin yiniang and the Third Young Master walk in, her expression changed slightly. After she bowed to them, she departed quickly.

 

Meanwhile, Su Yu poured some tea for Lin yiniang and the Third Young Master with due haste.

 

“Si niang, seeing as to how you appear all right, yiniang can set her heart at ease. Mama Chen, bring over the hundred-year ginseng and the top-notch bird’s nest that I brought.” Lin yiniang scrutinised Ruan Xi’s complexion briefly, and she only settled her mind when she saw that she was truly unhindered.

 

She heard that si niang had nearly failed to endure through last night which had caused her a great deal of worry, and it was to the extent where she had tossed and turned in bed, unable to find sleep.

 

If something bad were to happen to si niang, the Furen would definitely borrow the chance to create difficulties for her.

 

The Mama Chen behind Lin yiniang presented the two wooden boxes immediately.

 

Ruan Xi was secretly startled. Hundred-year ginseng… Lin yiniang was truly unstinting.

 

It seems like Lin yiniang’s backing was quite generous and rich.

 

Ruan Xi inclined her body in a hurry to give a bow to Lin yiniang. With an expression that conveyed she could not thank her enough, Ruan Xi uttered: “Many thanks for yiniang’s concern. The physician who made a trip here earlier said that there would be no lingering complications once I woke up.

 

“However, a hundred-year ginseng is too precious, I can’t accept it.”

 

In response, Lin yiniang held onto Ruan Xi’s hand and said in warm tones: “No matter how precious it is, it is not as precious as your life. If it weren’t for Min’er being mischievous, why would you have to endure such hardships?”

敏儿 (pinyin: min er) – the affectionate diminutive name for Ruan Yu Min, the third born son in the Ruan Family.

 

When Ruan Xi heard Lin yiniang say those words, she did not continue declining. Instead, she allowed Su Yu to accept the things that Lin yiniang had sent over.

 

Lin yiniang nodded her head in satisfaction. Then, she pulled over her aggrieved son, who had been hiding behind her back without making a single sound.

 

“Min’er, are you going to continue dallying, or apologise to si niang and ask for her forgiveness?”

 

After the small and chubby boy shuffled towards Ruan Xi, he smacked his lips and apologised with a lowered head. “Si jie (Fourth Older Sister), I… I was wrong.”

 

Ruan Xi accepted the little chubby boy’s apology kindly, since he was only the originator of her illness. Moreover, he had not been deliberate in his actions, while the original owner’s death had other hidden reasons.

隐情 (pinyin: yin qin) – there are several definitions to the phrase. It can also mean ‘ulterior motives’ and ‘a subject best avoided’.

 

Someone had borrowed the opportunity to ruin or get rid of the original owner.

 

 

Once Lin yiniang had said another string of solicitous words, she brought her little chubby boy away.

 

Not long after Lin yiniang had left, her legitimate mother’s trusted Mama arrived belatedly, armed with her legitimate mother’s concern and questions, and a pile of body nourishing medicinal herbs. Afterwards, she told her to stay in her courtyard to recuperate properly.

 

The concubines from other courtyards also sent people over to visit and express their concerns.

 

This was the first time the Limpid Heart Garden was so lively.

 

The original owner had never experienced such a treatment during her previous bouts of illness, and yet she was receiving it after her engagement with Wen Ting Zhou.

 

Ruan Xi laughed bitterly in the depths of her heart. The silence that the original owner kept to hide her own inadequacy had become useless in its entirety.

 

No matter how mediocre her performance was, her legitimate mother would still feel revolted.

 

Although her legitimate mother looked magnanimous, she was probably wishing that she had gone away after failing to endure through last night.

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In a blink of an eye, the time rang for noon, and Ruan Xi felt slightly fatigued as well. She ate two pieces of pastries to cushion her stomach.

 

Upon seeing her actions, Su Yu quickly went to the kitchen to fetch the minced pork porridge that the woman cook had made for Ruan Xi, and then she told Su Zhu – who had just returned – to go to the main kitchen to get the Young Lady’s lunch and the nourishing chicken soup that the furen had instructed her woman cook to make.

 

Meanwhile, Ruan Xi took the chance to close her eyes and replenish her energy.

 

Lunch was rich and superb with three meat dishes and one vegetable. The fragrance of the meats assailed the nose, and the steaming and nourishing chicken soup filled the room with its aroma.

 

Ruan Xi had consumed a bowl of minced meat porridge and some pastries in the morning. Now that she was smelling the sweet and rich fragrance of the meats, her stomach started gurgling.

 

However, when Ruan Xi saw the captivating gloss on the soy sauce braised pig trotters which smelled and looked great, a glint flashed past her eyes.

 

“Young Lady, the kitchen steward said that the Furen has sent word that the Young Lady’s meals should be prepared in accordance with today’s meal as the norm.” Su Zhu told Ruan Xi about the good news happily.

 

Su Yu was full of smiles as well.

 

Typically, her Young Lady would only receive one meat and one vegetable dish, or two vegetables and one vegetable soup.

 

Now that her treatment had been raised to such an extent, and so quickly, Su Yu and Su Zhu felt like their Young Lady’s good days had arrived.

 

Ruan Xi glanced at her two servant girls who were completely oblivious and ignorant to the malicious intentions that her legitimate mother harboured, before she released a silent sigh.

 

There were three meat dishes on the table: pig trotters braised in soy sauce, fish braised in soy sauce, and deep-fried chicken legs. They were all meat dishes that were exceedingly oily and had a glossy shine. Even the vegetables were not spared from a copious amount of sesame oil.

 

The nourishing chicken soup also had a layer of gloss on top; the kitchen probably chose a fat chicken specifically for the stewing.

 

Judging from all the dishes on the table, her legitimate mother was setting down the capital to increase and prop up her appetite to make her obese before she married out.

 

No matter how beautiful a person was, they could not maintain their beauty once they were fat.

 

Her legitimate mother’s actions were done in a fair and open manner too; just think, which fourteen-year-old girl could resist such delectable meat dishes?

 

Like her servant girls, the original owner had been constrained to the back courtyard. Hence, she did not understand pharmacology and she was unaware of the possible perils concealed in her diet, which meant that she was easily led along.

 

But Ruan Xi was not the same. Owing to her congenital heart disease, she was extremely concerned about how she could maintain her health through her diet, and she even studied for a dietitian license.

 

“Su Yu, leave the soy sauce braised fish behind, you can take the remaining two meat dishes away, they are rewarded to all of you.”

 

Ruan Xi gave the instruction which she had promptly decided on, before she explained the metaphorical fishiness in the food, which frightened Su Yu and Su Zhu.

 

“You don’t need to worry too much; consuming some intermittently is alright, but it can’t be eaten frequently. Eating too much greasy and rich meats and fishes is bad for one’s health.”

 

Afterwards, Ruan Xi smiled and began using her lunch. The chefs in the Earl Chengyi Residence had good cooking skills, and towards the nourishing chicken soup, Ruan Xi used a spoon to remove the glazed layer that was floating on top before she drank it.

 

She ate the meal with great relish.

 

Su Yu and Su Zhu, however, only settled their hearts after they observed their calm Young Lady. Then, they enjoyed their meat dishes until their hearts were content, and their mouths glistened with the oil from their meal.

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Main Courtyard.

 

The legitimate wife of Earl Chengyi, Zhang shi, listened to Mama Gao report the situation at the Limpid Heart Garden.

氏 (pinyin: shi) – translates to ‘family’ or ‘clan’. In ancient times, it was a suffix used after a married woman’s maiden name, like née.

 

“Furen, the kitchen steward has already prepared the meal for the Fourth Young Lady in compliance with yõur instructions.”

 

Zhang shi revealed a smile, satisfied.

 

“With si niang becoming the fiancée of Wen gongzi, her treatment has to follow up as well. Right, increase her allowance for this month too.”

 

If she was going to do it, she had to do the full set.

 

Ning’er and da lang still needed to borrow the Wen Family’s influence right now, especially where Ning’er was concerned. With her fiancé being as useless as he was, it was unknown how much bitterness her Ning’er would have to eat after marrying over.

宁儿 (pinyin: ning er) – this is a small name for Ruan Ning.
大郎 (pinyin: da lang) – in this context, Zhang-shi is referring to her oldest son.

 

Zhang shi was in full support of her daughter breaking the pledge of marriage, since she had always resented the Earl for deciding on this marriage for her daughter. Originally, the Lao Taitai had been persuaded as well, but Ning’er went back on her words at the critical juncture, and even refused to relent on having her betroth si niang. When Zhang shi had heard that her chosen candidate for Ruan si niang was the legitimate son of a Rites Minister, she almost spat out her blood in anger.

 

Had her Ning’er gone silly?

 

However, after she was pestered to the point where she had no recourse left, she could only choose to discuss the matter with the Rites Minister’s furen. She originally assumed that the other party would disdain the small concubine-born daughter, but who could have expected that she would agree to it?

 

Zhang shi only felt regret in her heart. If she had known earlier, she would never have made that promise to her daughter, but it was too late for regrets now.

 

Hence, when si niang was infected with a cold carelessly, she could not resist acting, and she was arrested for a lecture by the Lao Taitai this morning because of it.

 

Since the Lao Taitai was a reverent Buddhist and practiced vegetarianism, Zhang shi did not expect that the Lao Taitai would still be monitoring her every move and action.

 

Thus, Zhang shi could only vent her anger on si niang’s person. With the Lao Taitai’s watchful eyes, she did not dare to use underhanded means, and she went for the open and fair methods directly.

 

If si niang could not even see through such small tricks, the Lao Taitai would presumably be very disappointed as well.

 

Mama Gao smiled knowingly as she said: “Furen is benevolent. The fact that the Fourth Young Lady has a legitimate mother like yõu must be because she burned high-quality joss sticks to her ancestors in her previous life.”

 

In a good mood, Zhang shi picked up her small cup to sip on the tea. Meanwhile, Mama Sun had always disliked Mama Gao because she only knew how to fawn. Hence, with a visible frown, Mama Sun brought up another matter.

 

“Furen, the person we have in Lin yiniang’s courtyard has sent news that Lin yiniang has given a hundred-year ginseng to the Fourth Young Lady.”

 

In an exceptionally tactful manner, she did not bring up the fact that the Third Young Lady had given the Fourth Young Lady a good ginseng that was short of a hundred years as well.

 

Upon hearing that, Zhang shi’s complexion contorted slightly and her good mood disappeared without a trace, and veins protruded on the back of her hand as she tightened her grip on the teacup. With gnashed teeth, she reprimanded severely:

 

“That despicable Lin shi!”

 

Even she did not have many hundred-year ginsengs in her hands, so how could Lin shi, a mere daughter of a xiucai in dire straits, possibly have such good products? The Earl must have given it to her.

 

With how liberal Lin shi was, she definitely had many good things in her hands.

 

When Mama Gao saw her Furen being angered, she gave Mama Sun a vicious glare.

 

“Furen, please cool yõur temper. Lin yiniang is but a small concubine who has taken advantage of the favour she has to receive some things through less-than-improper means, she can’t shake your position. This expansive Earl Chengyi Residence will still be inherited by yõur Young Master in the end.”

 

“Mama Gao, do not forget that Lin yiniang has the Third Young Master at her knees, and he will be distributed a portion of the Earl’s estates.” Mama Sun reminded.

 

“The Third Young Master is just a six-year-old child, he is nothing to worry about. Who knows if he has the chance to grow up.” Mama Gao laughed coldly.

 

“Mama Gao, it seems like you have failed to grasp my meaning. With Lin yiniang’s schemes and measures, protecting the Third Young Master and ensuring that he will grow up peacefully is not a difficult matter. While she is giving an apology on the surface, the reality is that she is borrowing the hundred-year ginseng to be on friendly terms with the Forth Young Lady, and pave the road for the Third Young Master.” Sun Mama pierced the truth of Lin yiniang’s motive with one pertinent remark.

 

Mama Gao was rendered speechless, and she said something unwittingly in response.

 

“I heard that the Third Young Lady sent a ginseng short of a hundred years to the Fourth Young Lady as well.”

 

Mama Sun called her an idiot in the dark.

 

Why was she adding fuel to the fire at this moment?

 

Zhang shi’s expression blackened instantaneously and it was extremely terrifying.

 

The room became so quiet a pin drop could be heard. The trusted maidservants in the room quickly suppressed their breathing and reduced their sense of existence as much as possible.

 

With a loud crash, the teacup in Zhang shi’s hand was smashed onto the ground. Her lips trembled as she spoke in anger: “Go, call Ning’er over.”

 

“Yes, Furen!”

 

Mama Sun answered in a hurry before she turned around to leave.

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Limpid Heart Garden.

 

Ruan Xi was unaware of the matters that occurred after she had received the two ginsengs.

 

After taking an afternoon nap, Ruan Xi dismissed Su Yu and Su Zhu so she could familiarise and practice all the various etiquette the original owner had learnt in secret.

 

A noble daughter’s upbringing was not easy and these were things she had never experienced before. Ruan Xi could not have a peace of mind when she could only rely on the memories without having any actual practice.

 

Those skills would only and truly belong to her when she had the proper grasp and mastery of them.

 

Her golden finger was merely the thorough understanding of the plot through the lens of the female protagonist, but that knowledge was of little help to her.

 

Hence, Ruan Xi put in her utmost effort as she faced the mirror and replicated the various appropriate ceremonial poses from the original owner’s memories.

 

From being uncoordinated and unskilled in the beginning, she searched and instilled the bodily instinct little by little…

 

“Sure enough, it’s just like what I had anticipated.  Fortunately, I wasn’t overly reliant on the original owner’s memories.”

 

Ruan Xi used a handkerchief to wipe away the beads of sweat that had gathered on the tip of her nose, revealing a relaxed smile.

 

“My etiquette is technically passable, but I still need to practice more.”

 

The etiquette lessons that the female master had taught her gradually emerged in Ruan Xi’s mind: an elegant manner of talking, smiling expressions that were suited to the occasion, and Lin yiniang’s mien… the fighting spirit in her heart increased even more.

 

Meanwhile, Su Yu and Su Zhu were guarding the door outside. As they sat on low stools, they picked up the needlework inside the shallow basket made out of thin bamboo strips, and began embroidering the small pouches.

 

 Just as Su Yu finished embroidering a pouch, she raised her head and saw a handsome and spirited noble son clad in a brocade robe walking over to Limpid Heart Garden from the distance at an unhurried pace with a young male servant trailing behind him.

 

Stunned, Su Yu could not help but rub her eyes, in fear that she had seen the wrong person. To her surprise, it was actually the Oldest Young Master, who was attending Qingshan Academy, which was one of the four best academies of classical learning.