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

Wen Ting Zhou had been practising martial arts ever since he was young, and he was not a frail scholar by any means; the examination conditions in the examination venue were not worth mentioning to him.

But being able to eat better food, especially when this was Ruan Ruan’s display of concern, made Wen Ting Zhou’s heart warm up as he gracefully finished the bowl of steaming hot and delicious noodles.

“Zhang Qing, you should boil a block of fried dry noodles to try it too.”

At the side, Zhang Qing did not know how many times he had secretly swallowed his saliva. Honestly speaking, the noodles were too fragrant, and while he did not know what seasonings were used, its tempting fragrance could kill.

Now that he unexpectedly heard his gongzi saying that he was going to give him a block of fried dry noodle, Zhang Qing was so happy his eyebrows raised and a smile was apparent in his eyes. After giving his thanks, he took a block of noodles and left merrily.

Shaking his head, Wen Ting Zhou laughed. He stared at the bright and clean bowl in front of him, some tenderness colouring his gaze.

When Ruan Xi received Wen Ting Zhou’s reply letter and saw his response to the dried fry noodles, the corners of her mouth raised slightly.

It was good that Ting Zhou da ge liked it.

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She told the kitchen maids in her small kitchen to continue making the fried dry noodles, and when Lao Taitai and the other residents dispatched someone to make inquiries, Ruan Xi did not hide it from them either.

Zhang shi did not pay attention to it after learning about the noodles. She was trying to get rid of Ruan san niang, whom she perceived as a malignant tumour in her heart. Ever since they returned from Wen lao-furen‘s longevity feast, Zhang shi‘s had been making small movements constantly, but let alone coming down with severe illness, Ruan san niang was not even afflicted with a small illness, and her entire person was still healthy and active as ever.

Zhang shi‘s face was overcast, making it evident that she could not accept this result.

“Didn’t you say that you personally watched her eat it, why is she completely fine?”

A glint of fear flitted past Mama Gao’s eyes as cold sweat started gathering on her forehead. “Furen, do you think it’s possible that the counterfeit Third Young Lady has some kind of strange ability?”

Zhang shi‘s pupils shrank slightly, her nails becoming white as she tightened her grip around the teacup she was holding. “Strange ability?”

“Precisely so. Otherwise, why would the counterfeit Third Young Lady be completely fine, even though she clearly drank it all after nucai specifically increased the drug quantity by a substantial amount?” Mama Gao’s complexion became increasingly pale the more she thought about it.

Zhang shi‘s heart shook violently. The counterfeit actually had such an inhumane and bizarre ability? That was too terrifying, and far too dangerous.

She gritted her teeth. “It appears that drugging her is useless. Didn’t she break her legs from the fall last time? We can only dispatch someone to kill her.”

When Mama Gao heard her Furen utter those words, the fear she felt for the counterfeit Third Young Lady was reduced by a small shred. That was true, the counterfeit Third Young Lady was not truly without a chink in her armour.

“Furen, we can’t act inside the residence, should we ask someone to lure the Third Young Lady out of the residence?”

“Mn, you’ll be handling this matter. Do not allow a third person to know about this, do you understand?” The counterfeit’s ability was too strange, which only increased Zhang shi‘s conviction that she could not expose herself.

Mama Gao repeatedly swore that she would keep it a secret.

In fact, she was also scared that if she failed again, the counterfeit Third Young Lady would discover it and seek vengeance.

Ruan Xi did not know that Zhang shi was devoting all her attention towards eliminating Ruan san niang. The news that she made the fried dry noodles reached Ruan san niang‘s ears very quickly, and since she was idle to the point of boredom, Ruan san niang started to jump about.

“Yao Hong, what do you think the fried dry noodles that si mei made looks like?”

Yao Hong shook her head, “Nubi does not know, she merely heard that the fried dry noodles made by the Fourth Young Lady is particularly fragrant, and she probably added a lot of spices.”

Fried dry noodles… Fried dry noodles…

Just from the name alone, it sounded like it was deep-fried, and how could deep-fried food not be fragrant?

That was what Ruan san niang mumbled in her heart. She heard that her fourth sister had specifically conceived of this food because she wanted Wen gongzi to eat better at the examination venue.

Tsk tsk, this was the magical power of love.

Ruan san niang pursed her lips, her fourth sister was putting too much heart into Wen gongzi, no? It seems like she had sunk pretty deep, and she was a little curious about the fried dry noodles her fourth sister made.

“Yao Hong, let’s take a trip to the Limpid Heart Garden.”

Yao Hong: “……”

“Young Lady, did yõu forget about the jewellery incident?”

Ruan san niang was thick-skinned; despite being severely reprimanded by Zhang shi and Lao Taitai because of the jewellery, it did not hurt or tickle. Rather, she was bold and assured that justice was on her side.

“Lao Taitai and Mother sent quite a few items to si mei to make up to her, didn’t they? It’s not like she’s going to keep holding grudges against me, and who hasn’t been careless once or twice?”

Speaking of which, Ruan san niang found it hard to level her thoughts regarding this topic. She was just Wen gongzi‘s fiancée, wasn’t she? But why was everyone in the residence worshipping her like she was a Bodhisattva, as though they were deathly afraid of her suffering the slightest grievance?

Hmpf, and Mother was truly something too. She clearly knew that her fourth sister was incapable of having offspring in the future, and yet she was still feigning concern by asking about her well-being, didn’t she tire of it?

But then she remembered that the matriarchs of the ancient era had always pretended to be magnanimous, amiable, and understanding, so Ruan san niang did not spare another thought.

When Yao Hong heard her Young Lady say such shameless words, her lips twitched. Her Young Lady clearly broke the jewellery on purpose, but she still nodded and cooperated on the surface.

“Young Lady speaks correctly.”

“Let us go then, to Limpid Heart Garden.”

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With a bounce in her steps, Ruan san niang went to Limpid Heart Garden with her maidservant.

At the current moment, Ruan Xi was in the small kitchen with Mama Yang to learn how to simmer soup. Mama Yang had stayed in the imperial kitchens for a few years, and since she knew how to flatter and curry favour, she had been subordinate to a few old imperial chefs after managing to win them over, which allowed her to learn a great deal of culinary skills.

The original book revolved around the female protagonist, and the female protagonist loved good food. Thus, being the female protagonist’s trusted Mama, not only was she proficient in residence infighting, she also had excellent culinary skills as a natural consequence.

Ruan Xi sighed about her own good luck again.

Inside the small kitchen, one person was teaching with her utmost effort, the other was learning seriously, and while it was the same soup recipe with the same steps, there were differences between the soup they simmered.

The soup simmered by Mama Yang was exceedingly delicious. As a matter of fact, Ruan Xi’s simmered soup was quite decent in taste as well – which was unsurprising, since she already knew how to cook – but compared to Mama Yang’s soup, cough cough, there was basically no point in comparing.

“Mama Yang, the soup you simmered is absolutely divine, it would be great if I could drink it everyday.”

Mama Yang smiled, stating that her simmered soup still had ways to go compared to the old imperial chef that taught her.

Ruan Xi: “……”

Mama Yang was being too modest. She remembered that the book had mentioned that Mama Yang was rather talented in terms of culinary skills, and the female protagonist was particularly fond of eating the food that Mama Yang made.

Using her eyes to read and personally experiencing it were two different things.

The soup simmered by Mama Yang was too delicious, to the extent where she did not want to drink her own simmered soup anymore.

“Mama Yang, after drinking your soup, I feel like I’m not suited to learn simmered soups.”

“Young Lady, it’s only your first attempt at simmered soups and you already have such results, I feel like you have great culinary skills.”

Ruan Xi: “……”

That was the product of the experience she brought over from her previous life. No matter how much she learned, it was still at this level. Ruan Xi did not want to squander, but Mama Yang refused to believe her, and insisted that she had a talent for cooking.

Ruan Xi was completely speechless.

Just as Ruan Xi finished the soup simmered by Mama Yang, Su Yu’s voice sounded from outside the small kitchen.

“Young Lady, the Third Young Lady is here.”

Ruan Xi frowned, not wanting to see Ruan san niang at all. “Su Yu, tell san jie that I’m busy right now, I won’t be seeing her.”

“Aiya, si mei, what are you busy with? I heard that you made some kind of fried dry noodles that’s particularly fragrant, and I came over specifically to have a look.”

Ruan san niang was undoubtedly aware that she and her fourth sister were on bad terms. Being refused at the door was very normal, hence why she barged in directly.

“Where’s the fried dry noodles?”

Ruan Xi stared at Ruan san niang with an unperturbed gaze, not uttering a single word.

Ruan san niang frowned as she said unhappily, “Si mei, are you still angry at the fact that I damaged your jewellery? It’s not like I did on purpose. Lao Taitai and Mother have already reprimanded me severely, and sent you several quality items to make up to you. No matter what, we’re still sisters, can’t you just drop that matter?”

Yao Hong: “……”

Ruan Xi smiled out of anger. The thickness of Ruan san niang’s skin was far beyond her imagination.

“San jie, there’s nothing good for us to say, please leave.”

Ruan san niang’s complexion became ugly in an instant.

“Si mei, I didn’t expect that you were such a narrow-minded and petty person. Since you don’t welcome me, I won’t ever come over in the future. Let’s hope that there won’t be a day where you’re begging for me.”

小肚鸡肠 (pinyin: xiao du ji chang) – lit. small belly, chicken guts.

After saying that, Ruan san niang laughed coldly before she stormed out. Wasn’t it just fried dry noodles? Did she think that she would covet it like some kind of rarity? Just wait for her to bring out the delicious instant noodles; her fried dry noodles could go and cool wherever it wanted then.

Hastily, Yao Hong bowed and withdrew before she chased after her.

Ruan Xi did not care for Ruan san niang’s words, she did not want Ruan san niang around anyway.

At the side, Mama Yang was basically struggling to find words to describe this Third Young Lady who was from legitimate descent in the Earl Residence.

Ruan san niang’s visit was just a brief interlude. The day after was the metropolitan examination which had garnered a lot of interest. Wen Ting Zhou would be entering the examination venue tomorrow, so Ruan Xi sent all the fried dry noodles that her kitchen maids made to Wen Ting Zhou, while reminding him to bring some anti-inflammatory medicinal tea, lest he became too heaty.

Classes in the Qingshan Academy had stopped for a few days, and Ruan Yu Wen was planning to bring Ruan Xi out of the residence tomorrow to witness the spectacular event.

Ruan Xi was rather interested so she agreed to go out of the residence with Ruan Yu Wen. In all likelihood, she might even get a chance to see Wen Ting Zhou. The ancient-era examinations were far harsher and harder than her modern-day college entrance examinations, and it was also a grand occasion that was widely focused on. The bustle and activity would always peak whenever there was an imperial civil service examination being held.

On the morning of the next day, the weather was not cooperating since a fine drizzle was raining down, bringing along gusts of chilly winds.

After Ruan Xi tidied her appearance, she brought Su Yu and Su Zhu along to get on the horse carriage, and then she left the residence with Ruan Yu Wen.

Once they left the residence, Zhang shi dispatched someone to tell Ruan san niang the news.

Ruan san niang was enraged. Sure enough, her older brother was only profit-driven like their scum father. In order to ingratiate their fourth sister, he had tossed his legitimate and biological younger sister to the back of his mind.

Ruan san niang immediately went to the main courtyard to look for Zhang shi, shouting that she also wanted to go out of the residence to watch the bustle. Zhang shi did not agree, saying that available patrolling highly skilled guards within the residence were already protecting Ruan Yu Wen and Ruan Xi, and that she was worried she might be in danger if she left the residence.

Ruan san niang was unconcerned; she frequently left the residence in her past life, and she had never encountered any dangers. Hence, she pestered and wore down Zhang shi about letting her go out of the residence.

Secretly pleased that the counterfeit had taken the bait, Zhang shi looked rather torn as she agreed to her request, and even gave her a list of instructions.

Ruan san niang could not be bothered to listen to these, and she looked for an excuse to run away swiftly.

Zhang shi laughed coldly in her heart.

She had just advised her not to go out of residence in an earnest and well-meaning fashion in front of the maidservants and older woman-servants inside the main courtyard. Everyone was now aware that Ruan san niang had insisted on going out of the residence. If something happened to her, she would be asking for it, no?

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There was already a vast crowd gathered in front of the examination hall’s gates. The candidates participating in the metropolitan examination were lining up to wait for their names to be called so they could be searched before entering the examination hall. Additionally, there were numerous government workmen wearing their official uniforms with a sword strapped on their waist to maintain order.

Ruan Xi’s horse carriage stopped a short distance away. Through the carriage curtains, she surveyed the candidates that were holding onto paper umbrellas as they formed a long line under the fine drizzle. There were actually people that were around the ages of forty to fifty among the candidates, which made Ruan Xi extremely rueful.

As a matter of fact, they could seek a small official position as long as they passed the imperial civil service examination, but there would always be people who wished to ascend to the Heavens in one step.

Su Yu and Su Zhu pulled open a corner of the carriage curtains to look everywhere. There were a lot of people who were here just to watch the bustle, and Ruan Xi managed to catch a glimpse of several familiar-looking signs on the horse carriages.

“Hm, nubi just saw Wen Residence’s horse carriage, could it be that Wen gongzi has arrived?” Su Yu verbalised her observation in surprise, a trace of excitement seeping into voice.

Ruan Xi’s eyes brightened. She could not help but pull open the carriage curtain to poke her head out. When she saw Zhang Qing coming out of the horse carriage, Ruan Xi immediately ascertained the fact that Wen Ting Zhou had arrived.