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

少爷 (shao ye) – young master.
少夫人 (shao fu ren) – the wife of a young master.
大哥 (da ge) – older or oldest brother.
大嫂 (da sao) – the oldest brother’s wife or oldest sister-in-law, which is used by the husband’s younger siblings to address his wife.
公公 (gong gong) – father-in-law.
婆婆 (po po) – mother-in-law.
夫人 (fu ren) – the official wife of an official, the matriarch of a family.
氏 (shi) – a suffix placed after a married woman’s patronymic.
姨娘 (yi niang) – an official’s concubine, or concubine-mother.
二弟 (er di) — second younger brother.
二弟妹 (er di mei) — second younger brother’s wife, or second younger sister-in-law. Dimei is only used by the husband’s older siblings to address his wife.

After eating their breakfast, Wen Ting Zhou and Ruan Xi left Harmonious Dwelling and headed for the main courtyard.

On the way there, they encountered the other newly wedded couple who were also offering tea today— Wen Ting Yi and Liu Wan Wan.

One of them was carefully supporting the other, while said other was like a feeble willow going against the wind as she leaned into him, and there was an entourage of maidservants and Mamas trailing behind them. 

Ruan Xi widened her eyes slightly. It was early in the morning and her stomach had been fed until it was close to the bursting point, but a huge plate of dog food had been shoved into her face without any prior warning.

However, Ruan Xi still looked at them with relish.

At this moment, Wen Ting Zhou leaned closer to her ear and murmured in a soft voice: “The ones walking over are my second younger brother and his newly wedded wife.” After saying that, his larger hand naturally wrapped around her waist before he moved forward.

Ruan Xi: “……”

As if he was cognizant of Ruan Ruan’s inner thoughts, Wen Ting Zhou explained with a serious expression, “We can’t allow ourselves to be defeated by them.” 

“If that’s what you like, I suppose.” Ruan Xi pursed her lips into a smile. Cough cough, she really did not expect that Wen Ting Zhou would have such a childish competitive streak. 

“Call me husband. Ruan Ruan, I like hearing you call me husband.” Wen Ting Zhou corrected in a low voice.

Ruan Xi suppressed her laughter.

“Understood, my good husband.”

Wen Ting Zhou’s mouth corners quirked up. 

Su Yu, Su Zhu, Zhang Qing, and the rest of the servants behind them: “……”

They glanced at the other loving young husband and wife who were walking over swiftly from a small path, and they looked at the sky wordlessly. 

“Da ge, da sao, how coincidental.” Wen Ting Yi greeted Wen Ting Zhou and Ruan Xi after he strode over to them with his wife, his face flushed with success.

大嫂 (pinyin: da sao) – used in reference to an older brother’s wife, which means oldest sister-in-law, typically used by younger siblings from the husband’s family.
春风得意 (pinyin: chun feng de yi) – it also has implications of being sexually satisfied.

Liu Wan Wan smiled weakly, “Wan Wan has seen da ge and da sao.”

Her eyes roamed all over Wen Ting Zhou before it landed on Ruan Xi’s person.

This was the first time Liu Wan Wan saw the Fourth Young Lady from the Earl Residence, whose life was so good that she was a target of envy and jealousy. 

Sure enough, the rumours about her peerless beauty, and her magnanimous and graceful bearing were true. Furthermore, those pretty eyes seemed to clearly perceive the feelings she had hidden at the bottom of her heart.

Liu Wan Wan’s heart lurched and she swiftly lowered her eyes. 

Ruan Xi raised an eyebrow and smiled. Interesting. If her eyes had not failed her, the gaze that Liu Wan Wan regarded Wen Ting Zhou with was quite odd. And towards her? She harboured thinly-veiled enmity of course.  

Although Liu Wan Wan had concealed it exceedingly well, they were both women, and having grown up in an orphanage alone, Ruan Xi was the best at weighing the words of others and observing their facial expressions. Hence, Liu Wan Wan’s scant peculiarity could not escape her eyes.

Wen Ting Zhou’s charisma was really large. 

Wen Ting Zhou wore an estranging albeit gentle smile as he nodded towards them. “It’s getting late, both of you should also be going over as soon as possible, don’t let Father and Mother wait for long.” After uttering those words, he monopolised Ruan Xi’s waist and walked away directly. 

Mama Yang and the rest kept pace with them, though Mama Yang did turn her head back to scrutinise the feeble-looking Liu Wan Wan. She furrowed her brows, a smear of cold intent flashing past the depths of her eyes.

Liu Wan Wan frowned briefly as she wrung the handkerchief in her hands subconsciously, then she smiled softly at Wen Ting Yi. And like he had been injected with chicken blood, Wen Ting Yi continued to support Liu Wan Wan as they followed them quickly.

After Wen Ting Zhou pulled a certain distance away from them while holding Ruan Xi’s waist, he spoke next to her ear, “Ruan Ruan, stay further away from er di and his wife in the future.” 

二弟 (pinyin: er di) – second younger brother.

Ruan Xi hooked up her lips. “Husband, did you discover something?”

Wen Ting Zhou arched his eyebrows in response. “It appears that Ruan Ruan has discovered it too.”

This was the first time he had met the girl that enthralled his second younger brother to the point where he was adamant about marrying her, no matter the twists and turns, but with one glance, he had discerned the fact that her outward appearance was deceiving, and there was that annoying, obscured adoration present in her gaze.

“Indeed, I discovered that the person that Liu Wan Wan truly likes seems to be you, husband.” Ruan Xi glanced at Wen Ting Zhou with a superficial smile. 

“She is but an unsettled woman, there’s no need for Ruan Ruan to be concerned about her. Stay away from her in the future, I fear that she will bring harm to you.” Wen Ting Zhou said faintly.

He had always been apathetic and he felt nothing for the multitudes of girls that liked him. Ruan Ruan, however, was an exception; and he would never let any harm befall on Ruan Ruan. 

Ruan Xi nodded with a smile, quite satisfied with Wen Ting Zhou’s reaction. 

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Inside the Main Courtyard.

Minister Wen and Wen furen were sitting on the honoured frontmost seats, while Minister Wen’s concubines were sitting on the two sides below, and their sons and daughters were standing behind them. 

Wen Ting Zhou and Ruan Xi were the first to step into the main hall, with Wen Ting Yi and Liu Wan Wan following behind them closely.

The gazes of the people in the main hall landed on the two wives that had been newly married into this residence. 

In this instance, Liu Wan Wan had adjusted her expression appropriately instead of displaying a soft and delicate appearance, but with Ruan Xi acting as her foil, she was bound to be eclipsed in terms of her appearance and temperament. 

As Wen furen sat on the frontmost seat, she stole a glimpse at Zhao yiniang’s slightly sunken expression below, and a glint of laughter flickered past the bottom of her eyes.

Her son still had better eyesight. 

Liu Wan Wan’s level was too low, and in the eyes of the women in Minister Wen’s back courtyard, she could not hide anything at all; only an idiot like Wen Ting Yi would be entranced by Liu Wan Wan.

With such a sharp contrast, anyone could distinguish the difference as long as they were not blind. The others suppressed their laughter secretly.

Minister Wen frowned. Compared to that brainless Mu Qing Ling, this Liu Wan Wan was not better by any means. He glanced at his second son who was flushed with success before he shifted his gaze away silently. Then, he told Wen furen:

“The time is getting late, allow the new wives to offer the tea.”

Wen furen nodded with a smile. She gave her trusted Mama a sidelong glance. Without missing a beat, a servant girl put down the praying mats, and the tea offerings were appropriately prepared.

Wen Ting Zhou and Ruan Xi took a step forward and knelt down on the praying mats, kowtowing in respect, before they took the tea that a maidservant was holding on a tray before they presented it. 

“Gonggong, please use the tea!”

公公 (pinyin: gong gong) – in this context, it means father-in-law.

With a crinkle-eyed smile, Minister Wen accepted the tea and took a sip. With regards to this legitimate eldest daughter-in-law, he was extremely satisfied with her in his heart. His legitimate eldest son had far better vision. He praised Ruan Xi with a few sentences, and then he finally rewarded Ruan Xi with a precious first meeting gift.

“Men come hither, bring in the gold tree.”

Once the people present heard that, their expressions changed instantaneously, especially Wen Ting Zhou’s concubine-born younger brothers and sisters, who could no longer conceal their jealous gazes. 

Without needing much time, the servants carried in a large and dazzling gold tree. 

Ruan Xi was dumbstruck.

Gold tree, its entire body was dazzling because it was actually made out of real gold, and it nearly blinded her eyes. 

Wen Ting Zhou was surprised.

His father having an amiable attitude towards Ruan Ruan was within his expectations. 

However, it was hard for Wen Ting Zhou to not be surprised when his father gave a gold tree as a first meeting gift.

Ruan Xi steadied her mind as she thanked him in a swift and respectful manner: “Many thanks for gonggong’s precious reward, erxi is overwhelmed by this unexpected favour.”

儿媳 (pinyin: er xi) – son’s wife or daughter-in-law.

Minister Wen laughed.

Following this, Ruan Xi offered the tea to Wen furen. 

“Popo, please use the tea!”

婆婆 (pinyin: po po) – mother-in-law in this context.

Wen furen smiled as she accepted the tea and took a sip. She did not admonish her either, and she skipped straight to the first meeting gift.

It was an exquisite and lavish jadeite head ornament and a silk fabric store, which was quite generous. 

Ruan Xi smiled and thanked her. Subsequently, she presented the needlework she personally made for her elders, and then she gave her contemporaries the meeting gifts that she had prepared.

Most of Wen Ting Zhou’s younger brothers and sisters would happily accept the first meeting gifts that she had prepared and promptly changed their address for her to da sao, except the third young lady of the Wen Family whom Zhao yiniang had given birth to. She had accepted the gift with visible reluctance, and her expression was coloured with an irreverent and haughty attitude. 

Ruan Xi pretended not to see it. 

In any case, she was not Wen Ting Zhou’s legitimate, fully blood-related younger sister, it would suffice if she just went through the motions. 

Wen Ting Zhou glanced at his third younger sister in a placid manner as he recorded down this debt in his heart.

As Liu Wan Wan quietly waited for her turn to offer the tea, her hands clenched. Ever since she stepped into the room, she had sensed the scrutinising and challenging gazes from everyone. She originally assumed that the Wen Family members would make things difficult for Ruan si xiaojie because she had claimed a higher social status through Wen gongzi, but she did not anticipate that she would get through everything like this.

To her astonishment, Minister Wen and Wen furen were very satisfied with her.

Especially Minister Wen and the first meeting gift he gave her, even she could not stop herself from becoming red-eyed and jealous. 

Once Wen Ting Zhou and Ruan Xi were done offering the tea and the other necessary ceremonies, they sat in the seats below Wen furen. 

Afterwards, it was Liu Wan Wan’s turn to offer the tea. Minister Wen and Wen furen wore indifferent expressions and they only gave her a red envelope as a first meeting gift. The difference in treatment made Liu Wan Wan bite her lip as a hint of grief seeped into her countenance. Wen Ting Yi felt distress in response, but he was not stupid enough to speak out for her in this kind of setting. 

Zhao yiniang was so angry that her heart and liver panged when she witnessed this scene.

A thing that could not be seen in the light.

When it was eventually Liu Wan Wan’s turn to offer her tea, Zhao yiniang could no longer resist the urge to make things difficult for her. 

She kept refusing to accept her tea. 

Liu Wan Wan’s pampered and weak figure swayed once before she looked at the people present, aggrieved. In the end, Wen Ting Yi spoke out for Liu Wan Wan.

“Yiniang, Wan Wan’s hands are sore now.”

Zhao yiniang felt a burst of ire in her heart and she could not help but glare at her son. 

“I ate a little too much in the morning, and I really can’t drink this tea, I’ll drink it later. Since you feel distressed for your wife, why don’t you feel distressed for me, this yiniang?”

“Yiniang, I… That’s not what I meant. Wan Wan’s body is frail, it’s alright if you accept this tea first and drink it later.” Wen Ting Yi had steeled his heart to stand on Liu Wan Wan’s side. 

“Older Brother, how could you speak to yiniang like that.” Wen san xiaojie could not help but become angry. 

A bigger fire was churning in Zhao yiniang’s stomach. Her son had forgotten his mother after he gained a wife; she basically hated this vixen Liu Wan Wan to death. 

Minister Wen was not one to interfere with the matters of the back courtyard, but the impression that he had of Liu Wan Wan, this second daughter-in-law, was exceedingly poor.

Meanwhile, Wen furen’s eyes were brimming with laughter.

Ruan Xi was watching the show with relish. She did not have to offer the tea to her father-in-law’s concubines, but Liu Wan Wan was different. However, it had to be said that Liu Wan Wan’s conduct truly rendered people speechless. 

In the end, Zhao yiniang drank Liu Wan Wan’s offered tea with an ugly expression. 

When Liu Wan Wan was distributing the first meeting gifts to her contemporaries, she gave Ruan Xi a pretty and exquisite scent sachet.

Once the scent sachet was brought out, Ruan Xi’s golden finger issued a warning.

She stared at Liu Wan Wan deeply, and she nearly failed to maintain her smile as she accepted her scent sachet.

“The embroidery on this scent sachet is quite exquisite, and its fragrance is rather pleasant. I have received er dimei’s sincerity.”

二弟妹 (pinyin: er di mei) – second younger brother’s wife, or second younger sister-in-law. Dimei is only used by the husband’s older siblings to address his wife.

Ruan Xi stared at the docile-looking Liu Wan Wan with a smile that was not a smile, while Wen Ting Zhou squinted his eyes from the side. 

Once the tea offerings concluded, Ruan Xi did not immediately return after exiting the main courtyard. She stopped in the middle of the path to wait for someone as she fiddled with the exquisite and small scent sachet in her hands.

“Ruan Ruan, is there something wrong with that small scent sachet?” A smear of harsh coldness flitted past his demeanour. 

Nodding, Ruan Xi did not conceal anything from him as she stated: “Mn, this scent sachet has been soaked in medicinal drugs.”

Wen Ting Zhou’s handsome face sank. 

When Su Yu, Su Zhu, and the rest heard that, all of them became enraged. 

At this moment, Wen Ting Yi and Liu Wan Wan walked over slowly. When they saw Wen Ting Zhou and his delegation blocking their path, Liu Wan Wan felt her heart squeeze, and she abruptly tightened her grip on Wen Ting Yi’s arm. 

“Truly, er dimei is skilled. I will be handing this scent sachet which had been soaked in medicinal drugs to popo, and allow popo to inspect it thoroughly.” Ruan Xi was smiling, but her spoken words made Liu Wan Wan’s body shiver like she had been plunged into an ice cellar. 

She was actually found out.

Wen Ting Yi’s heart sank. “Da sao, what do you mean by those words?”

Ruan Xi smirked slightly, “Er di probably understands the meaning of my words in his heart. I only hope that er dimei won’t stretch her hands too far.” 

Ruan Xi intentionally uncovered the plot in her presence because she was planning to shed all pretences of cordiality with the inwardly hostile Liu Wan Wan, lest she tried to get close whenever she had the chance.

But of course, Liu Wan Wan would never admit to this, and it was more than likely that she would push the blame to someone else.

Ruan Xi did not care.

Naturally, Wen Ting Yi did not believe Ruan Xi’s accusation. “Da sao, you’re speaking nonsense. Wan Wan is kind-hearted, she’s not that type of person.” 

“Ting Yi, I really don’t know if that scent sachet has been steeped in medicinal drugs, and if it has been, someone must be trying to frame me.”

Like Ruan Xi had predicted, Liu Wan Wan refused to admit to it. 

Coldly, Wen Ting Zhou gave them a sweeping look. “I will personally investigate this matter. Stay further away from Ruan Ruan in the future, especially er dimei.”

After saying that, Wen Ting Zhou shook his sleeves and left with Ruan Xi.

Biting her lips, Liu Wan Wan continued to stand there, her pretty face becoming ghastly pale, and Wen Ting Yi felt a wave of distress when he noticed that. 

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Upon returning to Harmonious Dwelling, Ruan Xi tossed Liu Wan Wan to the back of her mind as she allowed the servants to move the gold tree into the room with much zeal. 

Minister Wen was too rich; he actually used gold to make a tree.

As Wen Ting Zhou peered at the bright and dazzling gold tree in the room, his lips twitched.

“Cough cough, Ruan Ruan, it’s better if this gold tree is kept in the storeroom.”

Ruan Xi laughed secretly because she knew Wen TIng Zhou would react that way. Honestly speaking, she was not planning to put this tempting gold tree in this room either.

“Husband, don’t be anxious, I will place it in the storeroom later.”

Wen Ting Zhou: “……”

As the newly wedded couple talked about the gold tree in their room, the proceedings of the tea offerings this morning circulated around the residence. Consequently, the servants became cognizant of what the two newly married Shao Furen were like. 

At the same time, Emperor Shengde received some information from the subordinates that were monitoring Ruan san niang, and after he read the utility of the block and tackle which was disclosed at the very end, Emperor Shengde’s pupils shrank slightly. 

It seems like this Ruan san xiaojie still has a number of good things in her hands.

“What kind of request will she make this time around?”

Narrowing his eyes, Emperor Shengde picked up the material given. After he read it, Emperor Shengde’s face sank.

“Summon Wen Ting Zhou into the palace!”

Since the issue was related to the legitimate wife that Wen Ting Zhou recently married, Emperor Shengde decided to suppress this matter first. However, a thread of doubt appeared in his heart simultaneously. Back when he secretly dispatched his men to startle the horse and injure Ruan si xiaojie, he had dispatched two imperial physicians over as well, but he had never heard them report that Ruan si xiaojie had been afflicted with infertility medicine.