Chapter 437 - Chapter 437: Chapter 444: Beyond Expectations (1/2)
Chapter 437: Chapter 444: Beyond Expectations
“What virtues and abilities does our lady possess that she could become sisters with you, Miss Chen?” Shu Lan couldn’t hide the cold sneer in her heart upon hearing Chen Li’s patronizing tone. In her eyes, their lady was untouchable, exalted, whereas Chen Li was nothing but a disreputable, flirtatious woman from a merchant family. In some aspects, she couldn’t even compare to the servants, yet she had the audacity to propose sisterhood with their lady, as if trying to overstate her own worth.
“Why not?” Chen Li seemingly failed to grasp the irony in Shu Lan’s words. “In my view, your lady has the figure, beauty, wealth, and a strong family background. She completely overshadows Yiyang Prefecture’s supposed number one beauty. She’s the real deal, beautiful and wealthy; anyone would be envious. Why can’t she become sisters with me? Don’t think too highly of me; it’s not good to belittle oneself like this.” Chen Li’s oblivious response only served to infuriate Shu Lan, almost making her choke with rage.
Shu Lan regarded Chen Li with disbelief. The woman’s logic was truly bizarre. From their first encounter to now, Shu Lan had never been able to understand Chen Li’s thought process. Did her words imply that their lady was inferior to Chen Li? The real message was for Chen Li to recognize her place and not aspire to affiliate with their lady. Forming a friendship with such a disreputable woman would only tarnish their lady’s reputation, wouldn’t it?
But Chen Li evidently missed the point entirely, making Shu Lan wonder if it was genuine misunderstanding or a calculated ploy.
Perhaps Shu Lan’s tone was too polite. As a servant girl for Su Wenyue, Madam Su had handpicked her and three other servant girls after meticulous selection, ensuring they were the best of her attendants, trained by elderly ladies in the palace. Whether in speech, conduct, or daily requirements, they adhered to strict standards, deeply ingrained into their very bones. So, even if Shu Lan was being impertinent, her words were still within bounds and lost on someone as thick-skinned as Chen Li.
Moreover, because of her own background, Chen Li always thought of herself as extraordinary and thus misinterpreted Shu Lan’s words.
Seeing Shu Lan’s complexion redden with frustration while Chen Li remained oblivious to the sarcasm, Qi Luo felt somewhat resigned. Wasn’t Shu Lan just asking for irritation? In Qi Luo’s opinion, with someone like Chen Li, it was best to be straightforward.
“Enough, don’t discuss this matter any further,” Qi Luo intervened. “Perhaps Miss Chen doesn’t realize that in our kind of families, even acknowledging sworn sisters isn’t a trivial matter. It involves a lot of considerations. Miss Chen should be mindful of our lady’s predicament.”
“Indeed, indeed,” Chen Li conceded quickly, aware of the complexities within noble households. “I spoke out of turn. We can drop the matter; I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble for your lady.”
Qi Luo’s effective words garnered a glance from Shu Lan, signaling her to learn from this. One must thoroughly consider the circumstances and the individual at hand. With someone like Chen Li, who had a unique way of thinking, it was essential to use the appropriate approach. Seeing that Chen Li was about to say more, Qi Luo hurriedly cut in, saving herself from another lengthy tirade that would only bring her a headache.