Chapter 436 - Chapter 436: Chapter 442: Delighting in Others Misfortune (2/2)
Shu Lan smiled slightly, warming up a bit to Chen Li. Although unconventional and even flirtatious, Chen Li didn’t seem petty. Any other woman might have made a scene, but Chen Li’s attitude throughout had been quite admirable.
“Miss Chen, our lady heard you got lost in the backyard and sent us to bring you over. Would you like to go to the master or our lady?” Qi Luo, following Su Wenyue’s instructions, respected Chen Li’s preferences and inquired about her wishes, rather than taking her directly to Su Wenyue.
“Of course, I’m going to your lady. We came here to see her but I got lost on the way, ending up in this ghostly garden. I was lost for what felt like half a day, and it’s incredibly unlucky. Thanks to your arrival, otherwise, I might have had to spend the night here and who knows, might have been frightened to death,” Chen Li replied without hesitation, not concealing her initial intentions.
“Miss Chen, do you have business with our lady?” Ordinarily, Shu Lan would never be so bold as to inquire about a guest’s purpose in seeing the lady, but this was Chen Li—they couldn’t help feeling uneasy. It was better to clarify her intentions; who knew what shocking things Miss Chen might do? Although Chen Li had amused them earlier, they feared she might also frighten their lady.
Though Su Wenyue herself felt she was tough and resilient, others saw her as a pampered girl, cherished and indulged by the master since youth. They instinctively felt she needed protection, and even without explicit orders from Su Wenyue, they felt compelled to act protectively.
Another mistress might be offended by Shu Lan’s forward question, possibly storming off in a huff.
But Chen Li, a modern person infused with contemporary thoughts, wasn’t taken aback. Even though she had acclimated to ancient ways, her essence hadn’t changed. Finding Shu Lan’s inquiry to be refreshingly bold—for Qi Luo and Shu Lan did not fawn or cower like other mansion’s servants, nor did they secretly speak ill of others—Chen Li was impressed.
“Well, I have something to discuss with your lady. Also, there seems to be some misunderstanding between her and me from before. I’ve come to explain. I have no designs on your master, so she needn’t worry. Who knows, maybe your lady and I could become good sisters in the future,” Chen Li said with an open and straightforward smile, sharing her intentions.
Of course, Chen Li’s friendly demeanor toward Shu Lan was partly because she regarded Shu Lan not as a common servant but as someone close to Su Wenyue, thus speaking to her as if to a friend.
However, to Qi Luo and Shu Lan—servant girls of ancient times—such favor did not catch them off guard. They simply sensed Chen Li’s distinctiveness and oddity even more. This Miss Chen truly originated from a merchant family, devoid of proper upbringing—bold enough to speak so casually with a servant from another household.
Technically, Su Wenyue also hailed from a merchant background. Yet aside from those unaware of the full picture, no one treated Su Wenyue as a mere merchant’s daughter, given that the Second branch of the Su Family originated from the Marquis Mansion—an entirely different pedigree. Thus, the servants naturally never thought of their mistress in this way.