The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Face-Slapping Time-Traveling Farming Girl 7

As the late spring season arrived, the winds carried a warmth with them.

Anning had a rocking chair set up in the courtyard.

She lay on the rocking chair, watching the pomegranate flowers blooming brightly in the courtyard.

Not far from her, a woman with a seductive figure but an especially innocent face stood reservedly, timidly observing Anning.

Anning smiled lightly: ”Don’t be afraid.”

The woman slightly bowed: ”Ruyan greets Madam.”

Anning nodded her head and, with the help of a maid, stood up. She circled Ruyan twice: ”Not bad, but the name Ruyan can no longer be used; it carries too much of the dust of the world.”

Ruyan obediently responded: ”Madam speaks rightly.”

Anning thought for a moment: ”Let’s call you Ruyu.”

”Ruyu thanks Madam for the bestowed name.”

Ruyu was really well-behaved and looked exceptionally compliant.

Anning was even more satisfied: ”There are neither concubines nor servants in our household; given my age now, I’m reluctant to serve the old master myself, so naturally, I must choose someone suitable for him.”

Ruyu bowed her head, puzzled inside but dared not ask.

Anning lifted Ruyu’s chin, inspecting her from head to toe: ”From now on, you are a scholar’s daughter from the village, who sold her family property due to her father’s severe illness. Now that your father has passed away and there’s no money for burial, you had no choice but to sell yourself to bury your father, do you understand?”

Ruyu quietly agreed.

Anning slightly closed her eyes: ”As long as you obey me, serve the old master well, if you wish to become a good citizen in the future, I will release your contract; if you wish to stay in the household, I naturally will let you retire with me, what do you think?”

Ruyu, not expecting such a fortunate offer, immediately knelt down to kowtow to Anning: ”This servant will obey all of Madam’s commands.”

Ruyu was both sensible and intelligent.

Over the years in the brothel, she had seen many sisters act recklessly, and none had ended well.

She had thought of saving money to buy back her freedom, to find a small mountain village, buy a few acres of land, perhaps adopt two children and lead a quiet life. She did not expect to be sold.

Ruyu was also considering whether a patron had bought her, only to meet the affluent Madam Anning.

She was skilled at discerning expressions and noticed that Anning had little affection for the old master of the house, and realized Anning was not deceiving her, which made her quite pleased.

With this, she could save the silver coins she had gathered earlier without spending more to buy her freedom, and if she behaved, she might even connect with Lady Magistrate.

Even as a woman from the brothel, she knew well that Madam Magistrate was a lady of the Ye family, certainly a most honorable status.

Anning smiled, helping Ruyu to her feet: ”Don’t be afraid, I’ve always been kind and can accommodate others. As long as you do as I say, you will surely be safe.”

”Okay.”

Ruyu clenched her teeth, thinking even if it required committing outrageous acts, as long as she could save her own life, it would be worth it.

Reading her thoughts, Anning reassured her: ”I will never ask you to harm anyone’s life, nor engage in outrageous acts; you only need to masterfully serve the old master.”

Ruyu heaved a sigh of relief: ”This servant will follow Madam’s lead in all things.”

Anning, patting her shoulder, said: ”Lv Zhu, take Miss Ruyu to get settled first.”

After Ruyu left, Anning returned to her room and sat at the desk, practicing her calligraphy.

She thought it wouldn’t be long before she could deal with the woman Zhou Zhenniang.

It wasn’t that Anning couldn’t tolerate others, wishing to take their lives.

In a former life, Zhou Zhenniang had made life very difficult for Ye Anning; without her instigation, Qi Rui and Wenwei would not have killed Wenshao.

In the beginning, Ye Anning was confined in a temple, where Zhou Zhenniang humiliated her multiple times and even had people beat her up.

At that time, Ye Anning endured it all for Qi Wenshao and Qi Wenjuan, until later, the news of Qi Wenshao’s death was also delivered by Zhou Zhenniang.

Thinking of these, Anning sneered coldly, such a malicious person, it would be better to deal with her sooner.

That evening, while Anning and Qi Rui were dining, Ruyu was serving at the side.

Qi Rui looked at Ruyu, puzzled: ”I have never seen this girl before?”

Anning smiled as she served him more dishes: ”I just bought her, naturally my lord has not seen her before. Speaking of this girl, she is quite pitiful; originally a scholar’s family lady, but ended up having to sell herself to bury her father. I saw her struggling and wanted to help in some way, yet she refused to just take my money and insisted on coming back to serve me.”

Ruyu also timely revealed a bitter smile, her eyes brimming with sadness, making her look even more pitiful.

Qi Rui was somewhat moved seeing her like this.

Anning then pushed further: ”It’s just right as our home is really understaffed, not even someone to attend to my lord. I also genuinely pity my lord. Why not let Ruyu keep my lord company from now on? It would be pleasant to have someone to add fragrance to your reading and writing sessions, wouldn’t it?”

”What nonsense.”

Qi Rui immediately threw down his chopsticks and glared at Anning angrily.

Ruyu was startled, nearly spilling the soup.

She stood trembling at the side, her face deathly pale.

Anning rolled her eyes at Qi Rui: ”Look at what you’ve done, my lord, you’ve scared the poor girl.”

She soothed Ruyu then said to Qi Rui: ”I know my lord wants to devote himself solely to me, but I am not one to be petty, and I also like our home to be lively. Think of it as doing it for me, I beseech you to have pity on us.”

Anning gave Ruyu a cue with her eyes.

Immediately, Ruyu knelt down and kowtowed to Qi Rui: ”This servant will definitely serve my lord well to repay Madam’s great kindness. Please have pity on this servant and keep me here.”

Qi Rui looked down at Ruyu.

He saw her fine figure, dressed in a light cyan outfit, kneeling there, revealing a delicate and tender neck, looking like a grass beaten by wind and rain, more pitiful and adorable than ever.

After a while, Qi Rui finally said, ”Get up.”

Ruyu was overjoyed inside and promptly stood up.

Anning laughed: ”Silly girl, serve my lord well.”

During the course of one meal, Qi Rui and Ruyu were brought together, and after waiting for Ruyu to serve Qi Rui to her quarters, Anning raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with frost.

With Ruyu around, Anning had much less to worry about.

Ruyu was skilled and kept Qi Rui entirely captivated with various tricks.

Afterwards, the teacher Anning arranged, Mr. Sun, entered the household, responsible for instructing Qi Wenwei.

Mr. Sun was once an Advanced Scholar but offended someone and wasn’t assigned an official post, thus resentfully returning to his hometown.

His family wasn’t wealthy, and he made his living by teaching after returning.

His reputation was fairly good, and many families were willing to hire him to educate their children.

However, Anning knew that Mr. Sun only had a good reputation but was actually superficial. He appeared gentlemanly but was rigid and taught students in a very stiff manner.

Additionally, Mr. Sun was timid and didn’t dare to be very stern with students; when dealing with mischievous students, he would coax them into playing, hoping they’d speak well of him. Such a person was really misleading the youth.

Yet precisely because he had a good reputation, once Anning and Qi Rui mentioned him, Qi Rui agreed immediately.

After Mr. Sun entered the estate and taught Qi Wenwei a few lessons, Qi Rui asked about it and Qi Wenwei said that the teacher taught well, better than Anning had.

Qi Rui then thought, after all, as an Advanced Scholar, it was indeed different, not something a woman of the household could compare with.

He then somewhat regretted not having invited Mr. Sun to the estate sooner.