Chapter 52 Part 1: Jealous Heart

Intimately holding Qi Xueyan’s hand, Qi Xueyan’s scheming could not compare to Shen Jinghshu’s now. Shen Jingshu watched as the awkward and stiff expression flashed across the other person’s face, the smile on her face became more sincere, “Xueyan, why are you not speaking?”

“Haha, Jingshu, I missed you. But, why didn’t you come find me to play? Have you been angry with me recently?” Looking at Shen Jingshu, Qi Xueyan also felt that she had lost face because of Zhang Xiangling’s matter. She had always been proud and arrogant, she never would have believed that her cousin would do such a thing!

To meticulously scheme to become a small concubine, a concubine daughter was exactly a concubine born daughter, one must really not let them out. It had almost harmed her, but fortunately the other person had disappeared, otherwise, wouldn’t her reputation have also been implicated by that person?

“Haha, I have been a bit busy lately so I did not look for you. But it does not matter now, isn’t that right? From now on we will go to school together, can’t we see each other every day? Haha …… “Compared to Qi Xueyan’s uneasiness, Shen Jingshu seemed more natural. Her innocent expression made Qi Xueyan hate her and also look down on her a bit,” Yes, we can take care of each other in the future! Qi Xueyan said the five words“ take care of each other” through clenched teeth. Looking at Shen Jingshu’s increasingly brighter and more beautiful appearance, Qi Xueyan recalled what had recently happened because of Shen Jingshu and did not have a good feeling towards Shen Jingshu, but how could she do it?

Now, she could only take one step at a time, but, she would not let the people in front of her have an easy time!  

“Haha Xueyan, you followed Master Hui to learn first. If there is something I do not understand later, you must teach me more!” Sheepishly staring at Qi Xueyan, Shen Jingshu now had an expression that showed she trusted QI Xueyan with her heart and soul!

“Definitely, let’s go!” The corner of Qi Xueyan’s mouth had a strange expression as she pulled Shen Jingshu and went in. When the two entered they naturally became the object of many people’s attention. However, compared to Shen Jingshu Qi Xueyan had started learning earlier so the people recognized her more. Everyone watched as Qi Xueyan arrived and came to say hello, “Qi xiaojie you came. Long time no see, have you made anything new recently?”

“Yes, Qi xiaojie I have not seen you in a few days and you have gotten much taller!”

“You have gotten so pretty that we almost couldn’t recognize you!”

……

Qi Xueyan was actually very intelligent at this age moreover, Qi furen had been very attentive towards her education and have provided education for Qi Xueyan very early. Therefore, Qi Xueyan was already a celebrity among her peers at this age. Compared to Shen Jingshu who was talentless and had been naughty and stirred up trouble since childhood, Qi Xueyan was very popular among this group of noble daughters.  

As a result, when everyone saw her come over they naturally came over to greet her.  Everyone had known this person for a long time, of course they had many things to say.  Ones did not know whether it is intentional or unintentional but Qi Xueyan did not mention Shen Jingshu to them. Shen Jingshu was left abandoned at the side if this had happened to someone else one fears that they would have felt embarrassed.

However, Shen Jingshu was not the previous Shen Jingshu. Although these people didn’t think highly of her at the moment, it was only because her previous reputation was not very good. Furthermore, she had changed very much in the past six months, for some people not to recognize her was reasonable. Shen Jingshu understood this point, why Qi Xueyan wanted to do this to her was also understandable. Wasn’t it just to show a display of strength to make her not have an easy time at school? However, she was not the same Shen Jingshu as before, how could she be bullied?

Smiling as she watched Qi Xueyan and everyone chat happily as if they had forgotten her, Shen Jingshu did not mind. Just like a spectator she was completely free from any embarrassment or awkwardness. Instead, she looked relaxed and unrestrained, Qi Xueyan saw Shen Jingshu’s smiling expression from the corner of her eye and felt that it was really dazzling. Qi Xueyan really wished that she could tear open the other person’s smiling face, “Haha, I was so focused on talking to everyone that I forgot to make an introduction. This is Shen xiaojie, I assume that everyone already knows her? She is prefectural magistrate Shen’s only daughter! In the future we all will learn from Master Hui. Everyone should not look down at her younger age, she is much more powerful than me!” Although Qi Xueyan was praising Shen Jingshu, because Qi Xueyan already had some fame in Jingnan, when she spoke this way everyone else believed that Qi Xueyan was only deliberately elevating Shen Jingshu to give face to the prefectural magistrate daren. After all, they had never heard that Shen Jingshu was a multi-talented person these years in Jingnan.

Everyone was well aware of the relationship between the Shen family and the Qi family. Although it had been a bit unpleasant for a few days, those days had passed long ago. Everyone had also just seen Dan Yuerong and Qi furen talking, of course they still believed that the two families were the same as before. Qi Xueyan was only giving Shen Jingshu face, nothing more.  

Thinking they understood, everyone was naturally skeptical towards Shen Jingshu, but in the end she was the prefectural magistrate daren’s only daughter. Furthermore, they had heard that Shen Jingshu had been arrogant since childhood and had a bad temper. Everyone did not dare offend her,  “Haha, so it is Shen xiaojie, pleased to meet you!”

“It is my good fortune that I will be able to study with Shen xiaojie in the future. In the future, I hope Shen xiaojie will give a lot of  advice!”

“Yeah, to get praise from Qi xiaojie, Shen xiaojie must have extraordinary talent. I look forward to seeing Shen xiaojie’s talent!”

……

Because of her identity, of course, everyone gave Shen Jingshu face. Although there were a few who were unconvinced, on the surface they were polite. Only one person seemed to have some hostility towards Shen Jingshu, when Shen Jingshu stared at that young girl she saw that the girl was and actually delicate. Compared to herself, the girl was a bit older, perhaps seven or eight years old. Shen Jingshu had of course seen the look of disdain that the girl had thrown at her a moment ago. Later, Shen Jingshu found an opportunity to ask about this person’s identity, she learned that this person’s surname was Liu, it seemed that she was the Xiaojie of a merchant family.  Shen Jingshu did not remember what she had done to the other person, but she would take this matter to heart.  

There were not too many matters on the first day of school, Master Hui briefly explained the curriculum and a few requirements. Shen Jingshu listened carefully and had to say that Master Hui was a good teacher but also very strict, the teaching was also very personalized.

The courses were divided into several types, there were educational classes as well as skill classes.  Studying book knowledge was required, there was also needlework, chess skills, calligraphy, painting, dance, Qin… all kinds of courses were available, there were even some basic medical treatment courses. Shen Jingshu felt that the medical treatment course was very interesting and of course, choose that one. But she did not know that this selection would assist her greatly in the future!

Although Shen Jingshu wanted to study all of these courses, she knew that she was too young, not to mention, she did not want to attract too much attention. Therefore, she would only study medicine, needlework, and calligraphy.  As far as dance was concerned, in Shen Jingshu’s opinion, it was only something that could be used in a few occasions. It was not useful for improving oneself, so she would not learn it. As for Qin, her mother played very well, if she wanted to learn she could have Dan Yuerong teach her at home. There was no need to attract attention at this school, there were others. Shen Jingshu’s home already had two masters, it was absolutely unnecessary to learn outside her home so as to avoid exposing herself too much. Shen Jingshu wanted to hide the cards in her hands to avoid suffering a loss in the future.

This life’s Sheng Jingshu only wanted to enrich herself and make herself more intelligent. Furthermore, if she could learn a few skills, this would also prevent her being looked down upon when she grew up. It would make it difficult for her mother-in-law and others to nitpick her.  The purpose of her attending school was to get in contact with more people and learn more, so as to avoid herself being limited to the small corner in the residence. If she were like that, how could she protect her family?

It had to be said that Shen Jingshu’s selections still left many people astonished. The majority of these noble daughters choose dance, painting, and qin because those skills would catch a capable person’s eye,  it had to be said that these daughter’s selections were very purposeful. The daughter’s learned these things only to have more capital available to gain more opportunities to make everyone pay attention to them in the future to increase their bargaining chip. Shen Jingshu’s selections surprised everyone, even more so when she choose medical treatment, it was even more difficult for everyone to understand. However, Shen Jingshu presently had no reputation, they assumed that she was afraid of making a fool out of herself and picked these courses.

But Qi Xueyan was a little strange, finally she could not help but ask, “Jingshu, why are you studying medicine?” Qi Xueyan thought it was tolerable for Shen Jingshu to study other things but to study medicine, Qi Xueyan thought it was really strange.

“You also know that my mom is pregnant now. I want to learn so that I will be able to take care of her later!” Randomly finding an excuse, Shen Jingshu could not say that she had eaten several bitter medicines in her previous life. When she was an orphan in the capital, Guo Yuanshuang frequently used her poor health as an excuse to refuse to let her go out. When she had first arrived her health was not good and she frequently fainted. Guo Yuanshuang declared that because she lost her parents she could not withstand repeated blows which caused her health to be bad. In her previous life she had also believed that she had some illness. She also believed this in the past life, but what kind of illness would not get better no matter how many bitter medicines she ate?  

Although Shen Jingshu was simple in the previous life, she was not stupid, she was only led astray by people. To have the opportunity to return in this life, she had carefully distanced herself from everything that happened during her past life and naturally discovered many flaws!

So, to now have this reason to study medicine, how could she not learn?

Although it was not necessarily superb medical skills, it was also good to be able to defend herself, right?

“Really? But does Shen furen not have a doctor to take care of her? You are still young, what can you do?” Of course Qi Xueyan believed Shen Jingshu’s explanation. In the end she was young, how could she think so much?

“Haha, I want to exhaust my strength. You also know that it was not easy for my mom to get pregnant, I am worried.” Showing a bit of worry on her face, because Qi Xueyan knew a little about Shen furen’s matter, she didn’t ask any more questions. “That being the case, then you must study well. Maybe if I have some minor ailments later on, I can look for you!”At any rate, Qi Xueyan did not really care about  Shen Jingshu learning this, she just didn’t want Shen Jingshu stealing her limelight.

This was just right, seeing her make this stupid choice, how could she fight with her later?

“I’m only learning the basics, how can I be a doctor?” Looking rather embarrassed, although Shen Jingshu said this, she was determined to study hard.

“So it’s like that, we won’t study together often because we are studying different things.” Compared to Shen Jingshu who only choose three subjects, Qi Xueyan actually wanted the limelight first and choose six subjects. She chose the four arts( Qin, Go, painting, and calligraphy), dance, and needlework. When Qi Xueyan had chosen, everyone looked at Qi Xueyan in a different light, it had to be said that Qi Xueyan felt very proud now.

She originally only had a basic foundation so she did not relax at home and studied during the New Year. Although it was somewhat difficult,  she was determined to grow up and be a superior person. Of course she had to work hard!

Mother’s words were not wrong, if she became a talented woman, in the future she would have a better way out. Qi Xueyan had always known that she had to work hard!

Shen Jingshu looked at the undisguised superiority on Qi Xueyan’s face and felt that the other person was no good but followed along with her and said,  “It doesn’t matter. We both are taking needlework and calligraphy and can study together, it will be alright! Who made me not learn anything, isn’t only my calligraphy barely passable?” Shen Jingshu’s words reminded Qi Xueyan that Master Hui was willing to accept Shen Jingshu because of her character. Looking at Shen Jingshu’s dull appearance now, Qi Xueyan’s self-confidence suddenly swelled. “It’s all right. Jingshu you’ve only just started to learn so it’s like this. Later, it will be fine.”

“Xueyan, I really admire you. You’ve learned so much and you are not much older than me, how can you be so much better than me?” Looking at Qi Xueyan with a look of adoration, Shen Jingshu’s face was crowded with defeat. With her this way, of course it made Xueyan very satisfied, “I just started learning a few years earlier than you. You are so smart, I’m sure you will  surpass me in the future!” Although she said this, Qi Xueyan was proud and arrogant. It was only natural that she was eager to be one head above everyone. Otherwise, she would not have chosen so many subjects today, she obviously wanted to surpass everyone and restore the Qi family’s reputation.

“Ai, how is that possible? Xueyan, you are so smart, how could I surpass you?” Sighing, Shen Jingshu had the appearance of someone who had been hit, “Just a moment ago I saw that you all chose at least four subjects, I chose the least. Xueyan, what do you think I should do?”

“It’s all right Jingshu, it’s fine. They all came earlier than you, wait until you have been here for a year or two, naturally you will be able to!” Perhaps because of Shen Jingshu’s weakness at the moment, Qi Xueyan’s self-confidence expanded and she did not reject Shen Jingshu.

“Really Xueyan?”

“Really!”

“Then won’t everyone will look down on me? Just a moment ago I could see that they all looked at me with strange eyes!” In fact, Shen Jingshu knew the consequences of her selections,  but she came here to learn useful things. Why would she waste time learning those things here when she could learn them better at home? What’s more, she was still young now. She did not want to be too flashy to avoid having trouble in the future.

“No, everyone was just a little puzzled about your selections, but it doesn’t matter, it will soon pass.”

“Really?”

“Trust me!”

“Xueyan, you’re the best. If there is something I don’t understand in the future, you must teach me!”

“Alright!”

……

In the end, it was a child. Under Shen Jingshu’s efforts, the relationship between Qi Xueyan and Shen Jingshu suddenly improved. However, it was only because Qi Xueyan knew that Shen Jingshu could showcase her own cleverness that she talked and laughed with Shen Jingshu. She only wanted to let everyone know that Shen Jingshu was not as good as her!

Shen Jingshu knew Qi Xueyan’s thoughts to a certain degree but she did not care. At any rate, she herself knew best. She would conceal her strength now for the sake of a better future. She was manipulated in the previous life because she was completely exposed to the enemy and she did not have a scheming mind. So in this life, she must learn to hide her talents so that the enemy would relax their vigilance and she could give them a fatal blow!  

How the Qi family and second uncle’s family hurt her, she would never forget in this lifetime!   Although she was still young, she would wait. She would work hard until the day she could counterattack. By then, she would be sure to make them pay the price!