Chapter 4: Caught the Little Fox Trap

Ansheng's sudden obedience made Xue uneasy. She carefully instructed the maid to take good care of Ansheng to prevent any unexpected trouble.

As for the Qin family, Xue dismissed them. Even if they found out about her deceit in marrying off her daughter, what could they do? They were just a small and insignificant family, what trouble could they possibly cause?

She didn't care for the Qin family's added wealth. It was better to cut off ties with such incompetent and poor relatives. However, she still needed to pass on the news to avoid unnecessary inquiries from the Qin family.

As expected, when the news reached the Qin family, the old lady started feeling uneasy and sent Ansheng's aunt, Qian, to visit with some gifts to save face.

Qian, being stingy, only brought some food prepared by Ansheng's grandmother in a lacquered food box. Reluctantly, Xue welcomed her in and casually mentioned Ansheng's "fall," almost pushing Qian into Ansheng's courtyard with the maid's help.

The Xue household was decorated with joy, and Qian couldn't pretend not to notice. Upon learning that the third miss was about to get married, her lips twitched involuntarily, cursing Ansheng for falling ill at such an inconvenient time and causing her unnecessary trouble. To save face, she had to bring some gifts.

Ansheng warmly welcomed her and poured tea for her. Qian's sharp eyes scanned the sisters' chamber, noticing the lack of decent items, even their outdated clothes.

Although the Xue family's official position was not high, they should have enough wealth. Ansheng and her sister used to be well-dressed when their grandmother was alive. How could they be so shabby now?

Qian handed the food box to Ansheng, sourly instructing her, "Inside are two baskets of lamb meatballs in soup dumplings steamed by the old lady, with a little fresh green onion and half a bottle of sesame oil. It's full of oil soup."

Ansheng thanked her and took the box, saying, "My sister has a poor appetite. I'll heat it in the kitchen so it's more palatable."

The maid hesitated but then took the box from Ansheng. Ansheng kindly asked her to prepare some porridge for her sister, who had a delicate stomach.

The maid eagerly accepted and left, unable to wait to open the food box and savor the aroma.

Qian turned to Ansheng and complained, "You've always been tough since you were young. How could a fall cause such a commotion?"

Ansheng's heart sank when she saw Qian instead of her uncle, Qin Huaiyuan. She felt that today's matter was hopeless. Qian was not likely to help without personal gain.

She lowered her eyes and said, "It's not from the fall. It's because Xia Ziwu took over my sister's dowry and is going to marry into the Meng family in her place. I argued with them, and they hit me on the head with a stick, causing me to faint for several days."

Qian, aware of Ansheng's marriage to the Meng family, was outraged and vowed to seek justice for her. Ansheng cleverly hinted at the potential benefits, and Qian quickly calculated the pros and cons.

If Ansheng gained power in the Meng family, it would benefit her own family. Having such a wealthy relative would also elevate her own daughter's status. This marriage must not be ruined.

Qian clapped her hands and declared, "They say the stepmother's fist is the strongest in June! Xue has gone too far! I'll take charge of this matter for you."

Ansheng shook her head and took a step back, "Never mind, Aunt, Xue is very secretive. When Mrs. Meng came to visit the other day, she only let Ziyu show her face, shamelessly borrowing my sister's embroidery skills and even claiming credit for it. There's probably no turning back from that."

Qian's eyes flickered with suspicion as she asked, "Does the Meng family know about Xue's deception?"

Ansheng nodded, "I heard that the birth date on the engagement card still belongs to my sister."

Qian slapped her thigh, "That makes things easy! When the Meng family is preparing for a wedding, I'll bring two pieces of red satin to show to Mrs. Meng and talk to her about this!"

Ansheng's face suddenly lit up, "Aunt, you are so knowledgeable and resourceful! My sister and I have only been crying, why didn't we think of that?"

Qian was pleased with the flattery and patted her chest with a resounding sound. "Your mother-in-law has passed away, and you two are pitiful. Who else will support you if not your uncle and aunt? We are the ones who truly care for you. I dare say that your uncle's feelings for you two are deeper than your own father's. When Anran gets married in the future, don't forget the kindness of your aunt."

Anran, who was standing aside, was also overjoyed and shyly sniffled as she bowed to Qian, "I will rely on Aunt for the rest of my life."

Ansheng smirked, "Sister, why don't you give the pair of 'Distant Mountains at Sunset' that you just finished embroidering as a thank-you gift to Aunt?"

Anran shyly agreed, and the two proud embroidered screens were taken by Ansheng and presented to Qian as a gift to be sent to the Meng family. Ansheng said that the 'Distant Mountains at Sunset' had a wonderful artistic conception and could better showcase her elegant and leisurely style. She then turned to open the box and handed it to Qian.

Qian took it in her hand, and her heart skipped a beat as she realized she had fallen into the trap set by these two cunning girls. Despite being shrewd all her life, she had been manipulated by two little girls.

But considering that it was just a matter of a few words, if it worked out, it would be worth having leverage over Anran.

She unfolded the embroidery, praised it, and then tucked it into her arms.

"I'll take it to the Meng family and have the lady of the house take a good look at our sister's skills."