Ruan Ning threw away the candlestick and bit her tongue hard, allowing her tears to fall: “Brother, you like Lin Si. Why are you doing this to me?”
In the candlelight, Wang Mengfu’s expression froze.
He raised his upper body, supporting himself beside Ruan Ning and looking down at her. After a pause, he spoke in a hoarse voice: “Ning Ning, how do you know about Lin Si and me?”
Ruan Ning sobbed: “Lin Si told me. Brother, you like her; you can’t do this to me…”
Her crying irritated Wang Mengfu, turning his frustration into anger. Lin Si, who had promised to help him and volunteered to drug Ruan Ning, had betrayed him by revealing everything. With Ruan Ning now doubtful, how could he gain her trust and successfully marry her?
What a two-faced woman! Her claims of loyalty were lies; she was clearly trying to sabotage his plan.
A ding sounded in Ruan Ning’s mind as a familiar voice said: “9527, you have made your first active choice. The yandere system is now officially activated.”
At that moment, a round-eyed girl stood at the doorway, resentment flashing across her face. Inside, the scene was ambiguous, with the man’s body pressing against the woman, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression.
The woman’s collar was half-removed, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin, and her tearful eyes and coquettish expression inflamed the man’s passion.
The girl at the door exclaimed softly: “Miss, so you’ve eloped with the young master!”
Ruan Ning looked at her. In the afternoon, she had been among a group of maids sent to learn embroidery. She vaguely remembered someone calling her “A Si,” which should indeed be Lin Si.
She remained silent, changing her hand from pushing against Wang Mengfu’s chest to clenching him tightly, shyly turning her face away. Wang Mengfu finally lowered himself, coldly asking Lin Si: “What are you doing here?”
Lin Si’s heart grew increasingly bitter. These were all arrangements she had made; seeing them so intimate caused her pain. She loved Wang Mengfu, hoping he would rise to prominence and she would bask in his glory. When Master Ruan refused to marry Ruan Ning, and Ruan Ning was too timid to elope, she had drugged Ruan Ning’s tea, allowing Wang Mengfu to take her away. As long as everything went according to plan, the Ruan family’s wealth would be hers! But why did she still feel so sad?
Lin Si suppressed her jealousy and softly said: “Young Master, I suddenly noticed the miss was not in her room and came looking…”
“Stop pretending,” Wang Mengfu coldly interrupted her. “You’ve already told your mistress about us, so why are you still acting like the good person?”
Lin Si was shocked and quickly defended herself: “Young Master, I didn’t!”
As if sensing her thoughts, the standard female voice added: “If the task is not completed within the specified time, the system will forcibly terminate the plot and compel the host to enter the next scenario. Entering the next scenario without completing the task will significantly lower the happiness index, with a high probability of entering a tragic story.”
Ruan Ning asked listlessly, “Wang Mengfu wouldn’t happen to be a yandere, would he?”
The standard female voice replied, “Hehe, do you think I’m that stupid?”
“Young Master!” Lin Si suddenly cried out, throwing herself against the wooden wall. “Si is willing to die to prove her innocence! Si has never lied to you!”
With a dull thud, the wall shook, and a large bump appeared on Lin Si’s forehead, with blood seeping out. She slid down the wall, and Wang Mengfu rushed over to hold her, his concern overtaking his previous anger. “A Si, why do this? I believe you.”
“Young Master, you still don’t believe A Si, do you?” Lin Si said with tears, giving a sad smile. “In A Si’s heart, Young Master is greater than heaven. I would rather die than ruin Young Master’s plans.”
A Si is willing to die to ensure the young lady feels unburdened and will marry you, allowing you to live a good life together.
“A Si!” Wang Mengfu emotionally embraced her. “I believe you!”
Ruan Ning was dumbfounded. Is this how it works? The female lead is indeed a talent!
“Main plot line has been corrected. Host’s performance is too poor, receiving one negative reader review,” announced the standard female voice.
Meow meow meow, are there actually readers?
“As previously mentioned, reader satisfaction is crucial for task success,” it continued. “Your actions will be reflected in text form on Jinjiang, receiving reader comments.”
Having transmigrated but still tied to a writer’s fate… Ruan Ning tearfully asked, “What impact do negative reviews have?”
“If negative reviews reach a certain level, it will be seen as a task failure,” the voice replied. “Host must attempt to satisfy the readers.”
Ruan Ning thought, If I knew how to satisfy readers, would I be struggling like this?
Before Ruan Ning could react, Lin Si pulled off her white silk stockings. In the bustling inn corridor, Ruan Ning sat barefoot on the ground, frowning in bewilderment at Lin Si.
All eyes were fixed on her.
The girl in the lotus-pink dress leaned weakly on her maidservant, her furrowed brow revealing confusion, resembling an immortal mistakenly descended to the mortal world. Beneath her layered skirt, a delicate white foot was partially visible, pale and almost transparent, with faint blue veins showing in the sunlight. The foot had a seamless arch and slender toes, rounded like tiny pink clusters, evoking a desire to cradle it protectively.
The man in the ochre robe stared intensely, first at her exposed foot, then at her face before descending the steps and walking away.
Wang Mengfu, having settled the bill, pushed through the crowd to Ruan Ning’s side, quickly using his sweat cloth to cover her foot, whispering harshly, “How could you let people see your foot!”
Ruan Ning realized that women were not supposed to be seen barefoot and understood that Lin Si was trying to set her up.
She lowered her head, pretending to cry, “Brother, don’t blame A Si. She just wanted to protect me and removed my shoes without thinking.”
Lin Si anxiously said, “Young Master, please check if the lady is injured. I noticed her ankle is swollen.”
Surrounded by men, Wang Mengfu didn’t want to continue the scene. He picked up Ruan Ning, his face dark, and threw her into the carriage, slamming the curtain to block the lustful gazes.
“You, drive the carriage!” Wang Mengfu said to Lin Si, suppressing his anger.
As the carriage left, Wang Mengfu whipped the horses, which ran quickly. His expression grew uglier. Ruan Ning, who should have been his alone, had been seen barefoot by so many men!
Lin Si sat silently beside him. She knew this man well; even if he understood Ruan Ning wasn’t at fault, this incident would create a rift between them. A faint smile crossed her lips. Ruan Ning, whom she underestimated, had managed to provoke doubt in Wang Mengfu. She would no longer show mercy.
The carriage sped on, unaware of a black-clad figure following them.
Author’s note: Venting is truly the greatest joy that supports me writing, haha!
Chapter 4: The White Moon Becomes a Mother-in-Law
In the main hall of the Ruan family, Master Ruan asked anxiously, “Haven’t you found her yet?”
“We’re still searching,” the steward stated, wiping sweat. “The young master is also missing, and a carriage is gone from the stable.”
Madam Ruan dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, crying, “She must have eloped with her cousin. It’s all your fault, you stubborn man!”
“Shut up!”
Master Ruan’s forehead veins bulged. “How could Ning’er possibly like that beast!”
