The conversation between the two girls carried an unusual undertone that made Qi Zhenzhen pause.
Shen Zhixin wore a pained expression. "It's not that I'm ignoring you. Your food, clothing, and daily necessities are all the best the manor can provide. We've even chosen maids for you, and my mother often invites you over to chat. Don't overthink it; just settle into the Shen manor with peace of mind."
"My father and mother are no longer here, how can I have peace of mind? You, who should be closest to me, are avoiding me. I..." She was on the verge of tears, presenting a picture of pitiable vulnerability.
There was a story here, a story indeed.
Qi Zhenzhen's curiosity was piqued, and she watched with keen interest.
Nanny Fang gently tugged at Qi Zhenzhen. "Second Miss, didn't you promise the Old Madam that you would dine with her at noon? It's about this time now; if you don't leave soon, you might be late."
The girl named Yingying finally turned her gaze to Qi Zhenzhen.
"Xinxin, who is this young lady?" she asked, her eyes clouding over, looking as if she were about to weep. "You have time to accompany this girl, but you don't have time for me?"
The words felt strangely off, like being caught by the legitimate wife in the presence of a mistress.
Qi Zhenzhen quickly waved her hands. "I am here today to teach Miss Shen tea ceremony. Once Miss Shen has mastered the key points, I should take my leave."
With that, Qi Zhenzhen stood up promptly, nodded at Shen Zhixin, and prepared to depart.
Shen Zhixin felt she had found a confidante today. She hadn't finished speaking, yet the other was leaving. She wanted to keep her, but with Yingying standing there, and having also promised to dine with her elders, it wouldn't be appropriate to insist.
"Yuanxiao, escort Miss Zhenzhen out of the manor on my behalf," Shen Zhixin instructed.
Yuanxiao nodded and exited the room first, leading the way.
"That Miss Yingying is the daughter of our general's former subordinate. When our young lady was little, the Shen family hadn't yet come to the capital; we lived as a family on the border. Our young lady was like this even as a child, a bit like a boy. That Yingying was delicate and娇滴滴 (jiāo dī dī - delicate and charming), and whenever she was bullied on the street, it was always our young lady who stepped in," Yuanxiao said. "Furthermore, Miss Yingying's father was very close to our general, so she always followed our young lady. Back then, the adults would say that if our young lady had been born a boy, they would have betrothed the two children. Miss Yingying herself said she didn't like boys; she only liked our young lady."
Qi Zhenzhen's lips parted slightly. What was this? Childhood sweethearts? No, childhood confidantes?
That wasn't quite right either. From a modern perspective, the boys on the street were likely the ones bullying Yingying, which is why the girl began to resent boys. And the one who protected her was a girl, a valiant girl. Coupled with the adults' playful remarks, she likely came to identify Shen Zhixin. Even after Shen Zhixin returned to the capital, her heart still longed for her.
"Our general's subordinate contracted a severe illness and passed away without treatment. Miss Yingying's mother, who loved her husband dearly, couldn't bear the blow and lingered in bed for months before also passing away. During this time, they sent word to our general. Our general personally went to handle the funeral rites for Miss Yingying's mother, buried the couple together, and then brought Miss Yingying back. She was raised as the second young lady of our Shen manor, with no less in terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities than our young lady! The general and his wife intended to raise her well and find her a good husband, but what happened? Miss Yingying has no thoughts about marriage; all her thoughts are focused on our young lady." Yuanxiao spoke with a troubled expression. "Second Miss Qi, tell me, what is all this about? Although our young lady isn't gentle or demure, she is still a young lady who will eventually marry and have children. How can she live her life with Yingying? We've tried everything, said everything we could, but this girl is impervious to reason. If we speak harshly, she threatens to die..."
They reached the gates of the Shen manor, and Yuanxiao's words abruptly stopped. The core of the gossip had essentially been conveyed.
This Yingying had taken Shen Zhixin as her sole reliance and fallen in love with Shen Zhixin.
It was no wonder Yuanxiao looked so troubled; anyone in her position would be vexed.
So, it wasn't just the love of men for men, but also the affection of women for women. No, no, those terms referred to mutual love. Shen Zhixin and this Yingying were clearly a case of Yingying being abnormal.
In the carriage on the way back, Nanny Fang chattered incessantly. "Second Miss should keep her distance from this Shen Zhixin from now on. How can she be considered a lady of refinement? She's more like a common ruffian. If Miss gets too close to her, what if her reputation is ruined? And look at all this! That Miss Yingying is truly shameless, to actually like Miss Shen. It's really quite disgusting."
Qi Zhenzhen quite liked Shen Zhixin's personality. As for the matter with Yingying, Shen Zhixin appeared quite innocent for the moment. So, no matter how much Nanny Fang droned on, Qi Zhenzhen didn't respond.
Upon arriving at the Marquis's manor, Qi Zhenzhen first reported to the Old Madam. It was her first time visiting someone, so she had to share her impressions.
The grandmother and granddaughter sat on the couch, and Qi Zhenzhen began to talk about her visit to the Shen manor, detailing the manor's layout and everything else without omission.
"I've only heard that General Shen is a frugal person, but I didn't expect him to be so thrifty," the Old Madam remarked.
She interpreted the extremely simple furnishings of the Shen manor as a sign of General Shen's frugality. This was hard to say; perhaps the person simply liked a simple home?
When she mentioned that Shen Zhixin had learned the flushing technique for the phoenix in one go, the Old Madam expressed some surprise. "Is Miss Shen so intelligent?"
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. "Miss Shen has practiced martial arts since she was young. Her control over force is beyond that of ordinary people. Once I explained the technique, she grasped it immediately."
"Practices martial arts?" the Old Madam asked with curiosity. "She looked like such a delicate young lady at the birthday banquet that day; I couldn't tell."
"Miss Shen said that she was forced by her grandmother to dress demurely at the birthday banquet, and it was terribly uncomfortable. When I visited today, Miss Shen wore a short shirt and long trousers, with her pant legs tucked in. She was even more agile than my riding attire today."
"From what you say, I'm quite interested in this Miss Shen," the Old Madam said with a smile.
Nanny Fang, standing nearby, couldn't help herself. "This old servant feels that Miss Shen is not good! As a young lady, she speaks without any tact, and her actions are crude. It's one thing to wield swords and spears, but she also flirts with others. Are you truly at ease with our Second Miss getting close to such a person?"
The Old Madam's brow furrowed slightly. "Flirts with others? What do you mean?"
Before Qi Zhenzhen could speak, Nanny Fang blurted out the story of Yingying. "You tell me, what kind of lady of refinement would get herself into such a situation? As a young lady, this is simply too improper. The Shen family's upbringing is truly..."
"Is what Nanny Fang says true?" The Old Madam's expression also turned somewhat displeased. She had lived for most of her life and had never heard of such a thing. Men being attracted to men, while not honorable, had always existed throughout history. But women and women?