My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 47

47

Gu Qingci had one arm in a sling, her hand bandaged and still immobile, but she could walk normally without issue. When going out, she wore wide-sleeved robes and a fox-fur cloak, which concealed her injuries.

Even in Yanjing City, Gu Qingci’s attire made it obvious at a glance that she was a wealthy and noble alpha—golden in quality, jade in appearance, meticulously groomed down to the last strand of hair.

Ruan Zhi had business to attend to outside, and coincidentally, the newly acquired shop was located in the busiest commercial district.

The carriage moved slowly through the area, allowing Gu Qingci to peer out the window at the bustling streets.

The throngs of pedestrians reminded her of holiday travel in her previous world.

The lively, vibrant commercial street, brimming with the energy of daily life, lived up to the reputation of the capital—prosperous and bustling.

Stages were set up along the street for performances, drawing large crowds of spectators.

The slightly elevated carriage gave Gu Qingci a clear view.

Sure enough, there were acrobatics.

She watched acts like sword-swallowing and fire-breathing.

The performers gave their all to earn some rewards, clearly skilled and well-practiced. The surrounding audience was in high spirits, cheering and applauding at the impressive feats.

Gu Qingci found it fascinating, her mood lifting as she got caught up in the excitement.

Ruan Zhi, observing her, quietly sighed in relief.

Originally, Gu Qingci’s spirits had already improved, but after Ye Youli’s reminder that her injury would prevent her from taking the imperial exams, she had sunk back into gloom, her brow furrowed even in sleep.

Seeing her play well with Ruan Jinyu, like a child at heart, Ruan Zhi thought taking her out might help.

Now, it seemed she had made the right decision.

As the carriage moved forward, a new group of performers came into view.

One act, in particular, caught Gu Qingci’s attention—a man lying on his back, juggling a large vat with his feet.

The massive vat twirled and flipped effortlessly on his feet, tossed high into the air before landing perfectly back on his soles.

The crowd erupted in cheers, and as Gu Qingci watched, a thought flickered in her mind.

She lowered her head, flexing her legs.

Her legs were uninjured, flexible—she could even do a full split.

“The restaurant with musical performances is just ahead.” Ruan Zhi’s voice pulled her attention back.

Ruan Zhi brought Gu Qingci to a tavern next to her newly acquired shop.

The three-story establishment was grand and opulent, adorned with intricate carvings and paintings.

Ruan Zhi led Gu Qingci inside.

At the center was a raised stage where a performer was playing the pipa, accompanied by two dancers.

Though bundled in thick clothing, their movements were still graceful, their vibrant robes fluttering beautifully with each step.

The pipa’s melody was soothing to the ear.

Ruan Zhi had reserved a private room in advance, and they were ushered in by a waiter.

The private rooms here were more like semi-private booths, designed for watching performances. The curtains could be drawn open or closed depending on whether one wanted to view the show.

Gu Qingci couldn’t help but marvel—ancient people really knew how to enjoy themselves.

Ruan Zhi ordered some snacks and refreshments.

Watching Gu Qingci’s gaze fix intently on the dancers, Ruan Zhi sighed inwardly.

As expected, Gu Qingci had a particular fondness for this sort of thing.

Ye Youli kept musicians and dancers not out of personal interest but because, in Yanjing City, only the idle and frivolous nobility indulged in such entertainments.

Which dashing scion of a noble family keeps dancing girls? It’s all part of their romantic escapades.

Those who enter official careers must face impeachment by the censoring officials.

Those who truly wish to keep them either maintain them as mistresses outside the home or secretly hide their identities and keep them indoors.

Only those who don’t pursue official careers—the idle, pleasure-seeking young nobles—have no qualms about openly keeping them.

They don’t fear being criticized.

Ye Youli’s reputation in the capital has suffered because of this.

Gu Qingci, young as she is, already has such inclinations.

If she’s restrained now and not allowed to keep them, what about in the future when she wants to again?

When there’s a chance, I’ll explain the pros and cons to her and teach her properly.

For now, Gu Qingci is sulking, so let her watch for a while.

Ruan Zhi stayed for a bit longer but had other matters to attend to, so she first settled Gu Qingci.

“With your injury, it’s not good for you to jostle in the crowd at the acrobatics show. Once you’re better, you can go see it up close if you want. Here at the tavern, they’re dancing now, and later there’ll be singing. Sit for a while first. I’m going to meet with the manager next door. Lian Rui and Shimo will stay with you—if anything comes up, have Lian Rui call for me.”

Before leaving, Ruan Zhi explained to Gu Qingci.

Gu Qingci held a hand warmer in her arms. On the table before her were assorted pastries and a warm bamboo-tube milk tea brought from the estate, fitted with a bamboo straw so she could sip it easily—everything was meticulously arranged.

Gu Qingci nodded at Ruan Zhi as she watched her.

Ruan Zhi hurried off to meet the shop manager, inspecting preparations for the upcoming opening.

After Ruan Zhi left, Gu Qingci turned her gaze to the performance stage.

Ruan Zhi clearly didn’t like musicians or dancing girls, yet she had specifically brought her here to watch, just to cheer her up.

She was really too good to her!

Though there was a shadow over her mood, Gu Qingci had always been adept at adjusting her emotions, finding joy in any environment.

After watching for a while, she grew interested.

The tune being sung was unfamiliar, but it was quite pleasant.

The lyrics, however, were classical poetry, and she couldn’t quite grasp their meaning—by the time the song ended, she had no idea what had been sung.

Gu Qingci’s desire to raise her own musicians and dancing girls resurfaced.

Meanwhile, after completing her inspections and arrangements, Ruan Zhi was approached by Qin Zhenhu.

“Madam, we’ve found the person you mentioned—Sun Wuyang. He’s a retired soldier who lost the use of one hand and now works under a horse trader. If you’d like to meet him, I can bring him here.”

“Also, the horse trader in the market recently acquired a batch of fine horses. You mentioned wanting to buy horses—now would be the best time.”

Qin Zhenhu reported to Ruan Zhi.

Hearing this, Ruan Zhi felt a surge of delight.

Finding Sun Wuyang had gone smoothly—that was good.

Sun Wuyang had lived among the Hu people in the border regions for a time and was skilled at judging horses.

Ruan Zhi intended to venture into the horse-trading business, so it was only natural to recruit a talent like Sun Wuyang.

Moreover, she wanted to buy a good horse for Gu Qingci and needed an expert to assess its worth.

Higher-priced horses weren’t something one could just buy on a whim—they had to be evaluated for their true value.

Ruan Zhi arranged a time with Qin Zhenhu, instructing him to bring Sun Wuyang and then take Gu Qingci along to see the horses.

By the time Ruan Zhi finished her tasks and returned to Gu Qingci, the latter was engrossed in the performance, her mummified fingers tapping along to the rhythm.

Ruan Zhi was interested in the horse trading business, and a talented person like Sun Wuyang naturally had to be brought under her wing.

Additionally, she wanted to buy a good horse for Gu Qingci and needed an expert horse appraiser to evaluate it.

Higher-priced horses weren’t something one could just buy on a whim—they had to be worth the cost.

Ruan Zhi arranged a time with Qin Zhenhu, asking him to bring Sun Wuyang along and take Gu Qingci to see the horses.

By the time Ruan Zhi finished her tasks and went to find Gu Qingci, the latter was completely engrossed, her mummified fingers tapping along to the rhythm.

“……” Ruan Zhi was somewhat speechless.

She really did love it.

If Gu Qingci truly wanted to keep them, if she was absolutely insistent and couldn’t be taught otherwise—what then?

“Sounds good?” Ruan Zhi walked up and asked Gu Qingci.

“It’s great!” Gu Qingci nodded, then shook her head.

“Why the shake of the head?” Ruan Zhi asked.

“Madam, the tunes are a bit hard to understand. The songs I want to hear, they don’t know how to play them. It’d be nice if I could teach them some of the ones I like…” Gu Qingci said cautiously, glancing at Ruan Zhi.

“What do you want to hear? You can pay to request songs.” Ruan Zhi said.

“They don’t know them. The ones I like are from my hometown.” Gu Qingci said.

“You know how to sing them? Could you teach someone?” Ruan Zhi asked again, understanding that Gu Qingci’s “hometown” referred to her previous world.

“Just a little. Seeing the performances in the tavern just now—do the teahouses we run have anything similar? If so, I could help come up with ideas for arranging performances.” Gu Qingci said, observing Ruan Zhi’s expression. In the end, she still didn’t bring up keeping musicians or dancers, only wondering if their own shops might hire performers, which would give her a chance to contribute.

“No. Teahouses emphasize tranquility, focusing on the atmosphere for drinking tea. Arranging such performances wouldn’t be appropriate. If we opened a tavern, we could arrange that.” Ruan Zhi said.

“Could the teahouse play some light music, like zither pieces? Or maybe storytelling? Only during fixed hours, or when requested?” Gu Qingci suggested after a moment’s thought.

“That could work. Does the master have any ideas?” Ruan Zhi asked, noticing Gu Qingci becoming more talkative.

Gu Qingci shared some of the features she’d seen in teahouses from her previous life.

If they arranged for storytelling, she could help brainstorm a few stories, outline the general plots, and let the storytellers expand on them. This could become their unique selling point and attract a certain clientele.

Ruan Zhi realized that this outing had sparked Gu Qingci’s creativity, leading her to think about ways to make their teahouse more profitable. The trip wasn’t wasted.

Though she clearly enjoyed the performances, she still didn’t ask Ruan Zhi about keeping musicians or dancers.

She still remembered their past conversations.

Somehow, Ruan Zhi felt a pang of tenderness for her again.

Ah…

After chatting for a while, they ordered the main dishes and sampled some of Yanjing’s signature dishes at the tavern.

“Nearby, there’s a horse trader with many horses. I’ll take the master to see them, and you can personally choose one that catches your eye. Horses in Yanjing come in more varieties. As a provincial scholar, you can have several horses to rotate for riding.” Ruan Zhi said to Gu Qingci after they left the tavern and boarded the carriage.

Gu Qingci loved horses.

In the past, she had no say in choosing them—Ruan Zhi had to arrange for someone to specially procure them, and even getting one was a struggle.

Now that they were out, Ruan Zhi wanted Gu Qingci to pick one herself.

Moreover, she had Qin Zhenhu call in the horse appraiser, Sun Wuyang, to evaluate the horses so they could select a good one.

Gu Qingci was stunned by Ruan Zhi’s words.

Ruan Zhi was truly putting great care into considering her feelings, wanting to cheer her up.

She was even taking her to choose and buy horses.

Several of them, to ride interchangeably.

What kind of wealthy behavior was this!

A single horse cost at least forty or fifty taels, and a good one could go for over a hundred.

Ruan Zhi was too good to her!

She could cry!

“Madam, I don’t know how to evaluate horses—I can only judge by appearance.” Gu Qingci paused before admitting.

“I brought a horse appraiser. You just need to pick based on looks, then listen to the appraiser’s opinion. If it’s suitable, we’ll decide.” Ruan Zhi said.

Gu Qingci was moved to tears.

Ruan Zhi was always so thorough.

The horse dealer was located in a corner of the bustling market, and they arrived quickly.

Ruan Zhi helped Gu Qingci dismount, while Qin Zhenhu waited nearby with a short, lean man missing half an arm—the horse appraiser Sun Wuyang he had found.

After exchanging greetings, they went inside to see the horses.

The horses were kept in stables, each in its own stall, numbering around twenty or thirty. Each looked majestic, their frames even larger than the one Gu Qingci was currently riding.

At a glance, Gu Qingci was drawn to a strikingly beautiful chestnut horse, kept alone in a massive iron cage.

Its hooves were adorned with white fur, as if wearing little white shoes, while its body was as black as satin, without a single blemish. Its muscular lines were elegant, its long neck held high, exuding grace and nobility.

Up close, the horse’s eyes were dark and glistening, with long lashes.

Gu Qingci’s first thought was: So beautiful!

What a fine horse!

“Has the master taken a liking to any?” Ruan Zhi asked Gu Qingci.

“This one…” Gu Qingci pointed to the most visually stunning horse.

“Master Sun, what do you think?” Ruan Zhi asked Sun Wuyang.

“This is a descendant of the Hu breed, more enduring and faster than ordinary horses. While a regular horse runs one lap, this one can run two or three. It’s said that when it runs, its sweat is like bl00d, earning it the name ‘bl00d-sweating steed.’ This horse’s conformation is excellent, and its age appears to be around three years…” Sun Wuyang explained, praising the horse.

Listening to the appraiser’s words, Gu Qingci’s eyes sparkled even brighter.

A bl00d-sweating steed!

The pinnacle of horses, a legendary existence!

“However, this horse hasn’t been tamed yet—it hasn’t been saddled. Training it after purchase will be quite challenging. If you intend to buy it, caution is advised.” Sun Wuyang added, weighing the pros and cons.

The horse wasn’t cheap, and if it couldn’t be tamed, buying it would be pointless since it couldn’t be ridden.

“Do you like it?” Ruan Zhi asked Gu Qingci.

Gu Qingci nodded repeatedly.

Ruan Zhi then went to negotiate with the horse dealer.

The horse Gu Qingci had taken a fancy to was the most expensive among the lot.

In the end, they settled on seven thousand taels, with two ordinary horses Sun Wuyang deemed decent thrown in as part of the deal.

A deposit was paid first, and the three horses were to be delivered by specialized handlers to the residence of Ruan Zhi and her party. The remaining payment would be settled upon their arrival at the estate.

When Gu Qingci heard the price of the horse, her jaw nearly dropped in shock.

So expensive!

A single horse like this could buy over a hundred ordinary horses!

“Thank you, Madam. I—I’ll pay for this. The silver I received last time… I have money.” Gu Qingci said to Ruan Zhi once they were back in the carriage.

“You just came up with several new and ingenious ideas earlier. Consider this your share from those.” Ruan Zhi replied.

Gu Qingci stared at Ruan Zhi with sparkling eyes.

Rich sister is really too good to me!

Ruan Zhi felt slightly uneasy under Gu Qingci’s gaze.

It seemed Gu Qingci’s mood had mostly recovered, but that straightforward look…

Ruan Zhi turned away and spoke to Lian Rui outside the carriage, instructing her to buy some items from the shops they passed along the way.

Pastry shops, dried fruit shops—she bought plenty of snacks for Gu Qingci to munch on.

There were also some small novelties, mostly the kind children loved.

As the carriage gradually filled with more and more things, Gu Qingci grew a little embarrassed.

Enough, really enough… Wuwu…

Spotting a street vendor carrying a straw pole laden with candied hawthorns, Ruan Zhi remembered that Ruan Jinyu liked the sweet-and-sour treat—and that it suited Gu Qingci’s taste as well—so she had Lian Rui buy a stick.

In short, treating Gu Qingci like a child to coax her was proving effective.

Just as Gu Qingci was leaning out the carriage window to watch a street performance, her shoulder was lightly tapped. She turned to see Ruan Zhi holding a bright-red hawthorn, its glistening sugar glaze catching the light.

“Would the lord like to try one?” Ruan Zhi asked, offering the hawthorn.

At the sight of it, Gu Qingci’s previously excited expression instantly changed. Her face paled slightly, and she shrank back.

“No.” Gu Qingci muttered immediately, turning her face away and refusing to look at the hawthorn.

Ruan Zhi sensed something was wrong with Gu Qingci’s reaction.

The hawthorn in her hand seemed to have triggered some kind of taboo for Gu Qingci.

Ruan Zhi handed the hawthorn to Lian Rui, who was sitting in the outer compartment of the carriage, and told her to eat it.

“What’s wrong?” Ruan Zhi asked softly, but when she looked at Gu Qingci—her face pressed against the carriage wall, her eyes unfocused, her expression dazed—she saw an overwhelming sadness spilling out.

That was something she didn’t have even when she knew she couldn’t take the imperial examination.

Just a moment ago, she was still quite happy.

How did her mood suddenly turn so bad again?

Gu Qingci was lost in her emotions and didn’t respond to Ruan Zhi, so Ruan Zhi didn’t ask further.

All she saw was Gu Qingci avoiding her, her face turned toward the carriage wall, her back facing outward. That single posture alone conveyed a heavy, overwhelming emotion.

Pitiful and in need of comfort.

Ruan Zhi’s hand twitched, but in the end, she followed her instincts and placed it on Gu Qingci’s shoulder, pulling her closer.

Gu Qingci froze for a moment before letting her head drop onto Ruan Zhi’s shoulder.

Ruan Zhi felt a warmth seep through her shoulder, spreading slowly.

She didn’t say anything, silently keeping Gu Qingci company.

By the time they arrived at their new home in Yanjing, before getting off the carriage, Ruan Zhi used a handkerchief to wipe Gu Qingci’s face and led her to the inner chamber.

“Why are you upset? Can you tell me?” Ruan Zhi took a warm cloth and gently wiped Gu Qingci’s face, noticing her still-reddened eyes as she asked softly.

“Sorry, I just… Thank you for buying me so many things. I really like them all. It’s just that those things reminded me of some bad memories.” Under Ruan Zhi’s gaze, Gu Qingci hesitated before speaking.

Gu Qingci had thought she had long since moved on, burying those memories deep where they couldn’t resurface, as if they had never happened.

But just a stick of hawthorn had shattered her defenses.

Ruan Zhi didn’t ask what those bad memories were, but based on Gu Qingci’s feverish murmurs in the past, she could guess. She didn’t want to dredge up those painful recollections.

Seeing Gu Qingci’s mood sink again just from mentioning it, she embraced her again, just as she had in the carriage.

Unsure of what to say, she instinctively felt that this might comfort her.

“If it still hurts, then don’t think about it.” Ruan Zhi said.

Ruan Zhi told Gu Qingci not to think or speak of it, but the opened floodgates of memory couldn’t be closed so easily.

If Gu Qingci had been alone, she might have wallowed for a while and then moved on.

But now, there was someone clumsily holding her, offering warmth, trying to comfort her, empathizing with her feelings, caring about her emotions—making her want to share it with her.

So that in this world, there would be someone else who knew of their existence.

“It’s something from my childhood… Because I wanted to eat hawthorn, my dad stopped the car to buy some, but he was suddenly knocked down by someone rushing out. Those people were infected with a virus, crazed, and bit him… My mom and grandpa, to protect me, also…”

Gu Qingci buried her face in the crook of Ruan Zhi’s neck, softly recounting the events of her past life.

Even now, the memories were still raw and bloody.

Her heart ached dully.

“After that, my world fell into chaos. So many people died. I didn’t dare die… My life was bought with theirs…”

Gu Qingci’s voice was low.

Ruan Zhi felt warmth on her shoulder again.

Combined with what Gu Qingci had said during her fever, Ruan Zhi now understood the meaning behind those words.

She didn’t know how chaotic Gu Qingci’s world had been, but for a child to survive in such turmoil couldn’t have been easy.

Careful to avoid Gu Qingci’s injured arm, Ruan Zhi held her even tighter.

…