Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 570 - 568: How About Becoming Even Closer Relatives?

Chapter 570: Chapter 568: How About Becoming Even Closer Relatives?

Although there is a curfew in Great Tang Chang’an City, it’s only enforced on the main streets. The internal wards are not strictly managed by the Marquises.

Today, the eldest son of the Pang Family and Mistress Xiao’s son, Pang Baoyan, are not at home; they’ve gone to a colleague’s house to play.

Uncle Pang and Aunt Pang have also gone out for social engagements, regarding Pang Baoyan’s role as a Money Catching Official.

At this moment, only the female members remain at home. Lin Wanwan, after inquiring about the origins of ten slaves in the pavilion, dismissed everyone for rest and returned to her room with little Qingyu to freshen up and sleep.

After settling little Qingyu in bed and getting her to sleep, a maid of Mistress Xiao came to knock at the door.

It’s already nighttime, and Lin Wanwan is unsure why Mistress Xiao is looking for her. Could it be about her visit to Xiao Yixun’s house tomorrow?

Actually, Lin Wanwan would prefer to rent a room herself. After all, she’s not short of money in Great Tang. But the custom here is to stay with relatives, and there are no cases of female members renting houses alone. So Lin Wanwan has to follow local customs.

With Hong Yan, she followed the maid to Mistress Xiao’s room. As soon as the curtain was lifted, a peculiar fragrance greeted them.

It turned out that another maid of Mistress Xiao, Xiaohong, was scenting her mistress’s clothes in the corner. Upon seeing Lin Wanwan, she silently curtsied and continued with her task.

"Aunt, you’re still not resting at this late hour?"

Lin Wanwan took off her boots and walked toward the table where Mistress Xiao was.

"Wanwan, come over here. Join Aunt for a chat and have some tea."

There isn’t much nightlife for women in Great Tang; the men might go out for social activities and drinking, but the women mostly return to their rooms to guard their empty chambers early.

Mistress Xiao having the interest to brew tea late at night is indeed rare.

Lin Wanwan kneeled beside the table, watching Mistress Xiao brew tea, and said, "Aunt, you are indeed in a good mood."

Lin Wanwan still didn’t like Great Tang’s tea as always, but last year she had learned and been influenced by the tea ceremony from the great scholar Cao Xian, so she could put on a pretense.

To integrate into Great Tang’s upper society, one must know how to dance, play polo, and naturally, how to scent and brew tea.

Mistress Xiao, while adding spices to the tea pot, waved to dismiss the maids in the room: "You all wait outside; let me have a good chat with my niece."

The maids who had been guarding the room, along with the one scenting clothes, Xiaohong, laid down their tasks, curtseyed, and withdrew.

Hong Yan hesitated and looked at Lin Wanwan, who nodded lightly at her, and then she also got up and went out.

Now, only Lin Wanwan and Mistress Xiao were left in the room, and Lin Wanwan unknowingly became more alert.

Mistress Xiao’s demeanor seemed ill-intentioned; let’s see what she intends to do.

Noticing Lin Wanwan’s face, freshly washed, shimmer in the candlelight, with long eyelashes like two fans and large eyes holding pure lake-like water, Mistress Xiao was very pleased with her appearance.

With such a beautiful legitimate wife, perhaps Baoyan wouldn’t have an interest in those cheap women anymore, and the family could remain peaceful without causing ridiculous troubles frequently.

Mistress Xiao’s gaze grew increasingly gentle as she looked at Lin Wanwan: "Wanwan, I heard from your grandmother that you are widowed?"

Why is someone interested in her marriage again! Lin Wanwan thought speechlessly, while alarm bells rang in her heart with a vague suspicion forming.

"Yes, that’s right."

After a smooth display of tea brewing, Mistress Xiao poured a cup for Lin Wanwan, said smilingly, "In today’s world, this practice isn’t trendy anymore. Even true widows are urged by the matchmaker to remarry. Wanwan, have you considered getting engaged again?"

Lin Wanwan smiled as she took the tea cup, which was two-thirds full, placed it on the table, and evaded the question: "Thank you, Aunt."

Not hearing a response didn’t bother Mistress Xiao. She continued with a very gentle expression: "Wanwan, you lost your parents young, and Aunt feels like your own mother now; I can’t bear to see you lonely for life."

Ha! That’s a lie! Truly ulterior motives!

A vision of Cousin Pang Baoyan came to Lin Wanwan’s mind, a feeling of distaste rising; this wasn’t about drinking tea, it was about trapping her!

"Thank you for your concern, Aunt, but I’m not lonely. I have little Qingyu with me, so I’m not lonely at all." Lin Wanwan refused.

Seeing Lin Wanwan was steadfast, Mistress Xiao couldn’t help getting a bit frustrated, half-jokingly chiding: "Silly child, Aunt is thinking of your well-being here. You’re already in your twenties, a mature lady, you should plan for your future.

Little Qingyu is, after all, an adopted child; she can never be as close as one from your own womb. Plus, she will eventually marry and leave—how long can she accompany you?

The one who can accompany you through life, it won’t be your children or parents, but your husband! A household without a man to hold it upright will be bullied by others."

Lin Wanwan displayed a clueless expression: "Ah, little Qingyu is still young. Moreover, I’m the Secondary Fifth Rank Village Lady of Le’an, personally conferred by His Majesty; who dares bully me? Aren’t they afraid of being punished?"

Keywords "Secondary Fifth Rank", "Village Lady of Le’an", "Village Lady"!

Hearing the subtext, Mistress Xiao thought to herself, how ungrateful!

What about being a Village Lady? Without strong parental kin, she’s just a rootless duckweed!

She decided not to beat around the bush: "Wanwan, Aunt has only your cousin brother Pang; your cousin matches in age with you, and you both are talented and beautiful. Aunt pities your solitude; why not become a closer-knit family, merging into one? This way, Aunt and your cousin could take better care of you."

"Ah, Aunt, are you serious?"

Before tonight, Lin Wanwan really hadn’t sensed Mistress Xiao had such intentions.

Recently, she has been either troubled by her own feelings or busy weaving intricate details of her identity to answer imperial inquiries, leaving no time to pay attention to other matters.

Besides, she thinks she and Pang Baoyan are completely unrelated, not a match at all.

Pang Baoyan, while standing, is only as tall as Lin Wanwan, and his looks are mediocre.

Even after only encountering him a few times, Lin Wanwan has already determined; he’s a mama’s boy who leaves everything to his mother.

Such an unreliable person, Lin Wanwan never imagined he would have anything to do with her; one should have a sense of self-awareness.

Where did Mistress Xiao get such confidence? Perhaps she thought Lin Wanwan, as an orphan, would be easy to manipulate?

To think she would propose a marriage for a frivolous son, who already has an illegitimate son and concubines, and is unclear with the maids around him, to her!

Such nerve! Despite being a titled Village Lady with a rank, to have the audacity to propose marriage for such a son, how shameless!