Bai Ruozhu’s face changed slightly. So that was it. If she were Xu Huilin, she would probably be just as pragmatic. At least with regards to the girl’s family background, it wouldn’t be so easy for Wang Miaoshuang to make a move on her.
Sometimes, life throws so many things at you that you can’t control. Xu Huilin’s background was a tragedy that dictated his lack of control.
Bai Ruozhu also noticed that Jiang Yichun’s attitude towards Senior Fox had improved considerably. There was even a hint of brotherly spirit. She guessed it had to do with their joint opposition to Li Yi, which had made them much closer and given them a shared secret.
"So do you think Meng Liangshen will recognize him?" Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but ask.
"It depends on the situation. However, it’s quite unlikely. Meng Liangshen is a man who values logic over emotions. He might prefer to receive some attention from his descendants," Jiang Yichun responded.
Bai Ruozhu said nothing more. By "situation," he probably meant Wang Miaoshuang.
The party quickly arrived at the Hot Spring Mansion. Bai Ruozhu arranged for the maids to cook and then left the men to do their own things. Of course, this included Xiaosi and Little Dengdeng. Even though they were still young, one could not deny that they were in fact men.
As for Bai Ruozhu herself, she took Tu Ying with her for some beauty treatments. She turned to her head maid, Chixin, and her group of six maids, instructing: "Your test begins now. Serve Willow and me as though it were already the day of the ceremony. Let’s see if your training has paid off."
The maids answered in unison. Two of them prepared the beds for Bai Ruozhu and Tu Ying, helping them onto the beauty therapy couches. Soon, Chixin brought over the hot spring water and assortment of beauty products, including the Plum Blossom Moisture Dew and Pearl Jade Cream that Bai Ruozhu had developed herself, along with her signature Black Mud Mask—Pure White Xuan Jade Cream.
Tu Ying eyed these products, her large eyes full of curiosity. "Are all these supposed to be applied on the face?" she couldn’t help but ask.
Bai Ruozhu nodded. "Yes. Normally, when a guest comes, we first have them soak in the hot spring. Then, they can lie down and receive a full-body beauty massage. One maid will focus on the face while another gives a body massage. The guests are treated head to toe, helping them become more beautiful. Today, we have men here, so I won’t be inviting you to soak in the hot spring."
After all, as an unmarried young lady, Tu Ying needed to maintain a certain propriety.
"Ah, this is really interesting. It seems there will be a lot of people here tomorrow. I’m afraid it’s going to be crowded." Tu Ying laughed. She herself loved beauty—she could only imagine how the ladies, who were more keen on dressing up, would feel.
Bai Ruozhu winked at her. "That’s why I’ve asked the guests to make appointments in advance, so that they are staggered and fitting everyone in is not an issue. It saves them a fruitless trip."
"You are indeed capable. I wish I were half as good as you," Tu Ying sincerely admitted.
"Don’t be envious. I’d be happy to have half of your martial arts skills," Bai Ruozhu said, laughing.
Soon, their beauty treatment began, and the two of them lay comfortably, no longer talking. The maids cleaned them up and hydrated their skin before starting the acupressure massage, following the techniques Bai Ruozhu had taught them. The strength used was just right, making Tu Ying feel very comfortable. She was almost falling asleep.
Once the beauty treatment was done, Tu Ying was utterly amazed. She stroked her face, which felt as smooth as a peeled boiled egg!
"You’re going to love coming here in the future," Bai Ruozhu said, her eyes twinkling with mirth.
"Then you’d better make an appointment for me pronto. Next time, I want to bring my mom along!" Tu Ying spoke excitedly.
Bai Ruozhu then led her to the Flower Hall, a spacious area with soft chairs for people to sit and rest, and have tea. Tucked away in a corner of the Flower Hall was an unusual sight—a dressing table with a Western-style mirror on it!
It was a small mirror, just like the ones you’d see at trinket stalls—a small mirror meant for customer use. It was good enough to reflect a person’s face. Even if it was just a small mirror, Bai Ruozhu had gone to great costs to acquire it. After all, mirrors were a rarity at that time.
Tu Ying saw the mirror and immediately rushed over to take a look. "My skin does look better. It’s smoother and seems fairer. Ruozhu, your beauty products work wonders!"
Bai Ruozhu chuckled. Of course, they did—she herself used them. A woman should always take good care of herself.
Over on the men’s side, Jiang Yichun and the others had finished bathing in the hot spring. Xiaosi’s face appeared softer, having soaked in the hot spring water. Everybody laughed, of course. How could they not? They had fun while Little Dengdeng could only watch, feeling left out. How could he not be upset?
Soon, the maids served lunch. The mansion’s kitchen maid was specially hired by Bai Ruozhu, and she was known for her delicious meals, particularly her Jiangnan-style dim sum—a great favorite among the women. So, it was quite likely that the ladies would be satisfied.
During the meal, Bai Ruozhu had the maids bring out some good wine. As everyone started to drink, she and Jiang Yichun began subtly encouraging Xu Huilin to drink more. Even Tu Ying, unaware of their intentions, raised her cup and said, "Mr. Xu, I wholeheartedly accept my defeat today. When my martial arts skills are properly honed, I’ll request guidance from you again. But for now, allow me to toast you!"
Xu Huilin had a favorable impression of Tu Ying. There was no reason to decline a toast from a beautiful woman, so he finished his drink in one gulp. Once everyone had eaten and drank their fill, Xu Huilin’s face was flushed, and his tongue started to get tied up.
Without him noticing, Bai Ruozhu secretly added a bit of medicine to his wine. But Tu Ying saw. Bai Ruozhu, unsure how to explain to Tu Ying, simply stuck her tongue out at Tu Ying, as if she were pulling a prank.
Tu Ying was initially startled, but remembering that Bai Ruozhu was not the type to harm anyone, she let out a sigh and decided to watch what Bai Ruozhu was up to.
Soon, Xu Huilin was even more drunk.
Jiang Yichun exchanged a look with Bai Ruozhu and then pretended to say, "That Du Fuling dared to insult you today. I won’t let her off that easily. I’ll make sure she gets what she deserves tomorrow."
Sure enough, Xu Huilin grabbed Jiang Yichun’s arm and said, "Junior Brother, let her off, for my sake, please?"
"Why should I care about your feelings? Besides, she means nothing to you. You wouldn’t actually be interested in her, would you? That’s not your usual standard," Jiang Yichun sneered.
Xu Huilin waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t talk nonsense. How could I possibly be interested in her? That woman is dumb and narrow-minded and constantly gets caught up in silly crushes. Do you think I have such low standards?"
Speaking, he let out a cold laugh. "I’m only looking out for her for the sake of my mother. Otherwise, I would have taken care of her a long time ago."
Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun exchanged a look. How did they end up talking about Xu Huilin’s mother? However, the topic of his mother’s identity was complex enough.
"My mother arranged a betrothal for me and her before she passed away. She reminded me of this even on her deathbed...."