Chapter 17 – Apprentice (1)
Ye Zhen’s casual attitude exasperated the Fourth Miss Lu. Her words were like junky swords, poorly sharpened and futile.
Why was she not worried, even for just a little bit? Fourth Miss Lu wondered.
“Well, if you don’t listen to my advice, you’ll be humiliated and you can’t blame others.”
“Fourth sister can rest assured that third sister will not blame anyone.” If she fails the exam, she might as well die again.
In her previous life, she graduated from the women’s college with the first grade. The medical field will surely not be a piece of cake but given her intelligence, she would likely fare well enough.
Speechless, Fourth Miss Lu doubted the sanity of the girl in front of her, wearing a nonchalant smile. The gravity of what she was doing didn’t fit her confidence. It was like she was talking to an entirely another woman!
If anything, Ye Zhen didn’t appear inferior at all.
In Fourth miss’ mind, the wild girl from the border town was ignorant, or perhaps, her dreams were just as wild as she was. The capital was nothing like the border town wherein she can do whatever she wanted!
Seeing that there was nothing she could do anymore, the Fourth Miss Lu left with her maid hot on her trail. Second Miss Lu soon followed, but not before apologizing softly for her sister’s outburst.
“The Fourth miss is getting hot tempered these days.” Dai Mei whispered beside Ye Zhen.
“Talented women have a somewhat strange temper, don’t you think?” She never regarded herself as a talented woman. As a matter of fact, she rarely showed her temper before, even when she was only a child.
It was etiquette for women of nobility; to be always calm and reserved.
*
Ye Zhen went to Pei Shi’s courtyard afterward. Wearing a simple gown that has seen better days and her hair in a neat bun. Pei Shi was on sitting on a plush chair, sorting out dusty medical books she had brought with her from the border town.
Ye Zhen couldn’t understand it, but seeing the sight of her made her calm. Like she was indeed her mother.
When he saw her daughter coming in, she welcomed her with her usual embrace and pulled an extra chair for her to sit. “Have you just greeted your grandma?”
“Yes, mother.” Ye Zhen was more careful in the presence of Pei Shi. Mothers and daughters are said to be linked together. They have a particularly strong bond.
No matter how the world changes, she was not Lu Yaoyao, she could never be. One suspicious move will make Pei Shi suspect her as a fraud.
“Grandma said she would take us to a flower appreciation meeting in a few days.”
Pei smiled and looked at her daughter, who seemed to “Well then, go and see if your temperament fits the capital. But remember dear daughter, in here, you can’t afford things that are arbitrary.”
Ye Zhen cleverly nodded, “Does Mother think that her daughter is still a wild girl?”
“You weren’t wild when you were in the border town. You just didn’t stay at home all day long because you love the wild too much.” Pei said with a chuckle.
Ye Zhen emitted a long audible sigh, “I know capital is not the border town, thus, I will be more obedient and behaved.”
She picked up a medical book and looked at it carelessly. Her sister’s understanding of these obscure medical theories has even led to the emergence of a lot of pharmacological knowledge inside her. The knowledge that she never knew before and knowledge that she pledged to learn would be put in good use.
Pei Shi saw her fascination towards the medical books, smiled and said nothing.
“Mother,” Ye Zhen raised her head from the book she was reading. “Can I take these books with me in my study?”
“Oh dear, you really have changed! Whenever I asked you to read these books before, you always had your little alibis, telling me your eyes hurt or you suddenly have a headache. Why do you want to read them now?” Pei asked in surprise.
“Grandma urged me to go to the women’s college, saying that only the medical school is the best place for me.” Ye Zhen deduced how Pei Shi would react, she thought she would be overjoyed by this.
But, looking at Pei Shi’s pursed lips, Ye Zhen realized that she was wrong.