The moment the dowry came up, Madam Song began worrying again.
With Song Yaoyao behaving like this, finding her a husband would probably be difficult!
Who knew what would become of the girl?
Madam Song rubbed her temples, then ordered the servants to carry the trunks out of the front hall.
Song Yaoyao went straight to her eldest sister Song Qingling's courtyard.
Unlike usual, Song Yaoyao was not making a noisy fuss today. Song Qingling was rather surprised to see her and asked:
"Little sister, what's wrong?"
Song Yaoyao threw her arms around Song Qingling and began wailing:
"Big sister, I've been wronged!
Mother-Mother actually snatched my banknotes! A whole 5,000 taels! Boohoo...
Big sister, if I bought a block of tofu and threatened to bash my head against it unless Mother gave my banknotes back, do you think it would work?"
Supporting Song Yaoyao, whose face was streaming with tears and snot, Song Qingling said awkwardly:
"That... I don't think that would be much of a threat to Mother."
Hearing this, Song Yaoyao cried even more bitterly.
Boohoo...
Song Qingling pressed a hand to her forehead, silently grumbling: Little sister, you only dare come crying to me. If you've got the nerve, try crying like this in front of Mother! Just see how she deals with you!
Song Yaoyao cried for a good while before remembering why she had come.
Song Yaoyao wiped her tears. Looking at her little sister's tear-streaked face, Song Qingling called to the maid outside:
"Bring a basin of water. The second young miss needs to wash up here."
"Yes."
The maid answered and went to fetch the water.
Once Song Yaoyao had washed herself clean, she took several accessories from inside her robe and offered them to Song Qingling:
"Big sister, these are for you!"
Every accessory in Song Yaoyao's hands was exquisitely crafted. Song Qingling asked:
"Yaoyao, where did you get these?"
Song Yaoyao sighed, then explained the whole story, including where the accessories and the 5,000 taels had come from.
"Big sister, I thought these pieces among the gifts would suit you, so I picked them out.
Go on, take them."
Song Qingling accepted them.
"Thank you for thinking of me, Yaoyao."
Song Yaoyao waved a hand, then took a 100-tael banknote from her pocket and said:
"Big sister, this is your share."
Song Qingling waved it away:
"I don't need the banknote. Keep it for yourself."
Song Yaoyao stuffed the banknote straight into Song Qingling's arms:
"I had to work hard to wrangle this allowance out of Mother. Just take it."
"All right, I'll accept it, then."
"Yes, yes, put it away!"
Only after Song Qingling had put everything away did Song Yaoyao say:
"Big sister, I have a day off tomorrow. Shall we go shopping?"
"Have you spoken to Mother about it?"
"Not yet, but I think she'll agree."
"All right. As long as Mother agrees, we'll go out tomorrow."
"Okay."
That evening, Song Yaoyao brought up the outing with Madam Song. Madam Song agreed, only telling them to take more attendants along when they went out.
Song Yaoyao agreed.
The next morning, after breakfast, Song Yaoyao went to Song Qingling's courtyard.
"Big sister, are you ready?"
"Yes."
Today, Song Qingling wore a pale purple long dress with carefully applied makeup, giving her an air of extraordinary, ethereal beauty.
Song Yaoyao was generous with her praise:
"Big sister, you look so beautiful today!"
"You little rascal, all you do is tease me."
"Big sister, I'm not teasing you. I mean every word."
The two chatted as they walked outside.
"Big sister, where are we going today?"
"Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know the Capital well at all. You can decide, big sister."
"All right.
Last time, we visited a clothing shop and a jewelry shop. In a little while, I'll take you to look around a cosmetics shop!"
"Okay."
The carriage swayed along. Song Yaoyao lifted the curtain and looked outside for a while before lowering it again.
She was no longer as curious as she had been on her first outing, nor did she feel such a strong urge to look at everything on the streets.
The sisters chatted inside the carriage.
The carriage stopped, and the driver said:
"Young misses, we've arrived."
After the sisters stepped down, Song Yaoyao spotted a very large shop: the Beauty Parlor.
What a name! One glance and you knew exactly what they did. Down-to-earth!
"Yaoyao, let's go inside."
"Okay, big sister."
Song Yaoyao followed behind Song Qingling, looking curiously at everything inside.
As soon as they entered, a pretty young woman came over to greet them.
"What would you two young misses like?"
Song Qingling asked:
"What new products have arrived recently?"
"We've had so many new arrivals lately..."
The young woman's mouth never stopped moving. She certainly had the gift of gab.
In the modern world, she'd be the undisputed sales champion!
Song Qingling listened attentively, while Song Yaoyao looked this way and that, brimming with curiosity!
Lip rouge, spiral brow pigment, eyebrow ink, face powder, blush, decorative forehead appliqués... They had quite a comprehensive selection.
In her previous life, Song Yaoyao had seldom worn makeup, but she knew all about skincare and cosmetics.
Compared with the cosmetics and skincare products of her previous life, these ancient products were still rather crude.
When I have some free time, I can make some myself.
In the end, Song Qingling bought a box of lip rouge. She asked Song Yaoyao:
"Yaoyao, what do you need?"
Song Yaoyao waved a hand:
"Big sister, I'm just looking. There's nothing I need right now."
She was only twelve. Her skin was at its best at this age; a little skincare was enough. There was no need for makeup!
Although Song Yaoyao was curious about these products, she was not particularly enthusiastic about them.
After leaving the cosmetics shop, Song Yaoyao said:
"Big sister, is there a pastry shop nearby?
I'd like to have a look."
"Yes. Let's go there now."
The pastry shop was not far away, so they decided to walk rather than take the carriage.
Several people approached from the opposite direction and blocked the sisters' path.
Song Yaoyao thought they had blocked her way unintentionally, so she moved to the left to let them pass first.
Who knew that when she moved left, they would move left too? When she moved right, they moved right as well. This happened several times...
Even if Song Yaoyao had been a fool, she would have understood by now: they were doing it on purpose!
They're deliberately blocking our way. Are they looking for trouble?
Song Yaoyao raised her head and took a good look at the people before her.
There were three men and three women. One of the women wore a pomegranate-red long dress and looked at Song Yaoyao and Song Qingling with eyes full of disdain.
Song Yaoyao was baffled. She did not even know these people. What were they trying to do?
This was only Song Yaoyao's second shopping trip. Where had she provoked so much hatred?
Song Yaoyao felt as though she were a magnet for hostility. A few days ago, someone had tried to assassinate her for no apparent reason, and now these idiots were blocking her way.
I'm utterly speechless. I finally get a day off, and all I want is to enjoy a shopping trip. Why does it have to be so difficult?