Chapter 138 — Jealousy
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 1 of 4
Linzhang was bustling with noise. The carriage had barely rolled through the city gate when Dou Ji heard someone shouting, "Hurry to East Dou to collect the reward money!"
Grandmother was startled and pressed Honggu again and again: "Collect what reward money?"
Dou Yan found it odd at first too, but after a moment's thought she understood. Seeing Grandmother's inquiry, she smiled. "I expect Boyan has passed the provincial examination."
"Oh, yes!" Grandmother brightened with delight and urged Honggu, "Go and ask!"
The carriage came to a stop, and Honggu casually grabbed a passerby to inquire.
"Master Dou the Fifth of the Dou family has passed the provincial examination, and the Old Madam has sent people to hand out rewards at the gate. Go late and there'll be none left!" The speaker hurried out the words and then took to his heels.
"Oh my, isn't that wonderful!" Grandmother's joy was written all over her face. "The Dou family is going to produce another high official!" She bore not the slightest resentment toward the family that had slighted her granddaughter.
Dou Chi's hand tightened around Grandmother's calloused one.
Without Grandmother, in her previous life she might well have become a bitter, sharp-tongued woman who did nothing but hate Heaven and resent the earth all day long. How could she ever have set aside all of Dou Juan's faults and gone off to live a good life of her own?
Back home, Dou Yan prepared some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones as congratulatory gifts, and went with Dou Ming to the East Mansion.
Dou Yan's mother, the Third Madam, wore a brand-new Hangzhou silk jacket in sapphire blue with a ruyi-pattern, her face wreathed in smiles as she turned this way and that to entertain the ladies who had come to offer congratulations.
Dou Ming gave a cold, disdainful sniff.
Dou Yan told her, "If you didn't want to come, then don't come—there are plenty of excuses. Since you're here, be cheerful for me."
Dou Ming gave a charmingly naive smile and leaned close to Dou Zhiwei's ear. "That night, I saw Ji Yong go looking for you!" she whispered, her tone thoroughly venomous, tinged with undisguised glee at another's misfortune.
Dou Yan stepped back two paces and studied the girl before her carefully.
"Dou Ming, you don't like me, and I don't like you. There's no need for either of us to put on a pretense. I think that's fine." Her voice was grave. "If you like, of course you may spend your days watching my every move, opposing everything I approve and approving everything I oppose—even demeaning yourself to the level of mud just to make me miserable. But I will not change a single thing because of you. Remember that well. And if you think Ji Yong's coming to see me has damaged my reputation as a proper young lady, you may stand at the gate of West Dou and shout it to the world. I promise I will not stop you."
Dou Yan leaned against the railing of the covered walkway, her pea-green skirt embroidered with yellow persimmon-calyx patterns spread out on the ground, her posture utterly casual—yet a careless contempt swept toward Dou Ming and struck her heart like a sharp sword.
"Don't be so smug!" Dou Ming could not help threatening her. "One day, I'll make you weep and beg me!"
Threats are built upon strength.
If the one who said such a thing were Song Yan, she might well tremble.
The thought flashed through her mind, and Dou Yan nearly laughed aloud.
If it were Song Yan, he certainly would not utter such childish words.
He would simply do it. Make her weep and beg him.
Her expression suddenly grew a little distant.