After Shen finished speaking, Xu Jing didn't say anything and just looked at her silently.
Shen only felt that her clear, piercing eyes were like two icy holes, staring at her without blinking. Coupled with her bloodless, stunningly pale face, she seemed like a ghost seeking revenge.
Her heart trembled involuntarily, and she took a step back. Her voice instinctively lowered, "Why... why are you looking at me like that? Do you think it's justified to live in my house for free?"
Xu Jing looked at her for a moment longer, then suddenly smiled, leisurely taking the gold bracelet from Chunxiang's hand and playing with it. She spoke slowly, "There's no justification, indeed, but as you said, I'm a fallen Phoenix, and even a fallen Phoenix is still a Phoenix.
This rent money, I will surely pay it all by the day after tomorrow at the latest.
But you burst into my room with a man and insulted me—how should this be justified?"
Speaking, Xu Jing lowered her long and curled eyelashes, suddenly turned around, walked to the table, picked up a fruit knife, and with a "snap" sound, sliced a pear on the table into two halves.
Shen's heart trembled again. Watching the woman's expressionless face, even tinged with chill as she cut the pear, she couldn't help but feel it was not a pear being cut, but slices of her own flesh!
Xu Jing didn't even look at her, continuing steadily and forcefully cutting the pear into piece after piece in her hand.
Moreover, the most shocking thing was that each piece of pear she sliced was almost identical in size, as if she had measured them meticulously!
While cutting, she said indifferently, "I am someone with a rather bad temper. If I continue to be insulted like this, I don't know what I might do.
But I do have basic integrity.
If others are willing to respect me and trust me, I naturally won't betray their trust.
But if others see me as just a lonely and poor woman to bully and trample on, even plotting against me..."
Xu Jing paused for a moment, suddenly thrust the knife deep into the table with a "thud", drew a handkerchief from her body, slowly wiped her fair and slender hand, and looked at Shen with a bright smile, "Then I won't show any mercy either.
Wouldn't you agree, Shen?"
The few people present watched with their eyes about to pop out.
This woman, where did she get the strength to stab the knife into the table?
And so deeply, as if saying that this knife could pierce the table and could pierce a human body as well.
Xu Jing seemed not to notice their strange gazes, warmly waved her hand, "Since you're here, I have nothing to entertain guests with, feel free to have the pear..."
"N-No need!" Shen suddenly shivered all over, snapped out of it, feeling the muscles on her body ache slightly when she looked again at the smiling and serene lady, only to find her seeming more sinister with every glance. She hurriedly said, "Forget it, I'll let you off this time.
If you don't have the rent money by the day after tomorrow, don't blame me for being nasty; Lu recently is in need of some good items!"
With that said, she twisted her body, her flesh shaking with the motion, and quickly left with the man.
As soon as Shen exited the room, Xu Jing's smile vanished, her face turned cold as she pulled out a chair and sat down.
Though her wounds were mostly healed, recovering from an illness left her still somewhat weak.
Chunxiang processed what had happened only after a while, couldn't help exclaiming with joy, "Miss, Shen has left!
Miss, you're amazing! You dismissed her with just a few words, even the previous Miss wasn't this skilled!
Moreover, since when did Miss's strength become so great?"
As she spoke, even someone as simple as Chunxiang sensed something was off, and stared at Xu Jing dumbfoundedly.
Indeed, these past three months, the Miss had given up on herself, not caring about anything.
If the previous Miss had been insulted like today, she would have certainly retaliated forcefully!
Today's calm and decisive Miss, who used intimidation, seemed very different from the previous Miss!
Xu Jing glanced at her, took a sip of cold tea from the table, and said, "Perhaps I was too shocked and have seen the light these past few days, thinking much clearer than before.
Rest assured, from now on, I'll live well and won't cause you any more trouble."
So that's it! The elders often say that if a person faces immense hardship and stimulation, their temperament changes accordingly.
It seems Miss has indeed recovered, and has become even better!
Chunxiang cried tears of joy, couldn't stop weeping with joy, repeatedly saying, "That's wonderful, really wonderful. This way, the Madam's spirit can rest in peace..."
Yet Xu Jing wasn't as optimistic as her. Judging from the brief encounter with Shen, her current predicament could be described as being caught between a rock and a hard place.
Being abandoned by both her husband's family and her own, she had no money at all.
Most importantly, their looks as single women were too conspicuous, not to mention the Peng Shi mentioned by Shen; she herself clearly had thoughts about them.
When she saw the gold bracelet on her hand earlier, the disappointment on Shen's face was evident.
Heh, well, she thought they were at the end of their rope, intending to sell them for a huge profit, and suddenly discovering she could still hold on, how could she not be disappointed?
How could a single rent payment compare to the profit of selling the three of them?
Though she had just deterred her slightly, Xu Jing didn't believe that a person's greed would vanish just like that.
Thinking of this, Xu Jing looked up at Chunxiang, "It's still early, hurry to town and find a reliable pawn shop to pawn the bracelet."
The joy on Chunxiang's face instantly diminished, she bit her lip, reluctantly saying, "Yes, Miss."
As soon as Chunxiang left, Xu Jing relied on the memories in her mind to gather all the original owner's belongings.
But as the original owner was extravagant and not good at saving, these past three months, they had squandered their resources, coupled with the costs for healing and recovery, all the places where there used to be Silver in her memory were empty, as clean as if a rat had nibbled through.
Xu Jing couldn't help but furrow her brows tightly.
For now, she needed to figure out a way to make money, because without money, surviving was already a problem.
Relying solely on Chunyang to sell embroidery was obviously not enough, and how much could one gold bracelet be pawned for? If nothing was done, they would soon face destitution again.
While rummaging through the boxes and cabinets, Xu Jing unexpectedly found a divorce letter from Xiao Yi to the original owner.
On the envelope, the words "divorce letter" were written in strong, powerful handwriting that flowed smoothly across the page. No wonder it was praised as being written by Xiao Yi, Great Chu's most talented scholar.
Looking at this divorce letter, Xu Jing could only sigh. If only it wasn't a divorce letter, in her memory, Xiao Yi's writing was worth its weight in gold, if it weren't a divorce letter, selling it could earn quite a bit of money.
If there's one thing she could be grateful for in this confounding transmigration, it's being divorced.
She had no wish to inexplicably become a married woman, especially when her husband had no feelings for her and even felt disgusted by her.
As for her so-called son...
Thinking about it made Xu Jing feel irritable, so she decisively cast him aside for now.
She had enough on her plate as it was, no mind to spare for that son.
Just as Xu Jing was tired from searching and was about to sit and rest for a while, a woman's voice came from outside again.
But this time, the voice carried an intentionally exuberant, joyous tone, so rich it seemed to drip with oil—
"Is Miss Xu here?
Congratulations, congratulations!
By order of Peng Shilang, I've come to propose marriage to Miss Xu!
Miss Xu must be truly blessed, Peng Shilang is the wealthiest and most generous Lord in our Hutou Village, always gentle and considerate with his household, many ladies dream of gaining his favor. Miss Xu, get ready to enjoy all the blessings of marriage!"