Being enviable is not exclusive to the heroine

At dawn of the next day, Bai Hua and her two maids set off for the ancestral temple, carrying hemostatic herbs that were given to her by Bai Yu's maid. For the heroine, she must be seething over being given a medicine that would not work on her bruised back, thinking that she was mocked again by Bai Yu.

Though in truth, Bai Yu was not intending to mock her. Instead, she wanted to help the female lead quickly recover, so that she could 'bond' with the male lead without a hitch.

Within that one month, Bai Yu could only hope that the two leads would hurry up and fall in love, then marry each other and move out to some other place out of her sight.

She could hardly endure having to look at the face that resembled the wretched woman who destroyed her former life.

If the story went according to the script, those two would fall in love, marry, and move away without involving her. And this new Bai Yu would get away from being killed by the protagonist pair.

But one thing remained for Bai Yu to prove was...

Was this Bai Hua a transmigrator like her?

"Xiao Xi"

"Yes, miss."

"Do you think third sister is acting strange lately?"

Bai Yu asked her personal maid about Bai Hua's old personality, trying not to be suspicious with her question. It went smoothly, as Xiao Xi continued chattering away while massaging her hands.

"So, to sum it up, the third miss has changed a lot. Since that day at the palace, the miss who used to be so frail, shy, and cowardly is now outspoken. She doesn't avoid anyone's eyes, not even the first Furen or first miss."

Now it was confirmed that this Bai Hua had vastly changed from before. Still, the personality change could not prove that Bai Hua was transmigrated here like her.

"Xiao Xi"

"Yes, miss." The little maid responded enthusiastically.

Bai Yu was amused by her cute response. Xiao Xi was the same age as her, yet she still had the habit of a child. With her cute face and big eyes, she reminded Bai Yu of a small puppy.

"Have you ever heard of this?"

"What is it, miss?"

Bai Yu briefly thought back to the events in her last life, before started speaking slowly. "Two times one is two...two times two is four."

"Huh?"

"Two times three is six."

"Two...and then what?"

"Two times four is eight."

"Two?"

"Two times five is ten."

"Uh...miss, I'm stupid. I don't understand what you're saying at all."

"Can you do addition?"

"Somewhat, miss."

"How about multiply?"

"I can't, miss. I didn't learn much."

"Hmmm" She made a sound as she thought. Did she have to test this on those with proper education?

"Where is mother?"

"First Furen is visiting Yue mansion."

"And the second Furen?"

"She should be at Jiu Yue building, miss."

"Good. I'm going to see her."

If memory served her correctly, the second Furen was a merchant's daughter, so she should have been taught calculations. She might know about the multiplication table. Bai Yu hurried to the second Furen's resident, a place where her original body never wanted to visit. But right now she did not care much, as her focus was solely on whether the merchant's daughter could recite the table with her or not.

"G...Greetings to eldest sister."

"Relax."

When Bai Yu arrived, she was met with the second Furen and her sister Bai Yue having tea and dessert, all without a care in the world. Apart from dressing up, these women's only other interest is eating. Their nonchalance irritated Bai Yu and made her wish that they would get fat someday. Their panicked reaction when seeing her visit also made her want to laugh.

"I came to see you," she immediately said to the second Furen, not even sitting down at the table.

"Does the first miss has a matter to discuss with me?" Second Furen stood up. She did not dare to sit while Bai Yu was standing. Although this Furen largely respected her, she still put up an arrogant air as she asked. She could do that right after recovering from the shock before her own daughter could.

"I heard that you are a daughter of a merchant. Can you multiply?"

"Of course I can. Why?"

"Then, do you know this?"

"Five times one is five. Five times two is ten."

"..."

"Five times three is fifteen."

"..."

"It seems that second Furen is out of practice when it comes to calculation. Alright, prepare the income and expense account of Jiu Yue's building and give it to me by tomorrow, then."

Amidst the confusion of everyone in Jiu Yue's building, Bai Yu returned to her own residence with a calm face, as swift as when she came.

----------------------------

"Miss, just now, what did you ask the second Furen?"

"It's a multiplication table."

"And what is it used for?"

"For calculating numbers."

"Second Furen grew up surrounded by commerce, and yet she doesn't know that table. From where did you learn it, miss?"

"A faraway universe."

"Huh?"

"Forget about it."

"Yes, miss." The puppy-like maid made a sullen face, her invisible dog ears tucked down. Though her young miss had stopped beating her, she also talked to her less. Xiao Xi thought dejectedly as she continued massaging her young miss's hand.

Bai Yu was quite sure that the people in this world did not know the multiplication table that she had been able to recite even before she could write her own name. And so she was confident that Bai Hua would surely know it if she did truly transmigrate here. Still, she could not be too assured just yet. She might have to test it on one other person to be certain that the multiplication table was something only those from her former world would know, and the test subject should be someone who had high education. She had plenty of time before Bai Hua returned to prove her theory.

Ah, the life of the first daughter of a noble family was truly convenient.

----------------------------

Two days later, a rumor spread within the mansion that the first miss had devised a new shortcut for calculations, called 'multiplication table'. The servants endlessly praised her that she was both beautiful and intelligent, as expected of the number one lady of Da Yang.

Obviously, the source of that rumor was Xiao Xi, who misunderstood the word 'A faraway universe' and thought that Bai Yu had invented that method herself.

After hearing the rumor, her mother came excitedly to ask her about the matter. And when she refused, the well-meaning Xiao Xi adamantly insisted that it was the first miss's own invention, even going as far as to recite the multiplication table of two that she remembered from when being tested by Bai Yu to the Furen. In the end, Bai Yu had to go with the flow and reluctantly wrote down the table of two for her mother.

The next day, her father got the table from two to twelve from her.

On that same day, the second Furen came to see her with high-quality satin fabrics with red plum blossoms embroidered pattern and left with multiplication table from two to twelve. She was delighted, as expected from a merchant's daughter, opposite to Bai Yue who was brought along unwillingly.

In the next seven days, the children in marketplaces all over the capital were reciting twelve multiplication tables to their own melody. Even the magic cultivation institute came to ask for the tables to teach the children of the nobles.

This...went far beyond her original intention.

Bai Yu wrote down the multiplication table from two to twenty-four, along with how to read it. Her father and mother, who spread the news throughout the city, watched on with prideful joy as others praised her as a brilliant young lady.

Bai Yu could only spend numerous nights praying to Pythagoras who was the original inventor and asked for his forgiveness. "Sir, if there's an opportunity, I will make sure to credit you for it..."

"What did you say, miss?"

"Nothing." Bai Yu sighed. She did not want to talk too much to Xiao Xi, otherwise, another rumor might originate. The case with the multiplication table already made her felt bad for Pythagoras. If anything happened again she would not even know where to hide from the shame.

She had been transmigrated here for only a week and now she had not only changed fates but also created a big commotion. Oh well, maybe she should think of it as sharing knowledge with the public.

"First miss, 'Lianhua Lady' wishes to see you." Bai Yu frowned. Before she could ask who that was, the maid who came to notify her spoke up, as if reading her heart. "Miss Xu Peipei, the second daughter of the chancellor."

Ah, her beloved enemy.

"Where is she?"

"She is waiting at the gazebo in the garden, miss."

"I see. Thank you."

Bai Yu said as she stood up to let Xiao Xi dress her in more elegant clothing. This 'Xu Peipei' that asked to see her was both her 'friend' in the public and 'enemy' in the shadow.

Bai Yu and Xu Peipei both had a similar background in age, social standing, and the position of their fathers. Though if beauty and magic are considered, all within the capital would say that Bai Yu was two parts above her.

It was clear from her title as the Meihua Lady, which had a higher position than other 'lady's, comparable to being the number one beauty. And the 'number two' was the Lianhua Lady title that Xu Peipei held.

Xu Peipei received her title the same year that Bai Yu was crowned Meihua Lady, and Xu Peipei had been trying to contest her every year. That was allowed according to the rules. If the events continued like in the series, she would lose her title to Xu Peipei this year due to being exposed by Bai Hua.

But who would let that happen?

How could the transmigrated villainess such as her let her life be dictated by fate!

"Today Miss Bai Yu is dressed beautifully. But it seems that you take longer than usual. It is because of your disabled...oh! Your injured hand, is it not?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Why don't you let me use these 'disabled' hands to slap you a couple of times to prove?"

They both exchange gaze.

"You're kidding me, Bai Yu."

"I'm not afraid to do it, Xu Peipei."

Bai Yu returned the same fake smile to the woman in front of her. The two sat on the opposite side of the table as they gracefully drank their tea. Servants and maids in the area were all enchanted by the dreamlike scene of two beauties talking to each other, not realizing the truth beneath.

"Why are you here?" The servants were standing quite far away from the gazebo, so Bai Yu did not fake her tone. Her monotonous voice clearly full of annoyance was the polar opposite to the friendliness often seen in public.

According to what she remembered from the series, Xu Peipei was a secondary villainess who could not be underestimated, though she did not have a role as prominent or as evil as Bai Yu. The hostility between the two women stemmed not only from the politics of their fathers but also from their love for the same man.

Xu Peipei was second to Bai Yu in beauty, fame, and closeness to Ouyang Mingxian. These were the reason why Xu Peipei had always been envious of Bai Yu and acted as her enemy after all this time... Being enviable was not exclusive to the heroine. A villainess like her was envied by many too.

Later on, the two villainesses would conspire to get rid of Bai Hua, but Xu Peipei faced a much better ending than Bai Yu.

"I saw that your hands were hurt at the banquet and even now still hadn't healed, so I came to laugh...oops! to visit."

"Yes, my hands are hurt. But I don't think it concerns you in any way."

"Of course it would concern you more. It's just a small wound but takes so long to heal. It must mean that your magic has gotten much weaker."

"As weak as your magic, even?"

"You!" Xu Peipei glared at her. The exquisite face turned sour only for a moment before returning to its bewitching beauty that was known to all in the capital.

If Miss Bai Yu was the refined beauty, then Miss Xu Peipei was the alluring beauty.

It was as if she was blessed by the fox spirit. Her charming eyes could burn anyone who dared to gaze at them with the most luscious flame. She had a slim figure, smooth skin, and most importantly, an ample bosom.

That's right, the 'ample bosom' was Xu Peipei's main selling point.

Bai Yu glanced at the cleavage accentuated by the tight white-and-green striped dress tied at the chest with a strip of the same color. She wore a dark green outer garment that was embroidered with a butterfly pattern on top, yet it still could not conceal the size of her breasts.

Lianhua meant lotus. And Bai Yu had to agree that Xu Peipei's title as the Lianhua Lady did suit her very well since her 'lotus' were more 'blooming' than anybody else.

"Miss Bai Yu does know how to boast. For this Meihua Lady competition, if you're still disabled then I'm worried you might not do your best. I think this year I might have to take the title away from you."

"Xu Peipei...I have to tell you something..." Bai Yu motioned her to come closer as if she was about to whisper, and Xu Peipei willingly cooperated. Bai Yu put one hand up next to the other person's ear and whispered. "...The title of Meihua Lady is determined by your ability, not your breasts."

"You!!" Xu Peipei pointed at her again. Her beautiful face graced by the fox spirit turned bright red, unclear whether because of anger or embarrassment. Bai Yu laughed softly.

"If there's nothing else to discuss, then I'll send Miss Xu off." She openly said, uncaring of the reaction of the other villainess, who had to utilize a considerable amount of willpower to not scream out loud in front of Bai mansion's servants. Her protruding bosom moved in time with the many of her deep inhales in an attempt to suppress anger.

"Where did you get that multiplication table? I don't believe you can think of it on your own."

She suddenly blurted out. Bai Yu had thought that Xu Peipei would not just come to see her with such trivial matters but probably came because of the multiplication table that had led to the surge in Bai Yu's fame. The fame, of course, was many times more than Xu Peipei's. She must have been so envious of Bai Yu that she had to come and ask her about it. And obviously, Bai Yu's answer to Xu Peipei would be...

"Why don't you ask your chest about it?"

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*Pythagoras : an ancient Greek mathematician and a philosopher. He was most famous for his Pythagoras Theory. He was also praised as "the father of numbers". He made significant contributions not only to mathematics but also to philosophy and religion.