The Male Lead's Harem Belongs to Me (GL) - Chapter 26
The sunlight from outside the window shone in, and Jiang Han saw that her long eyelashes were given a golden halo by the light. When she blinked, they moved like ink fans, and her pupils, like clear and light amber, merged into a piece of crystal, tinged with a hint of divinity.
Jiang Han swallowed with difficulty, suddenly feeling guilty.
Seeing that Jiang Han didn’t speak but kept staring at her, Liu Shuwei’s red lips slowly curved into a smile.
“Sister,” Liu Shuwei called to her, “do you also like this color?”
Jiang Han came back to her senses, hastily turned her eyes, and replied, “Yes… yes.”
Liu Shuwei leaned closer to her, gently lifting Jiang Han’s chin with her fingertips, and whispered, her words carrying a hint of bewitchment, “Sister, shall I apply it for you?”
Liu Shuwei’s closeness made her involuntarily slow down her breathing. Her eyes were fixed on Liu Shuwei’s red lips—her lips were evenly colored, rosy, full and bright, looking very tempting.
Jiang Han hesitated. She always felt that applying lip gloss for someone else was a bit ambiguous, but soon, Liu Shuwei moved away from her, smiling, “Sister, you should apply it yourself.”
Jiang Han inexplicably took the lip gloss from Liu Shuwei, wondering why Liu Shuwei suddenly asked her to apply it herself. But it didn’t matter to her. In modern times, it’s normal for best friends to apply lipstick for each other, right?
Out of her sight, a trace of annoyance flashed in Liu Shuwei’s eyes. She regretted it after seeing the confusion and hesitation in Jiang Han’s eyes. After all, the person was under her roof, and they would have more time to spend together in the future. What was the point of being so eager now?
It wouldn’t be good if she scared her away. She still needed to slowly and gradually take control of her.
••••
Jiang Mai and the Fourth Prince had discussed the matter of opening the shop. They planned to open the shop before the Mid-Autumn Festival. Festivals tend to attract more people, especially a family reunion festival like Mid-Autumn Festival. Moreover, entertainment items like playing cards were very suitable for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
On the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, a shop called “Card Fun” opened in a relatively prosperous area of the capital. The opening ceremony was very grand, and many famous merchants came to show their support, which aroused people’s curiosity even more.
The shop, with the slogan “Essential for family bonding,” attracted many people’s attention as soon as it opened. Moreover, since it was the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, many people came to the door of Card Fun with various thoughts.
As soon as they arrived at the door, they noticed the difference. Customers who entered the shop to watch could get a small box of exquisite snacks. At first, no one cared, but in the afternoon, many people returned to the shop for the snacks.
And after a morning, many people had learned how to play the games in the shop. So in the afternoon, Jiang Han simply found a few people who knew how to play and set up a table at the door for them to play and have free snacks.
The people who knew how to play were having a great time, and the price of a deck of cards wasn’t expensive. So many people bought them back to try. Therefore, on the first day of the new shop’s opening, although the turnover was only dozens of taels of silver, the response was very good.
Jiang Han and the others were not in a hurry. After all, selling playing cards was just a small business. If they wanted to make big money, they had to do something else, such as renting out venues and then selling wine and snacks, which were the real big sales methods. Even if possible, developing it into a casino would generate considerable profits.
However, Jiang Han wasn’t interested in opening a casino. Her main purpose of cooperating with the Fourth Prince was to make money and then open a snack shop. Jiang Han’s goal was very clear.
Moreover, the Fourth Prince’s investment accounted for the majority of this shop, so the future development would mainly depend on the Fourth Prince.
With the opening of the shop settled, the next day was the Mid-Autumn Festival.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Great Qi had a tradition. Married women could choose to return to their parents’ home or stay at their husband’s home on this day.
Jiang Han, who couldn’t sit still, finally had an excuse to go out for a walk. Moreover, she hadn’t left the Prince’s mansion for many days, so returning to the General’s mansion became a matter of course.
Of course, if she returned to the General’s mansion, Qi Ze should have followed her, but Qi Ze thought of the last experience, and also didn’t really want to go. So under Jiang Han’s persuasion, he made an excuse to visit the Empress Dowager and didn’t go to the General’s mansion with her.
The others also chose to go home. Qi Ze went to see the Empress Dowager, so naturally he didn’t dare to take Liu Shuwei with him.
Therefore, Liu Shuwei was the only one in the entire Prince’s mansion who didn’t go home. When sending everyone out, facing everyone’s worried eyes, Liu Shuwei smiled and said, “Sisters, go quickly. I’ll wait for you at home.”
Jiang Han was struggling with whether to take Liu Shuwei back to the General’s mansion. She wanted to take her, but what identity could she use to bring her to her home? Moreover, Liu Shuwei wouldn’t agree, right?
So after some thought, Jiang Han gave Liu Shuwei some instructions before getting on the carriage and returning to the General’s mansion.
As before, when she returned to the General’s mansion, she saw a sparse family standing at the door. Jiang Han smiled sincerely and got off the carriage to greet them one by one.
“Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, I’m back!”
Qin Mother smiled and looked at Jiang Han up and down, “It’s good that you’re back. Has Han’er lost weight?”
When Jiang Han heard this, she raised her eyebrows happily. It seemed that her weight loss efforts these days had been effective. Qin Mother could tell at a glance that she had lost weight.
Unexpectedly, before she could speak triumphantly, General Jiang Cheng snorted coldly and said, “Lost weight? I think she’s gained a lot.”
Jiang Han choked, pouting resentfully. Her three brothers were secretly laughing on the side. Qin Mother glared at Jiang Cheng, “If you can’t speak, shut up. It’s rare for your daughter to come back, and you’re still making her angry.”
Jiang Cheng turned his face away and didn’t speak, snorting coldly again.
Jiang Yun smiled and acted as a peacemaker, “It’s a bit cool outside. Let’s go inside quickly.”
Second Brother Jiang Tan also smiled, “Today’s dishes are all your favorites.”
Jiang Mai winked and whispered in Jiang Han’s ear, “Father specially ordered them for you. Remember to eat more brown sugar glutinous rice cakes at the table later. They’re made by Father himself.”
Before Jiang Han could be moved, Jiang Cheng said coldly, “Third Brother, practice with me after dinner.”
Jiang Mai: “…”
“Pfft,” Jiang Han laughed. She patted her unlucky third brother’s shoulder, “Third Brother, good luck.”
Jiang Yun and Jiang Tan also smiled and went into the house, patting Jiang Mai’s shoulder before entering, with a hint of schadenfreude in their tone, “Third Brother, good luck.”
The family happily entered the mansion, leaving Jiang Mai outside, wrapping his clothes tightly around himself. The clothes were warm, but they couldn’t warm his cold heart at the moment.
••••
The Jiang family didn’t have the rule of not talking while eating. The family chatted happily together.
While talking, Jiang Cheng, who had been silent, suddenly said, “I heard from your Third Brother that you specially made snacks for him last time?”
Jiang Han, who was gobbling down food, almost choked. Looking at the eyes of the people around her who had stopped eating and were looking at her, Jiang Han cursed Jiang Mai in her heart. She knew why Jiang Mai had told everyone.
Jiang Han saw Jiang Mai secretly laughing on the side, his eyes flashing with the word “cunning.”
Jiang Han’s mouth twitched and said, “It’s like this. I wanted to make a copy for everyone, but I just started learning, so the things I made were inevitably a bit ugly. So I asked Third Brother to try the poison… not to try if it was delicious.”
Jiang Han pretended to accidentally slip up, but the rest of the Jiang family understood. It turned out that she was just practicing and then gave it to Jiang Mai. Looking at his smug face, they almost thought that Jiang Han had made it specially for him.
Jiang Mai obviously felt the change in his elder brothers’ and parents’ attitudes. The feeling of being envied by everyone was gone. Jiang Mai’s eyebrows twitched and said, “Really? I remember little sister telling me that it was made especially for me. Could it be that little sister is lying to me?”
Jiang Mai’s last sentence carried a hint of implied questioning, as if to ask Jiang Han how she could be so heartless. He had been working hard for her, taking care of the business, and this was how she treated him?
Jiang Han felt a little guilty, but not much. She smiled and strategically changed the subject, “By the way, Father, Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I have something to tell you. I’ve opened a shop, with someone else.”
As expected, Jiang Father and Qin Mother’s attention was diverted. Qin Mother said softly, “What kind of shop? Is it tiring?”
Jiang Han was about to answer, but Jiang Cheng frowned and said sternly, “Why are you, a woman, learning to open a shop like a man? Being a good wife and mother is the best way out. What kind of behavior is it to show your face in public all day?”
Jiang Han swallowed the words that were about to come out and said, “I didn’t go out in person. Third Brother did.”
Jiang Cheng frowned even more tightly, “You’re making trouble, and he’s making trouble with you? Don’t you know how tiring it is to open a shop? Once you leave him, can your sister do it on her own?”
Jiang Mai was speechless. Jiang Han said, “Father, I’m not a child anymore. Of course I can do it. I’m not brainless.”
Jiang Cheng sneered, “You have a bit of a brain, but not much.”
“?”
“You’ve been living under our protection since you were little. You’re simple and willful and don’t know the dangers outside. Do you know how much malice a woman will face when she opens a shop? Third Brother is helping you now, but what about the future? Can Third Brother still help you after he gets married and starts a family? Can your brain, which only knows about love, help you? I don’t agree with this.”
Jiang Cheng seemed to have thought of Jiang Han marrying the prince and suffering grievances, and his words became heavier. Their general’s mansion didn’t lack food and clothing. They could just raise her for the rest of her life. Why look for trouble?
Jiang Han: “…” Wasn’t he just saying she was lovestruck and brainless?
Looking at Jiang Cheng’s angry appearance, she thought that she wouldn’t be able to explain it properly today. So she put down her chopsticks and said, “Mother, I’m full. I’ll go back to the prince’s mansion first. I’ll come back to see you and my brothers another day.” She would avoid the storm first and talk about it after the general’s anger subsided.
Jiang Han didn’t realize that her behavior was seen by Qin Mother as dissatisfaction with Jiang Cheng’s coercion, but she didn’t want to succumb to his words. So she chose to wrong herself and not argue with him, which made her feel sorry for her daughter.
Jiang Han dropped her chopsticks and ran. Qin Mother and her three brothers quickly chased after her. Jiang Han stood at the gate of the mansion and said, “Mother, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, I really have to go back. My sisters are waiting for me at home. If I don’t go back, she’ll be scared alone.”
Qin Mother pulled Jiang Han and said, “Han’er, don’t mind him. Your father is just like that. He’s just worried about you.”
“Mother,” Jiang Han interrupted her, saying in a muffled voice, “I know, but I’m not young anymore. I know what I’m doing. Because I have you, I have the confidence to do it. It doesn’t matter if I fail. I know you’ll back me up.”
Qin Mother’s heart softened, both relieved that her daughter was sensible and heartbroken that she had grown up, “It’s good that you know. Han’er, do whatever you want. Your brothers and I support you.”
After Qin Mother finished speaking, Jiang Yun smiled gently, “Go ahead and do it. Eldest Brother is here.”
Jiang Tan also said, “Second Brother is also here.”
Jiang Mai patted her head, “Go back quickly.”
They didn’t say any guarantees, but Jiang Han inexplicably felt a pang in her nose. They really supported and protected her unconditionally. Jiang Cheng was a bit harsh, but he was also worried about her being wronged outside. Relatively speaking, her behavior of leaving without regard was a bit willful.
Jiang Han held back the pang in her nose and said, “Mother, don’t scold Father when you go back. Tell him I don’t blame him.”
Qin Mother touched her head lovingly and said softly, “Okay.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Jiang Han got on the carriage and set off on her way back to the prince’s mansion.
••••
On the other side, after a brief reunion with her family, Gu Hanyun was about to leave. But she didn’t return to the prince’s mansion in the carriage. Instead, she went out to buy some mooncakes and entered the Seven Treasures Pavilion under the moonlight.
Soon after, a servant of the Gu family told the old master of the Gu family that he seemed to have seen the young lady when he went to the Seven Treasures Pavilion. Old Master Gu immediately sent someone to the Seven Treasures Pavilion to catch her on the spot. When they returned to the mansion, he threw a tantrum and kicked Gu Hanyun out.
Yu Weiwan’s meal at home was also very unpleasant. During the meal, her father kept talking about the prince, asking her why she hadn’t gotten pregnant after so many days and whether she was unwell. Yu Weiwan could still bear it in the past, but now, for some reason, she didn’t want to listen to her father’s words anymore.
Chang Qianjiao’s situation was even worse. It was said that the human trafficking case that Qi Ze was investigating was related to Minister He Buwei of the Ministry of Rites, and He Buwei was her father’s best friend. So now, not only was the He family searched and seized, but the Chang family was also implicated and was under investigation.
As for Liu Shuwei, the Liu family did invite her back, but Liu Shuwei didn’t agree. The ten thousand taels of silver had already severed their last relationship. Now they were coming to claim kinship, and everyone knew they had ulterior motives.
Tonight was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for reunion, but for them, it wasn’t a good day.
So when Liu Shuwei saw the people coming back one after another, all looking dejected, she was full of doubts. Why did they come back so early and all look so gloomy?
Jiang Han, seeing that everyone was in a bad mood, took out a straw mat from the house and spread it on a lawn. Tonight, the stars were all over the sky, so everyone lay on the straw mat, chatting about the stars.
They all talked about their experiences and sighed. Gu’s family was a scholarly family, so it was expected that they would have such an attitude towards Gu Hanyun visiting a brothel. Liu Shuwei knew about her family from the original story, so it was no surprise that they would say such things. Chang Qianjiao’s matter was also expected. Although Jiang Han had given Chang Qianjiao a reminder, and Chang Qianjiao had definitely told Lord Chang, Lord Chang and He Buwei were friends for many years, so he naturally favored his old friend.
After everyone finished lamenting their experiences, Gu Hanyun suddenly said, “Princess, do you think our shop can succeed?”
Jiang Han took a deep breath and said, “Don’t worry, it definitely will. Even if it doesn’t, as long as I have a bite to eat…”
“You’ll have a bowl to wash.”
Gu Hanyun, who was about to be moved, was speechless.
Author’s Note:
Gu Hanyun: Silently swallowed the words of emotion back into her stomach.