The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 19
Dappled light scattered over the window ledge and cast faint shadows inside the room.
A knock at the door disrupted the stillness inside the room. Gu Huaisheng’s gaze shifted from the windowsill back to the room as he said, “Come in.”
Shuliang came in and gave Gu Huaisheng a letter that had been sent from the Jiang family residence. He said, “Young Master, it’s a letter from the Jiang family.”
Gu Huaisheng accepted the letter. On the envelope, written in flowing semi-cursive script, were the words, ‘For Cousin’s eyes only.’
His gaze lingered on those words for a moment. His thin lips pressed into a tight line.
Such handwriting and such a form of address meant that this letter could only have come from Jiang Jingchun.
Unlike most young women who practised dainty and ornamental regular small script, Jiang Jingchun had learned semi-cursive.
He opened the letter, and as the paper unfolded, before he even read its contents, his mind drifted to the past.
It was he who had taught Jiang Jingchun how to write this way.
He couldn’t quite recall when it began, but at some point, Gu Huaisheng noticed that she had started to change.
She appeared in front of him more frequently. She was also always cheerfully calling him, ‘Cousin.’
He didn’t think much about it at first. However, he eventually realised that perhaps—just perhaps—she liked him, because no matter how distant he acted towards her, that clingy child just wouldn’t go away. He simply couldn’t shake her off.
What started as mere suspicion solidified over time. Her gaze, which was always shy and tinged with nervous anticipation, gave her away repeatedly.
She had pestered Lady Li to have him teach her how to write. Gu Huaisheng hadn’t refused.
Why? He thought it was simply because she was his younger cousin. Teaching her to write didn’t seem like a big deal—it was certainly preferable to having Lady Li bring her over constantly to bother him.
Jiang Jingchun wasn’t exactly an obedient child to teach. She only saw this as an opportunity to linger around him. She often didn’t take her lessons seriously.
However, she had an uncanny ability to read people. The moment his tone turned cold, she would immediately sit upright, proper and composed. She never crossed the line too far, and this meant he never had a strong enough reason to fully send her away.
The semi-cursive handwriting on the letter that he was holding was both elegant and neat.
He had painstakingly taught her how to write, and in every character she wrote, there was a trace of his own.
Gu Huaisheng snapped out of his thoughts and began reading the contents of the letter.
In the letter, Jiang Jingchun mentioned that a new teahouse had recently opened in the capital and invited him to visit. She had anticipated that he might decline, so she had also added that there was something important she needed to discuss with him and urged him to come.
It was, essentially, an attempt to get him out of his residence.
Just yesterday, she had been out drinking until she was thoroughly drunk. She was likely not even fully sober yet at this moment. However, she had already found the energy to ask him to go out.
For some reason, his fingers unconsciously tightened. He crumpled the paper slightly as a thought crossed his mind.
Seeing the coldness in his expression, Shuliang couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, what did the letter say?”
Why did he look like that after reading it?
Gu Huaisheng placed the crumpled letter on the table and instructed Shuliang, “Prepare the carriage. We’re leaving.”
He was a little curious about what Jiang Jingchun could possibly have to say to him.
When Gu Huaisheng arrived at the teahouse Jiang Jingchun mentioned, she was already waiting for him in a private room.
Jiang Jingchun clearly paid great attention to cleaning herself up today. There was no trace of her dishevelled state yesterday on her at this moment. She wore a peach-pink attire, which vibrant colour enhanced her delicate complexion. She sat on the cushioned seat with her head drooped slightly, as though she was lost in thought. Her fingers unconsciously traced the rim of the teacup.
There was no one else in the room—not even a servant girl to attend to her.
The small room held little besides a single long table, which created an atmosphere that felt unusually intimate and a touch peculiar.
Gu Huaisheng instinctively furrowed his eyebrows.
He knocked on the doorframe, and only then did Jiang Jingchun notice him.
It was his day off today. Instead of wearing his crimson official robes or the dark robes he had worn during the Dragon Boat Festival, he was dressed in his usual attire today—a jade-white, round-collared brocade robe. The simple yet refined clothing accentuated his cool demeanour and made him seem unapproachable, as always.
Jiang Jingchun recalled the plan she had in mind. Her heart started racing uncontrollably, and her confidence started to waver.
She forced herself to calm down and mustered what she thought was a natural smile. She looked at him and said, “Cousin, you’ve finally arrived.”
She scooted over slightly to make space for Gu Huaisheng beside her.
She had intentionally chosen a small room with just one table today. Since she had also scooted over, this meant that he should sit next to her.
To her, this subtle gesture seemed clever, but in Gu Huaisheng’s eyes, it was very suspicious.
Her overly forced smile confused him further. He couldn’t fathom what exactly she was up to today.
His frown deepened.
Seeing his furrowed eyebrows, Jiang Jingchun grew even more nervous. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Gu Huaisheng silently walked over and took the seat beside her.
She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.
While he sat down next to her, Jiang Jingchun didn’t immediately act on her intentions. Rushing into things would be too reckless. Instead, she poured him a cup of tea and pushed it towards him.
“Cousin, have a taste,” she said.
There was no hint of alcohol on her, only a faint, pleasant fragrance. However, Gu Huaisheng couldn’t help but recall the scene from the previous day at the tavern, when Song Xuan’an carried her drunken figure in his arms.
He lowered his gaze. His eyes fell on the teacup she had pushed towards him but made no move to drink it. Instead, his cool and distant voice cut through the air as he said, “If you have something to say, say it.”
Jiang Jingchun froze at his cold tone.
Why was he treating her like this? She had only asked him to drink tea, and he wouldn’t even oblige?
It hadn’t been like this not long ago.
Jiang Jingchun felt a surge of frustration. She didn’t care anymore.
So what if kissing someone was considered rude? She looked at his profile, and her emotions started to bubble. She only wanted to kiss him, to stop him from being so cold to her. She truly couldn’t bear his indifference and aloofness anymore. She hated it, hated it deeply!
She didn’t care if the tale of a virtuous monk falling in love with an enchanting demoness because of a kiss was true or not. She thought bitterly about how she’d liked him for two years and the way he’d responded to it coldly for two years as well. At this point, what harm would there be in kissing him once?
And so, she acted on that thought.
Though she wasn’t particularly short, she still seemed delicate next to Gu Huaisheng. As she sat on the floor, she had to tilt her head slightly to look at him.
She turned towards him, then straightened up and leaned towards him.
Gu Huaisheng, who had heard no response from Jiang Jingchun for some time, turned his head to see what she was thinking.
However, something soft suddenly pressed against his lips.
In that instant, the girl’s dark eyes were suddenly very close, and he could feel the heat of her lips pressing against his.
The delicate fragrance of her scent filled his senses. Gu Huaisheng’s entire body stiffened, and his pupils trembled in shock.
Though the kiss lasted for no more than a fleeting moment, like a dragonfly skimming the water, it hit him like a storm. He was taken completely off guard by it.
What was she doing?
It took him a long time to realise that she had brought him here today just because she wanted to steal a kiss.
His heart pounded furiously in his chest, whether out of anger or something else he could not discern. He used nearly all his strength to push her away.
He looked at her with an expression that was devoid of emotion. However, his pale eyes burned with anger, and his thin lips pressed into a tight line. He looked at her as if she was a stranger.
Jiang Jingchun was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to turn his head so suddenly, and before she could react, he had already shoved her away.
Her face didn’t even have time to flush, nor did she have the chance to explain herself, when he coldly spat, “Shameless.”
The word stung more than his icy expression.
Jiang Jingchun’s mind went blank. Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, but it felt as though a lump of cotton had lodged in her throat and rendered her speechless.
She couldn’t even process what had happened. She couldn’t feel elation or think of anything else. All she could do was watch helplessly as Gu Huaisheng stormed out of the room.
Only after a long time did the tears finally start to fall from the corners of her eyes.
She had anticipated that he might be angry, but she hadn’t imagined he’d be this furious. He had gotten so angry that his entire body trembled—so angry that he would call her shameless.
All she did was kiss him, and he couldn’t tolerate even that.
The way he had pushed her away really hurt her heart. It was a gesture that could only stem from extreme hatred and disgust towards her.
She never wanted to read any of those crappy storybooks again for the rest of her life. They were nothing but fanciful stories meant to entertain young, naive girls.
From beginning to end, all she’d done was humiliate herself.
It was true that he was like a virtuous monk. He was like an aloof celestial being who stood high above. However, she was no enchanting demoness who could move his heart.
Huayun had stood guard outside the door. She had seen Gu Huaisheng storm out in anger but didn’t know what had happened inside. She rushed inside in worry, and saw Jiang Jingchun in tears again.
Ever since falling for Gu Huaisheng, her young miss had grown prone to crying. What could have happened this time? Why was she crying again?
However, this time, Jiang Jingchun wasn’t crying hysterically. Her eyes were dazed and vacant, and her tears fell silently down her cheeks.
Huayun’s heart ached at the sight. She sat down beside Jiang Jingchun and asked, “Miss, what happened? What’s going on?”
Hearing Huayun’s voice seemed to bring Jiang Jingchun back to reality. It was only then she seemed to realise that she was crying yet again.
She smiled faintly and hastily wiped her tears away.
“I won’t like him anymore,” she said.
Liking him was like embarking on an endless journey without any destination. She had done everything, to the point that she crashed and burned, only to be mercilessly pushed away in the end.
Enough was enough. One attempt was already more than enough.
She had done all she could, even things she shouldn’t have done. What else could she do now?
When Jiang Jingchun decided to give up on him, her emotions weren’t as overwhelming as she had imagined they might be. Letting go of someone was hard, of course, but if one had accumulated enough disappointment before it, it would naturally become easier.
She laughed, though she wasn’t sure why. What exactly was she laughing at?
Was she laughing at herself? Perhaps.
Jiang Jingchun patted her own face lightly in an attempt to pull herself together. She stood up. Her expression was now devoid of emotion.
She said to Huayun, “Let’s go home.”
The two of them walked out of the teahouse, but just as they were descending the stairs, a man rushed towards them in a hurry and stopped before Jiang Jingchun.
“Miss, I’ve finally found you!”
He’d searched for her everywhere and finally found her in this teahouse.
Jiang Jingchun noticed the man’s attire and recognised him as a servant from the Jiang family. She couldn’t understand why he seemed so anxious to find her.
Her eyelids twitched—could something have happened at home?
“What’s going on?” she asked.
The servant had been eager to find her, but he hesitated now that he had. He didn’t know how to explain it.
Seeing this, Jiang Jingchun pressed, “What is it? Just say it already!”
The servant sighed, then leaned close to whisper what had happened at the Jiang family residence.
He told her that… the eldest miss had been found—the real Jiang Jinghui, who had gone missing all those years ago.
Jiang Jinghui had been found. So then, who was she?
Wasn’t she Jiang Jinghui?
Jiang Jingchun had lived in the Jiang family for over a decade before she discovered that she was a fake daughter.
On the way back to the Jiang family, the servant who had looked for her earlier filled her in on the details.
Jiang Jinghui had gone missing when she was three years old. Lady Li had taken her to a temple on the mountain to pray for blessings, but somewhere along the way, she had lost sight of her, and she disappeared.
The Jiang family, the Li family, even the Gu family had searched high and low for her, but they failed to find her.
It was as if Jiang Jinghui had vanished into thin air.
For an entire month, Lady Li was inconsolable. Her grief drove her to near madness.
Jiang Nan, who couldn’t find his daughter and worried about his wife’s deteriorating condition, took her back to the temple to pray again in the hope of dispelling their misfortune.
Unexpectedly, at the temple, they came across a child who bore an uncanny resemblance to Jiang Jinghui. Lady Li was convinced the child was her missing daughter and immediately claimed her as such.
Perhaps because the resemblance was so striking, no one questioned it at the time. Everyone believed that the child they found in the temple was the missing Jiang Jinghui.
After bringing her back, Jiang Nan strictly forbade anyone from mentioning the incident again.
The household fell silent on the matter, and everyone simply accepted it without question.
But today, Jiang Nan returned with another girl, whom he claimed was the real Jiang Jinghui, whom they had lost all those years ago.
So then, who was Jiang Jingchun?
Jiang Jingchun didn’t know either.
When she returned to the Jiang family residence and approached Chongming Hall, the atmosphere was tense and strange. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she felt that everyone’s gazes towards her carried an odd scrutiny.
Jiang Jingchun walked slowly. She was unsure how to face the scene awaiting her.
For over a decade, Jiang Jingchun had been living in Jiang Jinghui’s place and enjoyed a life of privilege. However, the real daughter had now returned.
How had this real daughter lived all these years?
And how was she supposed to face her? Face her father and mother?
Truly, misfortunes would never come singly.
After the earlier incident with Gu Huaisheng, another shocking incident followed.
Even though Jiang Jingchun was reluctant to face it, she had no choice. She dragged her feet and eventually made her way to the main hall of Chongming Hall.
She stood outside under the corridor eaves and listened to the lively voices from inside.
It seemed like Jiang Nan was speaking. His tone brimmed with joy, which was a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanour.
“You’ve endured so much over the years, but at last, Father has found you. Do you remember? This is your brother, and this is your mother. When you got lost, you were only three years old, so you probably don’t remember much. But it’s a blessing we’ve found you now… Back then, you were the eldest miss of the Jiang family, and you still are. Don’t worry—no one can take your rightful place…”
Jiang Jingchun stood outside and heard every word Jiang Nan said clearly. She clutched her handkerchief so tightly that it was about to tear.
Jiang Nan may have spoken those words without ill intent, but to Jiang Jingchun, they were cutting.
No one can take your rightful place…
She felt as if she were a thief who had stolen that place for more than a decade.
Inside, Jiang Nan’s voice continued incessantly. Occasionally, Jiang Runchu chimed in with an unusually gentle voice. It was utterly different from how he usually spoke to her.
Had he always known she wasn’t his real sister?
Now that his real sister had returned, it seemed he had become a completely different person.
All of them seemed completely immersed in the joy of their reunion, except for Lady Li, who remained mostly silent.
Though avoidance was shameful, it was undeniably useful. Jiang Jingchun didn’t dare to go in; she had no idea how to face such a scene. She turned and tried to leave.
However, at that moment, the mother-daughter duo from the second branch of the family entered from outside. They were Lady Lin and Jiang Jingfang. They had caught wind of the commotion at Chongming Hall, and since they couldn’t possibly miss such a big event, they had hurried over to see the drama unfold.
The two ran straight into Jiang Jingchun, who was trying to escape.
The three bumped into each other. Lady Lin and Jiang Jingfang couldn’t hide the schadenfreude, the gloating on their faces.
Lady Lin said, “Oh dear, Jingchun, where are you off to? Things are so lively inside—why don’t you go in and take a look?”
Jiang Jingfang echoed maliciously, “Exactly, Cousin. Where are you going?”
Their loud voices naturally drew the attention of the people inside. By then, it was too late for Jiang Jingchun to leave unnoticed.
She glanced at the two with resentment flickering in her eyes. Finally, she exhaled heavily. There was no escape; sooner or later, she would have to face this. Whether sooner or later, it made no difference.
She turned back around and stepped inside.
Her arrival froze the lively atmosphere instantly, and an awkward tension immediately filled the air.
Jiang Jingchun knew that her presence had interrupted their joyous reunion.
Her gaze involuntarily drifted to the true eldest miss of the Jiang family who had been found. Jiang Nan and Lady Li were seated at the head, while Jiang Jinghui sat beside Jiang Runchu.
At first glance, she and Jiang Jinghui indeed somewhat resembled each other. However, Jiang Jinghui appeared more gentle and mature in comparison. She was dressed in plain white clothing with no adornments save for a simple wooden hairpin in her bun. Despite such a humble appearance, she didn’t seem impoverished. Instead, she exuded a unique elegance.
Jiang Jingchun stared at her.
Jiang Jinghui looked back at Jiang Jingchun and smiled. Her expression was serene and graceful, and there was not a trace of malice in it.
Jiang Jinghui was the first one to break the suffocating silence. She looked at Jiang Jingchun and said, “This must be Xiaochun.”
Compared to Jiang Jinghui’s grace, Jiang Jingchun seemed rather awkward. Her face had turned pale. Her mouth opened and closed as though she was trying to speak, yet no words came out. She didn’t know what to say or how to respond.
How should she answer her?
Jiang Nan silently thought to himself that Jiang Jingchun was indeed unpresentable. She could stir up trouble better than anyone else on normal days, but now that something significant had happened, she was rendered speechless. She couldn’t say anything and acted meek and timid.
He began introducing Jiang Jingchun to Jiang Jinghui. He said, “This is…”
However, after saying just those words, he paused awkwardly. How was he supposed to introduce Jiang Jingchun to Jiang Jinghui? The situation was truly a headache.
After the silence, Jiang Jingchun finally spoke for herself. She said, “I am Jiang Jingchun.”
That should be correct, shouldn’t it?
Jiang Jinghui smiled faintly. Her expression was free of hostility as she said, “Father already told me about you yesterday.”
Jiang Nan had been secretly searching for Jiang Jinghui all these years. Some time ago, his subordinates finally found some clues, and after more effort, they finally located her.
Only then did Jiang Nan learn about the life Jiang Jinghui had endured.
She had been abducted and sold by traffickers to a family in a remote area and raised to be a child bride. As she grew older, the family’s son prepared for the imperial examinations. He was going to participate in the provincial-level imperial examinations and had finally brought her along to the capital to care for his daily needs while he studied.
It was during this time, by sheer chance, that a guard saw her on the streets of the capital and noticed her resemblance to Jiang Jingchun. This prompted an investigation into her background.
After a thorough inquiry, they found an old female servant to confirm her identity and discovered a birthmark on Jiang Jinghui’s arm that matched one she had as a child.
The guards reported this to Jiang Nan just yesterday.
Today, Jiang Nan brought Jiang Jinghui back to the Jiang family.
Everyone knew that Jiang Jinghui had gone missing years ago, and the one who returned was Jiang Jingchun. However, how had they failed to notice the mistake? After all, Jiang Jingchun didn’t have a birthmark. How could they have mistaken Jiang Jingchu for Jiang Jinghui?
The guards reported this to Jiang Nan just yesterday.
Today, Jiang Nan brought Jiang Jinghui back to the Jiang family.
Everyone knew that Jiang Jinghui had gone missing years ago, and the one who returned was Jiang Jingchun. However, how had they failed to notice the mistake? After all, Jiang Jingchun didn’t have a birthmark. How could they have mixed this up?
It was evident that Jiang Nan and Jiang Runchu had known the truth all along. However, no one would bring up such details at such a sensitive moment.
Jiang Jingchun watched Jiang Jinghui smiling at her but couldn’t muster any appropriate expression in return. She forced a smile onto her face, but it looked even more unsightly than crying.
Jiang Nan was visibly displeased with her reaction. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Lady Li, who said, “Xiaochun, from now on, Jinghui is your elder sister. Do you understand?”
No one had expected Lady Li to speak so suddenly. She had been silent all this time, yet her words now carried undeniable weight. No one objected, as this arrangement was already the best compromise. What else could they do? Would they abandon Jiang Jingchun now that their real eldest daughter had returned?
From Lady Li’s own perspective, Jiang Jingchun was the daughter she had raised and cared for over the years. She had been the daughter she had nurtured. After so many years, how could she sever the ties between them just because they weren’t related by bl00d?
Then, Lady Li turned to Jiang Jinghui and asked, “Jinghui, what do you think?”
Jiang Nan frowned. His displeasure towards the question Lady Li posed to Jiang Jinghui was evident in his expression.
Jiang Jinghui had suffered for over a decade, while Jiang Jingchun had lived a life of comfort. Yet, as Jiang Jinghui’s own mother, she was now asking Jiang Jinghui such a question.
Jiang Jinghui found it somewhat amusing and actually smiled. Her expression was impeccable, but a trace of sorrow flickered in her eyes at just the right moment. Her evident but quiet disappointment at being unfairly treated by her own mother evoked pity from those around her.
She replied, “I naturally wouldn’t object to this. The fact that Mother is even willing to acknowledge me now is already a tremendous gift to me.”
Her words left Lady Li stunned for a moment. No matter how she interpreted these words, they still left her with an unpleasant feeling. Jiang Jinghui, who should have been doted on, had grown up to be so cautious and modest instead.
Jiang Jingchun’s face grew even paler as she listened.
She couldn’t endure it any longer and fled the scene in a panic.
“Why, she doesn’t seem too pleased about this,” Lady Lin remarked sarcastically.
Her comment earned her a sharp glare from Lady Li, and Lady Lin didn’t dare to continue speaking. Anyhow, the spectacle seemed nearly over, so she didn’t want to stay any longer, either. As such, she and Jiang Jingfang left soon after that.
On their way out, Lady Lin kept saying, “I knew Jiang Jingchun wasn’t their real daughter.”
Years ago, when no one was looking, she had secretly checked Jiang Jingchun’s arm and noticed that she didn’t have a birthmark. She had immediately concluded that this girl couldn’t be the missing Jiang Jinghui. At most, they bore a slight resemblance, but they were definitely not the same person.
If she had figured it out, how could Jiang Nan and Lady Li not have known? Clearly, Lady Li had been deluding herself, and Jiang Nan had gone along with it to keep her from spiralling into madness. They had thus accepted Jiang Jingchun as their fake daughter.
Now, however, the truth was out. Lady Li would undoubtedly have a hard time coping. On one hand, she had her daughter, to whom she had given birth; on the other, the girl she had raised so preciously.
As for the newly returned Jiang Jinghui, she was clearly more obedient and sensible than Jiang Jingchun. Moreover, Jiang Nan was already showing her exceptional favour. Jiang Jingchun’s future days were bound to be difficult, and it would be very interesting to watch.
She really couldn’t wait to see the drama that’d unfold in the first branch. Not at all!
Jiang Jingfang, on the other hand, didn’t care much about what had truly happened in the past. All she cared about was how Jiang Jingchun would definitely have a terrible life in the future, and she would make sure to find a chance to ridicule her for it.
After Jiang Jingchun and the mother-daughter pair from the second branch left, the main hall was left with just the immediate family gathered together.
Jiang Jinghui looked in the direction where Jiang Jingchun had left and seemed to become lost in thought. Suddenly, she asked, “Does Xiaochun not bind her feet?”
Her question left everyone puzzled.
Jiang Jinghui gave an embarrassed smile and explained, “I didn’t mean anything by it; I just noticed that my younger sister hasn’t bound her feet and thought she was truly lucky.”
There was a trace of uncontrollable envy in her voice as she spoke.
Jiang Runchu pressed his lips together and asked, “What do you mean by that?”
Jiang Jinghui said, “Oh, it’s nothing, really. It’s just that when I was at the age to start foot-binding, the elders in my previous family dragged me off and forced me to do it. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to—it was just too painful… but I had no choice. If I didn’t, they wouldn’t give me food.
“Eventually, my feet were finally bound properly, but I ended up with a high fever after that and nearly didn’t make it. So now, when I see my sister without bound feet, I can’t help but think she’s lucky to have parents as kind as hers.”
She spoke about it casually, as if she was recounting an ordinary matter. The experience of nearly losing her life to foot-binding was just one detail she mentioned lightly. But what about the other hardships she endured while she lived away from her parents?
That family had bought her to be a child bride and must have generally treated her awfully. The severity of the abuse she suffered must have been beyond counting.
Though her words might sound like a plea for pity, she was, after all, their child. If she didn’t share her pain with them, who else could she share them with?
Jiang Nan had once been furious about Jiang Jingchun’s refusal to bind her feet. He was angry at her for being unruly, for refusing to endure this ‘minor hardship. Everyone else could bind their feet—why couldn’t she?
But now, hearing his own child talk about her experience, hearing how she had endured foot-binding, he could feel only heartache.
Jiang Nan, despite his old age, found his eyes welling up with tears at this moment.
His voice trembled as he said, “It’s all my fault. Jingchun, Father failed you.”
Lady Li’s eyes also reddened. She turned her face away to wipe her tears.
It was her fault, too. Jiang Jinghui’s return forced her to remember the events of that year.
It was her failure to keep a close eye on her child that led to her being abducted.
If it hadn’t been for her, how would her Jinghui have suffered such torment?
Her Jinghui had been reduced to this state, all because of her.
The hall fell silent for a while. Finally, Jiang Nan spoke up and said to Lady Li. “From now on, let Jingchun move to the southern courtyard. Her current courtyard can be vacated for Jinghui.”
The courtyard where Jiang Jingchun currently lived had good lighting, was spacious, and was close to the main courtyard. It was considered the best living space in Chongming Hall.
But now that Jiang Jinghui had returned, Jiang Nan immediately wanted Jingchun to move out. Wasn’t this a bit too harsh?
Lady Li wanted to argue, but when her gaze fell on Jiang Jinghui, she remembered what she had just said about her footbinding experience. In the end, she didn’t say anything against it and just agreed. She said, “Alright, I’ll go talk to her.”
Jiang Jinghui hurriedly said, “Father, Mother, there’s no need. I can live anywhere. It doesn’t matter to me.”
The more considerate she was, though, the more guilty Lady Li felt. Her initial hesitation disappeared entirely.
Lady Li said, “It’s nothing—it’s a trivial matter.”
With that, she stood up and went towards the inner courtyards to find Jiang Jingchun.
Jiang Nan and Jiang Runchu remained in the hall and continued to talk with Jiang Jinghui.
Jiang Jinghui watched Lady Li’s retreating figure without saying anything. She stayed silent for a while, then suddenly lowered her head and said, “Mother… doesn’t seem to like me very much.”
She was visibly nervous as she fidgeted with her fingers.
Jiang Runchu noticed her nervous movements and let out a soft sigh. Gently, he comforted her, “How could that be? She’s just so happy that she hasn’t fully processed it yet. Give it some time, and everything will be fine. Don’t worry.”
Jiang Jinghui tilted her head to look at him. From this angle, she looked even more pitiful.
“Really?” she asked.
Jiang Runchu’s heart ached at the sight. He patted her head and said, “Really. Don’t be afraid—you have your brother and father now.”
Only then did Jiang Jinghui smile faintly and nod obediently.
Jiang Jingchun returned to her quarters, threw herself onto the bed, then buried her face into the quilt. The suffocating feeling quickly engulfed her senses and made her nose, throat, and chest sore. Only when her head felt light and her lungs screamed for air did she finally lift her face from the blanket.
Her vision blurred momentarily, and stars flickered in her eyes. She gasped for breath and inhaled deeply before her senses began to settle again.
What a terrible day, she thought.
How could everything go wrong in a single day?
But after becoming so haywire, surely things couldn’t get any worse than this, right?
She laughed to herself bitterly. Could this be how it felt to have the sky fall on her?
Still, seeing Jiang Jinghui had unsettled her deeply. In her presence, she felt as though she couldn’t lift her head. Jiang Jinghui smiled so warmly and so kindly, but that only made her more afraid.
She didn’t dare meet her gaze.
She truly felt like a fake replica cowering in shame before the genuine thing.
Not only did she fear looking at Jiang Jinghui, but she also dreaded facing the rest of the Jiang family.
The way they looked at her—it made her skin crawl.
She was lost in thought and didn’t notice someone entering her bedchamber until the movement caught her eye.
She looked up and saw Lady Li standing in the doorway.
Jiang Jingchun was caught off guard. She sat dazedly on the edge of her bed without reacting at all.
Seeing her like this made Lady Li realise that today’s events had hit her very hard. She must’ve gotten shocked to the point that she couldn’t fully process it, which rendered her to this dazed state.
Lady Li walked over and sat beside her. Her face was filled with complicated emotions. Jiang Jingchun only stared blankly at her before finally managing to call out, “Mother.”
Mother.
Could she still call her that?
After all, she wasn’t really her daughter.
However, if she didn’t call her ‘Mother,’ then what should she call her?
Lady Li reached out and gently stroked her hair. She responded to Jiang Jingchun with a soft hum and acknowledged her greeting that way.
At this moment, seeing Jiang Jingchun in this state left Lady Li unsure of what to say.
Lady Li hesitated for a long time. Because of this, Jiang Jingchun could tell that her mother wanted to say something to her but found it difficult.
Finally, Jiang Jingchun said, “Mother, just say what you need to. I’ll be fine.”
She could already guess what it was about. It must be about Jiang Jinghui.
Lady Li took a deep breath and finally spoke. “Now that Jinghui is back, your father thinks she should move into this courtyard. Since it’s closer to us, we can take better care of her…”
It seemed hard for her to say these words. Indeed, asking Jiang Jingchun to vacate her courtyard for Jiang Jinghui felt heartless.
Although Lady Li hadn’t finished speaking, Jiang Jingchun already understood what she wanted to say. She smiled faintly and cut her off mid-sentence. She said, “It’s alright. This was hers to begin with. I’ll stay wherever you decide.”
She meant it. She truly didn’t care. At this point, she was already feeling like she was living under someone else’s roof. Having a place to stay was enough for her. How could she still be picky in such circumstances?
Besides, everything she had now wasn’t hers to begin with. Everything she had now belonged to Jiang Jinghui, including this courtyard. Now that the rightful owner of this courtyard was back, it was only natural for her to return it.
Lady Li studied her expression and found no trace of pretence. She didn’t think too much about it and said in relief, “The southern courtyard is quite nice too…”
“It’s fine, Mother. You can arrange it however you like.”
After hearing this, Lady Li stopped talking.
She was silent for a moment and then said, “In two days, your father plans to host a banquet to formally recognise Jinghui as his daughter…”
The recognition banquet would be a grand announcement to the world that the Jiang family’s true eldest daughter had been found. All of the capital’s wealthy and noble families would undoubtedly attend.
This would put Jiang Jingchun in an even more embarrassing position than she already was.
Lady Li said, “If you don’t feel like attending, you don’t have to.”
Jiang Jingchun shook her head.
Skipping the banquet wouldn’t be appropriate. It would only make her look more ridiculous.
Her grandmother’s past words echoed in her mind. Yes, there were things she just needed to do for the sake of appearances. Even though she was hurting inside, she couldn’t let anyone see it.
If she didn’t attend, what would other people say then?
She said, “It wouldn’t make sense for me not to go to my sister’s recognition banquet.”
Lady Li sighed softly. Seeing how drained Jingchun looked, she didn’t push the matter further.
Instead, she thought about how Jiang Jingchun had gone out earlier. She had drunk so much wine yesterday, and after she woke up today, she hadn’t even taken a moment more to rest before cleaning up herself and going out again.
Lady Li asked, “Where did you go earlier, after you woke up?”
The question brought back the scene that had unfolded earlier in the teahouse to Jiang Jingchun’s mind. Her eyelids trembled slightly, but she replied, “Nowhere important.”
The news of Jiang Jinghui’s return spread quickly, including to the Gu family.
When they were sitting together for dinner, Madame Gu spoke about the matter to her husband.
“Did you hear? Jinghui has been found.”
Marquis Gu, who had spent the day fishing on the outskirts of the capital, naturally had no time to hear news from the capital.
He was surprised by the news and said, “She’s been found, after all these years?”
The girl had been missing for over ten years, and now she’d truly been found.
It was rather hard to believe.
Madame Gu sighed and said, “Yes. Brother never gave up. He’s been searching for her all these years.”
They had long known that Jiang Jingchun was not truly a child of the Jiang family. Back when the incident happened, they were privy to some of the details, and they even knew how Jiang Jingchun had come to be adopted into the Jiang family.
Marquis Gu, being a kind and compassionate man, said, “Jinghui must have suffered a lot over these years… Ah, but Jingchun is also a pitiful child. How will she live now? Brother-in-law’s actions are truly a bit unfair. If he’d been always searching for his own child all these times, why did he have to take in Jingchun in the first place?”
Madame Gu, upon hearing her husband criticise her brother, immediately disagreed. She said, “What else could he have done? You saw how things were with Sister-in-law back then. He had no other choice. Although, now that everything has come to this, it’s really become a tough situation.”
Gu Huaisheng was seated near his parents. He remained silent throughout their entire conversation and only listened. His gaze rested on the dishes before him, though his eyes appeared somewhat vacant, as if he was lost in thought. No one could guess what he was thinking at that moment.
It wasn’t until Gu Huailang tugged at his sleeve that he snapped out of his reverie.
Gu Huaisheng put down his chopsticks and looked at him.
Gu Huailang was still very young, so he could only partially understand his parents’ conversation. He didn’t grasp the details of past events, but he somewhat understood Jiang Jingchun’s current situation. He asked Gu Huaisheng, “Is Cousin Jiang not actually Uncle’s daughter?”
Gu Huaisheng nodded.
Gu Huailang asked again, “Then will Cousin Jiang suffer in the future?”
His innocent voice reached Gu Huaisheng’s ears.
Would she suffer?
“Perhaps,” he replied.
His mind couldn’t help replaying what had happened two days ago once more. His eyebrow twitched.
“Then, Brother, you should be nicer to her. She’s so pitiful.”
Even a child like Gu Huailang could tell that Jiang Jingchun must be in a terrible situation right now.
After saying this, Gu Huailang resumed eating. He no longer paid any attention to Gu Huaisheng’s expression.
Gu Huaisheng also said no more, but he couldn’t continue eating anymore. He eventually rose, excused himself, and left from the dining hall.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The sound of birds chirping outside filled the air as the summer sun rose over the horizon at that down, bringing with it a hint of stifling heat.
Gu Huaisheng was awakened by the birdsong. Perhaps due to the summer heat, a thin layer of sweat now veiled his forehead. As he woke, his eyes were faintly bloodshot, and he didn’t look as neat as he usually did; in fact, he even seemed rather dishevelled. His messy strands of hair softened his sharp features.
He glanced downward at his own body, and his gaze darkened. He then sighed in frustration.
He was a normal, healthy man. No matter how disciplined or restrained he tried to be, his youthful vigour persisted. This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened, but why had he dreamed of something like that this time?
It had been two days since that incident, yet he had dreamed of it again. That day, he had unfeelingly pushed her away. He had seen the panic and confusion in her eyes that day but still said what he did and left without looking back.
What had he been thinking that day? Why had he been so angry?
When her soft lips touched his, his mind had been consumed by the thought that she must have done the same with another man—that such actions likely meant nothing to her. Did she have no boundaries? Was she this intimate with every man she liked? Would she do such things with them, too?
But in his dream, he hadn’t pushed her away. Instead, he had clasped the back of her head and deepened the kiss.
He knew that Heaven often brought ruin to those who indulged in lustful desires. He had grown accustomed to living a disciplined life, but after that kiss, he had spiralled out of control and had dreamed such an inappropriate dream.
It was maddening.
He didn’t dwell on it. His rationality soon regained the upper hand, and he attributed his unusual behaviour to the fact that such an incident had never happened before, which made it hard for him not to overthink it.
After burning a stick of incense, Gu Huaisheng rose and got dressed. Soon, he returned to his usual composed self. His expression was now calm again and betrayed none of the emotions he felt inwardly.
He easily cast the matter aside.
Shuliang entered from outside and, seeing that Gu Huaisheng had already risen, only reminded him, “Young Master, we have to attend the banquet at the Jiang family’s residence today.”
Jiang Nan must be eager to let everyone know that he’d found his real daughter. As such, the banquet had been scheduled to happen very soon after she was found. Preparations for the banquet were completed in merely two days.
Many people had been invited to the banquet, including the Gu family
Gu Huaisheng responded with a soft ‘hmm’ before stepping out to join the others heading to the Jiang family’s residence.
While they were in the way, his thoughts wandered back to that day. He had pushed her away, and now, after what had happened, he wondered how she had been these past two days.
Had she cried?
Considering her personality, he thought she probably had.
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