The Young Marquis Regrets Too Late - Chapter 34

The next morning, kingfisher birds landed on the ridge of the roof. Their crisp chirping woke the two people lying in bed.

Jiang Jingchun jolted awake from a nightmare with her forehead covered in a fine sheet of sweat. She abruptly sat up, panting and gasping for air.

The old madame, who was a light sleeper to begin with, had spent the previous night in restless bouts of waking and dozing. Upon hearing Jiang Jingchun’s movement next to her, she quickly got up.

The old madame noticed Jiang Jingchun’s distressed state and anxiously asked, “Child, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Jiang Jingchun, who was still struggling to catch her breath, took a long time to respond to the old madame’s words.

Her head throbbed intensely. It took her a long time to respond to the old madame’s words, as she didn’t know how she should.

Her hollow gaze fell upon the brocade quilt before her, and she remained silent.

The old madame gently smoothed out the damp strands of hair stuck to her forehead and hesitantly asked, “Are you hungry? Shall I have breakfast prepared for you?”

Jiang Jingchun shook her head.

The old madame tried again. “Then how about getting up and changing into clean clothes? You sweated so much last night; you must feel uncomfortable now.”

Her undergarments clung to her skin, and they were indeed causing her some discomfort.

Jiang Jingchun didn’t particularly enjoy how it felt either.

Seeing her remain silent and still this time, the old madame called for a servant to prepare hot water for her.

After the servant left, Jiang Jingchun unexpectedly spoke. She turned her head to the old madame, and for the first time, her eyes showed a flicker of something that wasn’t lifelessness.

She said, “I want to see my mother.”

Even if her mother was gone, she wanted to see her one last time.

The old madame was momentarily taken aback by her words.

Her mother… Who else could she mean? The mother Jiang Jingchun referred to now was naturally not Lady Li.

The old madame understood. Jiang Jingchun must want to bid her real mother farewell after learning the truth.

Even if that woman was no longer alive, Jiang Jingchun had the right to see her for the last time.

The old madame didn’t refuse. She said, “Alright. Once you’ve freshened up and had breakfast, I’ll take you there.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jingchun immediately got up and headed towards the washroom. She moved quickly, and within less than half an hour, she had finished washing up and eating breakfast.

Gu Huaisheng had also stayed at the Jiang family residence since the previous night. When he heard that Jiang Jingchun and the old madame were leaving the residence, he decided to accompany them.

Jiang Jingchun didn’t react at all upon seeing him. In her heart, Gu Huaisheng had almost become a benevolent figure, though she wasn’t sure why, either. Perhaps it was because of what had happened when she was a child, or because he’d brought her home the previous day, or simply by comparison to the people in the Jiang family.

When he offered to come along, she didn’t object or resist.

The group boarded a carriage and headed to the outskirts of the city.

Years ago, after Jiang Jingchun’s mother passed away, the old madame had arranged for a fine coffin and a proper burial for her.

Her grave was located on a mountain outside the capital. The carriage could only take them halfway up; from there, the path became too steep. Given the old madame’s advanced age and frail legs, she stayed behind in the carriage while Gu Huaisheng accompanied Jiang Jingchun up the mountain.

Gu Huaisheng had visited this grave several times before while accompanying the old madame to pay respects. He was familiar with the path.

He walked ahead, and Jiang Jingchun followed behind him.

Neither of them spoke. They simply moved in quiet tandem, as one led and the other followed.

After about the time it’d take for an incense stick to burn, Gu Huaisheng stopped.

They came to a halt in front of a gravestone.

Jiang Jingchun bent down to read the inscription on the tombstone. It bore no mention of her mother’s husband, parents, or even her place of origin. It was marked only with four simple characters saying, ‘Tomb of Cen Yin.’

Cen Yin.

Her name was Cen Yin.

What a beautiful name. 

Jiang Jingchun’s nose stung with the onset of tears. She couldn’t help but kneel in front of the tomb.

She clung to the tombstone as though she were holding her mother herself.

The tombstone had been weathered by the elements—it was filthy from exposure to wind and rain, yet Jiang Jingchun pressed her face against it.

She thought to herself, if only she could have held her mother like this back then, how wonderful it would have been.

The mountain wind was strong and it rustled the leaves with a persistent whisper. The world seemed to sway in the breeze.

Amid the stillness of the mountain forest, apart from the occasional chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the sound of the wind, all remained silent except for the soft sobbing of a young girl.

She didn’t dare cry aloud. She didn’t want to disturb her mother’s peace in the afterlife. She feared her mother would think she wasn’t doing well now.

Gu Huaisheng stood silently to the side the entire time. Despite his silence, his tightly pressed lips betrayed his own unease.

Neither of them knew how much time had passed before he finally saw her getting up.

Jiang Jingchun seemed to have come solely to see her mother one last time. After hugging her tombstone, she didn’t display any further emotions.

She stood, dusted off the dirt on her clothes, and began walking back.

Gu Huaisheng followed her silently, then suddenly asked, “What do you plan to do now?”

Plan to do now.

This question caught Jiang Jingchun off guard.

Returning to the Jiang family was out of the question for her.

However, if she didn’t go to the Jiang family residence, then where would she go?

She was oblivious to the ways of the real world, nor did she have any skill with which she could support herself. There was one thing she had to admit—she had grown up into someone utterly useless.

However, she no longer blamed or punished herself for it.

Her life was hard enough as it was without such self-blame. So what if she was a useless person? It didn’t matter.

To Gu Huaisheng’s question, she answered, “I don’t know.”

However, although Jiang Jingchun said she didn’t know, she had already made up her mind. She would stay at Chen Muqing’s place for a few days. As for what came next, she’d think about it later.

However, she didn’t see any need to share this with Gu Huaisheng.

However, Gu Huaisheng, upon hearing her response, said, “Why don’t you come stay at the Gu family residence for some time?”

He added, “Gu Huailang also misses you and wants you to come.”

Jiang Jingchun immediately replied, “No.”

Gu Huaisheng knew why but still persisted. “Why not?”

Jiang Jingchun stopped walking and turned to look directly at him.

Her gaze no longer carried the disgust it once did. However, other than that, there was nothing else—no warmth, no emotions. The way she looked at him was as if he were just any other person on the street. She neither liked nor disliked him; to her, he was now no different than a stranger.

Gu Huaisheng realised she was deliberately wiping the slate clean and erasing all the history between them. She wanted to act as if nothing had ever happened. Her feelings for him, his mistreatment of her… She no longer wanted to dwell on any of it.

She seemed to want to cut ties completely with her past in the Jiang family, and that included him.

Though he hadn’t committed the unforgivable sins the Jiang family had, hadn’t he always stood by and watched her struggle in pain without offering any reprieve?

That look in her eyes left Gu Huaisheng feeling a suffocating sense of frustration.

He heard her say, “You don’t need to pity me. It’s not as if I have nowhere to go.”

She wasn’t so desperate that she had to seek refuge with the Gu family. After all, she had her friends. And even if she had no place to go, why couldn’t she just stay at the Jiang family residence?

She owed them nothing, anyway.

She wouldn’t use her mother’s death as leverage to guilt them or force them to treat her better.

At this moment, she had realised she was upright and blameless. She had never taken anything that didn’t belong to her, nor had she ever wronged them.

But the Jiang family? They had filth in their very bones, and they would never admit their wrongdoings, even in death. Guilt-tripping them would be useless, anyhow.

Jiang Nan and Jiang Runchu thought she had enjoyed the blessings meant for Jiang Jinghui. Li Wanning saw her as a substitute. Even Jiang Jinghui believed she had stolen her rightful place.

Thinking about it now, Jiang Jingchun found it laughable.

Who had wronged whom? Who had stolen from whom?

Gu Huaisheng didn’t know what Jiang Jingchun was thinking, but hearing her say she wasn’t without a place to go reminded him that she indeed had good friends to rely on.

Unless she was completely cornered, why would she ever choose his help?

Gu Huaisheng fell silent for a long time. Upon hearing she had somewhere to stay, he didn’t press further.

The two descended the mountain and boarded the carriage that had brought them there.

On the way back, Old Madame Jiang asked Jiang Jingchun, “Why did you suddenly come back yesterday? Did someone tell you about that matter?”

She had been fine during the day, yet she rushed back in the evening. Someone must have said something to her.

Was it someone from the temple? Or someone else?

Jiang Jingchun recalled the events of the previous day and answered truthfully, “Jiang Jinghui told me. She said she overheard the sweeping monks gossiping about it and thought it was an amusing tale, so she came to tell me.”

Hearing this, the old madame exchanged a puzzled look with Gu Huaisheng.

Gossiping monks? Why would they suddenly gossip about such an old matter? How did Jiang Jinghui just so happen to overhear it? Moreover, why would she share it with Jiang Jingchun?

Everything about this felt off.

The two read the same suspicion in each other’s eyes but didn’t voice it aloud.

After returning to the Jiang family residence, Gu Huaisheng went straight back to the Gu family residence. He sent a letter to Madame Gu at the Miao’en Temple, explaining what had happened, and didn’t return to the temple.

Meanwhile, upon her return, Jiang Jingchun instructed Huayun to pack her belongings—she was leaving the Jiang family.

When the old madame saw her preparing to leave, she grabbed her hand anxiously and said, “Where are you going? I know you don’t want to stay here, but the world outside is dangerous. What if someone does something to you? If you don’t want to see the other people in this family, or even me, we won’t bother you anymore. But you shouldn’t be the one to leave…”

By the end, her voice carried a hint of pleading.

She had expected Jiang Jingchun to want to leave but hadn’t thought it would be so soon.

Where would she go?

Jiang Jingchun told the old madame, “I’m going to stay with A-Qing for a while. Don’t worry about me. The things you’ve told me before—I’ve kept them in mind. Just think of this as me taking some time to clear my head.”

The old madame couldn’t find a reason to stop her after hearing this. She choked up with emotions before she asked, “Then, will you come back?”

Jiang Jingchun paused for a moment.

The old madam’s eyes reddened. “You shouldn’t be the one to leave. We were the ones who brought you here, so how can we also be the ones driving you away now?”

Jiang Jingchun couldn’t bear to see the old madame so heartbroken, especially at her elderly age. She gently stroked her frail hand. Over the years, the old madame hadn’t enjoyed much comfort in life; even now, she was worn down by endless troubles. Her hand was thin, and Jiang Jingchun could feel her bones as she stroked it.

Jiang Jingchun smiled faintly and said, “I’ll come back, really. Grandmother is still here, so how could I not return?”

She had done nothing wrong—there was no need to flee. However, staying in the Jiang family residence made her uncomfortable, so she wouldn’t force herself to remain.

After hearing her promise, the old madame didn’t try to stop her again. She said, “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Jiang Jingchun hugged her one last time, then left without looking back.

Jiang Jingchun went directly to Chen Muqing’s home with her luggage. When the servants saw that it was Jiang Jingchun, they didn’t even bother to announce her arrival and led her straight to where Chen Muqing was.

When Chen Muqing saw Jiang Jingchun carrying large bags, she looked surprised.

With a puzzled expression, she took Jiang Jingchun’s luggage and asked, “Wait… Xiaochun’er, what’s going on? Did you have a fight with your family?”

If it wasn’t that, then why would she come here with all her belongings?

Jiang Jingchun shook her head and said, “I didn’t fight with them. I just don’t feel happy staying there anymore.”

Chen Muqing noticed Jiang Jingchun’s unwillingness to explain further, so she didn’t press. If Jiang Jingchun couldn’t stay at home and came to her, Chen Muqing was more than happy to welcome her.

Chen Muqing had always been tactful. She knew when to run her mouth and when to not. Seeing Jiang Jingchun’s red-rimmed eyes, faintly bloodshot, and her pallid, exhausted face made it clear to her that something had hurt her deeply.

Chen Muqing didn’t want to touch any sore spots, so she enthusiastically pulled Jiang Jingchun into her room, saying, “You haven’t been to my place in forever. Since it’s your first day here, you have to sleep in my room tonight!”

Jiang Jingchun felt a bit better when she saw Chen Muqing’s excitement. She smiled and nodded. Then, she followed her inside.

Chen Muqing quickly asked the servants to prepare another room for her and added, “Stay as long as you want here. Don’t worry—my house is the most comfortable place you’ll ever find. No one can boss us around here…”

However, before she could finish, a loud voice rang out from outside.

“Chen Muqing! Why did you send away your governess again!?”

The voice carried a distinct note of anger.

Jiang Jingchun recognised the owner of this voice immediately. Who else but Chen Muqing’s stepmother could speak to her like that?

The two exchanged glances. Before Chen Muqing could finish her words, her stepmother had proved her wrong. For a moment, she froze in awkward embarrassment, but she was also the first to react. She turned to Jiang Jingchun, then said, “Don’t worry, wait here—I’ll go deal with her.”

Jiang Jingchun grabbed her hand and advised, “Try not to quarrel.”

Chen Muqing reassured her and stepped out.

Her stepmother, Shen Tao, stood at the door.

Chen Muqing blocked Shen Tao, who wanted to come in, at the door. She frowned and said, “I’ve told you I won’t be learning any ‘proper conduct.’ You can send those people away. My father isn’t even back yet, and here you are trying to marry me off. Don’t even think about it! I know exactly what you’re plotting—you’re trying to take over my family! Do you think I can’t see through you?”

Shen Tao, who was around thirty years old, was youthful-looking and sharp-featured, and she had a fiery personality to match.

Shen Tao let out a cold laugh at her words. “You won’t learn? So what, then? Are you planning to stay with Jiang Jingchun for the rest of your life? Will you never marry and die alone?”

Unfortunately, Jiang Jingchun overheard the harsh words from inside the room. She felt embarrassed and awkwardly touched her nose.

Chen Muqing, who was aware that Jiang Jingchun might hear everything, flared up in anger. “You can say whatever you want about me, but why bring her into this? Does it make you feel good when you do that?”

Chen Muqing had a fiery temper, and Shen Tao wasn’t one to back down either. However, this time, Shen Tao’s tone remained calm and sharp as a blade.

“Oh, sure. It makes me feel great. Am I wrong? You’re a young miss, but you play with swords and spears all day—who’s going to marry you? Even Jiang Jingchun is already starting to meet suitors. What about you? Are you planning to bloom and wither alone? I let you do as you pleased because you were young, but if I don’t step in now, you’ll be a lost cause.”

After she spoke so harshly, Chen Muqing snapped at her to scram.

But Shen Tao wasn’t leaving so easily. She retorted, “You may not want to learn, but you will. If you don’t, don’t even think about stepping out of this house again. And stop using words like ‘scram’—it’s so unpleasant to hear!”

Chen Muqing was livid. “Who gave you the right to control me?”

“I’m your mother. If I don’t manage you, who will?” Shen Tao knew how to push her buttons. “And don’t think I’m joking. Your father asked me to take care of you before he left. If you refuse to learn, you’ll never set foot outside the Chen family residence again.”

After delivering this ultimatum, Shen Tao turned to leave.

However, just then, a servant came running in from the courtyard. The breathless servant came to inform Chen Muqing that the second young master of the Song family—Song Xuan’an, had come to see her.

What was Song Xuan’an doing here?

Chen Muqing found it strange and instructed the servant to bring the visitor in, but Shen Tao raised her hand to stop them. Chen Muqing grew anxious and snapped, “What are you doing? My friend is here to see me—why are you stopping him?”

Shen Tao calmly looked at her and asked, “Are you going to learn or not?”

Chen Muqing immediately understood her meaning and was so furious she nearly fainted. Yet, there was nothing she could do. In the end, she gritted her teeth and replied hatefully, “Fine, I’ll learn! Now let him in!”

Only then was Shen Tao satisfied. She no longer blocked the way and said, “I don’t want to force you, but you’ve been unruly your whole life. If I don’t use some tough measures, I’ll have no way to straighten you out. Since you’ve agreed to learn, then do it properly. Once you’ve mastered what you should, I won’t keep restricting you anymore.”

After saying her piece, Shen Tao turned and left without lingering.

Once she was gone, Jiang Jingchun peeked her head out from behind and worriedly asked, “A-Qing, are you okay?”

Chen Muqing exhaled a few deep breaths, rubbed her face, and calmed herself. She didn’t want to pass on her bad mood, so she said, “She’s always like this. She keeps trying to go against me every single day. I’m used to it. It’s no big deal. Even if I have to die resisting, I’ll keep refusing to learn. Let’s see if she can really restrict me forever.”

Jiang Jingchun pursed her lips and hesitated, but then unexpectedly disagreed. She said softly, “A-Qing, I’m not siding with your stepmother—don’t get mad.”

Chen Muqing, seeing that she had something to say, reassured her by saying, “Just say whatever you want. I promise I won’t get mad at you.”

Hearing this encouraged Jiang Jingchun. She said, “I didn’t enjoy learning proper conduct either, at first. I thought it was dull and meaningless. At the time, I believed that the person who didn’t make me learn was the best person in the world. She let me do whatever I wanted, and I thought no one could be better than her…”

Jiang Jingchun chuckled bitterly. “But the truth is, she wasn’t a good person at all.

“So, I don’t think it’s entirely bad that your stepmother wants you to learn. If you really can’t win against her, maybe you should just go along with it.”

Hearing this, Chen Muqing guessed that Jiang Jingchun’s departure from her family might have something to do with her mother. 

However, since Jiang Jingchun didn’t bring it up herself, Chen Muqing refrained from asking further. Instead, she replied, “I just can’t stand her, that’s all. The more she wants me to do something, the less I want to do it. Isn’t it obvious? She married into my family for the money. Once she marries me off, the entire household will be hers. I know exactly what she’s up to.”

Jiang Jingchun didn’t continue after hearing this. She knew that Chen Muqing had her own difficulties to face.

The two stopped discussing the topic and sat in the courtyard, waiting for Song Xuan’an.

Chen Muqing found the timing strange. “You just arrived, and now he’s here right after you. Do you think he came specifically to see you?”

She couldn’t think of any other reason for his sudden visit.

Jiang Jingchun also found it odd and wondered why he would suddenly seek her out.

Before long, Song Xuan’an arrived in the courtyard.

He walked in with quick strides. Then, he lifted his robe and sat across from the two of them. His gaze went straight to Jiang Jingchun and he asked, “What happened yesterday? Why did you leave so suddenly from the temple?”

Song Xuan’an had gotten up early that day to visit Jiang Jingchun but found her room at the temple empty. It was only after asking her brother that he learned she had abruptly decided to return home the day before and even made a fuss to do so.

He couldn’t understand it. She had seemed fine when he’d last met her, earlier in the afternoon—why had she suddenly made such a scene? Out of worry, he left the mountain and went to her family home, only to hear that Jiang Jingchun had come to stay at the Chen family residence. The strangeness of it all made him ride over to the Chen family residence immediately.

Thankfully, he found her here.

When Jiang Jingchun heard him bring up what’d happened yesterday, she lightly brushed it off by saying, “It’s nothing. I just suddenly felt like going home.”

Song Xuan’an wasn’t fooled. He straightforwardly said, “You’re lying. If you wanted to go home, why aren’t you staying there now?”

Unlike Chen Muqing, who knew to stop when appropriate, Song Xuan’an had a relentless, probing nature.

Hearing his question, Chen Muqing interjected and stopped him by saying, “What’s the point of all this questioning? Mind your own business.”

Jiang Jingchun clearly didn’t want to talk about it, so why must he insist on asking?

Song Xuan’an studied Jiang Jingchun’s expression and noticed her pale complexion. He realised that she wasn’t in great shape and finally stopped prying. 

With a slightly aggrieved expression on his face, he muttered, “I’m just worried, that’s all.”

She was acting so out of character. It was impossible for him not to worry about her when she was acting like this.

Jiang Jingchun rested her chin in her hand and gazed up at the sky. In a soft, detached voice, she said, “It’s nothing, really. I just… suddenly realised how terrifying it is to live with someone every day for over ten years and not truly know them.”

Terrifying enough that she couldn’t bear to stay any longer.

Her words made both Song Xuan’an and Chen Muqing exchange glances.

She claimed it was nothing, yet she’d gone so far as to move out of her own home. How could it really be nothing?

Suddenly, Song Xuan’an leaned closer to her. “You don’t want to stay at your home anymore, do you?”

Jiang Jingchun was startled by his sudden approach. His face was so close that their noses nearly touched. She leaned back and exclaimed, “What’s wrong with you!?”

“Jiang Jingchun, let me marry you.”

Song Xuan’an once again asked her to marry him.

Jiang Jingchun was stunned. Chen Muqing was also taken aback. Once Chen Muqing came back to her senses, she abruptly stood up and said, “You really make me speechless. Next time you talk about something like this, could you at least give me a heads-up?”

Chen Muqing realised that she shouldn’t stay any longer, so she left and gave the two of them space to talk in private.

Now, only Song Xuan’an and Jiang Jingchun remained in the room.

Jiang Jingchun hadn’t expected that Song Xuan’an was still hung up on this matter. Her head began to ache slightly. “Why are you bringing this up again?”

She was still bitter about being deceived by Fang Zhiping last time and couldn’t muster any interest in marriage for now.

However, Song Xuan’an wasn’t discouraged by her words. His expression was serious as he said, “Jiang Jingchun, I’m being serious. I’m not joking with you. Really, let me marry you. Think about it… You don’t want to stay with the Jiang family, so you’ll have to marry someone sooner or later. Rather than marrying a stranger you don’t even know, why not marry me instead? It’s fine if you don’t like me that much now. We can start as friends, even as family. We can grow our feelings for each other, as husband and wife, over time.”

Song Xuan’an was quite perceptive; he knew what Jiang Jingchun was thinking and what she was worried about.

He also knew she didn’t like him.

However, he believed feelings could be nurtured over time.

Jiang Jingchun was taken aback by his words. For a moment, her mind went blank. She didn’t know how to respond.

“Jiang Jingchun, didn’t you yourself think before that marriage doesn’t necessarily have to be based on mutual affection? Look at Fang Zhiping—you didn’t even like him, but you still considered him. So why can’t you give me a chance? If you become my wife, all my money will be yours to spend. You’ll be the boss at home. If I ever annoy you, I’ll get out of your sight myself; I would never drive you out—the house will always be yours.”

The young man’s eyes sparkled with determination, and his words were full of earnest promises.

Despite his age, he was still always straightforward—he would always say what he wished. Moreover, back when Fang Zhiping and Jiang Jingchun were going to marry, he nearly died from jealousy. He couldn’t bear seeing it happen again, so this time, he had to speak up first.

The house will always be yours…

Jiang Jingchun suddenly realised she didn’t really have a place she could call home.

Maybe it was those words that struck a chord in her heart. Her gaze towards Song Xuan’an softened slightly.

She knew better than anyone what kind of person Song Xuan’an was. Though he enjoyed teasing her and bickering with her, he had never truly mistreated her.

Jiang Jingchun felt her throat turn dry and hoarse. At this moment, for reasons she couldn’t quite understand, her heart was racing.

She thought, maybe it was just the summer heat.

Song Xuan’an watched her intently with palpable nervousness until she finally spoke. She said, “Song Xuan’an, are you sure you won’t ever mistreat me?”

Once bitten, twice shy—Jiang Jingchun was still afraid. She’d been deceived once, by Fang Zhiping, and she couldn’t shake the fear of being tricked again by another man.

But thinking about it now, she had to admit that what Song Xuan’an said made sense. If she had to marry someone eventually, why not him?

At least, she knew him well enough to trust he wasn’t like Fang Zhiping.

When Song Xuan’an heard Jiang Jingchun’s question, he immediately realised that she was giving him a chance. His eyes lit up, and he raised three fingers solemnly. “I, Song Xuan’an, swear to the heavens that I will never mistreat you in this lifetime.”

Song Xuan’an prided himself on never having done anything to mistreat or bully her.

Well, aside from their little spats.

Jiang Jingchun saw him swearing so earnestly and quickly covered his mouth with her hand. “Alright, alright, I believe you.”

Song Xuan’an grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away. His voice rose with excitement. “Does this mean you agree!?”

Seeing him so loud and animated, Jiang Jingchun hurriedly said, “Why are you shouting like that?”

Song Xuan’an calmed down, but the excitement in his eyes was undeniable.

This time, Jiang Jingchun didn’t avoid his gaze. She looked at him and said, “Song Xuan’an, I think what you said makes sense. You’re right, why don’t I marry you? Maybe we’re just too familiar with each other. But starting as friends doesn’t have to be a bad thing, does it?”

Even if she didn’t like him much now, did that matter to him?

Song Xuan’an smiled. “Yes, so what? No couple starts out liking each other that way right away.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jingchun didn’t think any further. 

Song Xuan’an, who was immersed in his joy, exclaimed, “Jiang Jingchun, just wait! I’ll go home and tell my mother—I’m going to marry you!”

Jiang Jingchun was a little flustered. “Isn’t this too fast? You’ll take the provincial-level imperial examinations soon. What’s the rush?”

Song Xuan’an shook his head. “It’s precisely because of that. I have to say it now. At a critical time like this, my mother will agree to anything I ask.”

With that, Song Xuan’an stood up and walked out. Halfway through, though, he suddenly turned back. He looked at Jiang Jingchun so intently that she felt uneasy. 

She asked, “What now?”

He stood before her and looked at her with eyes that seemed to sparkle. “You’re really agreeing, right? You’re not lying to me?”

His burning gaze made Jiang Jingchun’s face heat up. She turned her head away while saying, “Just go already. If you don’t leave now, I might change my mind…”

It was indeed a hasty decision. If she thought about it any longer, she might really regret it.

Before her voice even faded, Song Xuan’an was already gone.

The sunlight in the courtyard shone on Jiang Jingchun. Her face and palms felt warm. Perhaps it was because she’d made such an important decision—one that truly made her heart race.

After Song Xuan’an left, Jiang Jingchun remained in her spot and calmed herself down. It wasn’t until much later that Chen Muqing noticed the quiet outside and came out.

“Did you agree to marry him?” 

She didn’t ask about their conversation. She just wanted to know if Jiang Jingchun had said yes.

Hearing Chen Muqing’s voice brought Jiang Jingchun back to her senses. She nodded.

Chen Muqing didn’t show much reaction to her answer. She just said, “Song Xuan’an is actually pretty good. Though he might seem a bit cheeky at times, he’s reliable. I have no objections if it’s him.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jingchun smiled faintly. Her mood steadied, and she lightly said, “Yeah, he’s not bad.”

“So… Do you like him?”

Like?

At this moment, Jiang Jingchun couldn’t say she liked him. However, his words were too good, too convincing. After hearing them, she had a moment of impulse and nodded.

She had let down her guard and he had quickly seized the opportunity.

Chen Muqing immediately understood the meaning of Jiang Jingchun’s silence. She said, “It’s fine. Liking, affection… They’re things that can grow over time. You used to think of him as just a friend, so of course you don’t feel anything now. But now that things have changed between you and you’ve shifted your mindset, maybe things will change.”

Both of them were inexperienced in matters of the heart. In the end, they didn’t dwell further on the subject and returned inside.

In the Jiang family residence, Jiang Runchu was pondering something. 

Yesterday, Jiang Jingchun had insisted on returning home in the dead of night. She’d made such a fuss that even Jiang Runchu, who knew her antics well, couldn’t help but find it peculiar.

She’d always been lively, sometimes even unruly, but never to the extent of throwing a tantrum like this. She’d acted as if someone owed her hundreds of thousands of silver taels. After consulting Jiang Jinghui and finding that she had no strong opinions on the matter, the two of them decided not to linger at the temple and returned together to the Jiang family residence the morning after.

When wanted to go to the old madame and inquire about the situation, but before he met her, he was told that Jiang Jingchun had gone into the Chen family residence.

This looked very much like she had run away from home.

Jiang Runchu still couldn’t figure out what had happened the previous day. He’d sent people to investigate, but they couldn’t find anything out, nor did they hear of any disputes she might have had with someone.

Then why had she felt so aggrieved to the point that she acted that way?

As Jiang Runchu walked out of Rongde Hall with Jiang Jinghui, she noticed that he still looked troubled. She said to him, “Brother, what’s the matter? Are you worried about our sister?”

Jiang Runchu snapped out of his thoughts and replied, “No, I just find it strange. She’s never acted like this before. She left so abruptly yesterday that I didn’t have time to ask what exactly happened.”

Jiang Jinghui seemed like she wanted to say something, but before she could, someone came running after them, saying the old madame had sent for her because she had something to discuss.

They had originally come to check on Jiang Jingchun and hadn’t yet met the old madame.

Unexpectedly, the old madame had learned of their visit and sent someone to summon Jiang Jinghui.

Jiang Jinghui could guess why the old madame had called for her. She maintained a calm demeanour and said to Jiang Runchu, “Since Grandmother is looking for me, you might as well head back first, Brother.”

Hearing this, Jiang Runchu didn’t think much of it and returned alone to Chongming Hall.

Jiang Jinghui turned and followed the servant to see the old madame.

When she arrived, the old madame was already seated in her chair, waiting for her. Her expression looked somewhat weary, which suggested she hadn’t rested well the previous night.

Jiang Jinghui greeted her properly, then sat obediently to the side and waited for her to speak first.

“How did you come to know about that matter?”

The old madame wasted no time and got straight to the point.

Jiang Jinghui had anticipated this question. She unhurriedly responded, “Ah… Grandmother, are you referring to what I mentioned to my younger sister?”

The old madame’s gaze turned cold. She stared at Jiang Jinghui without saying a word.

Seeing this, Jiang Jinghui remained unperturbed. Since the old madame didn’t reply, she continued on her own, “It was just something I overheard from a monk sweeping the grounds. I thought it was amusing and just mentioned it to my sister.”

Amusing…

She actually found such a matter amusing.

The old madame’s face darkened further, and her voice sharpened as she said, “Don’t think you can use the excuse of some monk’s ramblings to deceive me. You may have fooled her, but do you think you can fool me too?”

The old madame had lived for so long and had all too many years of experience. She wouldn’t be so easily deceived. Jiang Jinghui might be able to trick Jiang Jingchun, but such a flimsy excuse would naturally not work in front of the old madame. In fact, it was even laughable.

When Jiang Jinghui stayed silent, the old madame coldly pressed, “Who exactly are you? From beginning to end, you’ve told no truth—all you have done is spin lies.”