Chapter 153: Who The Hell Do You Think You Are?
“Outrageous. Sir Jiang, Second Master’s fiancée, how dare you mock her? Aren’t you afraid Second Master will come after you later?” Yushui glared furiously at the one who had pulled Jiang Ruanxi behind him, glaring at Jiang Linlei.
Jiang Linlei’s brows and eyes narrowed slightly, turning a bit cold, but soon the corners of his mouth carried a hint of a smile.
“It’s precisely because she’s Second Master’s fiancée that we’ll be acquaintances in Lingnan from now on, so I wanted to see her true face, to avoid the awkwardness of not recognizing each other face-to-face later. Don’t you think so?”
Yushui wanted to speak again, but Jiang Ruanxi stopped her. “I always wear a veil hat when I go out, and even if I see Second Master, I would take a detour.”
The implication was, who do you think you are.
Moreover, Jiang Ruanxi’s voice sounded a bit hoarse.
After returning yesterday, she had caught a bit of heat, and her throat was uncomfortable. Jiang Linlei did not recognize Jiang Ruanxi’s voice.
These words provoked Jiang Linlei. Thinking that the daughter of a minor official was actually giving him attitude, his voice carried a deep chill. “Miss Zhong, what do you mean by that?”
“I just made it very clear. I believe Sir Jiang understands what I mean. Do I need to spell it out so bluntly?”
This bout of cold sarcasm made Jiang Linlei’s face completely darken, his eyes gloomily fixed on Jiang Ruanxi.
Looking at the indifferent woman before him, she felt very much like the Jiang Ruanxi who had died in his memory, with almost no sense of incongruity.
Could it be that Jiang Ruanxi hadn’t died, but had lived on with a different identity?
This thought had just flashed through his mind when a voice interrupted him. “Sister, I didn’t expect you to be so shameless, having a private meeting with a man.”
Soon, Zhong Xintong arrived before Jiang Ruanxi with the smugness of catching someone in the act, looking at Jiang Ruanxi with full scorn on her face.
“My good sister, in broad daylight, I was merely talking a few words with Sir Jiang. How is that a private meeting?”
If it had been before, Jiang Ruanxi might have been unhappy, but now Jiang Ruanxi felt relieved in her heart. Fortunately Zhong Xintong had come, otherwise she wouldn’t have known how to shake off Jiang Linlei.
After speaking, she slightly curtsied to Jiang Linlei. “Sir Jiang, if every meeting brings trouble, please next time you see me, just take a detour. Thank you.”
Leaving these words behind, Jiang Linlei watched her retreating figure, his eyes turning inscrutable and dark.
The tone of her speech and her back view were really too similar.
After being retorted, Zhong Xintong was a bit dazed, but by the time she reacted and wanted to counterattack, Jiang Ruanxi had already left.
Thinking of how Jiang Ruanxi had just called the man before her Sir Jiang, she raised her eyes and glanced over, her eyes lighting up like a dog spotting a bone.
Dressed in form-fitting light blue clothing, eight feet tall, and handsome as the bright moon, she had never seen such a good-looking man before.
Jiang Linlei had originally planned to leave, but Zhong Xintong’s gaze was too overt; he couldn’t ignore it even if he wanted to.
As the fourth young master of the Jiang Family, he had experienced too many such looks in the Capital, and felt a slight displeasure in his heart.
Zhong Xintong couldn’t see it at all, only feeling she couldn’t let such a fine specimen slip away.
With a shy expression, she said, “Sir Jiang, have you just arrived in Lingnan? I’m the second daughter of the Zhong Family, very familiar with Lingnan. If you want to go anywhere for a stroll, I can take you, oh.”
After saying this, her heart was pounding.
She felt that only such a man could match her flower-like beauty.
This woman was buzzing in his ear like a fly. On any other day, Jiang Linlei would have unhesitatingly refused with disgust, but after hearing her say she was a daughter of the Zhong Family, he recalled that the one the Yu Family was to marry seemed to be the eldest daughter of the Yu Family.
His eyes flashed slightly, containing a glint of calculation.
Smiling, he said, “Alright, I hope Miss Zhong won’t refuse me then.”
This smile made Zhong Xintong’s heart beat even harder; she was practically drooling as she grinned foolishly. “No, as long as it’s Sir Jiang asking, no matter where you want to go, I’ll take you.”
Zhong Xintong had previously worried that Jiang Ruanxi would marry better than her, but now she didn’t need to worry.
Although the Yu Family was wealthy and powerful, it was only in Lingnan after all.
The Jiang Family was different; the Jiang Family were major officials in the Capital, not only rich but also powerful.
If she could forge a relationship with the Jiang Family, wouldn’t that mean rising to prominence in the Capital?
Just thinking about it made Zhong Xintong uncontrollably excited.
Jiang Linlei took in her reaction completely, feeling utter disdain and disgust in his heart, but he didn’t show it.
“I’ve heard that the kapok flowers outside Lingnan City are currently in full bloom. I wonder if Miss Zhong is free tomorrow?”
“Yes, I definitely am.” Zhong Xintong was so excited her voice trembled. “Then I’ll trouble Young Master Jiang to come to the manor tomorrow to pick me up.”
“Alright.”
After Zhong Xintong left, Jiang Linlei’s face fell.
“Sir Jiang, there’s another batch of grain in Lingnan. Should we purchase it at this price?”
No sooner had Zhong Xintong left than his attendant came to inquire.
“Buy it, all of it.”
“Yes.”
Having connected with the Jiang Family, Zhong Xintong returned to the Zhong Family with her mouth grinning from ear to ear.
After entering the room, she didn’t go to bother Jiang Ruanxi, but happily went to Old Madam Zhong’s room.
“Grandmother, do you know who I met today?”
She had originally planned to go in and boast to Old Madam Zhong, but unexpectedly found Jiang Ruanxi there too, and her smile froze instantly.
“Why are you here?” Zhong Xintong didn’t hide her disgust toward Jiang Ruanxi at all.
“Second Sister, it was Grandmother who called me over.” Jiang Ruanxi’s expression was calm, showing no joy or anger.
“Grandmother, why did you call her over?” Zhong Xintong looked questioningly at Old Madam Zhong.
Didn’t Grandmother dislike her the most?
Old Madam Zhong gave a fake cough. “It’s like this: the Yu Family has arranged for your sister to go boating west of the city tomorrow.”
“Oh, you’re also going west of the city tomorrow?” Zhong Xintong’s eyes flashed, and a scheme instantly surfaced in her mind. “Perfect, Sir Jiang has also asked me to go west of the city together tomorrow. Why not go together?”
Old Madam Zhong looked excited. “Xintong, the Sir Jiang you’re talking about—is it that Sir Jiang?”
“Grandmother, who else could it be?”
Seeing Zhong Xintong’s blushing face, Jiang Ruanxi’s heart sank, and she kindly reminded, “Old Madam, if I recall correctly, Sir Jiang should have married long ago, right?”
Although the folk customs of the Qin Dynasty were open, especially in the south.
It was nothing for unmarried men and women to go out playing, but for a married man to ask a girl out, what was that about?
Could it be that Zhong Xintong wanted to become Jiang Linlei’s concubine?
“Grandmother, I think she’s just jealous of my good fortune.” Zhong Xintong thought Jiang Ruanxi was envious of her and rolled her eyes at her.
