Chapter 5: Just A Few Trees—chop Them Down
So she had to find the beggar from her previous life and ask some matters clearly.
“Alright, Madam.”
**
“Jiang Ruanxi.”
Jiang Ruanxi looked at the bare patch and felt everything was much more pleasing to the eye.
Suddenly seeing Lin Ningkun storming in angrily, his refined and cold handsome face tinged with a bit of chill.
“Marquis.”
Hong Ye trembled in fear as she curtsied to him.
But Lin Ningkun acted as if he hadn’t heard, his eyes carrying a few strands of restrained anger as he looked at Jiang Ruanxi.
Speaking of which, it was also tragic. Apart from seeing Lin Ningkun once at their wedding in her previous life, even when he returned in her previous life, he rarely saw her. It required her to spend money or other matters; most of the time, it was Madam Zhou who came forward to talk to her, and Lin Ningkun rarely took the initiative to find her.
However, this man was still the same as in her previous life, cold and aloof and arrogant, just like a red plum blossom standing proudly in the cold wind, looking down on everyone.
“Why did you tell the servants to chop down those red plum blossoms? What grudge or hatred do you have against her? Why must you treat her so cruelly?”
Her?
If it were Jiang Ruanxi from her previous life, she would definitely think he was referring to “it,” but after experiencing the events of her previous life, she had already seen through Lin Ningkun, this hypocritical man.
He was probably referring to Jiang Xuerou!
Lin Xiao couldn’t enter the Marquis Manor, and he could endure not coming to find her, but she had only chopped down a few trees, and he was this furious.
It seemed this man truly liked Jiang Xuerou passionately.
But this passionate yet restrained and suppressed emotion felt like two slaps to her face in terms of insult, and it also made her feel disgust.
Enduring the disgust in her heart, Jiang Ruanxi raised her gaze and gave him a glance, saying indifferently, “Marquis, as the Mistress of the Household of the Jiang Family, I find those few trees in the courtyard displeasing to the eye. Don’t I have the right to dispose of them?”
“When I married into the Marquis Manor, there were no plum blossoms in the courtyard. I’m chopping the plum blossoms I planted myself. Why must the Marquis lose such a big temper at me? Could it be that the Marquis has always had issues with me?”
After speaking, Jiang Ruanxi lowered her head, pretending to look wronged, lifting her handkerchief to lightly dab at the corner of her eye, with a hint of a sob in her voice.
“It’s been over five years since I married the Marquis. When the Marquis was posted outside, I did my utmost for the Marquis Manor. I don’t ask the Marquis to keep it in mind, but at least basic respect should be there, right?
But now the Marquis is treating me like this over a few trees. If the Marquis has issues with me, he can just say it directly. No need to treat me like this.”
“No issues. How could there be issues?”
Before Lin Ningkun could speak, Madam Zhou’s voice came from behind him as she hurried over.
Walking up to them, her faint panting could still be heard.
“Ningkun, it’s just a few trees. They’re chopped, so be it.” She then took Jiang Ruanxi’s hand to comfort her. “Ruanxi, don’t cry. Ningkun has been traveling arduously to return, and with many frustrating matters lately, he’s a bit irritable. Don’t take it to heart.”
Although Madam Zhou was greedy for money, she still knew what mattered. The Lin Family relied on Jiang Ruanxi to support it. Though she usually couldn’t stand Jiang Ruanxi, now was not the time to fall out.
Jiang Ruanxi endured the disgust in her heart and didn’t pull her hand away, because it wasn’t suitable to fall out too early. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Lin Ningkun and said, “Marquis, is that the case?”
Lin Ningkun pursed his lips without speaking, turning his head to the side, but the hand at his side clenched tightly, revealing the anger suppressed in his heart.
Seeing this, Madam Zhou grew anxious, let go of Jiang Ruanxi’s hand, stepped forward to grab Lin Ningkun’s arm. “Ningkun, your Second Uncle is still waiting for you outside. He says it’s about your return to the capital for your post.”
She softly reminded him, “Nothing else matters for now. The important matter comes first.”
A gentle breeze blew past, also sobering Lin Ningkun.
Looking back at his mother’s anxious face and Jiang Ruanxi’s slightly reddened but cold face, thinking of his objective, he concealed the murderous intent in his eyes and quickly reverted to his usual cold and aloof as the bright moon demeanor.
“Mother is right. I was wrong about this matter.”
“If the Marquis hasn’t rested well, then rest properly.” Jiang Ruanxi also magnanimously stated.
She then said meaningfully, “I can understand the Marquis, but Second Uncle may not understand the Marquis. The Marquis should not keep Second Uncle waiting too long, and not let impulse ruin the major matter because of this.”
Looking at his mother’s anxious face and Jiang Ruanxi’s indifferent gaze, he pursed his lips, concealed the murderous intent in his eyes, and reverted to his cold and aloof as the bright moon demeanor. “Indeed, as Mother said, I was wrong about this matter.”
These words sounded like a reminder to him, but he didn’t know if it was his illusion—Jiang Ruanxi seemed to know something, and these words were pointed. But thinking that he had concealed everything well, he felt he was overthinking it.
After giving her a deep look, he finally flicked his sleeves and left.
Madam Zhou breathed a sigh of relief, but the face that had been smiling just moments ago instantly darkened as she blamed her. “The Marquis has been very troubled lately because of his posting. You don’t know how to be considerate to your husband. Why chop the trees at this time? Any other time would do.”
Jiang Ruanxi was long accustomed to Madam Zhou’s unpredictable moods.
This baseless accusation might have made Jiang Ruanxi from her previous life feel guilt, but now she only found it ridiculous.
Did they even believe their own words?
Busy with promotion and posting, yet still having the thought to bring the illegitimate son back to the manor?
Still having the thought to buy a separate courtyard for Jiang Xuerou?
Jiang Ruanxi sneered coldly in her heart, but on her face, she showed respectful obedience. “Mother is right. It was my lack of consideration. I’ll have them stop right away.”
Seeing this, Madam Zhou was still satisfied with her performance.
Although she didn’t like this daughter-in-law, the Lin Family still needed to rely on her for now.
However, to make her continue working hard for the Lin Family in the future, Madam Zhou knew the principle of giving a stick and then a carrot, so she persuaded, “You know the Marquis’s temper. He’s the type who eats soft but not hard. As long as you follow him nicely and ask nicely, when he gets promoted in the future, you’ll enjoy fortune with him, won’t you?”
“Mother, I understand.” Jiang Ruanxi smiled and replied.
Madam Zhou knew this idiot had taken it in, and there was no need to stay.
After she left, Hong Ye on the side thought she had foolishly fallen for Madam Zhou’s sugar-coated bullets again and anxiously said, “Madam, you must stay clear-headed. The Marquis just returned and came to trouble you over this small matter. I see there’s no place for you in the Marquis’s heart at all.
And the Old Madam, she seems to be on your side, but actually she’s blaming you, Madam.”
