“Qin Zhong, help your master back to his room,” Jiang Lan spoke.
Qin Yuehan froze upon hearing this, a flicker of darkness passing through his bewildered eyes.
Qin Zhong reached out to support Qin Yuehan, transferring the weight from his body onto his own arm, but inwardly felt increasingly distressed for his master.
The two of them had been married for so long, yet this low-born woman Jiang Lan still refused to address him properly in private—truly detestable.
Qin Yuehan walked toward Lingyue Pavilion in the Jiang residence, but his steps remained deliberately slow.
Jiang Lan trailed far behind him, watching his unsteady gait with an inexplicable discomfort in her heart.
But having just transmigrated, she simply followed behind the two of them.
Lingyue Pavilion was Qin Yuehan’s residence after marrying into the Jiang family. To demonstrate her sincerity in marrying Qin Yuehan to Left Chancellor Qin Jianfu, Jiang Lan had specifically inquired about Qin Yuehan’s preferences even before proposing.
Qin Yuehan came from noble origins—cold, proud, and dignified by nature. Though exceptionally handsome, he was not only aloof but also a man who enjoyed appearing in public.
In this world where women held dominance, men were expected to practice the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, being thrifty and diligent in household management.
Were it not for Qin Jianfu’s high status, a man like Qin Yuehan would have long been scorned by society—how could he possibly earn the elegant title of “Dignified Young Master”?
Even so, no woman from respectable families in Lingdu City would ever seek to marry a man like Qin Yuehan.
After all, in their minds, Qin Yuehan—who appeared openly in streets and alleys treating commoners’ illnesses—could only be described with four words: shameless and dissolute.
Therefore, Jiang Lan’s father, Jiang Hongshi, still looked down upon Qin Yuehan. No matter how humbly he conducted himself, to him he would always remain a wanton creature.
“Wife, I’ve arrived,” Qin Yuehan stopped at the entrance of Lingyue Pavilion, turning slightly to address Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan had been lost in thought throughout the walk and was startled by Qin Yuehan’s voice, a flustered expression flashing across her face.
Jiang Lan had always been adept at putting on acts, but this was the first time since their marriage that Qin Yuehan had seen her behave like a normal person, prompting a contemplative gleam in his eyes.
“Oh, then go rest inside,” Jiang Lan quickly regained her composure, speaking with slight urgency as she observed Qin Yuehan’s pallid complexion from prolonged kneeling.
Seeing her like this, Qin Yuehan couldn’t help but feel despondent. He lifted his gaze to Jiang Lan, his pitch-black peach blossom eyes as dim as dust-covered planets, evoking pity in any observer.
“If Wife truly wishes to bring him into the household, you may proceed. I naturally won’t stand in your way,” Qin Yuehan spoke before turning toward his courtyard.
Qin Zhong lagged a step behind, his gaze turning venomous toward Jiang Lan after hearing Qin Yuehan’s words.
But ultimately concerned for his master, he hurried forward to support Qin Yuehan.
In the quiet corridor of Lingyue Pavilion, Jiang Lan stood alone in disarray, feeling thoroughly deceived by the system.
“009, are the memories you gave me incomplete? If I heard correctly, Qin Yuehan already knows about Su Qinghe’s existence,” Jiang Lan spoke, her mind filled with the image of Qin Yuehan’s dimmed eyes.
【Host, apologies. According to system protocols, all memories transmitted to you carry the original owner’s subjective perceptions. So for the upcoming tasks, you’ll have to rely on your own luck.】 System 009 spoke, clearly adopting a hands-off attitude.
Jiang Lan wasn’t particularly surprised by this, reasoning that if the tasks were so simple, she wouldn’t have been granted this chance at rebirth.
After standing at the entrance of Lingyue Pavilion for a while, Jiang Lan ultimately turned back to her own courtyard.
Jiang Hongshi spoke with clear displeasure upon seeing Jiang Lan return: “You’ve just woken up, and now he’s putting on airs. And you still want to escort him back?”
Jiang Lan was momentarily taken aback by these words. When she raised her eyes to look at Jiang Hongshi, her gaze held a coldness that actually startled the old man.
“Father, if you continue speaking about Qin Yuehan so recklessly, you should return home,” Jiang Lan declared before turning toward her bedroom.
Jiang Hongshi rarely saw Jiang Lan behave this way and stood frozen in place, eyes wide with disbelief as he watched his daughter’s retreating figure.
His precious daughter had actually scolded him for that little wretch Qin Yuehan – this was simply outrageous!
Yet despite the resentment filling Jiang Hongshi’s heart, this world had ingrained the virtue of docility so deeply into men’s nature that it ran through their very bones.
Even someone as uncouth as Jiang Hongshi understood the principles of following one’s wife in marriage, and following one’s daughter after the wife’s passing.
Entering her bedroom, Jiang Lan opened the wooden box on her dressing table and retrieved a container of Golden Jade Balm before heading out again.
Pausing at the doorway, Jiang Lan turned to face Jiang Hongshi’s colorful expression and found she couldn’t harden her heart completely. She walked back inside.
“Father, Yuehan knelt all afternoon, and you neither cared nor asked about him. After all, he is my principal husband – when you insult him, you’re also disrespecting me. I was wrong earlier to speak to you that way,” Jiang Lan said, her voice softening.
Jiang Hongshi stood stunned by these words, fingers nervously twisting the hem of his garment, feeling unexpectedly close to tears.
“Ah, Lan’er is right. Your father has a wicked tongue and shouldn’t speak so carelessly,” Jiang Hongshi said, eyes glistening with moisture that actually softened the garish makeup on his face.
Seeing him like this, Jiang Lan didn’t press further, recognizing Jiang Hongshi’s current discomfort. After exchanging brief pleasantries, she headed out the door.
However, her body was still recovering from recent illness, and by the time she reached Lingyue Pavilion again, a thin layer of sweat had dampened her back.
Inside Lingyue Pavilion, Qin Yuehan sat by the bed, his outer robe removed. Qin Zhong had rolled up the trousers beneath, revealing his injured knees.
“Young master, do you truly agree to let the Jiang family head welcome that person into the household?” Qin Zhong asked while kneeling to carefully clean Qin Yuehan’s wounds with a warm cloth.
Qin Yuehan looked down at Qin Zhong, his elegant and noble features showing traces of helplessness.
“If she wishes to bring that person into the household, what difference would my opposition make? With Mother gradually losing influence at court and the Crown Princess growing increasingly wary of her, if I continue being as willful as before, who knows how many in Lingdu City would use me as pretext to impeach Mother.” Qin Yuehan’s voice grew increasingly somber as he spoke, his eyes dimming further.
On the other side, Jiang Lan called out a few times at the door but received no response, so he lifted the hem of his garment and stepped inside on his own.
After waiting a moment at the entrance and seeing no one, Jiang Lan pushed the door open and entered.
In the classically styled bedroom, Qin Yuehan had removed her elaborate ancient-style outer robe, leaving only a white undergarment. Her thick black hair cascaded down to her waist, and her straight, slender legs were fully exposed to Jiang Lan’s view.
Witnessing this scene, Jiang Lan felt a stirring in his heart, an almost involuntary impulse beginning to emerge.