Jiang He froze for a moment.
Miss Xie?
He doesn’t actually think my name is Xie Jiang He, does he?
Ahem…
Well, if it was a misunderstanding, then so be it.
Still, she had nothing to do with Xie Zhao, and she didn’t like people attaching the surname “Xie” to her name.
“You can just call me Jiang He,” she said. “I don’t like being called Miss Xie.”
“Huh?”
Lu Changgeng found it a little strange, but he nodded anyway.
“Alright, Miss Jiang He.”
Kitchen
“Changgeng, why did you come in?”
“I’ll help you cook.”
“How can I ask a guest to cook? Go back outside. I can handle it myself.”
“It’s fine. I… I…”
As a grown man, he felt it wasn’t appropriate to stay outside chatting with a young unmarried woman.
So he stammered awkwardly, refusing to leave no matter what.
Afraid he’d scare his guest away, Xie Zhao had no choice but to give up.
These kinds of things…
Had to be done step by step.
“Fine then.”
At first, Xie Zhao was the one cooking while Lu Changgeng helped prepare the ingredients.
However, when Lu Changgeng realized that Xie Zhao’s idea of cooking consisted of throwing premium cuts of meat into a pot of boiling water and calling it a meal…
He decisively took over as head chef.
Xie Zhao was demoted to kitchen assistant.
Meanwhile, Jiang He returned to her room.
She left the business plan she’d written out to dry before putting away her brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Fortunately, the Jiang family still had some remnants of their former prosperity.
They still owned writing supplies.
Otherwise, with their current financial situation, they couldn’t possibly afford such things.
While preparing dinner, the two men chatted.
Xie Zhao took the opportunity to promote Jiang He.
He explained why she couldn’t cook.
“You’ve seen our house.”
“It really was a wealthy family once.”
“My sister was raised by maids and servants, so she honestly never learned how to cook.”
“But she’s far from useless.”
“She can read.”
“She has beautiful handwriting.”
“She also knows how to manage account books.”
“How many ordinary girls know those things?”
“She’s much better than most.”
Lu Changgeng forced an awkward smile and nodded repeatedly.
“That’s true.”
“She really is.”
Xie Zhao smiled with satisfaction.
“My sister’s pretty wonderful, isn’t she?”
“She certainly is.”
What else was Lu Changgeng supposed to say?
Was he really expected to criticize her to her brother’s face?
Xie Zhao felt quite pleased.
In his mind, Lu Changgeng’s side of the matter was already settled.
Next, he’d quietly sound Jiang He out.
If she liked Lu Changgeng as well…
Then everything would work out perfectly.
Thinking that he’d soon fulfill his adoptive father’s final wish filled him with satisfaction.
Lu Changgeng wasn’t stupid.
After listening for so long, how could he fail to understand what Xie Zhao was trying to do?
As a result, throughout dinner he kept secretly glancing at Jiang He.
It left her completely puzzled.
Since he was Xie Zhao’s friend, she didn’t say anything.
Who knew?
Perhaps one day he’d return to the capital with Xie Zhao and become one of the Emperor’s close attendants.
She certainly couldn’t afford to offend someone like that.
After all…
Business people valued harmony above all else.
The meal that day was exceptionally delicious.
It was easily the best meal Jiang He had eaten since transmigrating.
When she learned that Lu Changgeng had cooked it, she couldn’t help sneaking a few extra glances at him.
His cooking is amazing.
It’s leagues better than Xie Zhao’s.
By the time dinner ended, it was already getting late.
Xie Zhao invited Lu Changgeng to stay the night, but he politely declined.
“I didn’t tell my parents I’d be staying out.”
“If I don’t go home tonight, they’ll worry.”
“Where do you live?”
“Sifang Village. It’s not far.”
“Ziming…”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
Wanting to leave before the city gates closed, he bid them farewell and hurried off.
Once their guest had left, Jiang He finally asked,
“Why did you suddenly invite your friend over?”
“We had fish and meat today.”
“Where did you get the money?”
Just a few days ago, he’d handed over all of his wages to her.
Xie Zhao proudly lifted his chin like a peacock.
Reaching inside his clothes, he fished around for a moment before pulling out a money pouch and stuffing it into Jiang He’s hands.
“Here.”
“Keep it safe.”
It felt surprisingly heavy.
Opening the pouch, Jiang He found several pieces of broken silver inside.
“Silver?”
“Mhm.”
“H-How much is this?”
“I’ll go get the scale and weigh it.”
“No need.”
“It’s five taels.”
“Five taels?”
Jiang He’s voice rose several octaves.
“Where did you get five taels?”
“Master Zhang rewarded me.”
“What?”
Jiang He stared at him.
“Why would he reward you?”
“There was a pillar that just wouldn’t fit into its slot.”
“They tried several experienced craftsmen, but none of them could do it.”
“I heard there’d be a reward if someone managed it, so I gave it a try.”
“Turns out I got lucky.”
“It went in on the first attempt.”
He made it sound effortless, deliberately leaving out every dangerous detail.
Jiang He didn’t suspect a thing.
Her mind was already overflowing with one thought:
Protagonist’s luck.
What was one stubborn pillar?
Someone blessed with a protagonist’s halo could probably stumble across a rare lingzhi mushroom just by going for a walk.
If Xie Zhao came home carrying one tomorrow, she wouldn’t even be surprised.
“That’s wonderful!”
“We have money now!”
She excitedly lifted her arms, intending to hug him.
But halfway there, she suddenly remembered the difference between men and women.
She quickly withdrew her hands.
Looking away awkwardly, she focused on the pouch of silver instead.
Xie Zhao stepped around until he was standing directly in front of her.
“Jiang He.”
“Have you forgotten something?”
She looked up blankly.
“Forgotten what?”
“You haven’t called me ‘Brother’ in a very long time.”
Jiang He: “…”
Not this again…
“When you talk to me, it’s always ‘you’ or ‘hey.'”
“I almost preferred it when you called me Ziming.”
Jiang He felt speechless.
What am I supposed to do?
If I call you by name, you’re unhappy.
If you want me to call you Brother… I just can’t bring myself to say it.
So naturally I end up saying ‘you’ or ‘hey.’
“Really?”
“I didn’t notice.”
She casually made up an excuse.
“You didn’t notice.”
“I did.”
“Jiang He…”
Finally reaching her limit, Jiang He blurted out,
“Alright, alright!”
“I’ll say it, okay?”
“I’ll let you hear it as much as you want.”
“Brother! Brother! Brother! Brotherrrr!”
Xie Zhao’s face instantly darkened.
He slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Shut up.”
“You’re crowing like a rooster.”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
After letting go, he asked,
“What do you think of Lu Changgeng?”
Jiang He froze.
Only then did she finally realize why he’d suddenly brought a friend home.
“Wait…”
“Are you saying…”
“The person you wanted to introduce to me…”
“Was Lu Changgeng?”
“That’s right.”
“So?”
“What do you think?”
Jiang He was stunned.
More than anything, she was speechless.
He had actually listened to Old Jiang’s dying wish.
He really had gone looking for a marriage prospect for her.
Fine.
Since he was taking this seriously…
She would answer seriously too.
“What’s his family like?”
“And what about him?”
“His family are ordinary villagers nearby.”
“He told me he has one younger brother and two younger sisters.”
“He’s the eldest child.”
“Oh, and he’s educated.”
“He’s already passed the county-level exam.”
“Next year he’ll take the provincial examination for the xiucai degree.”
“But his family doesn’t have enough money anymore.”
“So he’s working at Master Zhang’s estate to earn his tuition.”
“I see.”
“And what do you think of him?”
“I think he’s a good man.”
“If he passes next year, he’ll become a proper scholar.”
“A respected xiucai.”
“That status wouldn’t be beneath you.”
“What do you think, Jiang He?”
An inexplicable wave of irritation suddenly welled up inside Jiang He.
Perhaps…
It was simply unwillingness.
But when she thought about it from Xie Zhao’s perspective…
Given her current circumstances, marrying someone like Lu Changgeng would probably be considered marrying above her station.