After Jiang Yao left, Jiang Ying still held the warm jade, reluctant to let go.
Dongling stood nearby and softly called out, “Miss?”
Only then did Jiang Ying carefully place the warm jade into a box. Unable to suppress the excitement in her heart, she spoke to Dongying beside her, “This warm jade is the first gift Yao’er has given me since she grew up. You must help me keep it safe.”
Dongling smiled. “This warm jade is not an ordinary item, mistress. Your servant believes it looks like the one the Master painstakingly searched for and retrieved in the past.”
Jiang Ying’s face was filled with poorly concealed joy. “This warm jade is such a treasure, and yet Yao’er gave it to me.”
This showed that her position as the older sister was extremely important in Yao’er’s heart.
However, Qiuzi, who was standing to the side, looked hesitant. She cautiously began, “Miss, the Third Miss’s gift was sudden. Could it be…”
“Stop talking nonsense!” Jiang Ying’s expression slightly darkened, and her voice carried an undeniable sternness. “No matter what you think in private, in my heart, Yao’er is my blood sister. If I hear such words again, you will not need to remain in the Jiang Residence!”
Seeing this, Qiuzi quickly lowered her head, not daring to raise any further objections.
She understood in her heart that her mistress had deep affection for the Third Miss, but the Third Miss had always been distant toward the mistress.
Jiang Ying looked at the warm jade, and her thoughts drifted back to the past.
Actually, Jiang Yao was very lively when she was small.
Her tiny body was placed on a swing by the nanny. Because her feet could not reach the ground, her eyes were filled with tears, but she endured and refused to let them fall.
Her small hands tightly gripped the swing ropes, her face etched with stubbornness.
But the moment she saw Jiang Ying approach, it was as if she had finally seen a savior. A tearful “A-Jie” tumbled out, followed by uncontrollable, loud sobbing, as she cried and called for Jiang Ying to hold her.
That look was strikingly similar to the one she wore today.
In the past, Yao’er was just young and a bit spoiled. Now that she had grown up, she naturally became sensible.
“Miss…”
After leaving Jiang Ying’s courtyard, Chunlan looked like she had something she wanted to say but held back.
“Are you trying to ask when I met Young Master Xie in private?” Jiang Yao knew exactly what Chunlan wanted to ask.
Chunlan nodded, looking utterly bewildered.
She had always been by her mistress’s side and had never seen her mistress speak with that Young Master Xie.
A flash of cunning crossed Jiang Yao’s eyes. She lightly placed a hand on Chunlan’s shoulder and said with sincerity, “Chunlan, the truth is, I barely said a few words to Young Master Xie.”
Chunlan’s expression suddenly changed. She looked at Jiang Yao in shock and anxiously asked, “Miss, then why are you…”
“But my feelings for Young Master Xie are true!”
A clear tear slipped down from the corner of Jiang Yao’s eye.
It was fortunate that in her past life, in order to be a lazy worker in her company, she had mastered the skill of dropping a tear on demand.
“Miss, please don’t cry! This… what exactly is going on?” Chunlan frantically reached out with a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Jiang Yao tilted her head up at a forty-five-degree angle, allowing the tear to slowly fall.
“This is my only chance. Ever since I heard that Young Master Xie was injured, my heart felt like it was injured along with him. I want to see him! I need to ensure he is safe and sound!”
She inhaled with a shaky breath. “At a time like this, how can I not be by his side!”
Chunlan: “?”
Jiang Yao secretly glanced at Chunlan.
“I want to tell him myself: Long, long ago, someone loved him for a long time, but alas, the wind slowly blew the distance far away…”
Chunlan, hearing this, was so astonished that her jaw nearly dropped. She quickly looked around. “Miss! You absolutely cannot say such things carelessly!”
If anyone else heard this…
Jiang Yao said nothing more, playing the role of sorrow with her head slightly tilted up.
Chunlan hesitated for a moment and cautiously inquired, “But what if Young Master Xie wakes up and finds out you were arranging things like this about him…”
“Don’t worry, he won’t know…”
Her mouth moved faster than her brain, and she hastily corrected herself midway, “I mean, he will forgive me.”
Jiang Yao took one of Chunlan’s hands and asked with hopeful expectation, “You’ll help me, right? I only have you.”
“I know you are the most loyal to me, which is why I was willing to let you know this first.”
Chunlan was instantly moved to tears.
No wonder her mistress had only called her to serve by her side when leaving the courtyard today.
“Chunlan will surely not betray Miss’s trust!”
Watching Chunlan, who looked incredibly excited, Jiang Yao rubbed the tip of her nose.
She did have her reasons for choosing Chunlan.
The girl looked quite simple-minded and easy to deceive.
Every fifteenth day of the month, the Jiang Residence held a family banquet in Old Madam Jiang’s Jingya Hall.
Although it was called the Jiang Residence family banquet, most of those who attended were people from the Third Branch.
The Jiang family’s population was simple. Old Madam Jiang had two sons and one daughter. Jiang Mingji was the third in line and the youngest.
Jiang Da-ye (Eldest Master) Jiang Minghe was not skilled in civil or military arts. In his youth, he focused on the way of commerce and managed to achieve some success. He was currently traveling with a trade caravan.
His wife, Madam Liu, had arrived early and was accompanying Old Madam Jiang in conversation.
After arriving, Jiang Ying first paid her respects to Old Madam Jiang, then greeted her own mother and her Da Bomu (Eldest Aunt). Only then did she sit down next to her mother.
Old Madam Jiang sat upright in a zitan (red sandalwood) chair, gently turning a string of incense prayer beads in her hand. Her demeanor revealed an air of authority without needing to express anger, but when her eyes fell upon her family, they held a hint of warmth.
“Where is Mingji?” Old Madam Jiang asked.
“The Master sent word two days ago that he would return today. Since he is not back at this hour, he was likely delayed on the road,” said Madam Shen, Jiang Ying’s mother and Jiang Mingji’s wife.
“Then tell the small kitchen to prepare a portion. He won’t go hungry when he returns this evening,” Old Madam Jiang instructed.
“Your daughter-in-law understands,” Madam Shen replied.
“Grandmother,” Jiang Ying softly called out. Thinking of something, she added, “Since it is a family banquet, perhaps we should send someone to invite Yao’er to come as well?”
Jiang Ying’s tone was normal, but the people at the table were startled by her suggestion.
Putting aside Old Madam Jiang who sat at the head of the table, even Madam Shen beside her was surprised.
Jiang Yao had always been distant from the mother and daughter; why would her daughter suddenly say such a thing?
Jiang Ying noticed her mother’s gaze and reached out to hold her mother’s hand, patting it gently as a sign of reassurance.
Old Madam Jiang lifted her eyes slightly, showing no great reaction. She spoke indifferently, “Is her health better?”
“She is much better. The doctor Father sought out has excellent medical skills, and her fever broke that very night,” Jiang Ying dutifully replied. She then offered an explanation for Jiang Yao. “These past few days, Yao’er has been quietly reflecting on her past mistakes and already knows what she did wrong.”
“The doctor Third Brother personally sought out?” Madam Liu covered her mouth and sighed, as if remembering something. “It’s true, Third Brother has always been extremely good to Yao’er. Our Zhen’er hasn’t had such good fortune and is still lying in bed.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Jiang glanced briefly at Madam Liu. This single look was enough to make Madam Liu fall silent.
“Then, let her come over.”