“Miss Jiang? Are you alright?”…
“Miss Jiang? Are you alright?”
Jiang Zhuoying was indeed shocked at first, but it didn’t take long for her to comprehend the situation…
Unsure how to react, she could only respond with mixed amusement and exasperation: “Eunuch Chu, I’m perfectly fine.”
“Perfectly fine?”
Chu Yixin looked utterly skeptical: “Miss Jiang, such a faithless man isn’t worth your sorrow… You mustn’t do anything foolish. His Highness is quite concerned about you!”
Jiang Zhuoying fell silent for a moment: “His Highness is concerned… about me?”
That stern, expressionless face… concerned about her?
Chu Yixin suddenly became animated.
Originally seated on a stone stool, he rose clutching his horsetail whisk upon hearing Jiang Zhuoying’s doubt, his expression turning vividly earnest.
“Of course! You’ve only just arrived at the residence and aren’t familiar with His Highness yet. In truth, our master has a cold exterior but a warm heart!”
“If you don’t believe me, Miss Jiang, you can ask any guard or servant in this entire estate – who wouldn’t praise our master’s virtues?”
…
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
Cold exterior but warm heart?
Had he not released his grip that day causing her to fall, she might have believed that to some extent.
As for all the servants and guards in the estate – since they worked under the Second Prince, would they dare speak ill of him?
Jiang Zhuoying curved her lips in an insincere smile, her voice gentle: “Yes, this maid understands. The Second Prince must certainly be a good person!”
Chu Yixin awkwardly twitched the corner of his mouth, suddenly at a loss for how to respond to this girl.
“Anyway, you should listen to my advice – you mustn’t keep such a fiancé any longer!”
Jiang Zhuoying continued nodding obediently: “Yes, naturally.”
“Don’t grieve too much. There are plenty of devoted men in this world, and many who are better than that fiancé of yours!”
Chu Yixin had initially considered mentioning his master, but upon second thought, the timing wasn’t quite right yet.
For now, he could only offer earnest advice.
He would wait until Miss Jiang had completely severed ties with that faithless man before testing the waters.
Jiang Zhuoying was inwardly both laughing and crying at the situation, but maintained a perfect facade on the surface, barely suppressing her amusement as she dumbly nodded in agreement.
Her demeanor wasn’t particularly natural, but to Chu Yixin’s eyes, it appeared as profound heartbreak.
This girl… she must be holding back tears!
…
Jiang Zhuoying watched him leave, completely unaware of what image she had projected in his mind.
Clutching the medicinal ointment Chu Yixin had specially brought her, she returned to her small room.
This lifestyle without maids or attendants, where she had to do everything herself, felt quite novel.
Though somewhat troublesome, it offered unparalleled freedom.
Only… she needed to accelerate her plans.
If she could only occasionally see that person during mealtimes when feeding Zhuozhuo, who knew how long it would take to gain his trust.
Then she recalled the words Eunuch Chu had brought her earlier…
She shook her head – how could that possibly be true?
…
From that day onward, Chu Yixin came to see her daily.
He always showed concern, telling her that if she needed to request leave, she only needed to inform him.
Jiang Zhuoying would always greet him with a smiling face, and her impression of Chu Yixin grew increasingly favorable.
At noon, Jiang Zhuoying was squatting by the pond feeding Zhuozhuo his lunch.
Right on schedule, Chu Yixin appeared again.
Jiang Zhuoying kept her hands busy, only looking up to give him a smile. “Eunuch Chu?”
“Aye!” Though Chu Yixin wore a cheerful expression, his heart was filled with frustration.
Three days had passed—why hadn’t the girl given any response?
She truly seemed like an indecisive and timid sort. By now, she should have had ample time to think things through.
Could she be pretending not to know?
The afternoon light was strong, and the girl crouching by the pond appeared even more radiant and delicate.
Watching the girl interact with the fiery red carp, Chu Yixin found the sight pleasing to the eye.
Such a bright young lady must not fall into the hands of that heartless scoundrel!
“Ahem, does Miss Jiang still have no plans to leave the estate these days?”
The girl’s voice was soft and gentle. “Mm.”
She truly had no such intention these past few days. Her previous trip to Luo Jing with Wujiu had already yielded plenty of purchases.
Besides, her arm hadn’t fully recovered yet. She wanted to rest a few more days…
As they spoke, Zhuozhuo had finished its noon meal. She patted its head again, then gathered her skirts to stand.
“Hiss—”
Perhaps she had been too engrossed in playing with Zhuozhuo earlier and had crouched for too long.
The sudden movement made golden spots dance before her eyes, her vision darkened, and she began to collapse…
“Goodness, what happened?”
Amid a sharp, startled cry, a strong, sturdy arm caught her around the waist. Then, she felt weightless, lifted into the air.
Jiang Zhuoying was still dizzy, unable to regain her senses immediately. She could only close her eyes and endure the spinning sensation…
Faintly, she heard a cold voice tinged with urgency: “Fetch Yu Ji.”
Jiang Zhuoying breathed shallowly, lacking the energy to stop him.
Only when she was placed back on the couch did she slowly come to her senses.
Leaning against the soft pillows, the girl looked rather pale, her voice extremely frail. “Thank you, Your Highness, for bringing this servant back.”
The man pressed his lips together without replying, until a familiar voice sounded above her head: “My lord?”
That voice?
Jiang Zhuoying instantly furrowed her brows—Doctor Yu?
Involuntarily, she grew more uneasy, clenching her fists to comfort herself.
He wouldn’t recognize her. He had never seen her face, and her voice was different now.
…
Jiang Zhuoying bowed her head as her pulse was taken, then heard the other’s report.
“The young lady has caught a chill. A simple prescription will suffice.”
Qi Fan nodded, his voice betraying nothing unusual. “Go ahead.”
Yet Jiang Zhuoying frowned again. A chill?
…Why hadn’t she noticed it herself?
“Is one wretched man truly worth such distress?”
A detached voice suddenly sounded above her.
Jiang Zhuoying looked up abruptly. “Huh?”
Only then did she realize that the small room now held only the two of them. Doctor Yu and Eunuch Chu had both left at some point unnoticed.
The man gazed down at her impassively, his dark eyes too profound to decipher.
“…This servant is… alright, I suppose?”
Jiang Zhuoying’s mind felt sluggish, offering only a neutral response.
After the words left her mouth, she belatedly understood.
Could he be referring to… her and Wujiu?
Suddenly recalling Eunuch Chu’s earlier words, Jiang Zhuoying felt her heart race. In her anxiety, an idea formed.
She lowered her head, mustering some emotion, then lifted her eyes to look at the man. “Why does Your Highness say that? Are you… concerned about this servant?”
Their eyes met, the man pursing his lips.
“Your Highness is truly kind. This humble maid thanks you for your concern.”
The young lady slowly lowered her head again, her voice tinged with evident disappointment and grievance.
Qi Fan slightly furrowed his brow. The maid’s hairstyle had been growing simpler day by day.
Unless she was truly heartbroken, why would a woman lose all interest in adorning herself?
“Don’t waste your sorrow on those unworthy of it.”
He added this abruptly, and Jiang Zhuoying immediately made up her mind.
Almost in the next instant, soft sobbing sounds filled the room.
The young lady wept with tear-filled eyes, her slender shoulders trembling. “Thank you for your wise counsel, Your Highness.”
“But… but I’m still heartbroken.”
“I truly don’t understand why he would suddenly shift his affections to someone else when… when everything was fine just days ago.”
“Wuu…”
“Eunuch Chu said he saw that woman with his own eyes. She… must be better than me, right?”
Her vision blurred by tears, the young lady clutched the quilt with both small hands, as if mustering immense courage. She lifted her reddened peach blossom eyes to look at him.
Qi Fan: “…”
The man’s voice inexplicably softened, though he seemed extremely unaccustomed to it, speaking in broken phrases.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“…Mhm.”
The same disappointment and grievance as before resurfaced.
The man’s fingertips curled slightly, and he finally added with a cold expression: “You’re fine as you are.”
Jiang Zhuoying sobbed twice more. “Thank you for comforting me, Your Highness. You’re truly kind-hearted. But I know… I must not be good enough…”
The man pressed his lips together, about to say more, when the young lady tearfully urged him to leave.
“I’ve been impolite. My current state is too shameful to be seen and might offend Your Highness’s eyes. Please leave now. I’ll come another day to apologize for my offense.”
The man remained unmoved, but the young lady’s crying grew increasingly louder.
Finally, the sound of retreating footsteps echoed through the room…
When the door closed again, the crying from the bed abruptly ceased, and Jiang Zhuoying let out a sigh of relief.
She had urged the Second Prince to leave because she needed time to properly sort through her current situation.
She had to prepare thoroughly before proceeding further. Being too impulsive might lead to losses outweighing gains.
Judging by what just happened, the Second Prince seemed to have developed some… pity for her?
She needed to think carefully about how to use this pity to make her way into the Second Prince’s heart.
How could she become his personal maid?
Just as she became lost in thought, her mind wandering and drowsiness setting in, someone knocked on the door.
“Miss Jiang? I’ve brought your medicinal soup. Are you decent at the moment?”
Jiang Zhuoying immediately snapped back to attention. “Yes, come in.”
Chu Yixin pushed the door open, smiling as he carried in a tray bearing a bowl of dark, murky medicinal soup.
“Miss Jiang, our master is occupied with some matters at the moment. Otherwise, he would have come personally.”
Jiang Zhuoying looked flustered by the undeserved kindness. “How could I trouble His Highness with such trivial matters?”
“Having Eunuch Chu deliver it personally is already an honor for this humble maid.”
“Ah, Miss Jiang, you’re too modest! In the entire Second Prince’s residence, you’re the only delicate flower we have now. Of course we should take good care of you.”
Chu Yixin set down the tray and handed the bowl of medicinal soup to the young lady on the bed.
Jiang Zhuoying felt uneasy in her heart, yet she had no choice but to endure the bitter taste in her mouth and finish the medicinal soup in one go.
Here, she had no face to ask Eunuch Chu to fetch her candied fruits.
Moreover, she was supposed to be obedient and sensible here—how could she be so delicate?
Chu Yixin, of course, had no idea what she was thinking. Watching the well-behaved girl on the bed finish the medicinal soup, he enthusiastically took the empty bowl from her.
Then, he finally stated the purpose of his visit.
“Miss Jiang, you’re still young. Many setbacks in this world aren’t really worth fussing over—they pass in the blink of an eye. Take this current matter, for instance. Don’t dwell on it any longer.”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded. “Yes, thank you for your kind advice, Eunuch Chu. I understand.”
Chu Yixin fell silent for a moment before suddenly speaking up. “Since things have come to this, Miss Jiang, you should cut ties with that heartless scoundrel as soon as possible!”
The girl continued nodding. “Yes, Eunuch Chu is absolutely right. I understand.”
“So when do you plan to break things off with him?”
Jiang Zhuoying immediately looked up. “…Huh?”
“Jiang girl! You mustn’t take this lightly! A young woman’s reputation is of utmost importance! The sooner you part ways with such an ill-intentioned person, the better it will be for you!”
“You… must think of yourself, you know!”
Jiang Zhuoying parted her lips hesitantly, rendered speechless.
“This must be dealt with promptly! At first glance, you seem quite naive, Jiang girl. You should listen to my advice—go see him as soon as you recover from your illness!”
Jiang Zhuoying: “…”
“Jiang girl?”
Jiang Zhuoying looked up. “Thank you for your concern, Eunuch Chu. I understand. I… will go see him tomorrow.”
Chu Yixin’s face suddenly brightened with joy. “Excellent, excellent!”
“Speaking of which, why don’t I send a few servants to accompany you? If that heartless scoundrel causes trouble, they can intimidate him!”
Chu Yixin animatedly offered suggestions.
Though Jiang Zhuoying didn’t understand why he was so pleased, she didn’t hesitate to decline.
“That won’t be necessary. This is, after all, my personal matter. I’ll handle it properly.”
Chu Yixin nodded. “Very well, very well. Don’t blame this eunuch for speaking out of turn. In time, Miss Jiang, you’ll come to understand that I only have your best interests at heart!”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhuoying smiled. “You worry too much, Eunuch. I’m aware of the stakes involved.”
“Splendid! Then I shall take my leave. If you need anything, Jiang girl, feel free to come find me anytime!”
Jiang Zhuoying nodded repeatedly like a pecking chick. “Yes, please take care on your way out, Eunuch.”
She watched as the beaming Chu Yixin departed, then lay back down.
She could only hope her scheme would work this time.
But… to ensure absolute success, she needed to add a little more fuel to the fire.
The next day.
Chu Yixin came early to deliver her medicine and, with a cheerful smile, handed her a money pouch.
“This is a reward from the master. He said since you’ve been wronged, you should have some silver as compensation. You may go to Yuanbao Tower and pick any hairpin you like.”
Jiang Zhuoying immediately declined. “That won’t be necessary. The wages in this residence are already generous enough. I don’t need this.”
Chu Yixin’s smile stiffened, but he complied and withdrew his hand.
“So when does Miss Jiang plan to go out? I’ll have someone record your leave later.”
Jiang Zhuoying blinked. “After I finish the medicinal soup and tidy up a bit, I plan to head out.”
“Very good, very good.”
Chu Yixin repeatedly acknowledged her instructions and, after she had finished the medicinal soup, picked up the food tray and hurried away without looking back.
Only then did Jiang Zhuoying curl her lips into a smile. That silver earlier had not been bestowed upon her by the Second Prince.
Eunuch Chu might have forgotten that the money pouch was embroidered with a small character ‘Chu’.
Her eyesight was sharp—she had spotted it at a glance.
Speaking of which, Eunuch Chu had been rather kind to her, perhaps genuinely treating her as a junior.
……
After tidying up briefly, Jiang Zhuoying prepared to “go out.”
Today was not the day she had agreed to meet with Xiangyue—that would be tomorrow.
Thus, following her own plan, Jiang Zhuoying stepped out of the Second Prince’s separate residence and immediately fainted to the ground.
The servant at the gate promptly went to report to Qi Fan.
The man frowned, holding a secret letter: “Fainted again?”
Author’s Note: [munching on melon seeds]