Gu Sanni stomped out of the Gu family house in anger, muttering as she walked:
“That old hag is so biased! We’re all girls—why does Gu Yuan get to eat as much as she wants, but I can’t? Hmph, and she even bought meat buns for her!”
Gu Sanni had a sharp nose. The moment Gu Yuan walked in earlier, she had already smelled the scent of meat buns on her. No need to think—it must have been secretly bought by the old madam.
She didn’t even stop to consider that Gu Yuan was the old madam’s biological daughter. Why would she neglect her own child just to favor a granddaughter who often talked back and caused trouble? Unless she was out of her mind.
At noon, the village streets were empty. The more Gu Sanni thought about it, the louder she complained. So loud that she almost ran straight into someone.
Without even looking up, she snapped, “Which blind idiot walks like that? You trying to bump into your Third Auntie? Looking for death?”
When she finally raised her head and saw who it was, her face turned bright red. She stammered, twisting awkwardly:
“S-sorry, I, I didn’t mean it…”
The young man’s expression flashed with irritation at being insulted, but he quickly concealed it.
This was Jiang Jinglun.
He swept his sleeve lightly, putting on a gentle and refined expression.
“It’s alright. It was my fault for not being careful. I startled the young lady.”
He even stepped back and gave her a polite bow.
Without the earlier insult, anyone would have thought him a warm, courteous scholar.
Gu Sanni’s face turned even redder—but not from embarrassment alone. It was frustration too.
Jiang Jinglun was famous in their village and even in Qingyang Town. Despite his poor background, he was strict with himself, polite to everyone, and well-liked by many unmarried girls.
But such a talented and gentle young scholar… already had a fiancée.
Everyone in the Gu family knew Jiang Jinglun had an engagement with them. Originally, people thought it would go to Gu Da, the eldest granddaughter. Same age, proper match.
But then the old madam gave birth to Gu Yuan late in life—and Gu Yuan took a liking to Jiang Jinglun.
In the Gu family, who would dare compete with Gu Yuan for anything? Unless they didn’t want to live.
If she weren’t still underage, the old madam probably would have already gone to Jiang’s family to demand the engagement be fulfilled.
Just thinking about it made Gu Sanni’s face twist with jealousy.
Why? Why does Gu Yuan get everything she wants?
Jiang Jinglun looked at her distorted expression and almost wanted to turn and leave—but he forced himself to stay.
Gu Sanni quickly stepped aside, tugging at her clothes.
“Jiang Gongzi, you’re too polite. I’m just a country girl. Just call me Sanni.”
She didn’t dare tell him her real name properly. “Nian Di” (yearning for younger brother) was too humiliating; she didn’t want him to think she was worthless in the Gu family.
Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile.
“You’re here for my little aunt, right? She’s probably sleeping. I’ll go call her for you.”
“Oh right, you came at a good time. We just made meat buns. I’ll have my aunt bring you two later.”
Her words sounded innocent, but they carried calculation:
She implied Gu Yuan was lazy, then acted like she had authority over Gu family matters.
If Gu Yuan really gave Jiang Jinglun buns later, it would look like her idea—not Gu Yuan’s.
Jiang Jinglun narrowed his eyes slightly. This girl was more calculating than she looked.
But he didn’t show it.
Instead, he acted refined and modest, the way he always did—neither accepting nor rejecting immediately, enjoying the attention while maintaining dignity.
Gu Sanni, meanwhile, ran straight toward Gu Yuan’s room and knocked. The door was locked from inside, so she went to the window instead.
She didn’t dare let the old madam hear her, so she called softly.
Inside, Gu Yuan had just finished eating lunch and was about to count her earnings when she heard knocking. Her brow furrowed deeply.
Of course—it was Gu Sanni again.
She pulled open the door with irritation.
“Gu Sanni, what do you want at noon? You’re so annoying.”
If there was anyone Gu Yuan disliked most in the Gu family, it was her.
Even Gu Liu—the transmigrated “female protagonist” in the original story—ranked below her now.
Gu Sanni retorted immediately, “I came to give you a message out of kindness. Is that how you treat me?”
“To give me a message?” Gu Yuan rolled her eyes. “Did I ask you to? What message do I need from you?”
Gu Sanni almost exploded. “Fine! Don’t regret it later—you won’t hear anything about Young Master Jiang from me again!”
“Jiang Gongzi?” Gu Yuan paused.
She searched her memory. The name finally surfaced.
Jiang Jinglun—the so-called male lead in the story. The man Gu Liu would originally “take” from Gu Yuan. The man tied to Gu Yuan’s “unfulfilled longing.”
Oh.
So he was here.
“Where is he?” Gu Yuan asked directly.
Gu Sanni pointed him out reluctantly.
When Gu Yuan reached the spot, she indeed saw Jiang Jinglun standing there, pretending to be distant and refined.
She rolled her eyes hard and walked straight up to him.
“Gu Sanni said you were looking for me. What is it? Returning the money you borrowed from me?”
Jiang Jinglun froze.
Money?
That wasn’t what he planned at all.
But before he could respond, Gu Yuan continued coldly:
“Speak clearly. If not, I’m going back.”
And just as he instinctively reached out to stop her—
Slap.
A sharp slap landed on his face.
Gu Yuan’s expression turned ice-cold.
“Jiang Gongzi, you’re still a scholar and you don’t even know propriety? Men and women shouldn’t touch each other casually. Reading all those books and still acting like this—you’ve got them in your dog’s stomach or something?”
Jiang Jinglun stood stunned.
For the first time, the gentle, obedient girl he knew… had completely changed.