Chapter 124

However, none of them brought up this awkward sensitive topic.

At the banquet, Li Qingluo's attitude surprised Jiang Sishui somewhat.

Originally, upon learning he intended to take Wang Yuyan into his harem, Li Qingluo had shown him no good face.

Yet early this morning, she not only greeted people with a smile but also personally cooked a bowl of... soup for him?

And it was a nourishing one!

This made Jiang Sishui suspicious; the sun hadn't risen from the west, so when had this "Sister You Rong" changed her nature?

As if seeing through his doubt, Li Qingluo smiled and said, "Yuyan has been out these past few days; thank you for taking care of her. And as for that traitor Ding Chunqiu, if not for you, us orphans and widows would have had little chance of avenging our grievances."

Hearing this, Jiang Sishui also became amiable, saying, "I have received great kindness from my Master; doing these things is my duty, Lady, so there is no need for such courtesy."

Though he said this with his mouth, he did not believe a single word of it in his heart.

If Li Qingluo were truly so sensible and reasonable, she would not have so decisively rejected his matter with Wang Yuyan yesterday, showing not an ounce of consideration.

So what reason could have caused such a change in her?

Jiang Sishui guessed it must be that Li Qingluo had been awed by his technique of "instant teleportation."

Perhaps after they parted, she learned some secrets from Wang Yuyan's own mouth.

And upon realizing she had no power to resist, Li Qingluo had no choice but to choose compromise.

Wang Yuyan clearly knew none of this; seeing the relationship between the two was not as stiff as she had imagined, she felt very delighted in her heart.

The young girl smiled brightly, saying, "Mother, you need not be so formal with Brother Jiang; Brother Jiang will take good care of us in the future."

Take good care of us?

Yes, he certainly would, and he would take care of them meticulously.

Day and night, on the bed and off the bed.

Li Qingluo glanced at her daughter, who was completely unaware, her mood complex.

Although she had already decided to be with Jiang Sishui, she could not help but feel somewhat awkward in her heart.

Yet amidst the shame, she suddenly felt a thrill...

Moreover, she had not had a man for over ten years; if...

Li Qingluo's heart fluttered, and she involuntarily began to indulge in fantasies.

"Mother? Did you not rest well last night?"

A familiar voice sounded, startling Li Qingluo awake; when she came to her senses, she found everyone at the dining table staring at her in unison.

Li Qingluo instantly turned crimson, feeling deeply ashamed; forcing herself to calm down, she said, "I am fine, I rested very well. You all eat first; I have something to do, I will be back shortly."

Saying this, without waiting for anyone to speak, she walked away with a graceful figure.

Jiang Sishui watched her back, lost in thought.

This "Sister You Rong," why did she look as if her heart was fluttering with spring desires?

As someone experienced, he could naturally see Li Qingluo's strangeness, yet he did not understand why she would lose her composure in public.

Could it be that after being empty for so long, she momentarily could not control her emotions?

Thinking of Li Qingluo as a lonely woman in a boudoir, a smile unconsciously appeared on Jiang Sishui's lips.

No longer thinking much of it, he ate heartily with the women.

A Zhu and A Bi were originally maids and had no qualification to sit at the table, but since they followed Jiang Sishui, their status was vastly different, naturally free from such rules.

During the meal, Jiang Sishui also noticed that Huang Rong's state was somewhat off, appearing distracted.

He immediately reached out to hold the young girl's soft hand and asked with concern, "Rong'er, do you have something on your mind?"

Huang Rong looked at Jiang Sishui and nodded truthfully.

"Then can you tell me about it?"

Huang Rong shook her head again.

"..."

Just as he was thinking how to start, Huang Rong suddenly gave a coquettish laugh, giggling, "Oh, Brother Sishui, this is a girl's secret; Rong'er will be fine tomorrow, so do not worry."

"Then alright, just keep it in mind; if there are any difficulties, feel free to tell me." Hearing this, Jiang Sishui had no choice but to let it go.

"Mm!" Huang Rong nodded obediently.

Huang Rong certainly had something on her mind, and the source was Bai Feifei.

To be precise, she was confused.

When she first met Bai Feifei, Huang Rong, out of momentary pique, thought only of how to compete and clash with the other.

And in her view, Bai Feifei held the same thoughts as she did.

However, after calming down later, Huang Rong suddenly remembered one thing—

As the mistress of the harem, within a certain scope, if a diary copy owner harbored evil intentions toward her, she could sense it through the "Kunji Seal"!

Yet when the two met yesterday, she received no such warning.

That is to say, Bai Feifei held no hostility toward her.

Thus, Huang Rong was bewildered.

Could it be... that Bai Feifei was not, as she thought, trying to compete for favor with her? From beginning to end, had she been overthinking and misunderstanding the other?

Thinking she might have been "judging a noble heart with a petty mind," Huang Rong felt a wave of shame.

Other women below her did not mind, yet she, who held the "Kunji Seal," had less tolerance than others; this was truly unforgivable!

To gauge Bai Feifei's attitude, while chewing on a meat bun, Huang Rong made a decision in her heart.

After the meal, Jiang Sishui packed a portion and took it to Bai Feifei.

Inside the room, Bai Feifei had already risen and was washing up, while Jin Jin Lingzhi sat beside her.

At this moment, Jin Lingzhi's face was full of grievance, her pretty cheeks flushed red—whether from shame or anger, no one could tell—and the moment she came in she started gulping down half a pot of water, "glug glug glug."

Without waiting for Bai Feifei to ask, she took the initiative to pour out her grievances.

It turned out that last night, forced to listen to that wall-side serenade for so long, Jin Lingzhi had been so frightened and annoyed that she wanted to flee the Mantuo Shanzhuang.

Those maids guarding the boats were no match for her at all; Jin Lingzhi easily seized a boat, then forced them to flee through the night.

But then, something that drove Jin Lingzhi crazy happened.

The boat had not gone three li before a current of water pushed it back!

No matter how hard the maids tried, they could never overcome that force.

Having read the diary's contents, how could Jin Lingzhi not know this was Jiang Sishui's "Water-Controlling Pearl" playing tricks?

In other words, Jiang Sishui already controlled the lake water near the Mantuo Shanzhuang, trapping her firmly here—unless she could fly, there was no escaping!

This blood-curdling discovery nearly sent the spoiled Young Lady Jin Da, who had been pampered all her life, into ascension on the spot!

138 Usually every grain of rice in the bowl, I would lick clean

Hearing Jin Lingzhi pour out her grievances, Bai Feifei could not help but smile.

Hearing her laughter, Jin Lingzhi instantly sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and said angrily: "Hey! You're still laughing! You're still laughing! Can't you control your man? All he does is bully a weak woman!"

Weak woman?

To be able to force the Young Lady Jin Da, who originally called herself "Grand Auntie" at every turn, to start calling herself a "weak woman"—it seemed she had truly been worn down by Jiang Sishui until she had no temper left.

Bai Feifei walked up to Jin Lingzhi, pulled her to sit down, and was just about to say some comforting words when a stir came from outside the courtyard.

Hearing those familiar footsteps, Jin Lingzhi's face changed.

But by then it was already too late to leave; she could only snort coldly, turn her head away with a tsundere air, and leave Jiang Sishui, who had just entered the door, staring at the back of her head.

"Feifei, you're up." Jiang Sishui came in carrying a food box.

Bai Feifei also rose to greet him: "Big Brother Jiang."

Jiang Sishui threw an arm around Bai Feifei's graceful figure and kissed her on her smooth forehead: "Hungry? I brought you breakfast."

"Thank you, Big Brother Jiang, Feifei happens to be hungry." Bai Feifei smiled brightly, Ren Yingying, and pulled Jiang Sishui to sit down.

That gentle and obedient appearance, with none of the Young Palace Master's coldness and viciousness from Ghost Palace at all, was like that of an ordinary little darling wife.

The two sat snuggled together; Jiang Sishui opened the food box, and a rich aroma of rice drifted out.

A "growl" immediately sounded in the room.

It was her stomach beginning to protest!

Bai Feifei lowered her head and said shyly: "Feifei was too hungry, let Big Brother Jiang laugh at me."

Jiang Sishui laughed heartily: "What's there to laugh at? It's only human nature! Come, see what I brought you."

"Stir-fried pork with yellow vegetables, steamed pork tripe, twice-cooked pan-fried fresh fish, steamed rolls, egg noodles, fragrant rice, three-freshness soup…"

Looking at the lavish breakfast before her, Bai Feifei felt a warmth in her heart and said with a sweet smile: "Big Brother Jiang brought so much, Feifei can't possibly finish it all."