Chapter 43 Unpredictable: "Did he really do something like this?"...

He tossed and turned, agonizing over the long night.

Until a sliver of light appeared through the window, the first chirping of birds could be heard.

Jiang Ce simply threw off the covers and got out of bed. After washing up with cold water, he grabbed a flower hoe in one hand and a small watering can in the other and walked into the depths of the back garden.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Jiang Ce muttered to himself as he turned the soil over the peonies, each stroke of the hoe imbued with his anger; his busy figure could be seen throughout the flowerbed.

By the time the gardeners and maids came to the flowerbed at daybreak, he had already loosened two-thirds of the soil, but he was still muttering complaints under his breath.

Seeing that he was in a bad mood, the others just silently went about their own business.

The maid was startled by the rustling sound while watering the plants and let out a soft scream.

There is a snake.

The snake was startled and hurriedly fled, heading towards Jiang Ce's direction.

Jiang Ce was already annoyed, and having not slept well, seeing this thing only made him angrier. He stomped on it, pinning the snake to the loosened soil, where it struggled desperately beneath his foot.

He only glanced at it before turning away. Although he was angry and instinctively kicked it, he still felt a chill run down his spine when he actually looked at it.

The gardener quickly stepped forward and caught the snake: "I'll get it out of here right away. We'll also plant more snake-repelling plants here from now on and sprinkle insecticide powder frequently."

The snake was less than half an arm's length long, and the gardener grabbed it and carried it outside.

Jiang Ce suddenly said, "Wait a minute."

His eyes darted around, and he suddenly laughed: "No need to take it away, I want to return the favor."

Jiang Ce whispered a few words in the maid's ear, and the maid looked troubled: "But..."

He said, "Don't worry, it won't be counted against you. Remember to collect your reward, five times the amount."

The maid then replied, "Yes."

*

The Cheng residence.

Because Zheng Tan sent over the birthday banquet invitation, Cheng Huaizhu ran to Yingyuezhai early in the morning, jumping up and down with the invitation in her hand.

"That's great, I can go out and play again as soon as I recover from my illness."

Xue Chan was helpless, seeing that although she was still sick, her spirits had improved considerably.

The two ate breakfast together at the same table.

Cheng Huaizhu was not fully recovered from her illness, and Madam Zhou was paying close attention to her diet, not allowing her to eat even a single extra bite.

But Cheng Huaizhu just happened to love to eat, and she really suffered for several days.

When Xue Chan mentioned having breakfast with her, she immediately beamed with joy.

She took a bite of a crystal shrimp dumpling, then ate a bite of Zhenjun porridge cooked with almonds, accompanied by stuffed melon and Sanhe vegetables.

"Chunniang's cooking is really delicious. No wonder you specially asked the cook to come with you when you left Uncle Yuchuan."

Xue Chan smiled and picked up a piece of lotus root stuffed with Hundred Flowers with her chopsticks: "Greedy cat, eat more if you like it."

After breakfast, the two sat together in the yard and played shuttlecock. Cheng Huaizhu, in a hoarse voice, said that she wanted to go to the garden to fly a kite.

Xue Chan agreed, saying, "Okay."

Just as they were engrossed in their game, Chu Tao led in a young, unfamiliar girl who was carrying something covered with a cloth.

Chu Tao saw that the girl was tired from carrying her and thought of offering her the gift, but the little girl just shook her head and shrank back: "Erlang said that Miss Xue should open it herself."

After she said that, Hatsumomo gave up.

Cheng Huaizhu asked doubtfully, "Is this a new maid in the manor? She looks so unfamiliar."

The young girl lowered her head and whispered, "I am from the Marquis of Wu'an's residence. Second Master asked me to deliver a return gift to Miss Xue."

Upon hearing her mention Jiang Ce, Xue Chan stood up and walked over to her, while Cheng Huaizhu stood curiously beside her.

Xue Chan reached out to lift her hand.

The young girl spoke softly, "Miss Xue!"

Xue Chan asked softly, "What's wrong? Is there something you want to say?"

The little girl opened her mouth, but then shook her head and closed it.

Seeing her unease, Xue Chan had some guesses, and with a slight smile, she lifted the cloth.

A snake suddenly appeared, wriggling around in the jar, and even opened its mouth and flicked its bright red tongue when it saw Xue Chan.

Xue Chan clutched her chest and fell backward almost instantly. Cheng Huaizhu was somewhat surprised when she fell, but still caught her in her arms.

Cheng Huaizhu immediately shouted, "Help her inside first, Mingxia, quickly go and fetch a doctor!"

The courtyard erupted in chaos. The little girl was so frightened that she cried softly, and even dropped the glass jar she was holding.

Yun Sheng immediately picked up the jar and put it on the ground. She was angry and wanted to say something, "You!"

But seeing that the little girl was also crying, and even timidly covering her mouth to stop herself from crying, she swallowed her words and simply said, "You sit here first, and don't leave."

A short while later, Chu Tao came out of the house and said something to Yun Sheng.

Yun Sheng went inside. Chu Tao came out and saw the little girl sitting to the side with tears in her eyes. She couldn't help but say, "Alright, my young lady won't blame you. Anyway, you've done everything the master asked you to do, so I don't think she'll make things difficult for you."

"I......"

Hatsumomo took the glass jar away.

Cheng Huaizhu came out of the house and walked up to her: "What's your name?"

The little girl immediately stood up and whispered in a tearful voice, "Qingxing."

Cheng Huaizhu sighed: "I know you were just following orders, and you can't be blamed for what happened. Of course, don't worry, Qiaoniang won't hold a grudge against a young girl like you. I just hope you go back and tell your husband, Jiang Erlang."

"What he did today was absolutely outrageous!"

Although the girl's voice was still hoarse and her tone was fast, it wasn't directed at her.

Qingxing simply nodded.

After Chu Tao returned, she went straight into the house, and Yun Sheng lifted the curtain and came out.

She walked up to Qingxing, stuffed the silver into her hand, and said, "My young lady is a person of good manners. No matter what the reason, she will not blame you. You have come to deliver a gift and made this trip, which is what you deserve. We are very busy in our courtyard right now and cannot take care of you. We will have someone send you back to the Marquis's residence."

Qingxing gripped the silver coins in her hand tightly: "Yes, thank you, sister."

Yun Sheng gestured, and the maid in the courtyard accompanied Qing Xing away. As soon as the two left the inner courtyard, they saw Ming Xia leading a doctor hurriedly approaching.

He glanced at it only once, then lowered his head and left the Cheng residence.

Cheng Huaizhu looked into the room and asked Yun Sheng, "What is she thinking about now?"

Yun Sheng smiled and lowered his head: "Miss said that she is afraid she will not be able to attend the Lady of the Marquis's banquet. Please ask Miss Huaizhu to bring a gift to apologize on her behalf."

Cheng Huaizhu didn't say anything, but touched her face, wondering what Xue Chan was planning.

Qingxing returned to the Marquis of Wu'an's residence, feeling uneasy. She only replied after Jiang Ce returned.

Jiang Ce, holding Xi Tuan lazily, asked, "How was it? What was her reaction?"

It's going to be amazing.

Qingxing recounted everything in detail, even describing the scene at the time, and her eyes welled up with tears as she spoke.

"Erlang, in the future, you should find someone else to handle things like this."

Jiang Ce's smug expression became somewhat uncomfortable as he listened to her. Later, when Qingxing started crying, he said awkwardly, "Alright, stop crying. I asked you to do this, it has nothing to do with you. Just take the reward you're owed."

"Go ahead and get busy."

"yes"

After Qingxing left, he went to eat at Yu Niangzi's place with Youyu as usual, but this time he was a little absent-minded, and even when he left after the meal, he seemed a bit distracted.

Lady Yu looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Xue Chan fell ill after fainting and remained bedridden for five or six days.

I often experience heart palpitations and have difficulty eating.

Fang Youxi and Xiao Yangjun visited her once during that time. However, because she was seriously ill and her illness was not well-known, the two of them simply sat behind a screen and talked to her.

Through the screen, the hand that reached out from behind the gauze curtain rested limply on the edge of the bed.

Xue Chan was weakly helped up by her maid to drink the medicine, her already gentle voice becoming even softer.

"I am ill, yet you still went to the trouble of taking care of me. I truly do not know how to thank you enough."

Xiao Yangjun said, "It's alright, it's alright. It wasn't anything serious. We just wanted to come to your residence to visit Huaizhu and Miss Xue. You're ill and should be resting. It was rather presumptuous of me to come here so abruptly."

Xue Chan smiled gently, "How could this be so abrupt? I am very grateful for your presence. Unfortunately, I am ill and it is truly difficult for me to receive guests..."

Thank you.

Fang Youxi asked Cheng Huaizhu, "Is this illness serious? Did the doctor say when Miss Xue will recover?"

She had been sitting idly to the side, fiddling with the tassel tied around her waist, when suddenly asked a question. Cheng Huaizhu looked up and said, "Her illness—"

She had barely finished speaking when Xue Chan, behind the screen, suddenly coughed.

Cheng Huaizhu swallowed the words she had just said: "Oh, this isn't really an illness. It was caused by fright. Once she calms down, the illness will naturally disappear."

"Fear?" Xiao Yangjun blinked his eyes and asked, "Didn't you say it was a cold?"

Cheng Huaizhu cleared her throat twice and waved to the two of them.

Xiao Yangjun immediately moved his embroidered stool and sat down next to Cheng Huaizhu, pricking up his ears and leaning closer.

"Let me tell you, the truth is actually like this..."

The three of them huddled together, listening to Cheng Huaizhu recount the whole story with great emotion and indignation.

"That's how it is. Don't you think it's outrageous?"

"Ah..." Xiao Yangjun pursed his lips, his cheeks slightly puffed out, somewhat disbelieving. "Did he really do something like this?"

Cheng Huaizhu: "Do you believe him or me?"

"I believe you," Xiao Yangjun said weakly, still somewhat hesitant, "but... I feel..."

Cheng Huaizhu crossed her arms and snorted, saying irritably, "I saw it with my own eyes, such a huge snake! Although you've known him since childhood, you've always stayed in your private quarters and haven't seen each other much. Besides, he spent four years in Liangzhou, who knows if he's gone astray!"

She grew angrier and angrier as she spoke, her whole face contorted with annoyance, like a plump sparrow hopping about on a branch.

Xiao Yangjun was speechless, but she wasn't angry. However, her delicate eyebrows and eyes showed a hint of relaxation and doubt.

To be honest, she and Jiang Ce didn't have much contact.

They knew each other, but weren't really close. She didn't seem to really understand what kind of person he was now, only remembering the times when they were just a few friends.

When we were young, we were all friends and played together.

Since Deng Yuan's passing, Jiang Ce went to Liangzhou. She has grown from a naive and ignorant girl into a woman who often has worries and is thoughtful, gradually establishing boundaries and avoiding suspicion with her former playmates.

When Jiang Ce returned, everything seemed unfamiliar. He seemed to have grown up in an instant, retaining traces of his former self, yet completely unlike himself.

Not only Jiang Ce, but also Zheng Shaoyu, and even Yu Lang, everyone is becoming increasingly estranged.

Many times, she felt lost and disappointed.

Good friends, all gone.

Fang Youxi frowned slightly and sighed, "So that's how it is. Then I guess I won't be able to attend Sister Tan's birthday banquet tomorrow either? I heard that Miss Xue is ill, and she specially asked me to bring her medicine along."

“Sigh…” Cheng Huaizhu glanced at Xue Chan behind the screen. “Illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is slow and gradual. She needs help even to get out of this room now, so she probably can’t go anywhere else.”

Xiao Yangjun snapped out of his reverie: "Ah... what a pity. I was hoping we could get together for drinks and fun at this banquet."

Cheng Huaizhu smiled, slightly stiffly: "Who says otherwise?"

Fang Youxi watched as Cheng Huaizhu was still unconsciously twirling the sash on her skirt, then turned her gaze to the screen.

Xue Chan leaned back on the pillow, her head slightly lowered, very quiet, as if she had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

“In that case…” Fang Youxi lowered his voice again, “We won’t disturb her recovery any longer, but if Miss Xue seems to be feeling better, please have someone send her a message.”

"good"

She and Xiao Yangjun got up together, and Yun Sheng led the two of them out.

Once outside, Xiao Yangjun walked briskly ahead, while Fang Youxi lowered her voice and asked Yun Sheng, "Miss Xue, you seem to be alright, right?"

Yun Sheng looked up and saw the other person quietly watching him, giving him a playful wink.

"Um"

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Author's Note: Starting Friday, I'll be updating daily! [Keep it up!]