talkative

Jiang Yunshu's father, Jiang Jinhong, was the most successful member of the Jiang family. He went from a peddler carrying a load on his shoulders to a wealthy merchant in just a few decades.

Jiang Jinhong has an older brother, Jiang Mingzhi, and a younger sister, Jiang Qizhen. The three siblings lost their parents at a young age, and as a result, they have supported each other all the way and have an exceptionally good relationship.

Furthermore, each family only has one child; the eldest uncle's family has Jiang Yunzheng, and the youngest aunt's family has Jiang Shuyue.

After Jiang Jinhong became successful, the three Jiang siblings simply bought houses nearby, so Jiang Yunshu and the others could easily climb over the wall to go out for ice cream together when they were little.

All three families were present today, and we sat down at a large table.

When Ling Jing first arrived, the scene was already bustling. He walked towards the next table, but before he could sit down, he heard a voice behind him.

"Ling Jingchu, come over here."

Jiang Yunshu spotted him immediately. The two hadn't seen each other for seven years. Since she married into the Marquis's mansion, Ling Jingchu seemed to have disappeared from her world.

But Ling Jingchu was still easy to recognize; he had an inexplicable air of aloofness about him.

Even after living in the Jiang family for so many years, he could still choose not to sit with them at such a banquet.

The lines between them were so clear that she even thought this person was a bit abnormal.

Ling Jingchu was dressed in white, the subtle floral patterns making him look very noble. His hair was neatly tied up, and when he turned his face, his expression was solemn.

She looked exactly like the teacher she hated and feared when she was a child.

Oh, I forgot.

He is now an instructor.

Ling Jingchu nodded slightly, turned around, and walked back towards her.

She was sitting next to Ayao, but Ayao had been taken away by her mother, so the seat on her left was now empty.

"Jingchu, come sit here!"

Watching her father abduct the person halfway through the journey, she sighed silently.

Forget it, let's talk about it formally another time, after all, this is no small matter.

"Jing Chu has arrived, why hasn't Yun Zheng come yet?"

Jiang Yunshu followed her father's gaze to her eldest uncle, whose smile seemed somewhat forced. Her aunt said awkwardly, "Don't talk about him, who knows where he's been fooling around again!"

Jiang Yunshu was stunned for a moment. Jiang Yunzheng had been their role model since childhood. The word "playing the fool" would never be used to describe Jiang Yunzheng.

Jiang Shuyue winked at her, meaning she would talk about it later that night.

She didn't ask any more questions.

Everyone tacitly changed the subject, and no one mentioned Jiang Yunzheng again.

"Ah Yun, now that you're back, don't think too much about it. Your aunt and uncle support you in this matter. The Jiang family can afford to support you!"

"Don't be afraid!"

My aunt generously picked up a glass of wine. Just as she was about to pour herself a drink, her deep voice rang out as her hand touched the bottle.

"That's Dragon Eye Wine."

What's wrong with Dragon Eye Wine...?

She didn't react for a moment, until her mother suddenly slapped her thigh.

"Oh dear, Ayun can't eat dragon's eye! She gets rashes all over her body if she eats it!"

After saying that, he slapped Jiang Jinhong, "Really, why did you bring this wine up here!"

"It's a good thing Jingchu still remembers, otherwise we would have suffered again today."

Aunt patted Ling Jingchu's shoulder with lingering fear.

She herself had actually forgotten where she could find such food in Yujing City. Even if it were delivered to the Marquis's residence, it would probably only appear in the rooms of the Madam and the Old Madam.

She looked up at Ling Jingchu and suddenly remembered their first encounter many years ago.

It was a winter day when she went to buy pastries from Heweiju, wearing a thick padded coat. As soon as the carriage stopped, Qing Shuang cried out in surprise as soon as she got off.

She lifted the curtain and saw Ling Jingchu.

He was wearing tattered clothes on a winter day, his hair was a mess, his face was covered in bruises, and his fingers were badly mangled.

He gripped Qing Shuang's hem tightly, his eyes fixed on her stubbornly, pleading with them in a hoarse, unpleasant voice.

"Miss, please, give me one tael of silver. After I bury my mother, I will serve my benefactor like a slave."

Only then did she notice a person wrapped in a straw mat behind him. She couldn't see the head, only the two feet sticking out.

She still remembers the shock she felt at that time.

That was the first time I truly felt the weight of life and death.

She tossed a gold ingot down from behind the curtain, and Ling Jingchu's expression at that moment was inscrutable, a mixture of laughter and tears.

Later, when Ling Jingchu returned the remaining silver, she simply asked her father to adopt him, so that she would have another playmate.

She stared at the person in front of her again, and then Ling Jingchu seemed to have lost his emotions. At least she never saw any unusual emotions appear on his face again.

But at this moment, she actually felt that Ling Jingchu was somewhat annoyed.

However, it disappeared quickly, and when you looked at it again, it was calm and still.

Ling Jingchu quickly looked away, and even turned his body slightly to the side as if to avoid her.

She clicked her tongue inwardly, thinking he was still the same old-fashioned person as before.

No wonder her child is all grown up, and Ling Jingchu still doesn't have a lover!

Just as she was about to look away, Ling Jingchu raised her hand to pick up some food, and somehow the back of her collar was pulled open, revealing a bloody wound.

"Ling Jingchu, is there embroidery on your back?"

Jiang Jinhong, who was next to him, was stunned for a moment, and then casually pulled open Ling Jingchu's clothes. There was a whole red wound, which was obviously not caused by him bumping into something.

Ling Jingchu's expression darkened slightly, and he awkwardly pulled the clothes from Jiang Jinhong's hand.

"What's going on?"

"Jingchu, why didn't you tell us about this!"

"That's right, what a fine child he was, look at what he's become!"

Everyone became worried, but Ling Jingchu just pursed his lips and remained silent.

"Master Jiang, Madam Jiang, please save my young master!!"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

The servant beside Ling Jingchu knelt down with a thud, ignoring Ling Jingchu's low rebuke, and tearfully recounted Ling Jingchu's experiences during this period.

It turns out that Ling Jingchu was all alone and had been adopted by a merchant. Moreover, he had already passed the imperial examination at a young age, so the group of people looked down on him. First, they spread rumors, and then they put poisonous scorpions and snakes in his room.

These are the bites from the scorpion and the snake.

Looking at Ling Jingchu now, his lips seemed a little pale, and his face looked even more bleak against the backdrop of his white clothes.

He ignored them, staring intently at his servant Su Ye, and angrily rebuked him with a furrowed brow: "Shut up! You won't be coming back with me today!"

"How could they do such a thing? Next year is the big exam, how many of these old bastards will make it onto the list!"

"I'm going to teach them a lesson!"

Jiang Shuyue threw down her chopsticks and was about to rush out, but fortunately her aunt was quick enough to stop her.

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

She thought for a moment, then looked up at Ling Jingchu.

"Ling Jingchu, why don't you move back here? At least those people won't be able to find your room so easily, and they won't be so presumptuous."

Ling Jingchu's long eyelashes drooped, and his thin lips were slightly pursed, as if he was deep in thought.

Her father, Jiang Jinhong, seeing that he didn't speak, asked, "What, now you look down on us merchants too?"

Ling Jingchu quickly shook his head, his voice calm: "This is originally my own matter. If it involves Uncle Jiang and Aunt Ruan..."

"It's alright, these things can't kill me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ling Jingchu suddenly started coughing. Even as he covered his mouth with his hand, she still saw the blood seeping out from beside his hand.

"Young Master!"

"No need to say anything more. I'll have someone move your things over, and Su Ye can go with you. Otherwise, you'll be gone before you even pass the imperial examination!"

Her mother gave the order directly, without giving Ling Jingchu a chance to refuse.

The welcoming banquet ended with Ruan Qingshang finding a doctor for Ling Jingchu.

Ling Jingchu was fine, just as he said, it wouldn't kill him, but the doctor's expression was not good.

"I'm really lucky to be alive. They dared to just apply some medicine to this kind of poisonous scorpion. Luckily, I came to have my pulse checked now. If I had come any later, my reputation would have been ruined along with Master Ling."

Dr. Li coldly berated Ling Jingchu mercilessly, while Ling Jingchu silently chuckled to herself.

Dr. Li had practically watched them grow up; not only Ling Jingchu, but she herself had gotten used to being scolded.

“You’re a grown woman now,” Dr. Li glanced at her, “You didn’t even try to hide when I tried to lift his clothes. Get out, get out!”

She grinned and walked behind the screen. Ling Jingchu moved out after passing the imperial examination, as mentioned in her mother's letters.

Years have passed, and this place remains the same as before.

Ling Jingchu was an old-fashioned man with no other hobbies but reading and calligraphy.

While she and Jiang Shuyue were climbing a tree to steal birds' nests, Ling Jingchu was reading a book. When she and Jiang Shuyue disguised themselves and went to the casino, he was still reading a book.

In short, this person is incredibly boring.

Even the room is full of bookshelves. I don't know why they are reading so much every minute.

He was not seen participating in the last imperial examination and is still a minor instructor.

Ling Jingchu was very patient; she didn't hear a sound from behind the screen, which was a foot away.

She didn't realize it was over until Dr. Li came out and threw her a prescription.

She asked someone to prepare the medicine and then looked at Ling Jingchu through the screen.

At this moment, Ling Jingchu's forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and his whole body was completely pale. His white shirt was soaked with sweat and clung to his skin.

Dr. Li probably just hastily covered him with a coat, leaving the collar wide open.

...Her skin is very fair.

Contrary to her expectations, her chest was not just bone; it was slightly raised with beautiful lines and fine beads of sweat that momentarily masked the smell of blood.

“Jiang Yunshu…”

Ling Jingchu's voice was weaker than before, less cold and distant, which made people feel more pity for him.

It's definitely not lust...

"But I want to drink..."

Before she could finish speaking, several short blades grazed her hair, and as her hair fell, the person on the bed let out a painful groan.

Still in shock, she looked at Ling Jingchu as three short blades simultaneously pierced his heart!

She called out with trembling lips, but she couldn't hear her own voice at all.

The suffocating feeling of being on the verge of death made her almost forget how to breathe.

After calling for help, she turned back to look at Ling Jingchu. The short blade hadn't completely disappeared; she could clearly see a faint crescent moon on it.

Her whole body felt ice-cold; she had only ever seen this mark and this short blade with the Third Prince, Mo Yanzhou.

Mo Yanzhou was the person who tormented A Yao the most in her past life, and he later became a king.