Chapter 291 Extra: Jiang Xie 1

There was a primary school next to the Xie family's textile and dyeing garden.

Originally intended as an educational institution for the children of artisans at the Xie family's textile and dyeing workshop, it now offers free tuition and allows girls to study, learn to read and write, and even study needlework and embroidery.

Therefore, after two years of operation, it attracted many people from the surrounding area to come and study.

Hua Nanzhi never imagined that Xie Xuchuan's casual remark would become a good deed that benefits the village.

Having established this good relationship, she was happy to continue it, so she generously allocated another sum of money to clear a piece of land on the barren mountain behind the weaving and dyeing garden and expand the primary school.

But unexpectedly, more and more children came to learn, and some even came to learn needlework techniques and become apprentices in the weaving and dyeing workshop.

After discussing it, Hua Nanzhi and Xie Boyu simply found an old embroiderer and a loom craftsman to teach the children who were willing to learn embroidery and dyeing.

Six years later, the Xie family's business was not as successful as before, but the school had become famous.

The Xie family, having no shortage of money, expanded their school further and further.

The initial intention was simply to provide a place for the children of the artisans at the Xie family's textile and dyeing workshop, so that the artisans wouldn't easily switch jobs. Therefore, the tutors they sought out earlier were all ordinary people.

Jiang Zao is among them.

When Xie Jingyuan left Suzhou to travel to the Western Ocean, he left Jiang Zao with a considerable sum of money and a letter of divorce.

However, Jiang Zao was young and did not want the whole world to know about her divorce, so on the surface she was still the third wife of the Xie family.

After Xie Jingyuan left, she moved to the estate he had left her. Not long after, she brought Zhou He to the estate to live with her under the pretext of Zhou He recuperating.

The Jiang family came looking for them several times, but Zhou He and Jiang Zao refused to go back.

The Jiang family came looking for Zhou He not because they cared about her, but because without her, there was no one to take care of the household.

Jiang Zao, however, did not want her mother to go back and suffer again, which led to many conflicts with her father.

It was Shen Yuanzhu who heard about this and went to find Jiang Zao's father.

Zhou He didn't know how Shen Yuanzhu negotiated with the Jiang family, but in any case, the Jiang family never bothered them again after that.

However, she and her daughter were alone on the estate and had no means of support. Shen Yuanzhu was worried about them and thought of helping Jiang Zao start a business, but Jiang Zao refused.

It wasn't that she looked down on merchants, but rather that Jiang knew early on that her personality wasn't suited for it.

Later, when Xie Xuchuan heard about this, he asked Hua Nanzhi to help him arrange for Jiang Zao to become a female teacher at the Xie family's elementary school.

If Jiang Zao could read, teaching the children basic concepts like heaven and earth, and the characters for Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li would be no problem.

Moreover, she has many connections with the Xie family, and Hua Nanzhi is willing to take care of her.

It's just a matter of spending one or two taels of silver a month, which isn't a big deal for the Xie family.

Thus, Jiang had already stayed at the Xie family's primary school.

At first, she was timid and didn't know much, but now, eight years later, she is very skilled at teaching children.

Jiang Zao also loves this job. During the day, she reads with the children, and at night she studies diligently to enrich herself.

Today, Jiang has become a well-known female tutor in Suzhou Prefecture. Many wealthy families have come to sincerely invite her to be their daughter's tutor, but she has refused them all.

Today, another family came to her place.

Jiang Zao looked at the steward standing in the courtyard waiting for her and smiled apologetically.

Then, she bent down and watched the little girl next to her pick up a pen and practice calligraphy.

"Master Jiang..."

The little girl's eyes showed a hint of timidity.

She had accidentally stained the toilet paper and spilled ink all over her hand.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Zao gently patted her head.

She gently pulled up her sleeve, revealing a section of her fair wrist.

"Xingnian, you're gripping the pen too tightly; it's no wonder you can't write well with such a stiff hand."

She gently tapped the little girl's hand, "Loosen your fingers a bit, interlock your thumb and forefinger, don't clench too tightly..."

With her teacher right beside her, Xiao Xingnian didn't relax at all; instead, she became even more nervous.

She gripped the calligraphy brush in her hand tighter and tighter, and not only that, but sweat even appeared on the tip of her nose.

Seeing this, Jiang Zao smiled gently and took out a handkerchief from her bosom to wipe Xing Nian's nose.

"Don't be afraid, Master is not a tiger. It's okay if you don't write well. You have to take it slowly when practicing calligraphy. When Master was learning calligraphy, it took him a whole year."

"Really?"

Xingnian looked up: "Really?"

Jiang Zao laughed and said, "Really, so our little Xingnian is already very amazing."

The little girl, pouting at the praise, slowly relaxed.

Even someone as brilliant as Master Fu needed a year to learn, so she's not stupid either; she can definitely do it.

Xingnian wiped the sweat from her brow and slowly relaxed, mimicking Jiang Zao's movements.

She was practicing calligraphy by copying from a model book. The first few characters were written crookedly, but she gradually improved afterward.

Jiang Zao looked at it, nodded slightly, and then went to the other students.

After much effort, the housekeeper outside finally got to see Jiang Zao.

After the children finished school, Jiang tidied up the house and closed the doors and windows before slowly walking out.

Upon seeing this, the steward, who was waiting in the courtyard, hurriedly came to greet him.

"What has Master Jiang thought about it? Our master said that if Master Jiang is willing to come to the manor to teach the young lady, he is willing to give you a monthly tuition of fifty taels."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zao smiled and refused, saying, "As you know, I stayed in the Xie family not for the money, but because I couldn't bear to leave the other students."

"As for Mr. Bai's high regard, I can only apologize, as I am truly unworthy of such a heavy responsibility."

The housekeeper grew angry when she refused him several times.

His expression turned colder. "Master Jiang, let me be frank with you. My master wants to invite you to his residence. Firstly, so that you can teach the young lady her first lessons. Secondly..."

He looked Jiang Zao up and down and sneered, "It's because you, Master Jiang, have such a handsome appearance that you caught our master's eye."

"Please don't take offense at my bluntness, but with your family background, being able to enter our mansion is already a blessing from your past life."

"And you, don't push your luck. If you keep this up for too long, our master will lose patience, and you'll be the one who suffers."

Jiang Zao's face darkened upon hearing this.

But she wasn't the type to argue; besides keeping a cold face, she couldn't do anything else.

After a long while, she finally managed to utter a sentence.

"Master Bai, have you forgotten that I am already married and am the legitimate Third Madam of the Xie family?"

"Please go back and tell Master Bai that if they come to harass us again, I will report them to the authorities."

Jiang Zao clenched her fists, her face flushed red.

She was easily embarrassed and easily angered, and being humiliated like this made her both angry and anxious. Moreover, she felt somewhat awkward about being brought up her status as the wife of the Xie family at this time.

Eight years passed without any news from Xie Jingyuan, and she had long forgotten what he looked like.

Only at times like these would she remember that she had a "husband" whom she could use to appease those shameless people.

"Well……"

Upon hearing the title "Third Madam of the Xie Family," the steward in front of him suddenly realized who it was.

This Master Jiang is no innocent young woman...

Isn't his master trying to forcibly take a commoner's wife?

The steward pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then said, "Don't bring up the Third Master Xie. He's been at sea for so long, his bones are probably rotting at sea by now. It's a waste that you still care about him."

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Jiang Zao frowned, having lost all patience to deal with him.

Although Xie Jingyuan was now just a vague name in her heart, he had been good enough to her back then.

She was young then and didn't understand what the things Xie Jingyuan left her meant.

But when she and Zhou He moved out of the Jiang family home and lived on their own, she realized that the money, the estate, and the shops were the "reassurance" that would allow her to live a worry-free life.

Thanks to what Xie Jingyuan left behind, she was spared from becoming homeless.

So as she grew older, she became more and more grateful to him.

Even though she and the Xie family all believed that Xie Jingyuan was indeed in the West...

She didn't want others to curse him like that.

Jiang Zao glared at him fiercely and turned away.

Seeing this, the steward said, "Even if Xie Jingyuan is not dead, the fact that he hasn't returned for so long means he must have married a Japanese devil."

"How could he possibly think of you? And you're foolishly living like a widow for him. If you ask me, you'd be better off marrying my master. He can give you a proper status and a roof over your head."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zao's cheeks flushed red with anger. She stopped and turned back in a huff.

The manager saw her with red eyes and a flushed face, glaring angrily at him.

Just as the other party was about to utter some more offensive insults, Jiang spat out a "pui!" and then turned and left.

"laugh."

The steward said, "Stop pretending. Go back and tell the master to leave her hanging for a few days..."

Having said that, he prepared to leave with his servants.

But as soon as they turned out of the schoolyard, a person stood in front of them.

When their path was blocked, the steward frowned slightly, and his brows furrowed even more deeply when he saw the newcomer's attire.

The person blocking the road was wearing a gray Western-style suit.

The jacket was an oddly styled front opening, with a crisp shoulder line that clung tightly to the body, clearly outlining the man's tall figure.

The silver metal round buckle around the waist and abdomen has a uniquely cold metallic feel under the sunlight.

He stood sideways in front of the Bai family steward, his head slightly lowered, a cigarette dangling from his fingertips.

Xie Jingyuan crushed the cigarette butt between his fingers and glanced coldly at the Bai family steward.

"Who are you? You're dressed like a ghost, don't block my way."

Xie Jingyuan threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

He was wearing a pair of black leather boots, the uppers of which were polished to a shine.

These leather boots are different from cloth boots; they make a clicking sound when you walk on them, and it took him a long time to get used to that sound.

Xie Jingyuan lifted his foot, and the cigarette butt on the ground was crushed to powder.

Just as the Bai family steward was about to start cursing again, Xie Jingyuan raised his leg and kicked him in the chest.

"ah……"

The manager was kicked several meters away, and was in so much pain that he couldn't breathe.

Xie Jingyuan knew how powerful leather boots were.

Being kicked by a leather boot is completely different from being kicked by a cloth boot, after all...

I've experienced it firsthand.

"Manager Xu... Manager Xu..."

The Bai family servants surrounded him, while Xie Jingyuan turned and left.

He had just returned to Suzhou Prefecture yesterday and should have gone home to see his brother and sister-in-law earlier, but he didn't dare to show up all day yesterday.

He was away for eight years. Although he missed his family, he also had many concerns in his heart.

The old saying that one feels timid when nearing home is absolutely true.

He had planned to return to the Xie family today, but after lingering around the Xie family's gate for a long time, he didn't go in. However, he heard someone mention the Xie family's textile and dyeing workshop, so he thought he would come and take a look.

He had important business to attend to upon his return.

Xie Jingyuan never expected that after transferring from the dyeing and weaving workshop to the elementary school, he would meet Jiang Zao...

He hadn't expected Jiang Zao to have changed so much.

Xie Jingyuan didn't recognize her at first.

When he left, Jiang Zao was still a young girl, her face not yet fully developed.

In his memory, Jiang Zao was always a timid girl who would be terrified and scream at the sight of a Western film.

But it was this same girl who prepared clothes and food for him when he left. The gold and silver bars she hid in his inner garment saved him from danger several times when he was wandering alone in a foreign land.

Xie Jingyuan never expected that Jiang Zao had changed so much.

Eight years have passed, and the little girl has grown into a gentle and reserved young woman.

She stood there, wearing only a plain dress, her long hair tied in a simple bun, without any gold or silver ornaments, secured only by a wooden hairpin.

The girl who used to be reserved and timid has now shed her awkwardness and transformed from shyness into composure. Just standing there, she exudes a gentle, unassuming, and warm feeling.

When Xie Jingyuan heard her say that she was the third wife of the Xie family, he was so shocked that he almost burned his hand with the cigarette.

Even when encountering evil people, Jiang Zao now remains calm and composed, undisturbed. Instead, she is like jade that has been warmed by gentle water, peaceful and clear.

The only thing that remained unchanged was her gentle and gullible nature.

Even when humiliated and furious, all they can do is spit out a curse...

Xie Jingyuan couldn't help but smile faintly as he recalled Jiang Zao's appearance earlier.

After the initial amusement, the ripples in his eyes subsided, and he quickly regained his composure.

Although Jiang Zao and he had some connection, that was all.

Xie Jingyuan looked in the direction of the Xie family's textile and dyeing garden, hesitated for a long time, and then turned and walked towards the Xie family's direction.

Who is it?

The Xie family gatekeeper opened the door and glanced at Xie Jingyuan.

"Who is it? Where did this actor come from, dressed like a ghost?"

"..."

Xie Jingyuan lowered his head slightly. Having been used to wearing this outfit, he only realized how inappropriate it was when he returned to Suzhou.

But at this time he had no long robe to change into.

"Open the door."

"Who are you to open the door?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Jingyuan laughed angrily and said, "I am Xie Jingyuan, the third master of your Xie family. Go tell my elder brother that I am back."

"Third Master? You're Third Master?"

The gatekeeper looked up and carefully examined Xie Jingyuan under the wide brim of his hat. After staring at him for a long time, Xie Jingyuan let out a howl and ran back...

"Master, Madam, Third Master is back... Third Master... Third Master is back..."

The gatekeeper's voice echoed throughout the long courtyard, yet Xie Jingyuan felt inexplicably at ease upon hearing it.

He sighed softly and walked into the courtyard.

The changes in the house were neither huge nor small. Many things that Xie Jingyuan thought he couldn't remember came to mind after stepping into the Xie family's courtyard.

A stone, a tree, a brick, or a tile can all disturb his peace of mind.

Xie Jingyuan walked to the front of Yujin Hall, looked up at the plaque above, and stared blankly into thought.

From Suzhou Prefecture to a place thousands of miles away, and then back to Suzhou from that place.

Xie Jingyuan never imagined that he would actually...

I'm back.