Chapter 11 Why is there dissatisfaction even when there's noise?

On a moonlit night with few stars, candlelight still flickered in Yan Zhenxi's study.

Does it mean you don't like being around them?

Yan Zhenxi frowned as she looked at her fingers, the delicate touch of her skin still lingering on her fingertips.

He rubbed his well-defined fingers together a few times, as if trying to wipe away the burning sensation.

I clearly said I shouldn't pay attention to her anymore.

But seeing her sitting there pitifully all alone in the teahouse, Yan Zhenxi found himself walking up to her as if by some strange impulse.

Hearing her somewhat excited voice, I felt inexplicably happy.

Hearing her cries of pain from inside the carriage, my heart felt as if it were suddenly clenched.

Seeing her avoid his pressing movements, Yan Zhenxi's eyes, which had been focused under the veil, narrowed slightly.

Why do I feel dissatisfied?

Is it because it has slipped out of my control?

Definitely.

Yan Zhenxi turned his gaze back to the intelligence in his hand, suppressing the thoughts in his mind.

The bedroom is not far away.

Jiang Zhiyao sobbed and buried her burning face in the blanket.

As expected, she tends to overthink at night, and the encounter in the carriage earlier today kept replaying in Jiang Zhiyao's mind.

Jiang Zhiyao even came up with other somewhat ambiguous associations.

How could this happen?

Everything was fine before.

Every time Jiang Zhiyao closes her eyes, she recalls the scene she saw while lying on his lap.

The Adam's apple bobbed gently on his fair, slender neck, and his thin, crimson lips sometimes parted slightly, revealing a hint of dark red inside. I wonder if the tongue of this usually noble and aloof young master is pink...

"Ugh!" Jiang Zhiyao quickly stopped herself from thinking and buried her face even deeper into the pillow.

What should I do? I feel like I'm a real freak.

-

When Jiang Zhiyao woke up in the morning, there were some dark circles under her eyes. She yawned groggily.

"Miss, did you not sleep well last night?" Nan Zhi looked at Jiang Zhiyao with some doubt. "Would you like to light some incense to help you sleep tonight?"

"Ah, okay." Jiang Zhiyao was not fully awake yet, and it took her several seconds to understand what Nanzhi was saying.

Thinking of last night, Jiang Zhiyao frowned in annoyance. She didn't fall into a deep sleep until the sky began to turn slightly blue.

Jiang Zhiyao is actually quite sleepy and needs to sleep for four or five hours every day, otherwise she will feel listless all day.

I'll definitely go to bed early tonight.

At night, Jiang Zhiyao turned off the lights half an hour early.

After showering herself until she smelled wonderful, she pulled the covers over herself and inhaled the soothing scent in the air. Jiang Zhiyao thought to herself, "I'm sure I'll have a good night's sleep tonight."

Just as Jiang Zhiyao was about to fall asleep, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Jiang Zhiyao frowned deeply. What was she doing?

She didn't open her eyes, but slid down a bit, sinking into the blanket, and covered her ears with the sides of the blanket.

But the noise outside showed no sign of stopping; on the contrary, it grew louder and louder.

Jiang Zhiyao tossed and turned for more than ten minutes before finally unable to resist opening her eyes, lifting the covers, and sitting up. Even the most gentle person would be dissatisfied now.

She put on her coat and shoes, pushed open the door, and went out.

"Miss?" Nanzhi walked over at that moment. "Did I disturb you, Miss?"

Nanzhi's tone was full of indignation: "It was the Second Young Master who was listening to music and playing around outside our courtyard late at night."

Yan Ciying is here.

"Ci Ying." The friend beside Yan Ci Ying looked at her with some unease, "Are we really alright?"

Today, Yan Ciying invited his friends to his residence again.

But unlike the previous times, after drinking some wine that night, Yan Ciying suddenly told them that he wanted to come and play outside Yan Zhenxi's courtyard.

Yan Zhenxi was the eldest son of the Yan family, so he was naturally assigned the best courtyard, which was located next to the largest garden in the Yan family estate.

No matter how much trouble Yan Ciying and his friends caused before, they would never come here.

But now, Yan Ci narrowed his eyes. The alcohol he had recently consumed had dispelled the lingering fear he had felt towards Yan Zhenxi.

Yan Ciying hiccuped: "What's there to be afraid of? He's already blind. This Yan mansion will be mine sooner or later. I can go wherever I want!"

His friends next to him also laughed.

The initial fear had disappeared. Before, whenever Yan Ciying and Yan Ciying provoked him, Yan Ciying would always respond very gently, but afterwards they would be severely reprimanded by their elders. After a few times, they never dared to provoke Yan Zhenxi again.

Moreover, every time they faced Yan Zhenxi, although he had a smile on his face, they still felt a little uneasy inside.

Even after Yan Ciying grew up, he didn't openly provoke Yan Zhenxi for a long time.

But now, yes, Yan Zhenxi is just a useless person, no longer the high and mighty young master he once was.

Once he loses power, he'll still be bullied. The whole capital city is like this, praising the powerful and belittling the weak. So what if they make a ruckus outside his courtyard all night?

They exchanged glances, then burst into unrestrained laughter, ordering the musician to play louder.

They've disliked Yan Zhenxi for a long time.

Hearing the growing noise outside, Jiang Zhiyao reached out and pinched the bridge of her nose: "Is there any reaction from my husband?"

Nanzhi shook her head: "It seems that the son-in-law has already gone to sleep."

The lights in the other rooms in the courtyard were also turned off.

"Never mind." Jiang Zhiyao took out the storybook and waved it slightly at Nanzhi. "Nanzhi, want to read it together?"

Although Jiang Zhiyao was angry about Yan Ciying's behavior, she was actually helpless. Judging from Yan Ciying's behavior these days, she knew how smug and carefree he was in the Yan family.

Since I can't sleep anyway, I might as well take advantage of the music while I'm still listening and read the rest of the storybook.

I can just get up a little later tomorrow; it's not like I have to go and pay my respects to the head of the household anyway.

"Okay, okay." Nan Zhi nodded quickly and walked over to sit on the couch next to Jiang Zhiyao. She could stay up all night reading stories with her mistress again, hehe.

About an hour later, Yan Ciying and his group seemed to have gotten tired, and the noise gradually subsided.

Having already finished reading the storybook, Jiang Zhiyao was playing chess with Nan Zhi.

"Ha." Jiang Zhiyao couldn't help but yawn, her eyes welling up with tears. "Let's sleep now."

After saying that, he collapsed onto the bed, mumbling to Nanzhi, "I'll get up a little later tomorrow morning..."

His voice grew softer and softer, and after uttering the last word, it seemed as if he had fallen asleep.

Nan Zhi covered Jiang Zhiyao with a blanket, blew out the candle, then left the room and gently closed the door.

The bedroom was plunged into darkness.

-

Yan Zhenxi was not at the Yan residence last night; he went elsewhere to make some arrangements and only returned hastily this morning, still damp with dew.

Upon returning, Yan Zhenxi learned about the events of the previous night from the guards who remained at the Yan residence.

"Why didn't you come to find me?" Yan Zhenxi said coldly.

The guard immediately lowered his head and replied, "Sir, it was you who said earlier..."

Oh right, he had momentarily forgotten that he had said before that he should not stop Yan Ciying no matter what excessive behavior she might do.

However, Yan Zhenxi suddenly asked, "Has Jiang Zhiyao contacted me?"

"No, sir," the guard replied respectfully.

"I understand, you can leave now." His tone was even colder than before.

The guard retreated, somewhat puzzled. Wasn't the master always averse to being bothered? Shouldn't he find it easier since Miss Jiang hadn't come looking for him? Why did he seem even more displeased after hearing the answer?

A few days later, in Ji Wanqing's boudoir.

"Huh? How did you all know?" Jiang Zhiyao was very surprised.

After Yan Ciying made a scene outside Yan Zhenxi's courtyard that night, Jiang Zhiyao wondered what he was thinking and continued to make a scene outside the courtyard for several days in a row. She was puzzled. Wasn't he tired? Moreover, this behavior was really boring and childish.

"This matter has spread throughout the capital," Cheng Mingzhu said, shaking her head. "That Yan Ciying is really stupid."

Although Yan Zhenxi is now blind, he doesn't even consider why he went blind in the first place. He is still the Emperor's benefactor on the surface.

If Yan Ciying were to bully Yan Zhenxi in secret, it wouldn't be a big deal, but he brought more than ten friends with him, plus their respective servants. How could this matter not be spread?

Now the whole capital city knows about it.

To put it mildly, it was a feud between brothers; to put it more bluntly, it was Yan Ciying looking down on the emperor's benefactor.

In addition, Yan Zhenxi had a good reputation before, so many people are very dissatisfied with this incident.

“And another thing, Yao Yao,” Cheng Mingzhu narrowed her eyes, “didn’t you say you weren’t bullied?”

Ji Wanqing, who was drinking tea nearby, put down her teacup and also looked at Jiang Zhiyao.

Jiang Zhiyao felt a strange pressure: "This, this is not a big deal, and it doesn't count as bullying."

Cheng Mingzhu tapped the dark circles under Jiang Zhiyao's eyes: "I knew you wouldn't say it."

"I already sent someone to beat up that Yan Ciying today." Cheng Mingzhu clapped her hands with a hint of pride.

"Huh?" Jiang Zhiyao's eyes widened slightly. "Is this alright?"

"Hmph, what does it matter? Yan Ciying has offended far too many people in the capital. Besides, I had the men I sent find an excuse to beat him up openly and legitimately. Don't worry."

"Although he didn't break any bones, he'll still be in pain for a few days." It sounded a bit regretful.

"Th-thank you." Jiang Zhiyao's face was pinched by Cheng Mingzhu, and she thanked him somewhat vaguely.

"No need to thank me," Cheng Mingzhu said somewhat fiercely, slightly increasing the pressure on her hand.

"Alright." Ji Wanqing slapped Cheng Mingzhu's hand away, then raised her hand and gently rubbed Jiang Zhiyao's cheeks, which were slightly red from being pinched.

"I'll bring some jujube and yam cakes, pastries made by Nanzhi, and two embroidered fans this afternoon," Jiang Zhiyao said.

She had actually finished embroidering the round fan a long time ago. Summer was approaching, and she thought it would be quite practical. She didn't have much to do on weekdays, so she started embroidering it more than ten days ago and finished it today. She had originally planned to bring it over this morning, but perhaps because she hadn't been sleeping well lately, she had forgotten.

"Great, great!" Cheng Mingzhu said with a smile. "Yaoyao's embroidery is the most beautiful."

Jiang Zhiyao's embroidery skills are excellent; the stitches are very fine and dense, not inferior to those bought from embroidery shops.

Ji Wanqing and Cheng Mingzhu received many embroidered items from Jiang Zhiyao, such as purses, fans, and clothes.

"Thank you, Yao Yao, you've worked hard." Ji Wanqing patted Jiang Zhiyao's head with a light laugh.

"No, no." Jiang Zhiyao felt very satisfied and happy every time she saw that they liked what she made.