Chapter 11: His expression was playful.

It was a new day, and the tranquility of the Jiang residence was broken by the laughter of children as usual.

Jiang Suisui held the windmill, circled around the yard, and blew it with his mouth.

In comparison, Jiang Chengyou, who was squatting in the middle of the yard with his hands covering his face, looked particularly sad.

Finally, Jiang Suisui, who was tired from running, sat down on the ground next to her brother, and looked towards the gate together.

"Brother, what are you looking at? Why are you so unhappy?"

Jiang Chengyou sighed deeply, "I won't be able to play with you anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to be tortured."

Song Baoyuan, who was walking behind them, laughed dumbly, "What do you mean by torture? It's just going to school."

"Mom!" Jiang Suisui turned around when he heard the voice, threw away the windmill in his hand, and rushed over immediately.

"It means torture!" Jiang Chengyou said angrily, "I heard from Uncle Liu'an that Daddy often arrests people for torture. Daddy told me in person with a stern face yesterday that he would arrest me today!"

The maids beside them all laughed out loud.

Song Baoyuan picked up her daughter, looked at her son, and sighed, "You ran away when you saw your father. How could he take you to see the teacher if he didn't catch you?"

Jiang Chengyou tilted his head back, his brows furrowed like an adult, as if filled with unspeakable sorrow.

"Madam," Qiao Yin trotted after her, "Master Zhuang has arrived at the front hall. Master said you should take the young master there now."

Song Baoyuan handed Jiang Suisui to the nanny and went to hold Jiang Chengyou's hand, "Come on, Chengcheng, your father asked us to go over."

Seeing his face full of resistance, he whispered, "If you miss the time, your father will really come and arrest you himself."

Jiang Chengyou shuddered, and honestly took his mother's hand and walked out together, but he still couldn't help crying, "Mom, am I Daddy's biological child? Why is he so cruel that he wants to arrest me and torture me too!"

"They said they were going to school." Song Baoyuan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Jiang Chengyou was immersed in his own sorrow and could not hear anything.

It took me a long time to get to the front hall, and a quarter of an hour had passed.

Song Baoyuan stopped and saw the knowledgeable classmate Jiang Keyu mentioned through the crack of the door.

He is born with a handsome appearance, at least in terms of his facial features, he looks like a righteous gentleman.

Song Baoyuan squatted down, straightened the collar of Jiang Chengyou's shirt, and reminded him, "You have to bow before you go over, understand?"

"Won't you go with me, mother?"

Song Baoyuan paused, and looked through the crack in the door again to glance at Jiang Keyu who was greeting his classmates.

I don't know if it's because I had some grudges in my heart before, but I always feel that his smile when talking or greeting others is much more relaxed and comfortable than when he is in front of me, his wife.

"Sui Sui is still waiting for mother. You have to be brave and don't be afraid. Your father is here."

Jiang Chengyou hesitated to speak.

The scariest time in the world is when Daddy is around.

But his mother looked at him with such expectation that he hesitated and just nodded, then turned around and crossed the threshold as if he was ready to die.

Song Baoyuan watched his small figure from behind, and when she saw him walk to Jiang Keyu's side, she left with peace of mind.

The moment her figure disappeared at the door, Jiang Keyu, who was meeting guests in the front hall, turned around and only had time to catch a glimpse of a piece of clothing.

"Didn't mother come with you?"

Jiang Chengyou saluted obediently and looked up and said, "I'm a big boy now. I don't need my mother to worry about such a small matter."

Jiang Keyu's eyelids twitched, and her eyes showed doubt.

He didn't expose him, but introduced him, "This is Master Zhuang. From today on, he will stay at the mansion and teach you how to read and write."

"Greetings, Master Zhuang." Jiang Chengyou bowed politely, with a stern face and a straight posture.

Zhuang Yingxu couldn't help laughing after seeing this. "A few years ago, I was writing to an old friend in Beijing, and he mentioned that you had given birth to a child who was completely different from me. Seeing it with my own eyes today, it wasn't such an exaggeration. The child is very well-behaved."

Jiang Keyu smiled bitterly and shook her head, "It's not too late to say this later."

"Let's not talk about anything else." Zhuang Yingxu squatted down and looked Jiang Chengyou in the eye. "At least your young master looks like you. He will definitely be a popular guy in the future, just like you."

Attracting bees and butterflies, as soon as these four words came out, the image of the lady sitting alone in the pavilion by the water appeared involuntarily in Jiang Keyu's mind.

The question of who that man was once again loomed in my mind.

"But he doesn't look like me." He looked at his son's face carefully for the first time and said with certainty, "He looks like his mother."

"My dear," the servant outside hurried over to announce, "Miss Sheng is here."

Jiang Keyu didn't have time to think about what she was doing there, and subconsciously glanced at Zhuang Yingxu first.

The latter's eyes froze for a moment, but soon returned to normal.

Being in the same academy, many things that should have been kept secret back then were actually known to everyone, and were even widely circulated for a long time.

For example, Jiang Keyu was nearly engaged to Sheng Qiyin, but her adoptive father's daughter intervened. Zhuang Yingxu later confessed his feelings to Sheng Qiyin, but was bluntly rejected. Coupled with the double blow of failing the imperial examination, Zhuang Yingxu chose to leave the capital, where he has lived for six years.

"Ahem." Jiang Keyu cleared her throat. "Liu'an, take Master Zhuang and the young master to Jingzhai, and tell Madam that there are guests."

Zhuang Yingxu stood up, just smiled, patted Jiang Chengyou on the shoulder, and said nothing more.

*

The room was quiet. Jiang Suisui leaned against the doorway and peeked in.

After making sure that no one was around, she tiptoed in and went straight to the dressing table.

She climbed clumsily, stepped onto a chair, and lay on the table to reach her mother's jewelry box.

When I opened it, I saw all kinds of pearl hairpins, hairpins, pearl flowers... I couldn't help laughing out loud.

Facing the mirror, she put all the beautiful jewelry on her head.

"Sui Sui?"

Mother's voice came from outside the door. Jiang Suisui knew that her mother had come and immediately became flustered.

"Bang!"

She knocked over the jewelry box.

Hearing the noise, Song Baoyuan hurried into the house and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that only something had fallen.

Jiang Suisui grabbed the notebook that was originally pressed under the jewelry box and opened it curiously, but she could not read.

"Mom, what is this?"

Song Baoyuan stepped forward and lifted her down from the chair. "Here's an invitation. Uncle Chang invites you and your brother to visit his home in a few days."

"Really?"

"Um."

"Then I can play with Sister Yangyang again!"

Jiang Suisui grabbed the invitation and ran out of the house excitedly.

Song Baoyuan was helpless and told Qiaoyin to follow her closely while she squatted down to pick up the jewelry on the ground.

Jiang Suisui had just left when Qiao Yue walked in.

"Madam, Liu'an just said that the young master wants you to meet a guest in the front hall."

Qiao Yue's emotions were mixed. "They say Miss Sheng is here."

Song Baoyuan frowned slightly when she looked up, "Where's the teacher?"

"I went to Jingzhai with the young master."

Song Baoyuan stood up and turned around to look at herself in the bronze mirror.

I don’t know what that person is here for, but whether she is willing or not, it seems... as long as her identity does not change, she has no reason not to show up.

The same thing happened with that invitation.

"Let's go."

Qiao Yue heard this and followed behind.

Before reaching the front hall, Song Baoyuan heard the girl's silver bell-like laughter through a door.

Not wanting to waste time thinking about it, she walked straight into the front hall without stopping.

"Sister Song!"

As soon as Sheng Qinyin saw the figure, she immediately stepped forward to greet him.

Song Baoyuan put on a polite smile, and for a moment she didn't know who was the host and who was the guest.

"Why is Miss Sheng here?"

"I'm here to return your clothes," Sheng Qiyin said with a smile. She picked up the wooden box beside her and opened it herself. "I was wrong to wear your clothes without your consent. Yesterday, I passed by Tanghua Garden and saw a very beautiful cloud-shaped fan. I bought it specially as an apology gift for you."

Song Baoyuan lowered her eyes and took a glance, then placed a fan on the folded clothes.

I don’t know if she was being too sensitive, but the clouds looked like the sun setting in the west.

"The clothes don't need to be returned, but since Miss Sheng has already sent them back, I'll take them back. But I can't accept this gift."

"Ahem." Jiang Keyu, who was sitting in the back, suddenly interrupted them, "Since Madam is here, I'll go on duty first."

Song Baoyuan turned around, made eye contact with him briefly, then lowered her eyes and warned, "Husband, be careful on the road."

Jiang Keyu nodded, stood up and walked out.

"Wait a minute, second brother!" Sheng Qiyin anxiously stuffed the wooden box in her hand into Song Baoyuan's hand, and caught up with Jiang Keyu in small steps. "I have to go to Tanghua Garden again later. Since you are going to Dali Temple, it's just on the way. Can you give me a ride?"

Jiang Keyu was surprised, "Where is your carriage?"

"It broke down on the way." Sheng Qiyin said, hammering her leg, a little aggrieved, "I walked a long way to get to your house."

Jiang Keyu's gaze passed over the head of the person in front of her and fell on Song Baoyuan.

The latter didn't look at him, but just put the wooden box on the table and straightened his cuffs.

Doesn't seem very happy.

"I'm afraid I can't take it."

"Why?" Sheng Qinyin snorted, seeming dissatisfied.

Song Baoyuan finally turned around and looked over.

Jiang Keyu hurriedly avoided his sight and explained, "I'm going to Dongqiao Street to investigate a case. Chang Yunbai is still waiting for me there."

Sheng Qiyin pouted, "Then what should I do?"

"Looking for your sister-in-law."

Jiang Keyu said this and hurried out.

"Huh?" Sheng Qinyin stared at him as he left.

Song Baoyuan was behind her and said calmly, "Miss Sheng, just tell me where you want to go. I will arrange a carriage to take you there."

Sheng Qiyin turned around slowly, "Sister Song, are you really willing to borrow the carriage?"

Song Baoyuan thought her words were strange, "Of course."

Hearing this, Sheng Qiyin breathed a sigh of relief, "It seems I was worrying too much."

Her expression suddenly brightened, and she spoke playfully, "I thought Sister Song hated me, that I would be dirty if I touched her, and she was afraid that I would steal her things."

Song Baoyuan raised her eyes and said, "Why are you afraid of words?"

"That's good." Sheng Qiyin avoided the question. "Then I'll trouble Sister Song to have the servants take me to Tanghua Garden. My eldest brother's family is having a housewarming party in a few days, and I have to go and carefully pick out some jewelry, otherwise it would be too embarrassing to show up."

Song Baoyuan glanced to the side, and Qiao Yue understood and took out the cloud-shaped fan.

"Miss Sheng, you should take this thing back."

"No!" Sheng Qiyin said with a smile, "Sister Song is also going to Big Brother's housewarming party. This fan depicts the beautiful scenery of dusk, with the clouds about to fade. It suits Sister Song very well."

Their eyes met, one was smiling, the other was calm.

After a moment's reaction, Song Baoyuan took the fan from Qiao Yue's hand and walked slowly towards Sheng Qinyin.

She held the fan in front of her eyes, as if examining it carefully.

"Dusk." She stopped in front of Sheng Qiyin and murmured, "Dusk."

Sheng Qiyin didn't understand.

Song Baoyuan suddenly raised the corners of her mouth, gently pried open the hands of the person in front of her, and put the fan handle in.

"Miss Sheng, have you been staying up late lately, or eating too many green tangerines?"

Sheng Qinyin was stunned and subconsciously wanted to drop the fan.

Song Baoyuan suddenly exerted force on her hands, wrapping her up so that she couldn't get rid of it.

But the moment she gave up struggling, he raised his hand and stroked her face as if teasing her.

"Huanghun, it's obvious that Miss Sheng's complexion is more compatible with her!"

"you……"

"joke."

Song Baoyuan lowered her tone and suddenly became serious, "I have children at home and can't get away. Qiaoyue, please see Miss Sheng off for me."

"yes."

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