Chapter 56: Do you dislike me or do you think I am not...
"Guan Qing? What are you doing at the study door?" Jiang Tong took a few quick steps, approached him, and shook him vigorously. "It's so cold, aren't you afraid of freezing to death?"
Su Guanqing uttered a vague "Ah," then said happily, "Tongtong, you're back!"
"Hold it for me," Jiang Tong put the box in his hand and turned to open the door of his room. "Why don't you come in and wait for me?"
There was a kang in her room, and a warmth came over her, and Su Guanqing couldn't help sneezing.
Seeing that he was holding the box in one hand and the bamboo stick in the other, which was inconvenient, Jiang Tong took out her handkerchief and wiped his nose.
Su Guanqing was caught off guard by her gently pressing a handkerchief on his face, and was stunned for a moment.
Her handkerchief still carried her body heat, a warm whirlwind. Perhaps she had rubbed it with glue during the framing process, leaving it with a slightly sweet, starchy aroma. Su Guanqing swallowed, his ears quietly reddening.
Jiang Tong didn't notice his abnormality. After she finished wiping him, she took the box and carried it into the bedroom to hide it. Then she came out and said, "I've been exhausted lately. I don't want to go to someone's house to repair paintings anymore. No matter how much money they offer, I won't go!"
As she spoke, she leaned closer to Su Guanqing and tugged at his thick collar, forcing him to bend slightly. Just as she was about to whisper in his ear what Zhu Zhanji had said today, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "You haven't answered me yet. Why don't you wait in the study when you have the key? Why do you have to stand out here in the hallway, out in the cold?"
"My key is with my cousin."
Jiang Tong was extremely displeased, his eyes widening: "Su Guanqing! How dare you give the key to your study to someone else?!"
"I didn't give it to you," Su Guanqing explained hurriedly, "He stole it from me."
Jiang Tong's expression turned serious: "What's going on?"
Su Guanqing then told him everything that had happened during the day.
"...Later, my cousin's wife intervened, and my cousin gave up. However, he refused to return my key. I was afraid he would sneak in and cause trouble, so I stayed at the door the whole time."
Jiang Tong was furious: "What kind of person is this! He actually thinks he's my boss! Guan Qing, go back and rest. I'll go take care of him."
"Tongtong..." Hearing Jiang Tong's footsteps approaching the door, Su Guanqing hurriedly called her, "Young Master Cousin is living in the west wing now."
…
When Zhao Quesheng walked to the ear room, he met the short and fat man again.
Fan Yanyu stared at Zhao Quesheng and said, "Whose maid are you serving? You're not sleeping at night and running around here."
Zhao Quesheng was puzzled and said, "I'm not a maid, I'm the teacher's student."
"What teacher? What student?" Fan Yanyu had never heard Zhong Wanci mention this before, and was confused for a moment.
"I am her teacher and she is my student." As she was speaking, Jiang Tong's voice came from behind the bamboo grove in front of the courtyard beside the corridor.
"Tongtong? You're finally back!" Fan Yanyu turned around and saw her, immediately putting on a smile. He scolded, "I've been here for so long, and you didn't even come back to accompany me."
"Accompany you? Why should I accompany you?" Jiang Tong didn't even look at him, stepped onto the stairs, and casually shook off the snow that had just stuck to him.
Zhao Quesheng immediately came over and helped her teacher to pat the snow off.
"We are about to get married, so naturally we have to cultivate our relationship well." Fan Yanyu said as a matter of course.
"I'll marry you?!" Jiang Tong turned around suddenly, and her voice rose a few degrees because of surprise.
"Yes, hasn't Auntie told you yet? But it doesn't matter. You don't have to arrange anything anyway. I've arranged everything for you. All you have to do is follow me."
"I'll go with you?" Jiang Tong was so angry that he laughed.
When Fan Yanyu saw her bright-eyed and white-toothed smile, he half regained consciousness. He no longer noticed the disgust hidden in Jiang Tong's eyes and shamelessly smiled and said, "Yes!"
"What have you arranged?" Jiang Tong was no longer in a hurry and simply decided to listen to what he had to say.
"I originally said that after you marry me, you should stay at home and take care of your husband and children. But my aunt said that you can make a lot of money as a painter. I discussed it with my mother and we will allow you to continue painting after we get married."
"Then you are quite reasonable." Jiang Tong said with a smile.
"Of course not," Fan Yanyu moved closer to Jiang Tong and stretched out his hand to hold hers. She dodged him, and he felt a little unhappy. He changed the subject and said, "But our family doesn't need your money. You can paint as you like, but you are a woman after all, and you have to do what you should do. When the time comes, I will be out there working on my business, and you can stay at home to take care of your husband and children..."
Zhao Quesheng widened his eyes and stared at Fan Yanyu in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe that someone dared to say such words to his teacher.
Behind the bamboo bushes, Su Guanqing stood in the snow, holding a bamboo stick tightly, his face a little pale.
"Really? What else have you planned?" Jiang Tong was furious, but still had a smile on his face.
Fan Yanyu didn't notice Jiang Tong's expression was wrong at all, and continued cheerfully: "There are many. For example, I plan to have four boys and four girls. I have already thought of their names. The eldest will be called Fan..."
"Stop it," Jiang Tong's smile faded. "I'm painting, giving birth, taking care of the house, and taking care of the child. Am I not tired?"
Fan Yanyu said gently, "If you're tired, just take a break. How can I tire you out?"
He was touched by her thoughtfulness and couldn't help but sigh, "You, don't worry about anything, just follow me and enjoy the good life."
"Enjoy happiness?" Jiang Tong snorted coldly, "I think it's suffering."
Fan Yanyu's smile froze: "What did you say?"
"You've planned everything for me, and now I've been completely taken advantage of. I should thank you, right?"
"Jiang Tong, how can you talk like that!"
Jiang Tong was too lazy to talk nonsense with him: "Stop daydreaming. I can't possibly marry you. It's too late today. You should leave early tomorrow morning. You are not welcome in my house."
Fan Yanyu was so embarrassed that his expression looked like he had knocked over a paint palette, which was very interesting.
Jiang Tong didn't even look at him. She reached out and rubbed Zhao Quesheng's head: "Quesheng, go and rest."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and walked away. Just as she was about to go down the stairs, her shoulders felt tight. It was Fan Yanyu who was pulling her shoulders from behind. He said angrily, "It's not your turn to decide whether to marry or not..."
Jiang Tong turned around and punched him in the eye. She had also practiced some martial arts, so the punch was powerful and accurate.
Fan Yanyu was caught off guard by her sudden attack and cried out in pain: "My eyes! My eyes! You vicious woman! You vicious woman!"
"This is the price you pay for bullying my people. It's not your turn to speak about my home!" Jiang Tong said coldly, strode down the stairs, walked to Su Guanqing's side, took his arm and left.
The snow in the yard was very thick. Jiang Tong kicked the snow hard as he walked, and it was obvious that he was still angry.
Su Guanqing didn't dare to say anything, he just let her pull him away obediently. When they reached the door of Jiang Tong's house, he spoke cautiously: "Tongtong, don't be angry..."
Before he could finish his words, he heard Jiang Tong's angry voice: "He bullied you, why didn't you tell me? Don't you have a mouth? He asked you to move out, so you moved out?"
"I'm sorry, Tongtong, I was afraid it would affect your painting work."
"Su Guanqing, you underestimate me! How can I be so easily influenced? If you dare to conceal something next time, I will show you how I will deal with you!"
Su Guanqing nodded repeatedly, and asked worriedly, "Tongtong, you treated him like this just now, Madam..."
"What Madam?" Jiang Tong didn't react at first. But when she finally understood, she was so angry that she almost exploded. She punched him in the chest, "What are you yelling about? Do you really think of yourself as a servant?"
Su Guanqing felt pain and was too aggrieved to dare to defend himself.
"One by one, none of them give me peace of mind!" Jiang Tong put his hands behind his back angrily and paced back and forth in the corridor vigorously.
"Tongtong, don't be angry. Anger is bad for your health. If you're still not satisfied, why don't you... kick me a few more times?" Su Guanqing pricked up his ears and turned around following her footsteps. He wanted to chase her but couldn't, so he could only get anxious.
Just then, Aqiao poked her head out of her room and gave Jiang Tong a wink.
In an instant, Jiang Tong regained her senses. She stopped in front of her door and said to Su Guanqing, "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. You sleep in my room tonight and I'll go to A-Qiao's."
Su Guanqing immediately refused: "No, this won't work. You go back to sleep and I'll go back to the servants' room."
"What's so good about it? There are so many people in the servants' room! It stinks! And the kang isn't heated! How can you tolerate it?"
Jiang Tong opened the door of her room and pushed Su Guanqing inside without saying a word, pushing him all the way to the dormitory.
"You sleep here!" she said, and pushed him to sit on the bed.
Su Guanqing panicked and struggled to stand up: "No, Tongtong, this is a woman's boudoir. If I spend the night here, it will be bad for your reputation."
"Guan Qing, don't move. I have something to ask you." Jiang Tong suddenly pressed his shoulders.
Su Guanqing sat down obediently and didn't move.
"Do you know that my mother plans to marry me to Fan Yanyu?"
A hint of sadness flashed across Su Guanqing's brows: "...I know."
"So what do you think?"
"I... I think he... he may not be suitable for you." Su Guanqing's voice was a little depressed.
"Who's right for me then?"
Su Guanqing clenched his teeth and said nothing.
Jiang Tong pressed on: "Su Guanqing, tell me, who do you think I should marry?"
"...As long as you like it, it's fine."
"Who is it? Tell me!" Jiang Tong raised her voice.
“…Tongtong.” A look of pain appeared on Su Guanqing’s face.
"You don't dare to say it?" Jiang Tong's tone was very aggressive. "Do you dislike me, or do you think I don't like you?"
Su Guanqing's lips trembled as he pleaded, "Tongtong, please don't force me."
"I want you to speak!" Jiang Tong grabbed his collar fiercely.
Su Guanqing finally yelled, "You know I'm a lowly person! We..."
His voice lowered, saturated with lingering pain: "We...can't get married."
As soon as he said this, the room fell into silence, with only the heavy breathing of the two people being heard.
Jiang Tong let go of him, took two steps back, and pressed his hand to his face. After a few breaths, he let go: "Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. Go to sleep."
"Tongtong, please let me go back to the servants' room. If I sleep here, it will ruin your reputation." Su Guanqing hurriedly got up again.
"What kind of reputation do I need?" Jiang Tong said sarcastically, "My mother brought a cousin here from far away and publicly announced her intention to marry me. All the servants in the family treated him like a future son-in-law. My reputation has already been ruined! You wouldn't be a big deal. I think a ruined reputation is just right. My mother won't have to worry about marrying me off anymore!"
"Tongtong, we really can't get angry about this..." Su Guanqing sat up and fumbled around for his bamboo stick, which he had dropped somewhere. "...I really can't sleep here."
However, before he could touch the bamboo stick, he heard the sound of the lock being locked.
Su Guanqing was suddenly startled and hurried to the door, only to find that Jiang Tong had indeed locked the door from the outside.
"Tongtong! No! Open the door quickly!" Su Guanqing knocked on the door anxiously.
Jiang Tong said, "You can sleep well in my room tonight. The furnishings in my room are similar to yours. Feel around a bit and don't bump into yourself."
She took two steps outside, then remembered something and added viciously, "If I find out tomorrow that the bed hasn't been moved, humph! Then I really won't pay any attention to you!"
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