After returning to the Qiu residence, Zhu Jiayu began to ponder Song Qingzhang's matter.
She promised Song Jiangmei that she would help her resolve this trouble, but she couldn't use direct methods, since Song Jiangmei would have to return to Yujing someday, and she couldn't let anyone find a handle against her.
According to Song Jiangmei, Song Qingzhang was the kind of person who loved to curry favor with the powerful and wealthy.
Speaking of powerful and influential people, she could actually think of one.
I just don't know if he will help her.
As Zhu Jiayu walked, she was lost in thought and didn't even hear Qiu Lingyan calling her. In the end, Qiu Lingyan came out of the pavilion and pulled her back to reality.
"Cousin Lingyan?" Zhu Jiayu was somewhat dazed when she saw the person in front of her.
Qiu Lingyan reached out and tapped her forehead with her finger: "What are you thinking about? You were so lost in thought that you didn't even hear me calling you!"
Zhu Jiayu smiled and said, "It's nothing. I was just distracted and didn't hear you. My cousin wants to talk to me."
"What? Can't I call you if there's nothing wrong?" Qiu Lingyan joked with her in a serious tone, "Our Ayu is so high and mighty!"
After she finished speaking, she pointed to the Green Ripple Pavilion next to her: "Mingyan and Boyan are over there. Do you want to go over and say hello to them too?" She complained in a low voice, "I don't know what you've been busy with lately. It seems like you haven't been seen all day since my cousin from the Qi family came!"
Zhu Jiayu pretended not to hear and squeezed her hand: "Cousin, what are you muttering about? Since Cousins Mingyan and Boyan are over there, I should naturally go over. But you, cousin, have you finished all the homework Aunt assigned? It's past Chenshi (7-9 AM), and you're not in a hurry. Aren't you afraid of Aunt's test now?"
Qiu Lingyan stomped her foot and said reproachfully, "You're just teasing me! I'm just stealing a moment of leisure. Who's always so tense, studying this and that all day long!"
As the two were talking, they arrived at the Green Ripple Pavilion.
Zhu Jiayu greeted the Qiu sisters, Qiu Boyan and Qiu Mingyan, and both stood up to return the greeting. Qiu Lingyan then pulled her to sit down, saying, "Don't be so busy all day long. The world is full of troubles, how can you finish everything? Why don't you sit down and chat with us for a while? Wouldn't that be nice?"
Zhu Jiayu readily agreed with a smile, "I had thought so long ago, but I was afraid that my cousins would think I was being presumptuous and would not dare to get close to me."
Qiu Lingyan waved her handkerchief: "That's why Grandmother likes you so much. There aren't many people as eloquent as Ayu these days."
She smiled and inquired of Zhu Jiayu, "Last time, what did Grandmother say to you and Cousin Qi when she kept you behind alone? Was she trying to set you up?"
As soon as she said this, both Qiu Boyan and her sister secretly turned their gazes to Zhu Jiayu, trying to glean some clues from her expression.
Zhu Jiayu smiled and said, "Of course not. My grandmother just said that although I am surnamed Zhu, I have the blood of the Qiu family flowing in my veins. Like my cousin Qi, I should support each other with my cousins."
"Really?" Qiu Boyan asked anxiously.
Zhu Jiayu looked over and saw the little girl staring at her expectantly, her earlobes slightly red, and her porcelain-white face flushed. However, she was unaware of her own feelings and tried to cover it up by twisting her handkerchief and saying, "I want to be close to my grandmother, which is why I pay special attention to what she says. Cousin, please don't misunderstand."
Before Zhu Jiayu could speak, Qiu Lingyan poked her puffed-out cheek: "Even if Ayu doesn't think much of it, your words have made her start to overthink it. But it's alright, since you've told us about it, Ayu will naturally understand, right?"
Qiu Boyan thought for a moment, nodded tremblingly, and mustered her courage to say to Zhu Jiayu, "Cousin, I... I have feelings for Cousin Qi, that's why I asked Third Sister to come and ask you what Grandmother said to you that day. If you're angry, blame me instead."
"What's so strange about that?" Zhu Jiayu smiled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and said, "I have no feelings for him. Even if Grandmother wanted to match us up, I wouldn't agree. Don't worry, Cousin."
Qiu Boyan said softly, "With my cousin's words, I am naturally relieved." Finally, she thanked her again in a low voice.
Qiu Mingyan was expressionless, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking, while Qiu Lingyan had a beaming smile on her face.
Zhu Jiayu nodded slightly, but she was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected Qiu Boyan to be interested in Qi Xiuyuan.
However, if you've only met a few times and don't even know the other person's character, how can you be sure of your feelings?
Furthermore, she wasn't very optimistic about the matter. Qi Xiuyuan had an extraordinary demeanor and clearly came from a prominent family. Although the Qiu family was also considered noble in Heling, the distinction between Heling and Yujing was vast. Not to mention, Qiu Boyan was simple-minded, while Qi Xiuyuan seemed much more profound.
From any perspective, the two are not a good match.
Thinking this through, Zhu Jiayu couldn't help but ask, "So what are your plans, cousin?"
"W-what plans?" Qiu Boyan asked in surprise, feeling somewhat confused. She was in love with her cousin from the Qi family, so what plans did she need to make?
"It's nothing." Zhu Jiayu shook her head when she saw her like this, and swallowed back the words that were about to come out. "Cousin is just fine like this."
Qiu Boyan smiled and nodded. Although she couldn't understand what her cousin Jia Yu was saying, she felt that at this moment, smiling and nodding was always the right thing to do.
"If my cousins have nothing else to do, I'll head back now?" Zhu Jiayu hesitated for a moment before saying.
Before Qiu Lingyan could speak, Qiu Mingyan had already stood up: "I'll see you off."
Qiu Lingyan could only swallow the words she was about to say and smiled as she said okay.
Zhu Jiayu nodded, turned around and left the Green Ripple Pavilion.
Qiu Mingyan followed behind her, and the two walked in silence for a while before she finally couldn't help but ask, "Does my cousin know something?"
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