Jiang Shaoxing did not answer his mother's question. He simply took a piece of glutinous rice ball from the plate and left the rest for his parents.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Madam Jiang didn't say anything either. After all, the child was grown up and would have his own ideas.
She felt a little lost. In the past, Ah Xing was always cheerful and playful, not mature or steady at all. But after a serious illness, he suddenly grew into this aloof and cold person, as if he had aged several years in vain. He no longer climbed trees, went down to the river, fought dogs, or rode horses. Instead, he devoted himself to poetry and books all day long, becoming a person of outstanding talent and elegance in the eyes of outsiders.
She should be happy that her son is successful, but on the other hand, she often thinks that he always seems unhappy, and she doesn't know why a boy of such a young age has such a deep mind. Even she, as his mother, can't see through him.
She sighed softly.
Hearing this, Jiang Shaoxing looked up from the glutinous rice ball and asked his mother, "Why are you sighing? Is something bothering you?"
Madam Jiang smiled and shook her head: "It's nothing. I was just thinking about your father. He's a straightforward man. A few days ago, he insisted on impeaching the Minister of Works. I wonder what kind of argument he'll have with those people when he goes to court today."
Arguing was one thing, but the most important thing was that she feared the Minister's faction would retaliate against her husband afterward.
While others enjoyed a life of leisure and wealth as officials, she lived in constant fear for her husband, always worried that something might happen to him.
Jiang Shaoxing knew her worries. He lowered his eyes, thinking of Lu Yuan who had almost lost half her life, and said calmly, "Don't worry, Father is an upright man, and evil spirits will naturally not dare to approach him."
Madam Jiang forced a smile, feeling that her son was truly different. Although he was still young, he had already learned to be calm and composed. Although he was trying to comfort her, his words inexplicably made her feel convinced, and her worries about her husband seemed to have lessened.
...
The next day, Zhu Jiayu had his guards wait outside Liu Heng's residence.
In her mind, Liu Heng wouldn't give up so easily after sending Mingxin to the Ning Mansion. He would definitely come up with other ways. So she simply had the guards follow him to see who he met every day. She was sure she could find something to use against him.
Who would have thought that Liu Heng was on leave today and hadn't left the house all day?
As evening approached, the guard finally returned with a message, saying that he had seen Liu Heng change his clothes and walk out.
Zhu Jiayu was already sitting in the teahouse opposite the Liu residence. She told the guards to go back and follow them, while she considered whether she should go along as well.
But after waving away the guards, she saw Jiang Shaoxing walking towards her, and she thought to herself, "I'm afraid I don't need to think about it anymore."
Sure enough, the next moment Jiang Shaoxing walked over and cupped his hands in greeting to her: "Sister."
Zhu Jiayu smiled faintly: "What a coincidence, running into A-Xing here. Are you here for tea?"
Jiang Shaoxing nodded, his dark eyes fixed on her without blinking, until Zhu Jiayu felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze. Then he lowered his eyes slightly and said, "The pastries my sister sent last time were delicious. I haven't thanked her yet."
His expression was indifferent, and his tone of voice was also indifferent, yet beneath this calm exterior lay extremely deep emotions, which he was desperately suppressing.
He was afraid that if he accidentally revealed it, it would frighten the person in front of him, so he could only endure and suppress it.
He remembered what his teacher had taught him: "Be patient and persevere; things will work out if you take your time."
Zhu Jiayu smiled and shook her head: "It's nothing, just a small favor, no need to thank me. Since you want tea, do you have an appointment?"
Jiang Shaoxing was taken aback for a moment, then said, "No."
"Then why don't you sit with me?"
Is this a good idea?
Zhu Jiayu had already lowered her head, picked up the teacup and placed it opposite him, then picked up the teapot and poured him a bowl of tea. She said helplessly, "You call me 'sister,' so there's no need for us to avoid each other over such a small matter."
She truly treats Jiang Shaoxing like a younger brother, both in the past and now.
She still remembered that he secretly brought a puppy back from the street, saying that he wanted to raise it with her. In the end, the puppy grew up to be round and plump. Later, when Imperial Censor Jiang resigned from his post, he was going to take them back to his hometown. Before leaving, he came to find her, wanting to leave the puppy with her as a keepsake.
But she didn't accept it.
He pressed her for an explanation, but she couldn't utter a single word.
In the end, she only saw the light in his eyes gradually fade away, and he finally became very disappointed. He refused to say another word to her and left with the puppy again.
The boy's back was tall and slender like a green bamboo, yet he was also very lonely.
But she thought that this time, they wouldn't end up like they did before.
She is no longer Rong Heng's wife, nor will she be disheartened or afraid that she can't even protect a pet after the people around her have left her one after another.
Jiang Shaoxing was a little unhappy when he heard her words, but he quickly suppressed his emotions and sat down in front of her.
Through the wisps of tea smoke, as green as gauze, he looked at Zhu Jiayu and slowly tightened his grip on the teacup.
Seeing that Zhu Jiayu kept looking downstairs, he couldn't help but ask, "Sister, is something the matter?"
Zhu Jiayu looked away. "No." She smiled and asked him again, "Why didn't I see you with Young Master Xi today?"
She heard that his closest friend in the capital was Xi Huan.
Jiang Shaoxing said softly, "He had something to do today, so I came out alone."
Zhu Jiayu nodded: "So you came out today specifically to have tea?"
Jiang Shaoxing then smiled.
Quite suddenly, he recalled some scenes from his dream. In the dream, he was already fourteen or fifteen years old, yet still immature, spending his days imitating the unrestrained manner of the poem, "The young man hunts a rabbit on the plain, riding home triumphantly with it on his back." She was clearly only two or three years older than him, yet she was calm and gentle, like a peach blossom by the water in the sunset, pure and warm, with the texture of white jade. In short, she was very different from the spoiled and domineering young ladies around him.
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