Chapter 12, He knew from the start that this man couldn't utter a single kind word...
A slightly abrupt voice fell.
Xue Chan suddenly looked up and bumped directly into Jiang Ce's chin, making him see stars.
"ah!"
Both of them cried out in pain; one of them, in particular, grimaced and tilted his head back, clutching his chin.
Xue Chan clutched her head, collapsed to the ground, and gritted her teeth.
What's wrong with this person? Why is he bending over and getting so close?
Jiang Ce rubbed his chin, looking displeased: "Why did you suddenly look up?"
"..."
Xue Chan was helped to her feet by Yun Sheng. She took two steps back to create some distance between them. She raised her hand and gently brushed the snow off her body.
"I had no idea that you had such a habit of standing quietly next to people."
Hearing the sarcasm in her tone, Jiang Ce rubbed his still slightly aching chin and said, "This is my Wu'an Marquis's residence. I'm at home. I can go wherever I want."
"Xi Tuan, come here."
He reached out, and Xituan jumped onto him, giving him a warm hug.
Jiang Ce pinched its chin and chuckled softly.
"You're having so much fun with this little thing. I've given you so many toys before, but you never seem to enjoy playing with them."
He drew out the last part: "Truly heartless..."
Xue Chan stood to one side, remaining silent.
"Oh dear!" Jiang Ce exclaimed in a cheeky manner, then quickly feigned apology, "Miss, please don't misunderstand, I was talking about it."
childish.
Upon hearing this, Xue Chan couldn't help but chuckle softly.
“Young master was born into the family of the Marquis of Wu’an, a family of men of iron will and integrity. I imagine you are open-minded and upright. I know you are not talking about me.”
She stood by the water; the night was dark, and her expression was obscured, but her soft voice could be heard.
"As for Xituan, it's just a cat. It's too much to ask it to understand the relationships and grudges between people."
Jiang Ce snorted and said, "What, Miss Xue hasn't even married into the Marquis of Wu'an's household yet, and you're already meddling in my family affairs?"
Xue Chan spoke gently and calmly.
"I had some fun with Xi Tuan and developed some feelings for him, hence my pity. I don't think the Second Young Master would hold such a grudge."
Jiang Ce felt a lump in his throat, unable to swallow it.
He suppressed his anger and said, "I'm not that petty. If Xituan likes you, that's its business. I won't hold it against it."
Xue Chan smiled lightly and said, "Thank you for your understanding, my lord."
He looked at Xue Chan and smiled, "But Miss Xue, besides thanking me, don't you have anything else to say?"
Xue Chan was slightly puzzled and didn't speak for a moment.
"For example," Jiang Ce gently stroked Xi Tuan's fur and whispered, "an apology."
"Forgive my ignorance, but I do not understand your meaning?"
“Miss Xue…” He chuckled and leaned slightly closer, “Do you really not remember me?”
Xue Chan kept her head down: "I don't know what the Second Young Master is talking about."
Jiang Ce wanted to mention Kuzhu Temple, but then felt it wouldn't be appropriate to bring it up at this time, so he said, "Young lady, you're so young, how can you be so forgetful?"
She lowered her head and remained silent, as if she hadn't heard.
Xue Chan didn't want to argue with him, so she just smiled gently.
"This was an accident, and I have a clear conscience. Besides, if the Second Young Master hadn't been standing behind me and startled me, how could I have bumped into him?"
"I'm such a big guy standing right behind you, how could you not see me? How do you know it wasn't intentional?"
"..."
Jiang Ce started picking a fight, and Xue Chan was speechless for a moment.
"I have just met the Second Young Master, how could I deliberately target him? You are quite the joker."
"First time meeting?" Jiang Ce knew she was pretending. "Look at me, do I seem familiar?"
Xue Chan didn't want to pay attention to him, but she couldn't just turn her back and leave, so she could only put aside her temper and look at him.
She glanced at it only once, then lowered her eyes as if suddenly realizing something, and said, "Oh... I didn't see it clearly that day. It was you. What a coincidence."
It's quite a coincidence, really.
Jiang Ce raised an eyebrow: "If that's the case, then apologize."
Apologize? Maybe in your next life.
Xue Chan wanted to leave, but he silently stepped forward and blocked her way again.
Jiang Ce raised his chin: "Apologize."
Xue Chan felt that he was being unreasonable and making trouble, and that she could take action against him.
If it were anyone else, it wouldn't matter, but there's a marriage involved.
She would bear with it for now and talk about it another day.
"It was dark and I couldn't see you clearly. I didn't mean to bump into you."
Xue Chan gave a slight bow.
Jiang Ce laughed, "Miss Xue is well-versed in poetry and literature, and I imagine that Master Xue has taught her with great care. How could she not know the story of 'bearing thorns to apologize'? This humility is too perfunctory."
Xue Chan said, "Does the Second Young Master want me to plead guilty with a bundle of thorns on my back?"
"Of course not. You are neither Lian Po nor Lin Xiangru." His voice became lighter, and a triumphant smile appeared on his face. "I just hope that you will apologize sincerely."
Jiang Ce was so persistent and demanding that Yun Sheng couldn't help but want to protect her.
Xue Chan sensed her intention, but first shielded her behind her.
"Since you want me to apologize, I will. I believe you are magnanimous and won't hold it against me."
After saying this, she bowed gracefully again. Her head drooped even lower, her gesture of respect even greater.
Jiang Ce remained silent, allowing Xue Chan to continue her bowing gesture.
Seeing her reminded me of the suffering I endured at the Bitter Bamboo Temple, which made me feel quite uncomfortable.
Jiang Ce thought gloomily: It's okay to let her endure it a little longer.
After a while, he slowly asked, "Generosity? If I insist on holding a grudge and refuse to forgive, what will you do, Miss Xue?"
Xue Chan said, "Not good."
"I am just a weak woman, and the Second Young Master insists on making a fuss about it. What can I do but endure it?"
All the sharpness fell on her, but it was as soft and fluffy as cotton, and everything melted away.
Why does this sound so awkward and uncomfortable?
Jiang Ce lowered his eyes.
The sky had grown even darker by then, and she was standing even lower.
A lantern was placed by the pond, shining on her. Jiang Ce first noticed the several pearl hairpins in her dark hair.
Because Xue Chan lowered her head, a section of her slender white neck, wrapped in a fur collar, was revealed, looking as if it could be broken at any moment in the wind.
Looking forward with that bent neck, her outline was vaguely visible.
I could only vaguely make out that she had an oval face and long, thin eyebrows.
His eyebrows and eyes were curved, giving him a gentle appearance.
He was refined and handsome, but physically frail; standing in front of him, he looked as if he could collapse at any moment.
Jiang Ce couldn't help but frown. Such a delicate woman seemed impossible to reconcile with the act of ruthlessly kicking him into the ravine on that rainy night.
But he knew very well that this seemingly frail person could at any moment dismantle his bones into an incredibly sharp weapon, taking lives unexpectedly.
He gets angry whenever he thinks about it.
He only felt that Xue Chan was cold and indifferent, and then he looked at her obedient appearance...
He felt it was an eyesore, an absolute eyesore.
Although the person in front of him appeared very humble, bowing and apologizing, Jiang Ce knew she didn't care at all.
She probably cursed him in her heart.
Jiang Ce gritted his teeth: "Miss Xue, is this your attitude towards apologizing?"
Xue Chan smiled and said, "If you are not satisfied, I can apologize again. But since the Second Young Master insists on this, there is nothing I can do."
A gust of wind blew by, bringing a chilly gust.
Does he care about her apology?
No, I care about that too.
Jiang Ce was clearly annoyed by her attitude, but this time he actually smiled.
He laughed in exasperation, his eyebrows twitching.
Unexpectedly, Xue Chan said again, "If the Second Young Master is not satisfied, then do as you wish. I have nothing to say and no words to argue."
After saying this, she curtsied again, very respectfully, and raised her voice a little.
Jiang Ce's breath hitched, and after enduring it for a while, his face became more radiant than fireworks.
Pooh!
What a heart that hides pearls, a heart that possesses beauty and radiance.
He knew this person wouldn't say a single nice thing, not a single word he wanted to hear.
The plum blossoms overhead smelled so sweet; from afar, they seemed to fill one with a refreshing fragrance, but getting too close only brought a dizzying and irritating sensation.
Jiang Ce was thinking of tearing away her gentle and weak facade.
The servants passing by, busy with their own tasks, kept an eye on what was happening in their direction. From the outside, he appeared aggressive and menacing, while she looked weak and pitiful; they were absolutely convinced that they were bullying her.
Jiang Ce was furious, but he couldn't do anything to her.
Insults and physical violence are out of the question; that would be too despicable.
To hold a grudge would make him seem petty. To let it go would be too lenient on her.
Seeing that Jiang Ce remained silent, Xue Chan took two steps back and smiled slightly: "I've been out for a while, and I dare not disturb the Second Young Master's appreciation of plum blossoms. I'll take my leave now."
They left quickly, and Jiang Ce exhaled repeatedly, belching out the gas in his stomach.
He clenched his fist, and a sharp pain shot through his palm.
Opening it up, Xue Chan's hairpin lay in her palm.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ce carried Xi Tuan and followed her at a distance, all the way to the waterside pavilion.
As soon as she entered the waterside pavilion, the maid who delivered the message said that Cheng Huaizhu and the others were still at the banquet and couldn't leave, so she should wait here for a while.
So Xue Chan found a place to sit down and started boiling water to make tea.
Just as the water on the clay stove boiled, Jiang Ce casually picked up the cat and sat down in front of her.
Xue Chan broke up the tea cake and put it into the teapot.
"Second Young Master, did you chase me all the way here because you think I'm not sincere enough and want me to kowtow and submit?"
He laughed and said, "Although I come from a military family, I have been educated in poetry, literature and etiquette since childhood, so I am not so narrow-minded. Since you have apologized, I have nothing to hold against you."
Xue Chan smiled faintly.
"What brings the Second Young Master here?"
"Your hairpin." He handed over the beaded hairpin in his hand.
Xue Chan looked up and met his gaze.
Jiang Ce, sitting in front of her, was languid and smiling, casually touching Xi Tuan.
Xi Tuan began to snore, and even rolled over in his arms.
Thank you.
Xue Chan reached out to take it, but the hairpin was still held firmly in his fingers, impossible to pull away. She tried to pull it away, but it wouldn't budge an inch.
Instead, Jiang Ce pulled back, causing Xue Chan to stumble and fall towards the coffee table, almost landing in front of him.
Xue Chan quickly reached out and grabbed the edge of the table to steady herself and prevent the coffee table from tipping over.
She raised her face, and Jiang Ce looked down and raised an eyebrow.
She pursed her lips and bit her lip slightly, but Jiang Ce only gently pulled it out, and with a twist of his fingers, the hairpin was once again inserted into Xue Chan's hair.
"Miss Xue, please be careful."
Yun Sheng helped Xue Chan sit up straight and then calmly straightened her clothes.
Jiang Ce was in a good mood seeing her in such a disheveled state, his eyes crinkling with laughter.
He said, "Hairpins are accessories, so please wear them properly, young lady. Don't use them to harm people."
Xue Chan smiled slightly and slowly spoke.
"If everything is fine, the hairpin should naturally be worn properly in one's hair. Who would be so cruel as to hurt someone for no reason? You are joking, Second Young Master."
Jiang Ce's smile faded, and he silently observed her.
I wonder if Xue Chan still remembers what happened that day, or if she still remembers him.
Perhaps she had been looking at it for too long, Xue Chan's face showed displeasure.
"Does the Second Young Master know the saying 'Do not look at what is improper'?"
Jiang Ce couldn't help but find it amusing: "Look at you, it would be more pleasing to the eye for me to go back and look at myself in the mirror."
She smiled faintly and said, "I am but a humble person, how can I compare to your golden and jade-like appearance? Second Young Master, your demeanor is outstanding, and anyone else would pale in comparison."
Sure enough, he really disliked this person.
In terms of appearance, she wouldn't stand out in a crowd.
It's flawless, but lacks any distinctive features.
No, there are still some.
Her nose and eyes were so ugly, so hateful.
She was so despicable, so utterly despicable, so unforgettable.
"Miss Xue, you underestimate yourself. You are still very impressive."
Jiang Ce stated directly, "This marriage was not my original intention. However, it is the will of His Majesty and the Empress, who wish to unite the two families. I have no choice but to be bound to you."
He placed his hands on the coffee table, leaned closer to Xue Chan, and said with a hint of a smile, "But you know, we still need to get to know each other, become familiar, and even..."
"To get married and spend one's life together."
He asked her, "Your name, since we're engaged, could you please tell me?"
Xue Chan didn't want to pay him any attention, but then she thought that if she didn't give it to him, he would definitely go to great lengths to get it. So she simply wrote something on the table.
Jiang Ce rested his chin on his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips: "'Sandalwood and jade-like beauty, smooth and fresh.' It is indeed a beautiful phrase, a beautiful phrase, but unfortunately, the person is not."
"..."
Xue Chan felt annoyed and didn't bother with him. She simply lowered her head and stopped replying.
No matter what he said, she remained silent.
They looked completely at your mercy.
She was too silent, like a deep pool that wouldn't even ripple if you threw in a lot of pebbles.
This feeling of indifference and lack of response is incredibly frustrating.
This is so annoying, this feeling is just so awful.
Seeing that she was ignoring him, Jiang Ce started swaying back and forth to annoy her.
Of course, it's okay not to speak or say anything.
He just wants to hang around in front of her, making her annoyed and unhappy.
The two sat facing each other, Jiang Ce with one hand on his hip and the other resting his face on the table, staring at Xue Chan.
She remained silent, showing little reaction even when he deliberately teased her; she simply lowered her head and fiddled with the charcoal fire in the tea stove.
The tea was ready. Xue Chan gently lifted the teapot and poured water into the cup, where the tea was a bright red color.
Just as she reached for the cup, another hand snatched it away faster. Jiang Ce casually downed the tea in one gulp and placed the empty cup back on the table.
"If the Second Young Master wishes to drink tea, he may simply have someone prepare it."
Jiang Ce raised an eyebrow: "I want to drink the tea from this teapot, is that not allowed?"
A note from the author:
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Note:
"Sandalwood and jade, splendid and lustrous" -- Zuo Si, "Ode to the Capital of Wu" (Jin Dynasty)
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