Chapter 8 My sister-in-law's mood inexplicably turned sour.
This was Yan Zhenxi's first time eating wontons with other people.
He had tried this wonton stall by chance two years ago.
At that time, he had just finished the imperial examination and won first place in the palace examination, which made him look incredibly successful in the eyes of others.
After attending the banquet in the palace that day, Yan Zhenxi got off the carriage after leaving the palace and walked slowly on his own.
Recalling the insincerity and toasts at the banquet, Yan Zhenxi felt nauseous.
Especially when listening to the emperor's words of excessive praise, Yan Zhenxi looked at the wrinkles on the emperor's aging face and the undisguised disgust in his eyes, and felt only irony.
My stomach is full of the alcohol I just drank, and now it feels like it's burning.
He suddenly felt like eating something.
Not far away, a wonton stall was steaming, and the aroma wafted over.
Yan Zhenxi walked towards the stall and ordered a bowl of wontons.
It was food that he and the prominent families in the capital had previously looked down upon, but that day he was unexpectedly very satisfied with his meal.
The delicious wontons and soup relieved the discomfort in my stomach.
After attending banquets in the palace, Yan Zhenxi would often come to this stall and order a bowl of wontons.
He was always alone, watching his friends at other tables, some in pairs, but Yan Zhenxi enjoyed being alone.
The seemingly refined and elegant young noblemen in the capital city are actually cold and arrogant at heart.
He never bothered to open his heart to anyone, always wearing a fake smile and maintaining a proper distance from everyone. Any closeness he showed to anyone was merely a deliberate attempt to get to know them.
In his eyes, there are only allies, no friends, and he avoids any other closer relationships.
Returning to today, Yan Zhenxi looked at Jiang Zhiyao, who was eating obediently in front of her, and suddenly realized that it wasn't so bad to have someone with her.
Jiang Zhiyao ate very quickly, perhaps because she knew he couldn't see. Unlike when she ate in small bites when others were present, she now ate one wonton at a time, looking like she was enjoying her meal.
But the movements weren't rough; instead, they had an indescribable cuteness, and Yan Zhenxi's lips curled into a faint smile.
With its cheeks puffing out, it looks even more like a rabbit.
Yan Zhenxi watched her, and unconsciously slowed down her eating of wontons. On the other hand, Jiang Zhiyao finished more than half of her wontons in no time.
Noticing that her gaze was about to fall on him, Yan Zhenxi's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly and calmly looked away.
Jiang Zhiyao's gaze lingered on him, and Yan Zhenxi recalled their wedding night when he lifted her veil and Jiang Zhiyao stared at him for a long time.
In the past, when women stared at him, Yan Zhenxi knew it was because he was good-looking, but when Jiang Zhiyao stared at him, Yan Zhenxi would not think of it that way.
Based on Yan Zhenxi's limited knowledge of relationships, he only knew that if a woman liked someone, she would either blush shyly or be passionate and unrestrained.
But he always showed it to some extent, though Jiang Zhiyao never did.
Although Jiang Zhiyao often blushed in front of him, Yan Zhenxi knew that she simply felt embarrassed or uncomfortable.
Since it wasn't because she liked him, Yan Zhenxi frowned slightly. Was she checking if his eyes were actually blind?
My mood inexplicably turned terrible.
-
After the banquet that day, because the Third Prince kept pestering Ji Wanqing and Cheng Mingzhu was busy dealing with matchmaking, neither of them could find the time. Jiang Zhiyao hadn't left the mansion to play with them for more than ten days.
Today, since both of them were free, Jiang Zhiyao excitedly finished dressing up and prepared to leave the mansion.
Just as one foot stepped out of the mansion gate, a strange, somewhat nasty voice came from behind.
"Oh, is this your sister-in-law?"
Jiang Zhiyao withdrew the foot she had stepped out, sighed softly, turned around and greeted, "Uncle."
The person who arrived was Yan Ciying, Gu Lanru's biological son, and the most notorious playboy in the capital.
Yan Ciying originally only bought a minor official position, but he was recently sent to other places for training in order to be promoted after returning to the capital. Jiang Zhiyao knew that he had recently returned to the capital, but she did not expect to meet him today.
Facing his sister-in-law, Yan Ciying showed no respect whatsoever, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Where are you going, sister-in-law?"
"I'm going out of the mansion to see a friend."
"Oh? My friend, or rather, my lover, hahaha." Yan Ciying moved closer. "What? You're disgusted with my dear brother? Why don't you come with me, how about that?"
Originally, Yan Ciying only intended to say something insulting at the beginning, but when he got closer and saw Jiang Zhiyao's face as beautiful as a lotus, he inexplicably said the next sentence.
This seemingly innocent and beautiful young woman is also my dear sister-in-law.
Jiang Zhiyao took a step back, her face showing undisguised disgust: "Please have some self-respect."
After saying that, he left with Nanzhi. Yan Ciying didn't say anything more, watching Jiang Zhiyao's departing figure with amusement in his eyes, and then he also left the mansion, fanning himself with his fan.
He had just returned from that remote and impoverished place. Although the local officials had offered him the best things and beautiful women, Yan Ciying found them all repulsive and couldn't understand why his mother insisted on sending him there.
Now that he has finally returned to the capital, Yan Ciying naturally wants to have some fun first.
Meanwhile, his subordinates told Yan Zhenxi what had just happened at the gate of the mansion.
"Find someone to beat him up." After a pause, he added, "Make sure he gets a good beating."
His younger brother's willful and unruly personality was largely due to Gu Lanru's doting, while the rest was intentionally created by Yan Zhenxi.
Some of the cronies and servants around Yan Ciying who instigated him were arranged or bribed by Yan Zhenxi.
As for his reputation as a playboy, Yan Ciying did indeed do those things, but the reason why they were so well-known in the capital was partly due to Yan Zhenxi's influence.
Although Yan Zhenxi often helped him clean up his messes and received some praise, Yan Zhenxi knew his true nature very well; he was cold and selfish.
If he were to show his true face, his reputation would probably be a million times worse than Yan Ciying's, but so what?
Recalling the words his subordinate had just repeated, Yan Zhenxi's eyes darkened. How dare he speak disrespectfully to his sister-in-law!
As soon as Yan Ciying left the brothel, he was stuffed in a sack and severely beaten.
He was knocked unconscious and was eventually found in an alley behind the brothel, and carried back to the Yan residence.
"Really, I heard his face was swollen like a pig's head when he was found," Nan Zhi exaggeratedly described to Jiang Zhiyao. "It was so swollen—big."
"Hahaha." Jiang Zhiyao laughed, amused.
"He deserves it all." Nan Zhi was furious when she mentioned Yan Ciying, who actually spoke to the young lady like that.
"I heard that he won't be able to get out of bed for ten days or half a month, and he'll scream in pain as soon as he gets out of bed," Nanzhi said with an air of seriousness.
However, it should be true. She heard it from the other maids. The servants in the Yan household did not like Yan Ciying, and they were all very happy to hear this news.
Jiang Zhiyao was happy for a moment after hearing this, it seemed that she would not run into him again for a while.
There was a knock at the door, and Jiang Zhiyao subconsciously looked towards the door.
"Madam, would you like to dine together today?" It was Yan Zhenxi's gentle and pleasant voice.
Jiang Zhiyao was very surprised, her eyes widened. Had she heard correctly?
Seeing that there was no response for a long time, Yan Zhenxi asked again.
Jiang Zhiyao snapped out of her daze and went to open the door: "Okay."
She was a little happy; this was the first time he had taken the initiative to come to her. Before opening the door, Jiang Zhiyao tried to calm her somewhat unruly heart, but after seeing Yan Zhenxi up close, her heart started beating even faster.
Yan Zhenxi lowered her head slightly to look at Jiang Zhiyao, whose eyes were shining, and the corners of her eyes curved slightly under the thin veil.
He didn't know what was wrong with him; he kept inexplicably thinking of her in his study.
Given her timid nature, if Yan Ci said those things to her, wouldn't she be very angry and at a loss?
"Never mind," Yan Zhenxi put down the book in her hand, picked up the thinnest, most visible veil, and went to Jiang Zhiyao's door.
At Jiang Zhiyao's recommendation, Yan Zhenxi stayed for a meal at her place, originally intending to take Jiang Zhiyao to his place.
"How was it?" Jiang Zhiyao asked expectantly.
"Delicious," Yan Zhenxi affirmed after tasting it.
It was indeed excellent; it even tasted better than the food prepared by the chefs hired by the Yan family themselves.
Jiang Zhiyao laughed; Nan Zhi's cooking skills were impeccable.
She used to be very thin, but thanks to Nanzhi's cooking skills, she now has some extra flesh on her cheeks.
"I'm sorry you had to go through this today," Yan Zhenxi said gently. "If something like this happens again, you can tell me, and I'll give him a good talking to."
Although his tone was gentle, Jiang Zhiyao inexplicably felt that his tone was somewhat cold.
"Okay." Jiang Zhiyao obediently agreed, glancing at the gentle Yan Zhenxi, realizing that she must have misjudged the situation.
She didn't ask Yan Zhenxi how he knew. Today's incident happened at the gate of the mansion, where there were many servants. It was normal for Yan Zhenxi to know.
Is the monthly allowance enough?
"It's enough." Although the Yan family had cut back a lot, it was still enough for Jiang Zhiyao, and she also had her own small assets.
Yan Zhenxi looked at Jiang Zhiyao and saw that she didn't seem to be reluctant at all, so she knew that she really felt it was enough.
They are really easy to raise.
Yan Zhenxi knew that the Yan family had skimped on some profits, and he also knew that Jiang Zhiyao had her own shop, but in his eyes, those profits were insignificant. He hadn't paid much attention to it since she hadn't mentioned it before.
But now that I've calculated it carefully, it's really too little.
“You can come to me again each month for a monthly allowance of one hundred taels.” Yan Zhenxi thought for a moment, and that should be about right.
"Huh?!" Jiang Zhiyao couldn't help but exclaim softly, "That's way too much!"
When she was in the Minister's mansion, she received a monthly allowance of ten taels, which she already thought was a lot. Although the Yan family only gave her five taels, Jiang Zhiyao felt it was enough.
But one hundred taels is too much!
Jiang Zhiyao momentarily doubted whether she had misheard, and besides, did Yan Zhenxi really have that much money?
Seeing that Jiang Zhiyao did not respond, Yan Zhenxi chuckled and said, "It's okay, I have plenty of money."
He owns many shops in prime locations in the capital, as well as numerous businesses, and he still retains actual control of the Yan family estate.
He usually spends a lot of money on bribing and befriending officials, keeping secret guards, and collecting intelligence. For him, a hundred taels a month is nothing.
Seeing that Jiang Zhiyao was still looking up at him in surprise, Yan Zhenxi felt a strange itch in his hand. He curled his fingers and wanted to pat her head, but then he remembered his current situation and decided against it.
"I'll send it to you tonight this month, okay?"
Jiang Zhiyao replied somewhat confusedly, "Okay."
After Yan Zhenxi left, Jiang Zhiyao only found out it was true when the silver was delivered that evening.
Looking at the glittering silver beside her, Jiang Zhiyao refrained from touching it, but her eyes never left it.
Nan Zhi exclaimed excitedly, "Wow! Miss, we're going to be rich!"
Jiang Zhiyao wondered, was this compensation for her because of what her brother had said?
She didn't really feel anything was wrong. She did feel a little disgusted at the time, but after all, she hadn't done anything wrong, so there was no need to get angry over other people's sake. It wasn't worth it.
But looking at the silver in front of her, Jiang Zhiyao couldn't help but smile.
Yan Zhenxi is very gentle today.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
