hairpin
The next day, Jiang Mian woke up to find out that Chen Yan had returned.
After some time apart, Chen Yan appeared more serene than she remembered. She wore a light blue dress, her hair was jet black, and she wore a hairpin with a swaying ornament.
"Fourth sister, you're not leaving again this time, are you?" Jiang Mian reached out to pour her tea, her tone gentle.
"It's hard to say." Shen Yan waved her hand, took the cup without ceremony, and poured herself another glass. "Grandfather's condition has stabilized, and he shouldn't be leaving anytime soon, it's just..."
Shen Yan frowned, a hint of unease in her eyes. Then, she quietly leaned closer and said, "I heard that Father is going to arrange a marriage for my third sister."
Jiang Mian was taken aback: "When did this happen?"
"Let's do it in the next couple of days, but Third Sister is determined not to marry and has made a scene several times." Chen Yan said absentmindedly, twirling the handkerchief around her wrist.
Although she and Shen Tang were biological sisters, their mother disliked her from a young age. Of the four sisters, only the third sister was raised by their mother. She, her eldest and second sisters lived with their maternal grandparents when they were young. Although they later returned to their mother's side, she was unruly from a young age. The more their mother liked the third sister, the more annoyed she was with her.
Shen Yan didn't really care who her mother favored. No matter how her mother treated her, she would always be her mother, and that would never change.
However, she doesn't only have one daughter.
Jiang Mian listened casually. The Jiang family attached great importance to Shen Tang's marriage, and it would probably take a lot of effort.
"Xiao Wu, I have something to do, so I'll talk to you later." Not long after, Shen Yan appeared to be in a hurry. Jiang Mian got up, intending to see her out.
The girl hurriedly lifted the curtain and called out with slight surprise, "Big brother?"
Jiang Mian froze. Under the pale light, the young man seemed to be strolling leisurely. The light and shadow were well-arranged, falling on his high nose. His eyes slowly looked over and he nodded casually.
"How come you're here?" Shen Yan was a little surprised and looked at Shen Ji suspiciously. In her opinion, her elder brother always stayed at home and never went out. Even if he went out, he would not have any contact with them. She was a little uncomfortable to see him suddenly.
Shen Ji shifted his gaze from Jiang Mian, showing no signs of panic or disarray from the sudden collision. He calmly maintained his usual demeanor and said, "I've come to deliver some books."
Shen Yan lowered her eyes. Although she felt it was a bit strange that Shen Ji was here, she didn't think much of it. She just assumed that Xiao Wu and her older brother had gotten closer while she was away.
"I see. Then I won't bother you any longer." Shen Yan did have something to do; she had promised someone a favor, and now she was about to miss the appointed time.
Shen Ji nodded slightly.
As soon as she left, it was as if the warm glow had been taken away with her, and the room fell silent instantly. Jiang Mian stood by the bamboo curtain, watching him calmly enter, and then casually closed the door behind her.
"Cousin, what brings you here?"
Jiang Mian twitched her lips, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She asked the same question as Chen Yan, clearly indicating that she didn't believe his explanation.
"miss you."
He stepped forward, his gaze undisguised, and reached out to embrace her waist. Jiang Mian was forced to sit in his lap, a fleeting look of resistance in her eyes.
"If you're feeling bored, how about I take you somewhere else to stroll around in a few days?" Shen Ji lowered his head, his nose just able to smell the fragrance on her hair. He didn't know what kind of fragrance it was, but it was more effective than the finest calming incense. Just being by her side made him feel at ease.
"Where does my cousin want to go?"
"Yangzhou, Qingzhou, or even the capital, as long as we're together, we can go anywhere."
“Cousin…” Jiang Mian looked at him in surprise, wondering why he suddenly wanted to leave.
"I was thinking, if I were to marry you in the future, staying in the Shen family would definitely not work." Shen Ji kissed her earlobe almost imperceptibly, speaking in a half-joking tone.
"Cousin wants to leave here?" Jiang Mian turned her head away awkwardly, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"To be precise, we're leaving together. Doesn't Mian Niang like that?" Suddenly, he opened his mouth and kissed her earlobe, his moist breath enveloping her. She sat up straight uncomfortably; that was her sensitive spot.
“…If you like it, then it’s fine as long as it’s your decision, cousin.” Jiang Mian lowered her eyes, her mood somewhat solemn.
If she leaves Jeju, she will never have the chance to leave his side again. His proposal to marry her may just be a passing fancy. Besides, she doesn't actually like a life of constant wandering; she wants a stable environment to live in.
And, a life that is completely under one's own control.
Back in Yangzhou, her aunt treated her as a bargaining chip, wanting her to be a stepping stone for her uncle's rise to power, and ruthlessly pushed her away. Now that she has come to her maternal grandparents' house, living under someone else's roof, she has to be careful in everything she does. Her aunt is also a cunning and scheming person.
She regretted it.
She had harbored some selfish motives at the time, hoping that her cousin could protect her. Now she was foolish to put her fate in the hands of others, which was definitely not what she wanted.
The weather was unpredictable, with a light drizzle falling like silk threads. Shen Ji had been away again these past few days. After pouring the medicine into the potted plant, Jiang Mian looked listless. She saw He Yue busy in the small kitchen, and suddenly pursed her lips, pulling on a hood.
"Miss, it's raining. Where are you going?"
As soon as Jiang Mian stepped out of the door, a maid's respectful and gentle voice rang out. Jiang Mian replied calmly, "Go and fetch a painting. I'll be right back."
"Would you like me to accompany you?" As if Shen Ji had given her instructions these past few days, He Yue was no longer as inseparable from her as before.
Jiang Mian shook her head and said softly, "You stay. Only you can take care of those flowers and plants. Don't let the rain get them wet."
Her gaze fell upon the crabapple trees, which were already withered beyond recognition and would likely die soon.
She pursed her lips, forgetting who had delivered it.
"yes."
Jiang Mian opened her umbrella and walked into the rain. She was a little dazed, unsure if what she was doing was right. However, after thinking about it over and over these past few days, she felt that she should still try.
However, I'm afraid that doing so would make me feel guilty towards another person.
The journey wasn't too long, and she had only dozed off for a moment when the driver's soft shout reached her.
The rain hadn't stopped, and business in the restaurant was rather slow. She stepped inside, glanced down at the raindrops splashed on her dress, and frowned.
He only said he was coming here to find him, but didn't say who he was looking for.
Jiang Mian stopped. She stood under the eaves, her snow-white clothes fluttering, looking as beautiful as a painting.
"Miss, shall we ask the shopkeeper?"
Yunji stood behind Jiang Mian. She only knew that her young lady had come to find Young Master Wenshi today, but she didn't know what her young lady wanted to do. Besides, Young Master Wenshi lived in Pear Alley, so wouldn't it be more convenient to go there?
Jiang Mian nodded.
Before long, Yunji stepped forward, and before she could speak, the shopkeeper exclaimed with delight, "I know you!"
"Young Master instructed that if Miss Jiang comes, someone should be sent to inform her immediately." After saying this, he called to a servant and gave him a few instructions, and the servant disappeared in a flash.
"Miss, please come with me." The innkeeper was very kind, and Jiang Mian couldn't refuse, so she followed him to a private room on the second floor. As soon as she sat down, she heard, "A few days ago, the young master sent someone to ask if Miss Jiang had come. I didn't expect you to actually come."
The rain outside had lessened a bit. Jiang Mian listened casually, but a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She nervously twisted the handkerchief in her hand, feeling extremely uneasy.
Although the shopkeeper was enthusiastic, he did not linger. He raised the curtain and left.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, familiar footsteps sounded outside. Jiang Mian, who had been casually leaning against something, suddenly sat up and watched the handsome figure walk in, holding her breath.
"Mian'er, you really came!" Song Mingyan's headdress was a little crooked, and he still had the smell of wind and frost on his body. Half of his body was soaked by the rain.
Jiang Mian nodded, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "Brother Wenshi, why did you come in such a hurry?"
Song Mingyan lowered his eyes, looked at his disheveled appearance, pursed his lips and smiled lightly. Under Jiang Mian's gaze, he slowly sat down on the soft couch opposite her.
"It is a bit of a rush, but the thought of making you wait for me makes me eager to hurry up."
Jiang Mian lowered her head in embarrassment. Brother Wen Shi seemed to look the same as he did three years ago. However, she was no longer the innocent and kind-hearted girl she had been three years ago. Just thinking about what she was going to say next made her feel as if her tongue was tied in knots, and she couldn't bring herself to say anything.
Song Mingyan looked away, seemingly uninterested in her purpose. As before, he produced a hairpin from somewhere and handed it to her with a smile.
"I came out in a hurry, afraid that you would be waiting anxiously, so I didn't prepare anything. This hairpin is just a small token of my appreciation."
“No, this is too valuable, I can’t accept it.” Jiang Mian immediately waved her hand in refusal.
“Mian’er, what’s mine is yours. It was like that when we were little, and it’s the same now. If you reject me, you’re throwing away the bond we’ve built over the past ten years.” Song Mingyan pretended to be angry and looked at her with a deep gaze.
"This... then I'll accept it, thank you Brother Wenshi." Jiang Mian reached out to take it, but the young man in front of her suddenly flicked his wrist, pinched the beautiful jade hairpin between his fingertips, and inserted it into her high-coiled hair.
"Very good." He smiled, extremely satisfied.
Jiang Mian lowered her eyes, not daring to look into his burning gaze.
"If I had known you were in Jizhou, I certainly wouldn't have gone to Yangzhou to look for you, wasting so much time." There was some regret and pity in the young man's eyes, but even more so, there was the joy of finding you again.
"Brother Wenshi, how have you been these past three years?" Jiang Mian bit her lip, her mind a jumble of thoughts.
In just three years, he went from an ordinary commoner to the heir of a noble family, living a life of luxury that was far better than the simple meals he used to have.
As Song Mingyan looked at her, his heart suddenly burned. He felt like he was in a dream, a dream that had captivated him for the past three years, a dream he never wanted to wake up from.
Mian'er actually took the initiative to care about him?
He himself doesn't know if he's doing well.
Although the Marquis of Anyang's family was a prominent and noble household, it was not favored by the current emperor because of the matter of the Crown Prince of Yong'an. His biological father died on the eve of his return home, and the huge Marquis's family suddenly lost its support.
His mother saw him as her lifeline, hoping he could restore the family's honor. He didn't ask why she hadn't looked for him all these years.
He has little memory of being lost as a child, but she knows everything. Even though he is still alive, she turns a blind eye and lets him fend for himself for more than ten years.
All that has happened in the past is like an old dream.
He was reluctant to think about it, paused for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "This is not good."
Jiang Mian was taken aback, completely unprepared.
"I said I wasn't doing well because I kept thinking about you. If I needed you, would you come to my side?"
As the spring rain gradually subsided, the young man's gentle voice slowly rang out. He gazed at her intently, just as he had done when they parted. He tenderly broke off a peach blossom and promised her that he would return soon.
If it weren't for what happened later, perhaps they would be husband and wife by now...
“I…” Jiang Mian didn’t know how to tell him. She nervously twisted the handkerchief in her hand. She wanted to speak several times, but was interrupted by a sudden feeling of guilt.
Three years is enough to change everything.
She once looked forward to marrying Brother Wen Shi after she came of age, but later, he fell off a cliff and she grew up, and everything could never go back to the way it was.
She couldn't deceive herself; now, she only felt brotherly affection for Wen Shi, and absolutely no romantic love for him.
"If you refuse, then there's no need to say anything. After all, I can wait three years and I don't mind..."
"No, Brother Wenshi, do you really want to marry me?" Jiang Mian suddenly spoke up, as if the stone that had been pressing on her heart had been gently removed. She looked at her nervously, her eyes burning.
“Of course.” Song Mingyan replied without hesitation; she was his wife after all.
"Even if... I have no feelings for you now, and I only want to use you by marrying you... would you still be willing?" Jiang Mian closed her eyes. She could not deceive herself, nor could she deceive him.
Song Mingyan was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to say that at all. He couldn't help but start to look at her carefully. The little girl in his memory was indeed somewhat different.
She's taller, thinner, and even prettier and cuter.
However, the joy she felt when she saw him was gone from her eyes.
He ran his fingertips over the jade cup on the table, his eyes suddenly darkening.
"Forget it, just take it as a joke. You don't need to listen to those words. It's getting late, I should go back." Jiang Mian stood up, picked up the hood beside her, and breathed a sigh of relief. The thoughts she had kept in her heart were now out in the open, and no matter the outcome, they brought her a sense of relief.
"Sit down," Song Mingyan said slowly.
"I didn't say I wouldn't." He smiled faintly at her, his eyes showing no anger but rather a hint of helplessness.
"Do you know what I'm saying? I don't like you. The reason I want to marry you now is probably because of your power and status, not because I have feelings for you." Jiang Mian took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and said softly with a hint of self-mockery in them, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come today."
Without waiting for his reply, she turned and walked out.
Behind her, the young man suddenly stood up and reached out to grab her sleeve.
"You're still as impatient as you were when you were a child."
“I’ve already said I want to marry you. Whether you like me or not is not important. What’s important is whether you’re willing.” Song Mingyan gazed into her eyes, lowered his voice, and spoke slowly and gently: “I should be glad that I gave you the opportunity to use me. Otherwise, watching you marry someone else would be like tearing my heart out.”
"But that's not fair to you."
"I'm overjoyed that you're willing to marry me. Besides, feelings can be cultivated slowly. You used up your love for me in three years, so I'll spend another three years to make you love me again."
“Mianmian, I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.”
The young man suddenly leaned in and gently kissed Jiang Mian's forehead.
Unlike Shen Ji's domineering nature, his aura was like a spring breeze, which not only relieved her worries but also made her feel guilty.
She felt inexplicably nervous again; in the end, she had embarked on that path.
**
"Miss is back?"
The rain had completely stopped, and Jiang Mian returned to the Begonia Courtyard. It was already pitch black.
He Yue stepped forward and said respectfully, "These crabapple trees are in full bloom. Fortunately, the rain wasn't too heavy, so they can still be saved."
Jiang Mian glanced at it casually, nodded absentmindedly, and turned to go inside.
The room was quiet, with no candles lit. She frowned, about to call for someone, when she suddenly heard a faint meow.
On the lotus platform, a lazy white cat rested, its fur soft and beautiful, comfortably sprawled out.
She keenly sensed something was amiss, and slowly shifted her gaze. Under the bright moonlight, sat a cold, aloof figure, neither god nor ghost. Instantly, her breath caught in her throat, and she stopped in her tracks.
The moonlight, scattered in a pleasing pattern, not only outlined his perfect face but also made him resemble a bodhisattva enshrined on a high platform. However, at this moment, the bodhisattva lowered his brows, his eyes filled with darkness.
"Heyue said you went to pick up the painting, why are you so late?"
Shen Ji leaned lazily against the window frame, his gaze languid and frivolous.
"It's rare for me to go out, so I took a stroll around."
"Oh, that's strange. It's been raining all day, yet you have such refined tastes." He walked over, naturally putting his arm around her waist, his chin gently resting on her shoulder, as if he were sniffing something.
Jiang Mian tensed up involuntarily: "What are you doing?"
"I'm smelling you to see if there's anyone else's scent on you." Shen Ji's tone wasn't joking.
For a moment, Jiang Mian suspected that he had sent someone to follow her, but the next moment, she dismissed the idea. He had promised her that he wouldn't restrict her too much, and besides, she had repeatedly confirmed today that no one had followed her.
"Cousin, you're joking." Jiang Mian leaned her head against his chest, a hint of worry in her eyes.
“This hairpin…” Shen Ji’s eyes were sharp; he noticed her difference the moment she entered.
Jiang Mian's heart was lifted.
"...That's right, but I've never seen you wear it before." His tone was normal, as if he hadn't noticed anything amiss.
Jiang Mian breathed a sigh of relief.
"I just passed by a small stall and bought it on a whim. It's not worth much."
"The jade I gave you, are you wearing it?" Shen Ji suddenly changed the subject. Jiang Mian was taken aback, hesitated and shook her head, then immediately explained, "That jade is a good thing. I was afraid of losing it, so I treasured it and kept it safe. I didn't wear it with me today."
"Really?" Shen Ji asked, it was unclear whether he believed her or not.
Jiang Mian was afraid he would notice something was wrong, so she quickly reached out and hugged him, her voice sleepy: "Cousin, it's too cold outside, Mianniang wants to take a hot bath."
"Do you need my help?" Shen Ji asked meaningfully.
Jiang Mian suddenly looked up; she wanted him to leave quickly!
But when she saw the emotions surging in his eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say the word "shameless." The most important thing now was not to let him notice anything amiss, otherwise, her plan would be ruined.
Thinking of this, Jiang Mian smiled and kissed his chin as she had done before: "No need, I'll be fine soon. If you're sleepy, cousin, you should rest early."
After spending these past few months together, she had figured out his temperament. He was responsive to gentle persuasion but not to force. If she showed reluctance, he would take advantage of her, but if she showed kindness, he would respect her wishes.
Now, she deliberately looks up to kiss him, and he certainly won't go against her wishes.
Jiang Mian had a very good plan.
Unexpectedly, the young man suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of her head, then kissed her lips with displeasure. Their lips met, and without hesitation, he thrust his tongue inside, not only robbing her mouth of all the air but also mischievously hooking her tongue around. Their saliva mingled, and when they parted, both of them were breathing heavily.
"Next time, if you want me to grant your request, do it this way, understand?" Shen Ji's eyes still held lust, and his voice was somewhat hoarse.
Jiang Mian blushed and nodded subconsciously.
After he released her, he immediately ran to the bathroom.
Behind him, Shen Ji watched the woman's retreating figure as she fled, and thoughtfully picked up the hairpin that had been accidentally dropped.
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