Upon arriving at the peach grove, as soon as we stepped off the carriage, we were greeted by a continuous expanse of peach blossoms in full bloom, resembling a pink sea of clouds.
"So beautiful! I've never seen peach blossoms bloom so beautifully before!" Xu Nian's fingers twitched slightly; for some reason, she wanted to paint the blooming peach grove.
Xu Nian asked for help: "Jiang You, did you bring paper and pen?"
"Niannian, what do you need paper and pen for?" Jiang You didn't bring any, but he could go buy some.
In a place like Taolin, there are naturally scholars and writers. Buying paper and pens is no big deal.
"I want to paint a peach orchard." Xu Nian wasn't afraid that Jiang You would laugh at her for not being able to paint well; she just said what she wanted to do.
"Then Niannian, wait for me here for a while, I'll be right back." Jiang You had already found his target, and he headed straight for the nearby scholars.
At first, scholars were unwilling to sell paper and pens, but Jiang You was someone who made it impossible for them to refuse.
"Thank you." After giving the silver, Jiang You took paper and pen and went to find Xu Nian.
"Where did you get this?" Xu Nian asked, noticing that Jiang You had returned with the paper and pen after a short while. She looked around but couldn't see anyone setting up a stall.
"I bought it, and I paid for it with silver," Jiang You emphasized, adding that he had indeed paid silver.
Xu Nian looked at him suspiciously for a few moments, then took the paper and pen and began to draw the peach blossom forest.
She was engrossed in her painting, while Jiang You watched her quietly from the side.
After Xu Nian finished painting the peach grove, she felt something was missing. When she looked up and saw Jiang You, she realized what it was.
As Jiang You saw himself gradually emerging from Xu Nian's writing, his breathing slowed down, and his eyes softened little by little.
In Niannian's eyes, he and Tao Hua complemented each other perfectly.
Seeing Xu Nian finish the last stroke, Jiang You asked, "Niannian, can I have this painting?"
“It’s rare to find someone who appreciates my painting, so of course I can give it to you.” After the ink dried, Xu Nian gently rolled up the painting, and Jiang You happily took it, looking as if he treasured it so much that he almost framed it and hung it up on the spot.
Even after visiting the peach grove and returning home by carriage, Jiang You treasured the painting.
Watching him put the painting away in the box, Xu Nian chuckled and said, "If you like it, I'll paint another one for you next time. You don't need to put it away like this."
“Niannian, this is different. This is a gift you gave me.” Jiang You felt that this painting had a different meaning. It was not just a painting; it also represented that their relationship had taken a step closer.
Seeing that Jiang You was stubborn, Xu Nian let him have his way.
However, because of this painting, Jiang You treated her differently.
He was slowly changing his attitude; he began to respect her wishes.
Now that she goes out with her maid, he will only tell her to come back sooner if he sees it.
In the past, he would definitely have followed him everywhere.
Their relationship improved, and they started living like ordinary people.
Xu Nian would sew clothes, shoes, and socks for Jiang You, and Jiang You would prepare little surprises for Xu Nian.
Sometimes it's a piece of jewelry, sometimes a hairpin, and sometimes a beautiful dress.
Jiang You enjoys his uneventful life, finding contentment in the mundane routine.
Xu Nian was embroidering a handkerchief when a maid pushed open the door and knelt on the ground, saying, "Madam, please save Chunxiang."
Chunxiang is one of Xu Nian's maids, and the one kneeling on the ground is Xia He.
Xu Nian put down her needlework and asked in surprise, "Xiahe, what happened to Chunxiang?"
"Madam, the master is going to beat Chunxiang to death, and he's made all the maids and servants watch." Xia He had also sneaked over to find Xu Nian.
"What? Where? Take me there quickly." Xu Nian's face was very ugly. What was Jiang You doing? Why did he want to kill someone for no reason?
Xia He quickly got up and led the way: "Madam, this way please."
When Xu Nian arrived at the courtyard gate, she saw Jiang You sitting expressionlessly in a grand chair.
Not far away, a maid was pinned down on a bench. Her mouth was gagged, and a board behind her was hitting her body repeatedly with dull thuds. A small pool of blood had already formed on the ground.
"Stop!" Xu Nian called out.
"Continue," Jiang You ordered coldly.
"Jiang You, what's wrong with you? Are you really going to beat her to death?" Xu Nian walked up to Jiang You, grabbed his collar, and glared at him angrily.
"Niannian, don't worry about this, go back inside." Jiang You was determined to make an example of him today, and Xu Nian couldn't stop him.
Seeing that their master is easy to talk to, the maids in this mansion are getting more and more scheming.
Jiang You's gaze fell on Xia He, who had brought Xu Nian, and a sinister glint flashed in his cold and ruthless eyes.
"Jiang You, what did she do wrong that you're treating her like this? Tell them to stop! Do you hear me?" Xu Nian refused to leave and even tried to stop the servants from beating her, but Jiang You quickly pulled her back.
"Niannian, stop fooling around. You'll have to replace all the maids around you later." As soon as Jiang You finished speaking, Xia He and the others all knelt down on the ground.
"Please have mercy, sir." The group trembled, their pleading eyes falling on Xu Nian.
"Jiang You, you're not allowed to touch my people." Xu Nian stood in front of the group in a protective posture.
Jiang You's temple throbbed as he pointed at Chunxiang on the bench and said, "Niannian, do you know what she did? And you're still defending her like this."
"What did she do? Tell me!" Xu Nian really didn't know what Chunxiang had done. In her memory, Chunxiang was a lively child!
"She used your name to send me soup, and there was something dirty in it. Niannian, what's the point of keeping a maid with such impure intentions?" Jiang You's face was cold and stern, and Xu Nian had nothing to say.
She glanced at Jiang You, then at the kneeling maid behind her, especially Xia He.
Xiahe came to her to rescue people, but he never told her what Chunxiang had done.
"Jiang You, I'm going back now." Xu Nian looked disappointed; she had never mistreated anyone.
Unexpectedly, in other people's eyes, she became a weak and easily bullied person.
"Madam." Xia He's voice trembled with fear. If Xu Nian didn't speak up for them, they were finished today.
"Jiang You, I made you a new outfit." Xu Nian said before leaving.
"Niannian, I understand." Jiang You watched Xu Nian's departing figure and finally made her stop.
“Madam is kind-hearted, but I am different. I don’t want something like this to happen a second time. You know the consequences.” Jiang You waved his hand, and ordered his men to drag the half-dead Chunxiang out.
Xia He and the others were not spared either; they were all taken away by the steward.
The servants and maids who witnessed all of this remained silent, knowing that being dragged out meant returning to that cannibalistic place.
Seeing that these people were intimidated, Jiang You's expression softened slightly, and he hurriedly left to find Xu Nian.
Xu Nian, who had just returned and was still feeling unsettled, was embraced tightly by Jiang You.
Before she could understand what was happening, Jiang You threw her onto the bed and then eagerly covered her with the blankets.
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