Chapter 37 Trying to escape again?
The makeup and styling team looked at each other in surprise. They had thought they would have to stay here all day to serve the future Mrs. Huo, but they did not expect Mrs. Huo to be so decisive and straightforward, choosing a set she liked and placing an order immediately.
The makeup artist liked this kind of client. After praising Jiang Shiyuan a few times, she packed up the tools that had already been laid out and left Lingdang Xiaozhu with her team.
After everyone had left, Jiang Shiyuan looked down from the observation deck on the second floor.
Chen Fei was the only one left in the bodyguard's car. No one knew what excuse he had used to trick Jiang Chen into leaving.
Just as the clock struck 2 p.m., a bright green oil-paper umbrella slowly moved towards them from the distant cobblestone path. Jiang Shiyuan went downstairs to greet it.
Having lived in high-latitude Norway for a long time, Huo Lianjing was still finding it difficult to adjust to the summer heat in southern China. She had come by boat from the lotus pond, and it was only a five or six-minute walk to Bell Pavilion, but she was already sweating profusely.
The emerald green paper umbrella was folded up, revealing a slender and graceful figure.
Huo Lianjing wore a modified cheongsam made of Xiangyun yarn, and her posture remained elegant and composed.
Jiang Shiyuan took the silk handkerchief and handed it to Huo Lianjing.
Huo Lianjing wiped the thin layer of sweat from her forehead and looked at the decor in front of her. "This Bell Pavilion is even more beautiful than before. It seems that Xiao Lan really cares about you."
"But to me, it's more like a gilded cage."
Huo Lianjing did not answer her immediately, but went to rest on the sofa in the living room first.
"Tell me, how can I help you?"
Hearing this, Jiang Shiyuan finally felt a little relieved. She poured Huo Lianjing a cup of cold brew tea and handed it to her, saying, "I need Aunt to find me another bodyguard I trust, and then..."
Jiang Shiyuan glanced at the surveillance camera hanging above the living room. "All the videos recorded at the entrance and in the living room that showed my aunt coming over at noon today, as well as the videos of me from the day of the engagement, need to be properly processed."
Huo Lianjing took the teacup. "Is it that simple? Don't you need me to arrange for someone to take you away from Huo Garden?"
"I need to let Huo Lan close his eyes first so that I have enough time to do what I want. Besides, I don't want my aunt's relationship with Huo Lan to break down."
Huo Lianjing smiled. "What a thoughtful and kind child. So, where are you planning to go this time?"
Jiang Shiyuan didn't speak, but just shook her head. "Once I lose my eyes, I will go to a place he will never imagine. It might be better if my aunt doesn't know."
Huo Lianjing put down her teacup and carefully examined Jiang Shiyuan. She really couldn't understand why she had to give up her comfortable life.
"Alright, you have your reasons, so I won't ask any more questions. But you should know that once you leave Huo Garden, you won't be able to enjoy this luxurious life anymore, and you'll even have to run around hiding."
"Xiao Lan is a very stubborn child. There is nothing he has ever wanted but could not get, but you are an exception."
Jiang Shiyuan forced a smile, but her eyes dimmed. "It is precisely because of this obsession that I feel like I am walking on thin ice around him. It is so tiring. To outsiders, leaving Huo Garden may seem like I am being ungrateful, but only I know that if I continue to stay, I will go crazy before Huo Lan does."
Huo Lianjing sighed, but didn't say much. After all, forcing them to stay by her side would only make them a pair of resentful lovers. It was better to end it quickly than to suffer for a long time. She thought this was the best thing for Huo Lan.
Huo Lianjing suddenly remembered something, "And about that miscarriage you had back then, it's best to never let Xiao Lan know, otherwise he'll find you even if he has to dig three feet into the ground."
He'll never know.
Before leaving Bell Pavilion, Huo Lianjing opened her paper umbrella, but her eyes fell on a black bodyguard car parked outside the pavilion.
“Chen Fei has been with me for more than ten years. When I first met him, he was only 18 years old. When I went to the sports school to select people, he was doing pole vaulting on the playground. He was strong but had not been trained much, so I hired a coach to teach him specially.”
Jiang Shiyuan followed Huo Lianjing's gaze and saw Chen Fei sitting quietly in the car, observing the surrounding commotion, but he never looked in their direction.
There seemed to be some unspoken emotion flowing between them, making one feel that their relationship was not just that of a bodyguard and a young lady.
"Are Aunt and Chen Fei very close?"
Huo Lianjing smiled faintly, already holding a paper umbrella as she walked out of the villa. "Yes, it was a relationship where we almost eloped."
Huo Lianjing left without a trace of lingering affection. Only after a long while did Chen Fei turn around and stare blankly at Huo Lianjing's disappearing figure.
Jiang Shiyuan took two bottles of water from the refrigerator in the house, walked to Chen Fei's bodyguard car, and knocked on the car window.
The black car window rolled down, and Chen Fei shook his head. "Ms. Jiang, the air conditioning is on in the car, so I'm neither hot nor thirsty."
Jiang Shiyuan still threw the water in, saying, "Then we'll drink it when we're thirsty."
Chen Fei accepted the water and hesitated for a long time before saying, "Miss Jiang, I know what you want to do, but Jiang Chen is still young and hasn't done anything wrong. If we change bodyguards so rashly, given Mr. Huo's style, I'm afraid he won't be able to stay at Huo Garden."
Jiang Shiyuan hadn't been unaware of this outcome. Jiang Chen was a very kind person, enthusiastic about his work, and especially admired and longed for Huo Garden. It was too difficult to ask someone like him to help her escape and betray Huo Lan, so she could only try to get him away.
“I will introduce him to Mr. Huo so that he can be in charge of the gentleman’s protection.”
Chen Fei's eyes lit up, and when he smiled, he revealed a row of white teeth, making his skin appear even darker. "That's great, consider it a promotion."
“I know you have a good relationship with Aunt Lian Jing, which is why I feel comfortable telling you this.”
"Brother Chen Fei, I'm really feeling terrible. I don't want to stay in Huo Garden anymore. I feel like I can't breathe here every day."
Jiang Shiyuan had known about Chen Fei and Huo Lianjing's relationship for a long time, because this story was not a secret.
When Shi Teng chatted with her, he would involuntarily reveal many stories that the Huo family could not openly discuss, and Huo Lianjing and Chen Fei were among them.
Chen Fei entered Huo Garden when he was eighteen years old. He was chosen directly by Huo Lianjing.
Huo Lianjing is gentle, intellectual, and more mature. She is ten years older than him and takes good care of him. But even though she knows there is an age gap and a social divide between her and Chen Fei, she still falls into the passionate and ardent love of a young man.
Chen Fei used to be even more cheerful and outgoing than Jiang Chen. He loved talking and being lively. Back then, Huo Lianjing was still overwhelmed with worries about Huo Garden, but she could always find relief in Chen Fei.
It wasn't until the Huo family patriarch arranged for Huo Lianjing to marry into another family that the usually dignified and self-possessed eldest daughter of the Huo family had the idea of eloping. That was the first time she had thrown away all her rationality and concerns and wanted to leave Huo Garden with someone.
But Chen Fei did not agree. He was afraid that he could not afford to support the young lady and give her a good life. He knew that if she went with him, she would only suffer.
It wasn't until Huo Lianjing completely lost hope in the Huo family that she finally made up her mind to leave Huo Garden and live alone abroad.
After learning this story from Shi Teng, Jiang Shiyuan finally understood why Chen Fei was so taciturn.
While she felt sorry for the story, she also came up with her own plans.
Chen Fei will not refuse Huo Lianjing a second time, nor will he allow someone who wants to escape Huo Garden to stay here.
Today is the first day of the Huo family banquet. Huo Lan will be entertaining guests from all walks of life and will be busy until very late tonight.
So Jiang Shiyuan sent a message to Cheng Yan, asking her to secretly bring birth control pills to Huo Garden.
Last night was too rushed and no measures could be taken, but she can't risk it again in the next two days.
After Cheng Yan delivered the medicine, Jiang Shiyuan replaced all the pills with her own vitamin C bottle and returned the medicine box to Cheng Yan.
Just as she was about to leave, a servant came to tell her that Xu Feixuan had invited her to dinner.
Fearing that Xu Feixuan would make things difficult for her again, Cheng Yan said, "I'll go with you."
The maid who came to deliver the message was an elderly woman who had served Xu Feixuan for many years. Upon hearing Cheng Yan's words, she immediately refused.
"Madam said that only Miss Jiang is allowed to go; this is a family dinner."
Jiang Shiyuan immediately asked, "Did Madam say who she would be having dinner with?"
The maid did not give her a clear answer, but said, “Miss Jiang, you will know when you get there. The food at Minghua Hall is ready. Miss Jiang, don’t stay too long, or the food will get cold.”
After saying that, he left Bell House.
Cheng Yan was furious. "What family banquet? Everyone knows the Huo family banquet is starting today. Instead of entertaining the guests, she invited you to dinner. What is she trying to do?"
Jiang Shiyuan told herself to relax, "We're getting engaged in a couple of days, maybe she really has something to tell me."
After seeing Cheng Yan off, Jiang Shiyuan changed into a well-fitting lotus-root-colored cheongsam and entered Minghua Hall.
She had expected that there would be many people eating with them, but to her surprise, only Xu Feixuan was sitting at the table.
She sat gracefully in the main seat, wearing a dark green cheongsam embroidered with gold thread that evening, exuding elegance and nobility. Upon seeing Jiang Shiyuan arrive, a smile appeared on her face, just the right amount, but not reaching her eyes.
Jiang Shiyuan had no idea what Huo Lan had said to her that made her sit quietly with her for a meal.
Xu Feixuan glanced at her a few times and was fairly satisfied. "Your outfit today is not bad. You don't look as lazy as before."
Jiang Shiyuan knew that Xu Feixuan often criticized her appearance, so she chose an embroidered cheongsam to wear today, just in case Xu Feixuan made a fuss about her clothes again.
The two sat quietly and began to eat. Unlike usual, Xu Feixuan did not make sarcastic remarks. She only asked about the progress of her outfit and makeup for the engagement banquet, and did not mention anything else.
After a long silence, Xu Feixuan finally spoke: "Since he has made up his mind to marry you, there is no point in me saying anything more. After all, he is the one in charge of the Huo family now."
Jiang Shiyuan continued eating, but at this moment she didn't know what to say.
“I don’t know if you really want to marry him. You’ve already run away once before, and I can’t be sure if you can be a good Mrs. Huo.”
Jiang Shiyuan put down her chopsticks. She understood what Xu Feixuan meant, so she reassured her, "Don't worry, Madam, I will do what I should do."
“I don’t care if you run away again, or if you truly want to marry him but are after the Huo family’s money. None of that matters to me. But if you bring shame upon the Huo family, I will not forgive you.”
Xu Feixuan looked at her sharply, "At the engagement banquet in three days, don't come up with any tricks. Just go through the engagement process properly. Things are different now. The people coming to Huo Garden are all from wealthy families and celebrities from all over the world. Don't let them laugh at us."
Xu Feixuan didn't give Jiang Shiyuan a chance to speak, her attitude remaining high and mighty. "The Huo family is not an ordinary family, and being the head wife of the Huo family is not easy. From now on, every word and action you take will represent the face of the Huo family. You must put away your old habits and circles. In everything you do, you must prioritize the interests of Huo Lan and the Huo family."
As soon as she finished speaking, she gave a wink to the maid waiting beside her.
The maid understood and turned around to take out an antique-looking, high-quality sandalwood carved jewelry box from a mahogany cabinet next to her, and carefully placed it on the table in front of Jiang Shiyuan.
The moment the box was opened, even though Jiang Shiyuan didn't know much about jewelry, he was stunned by the rich, pure emerald green that looked almost dripping with oil.
It was a complete and flawless set of imperial green jadeite jewelry. The necklace was made of dozens of uniformly sized, richly colored cabochon jadeite beads, each perfectly round and radiant with fluorescence. Numerous large diamonds were set into it like a dazzling galaxy.
"This is something that the Huo family passed down to the eldest daughter-in-law; it's been around for quite a few years."
Xu Feixuan's tone was devoid of emotion, as if she were talking about something ordinary: "This was given to me by the old lady when I first came into the family. Now, it's time to hand it over to you."
Xu Feixuan looked at the stunned Jiang Shiyuan and said slowly, "Accept it. Wear it to the engagement banquet, so that everyone can see that our Huo family has accepted you as our daughter-in-law. From now on, you are a member of the Huo family. Your words and actions must take into account the Huo family's reputation. Xiao Lan likes you very much, but you must also be sensible, know what you should and shouldn't do, and learn how to be a good daughter-in-law of the Huo family, manage his household affairs well, and let him have no worries."
Xu Feixuan eventually compromised, even though she still didn't like Jiang Shiyuan.
Jiang Shiyuan took a deep breath, her fingertips slightly cold, unsure whether she should stop or not.
"Madam, isn't it too early to give me this now?"
Xu Feixuan paused in her soup-drinking motion, raised an eyebrow at Jiang Shiyuan, and asked, "You mean you don't want it?"
"No, it's just that we're engaged now, it's not time to get married yet."
These words aroused suspicion in Xu Feixuan's heart. "Could it be that, as I suspect, you're planning to run away again?"
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Author's Note: Jiang Shiyuan: Urgent! I need a solution to dispel Xu Feixuan's suspicions!
The little scammer is about to start another scam! [doge]
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