The system fell silent instantly, and Xu Wanying sneered again.
[I currently lack the energy to predict Jiang Chengli's fate! Once I have the energy again, I'll help you see his ending.]
Upon hearing her cold laugh, the system immediately began to explain, though its words sounded somewhat guilty and weak.
"Oh, right, shopkeeper, remember to have that jade pendant made a bit rougher. After all, it's an important item, and even a new one can't replace it," Cen Ying instructed, and the shopkeeper immediately obeyed.
The system naturally broke down again at this kind of instruction, but no one paid any attention.
Xu Wanying was busy picking out jewelry, and the shopkeeper did indeed bring out many of his best pieces, which broadened her horizons as a modern person.
When the group was about to leave, everyone had gained a lot.
[Host, this system has detected that your emotions are continuously rising and new energy has been received. Do you wish to check Jiang Chengli's activity?]
Xu Wanying flatly refused: "No need. I absolutely won't waste money on men!"
When the women of the Jiang family heard the system's question, they couldn't help but hold their breath, fearing that the system would find something amiss. Fortunately, Xu Wanying never disappointed and once again swatted the system away.
"You guys go back first, I have other things to do." Cen Ying saw the three of them off, but stayed behind herself.
In Wutong Street, Jiang Chengli stood with his arms crossed against the wall, his expression extremely cold.
The door opened, but the room was empty; clearly, he didn't know where Xing Xiaoya had gone.
Once Xing Xiaoya runs away, this so-called gear of fate will keep turning, causing Xing Xiaoya to come into contact with the Jiang family, which is something he absolutely cannot tolerate.
He clenched his fists and unconsciously pounded the wall, breaking the knuckles of his fingers.
With a "whoosh," a pebble suddenly fell to the side.
Jiang Chengli immediately looked up and saw a guard standing in a corner not far away, gesturing to him.
He recognized the guard as a member of the Marquis of Zhongyi's household and immediately followed him.
"Is the old man having a relapse? Didn't I tell him not to come looking for me?"
Xing Xiaoya's sudden disappearance made Jiang Chengli very irritable, so he started complaining.
The guard waved his hand without saying a word, but tried his best to hurry on his way. Soon he arrived at a secluded alley where a carriage was parked, guarded by guards on all sides.
Jiang Chengli stopped abruptly, his expression growing increasingly serious.
Although we haven't seen the person yet, it's definitely not the Marquis of Loyalty and Righteousness who's coming this time; the old man wouldn't be sitting in the carriage waiting.
He already had a guess in mind, but he hesitated and didn't make a move.
The person inside the carriage, however, took the initiative to lift the curtain, revealing half of their face.
"Li-ge'er, why aren't you coming over?"
A gentle voice asked, instantly making Jiang Chengli's heart tremble.
"Mother." Before he could even react, he had already uttered that word.
"You shouldn't have come, and I can't see you either, or things might go wrong. I have to go—" he said as he darted away and disappeared in an instant, clearly having fled.
Cen Ying sighed and raised her voice slightly, saying, "I've already seen her today. It's no use you leaving. Aren't you going to talk to your mother?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Chengli reappeared.
"Mother, who did you see?"
"Who else could it be but the one you've been hiding? Get in the car."
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Chengli finally got into the carriage.
Fortunately, the carriage was spacious enough, otherwise he would have had nowhere to put his legs.
"Where is your jade pendant?" Cen Ying went straight to the point.
"I smashed it."
"Xing Xiaoya took the pattern from the jade pendant to a jewelry shop today, intending to have it remade. It must be a surprise she's preparing for you."
As soon as Cen Ying finished speaking, Jiang Chengli clenched his teeth. Clearly, Xing Xiaoya's unnecessary action was, in his view, the beginning of another nightmare.
Seeing his tense appearance, Cen Ying couldn't help but sigh. She raised her hand, grasped his wrist, and gently loosened his clenched fist.
"Can't you tell your mother what happened?"
She saw her son's mangled bones, clearly caused by his earlier struggle against the wall. Her brows furrowed, and she immediately took out a handkerchief to carefully wipe away the bloodstains.
"Mother, please don't ask anymore. Even if you knew, it would only cause you more trouble. All of us in the Jiang family are like playthings in someone else's hands, being manipulated and pushed forward. Even if we try our best to change some of the process, we will always fail at the last moment, and the final outcome will not change."
Jiang Chengli felt his mother's gentleness and resilience, and his heart melted.
He felt even more distressed when facing his mother than when facing his father.
Although he was clearly refusing, he still couldn't resist his mother's gentle advances and couldn't help but reveal a few more words.
Cen Ying was an extremely intelligent person, and she knew her third son quite well, so she was able to guess a lot of things just from these few words.
“Alright, I just came to see how you are. You’ve lost a lot of weight, you need to eat more. Although your father is a lecherous scoundrel and unreliable, your mother is not so easy to bribe. As long as your mother is alive, if you don’t want Xing Xiaoya to get close to the Marquis’s mansion, then she won’t be able to get in!” Cen Ying assured him firmly.
Jiang Chengli looked up at him, his lips slightly upturned as if he were trying to force a smile, but it looked more like a grimace.
His expression, a mixture of crying and laughing, broke Cen Ying's heart again. But she knew there was nothing she could do. Her third son had clearly suffered a great deal of hardship that she was unaware of, otherwise he wouldn't have ended up like this.
"Mother, I should go now, or I'll run into her." Jiang Chengli immediately said goodbye.
Although Cen Ying was reluctant, she nodded, but at the same time, she became even more wary of Xing Xiaoya.
It seems that Xing Xiaoya really has three heads and six arms, otherwise Jiang Chengli wouldn't be so cautious. It's like being bitten by a snake once and being afraid of a rope for ten years.
After getting off the carriage, Jiang Chengli felt somewhat uneasy.
"Brother Dazhuang, what are you doing here? Did you come looking for me?"
While he was lost in thought, he heard Xing Xiaoya's cheerful voice again.
Her voice was clear and melodious, like a silver bell, but to Jiang Chengli's ears, it was eerie and terrifying, like a midnight curse.
"I told you to come with me if you were going out, so why did you go out alone?" Jiang Chengli turned around and immediately questioned in an icy tone.
“Brother Dazhuang, I know you’re worried about me, but I’ve always been very lucky. Walking the streets of Wangjing, I’ve only ever met good people, and I’ve never run into any bullies! I made a good price for the silk flowers today, so I can have a nice lunch. I’ll cook for you…”
She seemed completely oblivious to his fierceness, talking happily to herself, moving with the agility of a rabbit, even her earrings swaying. Combined with her delicate, fair skin, she was incredibly eye-catching.
Jiang Chengli's heart pounded uncontrollably again as he became infatuated with her, but at the same time, his stomach cramped, making him feel nauseous and want to vomit.
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