Chapter 71 Drinking together, especially men.
In the evening, the setting sun paints the road the color of rosy clouds.
The carriage slowly returned home, and the only people returning to the old house were Song Baoyuan and Jiang Chengyou, whom she picked up along the way.
"Where's my sister?" Jiang Chengyou jumped off the carriage with a straw gourd, looked around, and ran back when he didn't see anyone.
"My sister is with Daddy, they won't be back tonight."
Song Baoyuan took her son into the house and said, "Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner."
Jiang Chengyou scratched his head and said, "Oh, then can I go play with Fubao after dinner?"
"Don't bother others all the time."
"But Uncle Xie said it's okay."
"That's not good either."
Jiang Chengyou puffed up his face unhappily, but soon became excited again, because Fubao jumped onto the wall as if he had telepathy with him.
"Meow."
Fubao strolled leisurely on the top of the wall, looking down from above.
Jiang Chengyou hurried over, raised his hands to try to catch it, and did not forget to turn around and ask: "If Fubao came here by himself, then I can play with it, right, Mom?"
"Be careful."
Song Baoyuan was afraid that Fubao would suddenly jump down and hit the child, so she also walked over.
She looked up and saw a slender, white hand climbing up the wall, standing out against the rough surface. After a moment, Xie Yuchao's head slowly emerged from the other side of the wall.
"Thank you, uncle!" Jiang Chengyou shouted immediately.
"Huh?"
Fubao seemed to be scared away by Jiang Chengyou's voice, so Xie Yuchao, who was looking for the right moment to catch the cat, missed.
"Be careful!" Song Baoyuan reminded anxiously.
Xie Yuchao climbed up the wall with such large movements that his body was shaking, which frightened Song Baoyuan.
"It's okay." Xie Yuchao gave up Fubao and hung himself on the wall like a piece of cloth, with his untied long hair hanging down along with his exaggerated sleeves.
Song Baoyuan looked up at him, confused, "What is Mr. Xie doing?"
"I originally wanted to take Fubao home." Xie Yuchao raised his head with an effort, "But now that I've met you, Madam Song, there are more important things to do."
"What?"
"sorry."
Song Baoyuan was stunned.
"I was late at the teahouse yesterday. It was my fault." Xie Yuchao said honestly, "I should have apologized yesterday, but I didn't find the right time."
Song Baoyuan stared at him blankly. His posture should be funny at this moment, but perhaps because he was handsome, he did not look embarrassed, and even looked a little cute.
"Is this how you always apologize to people?"
"Isn't that sincere enough?" Xie Yuzhao shook his limbs. "I'm hanging on the wall to apologize. If you're not satisfied, you can let me hang there forever."
Song Baoyuan had only heard of people asking for forgiveness by carrying a thorny stick on their backs.
She chuckled and said, "Mr. Xie, you are too kind. I was worried that you would blame me for disturbing your fun."
"Do I look like such a shameless person?" Xie Yuchao tilted his head back until his neck felt tired. "Please, forgive me this time. I won't dare to do it again."
Song Baoyuan was surprised that he begged for mercy in such a soft voice and without any sense of incongruity.
"Was yesterday's game of chess really that exciting?"
"It was wonderful! That was the most serious game of chess I've ever played." Xie Yuchao shifted his gaze and stared at the corner of the wall. "But I don't want to give up, not because of the quality of the chess."
Song Baoyuan was puzzled, "Why is that?"
"Because I don't want to lose to him."
Song Baoyuan tilted her head and asked uncertainly, "What will happen if I lose to him? Will it be embarrassing?"
Xie Yuchao was silent for a moment, then suddenly became serious. "I don't know why you liked him in the first place, but maybe if I beat him, I can let you know that there are many people better than him, and he's nothing special."
Song Baoyuan was stunned. "Whether I know or not, what does it matter?"
"It's important." Xie Yuchao said slowly.
But he didn't know how to explain it, so he just repeated in a low voice, "It's important."
"Ahem." He straightened his sleeves. "You haven't asked me yet if you can forgive me."
Song Baoyuan shook her head. "How can I forgive you? I was a little angry yesterday, but it's been so long. I won't hold a grudge against you."
"Why don't you care?" Xie Yuchao said in a relaxed tone, as if it had nothing to do with him. "Everything will pass if you endure it. If you always think this way, you will have to swallow so much grievances for no reason."
Song Baoyuan stared at him in a daze.
"Of course." Xie Yuchao changed the subject, "You can still be more tolerant of me, after all..."
He said seriously, "I'm a good person."
Song Baoyuan burst out laughing.
Beside her, Jiang Chengyou finally held Fubao. He freed his hands and tugged at the corner of his mother's clothes, "Mom, what are you talking about?"
Song Baoyuan lowered her head and touched his head, "Nothing, go wash your hands and eat."
She turned back and asked, "Master Xie, have you had dinner yet?"
“I have.”
Song Baoyuan was suspicious, "But your Xiaosi can't cook at all."
Xie Yuchao was stunned. When did the secret come out?
He remained calm, "He can't, but I can. Since you know everything, I won't hide it from you. In fact, I am the one who can do it."
"You, can cook?" Song Baoyuan almost had the word "doubt" written on her face.
"Yes." Xie Yuchao said seriously, "Would you like me to try my cooking someday?"
"OK."
Xie Yuchao: “…”
Song Baoyuan chuckled, "It's getting late, I'll take Chengcheng into the house first."
"good."
Xie Yuchao watched them go into the house, jumped off the wall nimbly, and clapped his hands.
Xiao Si, squatting nearby, was pulling weeds out of boredom. She couldn't help but ask, "Master, how dare you boast that you can cook when you can't even tell the difference between vegetables and grass?"
"Keep your voice down!"
Xiao Si pouted and said, "Fortunately, they are probably just being polite."
Xie Yuchao frowned slightly, and after a moment's thought, he said firmly, "Go, find me someone who can cook."
"ah?"
"Go!"
Xiao Si was stunned. "Why did you come here?"
"I'll learn a couple of moves."
"We're almost out of money for food, and you still want to spend money to learn how to cook?" Xiao Si found it ridiculous. "Master, are you okay?"
"Keep your voice down!"
Xiao Si frowned and said, "If you insist, I'll take possession of the two cups the teahouse wins back."
Because of the poem he recited in the teahouse, Xie Yuchao won two glass cups, which were worth a lot of money.
"Not right." He said bluntly.
Xiao Si: “?”
He couldn't understand at all, "Why?"
"No."
Xiao Si: “…”
"Hurry up and find someone. I'm going to show off my skills tomorrow."
Xie Yuchao said this with high morale, then went back to the house.
*
The next morning, Song Baoyuan received a post.
She sat in front of the dressing table, waiting for Qiao Yue to comb her hair, while Qiao Yin read the invitation to her.
"It was sent from the Pingyuan Marquis's mansion. The Pingyuan Marquis found some fine wine and invited the young lady to come over to drink with him."
Without waiting for Song Baoyuan to respond, Qiao Yue pinched the comb and snorted, "She definitely has bad intentions. Miss helped Miss Tan, but ended up getting herself into trouble."
Qiao Yin was worried, "Miss, what should I do?"
"Just refuse it." Song Baoyuan said calmly, "Just say that I have to go to the Ministry of Revenue today and I have something important to do that can't be delayed."
"yes."
It was not an excuse. Song Baoyuan really had to go to the Ministry of Revenue today to finalize some details of the drawings with Doctor Liu and others.
Unexpectedly, when he returned home in the evening, Pingyuan Hou came uninvited with a jar of wine.
On the other side, Jiang Keyu walked into the gate of Chang Mansion with good wine in one hand and her daughter in the other.
In the yard, Chang Yunbai was sitting in a wheelchair with a fox fur coat covering his legs.
Seeing the person coming, he frowned and said, "It's winter now, why are you still wearing so little?"
"What do you care about me?"
Jiang Keyu felt very dry every day and didn't feel cold at all.
He put his daughter down and handed her to Zhou Heyue, then sat down with the wine pot, "Have a drink with me."
Chang Yunbai took the wine pot and said, "The Lu family has agreed to let the child see me. Thank you."
Jiang Keyu raised her hand in response.
Seeing that he was in a bad mood, Chang Yunbai was surprised, "What's wrong with you? Are you faced with another difficult case?"
"no."
"What's going on?"
"It's okay." Jiang Keyu said perfunctorily and started drinking.
Chang Yunbai put the wine jug on the table and opened it without any intention. "It's written all over your face, how can you be okay?"
Jiang Keyu was stunned for a moment and sighed deeply, "It seems like everything I do is wrong."
Chang Yunbai was confused. "Who dislikes you?"
"Yeah." Jiang Keyu raised his head and drank the wine in the glass.
"who?"
Jiang Keyu was silent for a long time, then murmured two words.
"Who?" Chang Yunbai couldn't hear clearly at all.
"Ayuan."
Even after hearing the name, it took Chang Yunbai a while to realize who it was.
"Weren't you busying around for her a few days ago? Why don't you appreciate it?"
"Those are what I should do. It doesn't matter if she doesn't know." Jiang Keyu lowered her head. "But ever since this strange neighbor appeared, she has been hating me more and more."
Chang Yunbai raised his eyebrows, "Neighbor? A man, right?"
"Do you know who this man is?" Jiang Keyu scoffed. "He's the son of Xie Mingru, the Prime Minister of the Cabinet."
Chang Yunbai's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "I remember that Lord Xie only had one son, and he was the son of his beloved late wife, so he was kept very closely watch. Outsiders only say that the Xie family's only son is noble and unparalleled, but few have actually seen him. How could he be your neighbor?"
"How should I know?"
Jiang Keyu frowned, "I only know that Xie Mingru is arbitrary and cruel, and definitely not someone you can get along with."
"What about his son?"
Jiang Keyu paused and replied reluctantly, "It's a little different."
Chang Yunbai stared at his face and suddenly laughed, "This isn't the reaction of a brother. Are you regretting the divorce?"
"I..." Jiang Keyu was speechless for a moment.
He unconsciously tightened the wine glass in his hand.
There was another long silence.
"I feel like, no... I just can't stand it. She considers others more important than me." Jiang Keyu felt upset just thinking about it, "Especially men."
Chang Yunbai sneered, "Asking your ex-wife to remain chaste for you is probably a little unrealistic."
Jiang Keyu inexplicably found these words harsh.
"Don't you dislike boring women like her?" Chang Yunbai asked casually.
"When did I say that?"
"Do I really have to say it out loud?" Chang Yunbai groaned. "If I don't say it out loud, then the truth won't be the same, and others won't know it?"
Jiang Keyu was stunned.
Chang Yunbai looked at his legs, the corners of his mouth twitching with a hint of sarcasm and frustration. "Even if they say it's okay, disdain, disgust, disappointment...will flow from their eyes."
In an instant, Jiang Keyu fell into deep self-doubt.
Therefore, even if you don’t say that you don’t love someone, the politeness and alienation hidden in every detail will reveal the truth.
In the old house, Song Baoyuan went out to greet the uninvited guests.
"I greet you, my Lord. I apologize for not welcoming you in person. I hope you will forgive me."
"Of course not." Pingyuan Hou said with a smile, "Madam Song's grace yesterday left me with an unforgettable impression, so I hope Madam Song will not be offended by my intrusion today."
Song Baoyuan had to maintain her dignity, so her smile was a little stiff.
"Why isn't Jiang Shaoqing here?" Pingyuan Hou looked around. "I've brought some good wine, and I'd like to drink with you two."
Song Baoyuan thought he was asking even though he knew the answer.
"He's still busy with official duties and can't get away."
"That's a shame," Pingyuan Hou sighed, but the smile on his face widened. "In that case, Madam Song will have to drink with me to help me through this long night."
"I've been waiting for you for a long time."
A complaining voice interrupted.
Pingyuan Hou's smile froze. He looked up and saw a handsome young man walking out of the room. He untied the cloth around his waist and wiped his hands.
It was Xie Yuchao.
"The food is getting cold." He complained.
"Who is this?"
The two met eyes and asked at the same time.
Song Baoyuan glanced around and said, "This is Marquis Pingyuan, and this is... my cook."
Xie Yuchao was startled for a moment, then quickly frowned and walked quickly to her.
"Last time I made you angry, you said I was a coachman, and this time you said I was a cook. What will you say next time?"
He complained as if he was aggrieved, and naturally pulled Song Baoyuan behind him.
He turned his head to look at Pingyuan Hou, and his expression changed again, as calm as the owner of this house.
"My Lord, please forgive me for making a fool of myself."
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