Chapter 44: I will take the trouble to choose a gift for you that is of good character and quick wit...
Since Jiang Chengyou returned to school, Song Baoyuan had a lot more free time during the day. Although she still had Sui Sui to take care of, she was mostly with her father.
Once life becomes comfortable, the only bad thing will be magnified.
For example, Chang Yunbai would appear in the teahouse eight out of ten days, and Song Baoyuan became more and more annoyed with him.
When she was not busy, Song Baoyuan asked Qiao Yue to go to the kitchen and asked Zhou Heyue to come and see her.
Sitting opposite her classmate at the table, Zhou Heyue lowered her head with her hands folded on her legs.
Song Baoyuan looked at her, remembering how timid she was when they first met. She couldn't reconcile the girl in front of her with the scheming person that Lu Shuran described.
"Mrs. Song suddenly called me over here. Is there something I did wrong?"
Song Baoyuan thought for a moment and shook her head. "No, you do everything very well. The cakes you make are delicious, and most of the guests like them. You get along well with everyone, and they all praise you for your attentiveness."
Zhou Heyue seemed relieved when she heard this. "Then why did Madam Song come to see me?"
Song Baoyuan said bluntly, "Master Chang appears almost every day, and I'm a little annoyed by it."
Zhou Heyue was visibly stunned for a moment, then she apologized profusely. "I'm sorry! It's my fault. I'm so sorry. But, but I've done everything I should have done. I don't know what else to do."
"Don't be alarmed," Song Baoyuan said softly. "I'm just curious. He has a good family background, is respectable, and is so devoted to you. Why don't you want to go back home with him?"
Zhou Heyue's brows were gloomy.
After a long pause, he said, "To be honest, Madam Song, my mother used to work at the Lishang Academy and kept me by her side. There are countless young men from noble families in the academy. If I could just hook up with one of them, I would have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of my life, and my brother would have a bright future."
She clutched the corner of her clothes. "I knew from a very young age that my mission was to find a noble family man who would be interested in me, become his concubine, and then try to give him a child, preferably a boy."
"But someone told me that he wanted to marry me."
Song Baoyuan frowned unconsciously.
As if recalling a beautiful memory, Zhou Heyue's lips curled up slightly, "He said that he wanted me to be his only wife. So I really thought that I..."
She paused and took a deep breath. "It's not that I can't be a concubine, it's that I don't want to be his concubine."
If even this were to be shattered, then it would seem that there would be nothing worth remembering in her life.
Song Baoyuan lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
"Then, if he divorces you and marries you, are you willing to go with him?"
Zhou Heyue's smile gradually turned bitter, "How is this possible?"
"What if I can help you?"
One stone can cause a thousand ripples.
Zhou Heyue looked up in a daze, looking at the person opposite who seemed to be just talking casually, and did not say anything for a long time.
But while waiting, Song Baoyuan already had the answer.
"Mrs. Song, help me?"
Song Baoyuan couldn't express her feelings.
She hesitated for a moment and smiled.
Said, "If you need it."
*
As dusk approached, Chang Yunbai, who was sitting by the window on the first floor, turned his head to look at the sky and sighed softly.
At this moment, Song Baoyuan came to him without warning.
He looked up in surprise, only to see the other person sitting down very naturally and pouring him tea.
"Sister-in-law, why are you in the mood to have a drink with me today?"
Song Baoyuan didn't look at him, but stared at the almost full teacup in her hand, "Because there are some questions that I really can't help but want to know the answers to."
"for example?"
"Why are you so idle?"
Chang Yunbai was stunned, turned his head away, and chuckled, "I have a sinecure, so I spend an hour or two every day drinking tea with you, sister-in-law. It's harmless."
"Is that so?" Song Baoyuan seemed to understand.
She twirled her teacup and continued, "Master Chang is a prominent figure. The news that he spends his time in my little teahouse has spread. I wonder if Master Chang knows about this?"
Chang Yunbai calmly drank his tea and said, "It's like everyone wants to say something derogatory about my sister-in-law being a merchant's daughter. They all gossip about her behind her back. How many people would say such things in front of you and Jiang Keyu?"
It was hard for Song Baoyuan not to notice the sting in his words.
"So you know that people are saying that you're lowering yourself to be obsessed with the cook?"
"This is the fact, why should I deny it?"
"Don't you care about your reputation at all?"
Chang Yunbai looked towards the kitchen and said, "It's not important."
The infatuated young man is obsessed with one person, regardless of his status and disregarding etiquette. This is also a beautiful story in the book of rumors.
If Song Baoyuan was just listening to the story, she might really think so.
"Master Chang thinks it's unimportant, does Madam Lu also think it's unimportant?"
Song Baoyuan said quietly, "It's not just Master Chang who has lost face and lost his reputation."
Chang Yunbai paused as he gripped the teacup, then frowned, "Are you here to defend her?"
Song Baoyuan remained noncommittal. "From the tone of Mr. Chang, he doesn't seem to feel guilty."
"Why should I feel guilty?" Chang Yunbai said confidently, "Didn't you hear it that day? If she hadn't insisted on stopping it, things wouldn't have gotten to this point. She brought this upon herself."
"Your words are so harsh, and I don't think you have much love for each other. If that's the case, why not get a divorce? You can get rid of the person you don't like, and at the same time, you can show more sincerity to the person you truly like. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
Chang Yunbai was slightly dazed, as if he had never thought of this step.
But even if I thought about it, I would quickly reject it.
He snorted, "Do you think divorce is such a simple matter? Do you think everyone can part ways amicably like you and Jiang Keyu? Besides, even if Lu Shuran did something wrong, she is still the mother of my child. How could I be such a heartless person?"
Song Baoyuan found it funny but controlled her expression.
"Master Chang, there's no need to react so strongly. I just heard a story today, so I'm giving you a suggestion."
"story?"
"Yes, it's a story about a young man and a young woman standing by a lake, promising to be together forever. The most touching line in the story is, 'You don't need to belittle yourself. Your status doesn't matter.'"
Chang Yunbai was suddenly stunned.
"Don't underestimate yourself. What does your status matter? I've decided that you are my wife, and you will definitely be her."
These are his own words, he has not forgotten them and has felt guilty about them for many years.
Chang Yunbai looked at the person opposite him, unsure for a moment who she came for.
Song Baoyuan sighed again, nonchalantly, "How touching."
Chang Yunbai seemed not to hear and remained silent for a long time.
*
In the evening, Jiang Chengyou was the first to return home.
He was covered in ink and holding a piece of written paper in his hand. As soon as the carriage stopped, he ran into the house impatiently.
"Mom! Today, the teacher said that my handwriting has improved and praised me for my future style..."
There was no one in the yard. He felt like he had been poured with a basin of cold water. He had lost interest before he could finish his words.
The little man stood in the middle of the yard for a while, then spread the paper in his hand on the table, carefully smoothed it out, and picked up two beautiful stones on the ground to press it down to prevent it from being blown away by the wind.
"Let's go change clothes." He called the maid, muttering, "They will definitely be back by the time I change clothes."
Song Baoyuan arrived home half a quarter of an hour late. As soon as she walked into the yard, she heard two people shouting, "Mom!"
She looked back and saw her daughter breaking free from her father's arms and running towards her.
On the other side, Jiang Chengyou, who had changed into clean clothes, also ran towards her.
"Mom! Look at my butterfly, is it beautiful?" Jiang Suisui asked excitedly.
Song Baoyuan squatted down, half-hugged her daughter in her arms, and took the butterfly from her hand.
It is an exquisite butterfly hairpin.
"Where are you from?"
"Isn't this gift my dad gave me beautiful?"
"It looks good." Song Baoyuan took a closer look. The workmanship and materials used were extraordinary. It was definitely not something bought casually on the street.
She looked puzzled, "Why did you think of buying this for her?"
When she asked this, Jiang Keyu just walked in front of her and said, "I went to Linlang Pavilion to investigate a case today. She saw it and wanted it, so I bought it for her."
Jiang Chengyou stood aside and scratched his head.
"Mom, put it on for me!" Jiang Suisui begged, moving her head closer.
Song Baoyuan laughed and gently tucked her hair into the bun made from her braids.
"Is it good-looking?"
Jiang Suisui walked around in a circle and asked everyone one by one.
My parents naturally supported me, but my brother didn't cooperate at all.
Jiang Chengyou put his hands on his hips and said, "It doesn't look good!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Jiang Suisui disagreed.
“It just doesn’t look good!”
"You...are talking nonsense!"
Seeing that the brother and sister were about to quarrel again, Song Baoyuan quickly pulled them apart.
"Okay, go inside, wash your hands, and get ready for dinner."
The brother and sister glared at each other at the same time and rushed into the house as if to see who was faster.
Song Baoyuan stood where she was, not rushing to catch up with them, but turned sideways to look at Jiang Keyu.
"Why did you buy her another gift?"
It sounded like a reproach, and Jiang Keyu felt confused. "It's just a little toy. If she wanted it, I bought it for her."
"Every day you either buy her jewelry or toys."
Jiang Keyu didn't understand, "What's wrong?"
"You didn't even remember to buy it for Chengcheng."
"He..." Jiang Keyu frowned, "Why would a boy like him need jewelry? Besides, he's already in school, so he shouldn't be distracted by toys."
Song Baoyuan's brows were filled with worry. "That's just the logic, but what Chengcheng saw and felt was that his father didn't care about him at all and only loved his sister, didn't he?
"I didn't!" Jiang Keyu retorted.
The pebbles were no match for the evening breeze, and the papers on the table were blown off and rolled to the feet of the two people.
The front side was facing up, allowing the two of them to clearly see the notes.
Song Baoyuan's heart skipped a beat. Jiang Keyu bent down to pick it up, looked at the words on the paper, and then looked at Jiang Chengyou's figure in the room.
"I just forgot to care about how he is doing in school." Song Baoyuan said in annoyance.
Jiang Keyu was distracted for a moment and folded the paper carefully.
"I, I'll go pick out a gift for him later... No, I'll go pick out a gift for him tomorrow and praise him for his homework, okay?"
Song Baoyuan looked up and asked, "Why wait until tomorrow to praise me?"
As she spoke, she walked into the house.
"etc."
Jiang Keyu called her, sounding somewhat urgent.
Song Baoyuan didn't understand what was going on and was slow to react.
When she turned around, he had already handed the slender wooden box to her.
"By the way, I bought this for you." Jiang Keyu said softly.
Song Baoyuan hesitated a bit, but still took it. When she opened it, she found a willow-leaf hairpin inside.
And it was the one she had casually praised when she passed by Linlang Pavilion one day.
Yes, is it a coincidence?
But she didn't remember mentioning it to him.
"Thanks."
"Ahem." Jiang Keyu avoided her gaze. "I have something else I want to tell you."
Song Baoyuan looked at him and felt uneasy. "What's the matter?"
Jiang Keyu opened her mouth several times but couldn't utter a word.
It seems difficult to talk about.
Song Baoyuan was suspicious, but did not urge him.
Jiang Keyu turned away, as if mustering up her courage, and said seriously, "If you want, if you're willing... I can personally find a good marriage for you. I'll definitely take the trouble to pick out a man with good character, quick wit, and good looks. You... it's best if you don't go to places like Yaofang where there's a lot of good and bad people mixed together."
Song Baoyuan: "..."
She froze as if petrified.
Jiang Keyu's earnest admonishment made her doubt whether she was a frequent visitor to red-light districts.
Her eyes were dull, "Brother, are you worrying too much?"
Jiang Keyu looked unnatural, and every word she said felt hot on her lips, but she still said seriously, "I'm serious."
"oh."
Song Baoyuan responded indifferently, closed the wooden box in her hand with a "click", and turned to leave.
Jiang Keyu: “?”
What attitude.
Did he say something wrong?
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