Fenghua Pavilion. Jiang Yihuan was watching Yang Quan make rouge and powder, when she heard Xiao Yanci talking to the staff outside. She instructed Yang Quan to take his time and turned to go out the door.
Yang Quan looked at her back, touched the black birthmark on his face, filled with insecurity.
He heard that Doctor Jiang from Taoyao Square also had a birthmark, but recently her birthmark has been fading. Does that mean his birthmark can disappear too?
If his birthmark disappeared, would Miss Jiang notice him more?
Jiang Yihuan opened the door and ran towards Xiao Yanci.
"Brother Xiao, what brings you back today?"
Xiao Yanci looked troubled, "I want to ask you for a favor."
"Brother Xiao, what are you saying? Do we need to be so distant with each other?" Jiang Yihuan’s eyes reddened, "Have you stopped caring about me?"
"Nonsense." Xiao Yanci gently touched her hair. "How could I not care about you?"
Xiao Yanci couldn’t bear to see her cry. Whenever she cried, he felt that others were at fault, that heaven was unfair, not her. Even if she had done something that displeased him before, he would forget it at that moment.
She was still a teenage girl, unlike him, who despite appearing to be twenty, was actually a man nearing forty. Of course, her temperament couldn’t compare with his, yet he had been so harsh on her.
"Then why are you so distant with me? You must blame me for not taking care of you when you were sick. I’m not as considerate as Sister-in-law Wen, nor as good at taking care of people as she is. I’m just silly, I can’t do anything. If I could cook, boil medicine, wipe your body, I would..."
"Alright, alright." Xiao Yanci hugged Jiang Yihuan. "I wouldn’t bear to let you do such things. Don’t say silly things."
"Can we be like we used to be?" Jiang Yihuan asked, her eyes red like a rabbit’s, looking at him. "Will you still be like before, telling me everything, trusting me completely?"
"Of course. In this world, you’re the only one I care about now."
"Then tell me, what do you want me to do? No matter what the condition or how difficult it is, I’ll surely help you. I can’t usually help you, so it’s rare for you to ask me for help."
Jiang Yihuan smiled through her tears.
Xiao Yanci suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
"Say it!" Jiang Yihuan urged.
"Can you lend me twenty taels of silver?" Xiao Yanci hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
If there was any other way, he wouldn’t have asked her. But now, apart from looking for Jiang Yihuan, he couldn’t find a way to make money quickly.
"I don’t have that much silver on hand. You know, my mother doesn’t let me touch money." Jiang Yihuan showed a determined look, "But wait for me, I’ll figure something out for you."
"You’re not thinking of sneaking some money from your mother, are you?"
"How would it be sneaking? I have my own salary, but my mother’s worried I’d spend it recklessly, so she doesn’t give it to me. I just need to take what’s mine. Alright, don’t worry about it!"
Xiao Yanci was still worried. Although Zhong Lanhua usually treated Jiang Yihuan fairly well, with enough to eat and use, when it came to money, she was like a miser and wouldn’t let Jiang Yihuan near it.
If it weren’t for his recent paintings and poems not selling, he wouldn’t be in such a predicament.
It’s strange, suddenly, someone named Young Master She Yu appeared and overshadowed him, and within a few days, became known all over the city. This caused his paintings and poems not to sell.
"Sister-in-law Wen was injured and needs care. I have to return to the academy. So I’ll have to trouble you with the silver. But rest assured, I’ll repay you in the future."
Jiang Yihuan grabbed the hem of his clothing, "So, you’re borrowing money for her?"
"She was injured and needs medical treatment. Without consultation fees, the doctor won’t visit her, let alone prescribe medicine. I’ve been busy with my studies lately, so I haven’t had time to find work, which is why I’m a bit strapped for cash."
"Brother Xiao is so good to her. Seeing her beaten so badly before, I did feel sorry for her. If being injured means Brother Xiao would personally care for her, I’d rather be the one who got hurt."
"There you go saying silly things again." Xiao Yanci gently touched her hair. "Alright, I should go..."
Jiang Yihuan lunged at Xiao Yanci and kissed his cheek.
Xiao Yanci froze.
Jiang Yihuan bashfully ran back to her room.
Xiao Yanci stood in place for a long time, until a chilly wind blew by. Clad in thin clothes, he shivered and only then came back to his senses.
Compared to Su Yaoguang, Jiang Yihuan was technically his rightful wife. The sweet memories of their past life remained vivid to this day. He witnessed every change from her being a naïve girl to a graceful woman.
Xiao Yanci, in a great mood, felt as if he was walking on air.
He took large strides out the door, only to see Su Yaoguang chasing Zhou Wangshu from outside, the two messing around joyfully, looking particularly close.
Their smiles faded when they saw him.
Zhou Wangshu wrapped an arm around Su Yaoguang’s shoulder, saying to her, "I told you not to go out in the middle of the night. Going out at night, you’re bound to meet ghosts."
"Elder sister here is an exorcist, what’s there to fear?" Su Yaoguang ruffled Zhou Wangshu’s hair.
"My hair’s a mess now."
"Little brat, paying attention to your looks, are you?"
"Who are you calling a little brat?" Zhou Wangshu felt slighted and chased after Su Yaoguang into Taoyao Square.
Xiao Yanci sneered, "Is he a husband or a son?"
"Splash!" A bucket of water poured out.
Xiao Yanci was drenched to the bone.
He glared furiously at the water-throwing Zhou Wangshu, "You did that on purpose!"
Zhou Wangshu stood with one hand on his hip, chin raised defiantly, "What else? This young master here has perfect aim. I wouldn’t splash just anyone; of course, it was on purpose. Xiao, you and I both know what that needle was about. Our not pursuing it doesn’t mean it’s over. Remember this, I’ve kept this debt in mind."
"You... Su Yaoguang, how could you fancy this kind of man? Her taste is getting worse."
Su Yaoguang came out from behind Zhou Wangshu, snatched the wooden basin from his hand, and threw it in Xiao Yanci’s direction.
Xiao Yanci attempted to dodge.
The wooden basin landed at his feet.
He boasted, "Do you think I’m stupid enough to stand here and be..."
Thunk! Su Yaoguang’s shoe flew over, hitting Xiao Yanci square on the head.
Xiao Yanci felt his head buzz, losing consciousness as he heavily fell to the ground.
"He says he’s not stupid, but how smart can he be with that brain?" Su Yaoguang remarked, "Shall we do something thrilling?"
"What thrilling thing do you have in mind?" Zhou Wangshu asked, picking up Su Yaoguang’s shoe and placing it by her foot.
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