"Fourth Master, after the young miss heard those words, she left. Now it seems that she's going to the Yingchun Tower," said Qin Yuan, the attendant beside Xie Jingchu, reporting every detail of what he had just witnessed in the main house courtyard.
"What is she going to do at the Yingchun Tower?" Xie Jingchu stopped writing.
"Seems like she's going to find the eldest young master." Qin Yuan paused for a moment, then complained, "Fourth Master, you've already let the young miss know that the main house is scheming against her, but she still wants to find the eldest young master. It's really a waste of your efforts."
"She's going to break off the engagement with him."
"How does Fourth Master know?" Qin Yuan was a bit puzzled.
Xie Jingchu smiled, his eyes firm.
How could he not know the little one he had raised himself?
-
Yingchun Tower
As usual, Xie Yanchuan was drinking with a group of his cronies in the Tian - shaped private room. There was a beauty beside each of them. They were having a great time.
As soon as the door was pushed open, a strong smell of alcohol mixed with the thick scent of powder assailed her nostrils. Ruan Jiu couldn't help but frown.
The smell was like a pile of rotten fruits with white bubbles, fermenting together with dead rats.
"Why are you here?"
Xie Yanchuan was surprised to see Ruan Jiu.
"Tell them to leave. I have something to talk to you about." Ruan Jiu glanced at the men and women in the room.
Before Xie Yanchuan could say anything, Lu Wanrou immediately showed her dissatisfaction. She swayed her hips and sat on Xie Yanchuan's lap.
Putting her arms around his neck, with her fragrant shoulders half - exposed, she said, "Yanchuan, could you bear to let me leave?"
Ruan Jiu gasped, feeling a shiver run from her back to her scalp.
Xie Yanchuan looked up and said, "Why don't you go down and wait first?"
At this moment, Lu Wanrou looked at Ruan Jiu defiantly, and pressed her white chest closer to Xie Yanchuan.
In the past, Ruan Jiu would surely have obediently gone down to wait.
But now...
Ruan Jiu sneered. Then her expression suddenly changed. She stepped forward, picked up the wine pot on the table, lifted the lid and smelled it.
"Xie Yanchuan, your taste is really terrible."
Ruan Jiu looked at the wine, then at Lu Wanrou.
Before anyone could react, Ruan Jiu poured all the wine on Lu Wanrou's head.
"Ah! Are you crazy!" Lu Wanrou screamed.
"Now you can leave." Ruan Jiu looked at Lu Wanrou's soaked clothes.
"Yanchuan!" Lu Wanrou pouted and stamped her foot, her eyes full of grievance.
Xie Yanchuan couldn't bear to see Lu Wanrou so aggrieved. He immediately glared at Ruan Jiu and roared, "Ruan Jiu! What on earth do you want to do!"
"I've told you nicely, but you just won't listen."
Xie Yanchuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger.
He waved his hand and said coldly, "You all go out first."
Lu Wanrou glared at Ruan Jiu hatefully. Although reluctant, she had no choice but to leave.
Hearing the eldest young master's order, the others in the room also had to put away their curious looks.
It seemed that they were not going to be able to watch the show of the main wife coming to deal with the concubine.
"Speak. What do you want to talk to me about?" Xie Yanchuan's voice was cold. He was still angry about what had just happened.
"Let's break off the engagement."
"What?" Xie Yanchuan couldn't believe his ears.
This engagement was arranged by the grandfather. Didn't she always listen to the grandfather the most?
"We're not suitable. You think I'm boring, and I can't stand your womanizing."
Xie Yanchuan actually thought there was some truth in what she said.
"So what?"
What he meant was that even though they were both reluctant, they had no say in this engagement.
"We don't have to break off the engagement, but you can delay the wedding for now."
Actually, Ruan Jiu didn't expect Xie Yanchuan to agree to break off the engagement directly. As long as the wedding could be postponed for the time being, she would figure out the rest.
"Why should I agree to you?" Xie Yanchuan said mockingly.
Ruan Jiu knew exactly what he was thinking. Her eyes flashed, "If you don't agree, then we'll just get married. But..."
She paused, a sly look in her eyes, "After we get married, I won't tolerate any other women like Wanrou. Oh, by the way, you won't be able to come to these brothels either."
Xie Yanchuan scoffed, "Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?"
"After we get married, I'll be the eldest young mistress of the Xie family. If you want to take concubines in the future, you'll have to get my approval."
Xie Yanchuan gasped. He had forgotten about this. Womanizing was his only hobby.
But if he agreed, he didn't know how his father would punish him.
When the engagement was first arranged, he had rebelled and almost got punished to kneel in the ancestral hall.
He helplessly rubbed his forehead. After thinking for a while, he replied, "Okay, I agree."
After all, there were still thousands of young girls in the large city of Qinzhou waiting for him.
"However, I only agree to delay the wedding for now."
"Okay." Ruan Jiu immediately agreed.
Seeing that she was about to leave, Xie Yanchuan waved his wine cup, "Don't you want to have a drink before you go?"
Ruan Jiu glanced at the lipstick mark on the cup.
"No, your taste is too bad."
-
"What are they busy with?"
When Ruan Jiu returned to the courtyard after finishing her work, she saw the maids bustling around.
"The people from the main house are coming for dinner today. The old master specifically told us to prepare a few more dishes," explained Chuntao.
"I heard they're going to discuss your engagement with the eldest young master," Chuntao said, covering her mouth and giggling.
After hearing this, Ruan Jiu secretly felt relieved. Fortunately, she had just gone to talk to Xie Yanchuan.
When she entered the front hall, Xie Chong and the people from the main house were already seated.
Xie Yanchuan saw Ruan Jiu coming in and winked at her.
Ruan Jiu pretended not to see. She didn't want to be misunderstood as flirting with Xie Yanchuan.
"Ajiu, come and sit quickly," Xie Chong pointed to the seat beside Xie Yanchuan.
Ruan Jiu nodded slightly. Just as she was about to sit down, a voice came from the door.
"It's so lively today."
She turned around and saw Xie Jingchu striding in.
Then he sat down in the seat beside Xie Yanchuan.
She was stunned and stood there.
Then, Xie Jingchu lifted his chin, "Sit down."
Only then did she obediently sit beside Xie Jingchu.
"I thought you'd never come," Xie Chong looked at Xie Jingchu. His tone was stern, but there was no trace of anger on his face.
"I came here as soon as I got back to see you," Xie Jingchu said. Then he picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of the fish that the old master liked the most, and put it in his bowl.
Xie Chong immediately smiled.
Xie Jing and Xu Qing, the couple from the main house, glanced at each other.
Then, Xie Jing said, "Father, we came here today to discuss the engagement between Yanchuan and the young miss. What do you think?"
"Then pick a date," Xie Chong said.
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu quickly looked at Xie Yanchuan, signaling him with her eyes.
Xie Yanchuan nodded in response, then said to Xie Chong, "Oh, grandfather, I'm still young. There's no rush."
"This child," Xie Jing forced a smile and scolded Xie Yanchuan in a low voice, "Young? You're almost seventeen. I already had you when I was your age."
"Uncle Four is twenty, but he's not married yet," Xie Yanchuan muttered.
After saying that, he quickly lowered his head, afraid that the next second, Xie Jingchu would kill him with a fierce look.
"Tsk," Xie Jing's expression was solemn, "Your Uncle Four isn't in a hurry."
"Even if we go by seniority, Uncle Four should get married first before it's my turn," Xie Yanchuan continued to argue.
In his heart, he kept praying, Uncle Four, don't blame me. I have no choice.
After hearing this, Xie Chong thought for a while, "Yanchuan is right."
Ruan Jiu let out a sigh of relief.
"Yanchuan and Ajiu are already engaged anyway. There's no need to rush the wedding. But you, Fourth, when are you going to get married?" Xie Chong paused and looked at Xie Jingchu.
After hearing this, Xie Jingchu glanced at Ruan Jiu, who had her head down.
Then he said, "I'll follow father's arrangement."
Ruan Jiu accidentally dropped her chopsticks.
Was he going to get married?