Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jiang Zhi froze for a moment, probably not expecting my sister to embarrass him on my behalf.

He quickly changed his expression and said apologetically, “It was my fault. I was thinking that Madam must be exhausted from taking care of Wen Lin, and I spoke without thinking.”

Only then did my sister remember that he was a prince. Her expression eased slightly, and her tone grew a little more polite.

“There is no need for that, Your Highness. I did save you once, but you also saved my husband and have treated Wen Lin so well. Your debt of gratitude has long since been repaid.”

Jiang Zhi’s mouth tightened. A dark look flashed through his eyes, as if he were suppressing anger. “How could a life-saving debt be repaid so quickly?”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

My sister looked at him in astonishment, at a loss for how to reply.

I lowered my eyes as well and sneered inwardly.

Had he ever repaid it?

In my previous life, he used the excuse of repaying a debt to entangle my sister for the rest of her life.

In the days that followed, my sister must have sensed something. She stopped bringing up Jiang Zhi and instead began arranging my marriage.

One afternoon, she took my hand and chattered on. “At first, I thought His Highness was handsome and might be to your liking, so I even considered matching the two of you. I didn’t expect you not to like him. It seems I was meddling after all.”

I smiled and shook my head.

My sister asked again, “Then what sort of man do you like? Tell me, and I’ll help you look.”

I thought about it. “Big eyes. Taller than me. Two dimples when he smiles.”

She pressed her lips together in a smile, waiting for me to go on.

“And ideally… ideally, he would enjoy the same food and pastimes as me, and share my interests. He could eat candied hawthorns from a street stall with me, and go with me to listen to storytellers and watch plays. He wouldn’t have to put on airs or care about rules at every turn.”

As I spoke, a lively smile crept into my voice before I knew it.

My sister looked at my expression, then suddenly paused. She studied me thoughtfully for a long while before slowly asking,

“Ah Shu, do you… already have someone you like?”

My heart gave a violent leap, and my face warmed. Then I admitted it openly. “I do.”

Her eyes lit up, and she was just about to press me for details when I hurriedly added, “But, Sister, he’s a little shy. There’s no rush.”

My sister looked at me suspiciously, but in the end, she did not push. She simply smiled and squeezed my hand.

“All right, no rush. As long as you know what you’re doing.”

I suppressed my wildly pounding heart and drank several mouthfuls of water.

…

On the day of Wen Lin’s hundred-day banquet, the Xu Residence was decorated with lanterns and colored banners, and guests filled the halls.

My sister held the fair, plump Wen Lin in the front hall to welcome guests, smiling so widely she could barely close her mouth.

My brother-in-law greeted his colleagues nearby, his face glowing with joy.

Naturally, I could not sit idle either. I helped serve tea and water, led guests around, and greeted people inside and out. After making a full round, I had run myself ragged enough that fine sweat beaded at my temples.

When I finally found a free moment, I slipped off to a corner of the garden to catch my breath, leaning against the railing as I watched the koi in the pond.

Before long, voices and laughter drifted over from the rockery.

The footsteps were scattered, as if a small group of women were passing by together.

“I heard Grand Commandant Gu’s son, Gu Yuan, who returned home to visit his family, is also back in Bianzhou. He’ll be coming today to offer his congratulations.”

“Young Master Gu? What a shame. He was born so handsome, yet his face was ruined. Otherwise, he might even surpass Prince Cheng by a few degrees.”

My heart suddenly skipped.

Gu Yuan?

He never came in my previous life.

I was just about to lean out and look when the group abruptly fell silent and scattered in all directions.

Startled, I looked toward the direction they had fled.

Jiang Zhi was walking over from the end of the covered corridor. His brows drew together harshly, and his gaze landed on me.

He stopped in front of me and looked me up and down, his lips curving with malice. “Today is Wen Lin’s hundred-day celebration, yet Second Young Lady is dressed up so gaudily that one might almost mistake you for the mistress of the house.”

I looked down at the new pale-yellow dress I was wearing.

My sister had cut and sewn it for me herself. She said I always dressed too plainly, and on such a joyous day, I ought to wear something bright for once.

I liked it very much.

“Your Highness, a woman dresses for one who appreciates her. What I wear seems to have nothing to do with you.”

Jiang Zhi’s gaze lingered on my face for a second. A flash of amazement and vexation passed through his eyes.

Before I could make sense of it, he opened his mouth and began spewing filth.

“Lin Shu, you are so lacking in sense, seizing this chance to steal the spotlight. Only your sister would tolerate you.”

I found it funny, so I simply smiled. “Your Highness, I don’t need you to tolerate me. Why are you so worked up?”

He choked, unable to come up with a reply.