Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The little maid cleared away the bowl, then brought me tea to rinse my mouth. She chattered on beside my ear, putting in good words for Jiang Chengning.

“While you were away, madam, the young master looked perfectly fine on the surface, but in truth he was always distracted and restless. He would come here in a daze whenever he had a moment. He missed you, madam. He just couldn’t bring himself to say it outright. We could all tell.”

I tugged the corners of my mouth into a smile and asked only two words. “Where is he?”

The little maid fell silent at once. Stammering, she replied, “The young master… The young master had something urgent come up and left all of a sudden. He was here the whole time before that, watching over you as you slept, madam.”

When I wasn’t here, he thought of me day and night. Now that I had returned, he suddenly had all manner of business to attend to.

The little maid seemed to think she had said the wrong thing and stood there meekly, not daring to make another sound.

I understood why she was so alarmed. When I first discovered that Jiang Chengning was keeping a mistress outside the manor, my state had indeed been frightening.

Later, when we appeared to have reconciled, I became paranoid and suspicious instead. The slightest thing off about Jiang Chengning would put me on guard.

The little maids in my courtyard had spent quite some time living on tenterhooks with me.

Feeling guilty, I patted her hand lightly. “It’s all right. I don’t mind anymore. His affairs are naturally important.”

A sudden noise came from the outer room.

I looked over and saw Jiang Chengning standing there with a pot of orchids in his hands, his dark eyes fixed steadily on me.

The little maid bowed and withdrew.

Jiang Chengning set the orchids on the windowsill and tidied the leaves. “I know you’ve always liked orchids. I ordered these from a merchant a month ago, and they happened to arrive today. Do you like them?”

I looked at them. The leaves were graceful and unfurled; they had been well cared for.

“I do.”

He came to the bedside and sat down, then took my hand. With his eyes lowered, he explained, “I was worried the servants might be clumsy and damage the orchids, so I went to fetch them myself. I didn’t mean to leave you alone.”

I was startled. He was explaining himself to me, just as he had before I left home, when he would tell me every detail of his affairs.

But…

Just as before, even if he told me every little thing, it did not stop him from secretly going to see Jiang Ying.

I had been away from Jiang Manor for so long, yet the scent she loved had not changed.

During the short time I was asleep, Jiang Chengning had already met with her.

At this moment, he carried the fragrance of orchids-and Jiang Ying’s osmanthus scent as well.

This time, I still had no intention of playing the fool.

If the two of us tacitly continued to hide and ignore Jiang Ying, she would only become a thorn in my heart alone.

So I asked Jiang Chengning directly, “After so many days apart, Lady Jiang must have missed you very much.”

Jiang Chengning’s expression stiffened. The gentle look still hung on his face, making it seem especially out of place.

He frowned, faintly displeased. “You still haven’t corrected that habit of yours…”

I did not wait for him to finish. I smiled at him. “Being kept as an outside mistress is a grievance to her, after all. Fortunately, she is sensible and has never made a fuss. After so many days apart, it is only right that you spend some time with her.”

This time, Jiang Chengning’s displeasure froze on his face as well.