Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ji Yan’an watched as one person happily served the food and the other happily ate it. For a moment, he almost thought this residence belonged to the child.

“Young Master, would you like some?”

Under Uncle Li’s expectant gaze, Ji Yan’an’s overly thin face darkened even further.

“No need.”

Uncle Li looked disappointed.

Jiang Yunsui’s ears twitched. “You’re not eating?”

There was such a large table of delicious food, and yet he wasn’t going to eat.

As she spoke, Jiang Yunsui stuffed another spoonful of meat into her mouth, her cheeks bulging and moving as she chewed.

Ji Yan’an sneered, “I’m not eating.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Yunsui asked happily, “Then can I take it all with me?”

Ji Yan’an choked. He gritted his teeth. “You’re eating here and taking leftovers too?!”

“But if you don’t eat it, it’ll all go to waste.”

“Uncle Li, do you want to eat?”

Jiang Yunsui followed Ji Yan’an’s lead in how she addressed him.

Uncle Li chuckled. “I won’t eat. Mine is waiting for me in the kitchen.”

Jiang Yunsui turned her gaze back to Ji Yan’an, her soft, sweet voice full of anticipation. “Then can I take it away?”

Ji Yan’an: “…”

Ever since he took over the Ji Family and his personality became ruthless, he had never been so speechless.

“Can you even finish it?”

If he hadn’t taken a liking to this little thing’s ability, he really would have kicked her out by now.

Jiang Yunsui looked down and patted her stomach; she was mostly full.

“I’ll give it to Aunt Chen to eat.”

Ji Yan’an had a very good memory. He remembered everyone in the residence clearly, even the staff hired after they arrived in Mobei.

However, there were several people in the residence surnamed Chen. After saving the child, he had simply ordered his subordinates to settle her, so he wasn’t sure who the Aunt Chen Jiang Yunsui was referring to was.

But he didn’t show it on his face.

“Uncle Li, see her out.”

Uncle Li acknowledged the command. Jiang Yunsui was still thinking about those dishes; there were several she hadn’t even tasted yet.

Uncle Li whispered, “The maids will pack these dishes up for you.”

Jiang Yunsui was instantly satisfied. A huge, brilliant smile spread across her small face.

Both Uncle Li and Ji Yan’an couldn’t help but steal a few more glances.

Ji Yan’an even felt a bit dazed.

It had been a long time since he had seen someone smile like that.

Including himself. Even when he smiled, it was a hypocritical, fake smile.

That was what he loathed most, yet he had no choice but to become the very thing he hated.

*Smiling like that over a bit of food. So stupid.*

Ji Yan’an thought this, yet he couldn’t stop staring at Jiang Yunsui’s face, as if he were looking through her at something else.

Jiang Yunsui tilted her head slightly.

What’s wrong?

She scratched her cheek. Hmm… time to go.

When she left, Jiang Yunsui was extremely polite as she said goodbye to Ji Yan’an.

“Goodbye, Young Master. Can I come find you again next time?”

Ji Yan’an didn’t answer her. He turned and went into his study.

Jiang Yunsui thought he was a bit impolite, but since this was someone else’s house, she let it be.

It was enough that she was a polite Little Mushroom.

Uncle Li personally escorted Jiang Yunsui to the gate. It wasn’t that he cared so much, but rather that this child was a bit eerie. Without seeing her leave with his own eyes, Uncle Li felt uneasy.

After seeing her off, his smile vanished, and he immediately turned to go to Ji Yan’an’s study.

At this moment, a man dressed in black was standing in Ji Yan’an’s study.

“Ji Yi, go and keep an eye on that child yourself. Observe whether she can truly make people ignore her existence, and take note of everyone she comes into contact with. Also, have Ji Jiu investigate her background.”

“Yes.”

After Ji Yi left, Uncle Li spoke up. “Young Master, are we keeping her? Won’t it be a bit too dangerous?”

Despite Uncle Li’s cheerful demeanor toward Jiang Yunsui earlier, he cared more about Ji Yan’an’s safety than anyone else. He wanted to eliminate any existence that could potentially pose a threat to Ji Yan’an.

It couldn’t be helped; the Ji Family had to be cautious now. Ji Yan’an was the only remaining male heir of the Ji Family. They couldn’t afford any carelessness.

Ji Yan’an: “Keep her for now.”

“Yes.”

On the other side, Jiang Yunsui’s attention was constantly drawn to other things on her way back.

She carried the packed food, and when she got tired of walking, she sat down to rest, pulling out a steamed bun to nibble on slowly.

Discovering a line of ants, she looked at the bun in her hand, tore off a tiny piece, and dropped it next to the ant column.

Then she crouched to the side, eating while watching the first ant to find the crumb use its antennae to pass the news to the others. Soon, a swarm of ants gathered around the crumb and worked together to carry it back.

Jiang Yunsui cheered them on from the side.

After watching the ants move the food, Jiang Yunsui stared at the man in black who had just walked past her for the third time.

“Strange, where did she go?”

Ji Yi stared at the food box, lost in thought.

*Oh no, have I encountered a ghost?*

“Are you looking for me?”

Seeing that he was about to touch her food box, Jiang Yunsui quickly spoke up. She shuffled forward two steps and grabbed it with her small hands.

This was hers.

That Young Master gave it to her, so it was hers.

“You!”

Ji Yi’s eyes widened in shock.

Jiang Yunsui silently held her things a bit tighter and took a few steps back. This person was so tall and big; if he really wanted to steal her things…

She probably couldn’t win a fight against him. QAQ
“If you’re hungry, you can go find your own food. You can’t eat mine.”

Jiang Yunsui mustered her courage to speak to him.

Ji Yi: “…”

Did he really look like some vicious villain who would snatch food from a child?

But this kid was truly bizarre. He was standing right here, yet he had walked past this spot three times and somehow managed to overlook her. He hadn’t even noticed the food box until his third pass, and only then because he was searching meticulously.

Hiss…

Ji Yi grew inwardly wary.

This kid really did have a strange, uncanny ability.

Jiang Yunsui glanced at him. Seeing him dazed and lost in thought, she picked up her food box and scurried away as fast as her short legs could carry her.

She needed to get back quickly.

Ji Yi, whose mind had wandered for just a second, blinked and realized she was gone again: “…”

Young Master, this mission is a bit difficult!

Jiang Yunsui didn’t linger outside this time and headed straight back.

Unexpectedly, she ran into Cook Chen on the way.

With her were the two women she had encountered before-the ones who had been speaking ill of Young Master Ji.

“Cook Chen, did you make our food? What kind of garbage was that? Even pigs wouldn’t eat it.”

Cook Chen tried her best not to lose her temper. “Ladies, you know that vegetables are scarce here in Mobei. There’s no way to make the Longjing bamboo shoots or Eight-Treasure Duck you asked for. Besides, I don’t even know how to make those.”

“If you don’t know how to cook, why are you a cook? If you don’t have the ingredients, can’t you go find them? we didn’t follow the Young Master to this place just to suffer. Who are you trying to insult with those rotten vegetable leaves?”

“If you’re incompetent, don’t hog the position of the manor’s cook. I think we should talk to the Young Master and have him replace you.”

The two of them played off each other, and Cook Chen’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Suddenly, she felt someone tugging at her sleeve.

Cook Chen looked down and saw Jiang Yunsui.

“Suisui, why are you here?”

The two women also looked at Jiang Yunsui. Although they wondered where the child had suddenly popped up from, they didn’t take her seriously.

Jiang Yunsui pulled on Cook Chen’s hand. “Let’s go.”

“You little brat, go where? We aren’t finished talking yet.”

“This must be that kid the Young Master rescued. She’s already awake but still hanging around the manor instead of leaving. She’s probably trying to climb the social ladder.”

One of the women, wearing a green silk dress, stared at Jiang Yunsui’s face for a long moment, jealousy flashing in her eyes.

This little wench actually had quite a pretty face.

With a beaming smile, she half-squatted and reached out with long, slender fingernails, intending to pinch Jiang Yunsui’s chin.

Jiang Yunsui warily dodged her. She could smell the malice radiating from this person.

“You brat! Do you believe I can have you kicked out of the manor right now?” Lü Luo’s expression instantly soured when she missed.

Jiang Yunsui stared at her with clear, bright eyes-eyes that seemed capable of seeing through a person’s filthiest thoughts.

“I’ve seen you before.”

She pointed at Lü Luo and said, “You said it was bad luck to follow Young Master Ji here.”

Then she pointed at the other woman. “You said you wanted to spy on the Young Master.”

“You also said that when the Young Master dies and someone else comes, you want to be Prince Cheng’s concubine.”

“And you took a little silver stone from someone. She wanted you to help her become the cook.”

These were things Jiang Yunsui had accidentally seen and heard during the days she was searching for the Young Master’s quarters.

Although she didn’t fully understand what their words meant, it didn’t stop her from parroting them. She remembered everything.

“You…”

The faces of the two women turned pale. They spun around to check their surroundings, only sighing in relief when they saw no one else was there.

However, their relief was quickly replaced by murderous intent toward Jiang Yunsui.

This child could not be allowed to live!

“Nonsense! Such a young age and already so malicious. I’ll teach you a lesson today!”

Cook Chen rolled up her sleeves and shoved them aside. Her body, much sturdier than the two frail-looking women, shielded Jiang Yunsui.

“Well now! I was wondering why you two suddenly came to find trouble with me. Turns out you’ve got your eyes on my job! I don’t know whose payroll you wenches are on, but you dare curse the Young Master? Bah! He’ll be living long after you’re dead!”

The two women stumbled and nearly fell. After ungracefully steadying themselves, they spat at Cook Chen:

“We are first-class maids who serve the Young Master personally. I’d like to see if he believes a lowly cook like you or us.”

Bai Lian tried to persuade Cook Chen. “Cook Chen, this child is just someone picked up off the road. You’ve only been looking after her for a couple of days. You should think carefully-are you really going to ruin yourself for an irrelevant stranger?”

Lü Luo snapped, “Why waste your breath on them?”

She stared at Jiang Yunsui with venomous eyes.

“I’ll just wait and see if you two can survive in this manor.”

She was like a poisonous snake.

She didn’t intend to let either of them live. She had to have her master’s people deal with them before they could go to the Young Master.

Jiang Yunsui hid behind Cook Chen, glancing toward a certain direction several times. Why wasn’t that man coming out yet?

Wasn’t he one of the Young Master’s men? Shouldn’t he help beat up the bad guys after hearing them say such awful things about his master?

*Swoosh! Swoosh!*

Two stones flew through the air. The heads of the two first-class maids snapped to the side, and their bodies went limp as they collapsed to the ground.

Cook Chen was startled.

“This… what happened?”

Ji Yi appeared, grabbing one woman in each hand. He gave Jiang Yunsui a look and then quickly vanished.