The Double-Chapter 24 - 22 Old Friends

24: Chapter 22 Old Friends

24 -22 Old Friends

Although Jiang Jingrui looked very much like Lady Lu, he wasn’t nearly as astute.

Before Jiang Li could say anything, he had already started spilling everything like beans from a bamboo tube.

“Why have you become a completely different person now, talking so softly and awkwardly?

It’s killing me!”

“And wearing green, do you think you’re a scallion or something?”

“You’ve also gotten too thin!

Even your eyesight has gone bad?

Your dress is so plain it’s almost nonexistent.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, is this what a young lady of noble birth should be?

You’d be mistaken for a nun if people didn’t know any better.

Are you trying to become an immortal?”

Ultimately, he concluded his assessment of Jiang Li with, “Temples are truly no good places indeed; a perfectly fine person has changed just like that.”

Jiang Li:”.

.

.”

She felt a mix of amusement and helplessness, and considering Jiang Jingrui’s earlier behavior, she ventured tentatively, “Jiang…

Jingrui?”

The moment she said this, Jiang Jingrui’s expression eased, and he said, “That’s more like it!

What calling me ‘cousin’?

It gives me goosebumps all over!”

Jiang Li thought to herself that it seemed Miss Jiang the Second had a good relationship with this cousin, calling each other by their names in private.

Looking at Jiang Jingrui’s brash, uncalculating demeanor, he must have been in cahoots with Miss Jiang the Second in the past.

Jiang Jingrui crossed his arms and said, “I thought I’d never see you again in this lifetime.

I didn’t expect our great-uncle to have a little bit of conscience and bring you back.”

“Thank you for your concern,” Jiang Li tried to keep her demeanor as natural as possible.

But this “naturalness” still left Jiang Jingrui feeling extremely awkward.

After enduring it for a while, he said, “But don’t take things too lightly, spend some time to cozy up to great-uncle.

All my brothers already know you’re back in Yanjing…

I think the whole of Yanjing knows by now.

They talk behind your back, calling you malicious—I’ve heard it all.

If you don’t want to be thrown out again, you’d better be smart.”

Jiang Li was at a loss for words.

Jiang Jingrui seemed to have a good relationship with Miss Jiang the Second and now was adopting a stance of watching from the sidelines, seemingly taking pleasure in her misfortune.

His well-meaning advice, given in self-proclaimed cleverness, made Jiang Li not know whether to laugh or cry.

Jiang Jingrui glanced sidelong at a distant pavilion, where the shadows of Jiang Youyao and the other two could still be seen.

He asked, “Hey, when you came over just now, did they give you a hard time?”

“No,” Jiang Li said, “We only exchanged a few words.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jingrui looked at her curiously, “What did they say?”

“In a few days, it will be my third sister’s coming-of-age ceremony.

She reminded me not to forget the gift.”

At that, Jiang Jingrui let out a scoff and said, “All this for a coming-of-age ceremony, she really thinks she’s a princess.” He then turned to Jiang Li, pointing at her with a reproachful look of disappointment, “Are you an idiot?

Didn’t you understand the underlying meaning of her words?”

“Underlying meaning?” Jiang Li was perplexed.

“Ah.” Jiang Jingrui sighed with an air of weariness and said, “After Jiang Youyao’s coming-of-age ceremony, the people from Marquis Ningyuan’s household will soon come to discuss the marriage arrangement.

Don’t you know that Zhou Yanbang will definitely attend the coming-of-age ceremony?”

Zhou Yanbang, Jiang Li realized, was the name Tonger had mentioned; he was the Heir of Marquis Ningyuan.

He was the husband originally betrothed to Miss Jiang the Second, before Jiang Youyao usurped her place.

No wonder Jiang Youyao earlier said her coming-of-age ceremony would invite many people and that one might bump into acquaintances; this “acquaintance” must refer to Zhou Yanbang!

If it were really Jiang Li, seeing Zhou Yanbang at the coming-of-age ceremony would either plunge her into inarticulate sorrow, unable to compose herself, or into a passionate outburst, losing composure before others.

In any case, it would be unbearable, like being stabbed in the heart several times.

Tonger worriedly supported Jiang Li while Jiang Jingrui rambled on, “I think you should not go to the coming-of-age ceremony.

You don’t know how much more handsome Zhou Yanbang has become since he was a boy, and now many young ladies in Yanjing City are fond of him.

You liked him so much as a child, and seeing him now, you probably won’t be able to let go even more.

But it’s too late now; the arrangements between Jiang Youyao and Zhou Yanbang have already been set. novelbuddy.cσ๓

No matter how unwilling you are, it won’t help the situation and will only make you upset.

It’s better not to see him.”

Listening to his words, Jiang Li had only one thought: Jiang Jingrui really didn’t know how to speak.

If it were truly Miss Jiang the Second listening to his advice now, it would be like adding fuel to the fire or snow atop frost; she’d be lucky not to be infuriated to death.

Seeing that Jiang Li remained silent, Tonger worried she might be recalling sad memories and cautiously said, “Miss?”

Jiang Li smiled and said, “I’m fine, so Zhou Yanbang will come too.”

Her tone was too calm, causing both Tonger and Jiang Jingrui to be stunned for a moment.

They didn’t know that Jiang Li was not Miss Jiang the Second.

Miss Jiang the Second would’ve considered drowning herself over Zhou Yanbang, but Jiang Li would not.

To her, Zhou Yanbang was just a stranger, someone she hadn’t even met.

To be emotionally affected by a stranger was far too difficult.

Zhou Yanbang could not provoke her; whatever Jiang Youyao was plotting from the start was wrong.

Zhou Yanbang’s presence at the coming-of-age ceremony would only matter if Jiang Li cared about him.

If Jiang Li didn’t care at all, whether Zhou Yanbang appeared or not was irrelevant.

Jiang Jingrui asked, “Even if Zhou Yanbang comes, you still want to go?” He looked at Jiang Li’s face, trying to find a trace of sorrow or distress.

But he failed.

“If I don’t go, my mother and my younger sister will be heartbroken, and my father will blame me; how can I not go?

Moreover, there is indeed someone I want to see,” Jiang Li said.

When Jiang Jingrui and Tonger heard the first part of Jiang Li’s words, they still felt sympathy; indeed, Jiang Li couldn’t afford not to go.

If she didn’t, who knows how Ji Shuran might slander her behind her back, delivering her like a gift into the waiting hands of others.

But upon hearing the latter half, both were taken aback again.

Was Jiang Li still unable to let go of Zhou Yanbang?

Yet, why did her expression not seem like that of someone with lingering feelings?

Both thought the “someone she wanted to see” Jiang Li referred to was Zhou Yanbang, but they didn’t realize that the person she truly wanted to meet wasn’t him at all.

Jiang Yuanbai was the current Minister Yuan, the leading scholar, and a coming-of-age ceremony for a legitimate daughter would inevitably draw many scholars and officials.

Shen Yurong, as the newly crowned top scholar, was now the rising star among the imperial court’s civil officials and would surely seek to establish good relations with Jiang Yuanbai.

Shen Yurong’s sister would certainly attend the ceremony.

Moreover, Shen Yurong’s sister, Shen Ruyun, who had hoped to become the sister-in-law to Fangfei, was known to have admired the Heir of Marquis Ningyuan.

With her narrow-mindedness and competitiveness, Shen Ruyun would definitely come to judge the appearance of Zhou Yanbang’s future wife.

The person Jiang Li wanted to see was the acquaintance of Fangfei, a member of the Shen family.

She was waiting for them to come.